My Top Nine Tips for Attending Memory Trends Las Vegas

10:41 AM Posted In , Edit This 4 Comments »
Tips for attending Memory Trends, especially for first-timers (new photos below)

1. Exercise before you go to build up your stamina, especially prepare your legs with squats! Both my hotel roommate, Leslie Flynn and I noticed that our upper thighs were sore after the first day from squatting down to our rolling totes all day to put catalogs and what-not into them. (Provocraft/Cricut gave away free rolling backpacks to the first 500 people to their booth.)

2. Don't forget that you have your camera with you when you meet all the wonderful women that you only knew from online. So many people that I did not get my picture taken with that I am now kicking myself over.

3. Your feet will get tired and a bit sore even if you wear crocs. However, my feet didn't really bother me much at the end of the day and I did not have any blisters thanks to my crocs. The Mary Jane crocs are really cute too....you might have to allow yourself time to order them if you can't find them locally.

4. If you are staying at a hotel on the strip, you can save money by taking the bus (the Deuce). It only costs $5 for a 24-hour pass, whereas the monorail is about $5.50 each way. I took a taxi one evening from the Sands Expo to the Tropicana and that cost $7.40 plus tip.

5. Make appointments with people that you really want to meet before you go. Trying to call people and meet up on the floor was frustrating for me. The floor is really loud and most of us could not hear our cell phones ringing. Or my call got dropped. I did not set up specific meeting times because I didn't think I was important enough and I was a fool. :) *smiles*

6. I brought an extra suitcase for all the catalogs and miscellania I wanted to bring home. Instead of bringing an empty suitcase, I put food (such as bagels and granola bars) and water in the suitcase and checked the bag when I got to the airport. Water and sodas will cost you between $2-3 each in Vegas whereas I bought a 12-pack of bottled water at Walmart for less than $3 before I left.

7. People will recognize your name from your active posts on message boards. I was amazed at how many people I met and who knew my name. The scrapbooking community really is a great community despite all the recent negativity people have talked about.

8. If flying, and having connections - sometimes longer layovers work in your favor. Coming and going, we experienced delays and I would have missed my connections if I had shorter layovers.

9. Consider having your husband meet you after the last day of the show for some sight-seeing. This did not occur to me but it would have been really fun to explore Las Vegas more with my husband. I was too exhausted each day after the show to really do much sight-seeing. Fortunately I had about 5 hours to explore before I had to catch my return flight.

Photos from K & Co.

Memory Trends Report Part B

12:16 PM Posted In Edit This 2 Comments »
Want to see Thena's Memory Trends pictures? Look here and then come back to my blog! My pictures are posted below.

First I have some comments to make on my report posted yesterday. I forgot to mention one very talented and amazing woman that I met: Jen Adams Donnelly. Sorry Jen. You deserve a whole paragraph unto yourself! Jen was helpful to me before the show giving me advice, and was just wonderful to me at the show. In case you are not familiar with her: here is her blog. She is a CK Hall of Famer, and a designer for Designer Digitals. Check out her kits for sale there.

I posted this yesterday:

People I saw but didn't have the nerve to introduce myself - being my first show:
Becky Higgins
Kelli Crowe
Tim Holtz
Jessica Sprague


People I wanted to meet but didn't get a chance to connect with:
Holly Van Dyne
Diana Lyne McGraw
Amy Howe
Tina Freeman


I need to clarify, and give some disclaimers! LOL. I didn't meet Becky Higgins because there was a long line of people waiting to have her sign books, and I was on my way elsewhere so I didn't stop. I saw Kelli Crowe from across the room on my way to a workshop, and intended to stop by again. I saw Jessica Sprague while she was sitting at a table eating lunch and didn't want to disturb her. I was behind Tim Holtz after he came out of the men's restroom and walked up the stairs to the convention hall - awkward timing. Amy Howe whizzed past me the first morning when I got to Basic Grey, and I had promised her before the show that I wouldn't get in the way on the first day of the show because everyone is trying to get their order numbers and it's a zoo. I totally intended to go back and never made it. I tried calling Diana 2x's and the call got dropped so then I gave up on trying to call people from the floor and thus never got in touch with Tina. Thanks for the emails telling me I shouldn't have been intimidated to talk to those people. Part of it were nerves yet a large part of it was timing too that I didn't get to meet these people that I really admire!

