New England Paper Crafts: The "Who's Who of Paper Crafts" Cut It Up in Framingham, Massachusetts!

Oh, my goodness! I was so thrilled to be invited to join The Collins Group Spring 2012 Education and Trade Show held in Framingham, Ma, last weekend, Friday, March 23rd through Monday, March 26th.

LSSes ensuring they remember the details:
Melissa from Pampered Stampers (OH), Jackie from We're Stampin' Mad (MN),
Nancy Hawes from The Crop Shop (MA)

This annual event is "to the trade," where national paper craft leaders join our Local Scrapbook Stores (LSSes) to personally introduce their new products and techniques. In return, our LSSes offer the suppliers their experienced insights into our regional demands and trends.

This opportunity was not just limited to New Englanders! No! This event is having an impact on our family of paper crafters to the west, too! How great it was to spend time with paper crafting enthusiasts from Ohio, Minnesota and Texas, too! No surprise these LSSes travelled out for the weekend, considering the time and attention they were afforded at this event -

The busy weekend got off to a BIG start with fun, excitement and SWAG during the . . .

- Robyn Gilman, The Collins Group

- Jack Behlman, Creative Imaginations

- Tim Collins, The Collins Group

- Sonya Bookout & Michelle Keeth, Canvas Corp

- Michelle Jackson, Vintage Street Market

- Jerri Tanner and Vicki Bentley, Bo Bunny

- Vicki Conquest & Michael Strong, Viva Decor

- Els van de Burgt, Elizabeth Craft Designs

- Tim, Hero Arts

- Kim Hughes, Paper Smooches

- Cheri Kimball, Sizzix

- Sarah Justison, The Paper Cut

Yippee!!

Now, right to the good stuff - Here's a sneak peak at what we can expect to see in our Local Scrap Book Stores:

MaryAnn Antonelli, owner of Bella Art (RI) teaches the latest spring watercolor techniques using Ranger Distress Inks and PrintWorks stamps.

Sonya Bookout, Lead Designer, Canvas Corp, offers a great class using 7 Gypsies' Postale papers & embellishments and Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist. Cynthia Sanders from Big Mouth Scrappers (TX) shows how it's done!

OK - you know it: I cannot WAIT until I can get my hands on Sizzix Pop 'N Cuts by Karen Burniston. Sizzix has not confirmed the ship date yet, but we may be waiting until June, peeps. The coordinating pieces for Pop 'N Cuts are going to be SWEET!!!

Nancy Hawes, The Crop Shop, gets "photo bombed" by our pop-up hero, Karen Burniston while she works with the Sizzix Vagabond from Tim Holtz. That motorized machine was getting NO rest!

Cheri Kimball, Sales Manager, Sizzix, demonstrates the advantage of using digital photo frames for in-store promotion. Motion-activated & remote controlled, NIX is Karen Burniston's brand of choice for running videos or slideshows. A continuous "how-to!"

Oh, social media . . . Can we ever get enough?!? Tammy Tutterow, Sizzix's Design Team and Communtiy Coordinator and Jill Tarayao, the Sizzix eclips queen, give out their best ideas to our LSSes!

Els from Elisabeth Craft Designs is having a great time with our LSSes.

Linda Donovan from Ink About It (MA) is learning Els' best techniques to introduce this as a new product line in her store! You GO, girl!

Laura Funk & Erin DeSpain join an enthusiastic group making Glitz Design's Mini Album

Michael Strong from Viva Decor uses his Silhouette panel stamp with Viva's Pearl Pens in his "Whitewashed Silhouette Cards" class.

Pat from Maine-ly Stamps, Kittery (ME) learning the latest from Viva Decor.

The Paper Cut offers terrific die-cut cards. They're perfect for a quick finish for a dramatic card!

Alma de la Rosa's "Flower Sculpting Class with CutUps Dies" from The Cat's Pajamas

Did you ever wonder where the LSSes find inspiration for their display boards? They draw it straight from the source: Kim Hughes, owner of Paper Smooches, teaches her "Ulimate Display Board Stamp" class. Did you know that Paper Smooches is featured over 40 times in the upcoming PaperCrafts Magazine??

Who loves Cheryl Mezzetti?? WE DO! No surprise, her class was packed. Cheryl, Education Director & Design Team Coordinator for Creative Imaginations featuring Debbie Mumm's Vintage Songbirds collection of papers (LOOK at that darling paper!) with her chipboard book.

You know I love my keepsakes, and I'm telling you - I can NOT get enough of Cheryl's Accu-Cut albums! This Convertibles Album has a number of options to coordinate with it, and the Spring Convertible Set is butterflies! Love!

I can't wait to check out Creative Imaginations newest offering: Mixaparts! A whole new concept for keepsakers. Yeah! This NEW introduction has limited availability, but it will be worth the effort to source it from one of your LSSes!

Copic! I was so thrilled to see Copic Markers in New England! Cindy Lawrence, Copic Marker Design Team Member, working with an attendee from her "Coloring with My Favorite Things - Faces and Hair" class. Our LSSes will be teaching us these updated techniques real soon! Don't forget to ask about Copic's 12 new cololrs!

Donna Silliman, Sales Representative for The Collins Rep Group preparing sample cards for her wholesale clients at the Viva Decor Sample Making Table.

Yes, yes, YES! Mitra Friant, owner of Impression Obsession teaches her "For the Boys" class. Who makes sure we have supplies to inspire ALL of our little ones?? Our Local Scrapbook Stores!!!

** PLUS, another great idea from Impression Obsession's Mega Mount Stamps - customize your background FAST! Reinforces my need more ink colors :))

Bo Bunny is fully prepared for their "Gallery" class with Service with a Smile, songs and prizes!

Spring has sprung at Bo Bunny! Check out their be-u-ti-ful "Ambrosia" collection!

The Collins Rep Group had a whole room FILLED with sample making cards and supplies! Ink pads, stains, glitter glue . . . your favorite LSSes are preparing to show you the full spectrum of colors available! Yum-o!

Whew! . . . and this was only a PIECE of what The Collins Rep Group put together for their 2012 Spring Education and Trade Show! There were even MORE classes all day Saturday, an evening of Make-N-Takes, Sunday was filled with vendor availability AND demonstrations.

Monday was the Grande Finale: an all-day workshop with Creative Imaginations, Canvas Corp and 7 Gypsies - "Outside the Lines: Mixed Media Construction!" Can you imagine?? All day!! Woo Hoo!

Well, the fine folks at The Collins Rep Group have a lot to smile about; They successfully executed another BIG and BEAUTIFUL paper crafts event in New England {Smile!} The biggest names in the industry working together with our Local Scrapbook Stores to bring us what we just what we need: the latest and greatest paper crafting supplies available! Be sure to stop into your LSS and ask them, "What's new??"