Friday, October 10, 2014

2014 CHA Paper Arts Show - Part VIII

Hello, Georgeouses!  Welcome back to another peek into the 2014 Craft and Hobby Association Paper Arts Show.  If you want to start from the beginning, find Part I HERE ~

Here's my final peek into the Sizzix booth.  There is so much craft inspiration that begins with die cutting and it's so FAST and EASY - everyone's doing it!

Lori Whitlock, famous for her digital cut files, has come out with a terrific {NEW} die collection for Sizzix.  Her designs are a perfect place to start if you're new to die-cutting.  She's brought out the basics with a fresh twist - and they're available for shipment in November.

From card making, packaging, mini-album & pocket-page scrapbooking (I'm totally hooked), and coordinating stamp and die sets (which I believe is the most amazing thing to happen to stamping), Lori Whitlock has a fantastically well-rounded collection.

The projects in the booth that were designed with Lori Whitlock's new collection really did a remarkable job highlighting their versatility.  Fantastic work!

Many of you remember Rachel Bright's innovative work with "Life Made Simple" pocket page die-cutting collection which debuted this spring.  Here, she embraces the traditional with her "Winter Collection."

Classic die-cuts, overlays and embossing folders that will enable your work to stand out this holiday season.

The BIG items for me were Rachel Bright's Basketweave Stars and Scallop Stars Thinlits dies.  I was so thankful to see them - what great dies for your collection.  These dies will give YEARS of service - can't you just see them being used to create coordinating decorations for weddings, birthdays and holidays?  Man, these are GREAT!  Terrific job, Rachel ~


Susan Tierney-Cockburn is THE artist when you want to create realistic floral accents.  Check out my original post introducing her collection with a Fairy theme HERE.

Her designs married with Sizzix's remarkable products are a match made in heaven.  Look at these samples!

Amazing!  and what's TRULY amazing is that it is absolutely possible for each and every person to recreate this work - that's the beauty of die-cutting!

I can't encourage you enough to expand from die-cutting traditional shapes into trying Susan Tierney-Cockburn's 3-dimensional designs.  Cut at Home has a library of Susan's videos available to walk you through the process, step-by-step.

Sizzix offers a terrific set of Susan Tierney-Cockburn's remarkable paper art tools that make these creations a joy to make.  You've GOT to try making these delightful creations yourself!  #DieCuttingIsEasy!

Jo Packham, the force behind "Where Women" publications, has brought her design ideas to Sizzix with "Where Women Cook."

As you can imagine, her collection offers excellent options for tags and packaging specifically design for the kitchen.  These {NEW} dies have begun shipping in October, so many should be available in stores NOW - just in time for our holiday entertaining season!

Oh, Stephanie Barnard - what can I say??  She's one of the hardest working women in the craft industry.  For those of you that follow me on social media, you know that my little Susan is a MAJOR Stephanie Barnard enthusiast!

Stephanie has a bright and shining attitude and it really shows in her work.

Her designs are quite card-centric, but, as we all know, they transition into other projects very nicely.

She has a huge line of "Stand-ups," "Step-ups," as well as "Flip-its" card dies.

With just a few of these on hand, you'll be SET for those last-minute card making emergencies!

Of course, Stephanie Barnard has a full-blown extravaganza when it comes to embellishing those cards with stamps & die cuts.  Her look is young, happy and delightful - and we just can't get enough of her work!

I'm so {thankful} Marissa Pawelko has her "Modern Surrealist" collection with Sizzix.  With it, she brings a young, hip look front and center of the crafting scene.

For those of you that struggle to find engaging projects for your tween, or tween at heart, this collection is for YOU!

Where else can you go find all these fantastic designs to work with our glowing neon and bling?

Best of all, Marissa Pawelko's designs all work with Sizzix's {NEW} SophistiCut Die Cutting Machine.  The machine may look like a darling purse, but with one click, it turns into a super-duper die-cutter.  

Matched with Sizzix steel ruled Original dies, the SophistiCut can cut clean designs through chipboard, acrylic, leather, craft metal and certainly one of Marissa's favorite materials - Rowlux!

So bring ON those feisty tweens!  Marisa Pawelko's Modern Surrealist has JUST the supplies they need to express themselves to their crafty limits.



For many Makers, there are times when we need to break past specific designs of our dies in order to fulfill our creativity.  Sizzix has the answer.

Sizzix has set the bar for electronic die-cutting.  I'm telling you, the Sizzix eclips is THE piece of equipment every artist should own.

Kevin Corcoran and his team at Sizzix have created a remarkable quality product.  They respect the demands of "Makers," and work tirelessly to anticipate our needs.  From experience: this product is a MUST HAVE.  I have an eclips in my studio and I just love, love, LOVE it.

** The eclips2 has launched and I will certainly be upgrading to take advantage of it's expanded design capabilities and enhanced motor.  Sizzix has ALL the details relating to this newly redesigned version on their website.  LOOK at that precise detail:

It truly is amazing what can die-cutting is capable of.  Sizzix offers a broad esthetic, to put it mildly.  What an amazing collection that Sizzix has put together for us leading into the 2014 Holiday Season!

