The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) announces “The Power of Community: Build Locally, Drive Socially” as its theme for CHA’s 2012 Winter Conference & Trade Show. To demonstrate the power of community building, CHA’s board of directors voted to approve removing membership requirements for CHA Trade Show exhibitors and attendees. Beginning with the CHA 2012 Winter Conference & Trade Show, non-member companies are welcome to exhibit, shop the show floor and experience the craft industry’s premier trade events first-hand. Opening the CHA Trade Show floor to non-member exhibitors and attendees represents a major shift in community building within the craft, hobby and other related creative industries.

“While remaining focused on our core business, we recognize there is a tremendous opportunity to grow the Show and industry by offering an affordable way to experience the CHA Show and attracting a more diverse group of exhibitors and buyers,” says Tony Lee, acting president and CEO of CHA. “CHA’s partnership with the Hobby Manufacturers Association (HMA) demonstrates that CHA can expand the range of products at the Show while offering a marketplace for all things creative.”

Over the next several Shows, CHA staff will work with carefully identified groups for greater exhibiting and attendee promotions. All non-member exhibitors and attendees must qualify to participate by providing valid business credentials. Non-member attendees will have unrestricted buying access to the entire show floor and may upgrade to CHA membership onsite in order to participate in the CHA Conference program, which includes business seminars, product technique workshops, networking and special CHA events. Non-members may now exhibit at the industry’s premier CHA buying events, expected to result in a wider selection of products being available at upcoming Shows.

CHA invites the entire industry, regardless of CHA membership, to participate in the CHA 2012 Winter Conference & Trade Show at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif., January 29 through February 1, 2012, and witness the “Power of Community.” Contact Anthony Licata, senior sales manager at CHA, at 201.835.1203 or alicata@craftandhobby.org for enrollment in these new exciting programs.

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About the Craft & Hobby Association

The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international not-for-profit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in design, manufacture, distribution and retail sales of products worldwide in the $29 billion U.S. craft and hobby industry. For more information about CHA, membership or its award-winning CHA Conferences & Trade Shows, visit www.craftandhobby.org.

The Craft & Hobby Association’s (CHA) celebrity judges

• Terri O (PBS-TV’s Super Simple With Terri O),
• Ana Araujo (WhenCreativityKnocks.com),
• Maria Nerius (FaveCrafts.com) and
• Torrie Nelson (Creative Retailer Magazine)

are pleased to announce CHA’s 20 Hot Products being launched from the 2011 CHA Summer Conference & Trade Show in the Innovations Showcase. The products selected will be featured at the exclusive CHA Innovations Sneak Peek Media & Buyers’ Event at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on Monday, July 18 at 3:30 p.m. CHA has provided brief descriptions of the Top 20 Hot Products to be featured at the Show. More information will be posted on CHA’s Blog at www.craftandhobby.wordpress.com.

	Advantus Corp’s Cropper Hopper-Ribbon Carousel is a product designed to organize and easily dispense up to 54 spools of craft ribbon. Each layer of spools spins separately to quickly locate and retrieve desired ribbon. Show attendees may visit Advantus Corp at booth 931.
	Beadalon’s Artistic Wire Mesh is a permanently colored copper wire woven into a mesh tube with a hollow tubular design that can be stretched, strung, filled, tied, glued, etc. Visit them at booth 1031.
	Choon’s Design LLC’s Twistz Bandz is an innovative kit for making continuous rubber bands. Users are able to make rubber band links in a variety of fun shapes and sizes. Visit them at booth 1602.
	Contain Ya Crafts’ Scrap N’ Easel is a magnetic, portfolio-style, double scrapbooking and card-making, paper-crafting easel. Visit them at booth 1506.
	Crafter’s Companion’s The EnveloBox Creator is a product designed to create one-of-a-kind and dimensional envelopes. Visit them at booth 916.
	Ecstasy Crafts’ Designables are folders for embossing and cutting paper at the same time easily and quickly. Visit them at booth 1437.
	Epiphany Crafts, Inc.’s Shape Studio and Charms is a product designed to create epoxy shapes in just a few easy steps and can be used to create custom jewelry by adding epoxy shapes to the company’s new charm sets. Visit them at booth 1239.
	Faber-Castell’s Design Memory Craft Mix & Match is a line of products focused on creating mixed-media pieces. Crafters may choose from six different mediums and a preselected color palette to design their mixed-media craft. Visit them at booth 1607.
	Little Pink Ladybug Ribbon Sculpture Instructional CD and Brilliant Bowmaker Bow Making System were both selected as Hot 20 Products. The Ribbon Sculpture Instructional CD showcases 10 exclusive ribbon design instructions in PDF format. The Brilliant Bowmaker Bow Making system is a product designed to achieve bow making simply and quickly, allowing crafters to mix and match templates creating a distinct bow style. Visit them at booth 1914.
	Ranger Industries’ Picket Fence Distress Stain is a product that turns Distress Stains, fluid water-based dyes for papers and other porous surfaces, into unique opaque colors. Visit them at booth 731.
	ScrapBands, LLC’s ScrapBands is a one-of-a-kind scrapbook accessory that eliminates slipping and sliding of scrapbook contents and provides creative means, making carrying and storing unique and easy. Visit them at booth 1702.
	STKR.it’s STKR.it Stickers is a product designed to make audio, video and online images part of any scrapbook. A QR code is on each sticker and when scanned with STKR.it’s free smart phone application, allows crafters to permanently attach a digital memory to their scrapbooks. Visit them at booth 1818.
	Sue’s Sparklers’ Sparkle-on! features iron-on designs in crystal and metal for crafters to embellish fabric, paper or wood. Visit them at booth 1511.
	TalkingTag.com’s Talking Tag Digital Labels create memory labels with a smart phone application that records and plays voice notes on scrapbooks and more. Visit booth 1817.
	The C Thru Ruler Company’s Let’s Face It stencils are designed to provide a base facial shape with three different eye and lip shape stencil sets, allowing crafters to design unique faces. Visit them at booth 321.
	The Upholstery Studio, Inc.’s Making Designer Tuffets are instructions and kits for creating both oval and rectangular designs with several different covers. Visit them at booth 1633.
	Uniformed Scrapbooks of America’s U.S. Army Scrapbook is a removable scrapbook cover designed to recapture the essence of wearing a decorated U.S. Armed Forces uniform with customizable insignias, badges, patches and tape names. Visit them a booth 1416.
	Walnut Hollow’s Card Keeper Box provides a safe and organized place to keep homemade cards that use an A2 envelope. The box has five smooth surfaces ready for customized design. Visit them at booth 1307.
	Worldwin Papers’ Paper Layerz by Megan Elizabeth is crafting paper that makes coordinating die-cut shapes and layers from any die-cutting machine faster, cheaper and easier. Visit them at booth 1107.

