indie craft inspiration · for wholesale scrapbooking and craft distribution. you can run your...

Indie Craft Inspiration

C H A 2 0 0 9 W I N T E R S H O W I S S U E

WINTER2009

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4 Portfolio WINTER 2009

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5Portfolio WINTER 2009

24SURVEY SAYS …Results of the CHA member survey hold great insights.

26LOOKING BACKSteve Berger looks back at fi ve years with CHA.

30AND THE WINNER IS …2008 Industry Award winners announced.

C O N T E N T S

F E A T U R E S

D E P A R T M E N T S

8INDIE CRAFTINGA new wave of crafters is entering the marketplace.

WINTER2009

CHA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 6

CEO MESSAGE 7

CHA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING 27

INSIDE CHA STAFF PROFILES 28

ce.

15

11INDIE CRAFTING AT THE CHA 2009 WINTER SHOWMeet the top names in Indie Crafting and attend seminars on how to tap into the market.

15ABOUT THE COVER ARTISTKristal Wick uses CRYSTALLIZED™ Swarovski Elements and Pearls to create this masterpiece.

16AMENDED ACTThe Lacey Act gets an update from Congress.

18-21CHA 2009 WINTER CONVENTION & TRADE SHOWWhat you can expect at this year’s show includ-ing keynote speaker Debra Norville and Task Force teams.

22MEET MARY LIBBY NEIMANOn the Surface artist delves deeply for her craft.

COVER IMAGE: the cover image of “Tribal Celebration” necklace is courtesy of designer and photographer Kristal Wick. For more information, see page 15.

1829TRANSFORMING CRAFTINGCraft magazine documents the next generation of crafters.



CHA Board of Directors

James ScatenaPast Chief Governance Offi cerFloraCraftjscatena@fl oracraft.com

Larry Olliges Vice ChairDee’s [email protected]

Linda Augsburg Kalmbach [email protected]

Michael BirkholmDarice, [email protected]

Rob Bostick [email protected]

Elizabeth Boyle Treasury of [email protected]

Craig Curtis [email protected]

Jane Anne Davis Blumenthal Lansing [email protected]

Robert Ferguson Ferguson Merchandising [email protected]

Cindy Groom-Harry Craft Marketing Connections, [email protected]

Becky Jones Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft [email protected]

Herbert Lantinga Notions Marketing [email protected]

John Laurie Coats & Clark [email protected]

Sara Naumann Hot Off The [email protected]

Mark Peters Duncan [email protected]

Maureen Ruth Creative Marketing [email protected]

Carolyn Schulz Creative [email protected]

Michael McCooeyChief Governance Offi cerPlaid [email protected]

Steven Z. BergerChief Executive Offi [email protected], 201-835-1201

Dale R. AthertonVice President, Finance & [email protected], 201-835-1208

Sandra M. GhezziVice President, Marketing,Member Services & [email protected], 201-835-1222

Tony LeeVice President, Meetings & [email protected], 201-835-1234

Kevin A. AllisonTrade Show Marketing [email protected], 201-835-1219

Robert BaniMail & Warehouse [email protected], 201-835-1212

Sandra BrennanFinancial [email protected], 201-835-1216

Donna CennimoExhibits [email protected], 201-835-1217

Keri CunninghamMarketing [email protected], 201-835-1229

Lidia DiazExecutive Assistant to CEOand Offi ce [email protected], 201-835-1215

Victor DominePublic Relations [email protected], 201-835-1224

Paul DubeSenior IT [email protected], 201-835-1228

Avery DykmanEducation Meeting [email protected], 201-835-1204

John ErichTrade Show Marketing [email protected], 201-835-1205

William KeenanManager, Systems & Information [email protected], 201-835-1221

Amie Kolodziej, CMPMember Education [email protected], 201-835-1202

Anthony LicataSenior Sales [email protected], 201-835-1203

Pam MayMember Services Manager& CHA Portfolio Managing [email protected], 201-835-1206

Tina Mercardo, CEMOperations [email protected], 201-835-1226

Lauri PietruszkaExhibit Sales [email protected], 201-835-1211

Avani SaraiyaInformation Systems [email protected], 201-835-1249

Semo SennasMarketing Program [email protected], 201-835-1218

Tara SmithMarketing [email protected], 201-835-1223

Jennifer SniderMember Services [email protected], 201-835-1213

Tracy SotoOffi ce Administrator & [email protected], 201-835-1210

Sue SpivakMember Services [email protected], 201-835-1227

Harriet TainskyOperations [email protected], 201-835-1209

VISIONA vibrant industry with an exciting image,

expanding customer base and successful members.

MISSION• Stimulate the sales growth of the craft and hobby industry

• Create consumer demand • Help members succeed• Lead the industry

The Craft & Hobby Association is a not-for-profi t organization consisting of more than 5,500 member

companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution and retail sales of products in the $29 billion craft

and hobby industry. The association offers a broad range of member services, including market research,

education and consumer branding initiatives, and operates two annual international trade show events –

the CHA Winter and CHA Summer shows – that attract more than 20,000 industry professionals.

Staff

CHA Portfolio is published quarterly for:The Craft & Hobby Association319 East 54th StreetElmwood Park, NJ 07407(201) 835-1200Fax: (201) 797-0657www.craftandhobby.orgwww.chashow.org

Published by:

Naylor, LLC5950 N.W. First PlaceGainesville, FL 32607(352) 332-1252or (800) 369-6220Fax: (352) 331-3525www.naylor.com

Publisher: Mark MiglioreEditor: Robin RedfearnProject Manager: Rick JablonskiAdvertising Director: Rya BoyceAccount Representatives: Debbi Brown, Ryan Griffi n, Jessica Imm, Michael McMahonLayout & Design: Emma LawMarketing Associate: Lauren WilliamsAdvertising Art: Elaine Connell

CHA Portfolio is distributed on a complimentary basis to CHA members. Subscription fee for non-CHA members is $25 a year. Additional copies available upon request, pending availability. To order, contact the CHA Portfolio editor at 201-835-1206.

PUBLISHED JANUARY 2009/HOB-Q0109/8730

©2009 Naylor, LLC. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Craft & Hobby Association319 East 54th Street, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407Phone: (201) 835-1200 • Fax: (201) 797-0657

Web sites: www.craftandhobby.orgwww.chashow.org

CraftC & H bobby& H Asssbby sociationnsociat



A s winter hits its stride and with

both the weather and the economy cooling,

it’s more apparent than ever that the craft

industry needs to utilize our greatest asset,

creativity, to maintain and grow our industry.

I recently read an article that discussed

the gloomy economic outlook and mentioned

crafting as the potential bright-spot in an

otherwise bleak forecast. While the media

reports negativity, the craft industry needs to

report and expand our creativity. Creativity

in the products we design, creativity in how

we approach our customers, creativity in

how we approach our vendors, creativity

in providing competitive advantages in

the marketplace, creativity in how we run

successful businesses, and creativity in how

we deal with challenging economic periods.

Creativity needs to be part of all our

business decisions. I am convinced that in

tough economic times savvy retailers and

manufacturers need to get creative in their

approach to business and one of the greatest

sources of creativity and industry knowledge

is the CHA Winter Show.

As I look forward to the CHA Winter

Show, I realize that over the past few

years terms like “green, eco-friendly,

environmentally conscience, and sustainable”

have become commonplace and the primary

buzzwords in the marketing of new “green”

products and services offered to consumers.

According to the New York Times the sales

of “green” products currently represent a

$209 billion market and are sales expected to

double by 2010. A significant portion of these

sales will undoubtedly be in the craft and

hobby industry where consumers and crafters

are increasingly demanding more sustainable

and earth-friendly products and projects.

For designers, manufacturers, wholesalers

and retailers in the craft industry this

creative approach to finding new customers

represents an unparalleled opportunity to

capture a large piece the big “green” pie.

Creativity in the CHA 2009 Winter Show

theme of It’s Easy Being Green will help our

industry focus on the sale of “green” products

and services and highlight the many CHA

Member companies that have successfully

embraced the green tide to increased sales

and profits.

The CHA is working hard to help you

find ways to make your business “green,”

and not just by becoming more eco-friendly

but we are also looking to help you “green”

your business through greater sales. Special

Show seminars, workshops and displays will

help retailers target these “green” areas while

introducing the industry to management

and operational business best practices that

favorably impact the earth and the bottom

line. At the Show there are dozens of

educational sessions and workshops geared

to helping retailers run their business more

effectively, such as “Pricing Strategies

for Independent Retailers” and “How to

Kill Your Retail Business Without Even

Trying: Fatal Mistakes and How to Avoid

Them.” Retailers can gain valuable tips and

techniques that can provide immediate relief

from a depressed economy.

As we talk about creativity and the

bottom line, I’m excited about our keynote

presenter Deborah Norville. Deborah is

an Emmy(r) Award winning journalist,

C E O M E S S A G E

Time to get creative

Wishing you success,

Steven Z. Berger

Chief Executive Offi cer

author, and celebrity crafter who will help

the industry focus on the power of positive

thinking in with her address entitled, “Turn

Your Passion Into Profit! - Using the Power

of Positive Thinking to Reach Your Goals.”

Deborah will discuss the importance of using

gratitude to move toward achieving personal

and professional goals.

The 2009 CHA Winter Convention &

Trade Show is the largest craft and hobby

trade show in the world pulling in about

750 exhibitors, and about 16,000 attendees,

from more than 60 countries. In fact about

60 percent of attendees are qualified buyers

making the CHA Winter Shows the buying

event of the year. During a down economy

it is more important than to exploit every

opportunity to conduct business and attend

the show especially in a down economy when

your absence will be more pronounced by

your competitors’ attendance.

By attending the show you gain valuable

insights on how to survive and thrive during

an economic downturn. Retailers can find

more cost effective suppliers from exhibitors

and comparing products and prices from

manufacturers looking for the best price.

The greening of the craft industry can

translate to greater profits and higher sales.

Through our creativity better days lie ahead.

It is now up to each of us to be a little more

optimistic, a little more creative and a lot

more resourceful in our thinking to leverage

opportunities presented every day. Have a

great holiday season and I look forward to

seeing you in Anaheim.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and

comments. ●

I am convinced that in tough

economic times savvy retailers and

manufacturers need to get creative in

their approach to business ...


