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Oh, the places you’ll go! If you were to travel back in time to when I was sculpting Styrofoam in a middle school art class and told me that someday I’d have the chance to visit New Orleans on a work trip where I’d meet fascinating people, immerse myself in rich culture and get up close to colorful Mardi Gras floats, I’d say that was a nice dream and get back to my project.

Turns out, dreams can come true.

This year was my first foray into Creativation by Namta, and what an introduction it was! It was a whirlwind of a trip, with two days of educational sessions plus a venture onto the trade show floor. I met up with acquaintances and made new friends. I was even able to explore the surrounding area and experience the lively atmosphere of the Crescent City.

One of the things that impressed me most was that the show was just as vibrant as its host city. The booths were decorated with colorful products, with more than one vendor offering demonstrations and participatory projects. I watched instructors exhibit Bob Ross products to a small painting class. Presenters in Demo Alley called me over to see and interact with the newest items on the market. I marveled at the realistic molds made with Smooth-On products and geeked out about their uses in movies and cosplays. The whole experience was like being a kid in a giant candy store – I wanted to try everything!

The people were just as colorful and twice as friendly. They were welcoming and enthusiastic, not caring a bit that I was a newcomer to the crafts and fine arts industry. Vendors took their time to explain their products and how creative minds – no matter their experience level – could utilize them. It got me thinking how to expand my horizons.

There was plenty of time to forge new connections and learn how art is impacting communities in new and unique ways. Towards the end of my visit, I was directed to a booth hosted by My Very Own Blanket. I had a very poignant conversation with the organization’s founder, Jessica Rudolph about how the group makes and collects hand-made blankets for kids in the foster care system. Rudolph gave me a no-sew fleece blanket to work on as we talked. As someone who has adopted cousins, the organization’s mission hit quite close to home. Within half an hour, the blanket was finished and my heart felt a little bigger. You can read Rudolph’s story later on in this magazine.

The attendees were just as fun as the exhibitors. One morning, as a group of us were bused to the convention center, I heard a conversation between two retailers seated a row behind me (the perks of being a wallflower, so to speak). They were talking about the latest issue of Art Materials Retailer when one suggested that the other should share her story with the magazine. It was through this fortuitous mutual connection I met Amanda Bennett, owner of Blaine’s Art Supplies in Anchorage, AK. Indeed, she did have a wonderful journey to share and I’m delighted to feature her store in this issue.

I made many other connections at Creativation, some of which you will see in these pages, others which will be featured in future issues. In the end, I am proud to highlight the creativity, determination and kindness that can be found in this wonderful industry. I invite you, whether you are a newcomer or veteran, to join me on this amazing journey. Happy reading!

continued on page 6 t

For Art’s Sake by Victoria

Ritter

Blaine’s Art Finds Its Flow

Warmth and wonder await in this Anchorage, AK store

Artful Behavior: Jaime Echt Creates a Feast for the Senses

A love of paper crafting led to the founding of The Crafter’s Workshop

Exploring the Modernized World of Fountain Pens at Creativation

From calligraphy to sketching, these pens are mighty

CREATIVATION by

Meagan

On the Cover: Jenny Rowe looks on as her father, Eric Rowe, paints with The Stoneground Paint Co.’s watercolors. Eric is the founder of Stoneground, based out of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Photo courtesy of The Stoneground Paint Co.

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For People Who Sell Art Supplies

A brand of Fahy-Williams Publishing

About Art Materials Retailer

Founded in 1998, Art Materials Retailer is unlike any other publication, addressing the issues facing the art supply industry and provides a forum for retailers and manufacturers to share information that can benefit everyone. With news, interviews, retailing tips and loads of product information, AMR is the one magazine buyers of creative products rely on to meet their needs.

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Blaine’s Art Finds Its Flow

by Victoria Ritter

On the southern coast of Alaska, Blaine’s Art offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere along with a wide selection of products and friendly services. The Anchorage art supply store has undergone several changes in its 70-year history, but it continues to provide a valuable resource to the art community.

An artist’s wonderland

Blaine’s Art is on the larger end of the spectrum in terms of store size. The upper level is 2,000 square feet and contains offices, a break room and classrooms. Meanwhile, the 7,000-square-foot main level encompasses the sales floor, custom frame area and a coffee shop.

“The coffee shop changes the atmosphere,” said Amanda Bennett, owner of Blaine’s Art. “When you walk in, you smell the coffee, you hear the grinder and it feels like a place you can stay for a minute. It’s an invitation to stay.”

The sales floor displays a wide assortment of fine art materials including paints, brushes, printmaking supplies, colored pencils, pastels, charcoal, clay, drafting tools and spray paint. At the front, near the register is a section of gifts, books and cards.

“Pens, markers and notebooks are a big chunk of our business,” Bennett said.

Popular brands for acrylics are Golden and M. Graham while Daniel Smith is a common choice for watercolor. Other noteworthy brands include Winsor & Newton and Michael Harding.

Blaine’s Art has between 50,000 to 60,000 active SKUs, according to Bennett. Conducting inventory is a major undertaking for the store’s 10 employees. “We close down for two days and we have everybody

run around, scan items and upload them into the POS system,” Bennett said.

Keeping abreast of trends presents a challenge for Bennett due to the store’s remote location. However, she has seen the trend of resin and paint pouring diminishing; she is on the watch for what the next new trend will be.

Owner Amanda Bennett

“Whatever’s trending gets here late,” Bennett stated. “The gap has been decreasing with YouTube and influencers being widely available.”

