This week, we’re expanding our product review of the week from one product into five because we want to talk about the CHA 2009 Innovations Showcase Winners.  These are the newest ideas and most innovative products from companies who exhibited at the Craft & Hobby Association show in January. So the show was in January but we're just talking about them now you ask?  Well, it usually takes 4 – 6 months to see many of these items actually hit the store shelves so now is the perfect time to talk about them.

First up:  the winner in the Art Materials  Framing category was Golden Artist Color – Fluid Color Travel Interference Acrylics.  Now that’s a mouthful!  Here’s the technical description for these paints … the Color Travel Interference Colors shift dramatically when viewed at different angles, revealing not just one shift, but multiple tones between two points on a spectrum. Color Travel Interference Green-Blue, Green-Orange and Violet-Green have the ability to shift in color cast due to pigment comprised of mica layers with varying degrees of oxide pigment particles. The relationship between the reflectivity of mica and oxide pigments absorptive properties refract due to changing the return angle of a light source. Here's my non-technical, layman's description: "Cool. Really cool." >>Tiff

Next up from the Fabric, Quilting & Needlecraft category the winner was AccuQuilt – GO! Fabric Cutter. This is for those people who love to quilt but hate to cut. It allows quilters to cut fabric as much as 90% faster than scissors or rotary cutting. You can cut an entire quilt in minutes! It's patented, revolutionary, portable design allows you to carry and cut wherever you go--to classes, retreats, guild meetings and quilting bees. Included with the cutter is a great value die plus a cutting mat so you are ready to start quilting right out of the box. The die offers three shapes that work together for a multitude of projects: Square-4 1/2"; Square-2 1/2"; Half Square-2" Finished Triangle (cuts four shapes). Includes directions for projects using the three die-cut shapes. >>Tiff

A double winner from the General Crafts category and the Overall Best Innovation winner was the Tulip Create-A-Color Custom Dye Kit by Duncan Enterprises.  This is a new fabric dye kit that includes four base color permanent fabric dyes (black, yellow, turquoise and fuchsia), a how-to color recipe guide with project ideas, storage containers and measuring tools. On Duncan’s website it says that this product will be available in retail in Summer 2009, so we’ll stay on top of this and let you know when it hits the stores.  >>Tiff

From the Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts category the winner was the Ultimate Crafter’s Companion. You can use this for card scoring, envelope making, a box maker, ribbon shaper, envelo-box creator, Popout and K-Card Creator, decorative embossing, paper trimming and if that's not enough, it has storage compartments for all your accessories! >>Tiff

In the New Exhibitors category, the winner was the Spiral Eye Side Threading Needle.  This is a needle that you actually thread through a unique slot on the side of the needle that creates a tongue and groove channel into the eye of the needle. When you go to their site, there are Photos which show you how you just drape your thread over the shaft of the needle and then move the looped thread up to catch it in the slot. You move it into the channel and into the eye. It’s really amazing. >>Tiff