Angie Pedersen's Scrapbooking Industry News

Claudine Hellmuth Studio Product Line Announced

Announced recently on Claudine Hellmuth's MyCraftivity blog, as well as her Blogspot blog: Claudine Hellmuth Studio product line announced.

I am super excited to announce that I am going to have a product line with Ranger Industries.

The line will be called Claudine Hellmuth Studio and will be unveiled this summer at the CHA Summer Show in Chicago! That's all I can reveal at this point so I'll have to keep you in suspense a little longer what it is all about.

It is incredibly thrilling to be working side by side with Ranger's chemists to create the products just how I want them to be! I can't wait to share more with you as it gets closer to the CHA Summer Show!

CHA Winter 2008 Product Releases

Via the Scrap-A-Latte Message Board, a list of links to manufacturers' product releases for the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) trade show, recently wrapped up in Anaheim, CA.

• Maya Road
• Crate Paper (click the links at the bottom)
• Coredinations
• KI Memories: Bloom, Lace Cardstock, La Di Dah Courtyard, KI Idea Planner
  
• Love, Elsie (by KI Memories)
• Diecuts with a View
• Rendezvous-at-CHA.com (takes a while to load)
• Tim Holtz by Cropper Hopper/Advantus
• Magistical Memories
• Creative Imaginations (PDF)
• Heidi Swapp
• Scribble Scrabble
• 7 Gypsies (PDF)
• Piggy Tales
• Karen Russell Narratives - Rub-On Swatchbooks, Antique Cream Collection, and Bloom Collection
• Karen Russell stamps for FontWerks
• Cosmo Cricket
• video tour of Imaginisce booth
• video tour of Basic Grey booth
• video tour of new storage products from Creative Options by Plano
• (see all CreativexPress's video tours starting here)
• American Crafts

See also LifetimeMoments' comprehensive listing of product releases (in alphabetical order by manufacturer)

Melissa Frances Launches "Thankful" Line of Products

The Winter 2007 Craft & Hobby Association trade show (aka CHA) marked a life changing period for Melissa Frances.  During last year’s show, Melissa was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.  Upon returning home, she immediately underwent surgery and began an aggressive chemo and radiation schedule.  A year later, it is with a full and thankful heart that Melissa returns to an industry that she is so proud to be a part of.

Her battle with cancer inspired her to design products aimed at all women who have something to be thankful for.  The line is appropriately named “Thankful”, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Melissa’s chosen breast cancer charity.  Whether it’s a life threatening disease like breast cancer, or one of the many other challenges women face and conquer each day, we all have something to be “Thankful” for.

Senior Creative Director Carolyn Peeler writes on her blog:

Stay tuned for product previews….in the meantime, please be sure that you’re signed up to receive the Melissa Frances newsletter as there will be a special message from Melissa in the upcoming issue.

Far Flung Craft to Debut Asian Inspired Scrapbook Papers

Far Flung Craft officially launches its new sophisticated line of culturally inspired papers at the Winter CHA Trade Show in Anaheim

Singapore- January 28, 2008— For the first time, a Singapore company will be launching collections of patterned paper and matching embellishments at the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) trade show.  Far Flung Craft owners, Kristy Harris and Faye Forster are excited to be producing papers that are true to the cultures and communities of Asia.  The women, having lived, worked and crafted as ex-patriots in Asia, noticed a lack of scrapbook and paper craft supplies with an Asian theme. Either the papers were limited in production, weren’t readily available world wide, or were not appropriate for use with some Asian cultures. Kristy and Faye were determined to solve the problem by producing their own line of papers and embellishments.

Far Flung Craft’s mission is to provide luxurious papers, embellishments and one of a kind items for use in paper crafting.  The company’s first two paper lines are Batik and Bollywood.  The Batik line of paper features traditional batik patterns and colors from Indonesia and Malaysia.  The Bollywood collection is bright and vivid and is inspired by the Indian movie industry and the wonderful silk fabrics seen throughout India.  Both lines feature 6 initial designs, all double sided printed on heavy (180 GSM/65 lb) acid free/lignin free cardstock.  The lines will also feature limited edition paper kits with coordinated fibers and ribbons and special edition Googaw Charms.

Far Flung Craft also continues to sell its successful line of Googaw Charms and Asian inspired Frou-Frou fabrics.  Far Flung Craft will be exhibiting in Booth 304 at the CHA 2008 Winter trade show in Anaheim California February 10-13, 2008.

For more information and downloadable catalogs please visit www.farflungcraft.com.