8 Portfolio WINTER 20098888 PPortfolio WINTER 20020099998 Portfolio WINTER 2009

Indie crafter is a term that is often used when talking about a group of people generally

between the ages of 18-34, who have demonstrated a unique style and passion for

crafting in non-traditional formats. The word “indie” is slang for “independent” and

these individuals have a distinct preference to shape their own defi nition of crafting

rather than continue with traditional crafts their mothers or grandmothers might have

enjoyed. But, ultimately, many Indie crafters do rely on basic crafting materials to

create and assemble their wares. How can a traditional craft supplier or retailer

reach out to this market successfully? Here is some background information to

guide decision-making to attract and serve these new customers:

The Indie Craft movement has been growing steadily for over a decade and its

central themes seem to fall into three areas (with many overlaps between them):

Eco-awarenessAn underlying, strong message of the Indie craft movement is showing how

their work respects the environment by reusing and recycling to create new

pieces. “I’m saving the planet, what are you doing?” illustrates their philosophy

to promote re-purposing materials and to strive for a low environmental impact

in anything they create.

One common factor unifying Indie crafters is the Green Revolution and

a desire for sustainability, often defi ned as not using more than you need or

using renewable resources. Leah Kramer, founder of Craftster.org, an online

community for all things Indie craft-related, says, “Being green is very important

to Indie crafters. They like to reuse things and visit thrift stores in part because

they want to express an ecological belief and because it keeps craft cheap. There

F E A T U R E : I N D I E C R A F T I N G

A New Wave of Crafters

INDIEcrafting

BY LUCIE GRYS

Indie crafter is a term that is often used when talking about a group of

people generally between the ages of 18-34, who have demonstrated

a unique style and passion for crafting in non-traditional formats.

The word “indie” is slang for “independent”’ and these individuals

have a distinct preference to shape their own definition of crafting rather

than continue with traditional crafts their mothers or grandmothers

might have enjoyed. But, ultimately, many Indie crafters do rely on basic

crafting materials to create and assemble their wares. How can a traditional craft

supplier or retailer reach out to this market successfully? Here is some background

information to guide decision-making to attract and serve these new customers:

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Cultural AwarenessPrimarily driven by women with a pro-feminist

attitude, this theme can be seen as a response

against a mass-produced world. Indie crafters crave

a connection to their past, their personal heritage

and ethnicity, and design crafts as a context for the

objects in their lives.

Kathy Cano-Murillo of the award-winning site, CraftyChica.

com, is an artist, product designer, syndicated craft columnist, TV

personality, art instructor and book author. She sees Indie crafting

“as crafting with the intention to relay a message or tell a story. For

some people it is a social message, for others it can be about culture,

breaking stereotypes, wanting change, or for self-expression.”

Largely inspired by do-it-yourself projects, Indie crafters

proudly create their own objects, often design

their own patterns and do so with a great

social, environmental and political conscience.

The movement has often been discussed as a

convergence of a punk rock attitude towards

granny’s tea cozies. While there is certainly a

respect for the past and a yearning to learn about techniques and

traditions, Indie crafting is all about being cool and expressing

your own identity in the one-of-a-kind pieces that you create.

Whereas a traditional crafter may embrace scrapbooking as

a hobby to document her life, an Indie crafter may choose to

repurpose a family heirloom quilt into a jacket, adding antique

buttons purchased at a yard sale. Thus, Indie crafters tend to

shy away from craft kits and other generic, mass marketed, pre-

assembled projects and mass-market retailers.

Indie crafting as a means of cultural expression and sharing

one’s own culture is explained by Shannon Okey, popular Indie

crafter, teacher, writer and blogger of www.knitgrrl.com who

believes, “We take inspiration from traditional craftwork. For

example, my partner’s family is Hungarian, and I really admire

Hungarian cut felt work. In ‘The Pillow Book,’ I showed how to

make a nouveau cut felt pillow that takes less time and training

than the traditional stuff, because although I certainly admire it, I

don’t have nearly enough time to do it the traditional way.”

As Indie crafters age and start families, documentary director

Levine believes there may be a greater recognition of crafting

is something about reusing something in a very clever way that

is really appealing.” With that sensibility in mind, Kramer has

authored “The Craftster Guide to Nifty, Thrifty, and Kitschy

Crafts.” Her other accomplishments as a “craftpreneur” include

promoting the Boston-based Indie craft show, Bazaar Bizarre and

establishing an art gallery called Magpie.

Popular themes in Indie craft that Kramer sees over

and over again, in addition to creating pieces out of

recycled goods, is a huge interest in Japanese pop culture

icons and other animation subject matter. Goth-punk,

metal art, and tattoo themes are also very trendy with

Indie crafters. Also, anything retro from the 1950s is often

referenced in work, as are favorite television characters, movies

and bands. Humor and irony often work their way into Indie craft

in clever ways, including one quirky example Kramer saw recently

— a handmade ice cube cozy.

Self-expression and SharingIndie crafters believe crafts are a unique way of creative self-

expression and also offer a means to share with others. According

to a popular proverb, “Life is not about fi nding yourself, it is

about creating yourself.” Through the power of crafting, showing

what you have created (and how) continues to draw people

together. Only now it is done in a fresh, new way through Web

sites, blogs, and online social communities that are growing all

over the world. There is even a Web site where individuals can

pledge their support for causes to buy handcrafted items at www.

BuyHandmade.org.

In speaking with crafters as part of her research for the

new documentary fi lm called “Handmade Nation: The Rise

of DIY Art, Craft & Design,” Faythe Levine says, “A lot of

people who have been doing craft for years identify with Indie

crafters wanting to express themselves creatively.” Levine,

based Milwaukee, has been part of the Indie crafting scene for a

number of years. As a gallery owner and founder of Art vs. Craft,

an Indie market for handmade goods, “Handmade Nation” is

her directorial debut and she has also co-authored a book under

the same title. Her take on the Indie movement is that, “we are

basically a group who are creatively motivated to share ideas and

use our creativity as a basis for community.”

“A lot of people who have been doing craft for

years identify with Indie crafters wanting to

express themselves creatively.”

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and celebrating cultural heritage as a means of self-expression.

“As the community develops and as more thought goes into the

process, using cultural motifs might become more apparent.

Instead of using a pop culture icon, Indie crafters might look

within their own culture for images,” she says. “People in the

Indie craft community are just realizing the importance of culture

and are starting to have children. They may want to start passing

their heritage and sense of culture down,” she adds.

Cano-Murillo agrees and believes that Indie crafters celebrate

other cultures as well. “Overall, this is a generation that is all

about embracing and celebrating cultures other than their own.

At the CHA Winter Show themed “It’s Easy Being Green,” you’ll

find special features highlighting the Indie Craft Movement. Indie

crafters strive to re-use, repurpose, recycle and rediscover crafts

from bygone eras. At these networking events and seminars, you

can to learn more about this market and meet Indie crafters at the

forefront of this trend.

Business Seminar S102 - The Indie Craft Cheat Sheet: Trends, Styles and Habits*Saturday, Jan. 24, Noon-1 p.m., Room 207B Have you heard the term “Indie-Craft” and want to know more

about it? Join Leah Kramer, founder of Craftster.org and prominent

leader in the Indie Craft Movement to learn about these crafts

and trends. In this seminar, you will learn which craft techniques,

styles, trends, and aesthetics are popular and other craft-related

activities of demographic group participates. Plus…learn the results

of Craftster.org’s surveys with key facts on Indie crafters‘ habits,

including where Indie crafters buy supplies, how much they spend

yearly on craft supplies, why they craft, what other craft websites,

magazines, TV shows they use or watch and eave with cheat-sheet

knowledge on this rising movement….and a resource guide to

continue exploring!

*Saturday Seminar Pass is required for admission which provides

access to 8 different seminars for only $35/person for members in

advance, $50/person on-site; you may also attend using a Complete

4-Day Seminar Pass which is $50/person for members in advance,

$75/person on-site.

Event E503 - Indie-Craft Welcome Event**Saturday, Jan. 24, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Room 304A

Are you an Indie crafter and a CHA member, but would

like to meet and connect with other CHA members who

share your craft aesthetic? OR…have you heard the buzz

about Indie-crafting and want to learn more about it?

Join us at CHA’s welcome event for this “new wave” of

crafting. Hear inspiring tales abut the ground-breaking

success of Kathy Cano-Murillo (Crafty Chica) and Jenny

Hart (Sublime Stitching). See first-hand examples of the latest

That is why you will see people from all backgrounds tinkering

with inspirations from other cultures and lands. It sends the

message that creativity is universal and it adds so much fl avor

to the design process and to fi nished pieces. Many of us are new

moms and this spills over to our kids; it is all about having an

open mind and enjoying all the world has to offer!”

Marketing to Indie CraftersWhen it comes to marketing to Indie crafters, Okey notes, “I

don’t believe manufacturers need to drop prices on their products

to compete, if they can demonstrate that their products are good

trends from Craftster.org’s founder, Leah Kramer, and preview clips

from the new documentary film profiling the growth of Indie-

crafting around the U.S., “Handmade Nation,” from the film’s pro-

ducer, Faythe Levine. CHA welcomes everyone

interested or curious about Indie crafting, the

projects, the materials, and the movement’s

leaders to join us in an evening of introductions

and eye-opening inspiration!

**Tickets are required but the event is free.

Indie Craft DisplayHall D near Innovations ShowcaseFind out what the buzz is about and experience the unexpected. We

guarantee you’ll see materials used in ways you’ve never thought

of. This year’s display will feature the 30 project winners from CHA’s

Indie Craft Contest. Winners have been chosen from entries received

based upon quality and originality. Stop by the Indie Craft Display

for an opportunity to meet true Indie crafters. Visitors will be able

to watch these crafters in action and have a chance to discuss one-

on-one what it means to be an Indie crafter. Join us in appreciating

how Indie crafters have contributed new ideas and energy to the to

the craft and hobby industry!

No ticket is required for admission.

Indie Crafting DisplayHall D near Innovations Showcase

Find out what the buzz is about and experience the unexpected.

