Craft Industry Today Summer 2012

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5 0 I D E A S TO I N C R E A S E S TO R E S A L E S

see page 20 SUMMER 2012

Craft

Industry THE CRAFT & HOBBY ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE

A Creative Store for

Dabblers Randy Hartnett and Sally Myers offer customers a little taste of a lot of hobbies.

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Summer 2012

CONTENTS

FEATURES 8 The Mid-Year Designer Trend Report 12 Exceptional Customer Experiences On Your Website

18 The CHA Summer Show: A Look Back & Forward

COVER STORY

Dabblers hobbies + café

page 4

A New Type of Store 27

A unique multi-line hobby store in Concord, Massachusetts, comes complete with event/classroom space and a café.

20 50 Ideas to Increase Store Sales DEPARTMENTS 14

Inspiration

16

Creativity is Our Business

26 28 14 Graphics

Craft

Industry THE CRAFT & HOBBY ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE

Summer 2012, Volume 1, No. 2

Editorial

Victor Domine vdomine@craftandhobby.org

Keri Cunningham kcunningham@craftandhobby.org Tina Manzer tmanzer@fwpi.com Anya Harris anya@fwpi.com

Contributors: Theresa Cifali, ImpressArt Metal Stamps; Mike Hartnett, Creative Leisure News; Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, Kizer & Bender Speaking!; Joe Rotella, Delphia Consulting; Victor Domine, Craft & Hobby Association

30

Beauty is but a flower ... in an awesome-looking pot!

Industry News New Products

Index of Advertisers

Jennifer Srmack jsrmack@fwpi.com

products worldwide. For more about CHA, the value of membership, or its award-winning Conferences & Trade Shows, please visit www.craftandhobby.org.

Lindsey Williamson lindsey@fwpi.com

2012 Closing Dates

Mark Stash mstash@fwpi.com

Advertising

Tim Braden tbraden@fwpi.com Darlene Roberts darlene@fwpi.com

Craft Industry Today is published quarterly for members of the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA).

CHA is an international not-forprofit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in the design, manufacture, distribution, and retail sales of craft

August 17...

The Fourth Quarter Issue November 25...

The Winter Show Issue The Craft & Hobby Association 319 East 54th St. Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 201-835-1200 Fax: 201-797-0657 www.craftandhobby.org www.craftplace.org

Publisher Fahy-Williams Publishing PO Box 1080, 171 Reed St. Geneva, NY 14456 800-344-0559 Fax: 315-789-4263 www.fwpi.com Craft Industry Today is distributed to CHA members on a complimentary basis. Subscription fee for nonCHA members is $25 a year.

Additional copies are available upon request pending availability. To order, contact CHA at 201-835-1207.

Copyright © 2012 The Craft & Hobby Association. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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Dabblers hobbies + café

M

by Mike Hartnett

Most industry veterans put consumers in a box: they are knitters, or scrapbookers, or painters. But are there people who aren’t committed to a particular category, who want to try a little bit of everything?

Maybe they are … dabblers.

That’s what Randy Hartnett and Sally Myers are counting on in their startup retail operation in Concord, Massachusetts.

“The name, ‘Dabblers’ really speaks to what we

A New Type of do,” Randy said. “We are not a deep-inventory store for every hobby we offer.

Rather, we allow people to dabble in multiple hobbies, to develop many interests, to try new things.

“We try to offer experiences that cross traditional boundaries – build a box in woodworking, decorate it in visual arts, fuse glass for the lid, and use it to store a felted animal. Or, start with a photo, paint around it with watercolors, mount it in a

Advice for Hiring Teachers

Store

bezel, link together a chainmaille necklace, put it into a quilled card, and give it as a Mother’s Day present.”

In 2010 Randy and Sally, both dabblers themselves, were bored. Randy, an avid woodworker, had retired from launching various high-tech start-ups.

Sally was a stay-at-home mom with some part-time retail experience who dabbled in many hobbies.

“We liked the idea of specialty retail,” Randy

“We have new instructors do in-store demos before we sign them on for classes,” Randy says. “That allows us to evaluate their skills and their ability to interact with customers.

We learned that the hard way: one of our first instructors was very competent at her craft but terrible with people. Now we evaluate them before putting them in a class.”

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Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

explained, “but Concord has many retail shops, very few chain stores and no big box stores. We wanted a concept that didn’t compete directly with other stores in the area. There were no hobby shops here, but which hobby would we pick? We couldn’t decide on one, so why not all of them?

“And, if there are bookstore/cafés, why not a hobby store/café? So we settled on a multi-line hobby store with a café, and an in-store event space for classes that does double duty as a community meeting place. Once we had the basic concept, the details came together very quickly.”

The result? Dabblers hobbies + café.

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THE

Dabblers by the Numbers

DEPARTMENTS

Visual Arts Watercolors, acrylics, encaustics, drawing, origami, block printing, glass painting and airbrushing. Most products are above-student-grade, with some supplies for professionals and a few others for young kids.

Fiber Arts Knitting, crochet, needlepoint and felting. “Needle felting kits and roving are among our highest volume categories in the store,” Randy reports.

Handcrafts Candle making, soap making, quilling, jewelry making, stained glass, mosaics, fused glass and basket weaving. Randy says this department draws the most interest, probably because it offers many crossover-hobby opportunities.

Woodworking Carving, small-format hand and power tools, dollhouses, hotwire foam sculpting and much more.

Models Trains and train scenery; kits for balsa planes, plastic models, and wooden boats; radiocontrolled ultra-micro helicopters and airplanes; and rockets.

Science and Nature Chemistry sets, physics kits, microscopes, telescopes, rock polishers, electronics kits and robotics. Because much of the available product skews “boy,” Randy and Sally work hard to have great science kits for girls as well. They also offer “fun stuff,” such as yo-yos and gyroscopes.

Young Kids A compilation of things from the other six departments for the preschool hobbyist, including finger-paints, tabletop sandboxes, build-your-own wooden trains and more.

Dabblers does not carry scrapbooking. “It’s well covered by other stores, and we feel it doesn’t fit the Dabblers model,” Randy says. “Inventory

Space: The store is 4,800 square feet – 2,500 square feet of selling space, 350 square feet of event space, 400 square feet for the café and 250 square feet for restrooms. The rest is offices and storage.

Employees: Three salaried employees: the retail manager, assistant manager, and event manager.

There are 19 part-timers, which collectively would be the equivalent of seven additional full timers.

As is the case with many startups, Randy and Sally are not taking a salary – yet.

Area: Concord is a suburb about 20 miles west of downtown Boston. The total “catchment” area is about 350,000 people, plus numerous tourists from around the world, thanks to Concord’s connection with the Revolutionary War.

Competition: Because of zoning laws, there are

no big-box stores in Concord, and Randy and Sally deliberately try to avoid competing with existing shop owners. For example, they don’t carry quilting supplies because of the quilt shop located nearby. The nearest Michaels is a 30-minute drive.