Unibind "Goes Green" with Environmentally-Friendly Photobooks

First to Offer Green PhotoBooks Made from Natural & Recycled Materials

Alpharetta, GA, January 22, 2008 — Peleman Industries, Inc., manufacturer of the award-winning Unibind PhotoBook Creator and high-quality binding and lamination line of products, announced today that it is the first company to introduce environmentally-friendly Unibind "Green" PhotoBooks made from natural and recycled materials. The Unibind Green PhotoBooks will debut at the 2008 Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Convention, held next week, January 31- February 2, 2008 in Las Vegas. The Green PhotoBooks are manufactured with a natural cover comprised of 100 percent cotton-flax, made from natural and recycled materials.

35% of Unibind’s Products are Made with Recycled Materials

The environmentally-friendly PhotoBook is one of several initiatives by Unibind to make its operations as safe as possible for the environment. "Guido Peleman Founder of Peleman Industries Worldwide’s (my father) mission was always to be ‘green,’" said Brigitte Peleman-Vantieghem, CEO of Unibind North America. "An example is our commitment to environmental ethics. Thirty-five percent of our products sold are made with recycled materials, and all of our office building’s roofs in Belgium are being solar-paneled. In addition, we have implemented recycling programs at both our Belgium and U.S. operations."

"We’re proud to be the first company to offer a ‘green’ photo book. The PhotoBook is one example of Unibind’s determination to make its operations as eco-friendly as possible. 100% natural, the Green PhotoBook offers the same high-quality binding capability of the Unibind professional line of books," said Rusty Redecker, Vice President of Photo for Unibind North America.

For more information, see www.peleman.com.

About Unibind

Unibind is the North American arm of Peleman Industries, a privately-held manufacturer of binding, laminating and presentation products founded in 1939. With its worldwide headquarters in Puurs, Belgium, the company opened its U.S. corporate office in Alpharetta, Ga., in 1999. Today, Unibind products are distributed on six continents in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.unibind.com.

About Peleman Industries

Peleman Industries Inc, a privately-held manufacturer of binding, laminating and presentation products founded in 1939. With its worldwide headquarters in Puurs, Belgium, the company opened its U.S. corporate office in Alpharetta, GA., in 1999. Today, Unibind products are distributed on six continents in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.unibind.com.

New Idea Book Inspires Crafters to Celebrate Cultural Influences & Heritage

ETHNIC SCRAPBOOKING, by Lisa Sanford, provides resources for scrapbookers to make cultural connections to their memories and daily lives.

BOWIE, MARYLAND – December 27, 2007 – Visit any scrapbooking store or website, and you'll find plenty of resources – ideas for scrapbooking about first steps, birthdays, holidays, and travel experiences.  But if you want to include meaningful commentary about your cultural heritage and experiences, you may be looking for ideas for quite a while.  Until now -- award-winning scrapbooker, designer, and instructor Lisa Sanford has released Ethnic Scrapbooking, an idea book geared toward providing meaningful inspiration to scrapbookers of all skill levels.

When Sanford's sister returned from a trip to Africa, she handed Lisa a stack of over 2000 photos and asked her to scrapbook them with "cultural flair".  An avid scrapbooker with over 70 albums in her library, Sanford was up to the challenge, but quickly realized that the travel scrapbooking products wouldn't convey the sense of culture she wanted to capture.  How do you depict the attitudes and ways of living of a people?  Their customs, their traditions, and their values?  Sanford couldn't find those answers, so she created her own.  The result: Ethnic Scrapbooking, Sanford's 116-page book released this month.

ETHNIC SCRAPBOOKING is the first multi-culturally inspired book that offers specific ways to include examples of culture and ethnicity on a scrapbook page. With over 100 full-color images, and ideas from over 40 countries and cultures, this heartfelt book will inspire a wide audience, no matter their race, nationality or ethnicity.  Sanford's ideas encourage the reader to live a lifestyle of cultural awareness and preservation.  Memory keepers of all skill levels will be able to add new cultural perspective to their projects with ideas on topics such as:

• Adding memorabilia to scrapbooking projects, like postage stamps from specific countries of family origin
  
• Documenting family namesakes
• Detailing ethnic holiday celebrations
  
• Including ethnic-inspired prints as backgrounds
  
• Identifying traditional family recipes, and researching their cultural origins

Each chapter shows readers how to make cultural connections with their photographs, memories and daily activities.  ETHNIC SCRAPBOOKING describes the process of creating unique layouts and memory albums with cultural flair using all types of scrapbooking supplies and tools.  The book features Lisa’s guiding philosophies on ethnic scrapbooking, offering a fresh new perspective on cultural nuances and traditions.  ETHNIC SCRAPBOOKING is a rich source of innovative ideas for preserving memories, and an invaluable addition to any family photo historian’s library.

