What to Pack and How to Prepare for the AFCI Creativation Show

The Creativation Show, put on by the Association for Creative Industries (AFCI), opens in Phoenix in 40 days and I can't wait! Creativation is an amazing 5-day event that takes place each January. It brings together manufacturers, buyers, designers, and everyone else in the craft industry for sales, education, and networking. (Sorry consumers - this is just for industry professionals.)

This will be my 7th time attending Creativation. Each time has been more valuable than the last as I've improved the focus of my business, taken risks, and built deeper connections within the industry. Exciting things happen at this show. 

I wrote a post about preparing for the show back in 2015 when it was called the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) Mega Show, added a few more tips in 2016, then did another update before the January 2019 show. Now I'm bringing all of my advice into one post in Ask Cindy format. There are affiliate links in the post.

What should I wear to Creativation? 

Think comfortable business casual. In past years, it's been chilly at the Convention Center, but in 2019 it was warm. Wear layers. My show 'uniform' is a colorful blouse with a modest neckline, a light sweater, interesting jewelry, dark jeans, and super comfy black tennis shoes or boots. 

Jeans and tennis shoes?!

Dark jeans and clean tennis shoes, but yes. I'm a big believer in 'dressy on the top, comfy on the bottom'. Expect to walk at least 5 miles and up to 10 miles on a typical show day. Comfortable shoes are not an option; they are a must. I like jeans because they have plenty of pockets and are great for movement. Expect to frequently stoop and bend to look at products and perch on stools to do make-and-takes. Check out this post for pictures of me and others at the 2019 show.

Do I need business cards?

Yes. Absolutely. If you don't have some already, order them right now. 

How many cards do I need? 

I typically go through 100+ at a show. Do not be shy about exchanging business cards. I like to jot a note on the back of mine to remind the person where/how they met me. I do the same with cards I receive. And don't forget to reach out to everyone you met after the show! Follow their blog, check out their store, send thanks, email especially good photos you took of them, or simply say hi!

What else do I need at the show?

You'll get a tote when you register, but I strongly recommend a small rolling bag for the trade show floor.  You'll potentially receive a lot of samples and do multiple make-and-takes and your shoulders will thank you. My rolling bag is just wide enough for 12" x 12" paper, with plenty of pockets for snacks, a water bottle, Advil, Kleenex, business cards, ziplock bags (handy for protecting make-and-takes) and everything else I need. I also keep a 12" x 12" plastic envelope with a piece of 12" x 12" chipboard inside so that any paper samples or layout and card make-and-takes aren't ruined.

Snacks? Can't I just get food there?

Yes... maybe. There's a food court and concessions areas at the Phoenix Convention Center, as well as plenty of food options nearby, but they aren't all open all the time and the lines can get long. You may not have time to get a proper meal, particularly on the education days. I always carry nuts, dried fruit, and granola bars. I also carry hand sanitizer to use before I eat. 

Don't forget to hydrate. The climate in Phoenix is dry. Bring a refillable bottle (this one is awesome and perfect if you're flying); there are water stations outside the classrooms and drinking fountains at the restrooms. I recommend chapstick and lotion, too.

How's the wifi at the Convention Center?

Lousy. 

I'm flying to and from Phoenix. What should I know?

You will return home with more than you are bringing, probably a lot more. When flying to Phoenix, check one large suitcase with a smaller suitcase inside. On the way home, check both.

Use the Metro to get from the airport to the Convention Center and/or your hotel. It's only $2 and is super easy, safe, and convenient. When you leave baggage claim, follow the sign to the Sky Train. Then buy a Metro ticket on Level 2 at the kiosk. Get on the westbound train. Get off at the Washington/3rd Station, about a 15 minute trip. It puts you on the south side of the Convention Center, an easy walk to the nearby hotels. 

To get back to the airport after the show, use SuperShuttle. It costs around $12. When I'm loaded down with an extra 50+ pounds of samples, make-and-takes, literature, and more, I can't deal with my luggage on public transportation. It's worth the extra $10 + tip to not have to manage that luggage on my own.

Know the prohibitions about flying with craft-related banned items before accepting samples. If you fly with certain craft materials, even in your checked luggage, TSA will confiscate your items and mail you a Nastygram. (Ask how I know!)

What's the area around the Convention Center like?

It's great! Clean, safe, and easy to navigate. I've seen a few homeless people nearby over the years, but none have been aggressive. I've felt safe walking alone, but if you don't, Phoenix has an awesome Ambassador program. You'll see people in orange "Ask me!" shirts who are there specifically to help with whatever you need. They'll walk you to your hotel, give you directions, recommend restaurants, help you buy a metro ticket, or anything else you need. Stop and talk with them! 

Phoenix is a GREAT city. There is so much to do around the Convention Center. Read all about my favorite things to do and places to eat in Phoenix. 

