Susan R. Opel
One week gone, and the CHA Winter 2013 show is but a memory. But that four days in sunny (and chilly) Anaheim fuels the content of our publications for months to come!
If you followed us on Facebook or Twitter or Instagram, you may have thought it looked like all fun and games. Well, it is. But it’s a lot of hard work, too. OK, maybe not THAT hard, but we’re scouring and searching and scribbling notes and meeting and shaking hands and making connections. We’re pretty much *on* 24/7. Good thing we have an awesome group of people to find all the stuff that we know you’ll love.
L to R: P. Kelly Smith – PC Senior Editor; Megan Hoeppner – CK Creative Editor; Natalie McConnell – CK Editor; Susan R. Opel – PC Creative Editor; Cath Edvalson – PC Trends Editor; Jennifer Schaerer – Paper Crafts & Creating Keepsakes Editor-in-Chief; Joannie McBride – CK Online Editor; Kerri Miller – PC & CK Managing Editor; and Holly Anderson – PC Online Editor (our photographer, Stacy Croninger – PC & CK Digital Managing Editor)
Truly, CHA is a visual feast! I could wax prolific on all that we saw and the trends that popped up, but who could do it better than Cath at the Moxie Fab World blog? Dude, seriously head over there when you’re done here – she will hook you up with even MORE pictures!
In the meantime, I whipped up a few slide shows to give you the CHA experience. First up, a little tour of a few of the booths we visited:
2013 Winter CHA Booth Tour
Next, let’s take a look at some of the amazing new products you’ll want to get your hands on:
2013 Winter CHA Parade of Product
And finally, to help sell all of that yummy product, here are some of the gorgeous projects displayed in the booths:
2013 Winter CHA Pretty Projects
I would be remiss if I didn’t give you some of my top of the tops! I’m known for my love of colored and patterned paper, and below you can get a glimpse of a few of my favie faves!
Clockwise from top left: Zig zag paper from the Love You More collection (Pebbles); a three-fer from the Knee Highs and Bow Ties collection (BasicGrey); dramatic black flocked paper from the Eleanor collection (Anna Griffin); gorgeous navy and pink floral from the Uncharted Waters collection (Glitz Designs); and western flair with a cowboy twist in the Honky Tonk collection (Cosmo Cricket).
One of my favorite all around things was these yummy feathers from Bella Blvd. Colorful, soft, and oh-so-dramatic. Yeah, I’m a fan!
And last but not least – THIS! The Craft Armoire from Jinger Adams.
Oh, I was skeptical about this one. How does it work? Won’t it be too heavy? I went back and looked at it several times to allay my logical brain’s fears. It really is THAT cool.
What you don’t see is that when closed, there is a cork board down the front of the door. Great place to display your creations. For someone who has lived in many tiny apartments, this is an AWESOME idea for the crafter with limited space. You’ll need to put on your patient pants, though. It’s not available until May. Cath shares more about it here.
So, what do you think? Good stuff, huh?
Leave a comment about what you saw in the slideshows that tickled your fancy, and one lucky commenter will win some brand new stuff straight from the CHA showroom floor! Just leave your comment by Thursday, January 24th at 5 pm MST.
CHA inspires me!
OMG! I love that Armoire! Thanks for the chance to win!
I am excited about the feathers that seem to be everywhere. Looks like you all had so much fun.
That craft armoire has my name written all over it!
I was really wowed by Anna Griffin’s newest paper line! Just simply gorgeous!!!!
I love Anna Griffin’s Hope Chest and her flocked paper looks luscious but I’d probably just hoard it! Webster’s Pages Modern Romance looks pretty as does Carta Bella’s So Noted. I love the colors in Maggie Holmes’ line, too. I think I want it all!
Oh yeah, and my faves that weren’t shown: Basic Grey Mint Julep, Pink Paislee Hope Chest, and American Crafts Dear Lizzy.
modern romans from webster’s pages makes me happy. thank you for the slide show!
The Craft Armoire was the best of all.
Amazing show. I like that there truly is something for everyone! Vintage, retro, modern, floral, graphic, bold colours, soft pastels, muted and distressed. You could not walk away from all this selection and honestly say there was nothing that suited your tastes.
OMG what great stuff there is no way I can pick just one thing, I like them all. Thx for sharing & for a chance to sin some cool CHA goodies,
Holy cow! I think my patient pants are going to wear out before May gets here, I NEED the craft armoire!!!
Oops! Hit post before I could say – Country Kitchen from Farmhouse Paper Co.!
Loved the opening scene of the white picture frames from paper smooches. But also loved seeing the new Maggie Holmes product! Thanks for the chance to win.
I love giveaways!
Thanks for putting together and sharing these slide shows, Susan!! I love all of the goodies you highlighted—-especially the So Noted collection from Carta Bella, the new stamps from Paper Smooches, the Pink Lemonade collection from Lawn Fawn, and those sweet Little Yellow Bicycle embellies!!!
The Anna Griffin flocked paper! To die for!
What a great post Susan!! It almost made me feel like I was there again
I love the new Simple Stories, Carta Bella, Crate Paper….so much great stuff!
I’m excited for the new Paper Smooches stamps. Thanks for the chance to win some of this awesome product!
I really enjoyed your booth tour – so many pretty products so well displayed. Thanks for sharing!
loving the love you more collection, so perfect for me right now!
That craft armoire would be such a game changer to a persons’ craft room! Once it’s available I can see it residing in my room……
I am with you, the Knee Highs and Bow Ties paper from BasicGrey ROCKS!
Two words – Anna Griffin. Wow! I just kept replaying that part. I also loved the Little Yellow Bicycle embellishments.
Love, love, love those wooden horses! And the bows!! I cannot tie bows for the life of me! Those are a must have!
I’m in LOVE with Carta Bella’s So Noted!
For me it’s that armoire — swoon!
All the new design prints, colors and embelis are going to be great this year to scrap with.
I really like the craft armoire! I hope that is what you have to give away!!
I love just about everything. So many wonderful products!
really enjoyed looking at the booths and the new products, thanks for sharing!
Being a midwest country gal, I love the Country Kitchen Farmhouse collection!
oh good golly, you mean pick only ONE?! nope, can’t do it!
I so love anything Basic Grey releases because my heart truly belongs to them…. sigh….. I look forward to their releases more than anything!
I love all of the arrows I’m still seeing. they are such fun to incorporate into projects. the speech bubbles are also fun to use.
Love, love, love the booth tour. Those feathers look really neat and I’m brainstormin ideas already..thanks for shariing
Loved the ribbon curtain at Dear Lizzy’s booth. Such an awesome photo backdrop. Love the naturals embellies by LYB, Maggie Holmes collection and projects, and finally the cosmo cricket and lawn fawn projects.
Love the idea of themed slidshows for showing CHA photos
Looks like you had a super fun time! What caught my eye? The new stamps and DIES from Paper Smooches!! The wood veneer horses from Studio Calico are rockin’ (no pun intended!) That cutie patootie owl pillow box and toast card from Lawn Fawn are fabulous! But by far what truly had my jaw in my lap was the armoire! I. Must. Have. That!!! Thanks for the chance!
Susan, thanks so very much for the “wrap”on CHA. So very hard to pick favorites, but I love anything Anna Griffin, Webster’s Pages, Authentique…… Can you tell I love anything vintage? Oh, and the Cosmo Cricket display and Crate Paper die cuts–the Viewmaster disc really caught my eye. Thanks for the chance to win.
love to see all the booth! lovely things
Pingback: Winner Wednesday! | Paper Crafts Connection
Pingback: CHA Extras | Paper Crafts Connection