We guarantee you’ll see materials used in ways you’ve never

thought of. This year’s display will feature the 30 project winners

from CHA’s Indie Craft Contest. Winners will be chosen from

entries received based upon quality and originality. Stop by the

Indie Craft Display for an opportunity to meet true Indie crafters.

Visitors will be able to watch these crafters in action and have a

chance to discuss one-on-one what it means to be an Indie crafter.

Join us in appreciating how Indie crafters’ have contributed

new ideas and energy to the craft and hobby industry!

Indie Crafting at the CHA 2009 Winter Show

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I N D I E C R A F T I N G



products. To say to clients, ‘I made this with organically grown fair

trade cotton’ when explaining why the cost is higher is fi ne because

more people are now conscious consumers who want to know

about the products they are buying.”

If marketers and manufacturers are interested in supplying

this massive movement with the products they want, then

developing creative ways to market to them is also essential.

Many claim that the Indie craft movement is largely possible

because of the incredible power of the Internet to break down

barriers like location and help Indie crafters stay connected with

each other. Companies can also be more creative and constantly

improve their on-line presence to reach out to these potential

buyers.

Craftster.org founder Leah Kramer supports the idea that

“major manufacturers, craft suppliers and stores should hire Indie

crafters to develop project ideas and even develop whole lines to

appeal to the Indie demographic.” Her own Web site, created in

2003, is the largest online community about Indie crafts and she

says, “in fact, as far as I know, it’s the largest online community

about crafting just in general. We get 500,000 readers at the Web

site every month and 15 million page views per month.” The

sheer volume of interest and hits affi rms that the Indie movement

is wired to the Internet and uses blogs, Web sites and online

forums to connect and share ideas.

Other ideas for suppliers and stores to target Indie crafters

are summed up by Kathy Cano-Murillo, “I think they need to

do research to learn who is using their products and then hire

Indie crafters to demo, provide endorsements and showcase use

of the products. I know so many great artists who have been

faithful to certain products and don’t know how to reach out to

the manufacturers. The success for any product is to always fi nd

and publicize new ways to use it and Indie crafters are the ones

to do that! They can give an old product new life with crazy new

techniques. I think suppliers should send scouts to Indie craft

fairs and introduce themselves to the artists they see using their

products to build a relationship. Maybe they can feature them

on their Web site and vice versa. Help them connect with a craft

store in their own community to demo, or help set up a local TV

demo in their area — that way the product gets promoted and the

artist’s work does, too.”

Etsy.com is a dot-com success story that now boasts more than

1.3 million registered users and 250,000 sellers from around the

world, proving the power of the Internet to create a successful

online community. This has grown into a $95 million business

over the past three years since it was created. “Etsy.com is a

platform to grow a small craft business, and it has enabled a ton

of designers and crafters to reach a world wide audience,” notes

407238DONWEI MACHINERY

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quality, last a long time and can be used for multiple purposes.

For example, I would rather purchase a really high-quality rotary

cutter that I can use for a variety of projects than multiple types

of scissors. The company that shows me how their product is

the best and how I can use it differently, is going to win my

business. Climate change and environmentally friendly business

practices are also attractive – if you can use recycled materials

in your packaging or your products, do it! And don’t ‘greenwash’

— saying that your product is environmentally-friendly, when it

really isn’t, as that will not do you any favors in the end.”

Quality and multi-purpose items seem to be what

Indie crafters want. They also want to buy products that

are organic, have not exploited workers or laborers, and

are dyed with natural and non-toxic materials. Most

Indie crafters are willing to pay more for a product if it is

guaranteed to be safe for the earth or has been purchased

in a fair trade manner. Levine notes, “despite the economy, people

will spend extra because there is a desire for more accessible green

Like the name implies, Indie crafters want to make their own rules, or

don’t want or need “to play by the rules.” As a result, they have become

trendsetters revolutionizing the craft and hobby industry with their

innovative and fresh approach to crafting.

I N D I E C R A F T I N G

407238_Donwei.indd 1 11/8/08 9:21:57 PM



406322PRISM1/2h

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Beth Ferreira, vice president of operations. “On the fl ipside,” she

said, “it has revitalized how people work together in a community

and created a way for people to also meet locally.” Ferreira

advises companies to publish more how-to tips online and to also

“work with Indie crafters and artists to develop the look, feel and

function of products. Indie crafters want something different!

They don’t want generic beads or yarns.”

Okey adds that, “The Internet in all its forms, from blogs and

Web sites to podcasts and popular social sites such as Knitty.com,

CrochetMe.com, CRAFTzine.com*, etsy.com and Ravelry.com,

have defi nitely pushed the Indie crafting movement forward. Even

sites such as Flickr.com — a photo-sharing site not specifi cally

designed for crafters — has helped by hosting crafters’ images

in a share-able way. So many of us spend all day at the computer

for work. It’s a delight to come home and do something with our

hands instead.”

While the typical demographic of Indie crafters falls in the

18-34 age range, Ferreira notes, “when I go out to see sellers and

travel across the country, what strikes me is 20 year-olds sitting

next to 60 year-olds and each appreciating what the other is

doing. In many ways, the younger generation might have learned

the technique from the older demographic, but the older group is

now learning how to reinvent and market their crafts from people

as young as their own children or even grandchildren.”

As knitgrrl.com, Shannon Okey cautions, “Be real. Be

genuine. Share your love for your product without resorting to

marketing-speak, because crafters can spot that from a mile

away. You’re better off demonstrating a project and showing how

your product can be used to obtain the end result than barging

into an online conversation of sorts with ‘LOOK AT US! LOOK

AT US!’ Remember that the people reading what you write share

your love of the craft — they don’t need to be convinced that you

exist! Show them why they should love you, don’t tell them that

they should.”

Like the name implies, Indie crafters want to make their own

rules, or don’t want or need “to play by the rules.” As a result,

they have become trendsetters revolutionizing the craft and hobby

industry with their innovative and fresh approach to crafting. As

more people become comfortable with connecting online, the

Indie craft movement can only grow larger. The spread of eco-

consumerism will impact those who want to know more about the

stories behind the hat, bracelet or scarf they are wearing. The Indie

craft movement will continue to transcend, question and break

through the traditional boundaries of craftings. It is here to stay

and it is redefi ning crafting in all of its forms, all over the world.

Want to learn more? Go to http://www.craftandhobby.org/

members_portfolio.html to access the E-magazine version of this

issue of CH Portfolio. ●

Editor’s note: See Guest Publisher Corner on page 29 about CRAFT: magazine

406322_Prism.indd 1 10/30/08 3:32:13 PM


410092SWAROVSKI NORTH AMERICA

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EXPERIENCE THE WORLD OF CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements

WWW.CREATE-YOUR-STYLE.COM

Come visit us at

Booth No. 4213!

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15Portfolio WINTER 2009407015_Clover.indd 1 12/10/08 8:05:39 AM

C O V E R A R T I S T

ARTISTAbout the Cover

Designed by Kristal Wick, the Tribal Celebration

necklace was made with over 300 rolled silk fabric

Sassy Skinny™ beads, combined with over 500

CRYSTALLIZED™ -Swarovski Elements and

pearls. “I’m greatly influenced by the vibrant colors and culture of

the African people. Tribe can mean many different things: family

of origin, tribe of girlfriends, cultures, etc. This piece reflects my

deep connection with a culture across the planet and the many vital

tribes in my life,” she says.

As an award-winning artist, Wick is a designer and teacher for

Swarovski. Her bead/jewelry creations are currently represented

in galleries worldwide. She has authored several books and her

latest Fall 2008 Interweave Press release, Fabulous Fabric Beads,

in has been No. 1 in fi ve categories on Amazon.com. She was also

a fi nalist in the 2008 Bead & Button’s Bead Dreams competition

and Interweave’s Bead Star competition. Wick has appeared on

HGTV and PBS numerous times. Her designs have been featured

in over 29 publications including: Belle Armoire, Lapidary

Journal, Stringing, Beadwork, Bead Style, Crafts Business, Simply

Beads, Sew News, Sewing Savvy, Piecework, Step by Step Beads,

Crafts Report, Vogue Patterns and Bead Unique.

Wick has teamed up with JHB International to manufacture

and distribute her new fi nished fabric bead lines: Sassy Silkies™

and Batik Beauties™. These fabulous beads will be introduced at

CHA Winter 2009 and can be used to create jewelry or embellish

clothing, home decor items or paper crafts. Kristal will also be

demonstrating in the JHB International, Booth 3031. Her Web site

is http://www.kristalwick.co m. ●

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includes “any wild member of the plant

kingdom, including roots, seeds, parts,

and products thereof, and including

trees from either natural or planted

forest stands.”

• As of December 15, 2008, the Lacey

Act also requires an import declaration

for plants and plant products, except for

plant-based packaging materials used

exclusively to import other products.

Importers must fi le a declaration upon

importation that contains the scientifi c

name of the plant, the value of the

importation, the quantity of the plant,

and the name of the country from which

the plant was taken.

• Anyone who imports into the United

States, or exports out of the United

States, illegally harvested plants or

products made from illegally harvested

plants, including timber, as well as

anyone who exports, transports, sells,

receives, acquires or purchases such

products in the United States, may be

prosecuted. In any prosecution under

the Lacey Act, the burden of proof of a

violation rests on the government.

• The defendant need not be the one who

violated the foreign law; the plants or

timber, and the products made from

the illegal plants or timber, become

“tainted” even if someone else commits

the foreign law violation. However, the

defendant must know, or in the exercise

of due care should know, about the

underlying violation.

• Violations of Lacey Act provisions for

timber and other plant products, as well

as fi sh and wildlife, may be prosecuted

through either civil or criminal

enforcement actions. Regardless of any

prosecution, the tainted plants may be

seized and forfeited. ●

Editor’s Note: CHA thanks W.J. Cowee LLC for notifying the Association about this matter and providing the sources for this article’s contents.

The Lacey Act of 1900 was

originally created to prohibit

illegal hunting and capture

of endangered game for

commercial use in the United States. The

law has been amended several times and

most recently, a new amendment has

been enacted to prevent the importation

of illegally harvested plant material,

especially lumber/wood products, from

other countries. U.S. businesses that are

found to be importing these materials,

knowingly or not, will be subject to

very heavy fines. A document entitled

“Amendment to the U.S. Lacey Act”

by Sidley Austin LLP, is posted on

the member benefits area of www.

craftandhobby.org and explains the

implications of this legislation more fully.

