CHA Summer 2011 | Tsukineko, Faber Castell, Crafter's Workshop, Canvas Corp, and Basically Bare

I thought I'd take a break for a moment from the purely scrapbooking posts and do another roundup of mixed media, art, and collage medium manufacturer booths from CHA Summer 2011. All of these items would be wonderful additions to any scrapbook, of course, but they are also great for more "artsy" projects such as decorative canvases and art journals.

Tsukineko is the first stop on this little tour, and the Scrapbook Update team found several things here to be excited about, including new shades of their Fireworks craft ink spray.

Scrapbook Update editor Nancy Nally took some time to play at Tsukineko's make and take table and found that the Fireworks sprays not only give great coverage, but they also dry very quickly!

Tsukineko's Goosebumps texture spray is now available in two new finishes- matte and shimmer. Both of these new formulations and the original Goosebumps spray dry quickly and can be used to give your art projects a slightly "bumpy" surface.

Delicata is a new formulation of gold ink that dries quickly on porous papers (the smudge in the sample image is due to a non-porous surface being used, but I was told that a heat gun will set the ink on a slick surface) and is advertised as never losing its luster or tarnishing.

Tsukineko introduced two new colors - Ivory Black and Roast Coffee - to their popular StazOn Opaque collection at this CHA show.

Brush Stix are also new with this release. These brushes have firm, slightly flexible dense foam tips and are perfect for those who want to paint with their inks.

Art supply giant Faber Castell introduced several new items at the CHA Summer show, as well as expanding several existing lines.

Their "Mix & Match" system allows artists to mix mediums easily by providing samplers and kits that have been specially selected to coordinate.

Faber Castell's Stamper's Big Brush Pens will be popular with scrapbookers, cardmakers, and anyone looking to color directly onto their stamp before making an impression (versus using a traditional ink pad).

Faber Castell introduced a new Neutrals set to their PITT Artist Pens.  These India ink pens are archival and can be used on a variety of surfaces, including canvas and wood.

Art GRIP colored pencils provide rich pigment color to any project - these would be absolutely perfect for art journaling!

The PITT Artist Pen Writing Set from Faber Castell provides the same great features found in the regular PITT Artist pens, but with an unltra-fine nib perfect for journaling.

The next stop on our mixed-media blitz is The Crafter's Workshop, home of plastic templates in a huge variety of styles and sizes.

Scrapbook Update carried the news earlier this year that Julie Fei-Fan Balzer was signing on with The Crafter's Workshop to bring her signature designs to their line, and both she and her new templates were on hand in the booth for a make and take session. Nancy Nally took part in this project and spent some time using the templates and a variety of mediums to create a tag (I admit that I hung back solely because I was afraid of getting paint on my shirt!).

Canvas Corp's huge range of kraft papers caught my eye as soon as I walked into the booth.

The reason I wanted to include their booth in this roundup post, though, was because of the sheer variety of canvas items they carry- perfect for all your altering and mixed media needs!

Eventually the kraft paper pulled me (and the camera) back, though, because if there's anything that all of us at Scrapbook Update can agree that we love, it's kraft!!

I can see these kraft clocks being used in a Week in the Life album.

This damask pattern is set on black paper instead of kraft, but I couldn't help including it in all of it's fuzzy flocked glory.

Canvas Corp had Halloween kraft on hand...

...and Christmas kraft as well!

Post card motifs are a hot item right now.

Aren't these damask and text patterns simply elegant?

Canvas Corp. also offers plain corrugated sheets. These have so many uses - mini album covers, die cutting, and even layout backgrounds!

I spotted a festive Fourth of July kraft set in one corner of the booth.

These tissue paper sheets are full of possibilities, too! We inquired, and they do take ink well, meaning they can be stamped or distressed.

Even though I visited on the last day of the show (and in the afternoon, no less), the Basically Bare booth was so packed that I could barely get in to take photos. This was one popular place at Summer CHA!!

It's no wonder that they were so busy - just look at all those awesome shapes, including an adorable set of cupcakes!

These chipboard gears will satisfy steampunk and grunge fans.

Basically Bare had a great selection of chipboard and corrugated die cuts following the home arts trend we've been seeing the last several CHA shows, with buttons and dress forms in several sizes and colors.

The pennant banner trend is still going strong, if Basically Bare is anything to judge by!

And, of course, the booth was filled with lovely sample display projects.

Did you see anything in that mixed media feast that caught your eye? Anything you think will be a hot trend, or that you personally just have to have now? Leave us a comment and let us know what you're thinking! We'll be back later - there are still many, many booths to share with you!