Angie Pedersen's Scrapbooking Industry News

PMA Purchases SMART Group Membership

The Scrapbooking Manufacturer And Retailer Trade Group ( The SMART Group) , Carlsbad, Calif., sold its membership and education to PMA, Jackson, Mich., for an undisclosed amount.

"The SMART Group and its membership are completely dedicated to the success of the scrapbooking industry and all within it," stated Dennis Conforto, CEO and president of A-Z Media Group Inc., the owner of The SMART Group. "Our goal was to provide low-cost educational services to our members and help them not just survive but thrive. We believe this transaction is in the best interest of the members and scrapbook industry as a whole. It was never the intention of The SMART Group to be the educational arm for the industry for the long term. It was to kick start the process and find a safe home where the guiding principles of the group could grow even faster -- with PMA this will occur."

  The SMART Group had a threefold mission to educate, integrate, and propagate the scrapbooking industry. "PMA is uniquely qualified to expand on what The SMART Group started for the scrapbooking industry," said Conforto. "PMA's worldwide network will help the scrapbook manufacturers grow, their educational programs will help retailers be more profitable."

  Ted Fox, executive director of PMA, pointed out "the core values and programs of The SMART Group are in line with our own business values and beliefs."

"We believe that the scrapbooking industry will be best served within the PMA organization," said Fox. "We have the talent and resources to add value to every business within the scrapbooking community. Our goal is clearly to grow every business that is tied to the photo community. We know that with scrapbooking, it starts with the photo, moves to the story and ends up as a creative expression of events, times and/or places that are important to the lives of scrapbooking and photo consumers."

PMA will be working with the A-Z Media Group to create a "Scrapbooking Photo" newspaper section in the major newspapers within North America for retail members of PMA. PMA management sees this as a way to continue to grow the marketplace, as photo retailers need more pictures printed and scrapbook retailers are one way to help make that happen.

PMA first expanded its prescence into the scrapbook market in November 2004 when it created the Professional Scrapbook Retailers Organization (PSRO). Beginning with  PMA 2005, PMA has offered PSRO scrapbook education and business resources dedicated to scrapbook retailers.

SOURCE: PMA Newsline newsletter

Contribute to Photography Newsletter Photojojo

Via the PMA Newsline newsletter:

Photojojo is an twice-a week-online newsletter that claims to offer the "World's Best Photo Projects, DIY, and Gadgets." The website says: "We publish an insanely great newsletter on photography. More specifically, we scour the internets, rip pages out of magazines, ransack our friends' closets, and go through dumpsters to find the very best Photo tips, DIY projects, and Gear."

Photo retailers and photographers alike can contribute to Photojojo. Being in an online newsletter is one way to build credibility as a "photo expert," and this type of newsletter is read by consumers excited by photography and looking to do more with their pictures. 

"We're always looking for fresh ideas," says Gupta. "If you've got a great project, photo link, a beautiful photo, or anything else photo-related that you think the world ought to know about, e-mail us! And if you've got a great photo DIY project you'd like to write about for Photojojo, drop us a line about that, too."

Digital Photography Statistic: Consumers storing close to 1,000 digital images

Digital camera owners keep filling their memory cards and moving images onto their computers, CDs, DVDs, and websites. How many images has the typical household transfered from the digital cameras onto various storage media? According to the 2007 PMA U.S. Digital Imaging Survey, consumers had on average stored close to 1,000 images onto hard drives, CDs, DVDs, and the Web, by the end of 2006. This is 3 to 4 years worth of picture taking for a typical U.S. household.

In terms of specific storage methods, the average number of images stored on hard drives was reported to have been 626, slightly below the average number of images stored on CDs and DVDs (632). The average number of pictures stored on the Internet was 230. These numbers include new and mature digital camera users.

SOURCE: 2007 PMA U.S. Digital Imaging Survey, via PhotoMarketing Newsline International.

MemoryTrends to Co-locate at PMA 08

Golden, CO – MemoryTrends Conference & Expo (MTCE) and PMA® announce a co-location between the two organizations that will generate tremendous growth opportunities for both the scrapbooking marketplace and the worldwide photo imaging community.

MTCE and PMA will co-locate Jan. 31 – Feb. 2, 2008, during the existing PMA International Convention and Trade Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The new event offers expanded, targeted educational and buying opportunities to retailers in both the photo and scrapbooking markets and will also deepen the prospect pool for show exhibitors.  MemoryTrends will work with PMA on its international shows as well, focusing on bringing dynamic conference programming to a new market and providing new global exhibiting opportunities to manufacturers. The international events will be held in Canada in September 2007 and Australia in 2008.