So I mentioned that I met Jen Adams Donnelly. She is a digital diva! In fact, the digital community was very well-represented in a way that I totally didn't expect. Sure I knew there was going to be a launch party for new digital software, but I didn't realize that there were SEVEN vendors for digital until I got there. (I was told last year there was ONE digital vendor -I have not confirmed that fact.) Some of the digital vendors included: Adobe, & Lasting Impressions. April Anderton, who just sold her Digital Scrapbooking magazine to Simple Scrapbooks, pointed me to Lasting Impressions and I'm so grateful. If you ever thought that you don't have the time to learn Photoshop Elements, Memory Mixer software by Lasting Impressions is your solution to cutting-edge digital technology. I expected to not like it, and I was so proven wrong. Even Ashley of polkadotpotatoe.com, a digital scrapbooking store and community, was truly impressed when we witnessed the demo together. I highly suggest Photoshop Elements, but if you truly don't have the time or want to start off with the easiest software out there - please consider Memory Mixer. Here is a snippet of their press release from a year ago:

Lasting Impressions for Paper, Inc., the leading manufacturer of embossing templates, today announced MemoryMixer, the industry’s first truly digital scrapbooking product. The new, consumer-oriented software product is designed to be simple for even novice computer users and engages more of the senses than traditional paper scrapbooking or even early digital solutions. MemoryMixer was unveiled at Memory Trends, a leading scrapbooking tradeshow for retailers.

“Lasting Impressions has introduced a product that will truly revolutionize the scrapbooking industry,” said Lisa Bearnson, founder of Creative Keepsakes Magazine. “The average home has at least a gigabyte of digital photos stored on computer with a limited number of creative ways to enjoy them and share them. MemoryMixer offers families a way to present, narrate and share their favorite photos.”

MemoryMixer will allow people to combine digital video, digital sound, digital photos, computer graphics, typewritten text using their fonts, and narration capabilities into a multimedia experience that brings memories to life. The product also lets users digitally scan memorabilia such as report cards, diplomas, ticket stubs, or a child’s drawing and has multiple output options that include DVD, CD, hardbound book and traditional print. In addition, MemoryMixer allows the digital scrapbook to uniquely retain its printer quality.

“As big as the paper scrapbooking industry is (multi-billion annually), the market for digital scrapbooking is significantly larger,” said Kerry Hill, CEO of Lasting Impressions. “In fact, we estimate that for every traditional scrapbooker there are five individuals who would become scrapbookers if given...... read more


I will definitely be posting more about the digital community's presence at MT over the next few days.


Want to know where you can buy some of the newest products from Memory Trends?
Scrapbooker Online will be receiving Basic Grey next week. SBO already has Pink Martini in the store, and I believe she is expecting KI Memories' Pet Shop, as well as My Mind's Eye Magnolia and Bohemia.


