Craft and Hobby Assocation Craft SuperShow

Deborah Norville taught me to knit! She was so personable, talented and candid! She even dished about the Sag Awards, her leaving the Today Show. I even held her needle while she taught us to cast-on in her unique way!

Deborah Norville's new yarn line.

Have some buttons? Here's a cute way to use them.

Loved the balloon flowers.

All of the swooshes on this wall were done in crystals. Check out the hands.

This butterfly was about 4 feet across and very pretty.

The bird was huge. Check out the floor behind it - yup, it's feathers!

Beautiful butterflies hanging from the ceiling.

Craft and Hobby Association Craft SuperShow

Fabulous day at CHA!!! Had a blast teaching at the Craft Academy! Crafters are amazing! I had seriously thought about cancelling my make-it and take-its because of the weather. We saw several overturned cars along the freeway and the weather was something else! I dropped a friend off in Manhattan Beach and would love to go back sometime to do some window-shopping - fantastic looking home decor stores!

Tomorrow is a 'free' day - I'm thinking the show floor will be crazy with crafters!!! I might take a watercolor class. I'm having breakfast with Cheryl Ball!!! and will meet up with some more former Aleene's friends the next few days.

From Crafter's Heaven,
Joan

Craft and Hobby Association Celebrities Appearances

CHA Celebrities

My friend, Cheryl Ball, sent me this link today - geeee...I had no idea!!! I'm among celebs like Deborah Norville, Carol Duvall, Dee Greunig, Vickie Howell, DIY Gurus - Cathie Filian & Steve Piacenza, Aleene Jackson, Jo Pearson and Heidi Borchers!!!

http://www.craftsupershow.com/eweb/dynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=celebrities

I'm back from CHA and trying to catch up on mail, email, Facebook, yadda, yadda...I ran across this drawing Laura Kelly did of me at the show - she was amazing - she did it literally in 10 seconds.

More details about the show soon!!!

Road Trip!!!

I'm off to CHA after having dinner with Jack LaLane last night...OK, he was in the same restaurant as me.

I'll report back early next week on all the new crafty things from the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show!

Celebrity Attendance at the CHA Winter Show

Once again it's time for the annual Crafty and Hobby Association Trade Show where buyers from all over the world come together to find exciting new products to purchase for their stores. I am fortunate enough to have attended most of these shows for many years and have seen a lot of changes. I can't wait to see what's new and exciting out there just waiting to hit the stores! And, I might just run into a celebrity or two. Check out who will be there.

Deborah Norville, avid knitter, author, Emmy award-winning television journalist and host of Inside Edition, will be the 2009 Keynote presenter. Additionally, Deborah will be appearing at the Premier Yarns booth to introduce her brand new yarn line—Serenity, from the Deborah Norville Collection. Stop by to meet Deborah in person and see each of these four yarns (and receive free samples). Deborah will be appearing in the Premier Yarns booth #1619 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 25, 2009.

Paris Hilton, internationally recognized model, singer, author, and entrepreneur will be at the Show on Sunday, January 25, 2009 from 2:30 - 3:30 pm in the Wooky Entertainment booth #2500, to unveil Paris Hilton, the Creativity Collection™ a multi-faceted line of fashion crafting kits from some of the most popular craft segments including scrapbooking, jewelry making and fabric embellishment. Paris will be on hand for photos and signing autographs.

Jane Seymour is a multiple Emmy and Golden Globe winner and recipient of the Officer of the British Empire (OBE). She has proven her talents in virtually all media, the Broadway stage, motion pictures and television. Her love of art and color has also led her to great success as a painter in watercolors and oils, as a designer of her Home Collection and her Open Hearts line of jewelry, all based on her art. This success as an established fine artist includes being selected as one of the official painters of the 2005 Torino Winter Olympics, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and most recently the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Come by and meet Jane during her appearance on January 26, 2009 from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm at the Tara Materials/Fredrix Artist Canvas booth #3529.

Vanna White, the co-host of Wheel of Fortune and best-selling author, has made appearances on numerous television shows and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is an avid crocheter who loves to give handmade gifts to those she loves and has been Lion Brand Yarn Company's spokesperson for 14 years and collaborated with Lion Brand on several books, including Heartfelt Gifts to Knit and Crochet and Color it Beautiful Afghans, both inspired by her yarn with Lion Brand—Vanna's Choice—a premium basic, easy-care yarn in colors all designed to mix and match. Vanna White will host the Lion Brand Yarn Fashion Shows held on Monday, January 26, 2009 at 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm in the Lion Brand Yarn booth #1801.

Craft and Hobby Association

Jane Seymour, Lauren Johnston, PattieWack, Jack Canfield the Chicken Soup for the Soul guy, Cheryl Ball, Vanna White, Craft Products, Friends, Crafty Chica, Home Dec Ideas, Carol Duvall, Beads, Retro, Beaded Corvette, Road Trip...I'm EXHAUSTED!!!