What else should I know?

Download the show app. 

Know what your priorities are for the show and plan accordingly. Make appointments with people you need to see, create route maps to hit your most crucial booths, and conduct business the first time you have the chance. Take as many classes as possible. 

Take notes about absolutely everything. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you'll remember everyone you met, everything you saw, and everything you did because you won't. Photos help. Take lots of photos.

Attend the Annual Business Meeting and Town Hall. AFCI is a trade organization. It is in your best interest be informed about what is going on in the organization. Attend meetings. Ask questions. Learn more.

Talk to everyone.

This sounds exhausting.

Yes. 

And it's SO MUCH FUN. Creativation is amazing. Being surrounded by thousands of people who share your passion is incredible. Try new things. Meet new people. Experience and enjoy it all. Say yes to opportunities and be open to possibilities.

I have more questions. 

Ask me in the comments, or email me: cindy.mycreativelife at gmail.com. I'm happy to answer any questions you have!

Ask Cindy: Scraproom Tour, Part Two

Yesterday I shared some pictures of my scraproom. I am generally very happy with the organization and layout of my scraproom. The closet in my scraproom ... not so much.  

Here's the view looking in:

I know that I don't use the space in the closet as effectively as I could. The upper shelves aren't bad - I store fabric, flower arranging stuff, and other materials that I hardly ever use on the upper shelf that I can't reach. The second shelf holds my markers, Mod Podge and other specialty adhesives, brayers, and other items I use occasionally.

The lower shelves hold a hodge-podge of items: completed cards are in a tub, ribbons have their own tubs, there are rolls and sheets of contact paper, a bunch of paints, a travel iron (that I use for embossing), and a wide assortment of other craft stuff.    

As you look to the right, it's more of the same. The items are fairly well-organized, but not grouped or stacked as effectively as they could be. It's very tempting to take everything out of the closet and put it back in a more organized manner, but I'm not going to tackle that until I'm caught up with deadlines and have a large block of uninterrupted time.

I hang stuff behind the closet door. I have a clipboards, craft mats, tissue paper, an extension cord, and several of the pocket charts I used to use in my classroom.

So that's the tour! Hope you enjoyed it.  

Ask Cindy: Scraproom Tour

As someone who crafts every single day, I hear the same two questions over and over. First: "How do find time to do so much crafting?" (Here's how I 'find' time.) The second question: "What do you use as your scrap space?"  

I have a dedicated scraproom. We have a 4 bedroom house: Steve and I share the master bedroom, Trevor has a bedroom, Steve has an office, and I have a scraproom. My computer/office area is on a desk in the hallway. It is far more important to me to have a private scrap area than a private office area. I know for a fact that I would not do as much crafting as I do if I didn't have dedicated space. I'm able to leave a work-in-progress where no one will disturb it. (Neither Steve nor Trevor enter my scraproom without permission... which makes it a handy place to store presents for them as well!)  

The last time I did a thorough scraproom cleaning, I took some pictures. Here's the view of my paper storage, one of two work surfaces, and one of two pegboards.

The dresser was my old childhood dresser, which I reinforced, stripped and painted white. I added the silver hardware. The drawers hold: punches, ink pads, acrylic stamps, cross-stitch supplies (which I haven't used in eons), extra adhesives, gift bags, gift wrap, tissue paper, ribbons, and bows.  

Across the top of the dresser, I have stackable paper trays (five high, four stacks across). The two stacks on the left hold cardstock, divided by color. The two stacks on the right hold loose sheets of patterned paper. Some are organized by color and others by manufacturer. The rest of my patterned paper is stored in 12x12 plastic envelopes, which I stack on a shelf.  

You can see my childhood desk under the pegboard. It is usually piled high with pages that need scanning, or supplies that need to be put away. I tuck gifts that need wrapping under the desk.   

Directly across from the dresser is my main work table and my main pegboard. Steve framed and installed my two pegboards. I love them! I can fit so many supplies on the pegboard, and it is great how easy it is to move things around as I get new stuff.  

I tape Design Team assignments to the bottom of the pegboard. (You can see three sketch assignments in this picture.)  

Perhaps the best part of my scraproom is the shelving that Steve built to fit behind the door. The shelves are 2.5 inches deep, which is perfect for storing rubber stamps, mists, embossing powders, inks, and border punches. The entire structure is 5 ft. tall by 25 inches wide. The heights of the shelves vary from 2.25 inches to 6 inches. I absolutely love it. What was once wasted space now is now a wonderful storage solution.

Stay tuned for Part Two tomorrow!

Ask Cindy - Online Crops

It's time for another edition of 'Ask Cindy' - the feature where I answer questions you, the reader, may or may not have actually asked.  Today's question is about online crops.  What are they and how do they work?

