Hot Product Finalists Announced by Craft & Hobby Association

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Craft and Hobby Association

Dec 15, 2015, 07:00 ET

Elmwood Park, NJ (PRWEB) December 15, 2015 -- The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) announces the finalists for its 2016 CHA Hot Products Awards. Manufacturers from all over the world submitted a record number of innovative retail products in this year’s competition. The winners in eight categories will be revealed at the 3rd Annual CHA Foundation Gala on January 10, 2016 during the CHA MEGA Show, January 7-12, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. The CHA MEGA Show is the largest creative arts products conference and trade show in North America.

A panel of leading industry buyers, celebrities, bloggers and editors judged the CHA Hot Products entries. The judges selected the category finalists based on what makes the product unique; how the product will improve the crafter’s overall experience; and the interest and excitement the product generates for those outside of the crafting community.

The CHA 2016 Hot Product Finalists are:

BEAD & JEWELRY

  • Bangle Bracelet Weaver Tool by Kleshna by Beadalon, creates intricately woven and embellished Bangle Bracelets in different sizes and materials.
  • Ergo Texture Hammer by ImpressArt, takes advantage of ImpressArt's vast selection of metal stamps allowing them to be used to make one-of-a-kind textures and patterns in metal jewelry.
  • iloom by Wooky Entertainment, is the next generation of bracelet making, which turns ideas into finished accessories by pairing an iPad with an innovative device and app.

CAKE & FOOD DECORATING

  • 3-Tier Dessert Stand by Deflecto, LLC, a patented design that takes appetizers, desserts and food decorating to a new level. It sets up quickly, knocks down flat for compact storage and cleans up easily.
  • PenBlade Craft and Hobby Knife by PenBlade, Inc., combines safety and versatility to create a multi-tool perfect for all types of projects. Its unique features and design ensures an improved cutting experience.
  • Tattered Lace Cake - Lavish Blooms Poppy Die by Tattered Lace, a food safe metal cutting die that can be used with a range of cutting machines to make die cut shapes from wafer paper and some forms of icing sheet.

FABRIC & NEEDLE CRAFTS

  • 8" Table Top Offset Scissors by Fiskars, premium grade stainless steel RazorEdge™ fabric shears feature ultra-sharp blades for clean, crisp cuts, and are ideal for fabrics like silk, oil cloth, light leather, polyester, cotton, crepe, felt and more.
  • Boye 4-n-1 Crochet Tool by Simplicity Creative Group, offers four hook combinations, and is easy to carry and perfect for crocheting on the go.
  • PenBlade Craft and Hobby Knife by PenBlade, Inc., combines safety and versatility to create a multi-tool perfect for all types of projects. Its unique features and design ensures an improved cutting experience.

FLORAL CRAFTS

  • Bow Genius™ by Berwick Offray LLC, the ultimate bow maker for all type and sizes of floral, home décor and hair bows, and easy for beginners and experts to use.
  • PenBlade Craft and Hobby Knife by PenBlade, Inc., combines safety and versatility to create a multi-tool perfect for all types of projects. Its unique features and design ensures an improved cutting experience.
  • Scented Gluesticks by Adhesive Technologies Inc., fills any craft room with the inviting scents of the holidays. These multi-temp glue sticks will work with AdTech mini glue guns.

GENERAL CRAFTS

  • Bow Genius™ by Berwick Offray LLC, the ultimate bow maker for all type and sizes of floral, home décor and hair bows, and easy for beginners and experts to use.
  • Ribb-Its by LC Design Company, a display system for hanging cards, artwork and more without adhesives. The three components - ribbon, clip and unique two-piece magnet - work together to form an attractive and non-damaging display.
  • Tassel Makers by Clover Needlecraft Inc., a new tool for the latest craze - tassel making. Available in small and large, this tool creates a clean, uniform looking tassel each time.

