CHA Summer 08 - Day One

Spotted: LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new Doodlebug lines. Did you see those smoking *hot* 6x6 and 12x12 pads that they made "just for us"?? I have been begging them for these little sweeties as I know card makers will go nuts for them in the UK! Sooooo looking forward to stroking outside of the packaging ;)

Next to Cynthea and I is a creative display from Graphic 45. Sort of reminscent 7gyspies... and Melissa Frances.

My Yellow Bicycle and SEI were busy...

...and across the way we bumped into ALI; and Emma managed to grab a pic with her. Not sure if I embarrassed her too much (sorry Em!!!) but once we photoshop that pic, then we will have a little collection going ;)

Spotted: I know the last Heidi Swapp rub-ons sucked as bad as the original DO ones - but these new designs are stunning, and I am sure they wouldn't not inflict the nasty flaking on us again...

You have heard of BADGE IT (surely every 10 year old in the UK owns one!) well now you can BRAD IT (...see what I did there, a little clever play on words ;) It will retail in the US for $40, but I can see it's appeal... make your own brads to suit the paper designs, or clothes in a pic... and they are chuncky accessories that make a statement. Thumbs up from me!

Spotted: Provocraft's new tool is a binding laminator - make your own 'MY STORY' books... retail around $50 (I think??) and will have the wow factor for anyone who makes... well, books. I want to go back and really play some more with this before giving a verdict. I am trying to see how often I would use it...

They DO have new 'Hello Kitty' cartridges (...so on my shopping list!!!) and decked an entire bedroom out in the stuff. If my 5 year old is watching, there will be pester power when I get home ;)

The new WRM lines are gorgeous!! They have adhesive flocked die-cut ribbon, and just really vibrant, rich colours both for Christmas and for everyday. LOVED the new look!

Jewellery anyone... seriously! Watch this space...

Spotted: The new Claudine Hellmuth lines - which you are going to go gaga for. CANVAS... is all I am going to say. It is going to be the new acrylic ;)

Day One (3)

That corner rounder punch is a cool tool - officially!

It can slice its way through 100 sheets - and we did try it out on the catalogue... like butter! Granted they had this burly bloke wielding it... but our test was to see if old ladies could do it (no problemo) and then another bloke (a TRUE test!) Sure enough... easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Just HOW much you will use this tool - no idea!?? You for sure will use it if you make cards in bulk or class kits... but I am not sure how many of us need to trim perfectly 100 sheets at any one time... so therefore a little hand held £6 gadget would do the trick??

The price point on this is $49.99 (don't quote me, as I actually can't remember... it was a long day!) So would you pay around £40+ for this?! IT looked good, definitely does the job... just don't know if you need the job doing...

That is the dilemma!!

Also - on the SLICE (Making Memories) you have to hold it down the whole time it is cutting. So seriously, you could cut out the basic image they have in a quicker time (saving yourself money and time...) I just don't get why you have to hold it down... it wastes your time. Fair enough it is slow and only cuts one image in any given time - images need to get more creative btw... too too basic - but if you are having to be sat holding ti down the whole time... doesn't that feel like a complete waste of your time? Boredom would sink in after the first 3 letters of a title (es;pecially LONG ones...) Just my opinion. Nothing to shriek about... priced at $149, I think I will stick with my Cricut Expression.

La la la la....

Arrived: have already eaten lunch at Laguna Beach (amid scantily clad beach volleyball players); visited Michaels (and succumbed to a Cuttlebug which admittedly had 30% off, so was a temptation too much... it will get sold to my husband as a 'market research' investment ;)





We ate out last night with the entire BasicGrey team... bumping into Heidi Swapp (same restaurant, same duff service!) Spotted Melody Ross in the lobby as we (Leandra from PaperArtsy and I) staggered back to our room... not from drink mind, as I am tea-total... just the jet lag!

I had visited the Press Room in a spare moment and spotted a few things:

Ellison have gone pink and black (a little Heidi Swapp influence) and by far had the best kit giving away 4 huge new dies... and a nice pink bucket (which unfortunately will not be returning with me in my suitcase...) They are definitely rebadging as pretty.

The Around the Block tool is a corner rounder (you know like the one Heidi Swapp raved about on her blog early last year, and that got sold via scrapbook.com - for over $100! I did get one - just to test it's hardcore ability to cut through zillions of Bazzill sheets... and it does live up to its reputation for performance.) So the question is, is does this pink and pretty cutter really do the job? I am going to test it out... as if it is under $40, then it will be a must have tool for anyone who likes curves (and that surely must be every respectable lady!)

The BasicGrey is so much better irl... seriously! Kellee (Goree) who ate out with us last night - and is the funniest little lady from Kentucky (she has an infectious laugh) just does wonders with it. I am looking forward to working more with her this year - she is just wet your pants funny (and talented... but funny first.) We did already start talking about new product for later this year... and Rachel (owner/designer) has just some knock-your-socks-off ideas... and me and Kellee are signed up for 10 of everything... more to follow ;)

I did discover that Inique Boutique is infact Inque (as in ink) Boutique - which actually does not sound as cool... but I can live with it. We have breakfast with them in an hour, so I better go get scrubbed up and wrestle puffy eyed Leandra for the bathroom. (what is it with our eyes?!!) I did take a pic of mine... which is healing nicely. It is a running joke that I have left my wonderful, long suffering (beach volleyball loving) husband at home for half term with our adorable 4 kids - so he poked my eye out to get even. I am sure (!??) that isn't the case - and that it was a total accident (that's what he said?!!)

More Later,
Becks x

CHA - Sneak from Around the Block

Spotted: I had heard a little while ago that another company was going to be bringing out a tool very very similar (aka almost identical) to the Bind-it-All. I guess in this industry it isn't long until someone nicks your bright idea if they see that there are sales to be had (remember that poor man that came to CHA to show off his Ready-Set-Tool eyelet setter which was amazing and revolutionary... only to see Fiskars, Making Memories etc all jump on the design and copy it to the hilt?!) Anyways... I think this PAPER GATOR may just be the reincarnated Bind-it-All! We shall see, eh?