Advertisers' Page
Advertising Information
Submission Guidelines
Mailing List
Adobe Acrobat version
of this issue
Editorial
Previous Issues
Contact Us
Donations
Staff
Guilds
Swaps
Events
Links
HIA Revisited
January 2003
By Trina Williams
Click on images for larger picture and captions

 The Hobby Industry Association's (HIA) annual trade show is one of the largest in the world. It is like one giant craft store with all of the new products on display each year. Please refer to my article in the March 2002 Polyzine for more background information.

This year members of the Orange County, CA and Las Vegas Polymer Clay Guilds were able to assist the Van Aken Company in showing the versatility of Kato Polyclay which was introduced at this show last year. Not only did we demonstrate the clay in the Van Aken booth, we also helped Lisa Pavelka and Donna Kato with classes available to HIA members. Each of these classes had about fifty people and we set up pasta machines, handed out supplies and assisted anyone who needed help.

All of the helpers were outfitted in DKPC t-shirts and "diamond tiaras". The shirts were a little snug but we wore our tiaras everywhere. The phrase on the back is in reference to the fact that you get 3 oz. of Kato clay to 2oz. of the other brands for the same price.

In Donna's class, which was from 8 - 10 in the evening, the students learned about mica shift and made a pendant from metallic clay. The projects in these classes are kept simple, as most of the participants, retailers, buyers, designers and wholesalers are new to polymer clay. The idea is to show them how fun and easy the product is to use so they will stock it in their store.

So, after staying up late for Donna's class we were up and at 'em early the next morning for Lisa's class. Again there were about fifty participants and Lisa demonstrated a photo album using the Kato clay, the new texture sheets from Embossing Arts and Ranger Perfect Pearls.

Meanwhile, back at the booth, the crowds gathered constantly. Michelle Ross, Klew, Donna, Lisa and assorted OC Guild members kept the place jumping. Many of us had our work nicely displayed. And on one of the days Carol Duvall was there taping for her upcoming HIA program. Also present were Judy Belcher and Gail Ritchie from the southern part of the U.S.

Among the new items Donna is introducing are the rubber texture sheets made for her by Embossing Arts. Although the EA sheets are available for sale, Donna's designs, which are going to be double sided, are still in development. These are deeply cut 5 x7-unmounted rubber stamps. (At this writing Embossing Arts is going out of business but those in the know are hopeful another company will take up the line.)

The two techniques which we are excited about are 1) Being able to get a wonderful mica shift pattern by using metallic clay, pressing it into the sheet and carefully slicing it off to reveal the design and 2) after the first layer is sliced off, adding a sheet of another color, rolling it on and then peeling it away so it lifts the first color out of the stamp and leaving a wonderful two color raised pattern.

Another new product not yet available is Repel Gel, which you rub on the clay where you DON'T want it to bond. This enables you to make blade holders, cardholders, luggage tags, etc. without having to bake the two pieces separately and then gluing the edges.

Last but not least is Donna's cute little T-blade. It is a short (4 inch) very thin blade for doing delicate slicing. This is available now everywhere the clay is sold.