The information below is excerpted

from the U.S. Forest Service at www.

fs.fed.us.

LACEY ACT... amended again

With enactment of the 2008 Farm Bill

(the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act

of 2008), the Lacey Act was amended for

the purpose of combating illegal logging

and expanding the Lacey Act’s anti-

traffi cking protections to a broader set of

plants and plant products. The following

provides a concise summary of the

amendments as well as background on the

Lacey Act:

• The Lacey Act now makes it unlawful

to import, export, transport, sell,

receive, acquire, or purchase in

interstate or foreign commerce any

plant, with some limited exceptions,

taken in violation of the laws of a U.S.

State, or any foreign law that protects

plants. The Lacey Act also makes it

unlawful to make or submit any false

record, account or label for, or any

false identifi cation of, any plant.

• The defi nition of the term “plant”

406171_Coredinations.indd 1 11/14/08 5:07:15 PMHOBQ0109_8730_L.indd 16HOBQ0109_8730_L.indd 16 12/30/08 11:40:57 AM12/30/08 11:40:57 AM

406171COREDINATIONS COLORCORE

CARDSTOCK

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Get to the Core!

www.coredinations.com

Visit our website for exciting how-to videos and to view our exclusive collections.

ColorCore CardstockTM

TM

The only sandable, premium, heavy weight cardstock with a “core’dinating” core color.

Antique it,Tear it,

Sand it,

Keep it.

Visit us at booth #4975

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406094EARTH SAFE FINISHES

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C H A 2 0 0 9 W I N T E R S H O W

The Green Movement has gained momentum among

consumers and businesses around the world. According to The New

York Times, 35 million Americans regularly buy products that claim

to be earth-friendly. Sales of “green” products are currently at $209

billion and are expect to double by 2010. The CHA 2009 Winter

Show will feature information and showcase inspirational products

with the theme “It’s Easy Being Green … Discover the Possibilities.”

Below is a list of displays and programs about business practices that

can favorably impact the earth and your bottom line and also raise

consumer awareness of “green” possibilities with the craft industry.

ECO-Lounge (Hall A)Take a break during your busy schedule and relax for a few

minutes at the ECO-Lounge, located on the show fl oor, with

complimentary beverages and other refreshments. The lounge is

designed and constructed using a variety of environmentally friendly

components and will have two special display areas:

Manufacturers’ Green Collection: This display will feature

green products from exhibitors showing how the craft industry

is being environmentally and socially responsible. In addition,

project sheets will accompany the green products so attendees can

bring them back to their own stores to use with their eco-conscious

customers during in-store classes and demonstrations.

CHA 2009 Winter Convention & Trade Show Highlights

Designer Green Gallery: In keeping with the green theme, CHA

Designer members will create show-stopping signature projects that

incorporate a minimum of 25 percemt recycled or found materials

and up to 75 percent of product from CHA manufacturers. Home

decor projects, clothing and accessories, pottery, paintings, mixed-

media pieces and other one-of-a-kind designs will be featured. Be

inspired and gain a wealth of innovative green crafting ideas to take,

use and share with your customers.

CHA’s Green GuidePick up a FREE copy of CHA’s Guide to Going Green in the

ECO-Lounge located in Hall A. This brochure will help

you understand what “being green” means as well as how

you can take action within your business and community to

have a positive impact on the health of our environment. The

guide will feature CHA members who are already applying

environmentally and socially responsible practices.

Business Seminars, Saturday, January 24*

Business Seminar S104 - The Trend to “Go Green” - Real-World Examples on How to Grow Your Business AND Save MoneyNoon-1 p.m., Room 207ABAre you interested in “going green” but aren’t sure

where to start? Does it seem like a good idea for other businesses,

but you’re not sure how it applies to you? Join Linda Malek, owner,

LJM Associates, as she leads a panel discussion to hear real-world

solutions and examples of sustainable, “green” business practices,

learn from peers and leaders about what works and what doesn’t.

Panel participants include key executives from environmentally-

forward, sustainability-driven paper, home and offi ce products, and

content businesses from the craft and hobby industry.

Business Seminar S106 - Green Your Store to GROW Your Business – Key Steps for Retailers

Did you think “going green” meant just helping the environment?

Guess again! This new business movement can grow your business

AND save money … at the same time!

Doug Fleener, president and managing partner of Dynamic

Experiences Group, LLC, will show how to blend environmentalism,

marketing, visual presentation, and customer service into a single

green strategy. You’ll learn why being authentic is key to green

profi ts, fi ve easy ways any retailer can be greener, how to leverage

a green strategy inside your store and green marketing tactics that

resonate with customers. Plus …you’ll leave with a 60-day plan that

turns environmental green into a green bottom line!

*Saturday Seminar Pass is required for admission which provides access to 8 different seminars for only $35/person for members in advance, $50/person on-site; you may also attend using a Complete

4-Day Seminar Pass which is $50/person for members in advance, $75/person on-site . ●

for the craft and hobby industry

406094_Earth.indd 1 11/18/08 1:41:47 PM


Turn Your Passion Into Profit!Using the Power of Positive Thinking to Reach Your Goals

Sunday1/25/2009

Reception: 5:30-6:30pmPresentation: 6:30-7:30pmBook Signing: 7:30-8:30pmWho Should Attend: All MembersFee: $30 Member / $60 Non-MemberAnaheim Convention Center, Ballroom A

Winter 2009 Keynote Presentation

CHA is excited to welcome Deborah Norville, Emmy® television journalist,

author, and celebrity crafter as keynote presenter for the 2009 Winter Show.

Deborah visits CHA to share her lifelong love and passion for knitting and the

needle arts. She will share stories of a family history rich in crafting, the bonds

created, and the importance in passing these on to the next generation…not

just as a hobby, but as family tradition. Her love of crafting has inspired her to

launch a new knitting yarn brand, the Deborah Norville Collection.

As part of this story, Deborah imparts the wisdom and expertise from her

years as a professional journalist, media figure, crafter, and mother. She

shares a message especially useful during these challenging economic times:

the importance of using gratitude to move forward toward personal and

professional goals.

Join Deborah on a fascinating and intimate journey

through personal discovery, passion, and understanding. You’ll leave

inspired about crafting and its place in your life and business… but

recharged and ready to face any obstacle in 2009 and beyond!

Plus… don’t miss Deborah’s book-signing at the Barnes & Noble

bookstore in the lobby, immediately following her presentation.

Copies of her book “Thank You Power: Making the Science of

Gratitude Work for You” will be available for purchase.

Proud Sponsors of the Keynote Presentation:



Tuesday1/27/2009

6:00 PM-10:00 PM

E508

CHA Winter 2009 Show Event

ELVIS! Three Faces of The KingAnaheim Marriott BallroomMember: $50, On-site $100

Admission includes Dinner and (2) Drink tickets

Strap on your blue suede shoes and join CHA on a tour of each exciting stop of

Elvis’ career. You’ll see live performances of his greatest hits from the 50’s, 60’s

and the unforgettable 70’s in Vegas!

During this action-packed event, members are invited to hit the dance floor,

or just sing along, to their favorite Elvis tunes including: Hound Dog, Jailhouse

Rock, Viva Las Vegas... just to name a few!

You’ll be dazzled by each performer’s uncanny likeness to Elvis, their brilliant

costumes, and fun give-a-ways!

And if you’re feeling really inspired, why not dress up as your favorite incarna-

tion of The King?

EE tnt

But that’s not all! This dinner event will feature:

CHA’s Annual Industry Award CeremonyHonoring this year’s most distinguished achievements in the Craft & Hobby Industry.

Don’t miss the chance to mingle with your peers and honor this year’s award winners:

Special Recognition Award — Pat Catan and the Catan Family of Darice, Inc. ◆Industry Achievement Award — Bill Mangelsen of Makin’s Clay ◆Industry Achievement Award — Dave Cunningham of Plaid Enterprises ◆Meritorious Award of Honor — Emma Gebo of Crafts & Frames, Inc. dba Sierra’s ◆

And Annual Industry Awards Ceremony featuring:

366757STAMPING BELLA

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Sign up for a Task ForceCHA members are invited to participate in one of three task CHA

members are invited to participate in one of three task forces

to be conducted on-site at the CHA 2009 Winter Show. A staff

member will lead each interactive meeting to discuss and develop

a group recommendation to CHA. Based on this input, Task

Forces help CHA understand member needs, concerns and helps

the Association improve programs and policies. Complimentary

beverages will be served.

To register or for more information, please contact Jon Krance,

Marketing Manager at [email protected] or call

(201) 835-1214. Task Force participation is first come, first

served, and only one person per company can participate per

session which will be located in Anaheim Convention Center.

Task Force ScheduleCHA Member BenefitsTask Force Objective: To obtain CHA member feedback on

current member benefits and potential new member discount

programs and services. Participants will provide input on

awareness, perceived value of benefits, participation level and

new programs they would like to see.

Participants: 10-12 CHA members

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Monday, January 26, 2009

CHA WINTER Show Task Forces

CHA Portfolio MagazineTask Force Objective: To obtain feedback regarding CHA

Portfolio Magazine. Participants will have the opportunity to

provide input on articles, advertising, frequency of publication,

etc.


11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 27, 2009

CHA Show Convention Education ProgramTask Force Objective: To obtain feedback on all the Education

programs offered as part of the CHA Conventions including

seminars, Demo-nars SM, workshops, and events. Participants

will share the perceived value of the programs, the topics, their

relevance, and any new subject matter they would like to see

addressed.


11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 28, 2009

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Hall C, Booth 2935 Visit the Member Connect area of the CHA Booth for your

opportunity to meet face-to-face with a CHA board member – no

appointment necessary. Voice your opinion about the show, member

benefi ts, education programs, or changes you would like to see in the

future. There will be at least one board member available between

the hours of 10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. each day from Sunday, January

25 through Tuesday, January 27, 2009, eager to hear what you have

to say. Remember, CHA is Your Association, so speak up! Give input

and get involved. Helping CHA shape new benefi ts and programs to

support the craft and hobby industry.