Randy noted: “Our biggest competitor is Amazon and similar Internet sellers. We try to out-compete on service, but even more than that, we promote our curated collection of products – stuff that was selected by us to meet a specific need for a specific niche, so our customers know they can come here and find the ‘right’ thing and appropriate accessories to boot.”

In the café, customers can enjoy hot and cold drinks, salads, sandwhiches and more.

Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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requirements are too high for us, and there’s a very good paper arts store in a nearby town. We happily send people there to scrapbook.”

PRICING,

SERVICE AND INVENTORY Dabblers tends to price at MSRP or MAP, rarely offers coupons and has very few sales events. “We don’t want people to think we are a premium-price store,” Randy says, “but we also don’t want them to wait for a sale to make that purchase. We are still working on this aspect of our business model – not sure we have the right balance yet.”

He continued: “We go out of our

way for customer service: year-round free gift-wrapping, special orders and hands-on instruction or help with any project. Returns are unlimited, any time for any reason, even half-completed models.

“We think our value-add is in our curated collection of products,” he added. “We don’t carry everything. Rather, we seek good products at reasonable prices that work well, assemble properly, teach a concept, and/or are compatible with the rest of the merchandise. We also stock the ‘stuff’ to make those items work, like tools, glue, paint, accessories and books.”

Six Ways Dabblers Attracts Kids Events for kids are tremendous traffic builders.

1.

The store features a “drop-in craft table” for younger kids where four to eight projects under $5 are available (they are assembled and packaged by the staff).

2. Radio-con-

trolled helicopters and airplanes are flown inside the store daily.

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Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

3.

One of the new three-dimensional printers is available for customer use.

4.

The store offers craft/hobbythemed birthday parties. Fused glass jewelry is popular, Randy reports, but so are chemistry experiments.

5. Last May, Galileo visited for a day,

showing kids his new invention, the telescope, and talked about science and the stars.

6.

The most popular event recently?

Believe it or not, etiquette classes for kids. A Miss Parnes hosts a three-hour class that teaches everything from introductions to setting a table. “Not exactly a hobby,” Randy laughed, “but we do hope the attendees will be better behaved in future classes.”

“We fight the image that we are a toy store,” he added. “We think about every product and try to fit each into a hobby/educational theme. We don’t want to compete with the local toy store, and we don’t want to be known as just a kids’ store.”

THE

EVENT ROOM

It’s far more than a classroom – it’s a community center. In a typical week it’s the scene of four to six multi-session classes, two to three single-session workshops and three to five demos.

“The community center was very much part of our concept from the start,” Randy explained. “We want people to come and stay; that’s why we have a café. To that end, we host nonprofit groups – The Lions Club and the fundraising committee for a local church that meet in our event room regularly. We offer lecture series throughout the year, often on hobbyrelated topics, but also on themes we think our customers enjoy, like a lecture on Earth Day, for example.

Other events include “Girls Night Out” evenings and receptions for local artists. The walls of the room, as well as those in the café, are used to exhibit and sell artists’ creations.

“If I had it to do over, I’d have two event rooms.” (To see the remarkable array of events scheduled currently, visit www.dabblers concord.com.)

DABBLESPACE… …is what they call open studio time for qualified customers. To qualify, customers must take a class in stained glass, fused glass or woodworking. Then they can use the store’s tools for an hourly fee and receive a 10-percent discount on that fee. Storage of partially completed projects is available, too.

Dabblers hobbies + café features a remarkable array of traffic-building features. As we all know, store traffic creates new customers, which creates success.

Mike Hartnett has been reporting on the industry since 1979. He is the editor of Creative Leisure News, a trade newsletter published online at CIT www.clonline.com.

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Trend Report The Mid-Year

Designer

Props provided by Tina Manzer and Jennifer Srmack

Here, CHA designers Melony Bradley, Eileen Hull, Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beth Watson, Terry Ricioli and Vicki O’Dell identify major themes in projects and products this summer, and point out shifts in creativity, self-expression and personal style.

Beading and jewelry making

Statement pieces are at the forefront for summer 2012. Bracelets, cuffs, large bangles and layered pieces will reflect a bold-is-better trend. In necklace styles we’ll see collars, chokers, chunky and multi-strand designs made to stand out in the crowd. Statement rings that feature a prominent center stone or a voluminous, central cluster of jewels are very popular now. Earrings are even getting in on the overthe-top trend with long

chandelier styles and large hoop designs.

Jewelry is reflecting fashion’s trend toward a more natural look. Large, chunky, organic stones; wood; and pendants with flora and fauna themes will abound. Be on the lookout for flowers, feathers and sea life to incorporate into beading designs.

With the wide variety of colors Pantone presented this season, the choices for bead-

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Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

ers is the broadest it has ever been. From basic blacks to bold neons to soft natural hues and everything in between, this season is sure to be full of color.

In metal trends, silver is still a standout, but gold tones are again making a place for themselves in the market.

Large links for chains express the big and bold

trend, whereas the comeback of snake chain reflects the influence of natureinspired designs.

Beads and jewelry have made an impact outside of the fashion industry.

Vintage broaches are being used in home décor, floral displays feature strands of beads, and jewelry designs have inspired food crafts!

A few surprises have shown up on the market.

Friendship bracelets, for instance, are back in favor but with a grown-up twist.

These adult friendship bracelets are made out of leather, metal and strands that are highlighted with beads. Seed beads are popular again, especially in multiple strands and ethnic designs.

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flora and fauna, flowers, feathers, friendship bracelets, nature-inspired,

Kids crafts

With summer comes the question: “Which creative activities can we complete with the children in our lives?” paired with the statement, “I’m bored!”

Crafting kits of all kinds continue to be popular, quick and economical. Kids today are learning new crafts and working on projects that feature their favorite licensed characters from television and the movies.

Tweens are sewing, knitting and crocheting. These “retro” crafts provide a sense of accomplishment and the opportunity for individual style.

Parents and kids are using science crafts and activities to make borax slime, corn starch quicksand and crystal egg geodes.

Watch your kids in amazement as learning and creativity collide.

The concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle are the cornerstones of crafting. Using basic household supplies and objects that might other-

Paper crafts

wise be discarded continues to be a popular way to teach kids social responsibility and self-sufficiency.

Nature crafts can help create special memories for your child: press flowers from a picnic in the park, create creatures from seashells collected on vacation, and paint rocks found on a family camping trip.

Using recycled materials such as newspapers, grocery bags and magazine pages is still a strong trend. Natural fibers, too, like burlap and canvas, are also popular among “paper” crafters. They may, for example, die-cut burlap and use it in backgrounds for scrapbook and card layouts.

Here are some other paper craft trends we’ve spotted.

• The use of bold graphic patterns including chevrons, houndstooth and damask.

Food crafting is growing.

Projects can be as simple as Nutter Butter cookie flip-flops, or as complex as Truffula Tree cake pops inspired by the recent movie, The Lorax. Recipes on the Internet inspire creativity.