“We believe the scrapbooking industry will be best served by the PMA organization. The goal of PMA is to add value to and to grow every business within the scrapbooking community, as it has with the photo community,” says Ted Fox, executive director of PMA. “Scrapbooking starts with the photo, moves to the story and ends up as a creative expression of events, times and/or places that are important to the lives of scrapbooking and photo consumers.”

MemoryTrends will collaborate with PMA and industry leaders to create the most comprehensive, informative and business-building conference program available to retailers in the scrapbooking and photo markets.

"Partnering MemoryTrends with PMA is a very exciting initiative that will allow scrapbooking/paper crafting manufacturers and retailers the opportunity to take memory preservation to the next level,“ says CKMedia CEO, Dave O’Neil. “Memory-making is the cornerstone of our business at CKMedia, and this relationship with PMA strengthens our existing marketing channels and opens up exciting new areas to better serve our industry partners.  We have exciting plans for the 2007 MemoryTrends show in September leading up to a combined PMA/MemoryTrends Winter Show and regional and international show schedule in 2008.”

About MemoryTrends Conference & Expo
In its eighth year, MTCE serves the scrapbooking, paper crafting and rubber stamping markets, bringing the foremost in educational programming created to assist retailers in building successful businesses. With over 300 exhibitors, the award-winning MTCE is the largest exhibition dedicated solely to these markets.  MTCE is owned by CKMedia, a leading multimedia company that produces products, magazines, websites and events that serve the scrapbooking, paper crafting, crafting, quilting, and sewing markets.

About PMA
As a professional trade association, PMA® helps the worldwide photo imaging community achieve business success and adapt to new technologies. Its commitment to 20,000 members in more than 100 countries is part of an 82-year legacy that connects business owners to a network of knowledge and support. PMA furthers this purpose through the development of educational programs and business services, marketing research, publications and trade shows. As a nonprofit organization, any success enjoyed by PMA in its endeavors directly benefits the industry, allowing PMA to provide continual services and activities for members.

Additional information via Creative Leisure News:

MemoryTrends will have its own section [of PMA 08], entrance, registration and scrapbooking hall that will accommodate MemoryTrends suppliers, the PMA SMART Store and a stage for educational presentations. The same value pricing for booth and show attendance that Memory Trends has always provided will continue.

PMA 08 will host 20,000+ retail entrepreneurial memory makers from around the world who help consumers create, keep, display, and share memories through pictures. Our PMA/MTCE partnership will offer expanded, targeted educational and buying opportunities to retailers, deepen the prospect pool for show exhibitors, and allow scrapbooking and paper crafting manufacturers and retailers to take memory-making to the highest level. MemoryTrends will collaborate with PMA and industry leaders to create the most comprehensive, informative and business-building conference program available to retailers in the scrapbooking and photo markets.

CK's Scrapbooker of the Year Contest Closes July 6th

A reminder that submissions for Creating Keepsakes' 2007 Scrapbooker of the Year Contest are due July 6th, a little less than two weeks away.

Win $10,000 in cash and more than $10,000 in prizes. Plus, get a two-year contract with Creating Keepsakes magazine.

To enter:

1. Prepare a portfolio of your 20 best scrapbook layouts. 12 of these layouts must be non-published and cannot have been posted in any online forum. (Layouts will not be returned. Full-sized or reduced copies are acceptable.)

2. Prepare a 1-page essay on the following topic: Describe your ideal day. Real or fictional. Past, present or future. It’s up to you. It’s your day.

3. Prepare a separate sheet (or sheets) of paper that includes your name, contact information (including phone number, address, e-mail address and alternate contact information), and a list of supplies you used to create your 20 layouts.

4. Send everything from steps 1, 2, and 3 between May 5 and July 6, 2007.

Ten finalists will be selected based on their entries. Finalists will be notified on or about 7/31/07.  Finalists will each receive $100, a prize basket of scrapbooking products and an all-expenses paid trip to the Memory Trends trade show in Las Vegas, NV September 18-20, where the winner will be announced an exclusive celebration.  The winner will be publicly announced on or about 9/20/07. 

Click here to view official rules.

Registration Opens for MemoryTrends Conference & Expo

MemoryTrends Conference & Expo has opened registration.

MemoryTrends Conference & Expo, held this year in Las Vegas September 16-20, is the world's leading and most comprehensive event dedicated to scrapbooking and paper crafts. The event brings together scrapbooking retailers, crafts, photo stores, gift and card shop owners and managers, and vendors of scrapbooking products and services. It is the #1 marketplace for companies that sell, market or promote scrapbooking products and services.

The MemoryTrends Conference offers a comprehensive program of business seminars, digital scrapbooking education, a Teach the Teachers program, Retailer to Retailer classes, and hands-on workshops designed specifically for scrapbook, papercraft, and rubberstamping retailers.