About the Author:
Lisa Sanford is a speaker, passionate paper craft instructor, product designer and award winning scrapbook artist. Her inspiring ideas have appeared in multiple publications, including a contribution to Chicken Soup for the Scrapbooker’s Soul, and a guest spot on "DIY TV Scrapbooking". She is a contributing editor for ScrapsofColor.com, an informational website for African American scrapbookers. 

Sanford and her husband live with their five children, one grandson, and multiple pets in Washington, D.C.  Visit www.ethnicscrapbooking.com for more information and cultural scrapbooking ideas.

Retrospect Releases New Scrapbooking Organization Tote

Retrospect recently launched the Extra-Large Zip Tote, ideal for transporting your albums or other large supplies. At 15” x 15” x 4-3/8”, it can hold large scrapbook albums, numerous folders full of scrapbooking paper, and even vertical paper organizers. Designed to hold at least 20 pounds, this tote helps keep your valuable supplies together and protected when you need to take them out and about. The strong nylon handles can be held by hand or easily slung over your shoulder. An extra pocket inside is handy to hold your identification, photos or notes. Acid-free, PVC-free and photo safe.

• Holds large scrapbook albums and organizers
• Comfortable carrying handles/shoulder straps
• Zips closed for easy transport
• Over 20-pound capacity
• Bonus pocket for photos or notes
• Heavy-duty and waterproof poly
• Suggested retail price: $12.99 each

Visit www.retrospectbysmead.com to see the entire line of Retrospect products offered by Smead.

Retrospect by Smead is an innovative system of products designed to protect, transport and store scrapbooking and paper crafting necessities.  Celebrating nearly 100 years in business, Smead is a woman-owned company well known for its high quality and innovative organizational products. Smead's Retrospect line of products is committed to one purpose: Keeping Your Creations Organized.

“Desperate Housewife” Marcia Cross Partners with Hallmark to Create Legacy Keeper

New Legacy Keeper incorporates audio technology to help preserve memories for future generations

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Life makes the best story. As a family-focused new mother of twins, actress Marcia Cross knows this is true. She wanted to tell her own story, and to ensure her family’s legacy lives on so her children, and their children, will stay in touch with their roots. That’s why Cross approached Hallmark with her vision to help people share life’s journeys. Together they created the Hallmark Legacy Keeper, a memory-keeping product that uses digital technology to capture and preserve families’ histories for future generations to see – and hear.

“Sharing our joys, heartaches, and life lessons will bring us closer to those we love and those whom we will never meet,” Cross said. “That’s why I approached Hallmark with this idea. I wanted to create a tool for people who, like me, believe life’s journey is precious enough to be captured and shared with loved ones for years to come.”

The Hallmark Legacy Keeper contains all the elements necessary to record an autobiography in one’s own voice. The kit features:

• a digital MP3 voice recorder (with up to eight hours of high-quality voice or music recording capacity)
• easy-to-use quick-start instructions
• a book of categorized questions (to help organize the story-telling)
• storage space for sharing keepsakes, mementos, photos, and DVDs

Hallmark’s Legacy Keeper will help people share their life story so future generations can see and hear it for years to come. The Hallmark Legacy Keeper, a Hallmark Gold Crown exclusive, retails for $50 and is now widely available at Hallmark Gold Crown stores.

“We were thrilled to work with Marcia to bring the Hallmark Legacy Keeper to life,” said Jonathan Bowyer, a retail merchandise manager for Hallmark’s memory keeping products. “This new innovative memory keeper allows people to deepen their connections by talking about their relationships, and it preserves those conversations for generations to come in a way that simple photo sharing can’t.”

About Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Kansas City-based Hallmark is known throughout the world for its greeting cards, related personal expression products, and television's most honored and enduring dramatic series, the Hallmark Hall of Fame. The company's Crayola subsidiary provides fun and imaginative ways for children to colorfully express themselves. The company publishes products in more than 30 languages and distributes them in more than 100 countries. In 2006, Hallmark reported consolidated net revenues of $4.1 billion.

SOURCE: Hallmark Corporate Information.

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

Far Flung Craft Announces Contest to Name New Paper Line

Far Flung Craft is hosting a Name This Paper Contest for their new line of Asian-inspired papers.  The winner will receive a $20.00 gift certificate to Far Flung Craft for coming up with "the coolest name for the paper".   The contest is open through the end of the day (Sunday, 9-16-07, 12am EASTERN STANDARD TIME USA).

Other sneak peeks from their new lines:
Raj
Batik
Maharaja-Elephants

FFC anticipates that the new papers will launch in Singapore at the end of October, with worldwide shipping available.  They are currently seeking new wholesale retail accounts to carry the papers.