Pop culture crafting will be influenced by the Summer Olympics in London, and movies like “The Hunger Games” and the Twilight series. Popular video games like Angry Birds, and television shows such as “Project Runway” and “Fashion Star” will also impact crafts.

“Electronic crafting” is an emerging segment of our industry.

Crayola has taken the lead by introducing the ColorStudio HD App and iMarker for the iPad. The uDraw Game Tablet for the Wii offers endless creative possibilities as well. This is definitely a strong trend for summer and beyond as our children continue to be immersed in all forms of electronic media.

one concentrated area on the page, leaving a large white border.

• The more unique and nontraditional the materials, the better it is. Home improvement and office supply stores have become shopping destinations for crafters. Vintage book pages and hand-dyed coffee filters create dimensional florals.

• Paper artists and bloggers offer a multitude of DIY tutorials. Watch them on YouTube.

• Cute animal icons – squirrels, frogs, deer and raccoons.

• Retro techniques such as melting crayons to create art.

• Lots of white space, particularly for scrapbook layouts. The trend is to group elements tightly in Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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retro crafts for teens, melted crayon art, “bling,” “kitsch,” scarfettes, capelets, shawlettes, MIXED

Wearable art

Color blocking, combined with the pairing of contrasting colors, works well for summer since color is more prevalent now than in other seasons.

Adding color to basic black, white and gray combinations in unexpected places will begin to emerge

Fiber arts, sewing, needlework Knitting, crochet and quilting remain the biggest categories in the needle arts category. For summer, the very popular scarf category has given way to knitted and crocheted shawls of all shapes and sizes, starting with the “scarflette” that can be wrapped around the neck, to the “capelet” or “shawlette” that just covers the shoulders. Shawls grow into wraps, stoles, capes and mantillas in seemingly endless variations.

Lacy and breezy for summer, shawls can be casual or dressy depending on the yarn or thread. They are are also heading to the beach or pool as sarong

10 Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

– like wearing tangerine socks with strappy black sandals. Vintage looks are still strong but are becoming increasingly feminine and ethereal.

The addition of a rhinestone chain and tulle to a basic black skirt, for instance, creates a vintage look.

Eco crafting doesn’t skip this category. Crafters use old clothing to create new looks.

Cutting old T-shirts to create a ruffled skirt gives crafters budget-friendly satisfaction, and a dose of eco consciousness.

They are recycling old leather

or pareo cover-ups over swimsuits.

Loose and easy-fit tunics, vests and ponchos are easy to make and layer over tanks and T-shirts. Extra long cowls and lace panel inserts add interest to tops and sweaters. Lace and net inserts are also being added to sewn garments. Lace is hot right now. For summer, shoes, sandals and bags will have lacy crochet accents.

Granny squares are stepping it up thanks to new stitches that give them a more complex and sophisticated look.

Garments are not the only items that can be crocheted or knitted. New jewelry patterns are available that incorporate beads with metal and fabric. New, eco-friendly yarn made from bamboo,

to create new embellishments – floral motifs, for instance.

Men’s neckties are being used to create handbags, skirts and even embellished necklines on a basic tee.

A return to “bling” and “kitsch” from the late 1980s and early 1990s is obvious. You might see sunglasses adorned with palm trees or a bracelet with Kewpie-doll charms.

Indie-influenced motifs such as owls, matryoshka dolls and vintage typefaces are also turning up on clothing and accessories.

Techniques such as indigo dying, stenciling, stamping and image transfers are transforming plain clothing into interesting wearables.

and from recycled materials like blue jeans and plastic water bottles, is now available.

Mesh tape yarns and thick, fleecy yarns that can be chained without a hook or needle add new textures.

These materials make up quickly and are perfect for the beginning crafter.

Gradual, blended stripes in softer tones and tweeds are popular for summer. Self-striping, multi-colored yarns in metallic ribbon and blends make it easy to create the look.

Classes on sewing and quilting techniques are on the upswing as more people learn and relearn the basics. Quilting is crossing over into mixed media. Creating your own unique fabric with mixed media techniques such as dye, crayons, paint and stenciling is popular, along with embellishing surfaces with beads, wired threads and doilies.

The look of abstract art is being incorporated into quilting in bold and bright geometrics.

MEDI

MIXED

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MEDIA, Road Kill Rescues, vintage, organic

Home décor

The trend continues to be “use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without.” As with other crafting categories, recycling and repurposing remain strong. Using vintage items for display, and for new purposes, continues to grow in popularity. Old hairbrushes with new sur-

collections and heirlooms – proves that the consumer prefers personalization over mass-market purchases. They’re looking for surface treatments to enhance the look and feel of “vintage.”

Neutral backgrounds have been replaced by bold colors. Large floral and

Spin & Store

face treatments display vintage photographs, for example.

“Road Kill Rescues” (items found on the curb on trash day) can be cleaned up and painted, and broken or unused items can be deconstructed and reconstructed for a new purpose. All of it is showing up now more frequently then ever before.

Displaying family treasures – vintage documents,

botanical prints, typography and global themes – combine with various textures including mixed metals and luxurious finishes.

Newer themes will begin to emerge this season.

Look for “Atlantis” with oceanic colors and aquatic imagery (mermaids will be popular), and “Romance” with influences from the Middle Ages. The look is regal, historic and Emperor/Empress.

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On Your Website Exceptional Customer Experiences

L

by Joe Rotella

Look around the Web. I bet you’ll find many sites that provide the same products and services as you do. What is your differentiator?

Traditionally, sites have focused on quality, reliability, pricing, brand and more as differentiators.

Today’s competitive battleground is the customer experience. Industry leaders understand the role marketing plays in this paradigm shift. Marketing is crucial to the delivery of compelling and emotionally engaging experiences over the Web. Using the right technology is the way to deliver exceptional user experiences consistently across all touch points, and that includes the many different platforms across the Internet.

When the relationship begins

The relationship begins the moment a crafter and your organization meet. That “meeting” might occur in a physical or virtual venue: a crafter might come across your name in a trade publication, visit your store or discover you on the Internet. Buyers visit as many potential supplier websites as

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Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

visit those of current suppliers. On average, they visit potential supplier sites three times per week.

The bottom line is that all buyers, whether they’re looking for goods or services, use the Web to facilitate the search.

Your website needs to provide visitors with an exceptional user experience, or they will click on to another site. The site needs to bridge the gap between marketing and sales by providing detailed factual information. As crafters build a relationship with you, the Web is where they learn more about your products and services. They want less marketing hype and more detail. They expect to be able to dive deep into that detail before being asked for their e-mail address or telephone number. So, for example, a photo gallery and customer testimonials might be readily available, but access to more in-depth material such as step-by-step project instructions or a pattern they can download might only be accessed after readers supply some combination of contact name, e-mail address and telephone number.

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Your website is most effective when it: • Is error-free

• Is easy to use

Beauty counts

• Is easy to print

• Presents your image well

Management (CRM) applica• Features pictures of people tion to help track customer In just one-20th of a second interactions.