There is so much to tell you about my trip to Anaheim...we had a great group on our 6 hour trip to Anaheim - Valerie, our VP of Marketing, her daughter, Allee now a designer at work and a Jenn our trend spotter - my, what a group we were! I started the adventure about 8:15 Saturday morning, picking everyone up in the company van and we laughed, we shared, we talked about our lives and we waited in traffic - it was a beautiful day with downtown LA looking particularly stunning since the air was clear and the snow on the mountains was wonderful.

To get to Anaheim and see the booth in all its glory was great! Everything went together and to see all our hard work in front of us was so powerful - we work on our booth for months coming up with themes, signs, new products...

We introduced Crafty Chica at the show - Kathy Cano-Murillo is a tremendous designer and businesswoman. I am so inspired by her and her giving ways. She shares so freely and has such an awesome, upbeat personality - I love being around her.













I was so taken by this mural - it was huge and all made out of beads - you can click on the image and see all the detail.








Aprons, aprons and more aprons!!! AND RETRO - These aprons were made from patterns from the 1950's. So cute!









More retro aprons!








I was so excited about his booth - It was like a little cabana and people sat and did their make-it and take-its.








This ice cream cone was stuck to the carpet on the aisleways of the show - they were probably 5 feet long - it really made we want to find some ice cream!!!








This blouse was on display in the Designer Showcase - it uses the Tulip Sticky Fabric Stencils.












friends...
when you've been in the industry as long as I have, there are people you know everywhere. I had the opportunity to get together with Lauren Johnston a few times - here we're taking a break to have a lovely convention center lunch - you'll notice that all of these pictures revolve around food...




Here's Lauren and me again, but this time with our old friend Marina - Marina was one of the art director's at Aleene's - we worked together on books and the magazine.









OK, not such a great picture of me, but I wanted to include a picture of Julianna - we worked together at Aleene's and at Jangle.com - she lives in New Jersey, so I just get to see her once a year.






And, Jane Seymour - she was demonstrating her watercolors kits - her pieces were beautiful! I was a HUGE fan of Medicine Woman (I believe I should have been born back in the 1800's!!!)






I kept walking passed his ginormous hanging thingie above a booth - it's made of ribbon...I have to incorporate this idea somewhere.







Here's a dress Debbie Rines recreated in Tulip Fashion Glitter.

More details later...I think I need a nap - oh, that brings to mind our trip home - someone, who shall remain nameless, gave us directions to save us time during the rush hour traffic - what took us 6 hours down took us 8 hours to get back home and even the six hours to get there should only have been about 4 to 4-1/2, so yes, I'm tired, but the trip was fantastic!!!

OK, still more...I had a kind of funky afternoon yesterday because I was SAD, but happy at the same time! I had to tell my friend, PattieWack goodbye and I don't know when I'll be able to see her again - she has taken a job in Nashville - just when I thought they'd settled in California again. My best to you, Pattie and Scott - to new beginnings my friends...

I'm sure more pictures will come my way as my friends make their way home - the trade show goes on through tomorrow afternoon.

Joan

It's almost time to leave for CHA...

Things keep piling up in front of my desk - unfortuantely, we're one of the last to leave for the trade show and we have a van, so that means we get stuck taking all the stuff people can't get in their cars or were forgotten. Check out all the fun we'll be having at the show http://duncancrafts.com/cha/

I'm in the process of writing a couple ads this afternoon, a friend is picking me up lunch at one of my favorite places - Japanese Kitchen, I'll load up the van and get outta here to pack up my bags, indulge in a 1-1/2 massage tonight and then get on the road early tomorrow morning for some awesome adventures.

I've lined up a couple of get togethers with old Aleene's friends - Lauren Johnston, Sharon Williamson, Julianna Hudgins and hopefully PattieWack will be able to squeeze me in for at least a hug.

Until next week - keep craftin' but, I have to share with you an email I received from a friend this morning...she knows me pretty well - I shared it with friends at work and thought you might like her insight.

Remember life is too short...take a minute and look around you wherever you are, THEN YOU WILL SEE 'your life is wonderful!' but YOU aren't letting YOURSELF SEE IT! Make it a HAPPY LIFE!!! - Love you Miss FS

Bras, bras, everywhere there were BRAS!!!

CHA...
It's all about old friends, new products and havin' fun!

CHA is coming fast...

It's What You Want...It's What You Love...that's the theme in our trade show booth. We're loading up new product, signs and all kinds of stuff to show off.