Bennett garners ideas for products from her customers, by attending Creativation by Namta and participating in iAMart, a coalition of independent, locally-owned art materials stores. “Every meeting that we have, we have a ‘show and tell’ portion,” she explained. “I love that it gives me a heads up of what’s going on in the art world.”

Come for the art, stay for the atmosphere

Bennett is committed to creating a space where customers not only find what they need to create art, but also have support from the community. The store has held art shows in the past couple years, but Bennett began hosting group shows last year. These events are an open call to all artists – regardless of age or experience level – and focus on one particular medium. The entrants’ masterpieces are displayed in the store’s front gift area.

“There are tons of people out there who make art but don’t make enough pieces for a solo show,” Bennett explained. “We started having themed shows based off of art supplies. We just finished an acrylic show.”

Blaine’s Art

Blaine’s Art hosts an annual mixed media event in June. Customers can purchase a bag of substrates for $10 and wander among vendors stationed outside to experiment with the latest art products.

While Blaine’s Art has an annual sale in October, Bennett is interested in offering special deals on the second Saturday of the month, similar to other local shops. Additionally, she hopes to start providing

smaller shows that are media-specific.

Blaine’s Art customer base is as diverse as its product and event offerings. Renowned and local artists contract out the classrooms for sessions. Students from the University of Alaska Anchorage stop in to buy supplies. Before the pandemic, a group of plein air painters met at Blaine’s Art before heading out on excursions. Since the pandemic, Bennett has noticed an uptick in novice artists visiting the store as they dabble in different artforms.

“We have construction workers come in for a certain wax pencil they need for work. We have a mix of art enthusiasts and art professionals. Then there are our framing customers who are their own group,” Bennett stated. “We really see everybody.”

A serendipitous set of events

The store has gone through many changes and been passed down to several owners since its founding. Charlie and Helen Blaine established Blaine’s Art in 1953 as a house paint store. The Blaines owned the business for only a couple of years before Charlie passed away and Helen sold the business to Dean Weeks.

When Rene Haag started managing the store in 1986, she noticed a need for art supplies in the area. While Anchorage is home to an active artist community, there were very few retailers that could cater to their needs. In 1998 Haag bought Blaine’s Art from Weeks and shifted its focus completely to fine art supplies.

“Once Lowe’s and Home Depot rolled into the area, we started to move away from being a commercial paint store,” said Bennett. “We started carrying a small amount of art supplies.”

Bennett came across Blaine’s Art in 2015 while visiting her long-distance boyfriend – who is now her husband. Bennett was pursuing a bachelor of fine arts in oil painting at the University of South Dakota. Before they headed out on a camping trip, he took Bennett to Blaine’s Art to show her around. She immediately fell in love with the store’s atmosphere and wide selection of products and started working at Blaine’s Art part-time on the weekends.

“It just felt warm, like a community,” Bennett recalled. “It felt good.”

Soon after, Haag became sick and slowly stopped coming into the store. When she died in 2017, her husband, David, took over, preferring to manage from afar. With no one ordering supplies or offering direct management, Bennett stepped in and eventually became a manager.

“Rene had gotten sick and had stopped buying supplies for the store,” Bennett stated. “I knew she wouldn’t come back in – she had pancreatic cancer –

and I just started ordering stuff.”

Bennett’s dedication caught David’s attention. He was looking to sell the store, but the other managers had no interest in buying it. David asked Bennett her thoughts and she took up his offer to buy Blaine’s Art. She officially became the owner in December 2023.

“It’s just a fit for who I am, from the ground up,” Bennett said.

Creating a future

Bennett appreciates how she came to be at Blaine’s Art by happenstance and how it became her home. As its owner, she enjoys bouncing around to different aspects of the store, from greeting customers at the front desk to data entry in the back. “I like having six different balls in the air and juggling them,” she added. “I like the variety.”

To better understand the business and her employees as well as to best provide for the store’s future, Blaine hired a business coach to give pointers. After interviewing Bennett and her team, the coach outlined the store’s mission, vision and values and assigned roles and responsibilities to everyone.

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“I have realized over time that even though we’re a small business, clear communication about the organization and role definitions in the business is very important,” Bennett said. “Everybody’s been so much happier. Everything feels more secure and put together and aligned.”

Bennett is most excited to see how the internal operations align with the business coach’s guidance and how the company will evolve in the future. “It feels perfectly designed,” Bennett said. “I trusted that everything would work out.”

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Jaime Echt Creates a Feast for the Senses

by Victoria Ritter

Twenty-seven years ago, Jaime Echt worked in the fashion industry in New York City by day and made her own arts and crafts on nights and weekends. Although she primarily worked with fabrics for her job and dabbled in making clothing and quilts in her free time, she quickly discovered the benefits of working with paper for her personal projects.

With just as many colors as fabrics, paper lent itself to a variety of crafts that interested Echt –from collages and card making to journaling.

“Paper is boundless,” Echt said. “There’s so many types of papers and thicknesses and transparencies. Then there’s the media you can put on top of it, how it tears and cuts, how it lays on different sheets of paper.”

Echt began participating in area

craft shows, where many customers, amazed by her talent, asked her to teach art classes. The idea quickly took root.

“I asked myself why am I running all around New York teaching classes when I can find my own place to teach classes and sell products around these classes?” Echt recalled.

Feeling like a fish out of water in the harsh, highly competitive atmosphere of the fashion industry, Echt decided to pursue an arts and crafts career full-time. The selfproclaimed “cautious, but optimistic entrepreneur” wrote a business plan for The Crafter’s Workshop and established a store where she taught 30 classes a month.