KIDS CRAFTS

  • Buttoonies by Craft Yourself Silly LTD, a simple, fun project for crafters of all ages and abilities. Thread together and add in the bespoke foam shapes to create one of a range of 30 characters.
  • kat & duke by Happenchance, LLC, turns any cardboard box into an adventure. Beautifully designed stickers and pop outs make for easy and creative legendary castles, a wild animal kingdom or rocket flight to Mars.
  • Ribb-Its by LC Design Company, a display system for hanging cards, artwork and more without adhesives. The three components - ribbon, clip and unique two-piece magnet - work together to form an attractive and non-damaging display.

PAINT & ART

  • ArtFoamies by Balzer Designs, high quality, artist designed foam stamps that can be used on different crafting platforms including the popular mixed media, art journaling, and Gelli printing.
  • Craypen by FPC Corporation, a patented product that lets users paint with wax, and blend colors and build layers of vibrant color to achieve the effects of oil with instant dry time.
  • übermatte™ by DESIGN MASTER® color tool, inc., is the ultimate change up artist for craft or DIY projects in trend-focused hues. This quick covering, fast drying spray delivers modern, ultra matte color in a smooth finish.

PAPER CRAFTS

  • Mini MISTI & Mega MISTI by My Sweet Petunia, Inc., have a simple hinge design that provides consistent stamping for novice or experienced crafters and a platform for multiple stamp techniques that are impossible with traditional stamping mounts. Both products accommodate both red rubber cling stamps and clear stamps.
  • Silhouette Mint by Silhouette America, is an innovative and powerful custom stamping system. The machine’s special “thermal printing” ability lets users create 3D reliefs of custom designs on Mint stamp sheets.
  • TODO by Craft Retail, is a unique multi-functional crafting machine that enables the crafter to hot foil, letter press, die cut and emboss all on one machine. It works on all papers, card stock, fabrics and leather.

“The CHA Hot Product Awards and Hot Product Showcase are exciting features of the CHA MEGA Show. Attendees can discover first-hand new and inventive products that inspire a whole new generation of crafters as well as make the creative process easier and more enriching for established makers,” said Mark Hill, CHA’s Interim President & CEO.

Judges for the CHA Hot Product Awards included: Julie Askew, Cake Craft and Decoration Magazine; Julie Bonnar, Craft Focus; Maria Charbonneaux, Better Homes and Gardens’ Do It Yourself Magazine; Sarah Crosland, Crafts Beautiful; Lee Anne DiCecco, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts; Hannah & Rosie, The New Craft Society; Jade Harrington, Jaderbomb; Melissa Hyland, Craft Business; Tammy Jones, Jewelry Making Daily; Nancy Nally, Scrapbook Update; Jo Packham, Where Women Create; Julie Peasgood & Wendy Turner, Crafty Beggars; Sienna Parulis-Cook, Cardmaking & Papercraft; Jenny Barnett Rohrs, Craft Test Dummies; Michael Serinaldi, Michaels; Katie Smith, PunkProjects.com; Christine Urias, Scrap Time; Roberta Wax, Craft Ideas; and Shellie Wilson, Craft Gossip.

The 2016 CHA Hot Product Nominees can be viewed here: http://www.chamegashow.org/events-and-features/hot-product-awards-finalists. For more information on attending the 2016 CHA MEGA Show, Hot Products Showcase, and the 3rd Annual CHA Foundation Gala, visit http://www.chamegashow.org.

ABOUT THE CRAFT & HOBBY ASSOCIATION
The Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) is an international non-profit trade association consisting of thousands of member companies engaged in the design, manufacture, distribution and retail sales of products worldwide in the craft and hobby industry. For more information about CHA, membership or its award-winning CHA Conference and Trade Show, visit http://www.craftandhobby.org or http://www.chamegashow.org.

Editor’s Note: Qualified members of the media are invited to register for the CHA MEGA Show. For press registration and information on Media Monday, January 11, at the CHA MEGA Show, visit: http://www.chamegashow.org/media

Annie Scully, Craft and Hobby Association, http://www.craftandhobby.org, +1 201-310-9252, [email protected]