Angie Pedersen's Scrapbooking Industry News

Epson Launches Interactive Web Campaign

PERSONALITY AND PRINTING HABITS POWER EPSON’S NEW INTERACTIVE CAMPAIGN TO MATCH INDIVIDUAL CREATIVE NEEDS WITH PRODUCTS

“Epsonality” Campaign Assigns Personality Traits to Products Giving Consumers Fun and Easy Way to Select A Printer That’s Right For Them

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Oct. 29, 2007 – Our personalities define who we are, what we do, and ultimately, how we express ourselves. Recognizing how personality relates to printing requirements, Epson America Inc. today unveiled the first personality-driven approach to educating consumers in an entertaining way on how to best align their individual creativity and printing needs with the right product.

Called “Epsonality,” the new marketing approach is designed to help customers cut through the confusion of model names and specifications to determine the printer that best meets their needs by inviting them to discover their Epsonality. Epsonality refers to the unique creativity in each person and matches the company’s innovative printer attributes with various personality types and printing behaviors. At the core of the program is an interactive Web site, www.epsonality.com, where customers ranging from business professionals to creative consumers can get information about the printing requirements that each product best addresses.

For consumers who want additional help determining the right product for them, the Epsonality site features a fun and easy interactive quiz to help them establish their printing personas. After identifying a customer’s Epsonality, the site gives them the option to buy that printer, purchase it as a gift for someone or put it on a wish list for others to consider giving them.

“Our products target a wide variety of customers ranging from the techno-savvy to the inventive type, but all of our customers have a need to express their creativity,” said Jeffrey Marks, director of Marketing and Communications, Epson. “We are inviting all of these customers to take a more active experiential role with not only the Epson brand, but also our individual products. Rather than simply looking at features, we want our customers to see their printer a little differently and understand how certain products best meet their needs.”

The Epsonality brand messaging will be communicated through an integrated campaign that includes television, print, outdoor, and online components in playful exchanges that reveal a consumer’s “Epsonality.” More information is available at www.epsonality.com.

About Epson America Inc.
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography, and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transactions terminals for the retail market. Founded in1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

New Social Networking Web Site for Arts and Crafters

CraftBuddy.com announces the launch of its brand new website for individuals interested in Arts and Crafts. The site is designed for users to share ideas and showcase their projects including the ability to upload photos, articles, and instructions, and also features a Crafting Forum.

Paso Robles, CA (PRWEB) October 17, 2007 -- CraftBuddy Inc. is pleased to announce the release of their new website for Arts and Crafters, CraftBuddy.com.  CraftBuddy.com is a feature-rich website that offers many ways for crafters to meet and share tips.

"We designed this website with the needs of the crafter in mind, so we made it very appealing and functional.  Our goal is to be a welcome place for any crafter, whether it is a very popular and established craft, or a relatively new one. We now have 70 crafting categories to choose from, and are adding more all the time," said Fred Brutschy, owner.

Users can easily browse for crafters with similar interest, view their profiles to learn more about them & see photos of their crafts, then add them as friends. Crafters are encouraged to upload their crafting work for all to see on the Projects page. They may also post Events on the website to advertise crafting shows they are attending or promoting, or post Crafts for Sale in the Classifieds section.

More features include a Forums area organized by crafting interests, a Resources page, and a Business Directory page.  Visitors may also enjoy these activities: Blogging, Contests, and Chatting.

Having gone live in August of 2007, the site is already boasting impressive traffic and signups. Recent visitors have commented:

"Well, this is my 2nd day here at CraftBuddy and I really am impressed with the site. This is one of those places where I don't see the 'new' wearing off. Thanks for creating a wonderful place where crafters can unite," said user Paper Trails.

"This is now my first stop after I check my mail! Oh, and also after I grab a cup of java. Thanks for making CraftBuddy a part of my day," said user Just Alter It.

"I think this site is going to be a wonderful way to meet new people and exchange ideas. Props to you Craft Buddy," said user Wind Dancer.

SOURCE: PRWeb.com.

Triscape Partners with Shutterfly to Promote Digital Scrapbooking Day

Windham, NH – October 24, 2007 –Triscape, Inc., makers of the award-winning FxFoto Creative photo organization and digital scrapbooking software, has partnered with Shutterfly, Inc., the leading Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service, to promote Digital Scrapbooking Day, held this year on November 3rd.  Shutterfly is offering educational and creative resources via the event's website, DigitalScrapbookingDay.com.   Shutterfly's partnership with Triscape speaks of their commitment to provide premium solutions that allow the digital scrapbooking community to present meaningful, customized photo gifts for their friends and family.

