More craft products? Unbelievable as it seems, the answer is "yes!" Truth is, every time we show some of the new products on the craft scene, we run out of time before we run out of products to show! And when I say "new" products, I use the term loosely. When we see them at HIA or ACCI or have them sent to us from the manufacturer, they ARE new. By the time you see them on the air, however, some of them may already be familiar to you. But if you've not seen them before...they're new.
The first items today all had to do with needlework, especially needlework that is done using embroidery floss and needles.
First up was the Running Stitch Organizer from Sundown Products, a small four-in-one traveling organizer for floss and other needlework supplies (figure A). A small plastic case with a zip-lock type opening holds much of what you will want to lug along: the pattern of what you are working on, a key-ring-type chain to hold a number of bobbins for different colors of embroidery thread, a place for your needles, and a magnifying line guide slide so you can see where you are on the pattern. Oh yes, there is also a place for your small scissors. Everything fits into the vinyl case, which can easily fit into your purse or tote.
The DMC Corporation has come out with an organizing storage system for the hardcore needlework worker. Called the Stitch Bow Organizer, it appears to hold practically a lifetime supply of needlework equipment and supplies, although the individual items in the organizer are also sold separately. The flat plastic holders for floss each have an extending U-shaped arm (figure B) that slips under the identifying tag on the skein of floss keeping both floss and tag together at all times. No more frantic searching for the missing information when you need a new skein. The individual holders then fit into a clear vinyl holder that has a series of pockets stitched the full length of the sheet. The holder also features three holes along one side so it will fit into a three-ringed notebook. Choose your own or use the DMC notebook (figure C), which has an open-out embroidery thread holder that has three fold-out panels. Each has pockets on each side, making six pages of pockets! Or if you want to carry practically everything with you in a self-contained, zip-around vinyl holder that is NOT see-through, they have that as well. This unit is roomy enough for all of the other items you might need: scissors, patterns, embroidery hoop, etc. But if all that is more than you want or need, there is a perfectly sized small box that holds a goodly number of the plastic holders that hold the skeins of floss (figure D). There is no excuse for getting tangled up in your embroidery floss or losing a needle or pattern ever again.
So much for the needlework supplies. Stickers continue to be popular with crafters and from Uniform Design we found a line of Military stickers (figure E) that will no doubt be used on letters to and/or from men and women in the military as well in the scrapbook pages featuring their photos.
Westrim Crafts has a line of Paper Bliss stickers, although it doesn't seem quite right to call them stickers. Perhaps "adhesive-backed small items" would be more correctly descriptive. They come in clear plastic envelopes containing compatible items such as a cup of coffee and a cookie (figure F). There is a clothesline holding a line-up of tiny felt mittens as well as a snowman. Perfect for your outdoor winter scrapbook photos (figure G).
The ultimate in stickers--or more correctly, "adhesive-backed items"--are those in Jolee's Boutique from Stick-o-Potamus. A number of coordinated items are contained in one clear plastic package. A number of holidays are represented with some very clever Halloween packages, special occasion "sticker packages" and one for winter that is a knockout (figure H). It contains skis, snowballs, a cup of hot chocolate, a hat, mittens and even a quilted jacket! If you are into making lumpy scrapbook pages, here are the components to make them so.
But that's not all from Stick-O-Potamus. Stickers that will no doubt appeal to the children are their Liquid Stickers (figure I). Fear not. They are not quite as scary as they might sound...nor are they for scrapbooks only. Kids are no doubt going to want these small (about 1-1/2" ) vinyl discs that feature a brightly colored background with a fun image on it, water over it and glitter floating around (figure J). No doubt they will find them perfect for decorating their bikes and school lockers and notebooks as well as themselves.
And for those of you who want to do more and more with your computers, the Creativity Plus Corporation features printable cork sheets in their Natural Expressions line. There are currently two styles of the cork sheets that can be run through your printer for you to decorate with any image you see fit to print (figure K). Now, instead of stamping and coloring, you can do it all with a few taps on the keyboard and then embellish cards, print out a decorated scrapbook cover, etc.
If you are really into using clip art on your various craft projects, Provo Craft has a system of CDs containing hundreds of pictures, photos, drawings, etc. for you to use. Each CD has over 300 images, including duplicates of many so that they can be printed in sepia, black and white or blue tones (figure L). Many are also in full color. The subjects are all pictured on the cover of the CD so you can see what you are getting...nature pictures, photos of people, etc.
That was the list of products for today...but be aware...there will be more!
Resources
Running Stitch OrganizerThe Stitch Bow Organizermilitary stickersPaper Bliss 3-D stickersJolee's Boutique and Liquid 3-D StickersNatural Expressions printer corkHugWare software
PC Crafter
Orem, UT
Phone: 801-221-8875
Toll Free Phone: 800-250-3988
Website:
www.pccrafter.com
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