– less than half the time it takes • Is consistent to blink – people make aesthetic • Is packed with valuable content Staying in touch judgments that influence the Generally, businesses lose rest of their experience with an 20 percent of their customers Internet site, according to over the course of a year MSNBC. Marketing and comthrough natural events. Don’t munications professionals have • Know who they are. lose any more because of inatknown for years that perceptions • Know what’s going on in their world. tention. To keep your business are influenced by appearances; • Know what they are doing with your top of mind, try to “touch” your by looks. The same holds true on organization. clients every 90 days or less. A websites. People judge your web• Provide information based on their needs. touch could be as simple as an site by a whole host of things e-mail message, or as personal as you may consider trivial. Be a phone call. Doing so helps you aware, they judge you and your develop deeper customer organization by the same standards. relationships. Technology can help you maintain the Researchers at Stanford University have shown that the tiniest slip in quality demolishes the user’s trust in the website relationship by providing a variety of ways to stay in touch. owner. The error could be as small as one spelling or gram• Proactively send information to customers based on their matical mistake. But appearances are more than being free needs to show you are keeping them in mind. For example, from mistakes. What does your website say about you? What suppose you read a great article about a niche area you are is the visual impression? Does it incorporate photos of peoknown for. Get permission to copy and distribute the article, ple? Do those pictures reflect the diversity you have in your pull out your client contact list in that niche, and send the organization and customer base? Is the content easy to scan article to them along with a letter (or, better yet, a handwritand is it valuable to the reader? ten note) that shows you thought of them as you read it.

Do you make every contact feel special?

That special feeling

• Publish a blog so you can showcase your expertise and give Once you’ve successfully engaged a crafter, how do you your organization a more personal feel. Use the Internet to continue to manage and nurture that relationship? How do offer educational video clips. The basic goal of marketing has you make them feel special? Studies have shown that 68 peralways been clear: identify qualified leads that can be concent of customers leave one provider for another because of verted into new business. Effective marketing can happen at perceived indifference. They don’t feel special. Making one person feel special is difficult. Making hundreds of people feel every touch point, and those touch points must build an exceptional experience. You must offer increasingly fickle special and unique is exceptionally challenging. consumers a terrific user experience on and offline.

Think about it. Don’t you hate it when you call a provider and they don’t know who you are? Or, worse yet, • Consider stratifying your customer list so you can easily you have to repeat your problem or circumstances over and identify your top customers. Make it a point to call your top over again? Your customers and contacts hate it just as much. customers once every 90 days or so, with information you Do you have systems in place to make your contact feel confident that you know who they are and what their most press- know they care about, like special events or new products. ing concerns are?

Take an inventory of all A system could be as simWith over 20 years of the opportunities you have to ple and inexpensive as a 3-by-5Web/application design and touch your prospects and cusinch card file. In it is a card for tomers. Use that inventory as development experience, Joe is each customer that includes the basis for a written plan notes about their likes and disCTO of Delphia that incorporates these touch likes, favorite products, favorite Consulting and points. Then, implement that themes, and notes that can help leads their Internet plan. You may be amazed at you make them feel special.

Marketing Practice. the results.

Larger organizations may use a CIT Customer Relationship Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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Inspiration

Altered Flower Pot by Theresa Cifali and ImpressArt Metal Stamps.

A fun and simple project to teach and demo in your store.

“Beauty is But a Flower...”

W

...in an awesome-looking pot!

Why use plain old terracotta planters when it’s so easy to jazz them up into something really super special? There are so many options just using color alone! With this project, you can customize them even further using ImpressArt Metal Stamps. Convey a unique message and add your own personal touches. (P.S. – They make great gifts.)

Step 1: Assemble your supplies

• ImpressArt Alphabet Stamps: Newsprint Uppercase SC1216-3MM, and Newsprint Lowercase SC1316-3MM

• ImpressArt Metal Stamping Hammer #SC711

• Brass colored brads

• ImpressArt Stamp Straight Tape # BC21-1520

• Stencil tape

• ImpressArt Design Stamps: Floret, # SC1514-B-6MM; Leaf Right # SC156-N6MM and Leaf Left # SC156-O-6MM

• ImpressArt Steel Stamping Block

• Patio Paint by Deco Art

• Metal copper tape

• Metal Brass Tag with Holes #IAD12114

• Foam brushes • Foam double-sided tape • Black acrylic paint • Black permanent ink

Step 1

Step 2: Mask the flower pot with stencil tape and add your first color.

Once it’s dry, remove the tape and add the second color. Set aside.

Step 3: Using the design stamps, stamp a pattern into the copper tape by first tapping the stamp into black pigment ink and then onto the tape.

Use the steel stamping block and a very light tap with the hammer so you don’t cut through the tape.

Step 4: Use the alphabet stamps to

stamp your phrase into the metal brass tag. Smear acrylic paint into the grooves of the letters and wipe off with paper towel. Add brads to the tag.

Summer2012 2012••Craft CraftIndustry Industrytoday today 14 Summer 14

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Theresa Cifali is a mixed media artist from New

York. With nearly two decades of experience as a designer working with consumers, manufacturers

and retailers in the craft industry, she is the sole

Step 4

Step 5: Attach the copper tape around the

rim of the flower pot. Bend the metal brass tag so that it is slightly curved. Attach to the rim over the copper tape with foam tape. Plant a flower!

proprietor of craft consulting and design business TheresaCifali.com. She maintains her business, instructs a variety of classes, and continually

experiments with new designs, techniques and

class concepts in her private studio. Most recently, Theresa has become

addicted to metal stamps.

Visit her website to learn

more about her work with craft manufacturers and

retailers. You can e-mail her at theresa@the

Step 5

alteredcanvas.com.

CIT

ÂŽ

A New Dimension in Mixed Media Art.

Metal Sta mps Designed by Artists for Artists www.ImpressArt.com Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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Creativity is

Our Business

Contact a designer today to schedule a class, arrange for a consultation, improve your social media or solve your design dilemmas.

beth | watson

DESIGN STUDIO &+$ 'HVLJQHU ,QVWUXFWRU 0L[HG 0HGLD $UWLVW EZGHVLJQVWXGLR EORJVSRW FRP

EHWK#EZGHVLJQVWXGLR FRP

Sharon M. Reinhart Designs • Designer • Teacher • Author

Available for classes, demonstrations, book signing events, product development, project design and consulting 403-280-1179 smreinhart@telus.net

smrdesigns.blogspot.com sharonmreinhart.com Project materials supplied by: Canvas Corp; DecoArt; Harmonie; and Tsukineko

16

Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

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ee dim thr

ensional

art

Eileen Hull with x eileenhull.blogspot.com

Stampin’ Queen Creations Lisa Rojas Designer, Artist, Teacher 760-952-2262 lisa@stampinqueencreations.com blog: stampinqueencreations.blogspot.com

Give The Queen A Call!

