Creativation 2020 Part 3

Hello friends. I’m back with the third and final installment of my Creativation adventure. Thanks again for your kind comments, it’s really nice of you to take the time and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed seeing bits from the show. I know I sound like a broken record, but if you get a chance to attend, do it!

The show floor goes from complete chaos to complete craft village in just a couple of days. It’s a lot of hard work by the people involved, plus all of the planning that goes into it ahead of the show. I watch with awe at what they do!

Stamps are my jam and Stampers Anonymous make the best red rubber in the industry. This is their cool booth! Love all the vintage suitcases and the signage I’d seen for years in photos online before seeing it in person at the show. See the hat? You always need a hat! #justsaying

The etcetera tags from Stampers Anonymous are the perfect base for the new Tim Holtz professor 2 (CMS395) stamp set, he’s bigger and better than ever! The tag (top left) is the one Vicki Evans, (Thelma) nailed to Mario’s table in Creativation part 1.

These are some of the incredible card samples from makers around the world using the new Tim Holtz stamps, hanging in the Stampers Anonymous booth.

Mr Stampers Anonymous! One of the nicest guys in craft and so much fun to hang out with. He tells the best stories!

The Tim Holtz section of this years Sizzix booth. Not going to lie, last years booth was EPIC and I’m not sure anything will ever match it for me, but this was cute, like a small artists studio.

I don’t know who drew the sketches of the new colorize dies, but they’re amazing. Love these samples using those colorize dies by Kath Stewart and Tami B.

More samples from the Sizzix booth using the new Tim Holtz dies. So much inspiration…

Monica and I did a make and take together at the Sizzix booth, it was a lot of fun. I think that Bad Monica is rubbing off on me and when they offered us bright distress ink colours I snuck a brown out the cart and started a tiny revolution on the table, sorry not sorry Sizzix. Thanks for suggesting it Monica, had a lot of fun.

Shortly afterwards, Monica was back to misbehaving… 😉

Mario and I ran into Eileen Hull at the Sizzix booth. I really enjoyed getting to meet Eileen and spend some time chatting with her, such a genuinely nice lady.

One of the things I love best about going to Creativation is the people. It’s a such a pleasure to get to see so many people I adore in one place. Here are some of them…

Tim Holtz and Mario James Rossi are two of my favourite people in the world. They are genuine, kind, thoughtful, hard working, humble and SO much fun. They are both such great company and a total joy to be around and I feel really lucky to have friends like these.

Speaking of a joy to be around, my sister from another mister, Joy Kennedy is joy by name and nature. I love this girl, she is such fun to spend time with and makes me laugh. Beautiful inside and out and the selfie queen! She makes us all look good.

I loved finally getting to meet my sweet friend Stacy Hutchinson in person this year and hang out. She is truly awesome, super talented and even sweeter and we shared so many laughs, dessert and sugartinis.

Thelma and Louise Part 2! I love riding with this girl, she is so easy going and we have so much fun together. We are trying to convince Kaz Hall to come next time… we need a Brad! 😉

Paula Cheney is the Mum of the group and she takes care of us all during Creativation. She is incredible to the team of makers and guides us through with good humor. I love spending time with Paula in person, and she shares her cookies! (photo credit: Joy Kennedy)

Last day selfies with my SFAM, Dyan Reaveley, Ben Reaveley (Art from the Heart) and Anita Houston.

How many photo’s does it take to get 4 people to smile, open their eyes and look into the camera? I had to include all of these because they make me laugh! So much silliness. <31

We nailed it!

During the show they run education workshops and seminars. Vicki and I signed up for a jewellery class with Susan Lenart Kazmer. Susan is such a cool and nice person and I really enjoyed talking to her after class.

Susan makes these amazing jewellery pieces. Just in awe!

It’s incredible how many colour swatches have to be made for the show! These were just 4 boards of many that Tim Holtz prepared for the Ranger Ink booth using distress products! It’s a lot of work to get ready for the show, so hats off to all of those who work like crazy in the run up. The displays were awesome!

Shout out to the Tim Holtz Addicts group who I did a couple of facebook LIVES for when Tim demoed on the Ranger ink booth. Stacy Hutchinson was doing a LIVE for the Tim Holtz page. How awesome to have 2 perspectives. Thanks for taking this Mario, I love the photo, the moment and the perspective. (photo credit: Mario James Rossi)

It was a lot of fun to watch Tim demo, he’s an incredible educator and makes learning so much fun.
(Monica has her eye on me…)

One of the new products that Tim demoed is the distress embossing glazes! They are so awesome and I was lucky enough to take some home with me to play with! Check out Tim’s facebook LIVE replay or head over to Tim Holtz Addicts group to see the facebook LIVE from the show.

Celebrating Heidi Klausing Crowl from Simon Says Stamp receiving a Creative Retail Award. Cheers!

And just like that it was done for another year! Packed up and heading home…

On my long journey home I got a fever and went down with flu right after the show. When I got home I was overtired and not feeling good, but the sight of this one soon had me smiling again. Missed him.

I want to end with this piece I made in the jewellery class I took. It’s important because of the words I chose. Last year was a really tough one for many reasons and I got through thanks to some really good friends. To see them and hug them after such a scary, happy, sad and introspective year for me personally was so special. And to spend time with these people that I love, surrounded by inspiration and incredible kindness was genuinely what I needed most. Counting the days until we get to do it all again and I get to see all of these amazing people again. Thanks for following along, reading, commenting and mostly for making this creative community such a happy place.

Much Love

Zoe x

…oh and come to Creativation, it’s so much fun!!