Within the first few months of opening her business, Echt realized that there were no stencils that she liked – so she began to design her

own stencils.

Echt closed the store in 2005 to focus on the growing wholesale business of designing stencils; its online catalog is available at thecraftersworkshop.com. Today, she is the art director and designer of The Crafter’s Workshop.

Passions become products

The Crafter’s Workshop manufactures and distributes a plethora of mixed media materials, from stencils and stamps to powders and pastes. After she designs a product, Echt then uses it in tutorials. Her hope is to get people excited and abate any fears they have about using something new.

“As artists, we don’t just see with our eyes – we also see with our hands,” Echt commented. “I love the way I can build up textures with

my stencil butter, modeling paste and gel medium.”

Echt is most proud of her stencil butters which add dimension to projects and come in 43 hues; she describes it as a “modeling paste in the form of roomtemperature butter.” A lover of all things rainbow, Echt not only finds the stencil butter’s texture soothing, but also takes satisfaction in knowing that artists can find just the right color for their project.

“The colors are trendy, perfect out of the jar. Because they’re acrylic, you can blend or marble them,” she stated. “I love it when people new to a product feel successful and feel encouraged to make more art and build on that success.”

The Crafter’s Workshop’s newest product is Tackywhen-Dry, which users can scrape through stencils. The gel medium appears white when applied and dries clear. Creatives can then lay foil or gold or silver leafing on top to add an iridescent element.

In order to interact with a variety of products, The Crafter’s Workshop’s stencils are 10 mil thick. This allows for depth when users scrape modeling paste, stenciling butter or dimensional gel through the designs. The company’s butters and pastes are

specially developed to be low-moisture so they don’t bleed underneath stencils. Additionally, the products don’t level out, but instead hold their shape after the stencil is removed.

“As it dries, your fingers feel that image,” Echt said.

Depending on how thickly they’re applied, most of gels developed by Echt and The Crafter’s Worshop team dry under 20 minutes. With the quick drying time and an ability to be used with other companies’ products, creatives can easily and quickly explore the wide world of mixed media.

“Above all, I’m always listening to what artists want,” Echt stated. “I never put myself into an ivory tower and assume that what I create everyone will love. I make a point to connect with local artists, listen to consumers, listen to retailers who work closely with their customers and hear what they want. My job is to be responsive to that.”

Echt’s favorite aspect of The Crafter’s Workshop is the ability to bring an idea to life with her experience and tools. “If I think of a pattern or a design that I love,

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I can turn it into a stencil,” she said.

“I still get this charge of excitement when something I thought of is cut as a stencil.”

Another fun aspect of the business comes from watching people discover and apply the company’s products. Echt hosts online classes for retailers as well as offers presentations at trade events. The Crafter’s Workshop

exhibits at Creativation by Namta, Creativeworld in Germany, MacPherson’s Creativity Hub, and Create Utopia, along with the occasional consumer show to get a better understanding of what local artists are looking for.

Echt built her business around the values of being kind, fair and honest. She believes in supporting retailers and artists alike with techniques and instruction.

“I truly feel that when other people do well, we will do well,” Echt said.

Make it personal

While some paper crafters stick to cardstock or watercolor paper, others enjoy working in mixed media. Echt sees herself as someone who is somewhere between the two sectors.

“I like colors that are harmonious, applications that are clean and making things that I want

to display in my home or give as a gift,” she said. “I’m very practical.”

Any firm surface is fair game to Echt to work with: canvas board, wooden frames and boxes, watercolor paper and stretched fabrics. As she experiments with her products, she loves to create texture and color – a sensory feast for her eyes and hands.

“I think of myself as an overgrown 2-year-old because I want to touch everything,” Echt said with a laugh.

Echt likes to work in series, something she learned from artists in the 1970s. On the weekends, she will sit down in her workshop, put on music or a podcast, and try a concept over and over with minor variations. The results may be mixed, but Echt learns what works well – and what doesn’t – and shares her findings with other artists and crafters.

“I’m seeing where each twist and turn takes me.”

Echt is a lifelong learner, often encouraging herself to go out, explore and participate in activities. She draws inspiration at places that are outside of her regular routine such as going to a museum or walking through botanical gardens. All the while, she looks for patterns, vibrations, colors that “knocks me out of my reverie.”

“When you stop wondering, you stop growing as an artist and as a human being,” Echt said. “I love wondering and wandering.”

One of Echt’s favorite projects is making handmade cards for friends and family. She enjoys how these cards are small enough to make easily and store while holding meaning for the recipient.

“They don’t necessarily have a lot of words on the front. They can look like a lovely 5x7 piece of artwork that just happens to come in an envelope with a note inside,” Echt commented. “In our very busy days of texts and Instagram reels, I feel like this is a nice way to say ‘I’m thinking of you.’”

Exploring the Modernized World of Fountain Pens at Creativation

by Amy Colburn

The use of fountain pens for calligraphy is an old practice, used as a functional tool for centuries. Traditional fountain pens, in the hand of a skilled letterer, can create stunning results.

Metal nibs at the writing end of the tool, available in varying widths, are inserted into the pen. Each nib produces different styles of lettering, the most popular being calligraphy. The pen is operable by dipping the nibs in ink from bottles and blotting before use. One of the nuances of using these pens is learning how to load the perfect amount of ink into the nib. Too little, and you’ll scratch your paper. Too much, you risk ink bleeding out and ruining the paper.

I learned calligraphy as a teen, and though I never considered myself a pro, I used my skills mostly for penning thousands of wedding invitations for friends and family and the occasional paying customer. I recall the choice of available ink colors were limited to black and sepia. Art materials manufacturers are recognizing that today’s artists value fountain pens’ aesthetic quality for various art forms such as calligraphy, hand lettering and even sketching.

