Did every scrap/stamp blog writer go to CHA this year? I just finishes scrolling thru 700 plus postings to Reader and 70% of them were saying they either were at CHA, were on their way to CHA or had just left CHA.
I had a opportunity to go a couple of years ago with a friend-but some little thing called the Iraq war got in the way. Personally, I am glad I didn't go-crazy women with corporate or store credit cards, non-stop gotta-have-it -first addictions and nasty attitudes in general scare the shit out of me. What I don't get is, if you aren't a store owner or affiliated with one such as a permanent in-store teacher or bulk buyer for companies, why are you even there? Is it to flaunt that you attended with all your photos and touchy-feelie kiss ups with Tim and Carol and Heidi? As a non-store owner, is it to brag you saw these products before anyone else? Many of those products will never see store shelves or will be so back logged, that something else will come along to steal the public lust. Scrappers have short attention spans as it is.
I had been bugging my local stamp store owner for a product she raved about from last year's CHA which she ordered tons of. I sent her a link yesterday that was posted this week by an attendee that was bragging up this new item. It was the same damned thing from last year, same style same price! So when will anyone see it anyway?
After reading about the whole deal via blogs-unlike previous years when blogs were not the must have thing -I can't imagine what is so impressive when I can casually log onto the sites of the products and see the "coming soon" or sign up for announcements to see all these new products-for free! If it's on the company website, I am more inclined to believe it's gonna happen. If someone has stuff at a show but it's for pre-orders or samples only, I won't hold my breath until I see it on the shelves of the local stores.
9 comments:
You're right! Most of the small time stores here are closed due to "CHA", and when they return, it will take forever and a day before they even receive the products that they've checked out.
I'm with you on this....
I can go through blog posts on Google so fast these recent days because I just slide on by all the CHA stuff. The pictures just aren't that good, and why do I need to see a picture of you with Julie HRR and with Mona Lisa and with Linda and with Bad Sherry and with Kim Hughes and with Heidi and with (and on and on)?
I think every one but one had Bad Sherry in it-she do get around.
Amen! And, no I'm not a religious person. But I do own a store and I did attend CHA.
What the hell is up with "Professional Crafters?" Who are these rude, pushy women with the "entitlement" attitude?
They hog the "make and take" tables and always ask for extra supplies. When the vendors explain that they have limited supplies, these "Professional" crafters scoff and say, "I paid to get in here."
No shit? So did we, the store owners. And guess what? So did the vendors. And you know what else, honey? The vendors forked out a shitload more money to be there than you did and are hoping to recoup some of the cost by getting orders.
Since you are most likely not going to be placing an order, or promoting the product (except maybe on your blog, with an enthusiastic 'I got it all FREE at CHA'), could you just go away?
If you are such a "Professional Crafter", then why aren't you taking the specialty classes the day before the show opens? That's where you really get the good information and learn how to use the new products.
I think I saw more Professional Crafter badges that Store Owner badges. I checked the qualifications needed to get a "PC" badge and what a f&$*#^% joke! $450 in retail receipts? Shit, I have customers who spend that much in three visits.
Is there a place in this industry for Professional Crafters?
Absolutely.
However, these snotty women need to get off their high horses, pull the sticks and/or their heads out of their asses, and ACT like a professional.
I spent that much (450) at one local stamp convention. Does that make me a professional too? I want my badge to get in! I Have never done a make and take at any convention I was ever at because big fat asses with their trolly carts (and the ones with baby strollers and no baby) hog the tables for hours. I have decided to stay home and save my sore feet from now on. But its the same at special store sales like anny's and blockbuster (mostly we are hurting and we need to get rid of this shit) sales. I just can't stomach it anymore.
the worst CHA blog crap was Making Memories as they had their laptops or crackberries with them and added contests all day long and you had to email or CALL them so they could record when you were the winners. Great prizes but the majority of us have a life and can't sit on fat asses to wait for "him" to call.
Ditto. I'm starting to hate the damn exclusive sorority know as SCS too. The same people suck up to each other everywhere. The blog rolls are the same select people, the DT members same people. I swear they just recycle the same blog roll for every DT call. The same people are CHA too. For pity's sake the same customers, DT and owners are all the same people. Scratching each others backs and selling to each other. Like the same DT members can come of with fresh new designs.
So I was at CHA working for a vendor. OMG! The "professional crafters" were the most annoying bunch for sure. And the people who got in because they were on design teams. And I agree about the whole SCS thing. I tried to say Hi to a couple of people and got completely blown off because I wasn't a part of the "cool kids crew." And SCS's coverage of the show sucked. It was just the same ol' stuff we've already seen. If you're going to go there to cover the show, actually do it instead of sipping margaritas, socializing, and trying to con your way into as much free stuff as possible.
I agree that SCS has become a club of the cool girl wannabees. They think because they post there hours each day that they are in charge of the place. Then if they go to CHA they get together and carry on like an exclusive club. It is junior high all over again. The blogs just add to this persona of the SCS/CHA/Design Team cheerleader prom queens who turn up their nose at anyone not as cute or who doesn't have hundreds of dollars to put down at one show. Some of these ladies must be spending tens of thousands of dollars to have ALL the products and to post nearly daily and never use the same stamp twice. Remember those HS girls who would never wear the same outfit twice? Well, here we are friends. Events like CHA just play into the "have to have the latest style" and cannot use something from 3 months ago or you just aren't cool enough to hang with us. It is purely disgusting. Have you noticed how these ladies treat others on SCS? Can we name names here? I guess we don't have to. Watch a new person come on that site and see what the SCS clique puts them through!
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