In support of Digital Scrapbooking Day, Shutterfly will provide Photo Book printing services as prizes to event participants via random drawings throughout the day – each site visitor who participates in a digital scrapbooking activity as specified on the event blog at DigitalScrapbookingDay.com will have the chance to win an award-winning quality Photo Book printed by Shutterfly.

At the end of Digital Scrapbooking Day, one participant chosen via random drawing will be awarded a Grand Prize package of one of each size of a Shutterfly Photo Books: 12x12, 8x8, 8.5x11 and 5x7.

Other Shutterfly resources available for Digital Scrapbooking Day:

• Holiday Card Templates - Designed by Shutterfly’s Digital Scrapbooking Advisory Team, and available exclusively at Shutterfly, these free, downloadable Holiday Card Templates are found at www.shutterfly.com/digiscraptemplates.  Customers can download these templates, personalize them with favorite photos and greetings, and then upload them to Shutterfly for easy, high-quality card printing.


• Digital Scrapbooking Advisory Team Holiday Blog - Shutterfly and its Digital Scrapbook Advisory Team are providing inspiration, ideas and surprises through its new Holiday Blog, shutterfly.typepad.com.  On the blog, consumers can discover how the Advisory Team is celebrating the holidays, get inspired by creative ways to scrap for the season, and read advice from the experts. 


• Scrapper Savings - To thank its loyal digital scrapbooking customers, this holiday season Shutterfly is offering a special discount on its new line of square-format, archival-quality Scrapbook Pages.  When customers order three 12x12 or 8x8 Scrapbook Pages, they will receive an additional page of the same size free in the same order. Offer valid through November 15th.

Bazzill Paper Has NOT Been Sold

Recent scrapbooking message board discussions have mentioned the possibility that Bazzill Paper had been sold, perhaps to Advantus, parent company of Cropper Hopper, Heidi Swapp, and All My Memories, among others.

This comment comes directly from Marti Jones, co-owner of Bazzill:

That is an untrue rumor.  We don't know who has started it...They said we sold to Advantus. Doug knows Kevin at Advantus quite well.  He has not talked to him in months.  Anyway, you heard it from the source, we still own Bazzill.

Editor's Note: Have you seen Bazzill's Flickr albums?

Michaels to Close Recollections Stores

Michaels Stores announced it plans to discontinue its concept businesses, Recollections and Star Decorators' Wholesale. The company anticipates closing 11 Recollections and three of its four Star locations by the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2008. One Star location will continue operations under the Moskatel's banner. In connection with this decision, the company expects to incur approximately $11 million to $14 million in incremental charges as a result of lease obligations, inventory liquidation, asset-related write-downs, and severance benefits, with a majority of the charges being incurred in the third quarter of fiscal 2007.

SOURCE: Craftrends News Headlines

Facebook Adds A Family Tree Application

Via the Genealogy Insider - Facebook Adds A Family Tree Application.

If you have a Facebook account, you can add an application called Family Tree to your profile that lets you, well, create a family tree. It’s from a new company called iFamily that specializes in developing applications for Facebook.

Read the whole story at the link above.

Controversy Surrounds Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame Book Release

Via Nancy Nally's Scrapbook Update: Controversy Surrounds Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame Book Release.

Rumors of impropriety have swirled around Creating Keepsakes' annual Hall of Fame contest almost from its beginning 9 years ago. But with the release of Vol. 9 of the Hall of Fame annual, featuring the 2007 contest winners, the whispers have become a roar that Creating Keepsakes and the scrapbook industry can no longer pretend not to hear.

The 2007 contest rules explicitly stated that all photos in the entry had to have been taken by the entrant. But when the book hit newstands recently, at least one layout by winner Kristina Contes was accompanied by a photo credit to past Hall of Famer Nisa Fiin. Outraged entrants have besieged online message boards, including the one on CK's own site, asking why Contes was made a winner of the contest instead of disqualified.

Read the full story at Nancy's Scrapbook Update, and Linda Fantin's coverage in the and Salt Lake TribuneNewsweek.

Tamron Partners with Triscape to Promote Digital Scrapbooking Day

Scrapbookers can enter to win a Tamron 18-250mm zoom lens as part of Digital Scrapbooking Day festivities

October 10, 2007, Commack, NY --Tamron has partnered with Triscape, Inc, makers of the award-winning FxFoto Creative photo organization and digital scrapbooking software, to promote Digital Scrapbooking Day, held this year on November 3rd. Tamron, a leading manufacturer of high power zoom lenses for digital SLR cameras, is sponsoring a giveaway of the popular Tamron AF18-250mm Di II All-In-One Zoom Lens. Tamron's partnership with Triscape speaks of their commitment to providing resources for high-quality photos and their support of the digital scrapbooking community.

