Daily Window Challenge: You Can Win, Too!

Hello crafty ones!  This past January, I participated in a challenge for Daily Window.  They are a really neat company that makes personalized bags.  Each bag has a "window" in it where you can display your personal artwork, pictures, etc.  I strongly suggest you at least take a look.  The bags are beautiful and so are the people who work there!!  

Each month, they have a challenge.  They put the call out with directions of what they are looking for...then you create and submit your image.  One winner and two runner ups are selected.  The winner receives $100 and a bag of your choice. 

This was the winning image for the January challenge.  It happens to be mine!  Last week I received my prizes.  It was a really nice surprise to win.  I was very happy and I just love the bag.

Please go to the Daily Window website and check out the current challenge.  There is still time to submit for February.  The deadline is March 10th.  

Good luck!  Let me know if you submit.

Artfully yours,

Theresa

Designer Crafts: A New, Ongoing Hop!

Hello my crafty friends!  I have great news!!!  If you haven't already noticed the new logo in my sidebar, allow me to point it out to you....go ahead, take a peek, I'll wait right here....

For those of you who followed the Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop, I mentioned a few times that many of the designers involved were looking for a way to stay linked together.  Well, this goal has finally come to fruition! So, I would like to introduce you to Designer Crafts Blog Connection.  I want to thank all the designers who have chosen to stay linked together.  I especially would like to thank Niki Meiners, Jen Goode and Julie McGuffe for coordinating, writing code, hosting...and several other jobs that go along with this responsibility.

Please feel free at anytime (even now) to hop from blog to blog.  You will certainly see some valuable content.  We will be having specific challenges that the group of designers will participating in...there will be announcements when those are coming!  

Stay tuned...

Theresa

FABULOUS CHA PHOTOS!

As I walked the show floor, I often wished that there were two of me so that I could look AND get pictures of everything on the show floor.  Well...while I was able to get some, it just isn't enough.

So, I asked my good friend and colleague, Julie McGuffe if I could link to her sight so that you could see all her amazing photos.  Honestly, it is like a candy store of the most amazing pics from CHA.  Thank you, Jules!!  You totally rock.

Check these links out, so you can see for yourself.....

Life in the Craft Lane - CHA Part 1
Life in the Craft Lane - CHA Part 2

My Monday at CHA

Hello crafty ones!

Just when you thought it was all over....there's more!  There is just way too much to share!  

Monday began with more time spent doing make and takes with When Creativity Knocks!  I even guest appeared on one episode with Ana.  That was a nice surprise!  I'm always amazed at what Ana Araujo creates with foam board.  Sometimes I wish I could spend a couple of hours in her head so that I can wrap my head around it!!  Just amazingly incredible!  All the videos of these awesome cards will be up on the WCK website soon.  

At the show, Ana and Megan interviewed some of CHA's top crafters.  The segments are titled Great Crafter's Viewpoints and you can see segments from some of the industry greats like Brenda Pinnick, Suede, Mark Montano and Drew Emborsky, "The Crochet Dude"...just to name a few.  Plus, Laura Bray taped at fantastic segment called Valentine Votives at Art Glitter.  You don't want to miss that!!

Ana Araujo and Cindi Bisson...two of my favorite designers whom I am proud to call friends!

This smiley fella is Scott Pfeiffer, the Producer of When Creativity Knocks.  He is always behind the cameras and I think he needed to get his props!!  Thank you, Scott!

Next, it was time to stop at Charity Wings, formerly known as Scrapbook Royalty...where I got to speak a little bit with, always gracious, Elena Etcheverry.  They are a very generous organization.  They had the warmest, most inviting booth with all this great, new signage.  Just beautiful.  Plus, they were streaming live during the entire show.

After my visit and short walk of the show floor, it was time to head down to Craft Studio for my demo.  Here is the display case of projects from all the designers who contributed to this event.

Designers were asked to choose between four different material:  yarn, paper, wire and canvas.  We were challenged to do something innovative with those materials.  We were allowed to incorporate other medium into our projects but the focus had to be on the material we chose.  I chose yarn.  Since I don't crochet or knit, I thought it would be challenging and fun.  It really was too!  Once I figured out what I was going to do with cream colored, acrylic yarn!  I used yarn, ribbon, Sizzix die cuts and Ranger's Color Wash to create my piece.  I thought it was pretty innovative!