Event E505 CHA Town Hall*7:30-9 a.m., Monday, Jan. 26, Room 204AThis is your chance to share your input and hear what members have

to say about their businesses, plus learn about industry successes

and challenges of other members. Come participate in this open

forum discussion with the CHA executive staff: CEO Steve Berger,

Tony Lee (VP, Meetings & Expositions), and Sandy Ghezzi (VP,

Marketing, Member Services & Education). They want to hear your

feedback on how CHA is doing and ways to improve. This is a great

chance to contribute!

Event E507 Annual Business Meeting*7-9 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27, Room 204ADon’t miss this important networking opportunity and learn more

about your association and benefi ts of membership! Network with

other members and hear the highlights of association activities during

the past year. Awards will be announced for the best of Innovations,

Exhibiting with Excellence booths and the Golden Press Kit. Also,

meet the new directors elected to serve a three-year term beginning

in 2009 and the members-at-large elected to the 2009 Nominating

Committee.

*Tickets are required but the event is free.

Get the Hot News on the CHA’s Move to The Sunshine State!Summer’s largest craft and hobby event is moving to Orlando!

The CHA 2009 Summer Show is moving to the Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, from Tuesday, July 28

through Thursday, July 30, 2009.

In addition, CHA will be debuting it’s fi rst-ever consumer show, the

CHA Craft SuperShow, immediately following the Trade Show on

Friday, July 31 through Saturday, August 1, 2009. While providing

all CHA members with a direct link to the consumer, the SuperShow

is designed to educate and inspire crafters and ultimately drive more

traffi c to retail.

Come to the following sessions during the Winter 2008 Convention

and Trade Show to learn more about all of the great plans that are

already in place as we prepare to move locations!

Event E500 - CHA 2009 Summer Show Sneak Peak Breakfast*8-9 a.m. Saturday, January 24, Room 204AOpen to Exhibitors ONLYCHA will host a FREE breakfast sponsored by the Orlando

Convention and Visitors Bureau, Universal Studios, and Disney

World for exhibitors interested in getting more information about

the upcoming CHA Summer Show and the relocation to Orlando,

Florida. Get a sneak peak into area attractions, discounts and all that

Orlando has to offer.

* Ticket is required but the event is free.

CHA Craft SuperShow Information Sessions1-2 p.m. Sunday, January 25, Room 209A11 a.m.-Noon, Monday, January 26, Room 209AOpen & Free to ALL Members, No Ticket RequiredCHA in conjunction with Patterson/Bach Communications, CHA’s

strategic marketing partner for the SuperShow, will be hosting two

informational sessions for all members who wish to learn more about

the consumer craft show. Information sessions will cover:

• Vision for the SuperShow

Set Up

Participation

Education Program

Special Events and Activities

• How Members will Benefi t by Participating in the SuperShow

Exposure Opportunities

Retail Member Benefi ts

Connecting with Consumers

• Driving Consumers to the SuperShow

Strategic Marketing and Media Plan

How Members Get Involved

• Q & A Session

MEMBER CONNECT at the CHA Booth




ON THE SURFACE:

ONE WOMAN, One World

C H A M E M B E R P R O F I L E

Mary Libby Neiman wears many hats — business owner of On The Surface, crafter,

designer and inventor, to name a few. Dedicated to her craft business of selling

embellishment fibers and a select line of sustainable items, Neiman is also an avid

promoter of environmentally sound business initiatives based in Evanston, Illinois.

“I don’t have a mission but I want to present materials that

show caring is a good thing,” she says. With a keen eye for

business and always on the lookout for new innovations, ideas

and knowledge, Neiman admits that she doesn’t like to do things

by halves.

Her background is varied — English teacher turned

fashion designer, merchandiser turned weaver, and now a craft

entrepreneur, Neiman has authored books on crafting and has

also designed kits for bead crochet and bead-knitted jewelry.

Of late, Neiman’s major passion has been the environment.

A conversation with the well-read woman will inspire and

motivate the biggest skeptic. Her voracious appetite for reading

and information has motivated her to adopt more earth-friendly

attitudes in her business and personal life. Frustrated by struggles

to source organic and other green materials, Neiman has made it

her job to root out products that are made from certifi ed organic

materials, non-toxic and low-impact dyes, support fair trade labor

whenever possible, and empower those who are less privileged.

With an uncanny ability to relay impressive stories from major

corporations about their successful actions to reduce their carbon

footprints, an inspired Neiman wants to share her own ideas

with the craft community. As a self-confessed trade show visitor,

her network of connections spans the country and she is smart

enough to know that, “people resist change and it takes time.

But the people who will thrive and survive have more fl exible

thinking. We all have to consider the environment and ask

questions like ‘how can we reduce our carbon footprint?’ ”

Neiman continues by suggesting, “If price is the only

consideration when purchasing materials and supplies, then there

are going to be bigger problems down the road. The tougher the

economy gets, and if people make poor decisions based on more

BY LUCIE GRYS

Photos courtesy of Mary Libby Neiman

Mary Libby Neiman has created a variety of styles

of bracelets using metallic beads.

MARY L IBBY NEIMAN



She continues, “Companies as diverse as Starbucks, FedEx

Kinko’s and Johnson & Johnson buy 5 to 20 percent of their

energy from renewable resources. Most strikingly, Walmart

has committed to having 100 percent of its energy come from

renewable resources.”

Examples like this can serve as starting points for smaller

businesses. Encouraging customers to bring their own bags,

offering reusable canvas craft totes or making the investment

to use biodegradable packaging can signifi cantly improve the

environment.

Mary Libby’s passion for the environment is empowering.

Always an optimist, she knows that change doesn’t happen

overnight and wants to inspire businesses to take on one green

initiative at a time. “Threats aren’t the issue – public attitudes

are much more powerful,” she notes. “Not only will it save you

money in the long run, your employees will feel proud and you

will see the benefi ts in many ways. By making sustainability a

core strategy, your business will profi t,” she says.

While she thinks of herself as only one person making a

small difference, Neiman’s commitment to the green cause is

catching on. Armed with information, fl yers and a willingness

to reach out and share, her efforts are motivating.

“I am knowledgeable, but I’m not an expert. I’m always

asking and questioning,” she says. “There is still more room

for change and the immediate solution isn’t always the fi nal

solution,” she adds. Over time, she believes that the wrong

choice any business owner could make is to do nothing.

Neiman’s positive vision will draw people in and her

efforts, along with others who are adopting more earth friendly

initiatives, will, collectively, make the world a few shades

greener. ●

economical prices, there will be a bigger price to pay.” She

wants big businesses to supply more green choices and to make

the environment a factor when it comes to business decisions.

Her approach in adopting a more eco-friendly attitude is to

start making small changes so you, and your business, won’t

have an excuse to quit.

Suzanne McNeill and Dean Rohlfi ng of Design Originals,

longtime CHA members and colleagues, started a recycling

program at their offi ce as a way to reduce their carbon

footprint. They save half of their original cost for waste

collection and “since they are recycling their cardboard,

they are getting paid approximately $100 per month for the

cardboard they recycle; nice bonus,” Neiman notes.

Other ways that businesses can start making small changes

is to, as Neiman puts it, “develop an affection for green

products. If you look around, you will fi nd suppliers who

offer green products.” Whether using recycled and recyclable

packaging materials, reducing the amount of packaging you

use, asking for certifi ed organic materials, printing on both

sides of recycled paper, powering down lights and computer

systems when not in use, installing low-fl ow faucets, buying

Energy Star rated appliances and using energy effi cient light

bulbs are all very simple ways that businesses can make an

immediate impact.

As the environment continues to be a hot topic, promoting

your business’ green initiatives to customers makes for sound

marketing sense too.

More and more leading companies are actively making

changes in how they do business. UPS, one of the world’s

biggest courier companies, for instance, reprogrammed their

driving software in all delivery vehicles. The reason? Last year,

UPS decided to minimize left-hand turns

on all of their delivery routes. While many

might think that this simple action wouldn’t

make that much of an impact, the reality is

that they shaved nearly 30 million miles off

already streamlined delivery routes, saved 3

million gallons of gas and reduced emissions

by 32,000 metric tons of harmful carbon dioxide emissions – or

the equivalent of removing 5,300 passenger cars off the road for

an entire year.

Neiman quotes from Andrew Winston and Daniel Esty’s

book, “Green to Gold,” published by Yale University Press,

“Employees’ identities are powerfully shaped by a company’s

reputation. Almost everyone wants to work for a company that

they can feel good about. In our knowledge-based economy,

the most prized workers are highly mobile and often highly

sensitive to their employer’s environmental performance. Time

and again we heard from employees who responded to their

own companies.”

Photo courtesy of Mary Libby Neiman

“Employees’ identities are powerfully shaped by a

company’s reputation. Almost everyone wants to

work for a company that they can feel good about.”



• CHA Attitude & Usage Study (55 percent

of those aware of the study believe that

it is valuable) and only 1 percent are

dissatisfi ed; the rest are neutral

• CHA Scrapbooking Study (55 percent

reported value)

• CHA Crafter Insight Study (51 percent)

E-mail and CHA Portfolio magazine

were rated the most preferred communication

vehicles in which to receive research

information.

CHA Attitude & Usage StudyFor the CHA Attitude & Usage Study,

only 37 percent of members are aware of this

ongoing research, one of the major benefi ts

of membership. The study provides a wealth

of information related to consumer attitudes

and behaviors related to crafting. By learning

from real-world success stories and usage

ideas of others, CHA members can benefi t, so

recognition and value of the information in this

study is expected to grow.

The primary uses of the CHA Attitude &

Usage Study were:

• Crafters’ attitudes

• Industry or segment size (reported with

a margin of error, as is the case for all

sample-based studies)

• Consumer shopping channels

• Profi les of crafting households

The product areas reported to be of greatest

importance to CHA members are:

• Scrapbooking/Memory Crafts (82

percent reported this segment to be either

extremely or somewhat important)

• Card Making (82 percent)

• Rubber Stamping (76 percent)

suffi ciently represented, but their feedback was

still considered directionally.

Key FindingsBecause of the diversity of membership,

it was not surprising that there were large

differences in needs by member type.