First, for any non-scrapbookers reading this (Hi Mom!), I need to define the word "crop."  A crop is an event where scrapbookers gather to work on projects.  Crops vary in size- the smallest may have just a few people and the largest attract thousands.  Crops are often hosted by a scrapbook store, charity or other organization. You bring along your own supplies and projects to complete.  There are usually games, door prizes, party favors and refreshments.  You typically pay a fee to attend.  While some people may travel a great distance to attend a major crop, most attendees live within an hour or so of the venue. 

There are three main differences between in-person crops and online crops.  

• Location: Online crops take place online.  (Obviously.)  At a designated time, you log in from your own computer.  Unlike an in-person crop, online crops attract people from all over the world.  It is not unusual for online crops to begin with discussions about time zones.  You work in your own space and do not need to pack up your supplies.

• Cost: I have never heard of there being a charge to participate in an online crop.  Free in-person crops are rare.  

• Activities: Online crops usually feature a series of challenges.  The format varies, but my favorite online crops post challenges once every hour.  Participants check the computer at the top of the hour, read the details of the challenge, then return to their scrap spaces to create.  When you finish your project, you scan or photograph it, then upload it to an online gallery.  There are prizes for each challenge.  There are numerous opportunities to chat with others in either a chatroom or in forums.   

So which do I prefer?  They're both fun, but given the choice I like online crops.  I love being able to work in my own craftroom and not have to guess what I'll need to bring along to an in-person crop.  I enjoy the format of hourly challenges to push me out of my comfort zone.  I love being able to chat with friends from all around the world.  And with money being tight, you just can't beat free.  

Ask Cindy - 'Finding' Time to Craft

It's time for another edition of 'Ask Cindy' - the feature where I answer questions you, the reader, may or may not have actually asked.  Today's question is one that I hear all the time: "I don't have time to craft.  How do you find the time?"

To be perfectly honest, this question drives me crazy.  As a stay-at-home mom, I'm already a bit sensitive about the "what do you do all day?" attitude that some people (but not you, of course) have.  And as a mom to one, I'm also a bit sensitive about the idea that some people (again, not you) have that raising one child is basically the same as raising no children.  When someone asks me how I find the time to craft, I want to ask how they find the time to watch TV, go shopping, or play games on Facebook .... because the answer is the same: I make the time.  I make time to do what is important to me and you make time to do what is important to you.  Crafting is important to me.  So I make the time.

 The clock in my scraproom.  I bought it years ago, when I was single.  

I love it, especially the wiggly second hand.

One example of how I make time to craft: I get up at 5:00 AM, seven days a week.  Trevor usually wakes up around 6:30, so that gives me around 90 minutes of uninterrupted time.

On weekdays, Trevor is in kindergarten for a little over 3 hours a day.  On the days when I'm not volunteering in his classroom, this is another prime scrapbooking or blogging time for me.  I also use this time block to photograph projects (since it's dark at 5:00 AM) or scan projects (since my scanner is just outside Trevor's bedroom and it would wake him if I scanned at 5:00 AM).

My dad and I belonged to a YMCA Father/Daughter group when I was young.  At one of our meetings, he provided clock kits for the dads and daughters to make together.  I was 12.  It's one of the few things I own that has traveled with me from my parents' house to every other place I have lived for the past few decades.

Once Trevor is home from school for the day (or during school vacations), any crafting that I do is with him.  (You'll notice that I do almost no scrapbooking during the summer, and the number of kids' crafts I do goes way up.)  Sometimes I plan a project for us to do together, and sometimes I just get out art supplies for free-for-all creating.  (And sometimes, Trevor plans a craft for me.)  Sometimes we cook together instead.  We don't craft together every single day, but I do try to make sure that he uses his creativity in some way each day.

There is one more major factor in how I make time to craft- my husband.  Steve is incredibly supportive of my crafting.  He encourages me to scrap with friends, do online crops, and attend scrapbook events, even though that means extra work for him.  When I have a deadline, he takes over all of the parenting duties to allow me some extra evening or weekend time to myself.  He recognizes that celebrating National Scrapbook Day is incredibly important to me, and always takes Trevor out of the house for the day so that I can have a marathon day of crafting.

The clock in our Bonus Room.  I bought it for Steve when we were newly dating.  While I think they 

are beautiful, I hate fish.  Never in a million years would I have guessed I'd marry a man who loves fish so 

much that our house would have fish decor.  Yet it's my own doing- 90% is stuff I've made or bought for him.  

How do you make time to craft?

"Ask Cindy"- Reading Blogs

I recently attended a scrapbook night with my MOMS Club friends.  We had a discussion about reading blogs, following blogs and subscribing to blogs.  They had a lot of good questions, which means others must too, so I'll do my best to answer them here.

I'm certainly not an expert, so if any of you have something to add or correct, please do so in the comments.  Because I blog with Blogger, all my answers relate to Blogger.  Other blogging platforms might do things a bit differently.