What were some of the catalogs that I brought home with me?
  • Creating Keepsakes Canvas Organization sytem for your closet - see page 4 (pdf document)
  • Prima - Say It In Crystals embellies, Epoxy stickers, Brad Bitts, Clear stamps, 12x12 papers and of course so yummy flowers
  • Scraplight - allows any thin material (paper, photo prints, fabrics, transparencies) to be easily placed and replaced inside the lampshade
  • Cropperware Pages in Progress box: super-powerful magnets keep loose elements in place when you need to stop scrapping - fits in your bag or briefcase
  • DCWV - Once Upon a Time Glitter stacks, All Occasion Glitter stacks, Christmas Glitter stacks (yummy colors), Old World albums, Velvet post-bound albums, Posies, new patterns for adhesive ribbons that co-ordinate with all their stacks, Premium shapes that coordinate with the premium stacks, Rubon ink effects, Rubon Doodles!
  • Daisy D's: Modern Romance- introduces 10-min scrapbooking
  • Upsy Daisy Designs - my favorite lines include Modello and Oodles of Doodles - she also has clear stamps, and charms
  • Maya Road - velvet ric rac (yum), chipboard books
  • Rebekka Erickson - love her decorative metal corners
  • 7gypsies - Naked binders, new 97% complete journal stickes with 3D popdots cut in the shape of the stickers! ; border punches for circle journals
  • Stemma by Masterpiece Studios - Citrus Bleu - very cool quick borders
  • Polka Dot Potatoe - sells wholesale digital scrapbook art cd's to retailers - gorgoeus designs by Bad Candy, Summer Simmons, Faith True and more www.polkadotpotatoe.com
  • Dream Street Papers - 1o designers - 16 collections - not only are these girls talented but they are fabulously fun people - favorites include Letters from Julia by Tracy Whitney and Wondrous Winter by Angela Hoffman
Photos!!!

First, Beth Root has her name drawn to enter the QuiKutz Cash booth, and goes in with a friend to help her win free QuiKutz goodies.



Second, lots of eye-candy from 7gypsies! Come back tomorrow to hear more and see more pictures! (slideshow repeats itself automatically after a few seconds)



Please leave a comment on below!

Memory Trends 2006 Report

1:28 PM Posted In Edit This 13 Comments »
Many of you have emailed me asking me about my experience at Memory Trends this past week in Vegas. I am happy to give my re-cap here. If you have any specific questions, let me know and I will address them here.

My goal for attending Memory Trends as an independent freelance designer was to see what it is all about, to make networking contacts, to take a seminar, workshop, and participate in industry forums. Also I hooked up with a retailer who could not attend, and placed a few orders for her. This retailer was Maryfrances of Scrapbooker Online. It was my first tradeshow for the scrapbook industry, so I have to admit I was nervous and scared not knowing what to expect. Many people told me to wait until the CHA Winter 2007 show instead. Yet that is exactly why I decided to go now: it's a smaller show, with only the scrapbook industry instead of all the craft industries - less overwhelming, and easier to make one-on-one connections.

My plan was to attend the Designer Dinner (arranged by Wendy Reed, Las Vegas area resident) as well as swap phone numbers with other designers to meet up with on the floor. I also emailed several manufacturers whom I admired or followed their blogs - letting them know I hoped to meet them. I know some designers such as Leah Fung actually made appointments with various manufacturers, I'm not sure if she set them up specifically as an agent for BHG or as a freelance designer. I also hoped to get "better" treatment from manufacturers because I was associated with a retailer.

Memory Trends this year was indeed a slower paced show from the feedback manufacturers told me. I found it to be just perfect for this first-time newbie, I did not feel too overwhelmed. I did feel like I was treated well by the manufacturers. I did not make it to all the booths for several reasons: the booths I did see I took my time in, thus I ran out of time eventually, and I ran out of energy. Usually by 3 pm I was exhausted each day. The show ran from 9-6 pm Tuesday and Wednesday; and 9-3 pm on Thursday. When I got to the point of exhaustion, I did not force myself to meet people at the booths and network because I wanted to be at 100% while networking. (As a side note: I do have fibromyalgia, and that was a factor in my energy level).