I was introduced to a re-invented fountain pen at this year’s Creativation while visiting Itoya’s booth. I was offered a thorough and enthusiastic demonstration of its TUZU Adjust

Fountain Pen by Guadalupe Gonzalez, Itoya’s business operations director. Itoya has begun to package fountain pens in kits, using fashionable colors of both pens and inks. The modern fountain pens feature sleek designs, smoother ink flow and user-friendly features. These enhancements cater to a new generation of creatives seeking a balance between functionality and aesthetics. This new stainless steel nib Sailor fountain pen may be used with any water-based fountain pen ink.

“Of course, we have our favorites –including the Sailor USA 50 States Ink series,” Guadalupe said. “This special ink series features a rainbow of colors sure to please even the most discerning ink connoisseur.”

Like all inks in the Sailor lineup, the USA 50 States ink series is made in Japan. I was able to sample a few colors that day at Creativation. My favorites were a light turquoise and a deep fuchsia pink.

I noticed that the TUZU Adjust Fountain Pen was very comfortable to use and produced a smooth line that did not catch on the paper. Guadalupe contributed this to Sailor’s innovative steel nib. She said the pen can be used for journaling, writing letters, drawing, sketching and taking notes.

“We love to remind people to use fountain-pen-friendly paper when using any fountain pens,” she added.

Guadalupe went on to say, “The

Sailor TUZU Adjust fountain pen leverages the traditional, superior craftsmanship of Sailor’s long 113year history making gold nib pens and introduces a fresh, innovative take on fountain pens.”

I was also able to stop by Papier Plume’s booth and was introduced to their best-selling product: the pewter filigree dipping pen and ink set. It features a classic pewter dipping pen – excellent for practicing calligraphy or sketching – made by Potier d’Etain along with black or blue calligraphy inks. With an exchangeable nib, this dipping pen is both stylish and practical for any desk.

Another manufacturer creating accessories for calligraphy and fountain pen lettering is Pinnacle Colors. The delightful Tachikawa Pen Nib Set from Tachikwa is a great starter kit for dip pen calligraphy! Each comes with five nibs, a 5-mL bottle of sapphire blue ink, a wooden straight holder, information booklet and five practice pages, all packaged in a beautiful box.

I am pleased to see fountain pens being manufactured again with modern technological advancements while retaining their romantic heritage. Artists and crafters will find these new pens enjoyable to incorporate into their drawing and lettering.

CREATIVATION by NAMTA Celebrates a Successful Show

Three years after the merger of the crafts and fine arts sectors, Namta is seeing its hard work paying off. This year’s Creativation by Namta trade show welcomed a record number of exhibitors and garnered positive feedback.

The 2024 show, held March 23 to 27 in New Orleans, brought in 1,625 total attendees, with 472 buyers and 183 exhibiting companies. Organizers determined it was one of the biggest shows that the organization has held in many years.

“It was the most [exhibitors] we’ve had in decades, by far,” said Leah Siffringer, executive director of Namta.

Learning opportunities for everyone

The conference kicked off with two days of educational sessions. Attendees had a plethora of opportunities to choose from, including workshops demonstrating the latest trends to business presentations.

Siffringer observed a slight shift in interests. While participants at the 2023 show tended to attend more business seminars, attendance shifted to favor workshops more this year. Seven hundred people

attended classes, according to Namta’s report.

This change may be due to scheduling, Siffringer explained. This year, the conference offered 50 sessions – double of last year’s number.

“We got a lot of feedback about how we can change the scheduling a little bit and make it easier for people to attend,” Siffringer said, adding they’re considering block scheduling.

One of the most popular educational offerings was the New Orleans Retail Store Tour. For the second year in a row, participants had the chance to visit local retailers and get a first-hand look at different store experiences.

“We’re noticing that education is a huge draw,” said Namta Exhibitor and Sponsorship Sales Manager Mary McLane. “That’s why retailers attend the show – for the education.”

On the show floor

From March 25 to 27, the trade show floor showcased a balanced mix of fine arts and craft retailers as buyers from large and small retailers perused the aisles.

McLane noted that Namta is selective with

attendees; as a result, Creativation attracts high-quality buyers who are decision-makers.

“Our membership model, which separates us from other shows out there, shows who really supports us and the high level of business professionals we attract,” McLane said. “The buying power on our show floor is, to my knowledge, unmatched by other shows by the way our organization is set up.”

Siffringer took note of how both the crafts and fine arts booths drew a steady flow of traffic.

“I think people are starting to embrace the industry as one,” Siffringer added.

There were a few more things to enjoy on the show floor apart from sales. Local bands provided live music, adding a bit of the Crescent City’s atmosphere.

“Mary worked really hard securing all of the music we had this year,” Siffringer said. “We’ve heard nothing but good comments about the music.”

Through the years, Namta has steadily introduced social activities on the show floor such as coffee breaks and ice cream socials. On the last day of the trade show, Namta hosted a mimosa bar on the far side of the floor, which drew people

from around the space.

“I think next year we’ll be more strategic about moving the events around the floor,” Siffringer commented. “That way, they’ll drive traffic around to different areas.”

Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement honorees

On the evening before the trade show floor opened, Namta held its welcome reception at the New Orleans Marriott. There, more than 700 guests had a chance to mingle, partake refreshments and catch up on the latest news.

“It was a great way to kick off the show,” Siffringer said.