*Cindy, is there an easy way to read a blog?  I hate having to type in the address each time.

 If you read less than 5 blogs (like my mom, who reads exactly 1 blog), the easiest way to read them is by subscribing via email.  Any time there is a new blog post, it will be delivered to your inbox.  You can read it there, or click on it to go to the blog.  You'll never miss a blog post and you'll never need to manually type in an address.

To subscribe to a blog, find the place where it says "Subscribe via email" and enter your address.  A surprising number of bloggers do not make it easy to find this!  Mine is on the right hand side, below the "Categories." (See bottom arrow.)

*What if I want to read more blogs than that?  I don't want my inbox all clogged up.

If you read a lot of blogs, I strongly recommend Google Reader.  It manages all the blogs you read and allows you to see at a glance if there is any content you haven't read. 

To use a reader, find the place on a blog where it says "Subscribe in a reader" or "RSS" or "Atom."  (See top arrow in above picture.)  All of these will then give you the choice to subscribe in a reader or on the homepage.  I prefer the reader.  With it, I'm able to read hundreds (yes, literally) of blogs in less time than I used to read several dozen.

Here's a screenshot of my Google Reader:

On the left, you can see that the blogs I read are listed in alphabetical order.  The ones with unread content have a number next to them.  When I open one, the content shows on the right and the title of the blog is highlighted in red.  I have my own blog listed in my Reader so that I can be sure the feed is pulled and sent to my subscribers each day.


*What is RSS?  I see that everywhere!

RSS is a format to deliver web content that changes (for example, a blog that is updated).  The acronym stands for a bunch of different things, depending on who you ask.  I've seen Rich Site Summary, Really Simple Syndication, and RDF Site Summary.


*What does it mean to Follow a blog?

Every blog gives you the opportunity to become a Follower.  Basically, this means you are interested in the blog and would like to have an easy way to return in the future.  You can follow a blog publicly (in which case your screen name will be listed on the blog) or privately.  When you become a Follower in Blogger, the blogs you follow will show up in your Reader.

To follow a blog, either find the "Follow" button on the home page of the blog, or go up to the very very top, above the blog's header, and you'll find a skinny bar with "Follow" as one of the options.  Click either one and it will ask you if you want to follow publicly or privately.  It is perfectly safe to follow publicly, so I'd recommend that.

I hope that answers everyone's questions!  If not, or you have other questions, I'll answer them in an upcoming post.

"Ask Cindy" - Holiday Gift Giving

Today I begin an exciting new feature on the blog called "Ask Cindy."  In it, I will answer made-up questions that someone theoretically could have asked me, but didn't.  In the event that someone asks me real questions, I'll answer those in a future "Ask Cindy."  Today's topic is holiday gift giving.

Q: Cindy, I need a Secret Santa gift for a scrapbooker.  I don't know anything about scrapbooking.  The limit is $20.  What can I get?

A: An excellent question!  It can be risky to guess what tools a scrapper has, so I always recommend giving consumables.  Any scrapper would love getting an assortment of Stickles or Glimmer Mists.  There are literally hundreds of colors to choose from, so you could give a fun selection of colors and quite possibly not repeat any your scrapper already has.  If you do happen to give her one she already has, it's fine because she probably goes through her favorite colors often.

 

Q:  Cindy, the scrapper on my list is into the latest and greatest.  Is there a hot new tool this season?

A:  Yes, and it's fairly inexpensive!  I'm seeing the We R Memory Keepers Sew Ribbon everywhere and it is getting great reviews.  It's just hitting stores now, so your scrapper probably doesn't have one yet.  Each is selling around $15 and there are six different designs.  You could pick up some cute rolls of ribbon and put together a gift a scrapper would love to get. 

 

Q: Cindy, the scrapper on my list has mentioned several paper manufacturers that she likes, but the names don't mean anything to me.  There's no scrapbook store near me, so is it ok if I just go to my local HugeMart and buy some random paper?  I mean, paper is paper, right?

A: NO!  All paper is NOT created equally.  Please do not assume that your scrapper would want random paper from the HugeMart.  She might, but if she's mentioned certain brands, she'd appreciate receiving those.  There are many excellent places to shop online, including scrapbook.com, which has an easy search feature that allows you to type in brand names.

Q: Cindy, can you recommend one go-to tool that would make a great gift?  

A:  You can't go wrong with a punch from Fiskars.  The quality is outstanding and their customer service is incredible.  I am very picky about what punches I'm willing to store in my limited space.  I use Fiskars' Scalloped Border Punch constantly! 

Q: Cindy, I would like to buy you a gift.  Do you have a wishlist somewhere?

A: Well yes, and thank you so much for asking!  I maintain a wishlist at scrapbook.com.  I also put scrapbook items on my Amazon.com list.