Dozens of additional new products will also be on display in the Innovations Showcase in booth 1000. Be sure to check them out. For more information about the 2011 Summer Conference & Trade Show please visit www.craftandhobby.org.

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About the Craft & Hobby Association

The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international not-for-profit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in design, manufacture, distribution and retail sales of products worldwide in the $29 billion U.S. craft and hobby industry. For more information about CHA, membership or its award-winning CHA Conferences & Trade Shows, visit www.craftandhobby.org.

The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) announces a star-studded line-up of internationally recognized crafting celebrities, including Terri O, Tim Holtz, Claudine Hellmuth, Margot Potter, Cathie Filian, Steve Piacenza, Theresa Cifali and Kathy Cano-Murillo, among many others, who are scheduled to attend CHA’s 2011 Summer Conference & Trade Show.  Dozens of the craft industry’s most loved and respected stars will be on hand highlighting “Craft Fusion – The Selling Power of Mixed Media,” at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., July 18-21, 2011.  CHA has provided a short list of just a few of the many celebrities coming to the Show so attendees can plan to meet their favorite celebrity.

	Terri O, CHA’s national spokesperson, two-time Emmy Award winner and PBS-TV host of Super Simple with Terri O, will help judge CHA’s Innovations Sneak Peek Media & Buyer Event on Monday, July 18 at 3:30 p.m.  Terri O will also judge CHA’s Innovations Product Awards at 5 p.m. and the daily Minute-to-Craft-It Challenges July 19 through July 21 at 2 p.m.  Terri O will make several additional appearances at various locations across the Show floor and is scheduled to appear on WGN-TV during the Mid-Day Show Monday, July 18.
	Tim Holtz, creative director for Ranger Industries, plays an integral part in development and design of cutting-edge paper crafting products.  Tim will make daily appearances at the Show hosting workshops and demonstrations.  Tuesday, July 19 through Thursday, July 21, Tim will be at the Sizzix/Ellison booth 1014 at 10 a.m., the Avantus Corp booth 931 at 11 a.m. and Ranger Industries, Inc. booth 731 at 2 p.m.
	Claudine Hellmuth, collage artist, author, illustrator and developer of the Claudine Hellmuth Studio, will be demonstrating in the Ranger Industries, Inc. booth 731 Tuesday, July 19 through Thursday, July 21 at 11 a.m.
	Margot Potter, TV host, designer, author and industry expert, has designed and consulted for some of the biggest companies in the craft industry and recently joined Jewelry Television as resident jewelry-making guru.  Potter will be signing her book”New Dimensions in Bead and Wire Jewelry” on Tuesday, July 19 and Thursday, July 21 at 11 a.m. at the Beadalon booth 1031.
	Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza, Emmy-nominated television personalities, best-selling authors, and designers, will be at the Plaid booth 607 daily.
	Theresa Cifali, mixed-media artist and owner of The Altered Canvas, will be a CHA Minute-to-Craft-It judge on Tuesday, July 19 at noon and Wednesday, July 20 at 5 p.m. in the Craft Fusion Center booth 1223.
	Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica, an award-winning blogger, artist, novelist and developer through iLovetoCreate, will participate in a panel discussion on Monday, July 18 and will also be at the iLoveToCreate booth 1123 daily.

Other celebrities and industry notables, including Wendy Russell, Wendy Senger, Ana Araujo, Maria Nerius and many others, are also scheduled to attend the Show.  For more information about the Show, including hours, workshop classes and must-see events, please visit www.craftandhobby.org.