The highlight of the evening was the induction of four individuals to the 2024 Hall of Fame and eight recipients of the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. The Hall of Fame, which is Namta’s highest award, recognizes honorees for their support, volunteer efforts and championing of the association. This year’s honorees were Stan Clifford of DecoArt, Gail Czech of The Creative Network, Mike McCooey of Plaid Enterprises and Doug Mooney of Mooney Sales & Marketing.

In turn, the Lifetime

Creativation 2024 Highlights

Achievement Award acknowledges people’s significant impacts on the industry. The 2024 recipients were Yves Darche of Pebeo, Michael Hammer of Sampro, Michael Kalman of Stillman & Birn, Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender of Kizer & Bender Speaking, Denzil Quick of Spellbinders Arts Company, Elaine Salazar of Ampersand Art Supply and David van Berckel of Opus Art Supplies.

Creatives unite

Creativation by Namta featured a range of social and networking events to further promote connections. In addition to the welcome reception, the show hosted a Next Generation Happy Hour featuring axe throwing –geared for ages 40 and under – and an Old Timer’s Whiskey Tasting at the Sazerac House, both on March 26. The first day of the trade show culminated with the president’s reception at Mardi Gras World. There, guests could see floats and figures used during Mardi Gras parades before enjoying hors d’oeuvres, drinks, live music and performances.

“I think it’s really smart for a show to create various networking opportunities for different groups,” McLane said.

On March 23, exhibitors and creative professionals gathered for a Mardi Gras Social. The social, which featured 20 exhibitors, provided an additional chance for creative professionals – a fairly new sector of attendees for Namta – to get to know manufacturers and their products.

“It’s a nice warm-up for the show floor,” McLane said. “It gets vendors talking about their product and receiving feedback from creative professionals. And then, after recognizing people after that social event, you’re warmed up to them.”

Looking ahead

Show organizers continue to be dedicated to providing the best

possible experience for those who attend and exhibit at Creativation. Namta board members walked the aisles of the show floor, asking for feedback, and the organziation held three roundtables after the show to collect input.

While nearly all of the reviews have been positive – highlighting the music and events during the trade show – there is some room for growth. Siffringer’s main focus points are organizing scheduling for educational sessions and making Demo Alley more exciting and attractive to attendees.

“Demo Alley has gotten better every year, but we don’t feel like we’ve hit the mark yet,” she said.

Broader goals include continuing networking events on the show floor, increase the number of buyers and grow the exhibitor list.

“We really do read all the

feedback and take it into account as we make changes,” Siffringer said.

Both Siffringer and McLane enjoyed seeing the arts and crafts industry widely represented at Creativation. The diversity indicated how the different sectors are open to collaborating and innovating together – which has been Namta’s goal for the past three years.

“It’s rewarding to see everything come together,” Siffringer stated. “Everyone feels like they’re part of the same group now. It’s finally come together and all the hard work we’ve put into the show has really paid off.”

“We’re watching companies come together in real time and form creative partnerships,” Mary added.

Next year’s show is set for April 4 to 8, 2025 in Seattle, WA. For more information about Namta’s work and upcoming events, visit namta.org.

APriorities for Art Supply Retailers

by Meagan Rodgers

ny business owner knows that spending time online means seeing countless headlines, videos and posts about search engine optimization (SEO). SEO isn’t new, but it is easy to put off for more urgent tasks. Read on for an efficient keyword strategy that will send search traffic your way without a huge drain on time or resources.

Understanding keywords and SEO

At the heart of SEO lies the strategic use of keywords. SEO keywords are single words or short phrases that are commonly used to describe a business, product, brand or activity. Keyword optimization integrates relevant terms and phrases into online content. The objective of keywords is to enhance the visibility of content on search engine results pages organically, without resorting to paid advertising.

When identifying keywords, consider these factors:

• Relevance: Keywords should be directly related to the product, service or content of each page or post.

• Specificity: Consider including highly specific keywords for specialized products or services.

• Intent: What is the customer looking for? How would they describe their search?

• Locality: For brick-and-mortar businesses, consider keywords related to the neighborhood or city. As you develop keywords, conduct thorough research to identify terms that resonate with your target audience. Start with the most accessible free tool of all: the Google Search Engine Results Page. Type your keyword into the search bar. Scroll past the labeled sponsored posts to see what organic results appear. Do these results reflect where you want your content to appear? Play with terms to see how results change and choose words that reflect the ideal position for your content.

Step one: Put SEO keywords on your website

The core pages of your website should include keywords in the heading and first few lines of text. Core pages usually include Home, About Us, Classes, Online Shop, Blog and Newsletter Sign-Up pages.

To level-up your SEO keyword game, next incorporate

keywords into the product category pages and individual product pages (particularly for your most popular items). As you edit each page to insert keywords, make sure that the text remains easy to read. Adding keywords for the benefit of search engine indexers should not come at the expense of readability to the people searching for and landing on your site.

Step two: Use keywords in social media content

As you post across social media, use keywords in titles, captions, alt text and meta text. Different platforms and types of posts present varying opportunities for keyword integration. As you post, be careful to use keywords consistently. If you play with variations (e.g. changing word order, singular versus plural), know that each variation is a different keyword. You’re wiser to keep using the term in the same way across platforms and over time.

Step three: Maintain a sustainable SEO strategy

To make the keyword task manageable, establish a structured approach. Begin with a keyword library accessible to everyone on the website and social media teams. Start your library with the most important pages and most popular products. Find validated keywords and add to the library. Over time, you’ll expand the library by adding keywords for more products.