I did attend the designer dinner although it conflicted with the announcement of the CK Scrapbooker of the Year (CD Murkosky), and the launch party for the dotscrap Alliance. The dinner was held the evening after Day One of the show. Previous to the dinner, I walked the floor of the show hoping to see some familiar faces, yet prepared based on advice that I wasn't going to be just bumping into people. One of the first faces that my roommate and I did find was PC Smart aka mojito aka Pamela. Pamela is very cool. She was working the HP booth, and showed us their fantastic printers. Yet there were a lot of faces I did not recognize. After the dinner, I would run into many of these women again on the floor. Not only that but the dinner was really fun. It would have perhaps been better if we had a private room yet there were so many of us it might not have made a difference to us. It probably would have benefitted the other diners who were trying to have a quiet dinner more than it would have benefitted us. The food at P.F. Changs was amazing, even to someone like me who doesn't eat much chinese. We were seated with the Dream Street paper girls - who are so amazing and talented.


Booths that I did get to spend time in (in no particular order):
7gypsies - absolutely awesome of course
Artic Frog - despite designers lovin this manufacturer, did not seem like retailers have caught on yet
Adobe - sponsor of Scrapbook Lifestyle show
Autumn Leaves - all star cast!
Brainiac Scrapbooking
Basic Grey - yum - never disappoints
Crafttrends magazine
Crate - love their new Avenue collection
Creative Imaginations (some of it...not all of it)
Daisy D's - introduces 5 minute, 10 minute, 30 minute scrapbooking
Delish Designs - gorgeous monograms
Die Cuts with a View - wow! tons of new and exciting stuff - will blow your mind (and I am on their DT you should know)
Dream Street Papers - Love these girls and their papers
Eyelet Outlet
Fancy Pants Designs
Flair - super friendly
Hambly - fresh original designs as we expect
Hampton Art - awesome make-n-take with Melodee Langworthy
Helmar
HP
K & Co.
KI Memories - fun pet line of products
Lasting Impressions - You must see their digital scrapbooking software - it is TOO EASY and SO FANTASTIC
Maya Road - awesome mini albums
My Mind's Eye (Bohemia, Magnolia) Gorgeous
Pink Martini - so fun...another all star cast with gorgeous papers
Prima - now has paper!
Primedia - Celebrity Central
Provo Craft - busy booth
Scribble Scrabble
Tonic Studios
Upsy Daisy - fun new designs
Zsiage

People that I got to meet: (in no particular order)
Leslie Flynn aka Hey_Pooks - my roommate; designer for QuicKutz
Heidi Swapp
PC Smart aka mojito
Linda Harrison with Artic Frog
Tia Bennett, Becky Novacek with AL
May Flaum with Fiskars
Nancy Hill, DCWV
Wendy Reed & Lesley Ashe
Tracy Whitney, Amy Teets, Tara Governo, Alexis Hardy, Dana Hollis with Dream Street papers
Melissa Runcie, Angela Daniels, Johanna Peterson, Leah Fung with BHG
Molli McLaws
Beth Root
Thena
Suzy West
Danielle Bogdanovich
Melodee Langworthy with Hampton Arts/Danielle Johnson CI
Becky Fleck, Kim Kesti, Amy Martin with Pink Martini (I know I'm forgetting someone there)
Kimber McGray
Becky Olsen aka bekzilla
April Anderton with www.digitalscrapbooking.com
Renee Pearson and Lin Sorenson with Primedia
Ro aka Rozannw Paxman, Valerie Randall, Mandy Steward with Scrapgirls.com
Ashley, owner of polkdotpotatoe.com
Kelly Purkey
Tamra
Becky Thompson
Tamar of Tarisota Collections in Australia
Anna Aspens of Designer Digitals


People I saw but didn't have the nerve to introduce myself - being my first show:
Becky Higgins
Kelli Crowe
Tim Holtz
Jessica Sprague


People I wanted to meet but didn't get a chance to connect with:
Holly Van Dyne
Diana Lyne McGraw
Amy Howe
Tina Freeman



I will post more throughout the weekend and this coming week about my MT experience, my favorite products, and lots of photos. Here's the first slideshow I bring to you - from the Basic Grey booth. Scrapbooker Online will have Blush and Fruitcake by the end of next week in her store!




Have a great day, happy scrapping! (P.S. What do you think of my re-cap so far?)