We got back from the CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) show last Tuesday. While walking the huge convention halls is tiring, it's always great to hang out with my employees and talk about our new finds. Even though we were just in Anaheim, it seems like we are far, far away from home.
The CHA show had a different vibe this year. It was definitely less busy; we had plenty of room to move around in the booths and view the new products. There were less manufacturers and we missed, Scenic Route and October Afternoon who both pulled out of the show at the last minute. On Tuesday, Roni and I were turning in some last orders and honestly it seemed so quiet it was weird - and the show didn't end until Wednesday!
All around me I could hear conversations about the state of the economy - it was definitely on everyone's minds. "Are people hurting?" Absolutely. "Is it going to be good in the long run for the U.S.?" Absolutely. Things were getting out of control on such a broad scale in so many areas of our economy and now we need to reel it in and take care of business and be smart. "Is Treasured Memories affected like so many other retailers?" Of course, but we are making the necessary everyday changes that are needed to stay in business. That included buying smarter at CHA and sticking to a smaller budget so that we will still be around in 2010.
The current economy was a huge part of the show and I always learn from industry businesses and I try to evolve and make changes as necessary. Now, enough business talk - let's get on to the fun stuff!
Our Favorite CHA Booth
With over 320 scrapbook manufacturers at the show you would think that we would have difficulty choosing a favorite but we were all unanimous... Graphic 45! By far, the Graphic 45 booth was amazing, beautiful, classy, fun, and the buzz of the show!
It was just the unbelievable way their booth was displayed, and their three product lines were awesome. You may think of Graphic 45 as a heritage company and yes, they tend to have a lot of heritage, but look closer at the back of many of their papers - they can be used for anything and they all coordinate so beautifully!! We bought all three lines. Communique & Fashionista are available late February and Transatlantique is available in March.
Our second favorite was a new company to the USA we found in the "New Product Section" of the convention. ScrapFX has made a name for themselves in Australia. They specialize in laser cutting chipboard shapes and words.
How to Find Out When the New Stuff Arrives
Everything purchased at the show is listed on the New Product page of the website. We will do our very best to get the product in as soon as it is available and post it's arrival immediately!
I wish everyone a great February! Give love to your family and friends.
Happy Scrapbooking,