This approach to SEO enables a business owner to take charge of important SEO tasks without a huge investment of time or money. By focusing on keywords for the most important aspects of your shop’s online presence, your website and online content will boost search engine indexers’ ability to understand your website and your business, thereby sending curious and motivated searchers your way.

Meagan Rodgers is a lifelong writer, crafter and an account manager for Stitchcraft Marketing, a full-service marketing firm dedicated to creating opportunities for customers to know, like and trust your retail or wholesale brand. stitchcraftmarketing.com

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Handmade with Love

How My Very Own Blanket is providing warmth and love to children in need

by Victoria Ritter

When Jessica Rudolph began knitting blankets for her kids, she had no idea that her passion would turn into a global philanthropic venture. Today, My Very Own Blanket, founded by Rudolph, offers comfort and security to kids in the foster care system by providing them with handmade blankets and quilts.

The idea for My Very Own Blanket came to Rudolph in December 1999. At the time, her three kids – ages 1, 2 and 3 years old – shared a bedroom and a bedtime. Rudolph would sit with them as they fell asleep and knit a blanket. One night, while in the middle of knitting a row, she considered who the next blanket would go to, as each of her children already had one. An idea came to her: she could give the blanket to a kid in foster care.

Then another thought came: what if there were other people who would like to donate a handmade blanket. The following month, she sent out a flyer to her friends, asking for their help.

“I knew we were all busy, but I

thought that if we all did a little bit, then we could accomplish a lot,” Rudolph recalled.

That first year, Rudolph expected to receive 12 blankets. She and her friends ended up donating 84 blankets to three children’s services organizations in the area. The following year, she received 526 blankets which in turn were donated across 16 counties.

“It wasn’t until then that I truly saw the need for this endeavor,” Rudolph said. This year, Rudolph’s goal is to give away 40,000 blankets.

My Very Own Blanket has been present across North America for many years, serving the U.S., Virgin Islands and Cananda. In May –which happens to be National Foster Care Month – the Westerville, OHbased nonprofit went global. Now it has connections in England, Ireland and Australia.

“The beautiful thing with being involved with people who sew, knit or crochet is they love to make blankets and quilts,” Rudolph said. “They just need an outlet.”

Anyone can make a blanket

As My Very Own Blanket took on a life of its own, Rudolph has kept a handful of goals in mind. In an effort to be efficient and productive, she continues to look for ways to make the most of the resources provided.

A major component of the organization is to have everyone feel involved, no matter their skill. My Very Own Blanket accepts blankets and quilts that are sewn, knit or crocheted, but even those who don’t have experience in making blankets can participate. The organization also receives new-sew fleece blankets that require simply cutting and tying fringe around the border.

“We love all different kinds of blankets,” Rudolph said.

For a small cost, My Very Own Blanket sells fleece blanket kits which include 1-1/2 yards of fleece, directions, a fringe cutting template and special tag. Anyone, from kids to seniors, can make a single-layer fringe blanket. The kits are available to order through the organization’s website, myveryownblanket.org.

Handmade with Love

“In 40 minutes, you can make a no-sew fleece blanket that will impact the life of someone else for years to come,” Rudolph said.

My Very Own Blanket takes in blankets of various sizes, ranging from 36 x 36 inches as the smallest to 60 x 80 inches as the largest. The most popular size is medium (about 24 x 60 inches), as it fits toddlers to teenagers.

Rudolph wants to keep blankets where they’re made. “I want to support local children’s services and agencies, local fabric stores,” she explained. “When you donate locally, you get to meet the people you’re giving the blankets to. You get to see the effect you’re having.”

The local approach not only keeps shipping costs down and is more efficient, but it also expands volunteers’ reach. Rudolph encourages volunteers to take their philanthropy one step further when delivering blankets and ask local agencies about what other needs they have to fill. If a volunteer knows of a caseworker, agency, guardian ad litem or foster family, Rudolph asks that they let My Very Own Blanket

know so it can work with the agencies. To date, the organization works with more than 700 children’s services agencies.

“If there’s an area where there isn’t an agency close by, I ask volunteers, ‘Will you help us find a place?’” Rudolph added. “It takes a village; it takes all of us to bring love to these kids.”

A community for change

My Very Own Blanket has a small, yet dedicated team and a strong support system to make sure kids receive “exceptional” blankets. On every third Thursday, Kohl’s employees volunteer their time to sort through blankets, while the parent company donates $25 to My Very Own Blanket for each hour of the volunteers’ time. “They do all kinds of things for us,” Rudolph said. “They’ll help process blankets, do quality control on blankets, iron or cut materials.”

If volunteers receive a blanket that doesn’t meet the organization’s expectations, they will try to fix it – whether it be washing off pet hair or trimming fringe. My Very Own Blanket, however, does not accept pre-owned blankets.

“We feel kids in foster care deserve to have brand-new things because oftentimes they get handme-downs,” Rudolph explained. “We really want to show them that they’re deserving and worthy of something new that brings them love.”

Rudolph has seen volunteer interest grow, citing how people have held blanket-making events in their communities and families have crafted blankets during holiday gettogethers.

“There are a lot of kids who will say ‘Instead of giving me a birthday present, let’s make a blanket together.’”

In honor of its 25th anniversary, My Very Own Blanket is hosting a celebration on October 10, both

in-person and virtually. The event will include a keynote speaker, a presentation on the organization’s history and an opportunity for participants to make a blanket; My Very Own Blanket will send out fleece blanket kits to virtual attendees ahead of time so they can participate. More information about the event will be available on the organization’s website and social media pages in the coming months.

“I love that everyone will be included,” Rudolph said.

Ripples of love

The blankets are meant to provide more than physical warmth, but comfort and love to kids who are facing a life of uncertainty. As an added gesture of kindness, each blanket comes with a silkscreened tag that notes who made the blanket, who the blanket is meant for and a brief message from the blanket maker. These tags are available in English, Spanish and French.

“We really want to give these kids something to hang onto every night and every day when we can’t be there with them,” Rudolph said. “That way, they have something they can control and have for comfort.”

Originally, the tags had just a space for the child’s name, but the designed change after Rudolph had a chance meeting. A few years ago, she was handing out blankets to teenagers when one girl came up and asked Rudolph if someone had really made a blanket for her.

“Her next question both shocked and inspired me to redesign those tags to have the volunteer’s name and note,” Rudolph recalled. “She said, ‘Who are they? Who would do something so nice for me who doesn’t even know me?’ It was so powerful.

“I have faith and hope that kids will see that name and say, ‘I’m not in this alone.’”

Rudolph views caseworkers as the frontline of children’s services

Jessica Rudolph, founder

agencies and tries to support them however she can. The blankets are available to caseworkers at no cost, with no paperwork required.

“The blankets are a vital tool for caseworkers because every child sees them as a stranger,” Rudolph said. “When a caseworker has a blanket or a quilt to be able to give to them, it helps break down barriers and build trust and a relationship.”

Together with agencies and volunteers, Rudolph hopes to positively impact the lives of kids and change the trajectory of their lives.

“You are doing something profound, something that is so impactful on someone else’s life for years,” she stated. “When they’re feeling lonely or sad or scared, this blanket is there with them and for them.”

ART STUDIO CLEAN UP IS EASY

Customization Made Easy... An Introduction to Sublimation

by Victoria Ritter

For those looking to customize items in a new way, sublimation is a rapidly growing trend. Sublimation is the process of taking a printed image and, with heat and pressure, transferring it onto a sublimation-friendly item.

Popular substrates include tumblers, mugs, blankets and t-shirts. Smaller products such as keychains and luggage tags are ideal for those new to sublimation. The key is for materials to be heat-resistant up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and covered with a special sublimation coating. Fabrics must be comprised of no less than 65 percent polyester.

“The products available for sublimation are vast and wide,” said John Modi, chief imagination officer

The right tools for the job

Sublimation is relatively inexpensive, compared to other personalization methods such as laser engraving. There are a few pieces of equipment that are needed for the

The first step of sublimation is printing the design or photograph. Users will need a design software such as Inkscape, Illustrator or Canva to format the image. To print the image – which needs to be in reverse – you will need a special sublimation printer, ink and paper.

Transferring the image onto

a substrate requires pressure and intense heat. Heat-resistant tape is best to temporarily attach the design to the substrate. For individual projects, heat presses will do the job. A sublimation oven is helpful for larger projects, as they can handle multiple items at a time.

Butcher paper is also useful to protect the substrate. “If you don’t use butcher paper, the fabric might brown,” Modi explained.

As personal safety is just as important, a helpful accessory is a pair of heat-resistant gloves.

Depending on the size of the project, the average time to apply a design to a substrate takes less than 10 minutes, according to Modi. “You can take a lot of your creativity and take it to many different levels, very quickly,” he added.

MakerFlo has mini starter kits for sale, which are ideal for newcomers to sublimation; the only piece of equipment that comes separately is a heat press. The company also offers free sublimation tutorials in its Craft Library. For more information, visit makerflocrafts.com

“If you happen to come by at one of the events we’re at, you can sit down and we can make a mini tutorial,” said Sam Carter, project coordinator at MakerFlo.

There are a few misconceptions surrounding the process and the materials involved. One of the most common misunderstandings is that anything white can be used as a substrate.

“Mostly every substrate is white, but you need the sublimation coating

on it,” Modi said of hard items.

One frequent mistake is converting regular printers into sublimation printers. “A lot of times, the printers get clogged,” Modi explained. “It’ll ruin the printer because sublimation ink is thicker than regular ink.”

The third most common misconception is feeling the need to seal the substrate. Actually, once the ink is embedded into the material, it is long-lasting and doesn’t require any further protection.

Making the most of sublimation

Retailers can use sublimation to bring more foot traffic to their stores by providing not only the equipment, but also sublimation services. Modi has seen retailers rent out sublimation printers and charge customers per page they print out.

Some retailers have even turned their locations into makerspaces, transforming shopping into a collaborative experience.

“Customers can be creative in their store, buy accessories and products there and use the machine,” Modi said. “You’re creating this space that truly serves the customers.”

MakerFlo supports brick-and-mortar stores as facilitators of sublimation. With MakerFlo’s tutorials, equipment and resources, retailers can help customers learn first-hand about sublimation, connect with them and create memorable encounters.

“Sublimation offers a way for stores to get people to craft in the store and take something home,” Modi stated. “It provides them a fantastic experience where customers want to come back and keep doing it – it’s addictive.”

“Endcap” from page 30

From nature to canvas

Once they perfected their binder formula, the Stoneground team started to share their paints with artists in the surrounding area. They quickly expanded and took a trip to Calgary, Alberta to talk to a handful of retailers. Stoneground’s business continues to do well as the company grows. Its initial offering of 45 watercolors has increased to upwards of 200 colors.

“People kept asking us to make their favorites, so we kept adding,” Jenny said.

Popular colors include Gold Mica and Cobalt Aquamarine while Florentine Green has a strong online following, according to Clarke. Customers have the option to build their own palette, thus making endless color combinations.