The Tamron AF18-250mm Di II All-In-One Zoom Lens is a lightweight, compact, and ultimate high-power zoom lens designed for exclusive use with digital SLR cameras equipped with APS-C sized image sensors, such as Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony DSLR models. Weighing just over 15 ounces, it is so remarkably lightweight that you will never have to (or want to) take it off the camera. It's the ideal zoom lens for capturing all of your precious memories from first steps to soccer goals, from everyday moments to fabulous vacations. Now, the world of digital SLR photography can be enjoyed with just a single zoom lens! See lens details at http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/18250_diII.asp

The lens retails for $499, making this a valuable prize for any digital photographer/scrapbooker. Interested parties can enter to win the lens at http://www.tamron.com/lenses/digital_scrapbook07.asp , until the contest closes on 12/10/07. The winner will be selected randomly from all entries and notified by 12/12/07 via email.

About Digital Scrapbooking Day
Triscape created Digital Scrapbooking Day to encourage scrapbookers, photographers, crafters, and genealogists to set aside some time to preserve, document, and archive their memories digitally. Crafters of all experience levels can expect to find a wide variety of inspirational and educational resources at www.DigitalScrapbookingDay.com. Digital Scrapbooking Day is an annual reminder to make sure your memories are documented and archived safely, creatively, and more efficiently. 

About Tamron
Tamron is a leading manufacturer of lenses for photographic, industrial, laboratory, video, digital and scientific applications. Among its many optical and mechanical innovations since the start of the company in 1950, Tamron's development of mass produced hybrid aspherical elements in 1992 paved the way for high ratio zoom lenses. The technology was incorporated into the ground-breaking 28-200mm and continues with the new 18-250mm developed exclusively for use on digital SLR cameras and featuring an unprecedented 13.9X zoom range.

About Triscape
Triscape, Inc. was founded in 1997 by Steve Simonoff and is located in Windham, New Hampshire, 35 miles north of Boston. The company is privately held and specializes in graphics software.

Suze Orman to Speak at CHA Winter

Fiancial expert Suze Orman will be the keynote speaker at the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) Winter Show in February 2008. Orman, a two-time Emmy Award winning television host, New York Times bestselling author, magazine and online columnist, and motivational speaker, will share practical tips and financial insights. Her presentation is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, 2008. Tickets are $30 for CHA members and $60 for non-members when purchased before the show. On site, the cost is $50 for members and $100 for non-members.

Orman has written six consecutive New York Times bestselling books, and her newspaper column, Women & Money, began syndication by Universal Press Syndicate in January. In addition, she has created a variety of other financial advice tools. She also contributes to O, The Oprah Magazine and to O at Home. She is also the author of Money Matters, a bi-weekly column on Yahoo! Finance, and a bi-monthly column for the Costco Connection and for Lowes Moneyworks. In addition, she hosts The Suze Orman Show, which airs Saturday nights on CNBC, as well as the Financial Freedom Hour on QVC television.

For more information about the CHA show, visit www.chashow.org.

SOURCE: Craftrends News Headlines.

Product Launch: Simpletins Clear-Top Magnetic Storage Tins

Simpletins announces the first square clear top magnetic storage tin - Simpletins Squared, for scrapbooking, crafts, home and office organization.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) October 11, 2007 -- Simpletins Squared (Simpletins2 tm), the first square, clear top magnetic storage tin is now available online at www.simpletins.com or from national specialty retailer Storables. Simpletins are a fun and easy way to organize many household and office items such as paper clips, tacks, craft and scrapbooking items, or any variety of small desktop or household accessories that need to be organized. Molded from a single sheet of metal so the tins are seamless and durable, Simpletins Squared are made from the same high quality materials as the original and popular round Simpletins. Clear lids allow you to easily see the contents of your tins, and create a space where organization becomes art.

For additional information on Simpletins and other Simpletins products, visit www.simpletins.com. Simpletins was the featured product of the month by the national retail chain Storables for more than six consecutive months.

About Simpletins:
Simpletins is the original maker of clear top magnetic storage tins for home and office organization. Founded in 2004 by two friends' fascination with magnets and order, Simpletins believes that getting organized should be simple and fun. Simpletins is a small company dedicated to design, creativity and socially responsible sweatshop-free products. All Simpletins products are made entirely in the U.S.

SOURCE: PRWeb.com