Overall, members reported the following

topics to be most important:

• Consumer Insight: shopping habits and

attitudes toward crafting

• Business Development: retail best

practices, inventory/fi nancial management

and merchandising tactics

• Trends: product usage and industry sales

• Advertising/Promotion: advertising and

public relations tactics

Less than half of respondents are aware of

any CHA research.

Among all survey respondents:

• 41 percent of members are either

somewhat or extremely satisfi ed with the

research

• Only 4 percent are dissatisfi ed

• 55 percent are neutral

Members agree that the following research

studies are valuable to their business:

As one important benefi t of membership,

CHA fi elds market research studies to provide

trend statistics, purchase dynamics and

consumer insight.

CHA recently fi elded a member survey to:

• Learn the awareness level and usage of

CHA consumer research

• Gain insight to members’ top business

challenges

• Identify unmet research needs

• Gauge member satisfaction levels and

areas of concern

• Uncover opportunities for improving

communication, reporting and prioritizing

future research

Survey MethodologyAn e-mail survey was distributed in July

2008 to every employee of each member

company in countries that are primarily

English-speaking and for whom CHA has a

valid e-mail address on fi le.

Of those, more than 6,700 surveys

were successfully delivered and nearly 500

individuals responded, for a 7-percent response

rate.

The survey captured responses by CHA

member section, to enable analysis by type of

business. This was in recognition of the very

different needs of manufacturers, designers,

retailers, wholesalers, professional crafters, and

others.

RespondentsThe greatest response came from

independent retailers, followed by

manufacturers, internet/catalog retailers,

and designers. Some member types were not

Survey Says … Research Helps the Industry Make Good Business Decisions

BY SANDRA M. GHEZZICHA VICE PRESIDENT – MARKETING, MEMBER SERVICES & EDUCATION

C H A M A R K E T R E S E A R C H – M E M B E R S U R V E Y R E P O R T

Everyone knows that knowledge is power. One way to make good business

decisions is to stay abreast of the latest industry and consumer trend information,

then using that insight to guide product development and consumer messaging

that will resonate with the end user.



new customers; 4) New Products – Developing

new products to keep up with retail demands;

5) Trends

• Distributors: 1) Growing Sales – Increasing

sales, reaching new customers, marketing; 2)

Inventory Control; 3) Decline in Independent

Retail Stores; 4) New Products – Developing

new products to keep up with retail demands;

5) Shipping – Costs, other issues such as

shipping time)

• Manufacturer Representatives: 1) Decline in

Independent Retail Stores; 2) Economy; 3)

Training – Training Reps, time management,

training store owners on their attitudes toward

business and customers; 4) Rising Expenses; 5)

Distributors – Selling direct to stores

• Consumer/Trade Publishers: 1) Creating

Awareness – Reaching more craft consumers,

driving consumers into retail, creating

awareness about services, increasing reach; 2)

Growing Sales – Getting craft companies to

advertise in publications and growing sales; 3)

Economy

• Institutional Buyers: 1) Finding Vendors; 2)

Variety – Range of items for sale

• Professional Crafters: 1) Trends – knowing

the latest trends and developing new ideas;

2) Advertising/Marketing; 3) Compensation

– getting proper compensation for work/

services and increasing income; 4) Finding

Materials – Sourcing supplies at low cost and

with minimum purchasing requirements; 5)

Finances and Cash Flow

• Service Providers: 1) Self-Promotion – creating

awareness of the services that are offered,

fi nding new contacts; 2) Increasing Sales

• Educators/Demonstrators: 1) Advertising/

Promotion – Filling classes, keeping the

consumer excited about crafting, getting

new business, making new contacts and self-

promotion; 2) Trends – Keeping up with the

newest trends and generating new ideas; 3)

Economy; 4) Time Management; 5) Increasing

Sales

Potential Future Research TopicsMembers reported the greatest learning gaps,

for information not currently addressed in CHA

research:

• Advertising Tactics (86 percent)

• Public Relations Tactics (79 percent)

• Research on Age and Gender (79 percent)

• Benchmarking Statistics (73 percent)

• Leisure Time Activities (72 percent)

• Light, Medium and Heavy Crafters (63

percent)

the member section (some groups were only

minimally represented):

• Manufacturers: 1) Reaching New Customers

– key buyers from major retail stores,

getting product into retail outlets, reaching

independents, fi nding wholesale customers,

getting product to market, reaching the

next generation of crafters; 2) Controlling

Costs – Keeping product costs down, high

cost of materials; 3) Marketing/Promotion

– Introducing new product, building brand

recognition; 4) Trends – staying ahead of

consumer trends, keeping up with retail

demands, developing unique products; 5)

Economy

• Independent Retailers: 1) Advertising/

Marketing – getting new customers, increasing

store traffi c, getting the word out; 2) Inventory

Control – identifying products to keep in the

store, keeping up with new releases, reduced

minimum orders, re-orders; 3) Competition

– differentiating from other retailers, large

chains, and TV and Internet channels; 4)

Economy – money, adapting to the changing

market; 5) Growing the Business – increasing

sales, turning a profi t, getting customers to buy

• Chain Retailers: 1) Sales Growth – increasing

sales, getting customers to buy; 2) Increasing

Customer Traffi c 3) Economy; 4) Market

Share; 5) Margin Pressures

• Internet/Catalog Retailers: 1) Advertising/

Marketing – Maintaining Web site visibility,

promotion; 2) Inventory Control – inventory

management; 3) Customer Acquisition –

Increasing Web site traffi c, making new

contacts; 4) Shipping – Timely shipments,

shipping costs; 5) Products – Finding the right

product, getting merchandise quickly, fi nding

the “newest” products

• TV/Media Sales Retailers: 1) Trends – staying

ahead of consumer trends, keeping up with

retail demands; 2) New Products – Finding

the right product, fi nding the “newest”

products

• Designers: 1) New Business – Reaching new

customers/clients, identifying new business,

connecting with manufacturers, networking,

educating members on designers’ services;

2) Trends – fi nding the latest trends and new

ideas; 3) Advertising/Marketing – promoting

their services; 4) Selling – Increasing and

Maintaining sales, making an income, proper

compensation for their services/work, knowing

how much to charge; 5) Time Management

• Wholesalers: 1) Marketing/Exposure –

Educating people about products and uses; 2)

Competition; 3) Growing Sales – Reaching

• Hobby Products (60 percent)

• Finished Gift Products (56 percent)

• Home Décor (54 percent)

• Art & Drawing (48 percent)

• Fashion Fabric Painting & Decorating

(34 percent)

• Jewelry Making (31 percent)

Not surprisingly, members are using

the CHA Attitude & Usage Study in many

different ways: sales presentations, business

plans, new product design, target marketing,

consumer messaging ideas such as the

emotional/therapeutic benefi ts of crafting,

crafters’ attitudes, shopping channels, main

crafting occasions, household participation and

sales trends, business building ideas.

Continuous improvement is under way

to make the CHA Attitude & Usage Study

more useful to the membership. This includes

reporting new aspects of the data, sharing

success stories, and capturing new information.

Improvements were made to the questionnaire

for 2009, revised to capture new information

such as household participation rates for

hobbies, custom framing services, and fi nished

home décor/gift items. After a meaningful

sample size is achieved, the data will be

reported, but keep in mind this will be at a high

level, not with detailed segment breaks as is

currently the case for the 39 craft segments. In

this way, we will begin to close some learning

gaps for merchandise and services that intersect

with craft.

Top Business Challenges

The survey uncovered the top concerns

of members, reported here according to Continued on page 27



This event offered educational opportunities to

all types of craft businesses in the trade so they

could learn about U.S.-style crafting and how

it differed, at the time, from many traditional

crafts that Europeans enjoyed. Now we move

forward again with a long-range partnership

with Association Global Services (AGS) to

develop more meaningful programs for all

members companies, especially those not based

in the United States.

Overall, we have increased and expanded

our member benefi ts, whether is it having

access to international shipping/freight

services with AES Worldwide or having access

to proprietary research with our on-going

Consumer & Attitude Usage Study, now in its

third full year. In fact, CHA is the absolute “go-

to” for research about our industry and no other

organization has the in-depth, long-term history

about consumer purchasing demographics

regarding craft supply purchases and activities.

There are many other benefi ts that I

can’t begin to recite here but one important

accomplishment this year was the launch of

our Member Networking Site http://www.

chamembernetworking.org/cms/ for members

to be able to connect through an online social

community.

This brings me to a point that illustrates

one of the biggest changes in how this

Association operates: We are a “member-

driven” organization and encourage member

participation and feedback in a variety ways.

At the same time, we strive to be as transparent

and clear about the Association’s goals and

intentions. For example, right before our

shows, we notify exhibitors by e-mail with

my cell phone number also the numbers of the

three vice presidents: Dale Atherton, Sandy

Ghezzi and Tony Lee. Our goal is to make an

exhibitor’s show experience as successful and

positive as possible and to take care of issues

on-site, rather than after we return to our New

Jersey offi ce.

The CHA Board of Directors is also

dedicated to hearing member input. Board

members are scheduled to be the CHA Booth

10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m. each day, Sunday

to Tuesday. A board committee now called

to CEO along with my responsibilities in

reporting directly and exclusively to the Board

to meet their expectations for operational

activities and subsequent outcomes.

Convention and Trade ShowsIn producing the industry’s largest

convention and trade shows, we have

developed new initiatives to keep our

events fresh and innovative. We’ve added

International Pavilions from Japan, Pan-Asia,

and the United Kingdom. The License &

Design show fl oor section, in its fourth year,

has given design companies an opportunity

to exhibit their creative talent and services,

separate from the product and supplies that

are exhibited in the other show areas. Another

change has been to establish a central show

theme — past themes have included Kids’

Crafts, Fashion Crafting up to the current one,

It’s Easy Being Green — which has helped

focus our exhibitors’ marketing activities in

reaching out to show attendees.

Our Keynote Presentations have become

high-profi le events in of itself from former

First Lady Barbara Bush — who appeared

at my fi rst HIA Convention & Trade Show

in Dallas, Texas — to Tim Sanders (Yahoo),

life-style expert Martha Stewart, fi nancial guru

Suze Orman, and for 2009, TV journalist/

author Deborah Norville.

To help our exhibitors be more successful

with their show participation and ROI

(return on investment), we’ve expanded our

exhibitor sponsorship program, now called

the Power Marketing Program. We also

encourage participation in our Exhibiting With

Excellence learning program, whether at a

one-day conference or through free Webinars.