Cardmakers! Scrapbookers! Crafters!

Original art from artist Penny Pierick. Images are on transparencies so you choose the background. Many subjects to create with.

Also available, small paper images to embellish your project.

Call or visit our website to see the complete product line, and open an account today!

susanlouisearts.com (608) 206-6987

Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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The CHA Summer Show

F

A Look Back & Forward

For craft professionals who are relatively new to the industry, this article will offer a brief historic overview of the CHA Summer Conference & Trade Show, and provide a few important items related to the future growth of the industry.

by Victor Domine

It all started with an idea

The idea for a Midwestern regional craft industry trade show was attributed to Wilda Moore of the Offinger Management Company, who in 1972 suggested there might be interest in creating a trade show focused on craft and sewing supplies. The following year, Offinger started to research the industry and found ample interest for launching an independent craft trade show. In 1974 the craft supply industry organized and exhibited at the Ohio State Gift Show.

Over the next two years craft supply shows were held separately in Columbus, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Lansing, Michigan. Informal discussions between Jerry Hacker and Kevin Eringer centered on the need to establish a trade association for the craft supply industry. Then, during a meeting in 1976, the Mid-American Craft & Hobby Association (MACHA) was formed as a regional organization focusing on crafts, needlework, hobbies and art materials.

MACHA launched its first Chicago Craft-Hobby Industry Show July 17 though 19, 1977 in Chicago.

MACHA grew in prestige and significance until 1984 when it changed its name to the Association of Crafts and Creative Industries (ACCI) to represent a growing national membership base.

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Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

ACCI + HIA = CHA In 2004 ACCI and the Hobby Industry Association (HIA), joined together to form the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA). Offinger Management continued running the ACCI Show until 2005 when CHA started to manage the annual show in Rosemont. CHA has been hosting its annual Summer Trade Show ever since.

Thousands of creative industry professionals converge at the Summer Show for a unique buying and educational experience, making it one of the most exciting craft industry events of the season.

The 2012 Show

This year the Show will focus on “Craft Fusion,” the innovative blend of mixed media and traditional craft skills representing growth opportunities for the entire industry.

The following new features and special presentations will create an exciting and easy-to-navigate Show experience.

■ The Opening General Session & Breakfast will be presented by Jay Goltz of The Goltz Group. Jay will provide the components needed to improve business in this left brain, right brain industry.

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■ CHA’s President and CEO, Andrej Suskavcevic, will present “Working Together to Grow the Craft Industry,” a lively discussion outlining a new industry-wide movement that empowers consumers to express their creative selves.

■ My Expo is a new online planner that integrates the online exhibitor directory and floor plan to make finding exhibitors and products easy – like one-stop shopping. Show attendees can create an account and build a personalized and printable list of exhibitors that they want to visit at the Show.

Also a powerful online directory, My Expo helps locate companies and brands exhibitors want to see. The new and enhanced online listings make special videos, show specials and other digital surprises available.

■ ShowBiz Connections (SBC) is a complimentary matching service designed to match up exhibitors and attendees based on similar interests. SBC exhibitors and attendees select from a controlled list of products and services.

Attendees may request appointments with exhibitors through the appointment-setting feature with appointments downloadable to Outlook and mobile devices.

■ The CHA App allows you to search the Show floor for exhibitors, access the exhibitor directory, manage your meeting schedule, review your conference schedule and manage your appointments through a slide of the finger on your smart phone or tablet. The App is available free online in the Apple iStore, the Android Market and via Web-enabled links for BlackBerry on www.craftandhobby.org.

■ The Next Iron Crafter Challenge is a fast-paced, highenergy crafting competition where contestants are challenged to create a mixed-media project in under 10 minutes using mystery products. Celebrity mixed-media crafters will provide great crafting tips and ideas that you can bring back to your stores to increase your business. Lucky audience members will walk away with prizes from exhibiting manufacturers.

Poised to move the industry forward In conjunction with the membership, CHA is committed to moving the craft and creative industry forward and placing emphasis on establishing dialogue, building community and providing greater value leveraged through the collective, rather than individual efforts of the industry.

CIT

Victor Domine is CHA’s Director of Membership and former Acting Director of Communications. An award-winning communications professional, Victor works with CHA Members and the industry to help tell interesting (often untold) business stories.

Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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Ideas to

Increase Store Sales

by Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender

I

It’s a busy retail world out there – all competitors wish they had more customers. Actually, they wish they had YOUR customers. Keep competitors at bay and thrill your customers with these easy-to-implement, customer-pleasing, traffic-building, sales-increasing ideas!

ON THE SALES FLOOR

1. The customer’s first

10 seconds inside the store sets the tone for their

entire shopping trip. What kind of first impression does your store give? Check it daily.

2. Hang a bulletin board

near your Decompression Zone (DZ), the first 5 to 15 feet inside your front door.

On it, post a store map, a list of this week’s sale items, bag stuffers, class calendar, special events and other important information.

3. Place Speed Bumps –

small tabletop displays of product – just beyond your Decompression Zone. Make these displays irresistible and easy to shop.

4. The Americans with

Disabilities Act requires store aisles to be a minimum of 3.6 feet wide. Could a

wheelchair-bound customer easily maneuver your aisles? Can two cus-

tomers comfortably shop in the same aisle?

5. Set your end features to sell! End features are

meant to display promotional items; not to house everyday basic merchandise.

You need to plan what will go on your end features, so assign each one a number and make a list of product each will display every month. Take this calendar with you to trade shows and look for merchandise specials specifically for your end features.

6. Customers will spend 25 percent more in dollars and up to 15 minutes longer in the store when they shop with a cart. Even if your store is tiny you can still

offer customers a shopping cart. Visit www.big

basketco.com and check out their basket carts.

7. Do not house shopping

carts and/or baskets in the Decompression Zone. Instead

place them just past the DZ and in key locations throughout the store. Instruct associates to get a cart or basket for customers carrying product.

8. Implement a signing program. Signs serve a pur-

pose: they act as silent sales people, helping customers until a real person is available to help. And unless handwritten signing is part of your store décor, don’t do it. Professional sign-making software is available from a variety of suppliers, including Insignia Systems, www.insigniasystems.com.

CHECK OUT THE CHECKOUTS

9. The wall directly behind your checkout counter is major selling space! Use it to display new items, hot buys and impulse product.

10. Nuke the “No! No! No’s!” in your policies. Write them in a positive voice: “We gladly accept returns and exchanges within ____ days. Your receipt guarantees it.”

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“Women love bling or something ‘cute,’ so if it has those qualities it is sure to be a hit!

11. Increase sales at the checkout with impulse item displays.

12. Instruct associates not to hang out behind the checkout counter unless they are helping a

TIP: “Items at the checkout counter are a

key ingredient to raising the average sale,” points out Kim Donahue from Tall Mouse Crafts & Fabric in Placentia, California.