It's always an honor to work with the Sizzix team, and it's a pleasure to be able to share their {NEW} designs and inspiration with you.

YES, I have one final post from the floor of the 2014 Craft and Hobby Association coming up.  The fun continues, here, at New England Paper Crafts!

Craft On, Laurel
Laurel Lee Pollard, Online Publisher, Creative Community Organizer
New England Paper Crafts
"Ensuring the inspiring world of paper crafts continues to bloom."


Let's connect!  Find me at:

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

2014 CHA Paper Arts Show - Part VII

Helloooo, Gorgeouses!

Welcome back to MORE from the 2014 CHA Paper Arts Show.  If you would like to start the series from the beginning, you can find plenty from-the-show-floor photos starting with Part I HERE.

TODAY is the day we get to spend with ALL that is Sizzix's Tim Holtz Alterations for the holidays!

I was thrilled to meet Sizzix in-house designer, Debi Adams.  She was an integral part of designing the layout of the Sizzix booth at the show.  I couldn't have been {HAPPIER} to see the work she designed by creating the dynamic display pieces for Tim Holtz's *NEW* seasonal release of Alterations Dies. 

Debi did a remarkable job re-interpreting the classic design that Tim Holtz is famous for.  Unless you have been living under a creative rock, you know Tim's Distress style.  Here, Debi has lightened the whole Tim Holtz Alterations look for the Holidays.


Isn't this SCRUMPTIOUS?  Great work, Debi!


I'm feeling a more Victorian style with Debi's work with Tim Holtz new designs - even moving into Vintage at times, aren't you?


This is a true piece of art, wouldn't you agree?  And the best part?  With the tools from Sizzix, we can ALL easily recreate Debi's work.  Their dies make art accessible for all of us ~

Debi created a wonderful collection using Tim's new "Seasons Greetings" that really exposes the versatility of this collection.  "Season's Greetings" Texture Fades Embossing folder:
Debi's using layers of bath tissue and embossing them ~

"Seasons Greetings" Stamp & Framelit set:

Isn't it amazing how distinctive each card is?  By just changing up the supplies, using the same Sizzix tools, the style is COMPLETELY different.

Debe requested the *famous* Tim Holtz "Tattered Pinecone" Alterations Die be introduced in a larger size.  THX for pulling through for her, Tim - this die is going to be used to create terrific home decor items for YEARS to come.

Fiber art is really coming into it's own and Tim Holtz features the trend with his "Holiday Knits" Texture Fades Embossing Folders.

I love how Debi worked up this clipboard as a home decor piece (Read: Christmas gift-giving idea).

Tim's Stacked Snowflake is AMAZING!  and because it is a Sizzix steel-ruled die, it can cut a remarkable amount of options: paper, vinyl, chipboard, grungeboard, glitter board, foils, leather . . .  Anything scissors can cut, Sizzix's steel-ruled dies can cut.

Debi hosted a demo that featured Tim's Thinlits dies as she made up a beautiful tag for me . . .

. . . featuring Tim's *NEW* "Knock Out" dies . . .

. . . and offered a terrific idea while using Tim's  "Holiday Words Script."  Line your paper with with double sided adhesive before you die cut in order to adhere the intricate design to your project quickly and easily.

Xyron were the adhesive products of choice for this technique ~

It's amazing to see how much detail Tim's "Layered Snowflake" Texture Fade Embossing Folder lent to the project . . .

 . . . so fast.


Adding a brush of Tim's Distress Ink by Ranger Ink . . .

. . . a quick and easy project becomes a keepsake to enjoy for years to come.

Thankfully, Tim Holtz has numerous introductions for my favorite season: Fall.  Again, I was so {HAPPY} to see his designs worked up as Home Decor pieces.

Oh, look at that pumpkin!  I'm seeing Thanksgiving Dinner placeholders, a decorative element on the front of a wicker basket, or as the statement piece of a care package that's going to warm the heart of a hard-working college student.  With designs like these from Tim Holtz, you really CAN create heirloom pieces that can be enjoyed for generations.

Remember: #DieCuttingIsEasy!  For a wonderful introduction to the unlimited possibilities of die cutting, check out THIS VIDEO using the Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine with their signature steel rule dies on their YouTube channel.

Be sure to check out Debi Adams' blog for additional inspiration, too.  If you want a bit of a peek into the life of a Sizzix in-house designer, she's laid out a great perspective for you over there.

At New England Paper Crafts, we've enjoyed peeks into the Sizzix booth at the 2014 CHA Paper Arts Show with Eileen HullStephanie Ackerman and now Debi Adams for Tim Holtz.  There's even MORE on the way from Sizzix in my next post.  See you then ~

Craft On, Laurel

Laurel Lee Pollard, Online Publisher, Creative Community Organizer
New England Paper Crafts
"Ensuring the inspiring world of paper crafts continues to bloom."


Let's connect!  Find me at: