Best in Show winners from the Chicago gift market

Exhibitors and showrooms were honored with Best Display Awards at the Chicago Market, which ran Jan. 20 to 26 at the Merchandise Mart. Winners were selected by an internal panel committee and were judged on innovation, design and creativity. The winners are:

BEST EXHIBIT DISPLAY AWARD WINNERS


Beckman's Handcrafted Show winners:

• 79 West Designs, www.79westdesigns.com. 79 West Design's line of "handmade essentials" includes holiday stockings, bottle cozies, seasonal home decor, and knit dog sweaters.
• Blue Barnhouse, www.bluebarnhouse.org. Blue Barnhouse offers handmade books, letterpress stationery, and publishing services.

Home winner

• Eastern Accents, www.easternaccents.com. Eastern Accents is a Chicago-based designer and wholesaler of luxury bedding and decorative home accessories.

Gourmet winner

• The French Farm, www.thefrenchfarm.com. The French Farm has searched the European continent to bring consumers the finest in wholesale imported gourmet foods.

Gift & Accessories winners

• Pose-ez, pose-ez.com. POSE-EZ flexible figures. Bend, flex, and pose these characters into any position you want! Their patent-pending design is totally unique.
• Aesthetic Movement, www.aestheticmovement.com. Aesthetic Movement provides award-winning design services with sales and marketing expertise.

What a Girl Wants winner

• Little Gorilla Designs, www.littlegorilladesign.com. Little Gorilla Designs carries a variety of personalized items for young ones. All items are hand-painted and personalized. Great gift items for any occasion, birthdays, baby gifts, holidays and more.

BEST SHOWROOM DISPLAY AWARD WINNERS

• K&K, www.kkgifts.com, showroom 13-207. K&K features top sellers in gifts, collectibles, home and garden decor.
• Designs Combined, Inc., www.shopdci.com, showroom 13-213. Designs Combined, Inc. is a wholesaler specializing in country gifts, floral and home decor.
• Patti White & Co, Inc., www.pattiwhiteco.com, showroom 1485. Patti White & Co, Inc. has been a leader in the Midwest wholesale gift industry since 1991. Patti White & Co, Inc. offers a diverse variety of product lines including: bath and body products, paper goods, home accessories, toys, apparel, books and trend items.
• White Ginger, www.whitegingerchicago.com, showroom 130416a. White Ginger is a multi-manufacturer’s rep group whose primary goal is to make lifestyle wholesale buying as exciting and as effortless as possible. Their objective is to partner with the finest luxury, eco-friendly, and specialty gift lines in the industry.

Hand-painted boxes and dream catchers

 

Elizabeth Slomka has a unique way of painting on layered glass that illuminates her mystical paintings. Her paintings are called “Faerie Windows” and have a three-dimensional feel. She calls these images of the unseen world of faeries.

At the Beckman's Handcrafted show in Chicago (Jan. 21 to 24), Slomka will debut two new products: Faerie Wish Boxes and Faerie Dream Catchers. The copper-lined glass boxes are topped with a handmade "Faerie Window" painting. The ribbon-hung dream
catchers feature a handmade painting.

Award-winning exhibits at Chicago gift show

Chicago Market: Living and Giving Best In Show Award Winners

BEST EXHIBIT DISPLAY AWARD WINNERS
Gourmet Winner
Rolf Glass, www.rolfglass.com
Rolf Glass is an American glass cutting and engraving manufacturer. They offer customers distinctive images and timeless icons on quality crystal and glassware.

What A Girl Wants Winner
W.I.N.O.S Inc., www.winoshavefun.com
W.I.N.O.S offer cookbooks, apparel and accessories with a sense of humor.

Home Winner
Amity Home, www.amityimports.com
Amity Home offers fine linens,Crib Beddings,Quilt Patterns that feature great quality and workmanship.

Beckman's Handcrafted Winner
Erin Smith Art, www.erinsmithart.com
Erin Smith offers fun and sassy mixed media artwork.

Beckman’s Handcrafted Winner
Printed Canvas, www.printedcanvas.com
Printed Canvas offers distinctive, artist-signed stationery and unique art.

Gift & Accessories Winner
Royal Green Enterprise, Ltd and Chit Chat Beauty, www.royalgreen.com and www.chitchatbeauty.com
Royal Green Enterprises Ltd is an importer and wholesaler that was founded in 1980. Their products include a wide range of Artificial Flowers, Trees, Fruits, Vegetables, Christmas Decorations, Vases, Containers, Furniture and more. Chit Chat Beauty is an inspirational bath and beauty line created for young girls.


BEST SHOWROOM DISPLAY AWARD WINNERS
Design Design, showroom 13-518, www.designdesign.us
Design Design’s product lines include paper tableware, humorous beverage napkins, ceramic and aluminum serving pieces, gift packaging, greeting cards, stationery, home décor, and gifts.

Daniel Richards, showroom 13-512, www.danielrichards.biz
Daniel Richards offers fine gift and stationery representatives, with products ranging from baby, home decor and general gift.

AND!Sales, showroom 14-109, www.andsales.com
And!Sales is a rep organization specializing in home lines and serving the Midwest territory. Their goal is to bring a broad range of products and style to Mid-America. Products range from home decor, indoor and outdoor, fashion and trend.

Saro Trading, showroom 14-105 http://www.saro.com
Saro Trading offers traditional home textiles in delicate laces in the European tradition as well as a multitude of contemporary textiles in varied textures, spanning the wide range from napkin rings to table throws to bedcovers, supplement the selection of textiles into full collections

Candles and room sprays

New candle fragrances from Lakeshore Candle Co. include Cranberry Clementine, Vanilla Lime, Spiced Granola, and Pomegranate. A CandlePot Votive has a 25-hour burn time. An 18-ounce Click Clack Tin burns for 90 hours.
New room sprays complement the candle. Available in a 2.5-ounce aluminum spray bottle, scents include Lavender Eucalyptus, Lemongrass, Cucumber Apple, Sweet Bay Magnolia, Morning Rain, and Lilac. The company exhibits at gift markets in Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus (OH), Dallas, Las Vegas, Minneapolis and Philadelphia.

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Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

New furniture, accessories in transitional styles

The Santro aluminum vases are exclusive to IMAX, which has introduced a range of accessories and furniture for the summer. The vases reflect light as if it were ripples in the water. The design works in contemporary or transitional displays.

Mirabella Velvet Chaise Lounge

Manning Chair

Honeybee Trend pillows with British interior styling are reminiscent

of men's haberdashery with houndstooth, herringbone and pinstripe fabrics.

Chappin Glass Honeycomb Vases

Lightbulb tealight holders are caricatures of a lightbulb. Candle flames flicker in the holder by IMAX exclusive designer Melissa Vasquez.

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Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Inspirational angels

Rivendell Gifts has launched Angel Wing Wishes, a figurine collection designed by Julie Kay of La Porte, Indiana. Cast in solid steel, the angels are packaged with “an experience” called a Moment of Meditation, enhanced with Flying Wish Paper. The experience is then set on fire so it soars to the heavens, the company says.

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Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Plan ahead: Chicago gift show dates through 2013

The Chicago Market: Living and Giving

July 22 –28, 2010  (Thursday – Wednesday)

Showrooms:

Thursday – Tuesday 9 am – 6 PM | Floors 13,14 & 15

Saturday 9 am – 8 PM (Extended hours for Shop Late Night)

Wednesday 9 am – 5 PM

Temporaries & Beckman’s ™ Handcrafted Show:

July 24 –27, 2010  (Saturday – Tuesday)

Saturday – Monday 9 am – 6 PM | Floor 8

Tuesday 9 am – 3 PM

 

2011 Market Dates

January 20 – 26 (Thursday – Wednesday)

Showrooms: January 20 –26

Temporaries and Beckman’s™ Handcrafted Show: January 22 –25

July 28 – August 3 (Thursday – Wednesday)

Showrooms: July 28 –August 3

Temporaries and Beckman’s™ Handcrafted Show: July 30 – August 2

2012 Market Dates

January 19-25 (Thursday – Wednesday)

Showrooms: January 19- January 25, 2012

Temporaries and Beckman’s™ Handcrafted Show: January 21 –January 24, 2012

July 19 – 25 (Thursday – Wednesday)

Showrooms: July 19- July 25, 2012

Temporaries and Beckman’s™ Handcrafted Show: July 21 –July 24, 2012

2013 Market Dates

January 17 – 23 (Thursday – Wednesday)

Showrooms: January 17- January 23, 2013

Temporaries and Beckman’s™ Handcrafted Show: January 19 –January 22, 2013

July 25 – 31 (Thursday – Wednesday)

Showrooms: July 25 - July 31, 2013

Temporaries and Beckman’s™ Handcrafted Show: July 25 –July 31, 2013

Saturday Special: Tradeshow Exhibitors & Social Media

Trade shows and social media are made for each other.

Shows consist of you, your product and your customers. Social media allow you to share this information.

It's important to document the event. Besides your booth, the one key piece of equipment to take is a digital camera with video and voice recording capabilities. I've covered hundreds of trade shows from the media side. My digital camera has become as indispensable as pen and paper.

With this camera, you are creating the raw material for your social media and traditional  marketing efforts. You will use the photos, videos and sounds you record for:

With this camera, you are creating the raw material for your social media and traditional  marketing efforts. You will use the photos, videos and sounds you record for:

1. Facebook
2. Your website
3. Your blog
4. Twitter
5. Flickr (or other photo-sharing site)
6. YouTube account
7. Press releases
8. Internal sales presentations
9. E-mail newsletters
10. Brochures
11. Advertising

What should you shoot? You have to think like a newsman. Ask yourself: What interests my customers? What do I want my sales staff to know about my products? What story do I want to tell the media?

Assign someone on your staff to be the official photographer. Create a list of shots you must have. This might include: booth set up; products; ribbon cutting; award presentations (to customers or to staff); and customer interaction.

Think about what each of the social medium needs; that is, photos for Flickr and press releases; video for blog and website.

If you plan ahead, you will return from the trade show with six-months worth of material. The next step is to share that information.

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Feeling overwhelmed? I'm available to help tell your story. Give me a call.

This article originally appeared at www.jimbocarper.com

Stylish, eco-friendly tote bags

Goody Green Bags are an eco-friendly and chic alternative to paper or plastic. The bags come in two sizes and 11 patterns. Made from non-woven polypropylene, they fold to the size of an envelope. See the company at the Chicago gift show.

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Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Citron, honey, coriander hand lotion

Crabtree & Evelyn is introducing its Citron, Honey & Coriander Hand Therapy collection at the winter gift markets. The product is a paraben-free hand care system that cleanses, moisturises and treats. The collection includes a Rejuvenating hand remedy, a Creamy cleanser, a Scrub cleanser, a Hand Therapy moisturiser and a Hand Recovery polisher.All products are free of parabens, lauryl sulfates, mineral oil, and propylene glycol.
See the company at gift markets and showrooms in Atlanta, Boston (Billerica), Chicago, Dallas. Los Angeles, New York and Seattle.

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Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Holiday and gifts from the winter markets

Midwest-CBK is showing its new 2010 collections, featuring more than 2,500 new SKUs, at the winter markets in all of its showrooms.
The new holiday collections feature exclusive designs, with an emphasis on tradition (with a twist) and character-driven designs, including Gracious Holiday, Santa Gallery, Tis the Season, Merry Little Christmas, Peppermint Twist and Snow Fun.
Popular gift collections return with more designs including Genuine Monkeez & Friends (colorful plush with magnetized hands and feet) and the Suzy Toronto expanded licensed collection including new night shirts, travel mugs and necklaces.

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Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Tote bags, display ideas from Midwest-CBK

Retailers visiting Midwest-CBK showrooms during the January gift markets will receive a complimentary reuseable tote bag designed in-house and featuring the company’s “Design. Style. Sparkle!” motto. The tote is made of sturdy canvas.
The company also is giving aways CDs containing display ideas. According to a company press release: "Creative display ideas feature products from more than 20 new themes from Midwest-CBK’s new holiday, home décor, gift and candle collections, including Merry Little Christmas, Wonder Lights, Warm and Fuzzy, Snow Fun, Gracious Holiday, Tinsel Town, Peace, Sandy Shores, The Suzy Toronto Collection, Genuine Monkeez and Friends, Casa Cristina, Western and frames.
"For example, ideas include creating a vintage merchantile display complete with Santa chair, glass display case and streetlights; creating a candy shop display, filling glass containers with candy-styled ornaments and baubles; and building a sand box to frame a nautical display."
Midwest-CBK’s showrooms are in Atlanta, Billerica (MA), Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New York and Seattle.

Readers' Choice Of 2009

These were the most-viewed products of 2009. Click the company name for full descriptions, links to company websites and additional photographs. Thanks for reading Gift & Home Today in 2009.

Zicci Bea

Pennsylvania House

Linnea's Lights

McAlpine Home Collection

SpongeBob furniture from Lea Furniture

Custom canvas tote bags

Planet Saver Sacks (also featured yesterday) can customize its eco-friendly canvas totes, like this one for Maria Shriver's Women's Conference. The manufacturer exhibited at the 2009 summer gift show in Chicago.

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Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.

Eco-friendly tote bags

The City Bags line from Planet Saver Sacks are made in Los Angeles of heavy-weight untreated cotton canvas with water-based inks. Cities include New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego.
The Cartoon bags have an eco-fact on the reverse side. The company can make custom bags for special occasions and events. (Click images for larger view.)

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Retailers: Contact the manufacturer for prices and minimums.

Shoppers: Ask your favorite independent retailer to order this item for you.