“Women love bling or something ‘cute,’ so if it has those qualities it is sure to be a hit! For a bonus up-sale, incorporate a multiplier sale such as bracelets, 1/$6 or 3/$10.”

customer. Have them work on a project in between customers.

13. Save the sale! Keep a stash of items that customers frequently forget at each checkout counter.

STORE OPERATIONS

14. Make sure that your store is open when your customers need to shop. This means before and after work,

nights and Sundays.

15. Decide how you want the telephone to be answered, and

let every associate know that’s the plan. The phone must be answered within three rings, customers are “connected” not “transferred,” customers are asked before being placed on hold, and no one stays on hold longer than 45 seconds.

16. Cross merchandise whenever and wherever possible.

Visit www.southernimperial.com for J-hooks, clip strips, power panels and other inexpensive fixtures designed to help you sell more products.

17. Assign “category captains.” Their job includes making sure the shelves are full, the shelf space is optimized to

YOUR “THINGS

TO DO” LIST

18. Control your back stock. Make sure the product you are about to order is not already in your back room.

19. Create a “Never Out” Item List. Category captains can check this list daily, and reorder the necessary product.

20. Every item on your sales floor must be assigned a “home” identified with a bin ticket. If you do not use bin tickets your stock will not be organized and product could end up in several different places.

21. Ditch the dogs! Add a “sell by” date to price tags and

bin tickets, and mark down as necessary. Move product with special sales, grab bags, store-created kits and “Last Chance” clearance dump displays.

22. Do our 360-Degree Pass-by every single day. Begin

26. Set a daily sales quota for each person working

23. Are your windows set to sell? Window displays need to be refreshed as necessary and set to a new theme on a monthly basis.

27.

at the front door and walk the entire store – every aisle, nook, cranny, restroom and service area. Note things that need to be attended to before the store opens for the day.

24. Each morning create a Store Opening Checklist that outlines tasks that must be completed by the day crew.

25. Each afternoon create a Store Closing Checklist.

These are the things the closing team must accomplish before they leave for the night.

22

avoid out-of-stocks, and that top sellers have been given enough facings.

Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

that day. If it’s not written down, it’s not a goal. Your people will perform better if they know what’s expected of them.

Make time each day to quietly observe your customers. This daily exercise will help you come up with

new ways to amp up the customer experience.

28. Host one major in-store event and two to three minor in-store events each month. Major events fill the store with shoppers; minor events limit the number of participants. (Think demos and classes.)

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t!

YOUR TEAM 29. Hold a New Hire

Orientation for each new associate. Let them know what’s expected and give them an assignment they can easily accomplish on the first day.

30. Implement our “7-Tile

Rule™.” Each time an associate comes within seven floor tiles – that’s 7 feet – of a customer he or she must acknowledge that customer.

31. Don’t react to cus-

tomer questions. Respond.

When you react you tend to give a short, unfocused answer. But when you

respond to a customer, you look him in the eye and really engage him in conversation.

32. Associates must also

do a daily 360-Degree PassBy. They need to know the

products they sell and where they are located in the store.

Associates must also memorize the prices and locations of key items.

33. Unless customers look like they need help ASAP, never ask, “May I help you?” Talk about the customer’s kids, the weath-

er, or local news. The best opening lines have nothing to do with the store.

Schmooze a little before you talk about product.

34. Have associates carry product you don’t want customers to miss (or that

36. Do a monthly add-on

you just can’t seem to move). After a little schmooze time, the associate can talk with the customer about the item.

35. Encourage every asso-

ciate to practice add-on selling. The goal is to sell the

primary item, plus additional

merchandise. Ethically adding on to the sale actually strengthens customer relationships because it saves them time and money. If they forget a key item and have to come back, they aren’t going to be very happy about it. selling exercise. Hold up an item and ask associates to shout out complementary products they could add on to the original item. If they can’t come up with a complementary add-on they can always suggest a sale or value-priced item.

Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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Encourage every associate to practice add-on selling.

37. Each month ask associates to write three things they could do to exceed customer expectations. Implement their suggestions.

38. Reward associates when they do a good job. Programs like “Associate of the

Month” and “Superstar of the Week” are great motivators if they are well run. Have associates nominate one another and vote for the winner.

39. Be flexible with scheduling.

According to a recent survey, 61 percent of working women would leave their current jobs if they were offered more flexible hours elsewhere.

40. Offer ongoing education. Hold

monthly in-store training classes, keep a library of books and DVDs, and ask vendors what they have available to help train your team.

TIP: Go to www.craftandhobby.org/webinars and take part in CHA’s monthly webinars.

These education power sessions are offered on a variety of topics including retailing strategies and tips and techniques every retail business should know!

41.

Two words: dress code. Every

associate should be properly dressed to meet your customers. Even when you provide garments, you still must be very specific about what is acceptable to wear to work and what is not.

BUILD A BUZZ ABOUT TOWN 42. Pick an e-mail marketing

company and use it to send out monthly e-mail blasts. Send your

blasts on the same day each month so that customers will look forward to receiving them. We use EmailContact.com because it offers lots of templates and extras that are super-easy to use. Add a “Forward to Your Friend” link to every promotional and marketing e-mail message you send to customers.

43. Work the social medias!

Talk up your store on Twitter, post on Pinterest and Facebook, create a Facebook event, and get a YouTube channel.

44. Create a weekly Bag Stuffer

and hand one to every single shopper. Do not pre-stuff them! Some weeks use your Bag Stuffers to advertise specific product or events, other times create a monthly calendar that’s loaded with in-store goings-on.

45. Make a list of all the services and conveniences you provide and build a “Brag Sheet.” Print it on the back of your weekly Bag Stuffer, and add it to your website and e-mail blasts. You can also turn it into a big sign to hang near the checkout counter.

TIP: Ask CHA for a list of the

media outlets in your local market, a free service it provides to CHA members in the U.S. and Canada. CHA’s media lists include primary contact information. Contact vdomine@craftand hobby.org, or call 201-835-1224 to learn more.

46. Watch QVC, HSN

and infomercials on television. Each time they feature a product that you

24 Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

sell, hang “As Seen on TV!” signs over that product in your store.

47. Make your own “radio” advertising campaign. Play it over the intercom system and use it as your telephone on-hold message.

48. Contact local media and pitch stories about your store,

product lines, services, in-store events and promotions, charity events, your people, trips to trade shows, and more. Eighty percent of the stories in local media come from a press release, so send one for each legitimately newsworthy thing you do in your store.

49. Contact your trade associations and ask to be put on their Reporter Referral List. Who knows – you just might end up on national TV! 50. Collect customer testimoni-

als and add them to your e-mail blasts, newsletters, website and other marketing materials. Customer quotes are also great additions to your in-store signing program. A customer testimonial is 10 to 20 times more powerful than what you have to say about yourself!

Send an e-mail to info@kizerand bender.com and put “50 Things” in the subject line, and we’ll send you the forms mentioned in this article, plus additional customizable templates and employee motivational tools to help you stimulate store sales. Copyright Kizer & Bender. All rights reserved.

