It’s been a few weeks since the Creativation Trade Show in Phoenix…

and I’m finally getting around to sharing.

You might want to sit back and grab a cup of coffee.  (it’s a long one)

The Creativation Show was a fast, busy few days.

Getting the opportunity to see old friends, meeting in person online friends you’ve known for years.

And the best part making new friends. 

Creativation, for me, is more than seeing the latest and greatest in the Creative Industry

(although that’s great too)

it’s about the opportunity to meet and network with people from all over the world.

When you’re at a show like this, you sit by a stranger on the convention bus and talk the whole way.

You go to lunch by yourself and instead of looking for a empty table, you sit with a group or

a table of one and the conversations flow.  That’s where we share ideas and inspiration.

We ask… “what did you see that excited you?”

During one of those conversations I heard someone say this is where our “tribe” is.

(The cactus in front of my hotel.)

This was my first trip to Phoenix and the first time this Midwest gal saw cactus this large.

Can you tell I was impressed?

I wish I would of been able to see more of Phoenix, it poured the first evening I was there

and the sun didn’t come out until the last day.  Most of the time, it really didn’t matter as it was

dark outside when I left and it was dark when I got back to the hotel.

I didn’t even notice the mountains out my hotel window until the second day.

I left the hotel before 7:00 on Saturday morning to take a class before working all day

in the Deflecto booth.  We made mini desk calendars using Deflecto’s 3″ x 4″ clear acrylic

frames, paper from Paper House Productions “One Big Happy Family” collection and cute

little calendars from Taylored Expressions.

Also in the booth was the “Caddy Challenge”.   ↓

Each challenger was given two empty caddies and a variety of craft supplies.

Every caddy container had to have at least one craft item and put back into the caddy,

each layer had to be locked and put on the base.

The whole thing was timed and the timer stopped when the caddy was lifted.

It was so much fun watching how competitive it became.  (there were Visa gift cards at stake)

Co-worker against co-worker, friend against friend, husband against wife.

SO…What’s NEW at Deflecto?

An interlocking wheel base for the craft caddy and the Interlocking Marker Organizer.

Right next to the Deflecto Booth were my good friends at

Canvas Corp Brands, 7Gypsies and Tattered Angels.

So many new things there.  They introduced their new line called “Architextures”.

I can’t wait to get my hands on all that vintage inspired goodness.

Coming Soon from Canvas Corp Brands… Relics and Artifacts.

A lot of mixed media potential.

On Sunday afternoon, I got to hang out in the Paper House booth where I helped attendees make

the Discover USA travel mini book project.  I’m so lucky to work in such a fun industry.

For full Discover USA project instructions click here.

Monday was the last day of the show and a half day for me.

After working in the booths all day on Saturday and Sunday,

I decided I needed to take some time to do something fun.

DecoArt, 3M and Pinspiration had a clear acrylic booth set up called the “Splatter Room”.

Dressed in a hazmat suit and goggles…

I went to town choosing paint and splattering onto a 12″ x 12″ canvas.

Oh, what a glorious mess.  It was the highlight of my day.

After painting and splattering…

I walked the show floor, taking pictures and making connections.

I always wish that I would have taken more pictures and maybe even a video or two.

Time at these shows go fast and I needed to make the most of that time.

Below are a few of the booths that I remembered to take pictures of.  (Enjoy!)

Probably one of the most photographed booths is the Tim Holtz Idea-ology booth.

For Vintage lovers this is serious eye-candy.

Lovely Mixed Media from Rebekah Meier Designs.

Somehow my camera setting got changed and I didn’t get a lot of sharable pictures of the Sizzix booth.

And the always impressive Graphic 45 Booth.  ↓

Of all the wonderful things I saw, do you want to know what impressed me the most?

Let me start by saying, I’ve been a stamper for 20 years and it takes a lot to impress me…

the clear animated stamps from Uchis Design did just that.  (it’s the simple things)

Below is the business card they gave me.

I hoped you enjoyed my adventure to Creativation.

I just want to say…

I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to work with all the wonderful and talented people

and companies in the Creative Industry.  I am one lucky girl.