The event begins on Sunday, September 12th with a full-day of Pre-Conference Sessions including two Creativity Workshops and a full day of Digital Scrapbooking Education. The industry's leading instructors share their expertise in the new Teach the Teachers classes. Also new this year is the Retailer to Retailer program where top retailers share the secrets of their success. Monday through Wednesday, Business Seminars offer solutions to the top challenges that you're facing in managing your store.  Hands-on Workshops and Spotlight Sessions let industry professionals explore the hottest techniques and newest products.

Stacy Julian will share her vision of a wider definition of scrapbooking at the Keynote Presentation on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, Lisa Bearnson and Dave O'Neil present an exclusive report on the results of the 2007 Scrapbooking in America survey.  Kizer and Bender introduce you to a new generation of scrapbookers at their Meet the Millenials Panel Event.  Thursday morning's feature presentation is the Retailer Roundtable, a MemoryTrends tradition. See the Conference Schedule-at-a-Glance for more information on programming.

Advantus Acquires All My Memories Product Lines

Advantus Corp. has acquired some of the All My Memories (AMM) product lines - Tote-ally Cool Tote and Tote 2, Vituri Lifestyles Fashion Bags, Vituri Fashion Camera Bags, and Vituri Urban Fashion Bags. The Metro and Urban albums and Stackem' product lines were not included.

All AMM operations will be consolidated and relocated to the Advantus headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, and AMM shipments will resume the week of June 11.

SOURCE: Craftrends News Headlines.

Photographer Erin Manning Joins Canon U.S.A. to Promote Scrapbooking

TV Personality Manning to Serve as Spokesperson and Share Scrapbooking, Entertaining and Decorating Tips at Canon-Sponsored Events and On Canon U.S.A. Web Sites

As America’s fascination with crafts and scrapbooking grows, imaging industry leader Canon U.S.A., Inc. has aligned with a new spokesperson; photographer and Do It Yourself (DIY) Network personality, Erin Manning. Together, Canon and Erin will help crafters of all skill levels take full advantage of their personal technology products, resulting in creative ideas for decorating, DIY gifts, clever projects and unique scrapbooks.

As the use of digital photography grows by leaps and bounds, the number of digital images stored on personal computers has soared. According to a recent study conducted by the Craft & Hobby Association, scrapbooking grew to a $2.6 billion industry in 2006, becoming the most popular craft segment. A large number of people are now looking for resources to learn how easy and fun it can be to transform their cherished memories and photographs into unique and tangible crafts.

“Erin offers a wealth of ideas to assist people who love the convenience of digital photography turn their pictures into artful prints,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “Canon is committed to helping people get the most out of digital photography with our series of affordable, easy-to-use photo printers that work perfectly with our fine art papers and inks, to produce results that impress the most discerning eye.”

A life long professional photographer, Erin Manning is best known as the host of “The Whole Picture,” HGTV-HD’s and DIY Network’s Telly Award-winning digital photography show. “I have taught classes all over the world and have always used Canon’s digital imaging equipment and accessories because Canon is the leader in innovation and quality,” states Manning. “I am looking forward to working with Canon to share ideas and help people make the most of their digital images.”

Using Better Technology to Capture and Craft Memories

Everyone from experienced photographers and crafters to those just getting started in digital photography will be able to connect with Erin for some quick and clever tips through the following venues:

• Canon Scrapbook Microsite – Canon’s fall 2007 launch of its special site for crafters will feature seasonal tips for photos and crafts, as well as creative gift ideas for family, friends and special occasions. The site is a great resource for scrapbook page templates, 3D paper craft templates and more.
• “Ask Erin” – Erin will offer monthly insights on Canon’s E-Store about the best ways to use technology to maximize use of photos, images and all sorts of creative crafts.
• Craft Conventions – Erin and Canon will showcase favorite crafting projects, images and ideas at two of the largest annual crafting events: the 2007 Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Conventions in Phoenix (September 14 - 15, 2007) and Seattle (November 2 - 3, 2007).

For more information about Canon’s products and craft ideas, please visit www.usa.canon.com/scrapbooking (Web site slated to go live Fall 2007).

About Erin Manning
Erin fell in love with photography at age seven when she received an instamatic camera in her Christmas stocking. She has since worked as a commercial, portrait, and stock photographer and completed a degree in studio art/graphic design from Loyola Marymount University. Erin has worked for Getty Images and clients including AT&T, Bank of America and Disney.

She is currently the host of The Whole Picture and has appeared as the gadget gal on DIY’s “Enable Your Home,” the popular workshop show that features ideas, projects and tips for making home more convenient, accessible and livable. Erin is also active in a number of professional organizations including the Advertising Photographers of America, Women in Photography International, the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, and the Los Angeles Digital Imaging Group.

SOURCE: BusinessWire.com and Canon.USA.com