CIT Rich Kizer & Georganne Bender are professional speakers, retail strategists, authors and consultants.

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Industry

News

Networking and business opportunities, strong advocates

CHA Launches CHA-UK

I

In May, The Craft & Hobby Association United Kingdom became official. As an affiliate chapter, it will enjoy the full support of CHA while remaining autonomous within the United Kingdom. Based and funded in the UK, it will cater specifically to the needs of Britain’s craft industry retailers and suppliers.

“After almost a decade of discussion and planning I’m very proud to be part of the UK’s premier craft industry organization,” said Mark Hill, CHA International Committee Chair and CHA-UK Board Member. “With national craft retail, media and manufacturing support behind us, we are truly poised to nurture and expand the craft and hobby industry in the UK.”

Tune In to “Craft Wars” on TLC

T

Tori Spelling will host and executive produce “Craft Wars,” a new competition television series on TLC. Each episode will pit three everyday crafters against each other in two rounds of challenges. Each round encompasses different genres of crafting.

The 10-episode series is scheduled for a Tuesday, June 26, premiere.

Spelling will act as a guide for the audience and a mentor for the contestants who will be judged by author and Glitterville Studios founder Stephen Brown, DIY lifestyle expert

26 Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

“I am confident that the CHA-UK will not only be successful, but that it will serve as a model for how CHA will establish and operate chapters in the future,” said Larry Olliges, CHA Board Chairman.

The CHA-UK Board of Directors, comprised of industry leaders and influencers, elected Sara Davies, Crafter’s Companion Ltd., Board Chair; Carolyn Schulz, Creative Solutions Ltd, Vice Chair; and Derek Bamford, Cutting Edge Craft, Grafton Projects Ltd., Board Secretary/Treasurer.

For more information, visit cha-uk.co.uk.

The Craft & Hobby Association UK is located at Federation House, 10 Vyse Street, Birmingham, B18 6LT.

O

Erica Domesek and Michaels creative expert Jo Pearson.

The reality star has her own line of craft products, Styled by Tori Spelling, licensed to Darice. The jewelry making line includes fashionable, affordable and interchangeable jewelry

components that can easily be combined to create unique looks. “‘Craft Wars’ continues to re-define crafting as something extremely modern, said Amy Winter, general manager of TLC. “This is not your grandmother’s crocheting,”

for t

cates

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for the industry

More Artists Want to Try Pastels Next, Says Survey

March “Undercover Boss” Is a Member of CHA

A

O

At its annual trade show in May, the International Art Materials Trade Association (NAMTA) revealed the results of its latest “Artists & Art Materials Study 2012.” More than 120 retailers and 3,600 artists including 200 college students from the U.S. and Canada contributed to the study conducted by Hart Business Research.

“The survey asked 20 core questions from the last survey [2008], in addition to five to 10 new questions,” said India Hart Wood, founder and principal of the 10-year-old research company. “We went more in-depth about materials this time by providing a list so artists could check off the ones they use.”

The survey indicated that participation in mixed media, 3-D, handmade and functional art decreased – due, said India, to significantly fewer survey respondents in those categories. Pastels were ranked number 1 – up from number 5 in 2008 – followed by watercolor, oil paint (number 1 in 2008), encaustic (number 10 in 2008), ink, acrylic paint, markers, digital and panels.

Among the types of artwork created by the artists polled were paintings; drawings; mixed media or collages; handmade books, cards, and visual journals; three-dimensional art and digital art.

On March 9, Sam Taylor, president and CEO of Oriental Trading Company, was the “Undercover Boss” on CBS Television’s reality series. The 80-year-old company is the nation’s largest direct retailer of party supplies, arts and crafts, toys and novelties.

Taylor went undercover in the company’s 750,000 square foot, state-ofthe-art fulfillment center to see firsthand what it takes to process thousands of orders each day.

Filming took place last summer, and only five employees were in the know. Taylor explained to his immediate staff that he was on jury duty, while the camera crew explained they were filming a new reality show called “Second Chances.”

Taylor worked several jobs incognito. He was a large-item picker on the night shift, a truck loader, a small item packer and an inductor on a high-speed sorting machine. “During his visit, the Boss caused an unintentional shutdown in his plant when he was tasked with managing the assembly line,” said CBS in a news statement.

Before joining Oriental Trading Company, Taylor had nearly 20 years of e-commerce, catalog and online retail experience working for Hewlett-Packard, Best Buy, Lands’ CIT End and Disney.

Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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New Products

Weighing less than 11 pounds, the Precision 2000 is ideal for the weekend warrior, hobbyist, crafter and Do It For Me (DIFM) types, who are tasked with cutting wood, glass, tile, metal, Plexiglas, and other materials.

Additionally, the band saw’s small footprint offers increased flexibility for cutting material on a countertop, desktops or any other tight space. This ultimate hobby saw fits the project, space and budget.

Diamond Tech Crafts 800-937-9593 www.diamondtechcrafts.com

These two new Kanzashi Flower Makers join Clover’s Pointed, Gathered and Round petal family of flowers. The Orchid, similar to the Round Template, has more pleats, giving the flower an elegant look. The Daisy has more gathers, giving a more intricate appearance and the reverse side is equally as beautiful! Small is 2 inches, and large is 3 inches.

The OttLite Wheel Base Accessory makes transporting OttLite floor lamps simple. It fits most OttLite floor lamp models and is easy to install. Includes locking wheels for safety. To order or for more information, contact Craig Frank at craigf@ottlite.com.

Clover Needlecraft 800-223-1703 www.clover-usa.com

OttLite 800-842-8848 x303 www.ottlite.com

Crafter’s Companion’s new line of paper craft products features the timeless images of Beatrix Potter.

Charming characters like Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and many more are available as EZMount Rubber Stamps, clear stamps, CDROMs, rub-ons, 3-D toppers, and themed ribbons and gems.

An exclusive new version of Sure Cuts A Lot software is now available to fully empower the Sizzix eclips Electronic Shape-Cutting Machine.

With more robust features than ever, eCAL allows the use of a computer (WIN/MAC) and printer with the eclips to draw designs, weld shapes, cut TrueType fonts, import SVG/PDF files and colorize, design and print a shape to cut out with the eclips.

Crafter’s Companion USA 800-399-5035 www.CraftersCompanion.com

Ellison/Sizzix 877-355-4766 www.sizzix.com

28 Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

Introduce your customers to the hot new trend of metal stamping with ImpressArt Metal Stamping Kits.

Each kit includes an ImpressArt alphabet set, metal stamping block and ImpressArt’s specially designed metal stamping hammer. Four kits are available, each featuring a different alphabet set. Kits will be available mid-July.

ImpressArt Metal Stamps 631-940-9530 www.impressart.com

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elegant, intricate, vintage, contemporary, embellish, biodegradable, fresh, convenient

New Designer Raised Frame 12- by 12-inch Scrapbooks (style number MB-10EVF) are now available. They have 20 pages and come in an assortment of four different designs.

