CHA Show 2008

My husband and I just returned from the Winter 2008 CHA Show at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA (across the street from Disneyland!) - luckily we are about 15 minutes away from Anaheim so this does not require major travel but we normally go no matter where it is - and it is fun to see new locales when it is a bit further from home.

We always take a full day to see it all - they have everything from new papers and adhesives to yarns and paints...everything a crafter could want!

We stopped a a few booths in particular were our favorites:

Pazzles - a creative cutter that can do custom die cuts as well as embossing and engraving - this looks promising and we hope to incorporate it into our product line and services for this year.

Xyron - cool product that laminates, creates stickers, and generally makes things adhesive - this will be so great for adding the small embellishments and die cuts to programs and invitations!

Kandi Corp - a hot fix rhinestone applicator - and they also sell the hot fix swarovski crystals, pearls and all kinds of other embellishments for adding a little "wow" to invitations. And SO much easier than gluing by hand!

Ka-Jinker - a quick click attachment tool...this works like a retail tagger...you load your embellishment (they had a good variety of sequins and different shapes and sizes of buttons) it's little needle punches though paper, fabric or whatever and leaves the little "t" on the reverse side and your sequin on the front side...very cool, and so easy and less messy than gluing!

KoKuyo - Tape runners and adhesives - We have carried these for a number of years now and of all the adhesive places at the show - I like these the best for a small hand held tape runner. They are great for scrapbookers and fantastic for mounting the Envelopments® products for DIYers. And my kids love using them instead of glue sticks now!

Scotch - Of course their ATG tape gun and tape...I use this for EVERYTHING...even my kids school project and posters. I think of this as the industrial version of the KoKuyo tape runner and love using it!

And last but not least

Envelopments® - I always stop by their booth at the CHA and National Stationery Shows; it is great to put faces with the names of the great customer service staff they have and it is always fun to see their new samples and talk to designers Deborah and Ramon about what they may have planned for the future. This show there wasn't too much I hadn't already seen since the new Design Studio was just released last month - but they always have great displays and samples to look at!

Next....the National Stationery Show in May in New York City....we usually make this one a priority but with a new baby this year we may skip it - or do a "power run" red-eye trip and just see the show for a day...stay tuned!