After spending several days in southern California for the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) winter show, I came home inspired and excited. I took photos of the fabulous products and displays, so many photos that I will have to divide my CHA review into two parts. CHA is a huge show with such a variety of products in about all crafting cagtegories. The variety is one of the things I love about the show.
The trends that I noticed at the show included lots of paper sculpture as well as bead sculpture, glass mosaics, beads and needlework to include both embroidery (and Crewel) and felt. I’m sure I missed some other trends, but these caught my attention.
I was working in the Gutermann booth surrounded by the beautiful and high quality Gutermann threads.
I love the wide assortment of the in both cotton and silk. Watch for designs and projects that I will be creating using their threads – comiong soon!
I took a closeup of one spool of the varigated thread. I loved the pattern created by the thread winding and the brilliant varigated color. Opening your eyes to things close around you can give you beautiful patterns.
Brazzill Basic Papers had beautiful displays of sculptured flowers. This display was hanging in a corner of the booth. A beautiful, larger display was in the center of the booth, but they were so busy and crowded with buyers, I could not get to it to take a photo.
Therm O Web demonstrated a new glitter – Glitter Dust, that gives a light sprinkling of glitter by aerosol. The paper sculptured heart consisted of various sizes of flowers, all with a light coating of Glitter Dust.
Knitting and crochet are so versatile, as can be seen by the display in the Bernat booth with these chairs.
These chair covers were knitted and crocheted using Waverly for Bernat, based on 5 of Waverly’s popular patterns. The yarns are in color collections based on the colors of the patterns. You can see my favorite 2 chairs below.
Aren’t they wonderful!!
And I just love these sweaters and accessories also in the Bernat booth. I will take one of each! I really love the colors of this display.
The ILovetoCreate booth was filled with several wonderful displays created by EdoHeidi Borchers and Tiffany Windsor. Heidi created the mosaic boots using over 2000 pieces of mosaic tiles and buttons. They were gorgeous! The dress was designed by Heidi and Tiffany with 90 paper plates hand cut into over 5000 petals, glued and painted to look like faux leather. This was a stunning display to show the uses of Aleene’s glue.
This large column, designed by Tiffany and Heidi, is decorated with 1200 paper plate hand and die cut into over 3300 pieces.
This display of mosaics was also designed by Heidi and Tiffany for ILovetoCreate. I love the skirt! It’s made with broken china – cups and plates. Its really a work of art! The table and chair are mosaics using broken china. All three pieces created a beautiful setting.
ILovetoCreate also has Tulip paints for body painting. A different design was painted each day. The pretty model is Savannah Starr, Heidi’s granddaughter. I wonder if it tickles but it would be fun to paint and wear!
Tiffany is pictured here with me when I ran into her at the show. Besides being a great designer, Tiffany also hosts the Cool2Craft network.
The Kunin Group had adorable projects in their booth with colorful felt, including the this fish pillow and the stuffed fish.
The cell phone cases were one of the displays in the Kunin Group booth. They are just too cute and are by Jodie Haffa of Lova Revolutionary.
David Tutera, wedding expert and host of My Fair Wedding on WeTV, has a bridal accessory line with Darice. Some of the products are used for the beautiful table setting above. And as you can see, I got to get a picture taken with David.
Mich Turner of Little Venice Cake Company, London, has a line of baking accessories also with Darice. Mich, the Queen of Couture Cakes, is demonstrating on the Darice stage. Those cakes really look yummy!
Check back for part 2 of my review of CHA. I have lots more to show you!
Phyllis