For 2008, we added a Retailing With

Excellence track to our convention education

program whereby retailers can easily see

and select seminars about key topics that are

essential to their business success.

Member Benefits and OutreachWe have taken risks and tried new things:

We once held a one-day conference called the

European Trends Symposium in June 2004.

BY STEVE BERGERCEO OF THE CRAFT & HOBBY ASSOCIATION

Each new year, after the hectic pace of

the holiday season, one usually takes a

few moments to reflect upon business

accomplishments and challenges

over the past year. I got a slightly earlier start

(for this magazine’s deadline) when I began

formulating my thoughts for this article back

in November. I was totally convinced that my

fifth year anniversary with CHA was … wait a

minute … from June 2003 until now — has it

really been 5 1/2 years?! Therein lies the fact,

that I wanted to express — with the bustling

atmosphere of our office mere weeks before

the CHA 2009 Winter Convention & Trade

Show, and preparations well under way for the

next shows that follow, it is easy to overlook

the many changes that have been implemented

by CHA over the past few years.

Unifying the IndustryTwo months after I began with at the

Association, the board of directors of ACCI

(Association of Crafts & Creative Industries)

along with the HIA* Board announced their

intention to merge both organizations, effective

in February 2004. The work to complete the

due diligence necessary to communicate

the merger to the membership of both

organizations was quite extensive. Ultimately,

the shared membership of both groups agreed

by a member-wide vote that one organization

was needed to unify this industry and

coordinate the efforts to grow and promote this

craft and hobby industry as a whole.

The newly combined board, which totaled

approximately 27 directors after the merger,

immediately sought a more effective way to

enhance the unifi cation and bring it to the next

level. As a result, they voted to adopt Policy

Governance®, which was developed by Dr.

John Carver, as their new system in January

2005. This governance model is designed to

give an organization’s membership competent

leaders to govern on their behalf and for those

leaders (directors) to be more accountable

in serving CHA’s membership; the Board of

Directors as a whole, not individual Board

members, have equal and complete authority.

Also my role as Executive Director changed

Five Years and Counting …


your company is notified. You will have

an opportunity to meet the CHA Board

members, the CHA executive team, and

share your input on business challenges

and opportunities. At a recent meeting held

in Florida, several CHA members were

able to attend. Julia Bernstein, from Julia

Beth Designs, said “I have attended some

business meetings at both HIA, ACCI and

CHA shows, but this was a real opportunity

to meet and talk with other CHA members

and staff in a relaxed and quite beautiful

setting. I would recommend that any

member take advantage of your invitation

to attend one of these gatherings.”

During the Board meeting in October

2008, Ms. Betsan Corkhill of Stitchlinks,

based in the United Kingdom, as the

feature speaker. Her presentation about the

therapeutic benefits of crafting captivated

Is your business located in Colorado? If so, you may receive

a mailed invitation to attend the Friday

night session on May 1, 2009, when the

Board of Directors meeting begins at The

Broadmoor, located in Colorado Springs,

about 75 miles south of Denver, Colorado.

Local CHA members are invited to

attend an evening session of every Board

of Directors meeting when they are

located in nearby areas. CHA hopes you

will accept the invitation to participate if

C HA Board of Directors MeetingLocal Members Invited to Participate / May 2009


the audience, including a guest member of

the local press. Members attending were

(left to right): Julie Stephani (HomeArts

Magazine), __[husband]___ ___ & Suzi

Brown (Suzi Brown Designs), Lance

Anderson (Rusty Pickle), ___[unknown

woman]__, Mike & Nancy Hill (DCWV) ●

Member Connect, founded in January 2006, is

the conduit to hear member input fi rst-hand or

by e-mail at memberconnect@craftandhobby.

org. We encourage members to volunteer

their participation in Task Forces, or to attend

E505 CHA Town Hall (Monday, Jan. 26 at

7:30-9 a.m.), all in an effort to reach out to our

constituents. If you’re an exhibitor and wish

to learn more about the CHA 2009 Summer

Show in Orlando, Florida, plan to attend E500

Sneak Peak Breakfast on Saturday, January

24, from 8-9 a.m. Want to fi nd out the latest

news about the CHA Craft SuperShow, our

fi rst consumer show? We have two information

sessions planned: Sunday, January 25 1-2 p.m.

and Monday, January 26 11 a.m.-Noon (Room

209A).

It really does seem like yesterday since

I was attending my fi rst HIA Convention &

Trade Show in Dallas, Texas, in 2004. That

experience made left a lasting impression

because it was my fi rst opportunity to meet

many members personally, some who have

now become trusted colleagues and friends.

This is also where I began to learn about the

large variety of businesses that both exhibit or

attend our shows and realized how important

the education programs and networking events

are to the business success of all attendees.

There is still a lot of work to be done in

growing our industry and helping our member

companies succeed. But looking back, my

experiences working in this industry and for

this Association have been the most enriching

of my professional life so far and I look

forward to a fresh set of challenges in 2009! ●

*Editor’s note: HIA, known as the Hobby Industry Association until February 2004.

• Consumers by Age (63 percent)

• Store Counts (55 percent)

Research Interest AreasBased on the member survey results, CHA

is investigating ways to provide additional

information in line with these areas of greatest

interest to members:

• Product usage trends (96 percent of survey

respondents believed this to be extremely or

somewhat important)

• Consumer shopping habits (93 percent)

• Consumer attitudes about crafting (91 percent)

• Industry sales trends (91 percent)

• Consumer demographics – age/gender

(79 percent)

• Consumer demographics – geographic skew

(69 percent)

• Use of digital technology for crafting (67

percent)

• Best ways to target consumers by age (63

percent)

Learn MoreWith the goal of increasing member use

of the CHA Attitude & Usage Study, CHA

began mid-last year conducting quarterly

toll-free tele-conferences to present the

latest data update, answer questions and

help members develop action plans. To learn

more about the next scheduled call, or to

register, contact Tara Smith, CHA Marketing

Coordinator, at [email protected] or

201-835-1223. ●

Continued from page 25



Victor Domine, Public Relations Manager

for the Craft & Hobby Association, is a seasoned

public relations practitioner with more than a

decade of PR experience. During his career

Victor has worked for leading public relations

agencies including Weber Shandwick, Bender

Hammerling Group, Benjamin Group, and Orloff/

Williams. He has represented iconic food brands

including French’s Mustard, Vlasic Pickles, and

Manischewitz, as well as numerous e-commerce

clients and leaders in the consumer electronics

industry.

Victor earned a Bachelor of Science degree in

public relations from San Jose State University,

received the IABC Communicator Award, and

is a member of the Public Relations Society of

America.

Tara Smith, Marketing Coordinator drives

consumer marketing programs. Her primary

responsibilities include consumer insight, oversight

of the craftandhobby.org and craftplace.org Web

I N S I D E

Victor Domine Public Relations Manager

Tara SmithMarketing Coordinator

the events, conventions, and exhibitions industry,

demonstrates an individual’s comprehensive

knowledge of meeting management. The CMP

program, established in 1985, is designed to

increase the professionalism of meeting managers

in all sectors of the industry; recognize and raise

industry standards; and increase the value of

these practitioners to their employers or those to

whom services are provided; the demand for the

designation has soared since the fi rst ten years of the

program’s existence.

Obtaining the CMP designation is a two-part

process, consisting of an application and a written

examination, administered and monitored by an

independent testing agency. Eligibility to take

the examination is based on an extensive review

of professional qualifi cations; candidates must

have at least three years of employment in the

meetings industry and demonstrate professional

accountability for successful events. The

comprehensive written examination tests knowledge

of all functions of meeting management. ●

sites, the CHA e-newsletter, National Craft Month

and Celebrate the Season promotions.

“I’m so fortunate to be part of a team of such

talented and hard-working individuals,” Tara said.

“CHA is doing really great things, and I’m happy

to be a part of it.”

Tara joined CHA in October of 2007. Prior

to joining CHA, she served as Marketing Project

Manager for a fi nancial communications fi rm

in Albany, N.Y., where she was responsible

for development and production of direct and

electronic marketing campaigns as well as Web

site management. Tara earned her bachelor’s

degree in business administration from State

University of New York (SUNY), Albany.

Amie Lee Kolodziej, (formerly Kolb)

recently joined the The Convention Industry

Council’s (CIC) newest class of Certifi ed

Meeting Professionals (CMPs); successfully

completing the program in August of 2008. This

prestigious credential, recognized throughout

Amie Lee KolodziejCertified Meeting Professional

The Craft & Hobby Association has announced

the newly elected CHA Board officers for the 2009 term naming

Michael McCooey, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

of Plaid Enterprises, as Board Chairman; Larry Olliges, President

of Dee’s Crafts as Vice Chair; and Jane Anne Davis, Sr. VP, Sales

& Marketing at Blumenthal Lansing Co., as Secretary. Michael

McCooey replaces Jim Scatena, CEO of FloraCraft Corporation,

who recently completed his term as Chief Governance Officer.

Scatena will remain on the CHA Board as Immediate Past Chair.

The new CHA Board officers were elected during the October Board

of Directors Meeting and will serve one-year terms that began at the

time of voting.

For the past 14 years Mike McCooey has been President and

CEO of Plaid Enterprises, Inc., an Atlanta-based manufacturer and

global distributor of arts and craft supplies. Prior to joining Plaid,

McCooey held senior management positions with various paint,

decorative fabrics and wall covering manufacturers in the home

décor market. McCooey is very active in industry affairs, has served

CHA Announces ’09 Officers for BOARD OF DIRECTORS

as Chairman of the Board for ACCI and was a member of the joint

task force that led to the unifi cation of ACCI and HIA to form CHA.

Larry Olliges, President of Dee’s Crafts, in Louisville, Ken-

tucky, will serve as the new Vice Chair. Olliges oversees Dee’s

Crafts, a successful independent craft retailer, which has been in

business for more than 30 years and remains a family owned and

operated business with more than 50 employees. Olliges has served

on the CHA Board of Directors since 2004 and chaired the CHA

Membership Dues Committee.

Jane Anne Davis was re-elected as CHA Board Secretary.