Crafter’s Café is a fun new way for crafters to embellish all of their projects. All the kits include buttons, as well as gems, trims, glitter and other fun components. The kits are coordinated into two different color schemes.

Sea Breeze is a beautiful kit in blues and greens. Girly Girl is pretty in pinks and purples. Both are available in three-, six- or nine-packs.

Nature’s Knit-ch 403-652-4907 www.knittingkits.ca

Pioneer Photo Albums 818-882-2161 www.pioneerphotoalbums.com

Blumenthal Lansing Co. 800-553-4158 www.blumenthallansing.com

Permanent markers are no longer permanent with Mötsenböcker’s Lift Off Permanent Marker Remover. It also removes highlighters, India ink, Sharpie marker and technical pencil marks. It works on a variety of surfaces, including desks and countertops, office equipment, glass, metal, tile, plastic, vinyl, Lexan and Plexiglas, and fabric surfaces.

Water-based and biodegradable, Lift Off has earned an “A” rating for efficacy through Consumer Testing Labs. Lift Off works as good – or better than – harmful, solvent-based products.

The new color introductions, Turquoise and Tangerine, are on trend for fashion, home and party.

Available in the ever-versatile COLORTOOL spray line, crafters can change the color of almost any item with this product. Dressed in newly designed bilingual labels, all of COLORTOOL’s spray products are being updated with fresh looks and consistent messaging. You might see cans in the classic and in the new look, but both label styles house the same quality product; the formulas have been untouched!

Design Master color tool, inc.

800-525-2644 www.dmcolor.com

Crafters can choose from a great selection of kits – from beginner to intermediate to expert level. These contemporary designs are conveniently packaged as Knit-Ready kits with easy-to-read instructions and quality natural yarns. New are the Maui Poncho, Alpaca/Merino Ribbon Cardi and Ravel-ry Beaded Shawl. For wholesale enquiries, contact Carol Balogh.

Mötsenböcker’s Lift Off 800-346-1633 www.liftoffinc.com

The new Dazzle it! re-useable Rattail Bobbins keep rattail neat.

These convenient, easy-to-use rubber bobbins are ideal when doing Kumihimo braids because they prevent the rattail from tangling. The bobbins can be reused even after the rattail has been used. Dazzle-it! also offers large and small empty bobbins. Crafters can wrap all their stringing material on these rubber bobbins and keep them free from dust and dirt.

John Bead Corp.

888-755-9055 www.johnbead.com Craft Industry today • Summer 2012

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timeless, fun, new, themed

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Company

Summer 2012 Pg.

American Orthopedic ....................26 Appliance Group Ann Butler Designs ........................17 Arlene Baker................................17 Beth Watson Design Studio ..............16 Blumenthal Lansing Co. ..................27 Brenda Pinnick Designs ..................16 Chase Products ............................25 Clover Needlecraft Inc. ..................26 Crafter’s Companion ......................23 Debra Quartermain Design ..............17 Design Master Color Tool ................19 Diamond Tech ..............................30 Eileen Hull Creative Design Studio......16 Ellison/Sizzix. ..............................31 Hydrangea Hippo ..........................16 ImpressArt ..................................15 JGoode Designs ............................16 John Bead Corporation ..................32 John F Allen & Son Inc. ..................19

30 Summer 2012 • Craft Industry today

Company

Pg.

Katie Hacker - Katiedids..................16 LBO Studio ..................................17 Linda Swingle Art Studios ................17 Lorine Mason Designs......................17 Molly Smith ................................17 Motsenbocker’s Lift off ..................21

John F. Allen continues to expand its selection of linked bead chains with the addition of many new styles. Sold in 3-foot sections, each chain is hand linked in the Czech Republic, using fire polished beads, glass pearls and more, in an assortment of color combinations. Stocked with raw brass links for a vintage look or already plated with silver, gold, or jet finishes, they’re great for jewelry and craft designs of all sorts!

John F Allen & Son 401-921-4899 www.jfallen.com

Nature’s Knit-ch............................27 Ottlite ......................................11 Pioneer Photo Album ......................2 Sharon M. Reinhart Designs ..............16 Sha & Co. ..................................16 Shoe Attitude ................................7 Stampin’ Queen Creations................17 Susan K. Weckesser........................16 Susan Louise Arts ..........................17 The Beadery ................................11 Theresa Cifali ..............................16 Vicki O’Dell - The Creative Goddess......17 Whimsical Craft Studio ..................17

ColorSpray Ultimate Decorating Enamel, the single-coat interior/exterior paint that’s available in a dozen accent colors, sprays from any angle, dries to the touch in 10 minutes, and leaves a satiny sheen. The patented formula protects the dry paint film from mold and mildew growth. It has excellent adhesion on metal, wood, glass, ceramic, wicker, plaster, and many plastic surfaces. Use Ultimate Clear Enamel as a transparent coating, or for a high-gloss, protective topcoat over the satin colors.

Chase Products 800-242-7326 CIT www.chaseproducts.com

©2

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Your favorite e-cutter just got a power boost.

All by itself, the eclips® is strong… no computer required!

Add eCAL software for even more muscle…no cartridge required!

s #ARTRIDGES EASILY INTERCHANGEABLE WHILE MACHINE IS ON s 0ERFECTLY CUT AROUND 4IM (OLTZ¸ 3TAMPERS !NONYMOUS STAMPED IMAGES s #UT AND SCORE IN JUST ONE EASY STEPxTHE ONLY E CUTTER THAT CAN s ,ASER #UT 0REVIEW TO SEE WHERE TO CUT BEFORE YOU CUT s 3ELECT MATERIAL TO CUT AND ECLIPS CAN SELECT SPEED AND PRESSURE s &ULLY FUNCTIONING HANDHELD REMOTE CONTROL PERFORMS ALL MACHINE FUNCTIONS s 0LUS MUCH MORE

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CUTS & SCORES

DOODLES

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4OOLS TO DRAW EDIT AND CUT DESIGNS #OLORIZE DESIGN AND PRINT SHAPES TO CUT 7ELD MULTIPLE OVERLAPPING LETTERS AND SHAPES INTO ONE 5SE ANY 4RUE4YPE OR /PEN4YPE FONT )MPORT VARIOUS l LE FORMATS INCLUDING 36' AND 0$& !UTO TRACING FEATURE AUTOMATICALLY CONVERTS IMAGES FOR CUTTING 3AVE YOUR DESIGN LAYOUTS SO YOU CAN KEEP AND SHARE YOUR DESIGNS &REE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND ACCESS TO VIDEO TRAINING SERIES !VAILABLE FOR 7INDOWS¸ AND -ACINTOSH¸ -UCH MUCH MORE

DETAILED CUTTING

Experience everything the eclips has to offer with exciting live demonstrations – all day, every show day. ©2012 Ellison. All rights reserved.

Visit Booth #117

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Re-Useable

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