Just back from the summer visit to our Jolly pencil manufacturer in Austria plus a side-trip to the visit David's homeland.  We met up with budding artist Maxime Josselin  who decided to draw us up a new logo.  What do you think?

One of those burning questions of my youth was answered for me a few years ago when I went to the factory and watched pencils being made, but perhaps you haven't yet been so lucky.  Jolly has made this little video to show you how it's done.  Surprisingly mesmerizing.

I have regrets.  It's true.  I was at the library today returning a veritable mountain of kid books (because, really, who can read about the mystery of misty island more than 5 times?), and there it was.  Sitting on the return counter, waiting to be checked back in.  Felted Feathered Friends by Laurie Sharp.  

It looked so enticing just sitting there...think of the projects just waiting to be done!  I checked around but no one was staffing the return desk, so I moved on, to the kids' room and the next mountain of books to be read over and over.  Driving home I asked myself why didn't I hunt someone down to check it in (& out!) for me?  I could be busy felting herons right now, instead of lamenting the book that got away.

I can't say that any book has ever inspired such longing in me, much less on first sight.  I sure hope that once I've got it in my hot little hands it will live up to my now gargantuan expectations.   Why don't you pick up a copy, and let me know what you think?

Finally made the time to clear pictures out of my phone (how are there always so many??) and stumbled onto a few lovely ladies creating their own TruTru Animals.  It's always so much fun to see what people come up with!

Toy store super-reps R-Biz headed to Las Vegas last month for the Toyfest West show.  Toys + Vegas, who could ask for anything more??

Revisiting the show that launched this blog a year ago, we exhibited with our super California (or was that supercalifragilistic?) rep team, R-Biz.  They had a great booth, and it was fun to see their other fabulous lines.  We got to spend more time with the team and met some outstanding new customers.

Not satisfied with one busy show in January, we headed off to Frankfurt, Germany for this year's Creativeworld.  It's always a great opportunity to meet with our suppliers and check out the latest trends, but this year was even better. 
We saw many more American retailers in Frankfurt than years past and loved showing them the Jolly, Ico, and Carpentras booths. 


Check out Jolly early in the morning and then again in the afternoon!

One of the visitors to our booth at CHA was none other than budding blog-star, Beth Mosch of Creative Ninjas.  Her assistant filmed her TruTru Animal 3D Modeling Kit assembly in action.  Check it out along with her review of the product over here!

Trussart Designs has been out and about, exhibiting at shows this winter.  Our first of the year was with CHA at their January MegaShow in Anaheim, California, and it was a crafty one!  

We had a ton of fun with buyers, designers, and press who came to give our TruTru Animals and Frida Art & Craft acrylic paints a try.  After four days of making 3D roosters and dogs with all sorts of lovely people, my personal favorite were the pair who turned two roosters into a metallic green, fire-breathing dragon who had inflamed a sweet little rooster...

For the looooongest time my daughter's favorite animal has been the giraffe.  When she turned three, she received a giraffe as big as she was who was promptly named Lollipop.  Lollipop has adopted many babies over the years and is still beloved.

Needless to say she (my daughter, not Lollipop) was thrilled by our new Safari collection of 3D animals.  In addition to the graceful giraffe, we've added a fierce lion, a quiet rhino, and a majestic elephant.  

We're working on a savanna scene for the upcoming CHA show in January - stay tuned as you're sure to see it here first!