Update | Forever Live, Jobs, Design Team Call, Closures, & More!
After a brief period of quiet while everyone was busy with the summer shows, the news has picked back up! It's time for another Update column!
Ali Edwards has joined the growing list of scrapbook industry names extending their brands outside of craft supplies. Epiphanie, a boutique maker of women's camera bags, has announced that it will be carrying an Ali Edwards branded camera bag. The boho styled bag is made of leather, available in several colors, and retails for $249.
Ali Edwards Epiphanie Bags
The internet has been alight the last week with photo posts from scrapbookers taking part in one of Ali's most popular franchises, Week in the Life. Judging from the flood of photos, participation was high.
Here's my own contribution to Week in the Life photo sharing - a visit to the Nally Studios offices to pick up mail with my "assistant".
Bridget at Nally Studios
While Week in the Life has been ongoing, preparation is already underway for Ali's big year end event: December Daily. This year, with the help of her partners at Studio Calico, Ali will be offering multiple December Daily kits done by guest designers in addition to her own. The guest designers have been gradually unveiled the past few weeks, and the final list is Kelly Purkey, Ashley Goldberg, Peppermint Granberg, Jasmine Jones, and Emily Ley. Pre-ordering for kits will begin on September 3rd.
Here's a true sign of how hot the adult coloring trend is: I snapped this picture in a bookstore in Atlanta airport last week of a large display of adult coloring books.
Coloring Books in Airport Bookstore
Why is this important? Airport stores are surprisingly great measuring sticks for what is hot and what is not. They must try in very limited square footage to cater to a diverse population. Coloring books' presence in that retail location is a sign of mainstream popularity. At the height of the scrapbook trend (around 2005), scrapbook magazines could be easily found in airports.
Two prominent stores announced their closing this week. She Scrapbooks, a brick and mortar store in The Villages in Florida, had built itself with a steady stream of visits by nationally known instructors since its opening in 2009. Online retailer Eclectic Paperie has been purchased by a Gainesville, Florida-based online retailer called The Funkie Junkie Boutique, and will be ceasing operations as part of the merger of the two retailers.
Jack Behlmer, former co-owner of Splash of Color, has issued a statement indicating that his lawsuit with co-owner Leslie Ohnstadt has been resolved amicably.
The Craft & Hobby Association has announced the 2016 slate of candidates for the CHA Board of Directors. Members of the board serve three year terms. Candidates are elected by a general membership vote after being selected by a nominating committee from members nominated by CHA's membership. The new board members will be confirmed at a meeting at the CHA Mega Show 2016 in January, after a mail vote this fall.
The 2016 Craft & Hobby Association board candidates are Brigid English, VP/Business Unit General Manager Michaels Stores; Don Guidi, President Paper House; Ursula Morgan, CEO Creative Bug LLC; and Greg Tipsord, CEO Spellbinders PaperArts.
2015-2016 mambi Design Team Call
Me & My Big Ideas has a design team call open until September 13th. The call is for three separate teams that they are forming: Planner, Memory Keepers, and DIYers. The team term is for one year, and requires two projects per month.
Gathered from around the web, here's a round-up of interesting and must-read articles for scrapbookers and scrapbook businesses:
Etsy's identity crisis: Etsy's richest seller is leaving, and telling Yahoo why. Is Etsy's identity crisis (small handmade sellers versus large manufacturers) ultimately going to doom it?
Online Gift Cards Attract Patent Troll: If you sell gift cards online, it may only be a matter of time before a patent troll comes after you, according to Tech Dirt.
Are you ready for EMV cards? A big deadline is coming that will shift liability to stores for fraudulent transactions on EMV cards that aren't processed the right way. Kizer & Bender tell you what you need to know to be ready!
The following industry jobs are currently posted as available:
Front End Web Developer - Mesa, AZ (Scrapbook.com)
Sales Representative - Philadelphia, PA (May Arts Ribbons)
Order Entry - Lindon, UT (American Crafts)
And last but certainly not least...I am thrilled to be able to share that I will be speaking at Forever Live 2015, which takes place in Atlanta, GA at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta from September 24th-September 27th. I'll be doing several sessions as well as hosting a dinner at this fun event - come join me for an educational and fun time!