That's it for today.  There's more to come.....

Sunday at CHA...Part Two

So, here it is, still Sunday at CHA.  That was a particularly crazy day.  We had two make and takes at Elmer's and one at Craftwell.  I had a demo at ScraPerfect an then the Designer Showcase...which was awesome!

As I mentioned yesterday, we had a special visitor come by to say hi...it was Vanna White from Wheel of Fortune!  What a lovely woman!  She is spokesperson for Lion Brand Yarn, which was across from the Elmer's booth.  Her daughter, Giovanna, and Christine, from Lion, were at the Elmer's booth that morning making cards for the Troops with When Creativity Knocks.  Later that afternoon, when we returned to Elmer's, Christine brought her over to say hi to us.  She signed a card.

And stayed for a couple of pictures!

And even though she was going back and forth to say hello to everyone and pose for pictures, she decided that she wanted to make a card as well!  That is her daughter, Giovanna, on the right.

I only had about an hour to walk the show floor on Sunday, but I did catch up with Mark Montano of While You Were Out.  I got to speak with him for a little bit.  He is such a doll!  Dean, from Design Originals, gave me a copy of his new book, Pulp Fiction, which Mark signed.

Finally finished with all my show floor obligations, it was time for the meet and greet at the Designer Showcase.  Because I had such a busy day, I had to set up in the wee hours of the morning.  This picture was taken before the room was completely set up.

This was the showcase from later that night when everything was set up and the room was all a buzz.  I think I did pretty well for my first showcase!  Here is Jen Goode and Carla Schauer...really talented designers and overall great peeps!

Sunday was my most productive...and exhausting day by far.  I only wish I'd had more time to walk to floor.  I am sure I missed a lot!

Artfully yours,

Theresa

Sunday at CHA...Part One

Hi all!  I have finally made it back east.  What a trip!!  I left a day early to beat the snow and then got stuck out in LA.  Honestly, I wasn't complaining either...I'd rather be stranded in a warm, sunny place than in the middle of a blizzard.  The weather effected many of my designer friends, too!  While we all wanted to get home, we were all kinda happy that we were able to spend a little more time together.  

Now that I am somewhat settled (and awake this morning, as my body is still on Pacific time), I have lots more to share with you.  It'll be coming in dribs and drabs over the next couple of weeks.  I also have a surprise coming....so keep look out!

CHA Winter was a wonderful show for me.  I participated in a lot and was also working part of the show.  As I mentioned before, I was working for Ana Araujo from When Creativity Knocks.  Ana and her team taped four episodes at Elmer's and two at Craftwell.  After each episode at Craftwell, we did make and takes.    At Elmer's, we did make and gives! 

Elmer's and When Creativity Knocks came up with the concept of Cards for Our Troops.  We made 4 different, interactive cards with show attendees and then Elmer's is shipping them off to our Troops overseas.  Blumenthal Lansing, Clear Bags, TaDa and Elmer's all donated product for the cards.  The generosity of these manufacturers is amazing!

This is one of the cards that is being sent to our Troops.  We also made a Magic Card that is based on the Magic Wallet, a Checker Board card that comes with buttons so that you can play and another that has a door that opens.  I guest appeared in an episode where Ana shows you how to make a game card with foam board and photos...you can slide the pieces around and mix them up and then try to put the picture back together again.  It's ridiculous!!!!  I want to spend just one day in Ana's head so I can understand how she comes up with all these concepts.  It's truly astounding to me.

People seemed to be having a great time making these cards.  They really got into it and some even wrote personal messages.  We met a lot of really great people.

Even Megan, Ana's daughter and the host of WCK made some cards to send.

My colleagues and friends....Laura Bray and Cindi Bisson....kept me entertained.  Ana gave each of us a new Mimi bag at the show.  Laura was so excited as I was showing her all the really neat compartments I was finding.  ;)

The time flew right by on Sunday.  We even had a very special visitor...but that'll have to wait until next post!

Artfully yours,

Theresa