The Creativation Show

Hi Everyone,
I'm back from the Creativation Show in Phoenix and I thought I'd share a few photos of the show.  This year, I walked the show, took some classes and taught a Make and Take on the show floor.

One of the speakers that I had the opportunity to hear was Leatrice Eiseman, who is the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. It was all about the new fashion color palette and what inspired its selection.  The website says that this set of colors for Spring 2017 combine "Vitality, Relaxation, and the Great Outdoors". 

Here's the new palette:

I think it's a lovely group of fresh, bright and happy colors.  They are some of my favorite colors to wear.  What do you think?

I also taught at the show in the Creativation Café where a whole host of industry designers were teaching Make and Takes.   Eileen Hull's little trailer, Scotty, was also on display there.  She traveled all the way from Virginia to Phoenix pulling the trailer to the show.

I walked the show looking for fresh inspiration for my design work and checking out the new products.  Here's some of what I found:

I found string art and woven wall hangings at several booths along with looms in different shapes.

String Art

Woven wall hanging in different shapes and sizes from Bucilla

Walnut Hollow

A woven wall hanging with added flowers at Prima

There were pretty new paint colors and some new finishes at the Plaid booth.

This display was set up with a large picture in back.  Those chairs are only about 6" high!  And, those umbrellas are painted bowls with bamboo skewers.  Clever!

Here's another photo from the same booth.  Painting on rocks is continuing in popularity.

Another of my favorites is the Bernat yarn booth.  This year they had a winter lodge scene with lots of warm sweaters and a stone fireplace.

WOW!

Chunky yarns and big needles were also on the scene at several booths.  The above was at the Lion Brand Yarns booth.

Here's another amazing display - all built from paper.

And, although I'm not much into scrapbooking, I always have to take a look at the Graphic 45 booth.

Some of my favorite booths were decorated with old stuff.  Tim Holtz always has a great collection of memorabilia here hung on shelving with rope and pipe fittings.

There was lots more, but half the time I was too busy ooh-ing and ah-ing to remember to take photos!  More photos of the show can be found here on the show website and here on the AFCI facebook page.  That's our new name by the way.  We have gone from CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) to AFCI (Association for Creative Industries). 

Also new to the show this year was a baking section, a sewing competition, a splatter paint booth where you could suit up and create some art, and a "Shark Tank"-style best invention competition.  It was a lot of fun to see and, after only a few days, my feet were back to normal!  I'm looking forward to next year - and hoping for warmer, drier weather!