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About the Craft & Hobby Association

The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international not-for-profit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in design, manufacture, distribution and retail sales of products worldwide in the $29 billion U.S. craft and hobby industry.  For more information about CHA, membership or its award-winning CHA Conferences & Trade Shows, visit www.craftandhobby.org.

The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) and the Hobby Manufacturers Association (HMA) announced today a multi-year cooperative agreement that will provide members in each industry with opportunities to explore and grow their businesses through expansion into complementary markets during 2012 and 2013.

Through the agreement, CHA and HMA will offer reciprocal member discounts for exhibit space at their respective trade shows the 2011 iHobby Expo, October 20-23 in Rosemont, Illinois and the 2012 Expo as well as the CHA Winter Conference & Trade Show held January 29-February 1, 2012 in Anaheim, California. The arrangement will provide exhibiting members of each organization with introductions to a broader range of retail stores while introducing retail buyers to expanded ranges of products and product categories.

“The Hobby Manufacturers Association is pleased to collaborate with the Craft & Hobby Association to increase exhibitor participation at our respective trade shows,” said Michael Bass, President, HMA. “This crossover of product merchandising will expand the buying base and products offered at our respective shows.”

“For years CHA has focused on craft side of the industry while HMA has concentrated on the hobbyist side of the industry. We are very excited about this partnership in that, in a very literal sense it puts the HOBBY back into the craft and hobby industry and inserts crafts into the creative hobbyist market,” explained Steve Berger, President and CEO, CHA.  “This cross-promotion will not only provide craft AND hobby retailers with access to new products, ideas and revenue streams but it serves as model for how different sectors of the industry can work together for the common good.”

The CHA-HMA collaboration signifies the launch of a new cross-industry promotional program which could expand to include enhanced retailer education.  Both the Hobby and the Craft industries already share a common heritage as both associations hale from the original Hobby Industry Association of America which was founded in 1940 and also share united concerns over important industry issues related to consumer product safety.

ABOUT HOBBY MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (HMA)

The Hobby Manufacturers Association (HMA) is the not-for-profit trade association for manufacturers, importers, publishers, and distributors of all model hobby products and related accessories. Its mission is to promote the public awareness of model hobbies, communicate with and for the members on matters of common interest with a united voice, and to promote trade shows and conventions. For more information, visit www.hmahobby.org.

ABOUT THE CRAFT & HOBBY ASSOCIATION

The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international, not-for-profit organization consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution and retail sales of products in the $29 billion U.S. craft and hobby industry. The Association offers a broad range of member services, including market research, education, as well as operates award-winning trade show events, the CHA Winter and Summer Conferences and Trade Shows. For more about CHA, visit www.craftandhobby.org.

Beginning in January 2010, the CHA U.S. A&U Study was upgraded from a direct mail panel format to an online survey questionnaire.  The change provided many benefits including greater depth of data on individual craft segments and purchase drivers, and detailed crafting behavior at the individual and household level. Due to the changes in methodology, sample size, and reclassification of craft segments within the 2010 questionnaire, direct comparisons between the 2010 CHA U.S. A&U Study and previous years are not valid, nor recommended.

The CHA U.S. A&U Study tracks sales and other metrics in eight broad categories comprised of 53 individual craft segments. Categories include:  General Crafts ($9.9 billion), Fine Arts ($3.7 billion), Paper & Memory Crafts ($3.3 billion), Needle Crafts ($2.9 billion), Artistic Crafts ($2.6 billion), Sewing Crafts ($2.5 billion), Jewelry Making & Bead Crafts ($2.3 billion) and Floral Crafts ($2.0 billion).  During 2010, the General Crafts category represented the largest sector at 34% of all industry sales.

The 2010 CHA U.S. A&U Study also ranked the top ten crafting segments based on consumer spending and household participation which collectively represent 19% of the craft segments and 53% ($15.443 billion) of total industry sales.

Top Ten Craft Segments by Sales

Top Ten Craft Segments by Household Participation*

* Based on 114,200,000 U.S. households

The CHA Attitude & Usage Study is fielded by a major global market research survey provider on behalf of the Craft & Hobby Association for its members, to provide consumer insight that guide decision-making.  Complete reports are available free to CHA members or for purchase via email request to Keri Cunningham, Marketing Manager, at kcunningham@craftandhobby.org.

CHA previously announced the first-ever quantitative study on the attitudes and shopping behavior of Canadian craft consumers. The CHA Canada Attitude & Usage Study estimates the size of the Canadian craft and hobby market in addition to identifying important attitudinal drivers of crafting frequency and consumer spending. The study was initiated at the request of Canadian members of CHA and is being conducted in both English and French to include the French speaking population.  The study follows the same methodology used in the CHA U.S. A&U study. Full year results for 2011 will be available in early 2012.

About the Craft & Hobby Association
The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international not-for-profit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in the design, manufacture, distribution and retail sales of products worldwide including the $29 billion U.S. craft and hobby industry. For more about CHA, membership, or its award-winning CHA Conferences & Trade Shows visit www.craftandhobby.org.

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