CHA is the Craft & Hobby Associations convention and trade show. It's the craft and hobby world's fair! This is where thousands of craft and hobby industry professionals come together under one roof in a massive burst of creativity, education, inspiration and commerce. Attendees from over 40 countries will soak it all in: the latest techniques, the newest products, the biggest names, and the best sellers.

I'm busy doing last minute things - spraying Tulip Cool Color Spray on a shirt I bought yesterday and still working on bra purses!

I'll have awesome details late next week, until then, happy crafting!
Joan

We're getting ready for the huge Craft and Hobby Association trade show!!!



Things are hopping at work - we're developing new products (you won't see them in your stores for probably a year!), we're making signs, we're getting the booth stocked...it's a whole lotta work and the adrenalin is in high gear. We are pushing to get everything done to do what we call a booth "walk-thru" in the morning - it's where everything possible is in place and the Duncan employees get to "walk-thru" and see what's new and how great the booth looks!



This trade show is especially fun since Pattie Donham and I, along with 4 other celebrity designers, will be featured in the booth - this morning, I walked into work and saw two of ME more than life size - quite a shock at 7 a.m.! They are going in the booth with thought bubbles talking about our favorite products. Our mugs are on make-it and take-it signs, in company literature - seems like we're EVERYWHERE! Pattie and I have already planned our Hugfest and Chatfest at the show - whenever we get together there's sure to be lots of laughs and silliness!!!

I'm very excited to be such an integral part of the booth and am anxiously waiting for my bras to arrive so I can make my samples for the make-it and take-it bra purses.

The show is only a week away, so I'm charging my camera batteries, getting my notepad ready to take notes so that I can get back to you with all the latest trends and products...it's going to be something else!

Other fun things are happening...I received a phone call from the guy who's organizing the fine art exhibit I'm in next month - things are shaping up...he was calling to ask me the price of my art work...I just have to laugh...again, life is going in directions I never knew possible. Now, to have a mat made - that's my goal for tomorrow after work...

This weekend is holding some very interesting things - yes, another party (I don't think I've been to this many parties in my entire life!). My friend Gloria and I are going to our friend Frances' parents 50th wedding anniversary - I hear a mariachi band is planned and the same lady who made Frances and Rudy's wonky wedding cakes are making the cake for the party.

I hope to have a quiet Sunday to catch up and get things together for the trade show. I may even be able to sneak a night in a Disneyland while I'm there...

Take care my friends,
Joan

LET'S CRAFT!!!

It's been a fun week, full of surprises and yes, holiday festivities.

Clay EVERYWHERE!!!

I had a fun treat this week, with 26 fifth graders in my nephew Justin's class. Everyone was given a lump of clay and given no rules. After an hour we had awesome clay sculptures everywhere. The weather has been very cool, so it's taking a little longer than I expected to dry so I could get them in the kiln. We're going to glaze them this week so they can be holiday gifts. We had lots of snowmen, an entire holiday scene, an elf, leaves and lots of imagination! I'll show pictures next week.

Speaking of Clay/Ceramics...Here is a picture of the ceramic leaf I made recently. I rolled out the clay and pressed in the leaf. I think it turned out great! I'm making a bunch and giving them as coasters. My mom is mounting hers on painting canvases.

Seems like I'm on a ceramics roll...

I'm busy making holiday gifts and a quick and fun one I've been doing for a lot of friends and family is the bubble technique. Here's one I did - it hasn't been fired yet, so it's still in the bisque stage.

The smell of the holidays...

I had a fun time Friday night at a candle making and decorating party! We poured the soy candle wax into containers and then decorated the container with beautiful embellishments. It was so great to make something and take it home finished! I haven't decided if I will keep the lovely cinnamon scented candle or give it as a gift.

Bread Dough Web Video

I got a sneak peek at the Bread Dough Video Alexis and I taped a couple weeks ago. It should be up soon at http://www.duncancrafts.com/. It's a hoot talking about good ol' bread dough. I remember making zillions of tiny bread dough roses for segments when I was on Aleene's. Ahhhh....the memories. It felt good to be back in front of the camera again!

Paperworks Magazine Ad

As if life wasn't exciting enough, I'm going to be in a full page ad for Paperworks Magazine. The photo shoot is tomorrow and I'll be in a crafty setting working on one of my favorite projects - decoupage. I'll keep you posted when it hits the newstands.

More Exciting News

The big craft trade show is coming up the end of January and I've been asked to do a decoupage make it and take it at the show. Yippeee!!! I haven't demonstrated at a trade show in ages. It'll be great fun, plus I get a couple days to "walk the floor" and see what's new in the craft world and I'll let you in on what's up and coming before it hits the stores. I just found out this morning that I get to hear Martha Stewart speak at the trade show! Should be exciting!

Well, tomorrow starts a new week...I can't wait to see what it holds!

Make it a great week!

Joan