Davis is an industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience

with craft industry leaders like Plaid Enterprises, Duncan Enter-

prises and BagWorks Inc. and now Blumenthal Lansing Co.

“The new CHA Board offi cers provide a broad scope of experi-

ence and an unmatched wealth of knowledge in the industry,” ex-

plained Steve Berger, CHA CEO. “Their collective expertise will

be quite useful in moving CHA and the craft and hobby industry

forward in the coming year.” ●

S T A F F P R O F I L E S



Indie crafting is not relegated to the

fringes of the crafting community; it’s

the movement that will help carry on

traditional crafting techniques and make it

relevant to generations to come.

Embrace your independence! ●

BY TINA BARSEGHIANEDITOR IN CHIEF, CR AFT MAGA ZINE

The world of craft has

undergone a huge transformation in the

past few years. A new generation of

crafters is emerging with a distinct point

of view. They’re motivated, creative, and

resourceful, and eager to share their work

with others in the crafting community.

Craft Magazine, which launched

in 2006, has been documenting this

movement, serving as the medium

for crafters to share their ideas and

innovations. Our mantra is “transforming

traditional crafts,” and in each issue, we

show page after page of surprising ideas

that prove this.

The easiest way of defi ning this

community, under the broad term

“Indie crafting,” is to put it this way:

Using traditional crafting techniques

and applying them in unconventional

ways. For example, in our debut issue

of Craft, we showed how to embroider a

skateboard. The history of embroidery

goes back hundreds of years, so the

technique is not revolutionary, but the

idea of applying that to a skateboard

is certainly unique. The same premise

applies to so many of our other projects:

felting an iPod holder, knitting your own

boots, making fi nger puppets with LED

lights, and so on.

Another characteristic of the

indie crafting community is its use of

technology, both in creating projects and

in spreading the message. Indie crafters

are comfortable with using computer

software to design and build objects. For

example, in Craft Volume 9, our winter

2008 issue, we show how to use a free

software program called Google Sketch-

Up to design a charging station for cell

phones, iPods, and other electronic toys.

In Volume 1, we show how to make a shirt

that lights up, using silver-coated thread

and a microprocessor. Just as knitting

needles and sewing machines have been

for previous generations, the computer is

another tool for modern crafters.

G U E S T P U B L I S H E R C O R N E R

Transform Traditional Crafting

The computer also serves as a medium

to share ideas and innovations for Indie

crafters, who log onto hundreds of blogs

to upload photos of their projects and see

what their cohorts are up to. You can learn

how to knit by watching videos online, to

create origami fi gures, to make jewelry

with resin. Our own Web site, www.

craftzine.com, is updated half a dozen

times a day with new projects and crafting

ideas, and as of October, had more than

3.2 million new visitors in 2008. The

number continues to grow, as do other

crafting sites.

The idea of embracing a green lifestyle

is also important to crafters. At this

point, it’s no longer a political statement

up for debate, but simply a way to live.

Repurposing and fi nding new life in

old objects is a source of pride for Indie

crafters. In Craft Volume 9, we devote a

section to such green projects as reusing

old plastic bags to create a hat and a tote;

making an herb dryer out of an old frame;

fashioning a holiday ornament from old

greeting cards, and so on.

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PAPER CRAFTS

381489_Retired.indd 1 5/1/08 2:08:15 PMRetired...Let’s Do Lunch1413 1/2 Kenneth Road, PMB 63Glendale, CA 91201Phone: (818) 261-0021Fax: (818) 246-9044E-mail: [email protected]: www.retiredletsdolunch.comRetired...Let’s Do Lunch has taken scrapping to a new dimension with the Chipboard “Gingerbread” House. These kits are die-cut and scored for easy assembly. Add a few paper embellishments and a little imagination to create a magical faux Gingerbread House. They are fun, creative and last for years.



CHA Announces 2008 INDUSTRY AWARDSThe Craft & Hobby Association has announced the

recipients of the craft and hobby industry’s

most prestigious service awards. Emma

Gebo of Sierra’s was named as the recipient

of the CHA Meritorious Award of Honor.

Both William “Bill” Mangelsen, founder of

Makin’s Clay/Makin’s USA Inc. and David

Cunningham, founder of Plaid Enterprises

were named posthumously for this past

year’s CHA Industry Achievement Awards.

The CHA Special Recognition Award

will be presented to Pat Catan and the Pat

Catan Family Foundation for philanthropic

efforts supporting various children’s causes,

including childhood cancer research. All

CHA Industry Awards recognize exceptional

contributions to crafting and the world on

behalf of CHA members.

The highest honor the Association can

bestow is the CHA Meritorious Award

of Honor. This award acknowledges an

individual or group that has made a significant

contribution to the Association and industry.

The 2008 recipient, Emma Gebo, certainly fit

this criteria. Gebo’s service in the craft and

hobby industry began when CHA was still

known as the Hobby Industry Association

(HIA). She served quietly for decades

throughout her career in the craft industry as

a board member and Second Vice President

of ACCI and also as a board member and

chairman for Sierra Pacific Crafts. For CHA,

she was on CHA’s Governance Team, a board

director and was elected as CHA’s Board

Secretary for several terms between 2005 and

2007. Gebo was a key driver and supporter

of the merger between ACCI and HIA and

of the transition to Policy Governance®. She

is president of her own retail craft business,

Crafts & Frames dba Sierra’s, based in

Pocatello, Idaho.

The CHA Industry Achievement Award

is granted to a CHA member who has

contributed to the growth and vitality of

the craft and hobby industry as a whole.

The names Bill Mangelsen and David

Cunningham are synonymous with crafting

as both worked tirelessly to promote the

craft industry through the development and

founding of leading craft companies. David

founded Plaid Enterprises when he was 50

years old. Plaid grew to be the largest and

most successful arts and crafts manufacturer

in the world. In turn, David was awarded

the HIA president’s award in 1997 for his

outstanding lifetime achievement in the

industry. As part of the Mangelsen family

which is known for establishing several craft

industry businesses, Bill Mangelsen was

also a craft industry pioneer as founder of

Sino Harvest and inventor of Makin’s Clay

(Makin’s USA Inc.) .Both Bill and David

passed away in March 2008.

The Special Recognition Award is

presented to an individual or group for an

extraordinary contribution in an activity that

showcases the craft and hobby industry in a

positive way. This year, Pat Catan and the Pat

Catan Family Foundation of Darice Inc. are

being honored for their work with Rainbow

Babies & Children’s Hospital and the Ireland

Cancer Center at University Hospital’s Case

Medical Center. Their $50,000 donation

formed Pat Catan’s Family Fund for research

in childhood cancer. They have helped found

orphanages in Thailand and have created an

organization that serves over 600 homeless

children a year.

These awards will be presented to the

recipients or their families at the CHA

2009 Winter Convention & Trade Sho w in

Anaheim, California during the annual Show

Event held on Tuesday, January 27, 2009,

from 6:00-10:00 pm. All other annual CHA

Winter Convention & Trade Show awards

will be presented at the Annual Business

Meeting on January 27, 2009 from 7:00-

9:00am. See www.chashow.org for more

information and to register for tickets. ●

ART MATERIALS & FRAMINGArtograph Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

BAGS/PACKAGING/LABELING SUPPLIESAlpha Rho, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

BEADS & JEWELRYSwarovski North America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

BUTTONS/FASTENERS/MISC HARDWAREJHB International, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover

CONTAINERS & STORAGEAlpha Rho, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

CONVENTION CENTERAnaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau . . . . . . . . . Outside Back Cover

FABRIC/QUILTING/NEEDLECRAFTDonwei Machinery Industry Co., LTD. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

FABRICS & CRAFTSJoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GENERAL CRAFTSCore’dinations Colorcore Cardstock . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Midwest Products Co., Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

GREEN PAINTS/FINISHESEarth Safe Finishes, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

PAPER CRAFTSPrism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Retired...Let’s Do Lunch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

I N D E X T O A D V E R T I S E R S

A D V E R T I S E R S . C O M

QUILTING SUPPLIESClover Needlecraft, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

RUBBER STAMPSStamping Bella Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

SCHOOL DIORAMASWoodland Scenics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

SCRAPBOOKINGVendor Wise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

SCRAPBOOKING SUPPLIESHeart & Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Pioneer Photo Album . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover

Alpha Rho, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.alpharho.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.anaheimoc.org . . . . . . . . . . . OBCArtograph Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.artograph.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Clover Needlecraft, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.clover-usa.com. . . . . . . . . . . . .15Core’dinations Colorcore Cardstock . . . . . .www.coredinations.com . . . . . . . . . .17Donwei Machinery Industry Co., LTD. . . . . .www.donwei.com.tw . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Earth Safe Finishes, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.earthsafefi nishes.com. . . . . . . .18Heart & Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.heartandhome.com. . . . . . . . . .10JHB International, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.buttons.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC

JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores . . . . . . . . . .www.joann.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Midwest Products Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.midwestproducts.com . . . . . . . .4Pioneer Photo Album . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.pioneerphotoalbums.com . . . . IFCPrism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.prismpapers.com . . . . . . . . . . .13Retired...Let’s Do Lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.retiredletsdolunch.com . . . . . . .24Stamping Bella Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.stampingbella.com . . . . . . . . . .20Swarovski North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.create-your-style.com. . . . . . . .14Vendor Wise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.vendorwise.com . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Woodland Scenics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.woodlandsscenics.com. . . . . . .10

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409520JHB INTERNATIONAL

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CMYK

IBC

Cele�ating 40 Years!

it’� all in the detail�

LP Signature Series™ Clay & Craft ProductsCHA Booth #3031 • www.buttons.com

Discover your inner artist!™

Fabulous Fabric BeadsSassy Silkies™ & Batik Beauties™

CHA Booth #3031 • www.buttons.com

Inspiring Creativity™

F b i B dF b l b i B d

Inspiring CreativityInspiring Creativity™y

®

409520_JHB.indd 1 11/27/08 8:24:20 AMHOBQ0109_8730_L.indd 31HOBQ0109_8730_L.indd 31 12/30/08 11:42:08 AM12/30/08 11:42:08 AM

407454ANAHEIM/ORANGE COUNTY

VISITOR & CONV. BUREAU

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CMYK

OBC

Anaheim/OC!

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