Stoneground is also well known for its artistcurated palettes. These collections are geared for specific applications, from botanicals to landscapes and primary colors for color theory.

“I feel fortunate to work with the artists,” Clark stated. “They have such a knowledge of color theory and how these pigments work together. The knowledge they have makes the job a lot easier.”

Stoneground exhibits at a few smaller art shows, but the biggest conference it attends is Creativation by Namta. The company participated in its first Creativation show in 2023; this year, it showcased not only their paints but also held interactive sessions and featured one of their artist partners.

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Paint and gouache from Stoneground is available across North America. The company’s reach extends coast-to-coast in Canada and reaches from Alaska to Louisiana in the U.S. There are also discussions about opening shops internationally.

The best part of the job, however, is seeing how artists are using Stoneground’s paints.

“We’re having a lot of fun,” Clark said.

A spectrum of possibilities

Stoneground’s newest venture is a collaboration with Seattle, WA artist Sarah Simon, also known as the Mint Gardener.

“She’s an incredible illustrator, artist, author, educator and inspiration,” Clarke said. “She has introduced people to how to paint botanicals, among other things, in the easiest way.”

Jenny has known of Simon for many years; Jenny bought Simon’s first book to teach herself how to paint watercolors. “These were quick, contemporary projects by a woman who is living in my world,” Jenny said. “I loved it! I found it so accessible and easy to use.”

The two women eventually connected through mutual friends and social media. Jenny offered to send Simon some of Stoneground’s paints and a partnership quickly formed. While Stoneground created custom colors for Simon’s flower paintings – which turned into a series of

custom palettes – Simon highlights the company in a watercolor workbook. A new palette launched in May alongside the book.

Over the subsequent months, Simon became more than a business partner; she became a friend. “We’re forging more than a business transaction,” Clark observed. “Everyone we work with becomes friends and a part of our work group.”

Since Eric also owns and operates an art supply shop, Black Dog Art Supply in Regina, the Rowes and Stoneground team are empathetic towards independent art stores. For Clarke, independent retailers are the “backbone to local art communities” and product ambassadors. Stoneground is able and willing to supply retailers with demo paints, materials and instructions to best sell its paints.

For retailers that are looking for unique products, Stoneground can tailor products to them. To contact Stoneground and view its wide array of watercolors and gouache can visit stonegroundpaint.com.

“There is no one we’d rather partner with to help introduce our colors to artists than small, local art supply shops,” Clarke said. “Once people find out what we’re doing and try our paint, there’s nothing more to it. Once

you show bright, beautiful colors and explain them, they fall in love with it.”

Painting Au Naturale with Stoneground Paints

by Victoria Ritter

Nature is full of vibrant and subtle colors to explore. Artists looking to capture the beauty of the outdoors – and other subjects – can find an ally in The Stoneground Paint Co.

The company, headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, specializes in small batch, handmade, natural, single-pigment watercolor and gouache paints.

Back to basics

Eric Rowe, a longtime watercolor painter, founded Stoneground eight years ago out of frustration with the dull colors of available paints. When he voiced his disappointment to friends, someone suggested that Eric make his own paint.

“My dad loves to experiment, so down the rabbit hole we went,” said Jenny Rowe, Eric’s daughter and creative director at Stoneground. A “self-proclaimed geek” of pigment and history, Jenny worked with her dad as they ordered pigments, read books for recipes and worked to perfect their own formula for a binder.

About a year later, the Rowes realized their goal. They modified an old English recipe using just three ingredients: pigment, honey and gum arabic.

“To make the best possible paint, you must have the best possible ingredients,” said Russel Clarke, head of operations and logistics at Stoneground.

The binder is simple, yet strong.

Stoneground sources its gum arabic from Africa; its quality is higher than food-grade gum arabic, Clarke said.

Stoneground uses locally-

sourced honey, which provides a smooth brushstroke and acts as a natural, long-lasting preservative.

By using a natural binder and avoiding using additives – which tend to dull colors – Stoneground’s paints are vivid.

“It’s not your grandma’s watercolors,” Jenny said. “It’s intense and vibrant. They don’t have to be muddy and dull.”

Stoneground sources its pigments from around the world, including ochre in France, red earth pigments from Italy, green earth dyes from Cyprus, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan and pipestone from Minnesota, along with lab-made synthetic pigments.

Another way that Stoneground sets itself apart is that its paints are made by hand. Russel explained that machine-rolling paints creates particles that are even in shape and size, resulting in a uniform color. In comparison, hand-mulling cracks particles into different sizes and uneven shapes, thus brighter colors. This is true for both watercolor and gouache.

“It’s like snowflakes – you never get the same shapes or cracking,” Clarke said. “We make watercolor and gouache now, both by hand.”

Two years ago, Stoneground added gouache to its product lineup. Gouache uses the same formula as watercolor paints, with the addition of chalk. This creates an opaquer water medium that has a matte finish, while watercolor is known for its transparent quality.

“If you like to be traditional and build up layers, watercolor is phenomenal for building depth of colors,” Clarke said. “Gouache is great for quick paintings. The beauty of it is you can use them together.”

The manufacturing process for a whole pan of watercolor or gouache takes between four to six weeks due to layering, according to Jenny.

“We’re as committed to giving an artist an experience and quality as they are invested in putting their own time and effort into their pieces,” she said. “We want to give them the best possible experience.”

Introducing the Creative Products Certification Program (CPC) by

Join us in The Studio for an immersive 10-part video series covering everything from Pigment + Colors to Papers, Fibers + Yarn, Adhesives + Cutters, Brushes, Markers, and more.

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