In This Issue:
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Putting the "Special" In Specialty Shows
Most everyone is familiar with the big trade shows in the industry, invariably located in big cities, but in this semi-annual Trade Show Issue, we'll take a look at some of the specialty shows that are often smaller and you may have missed.
The City by the Bay is the site of a Winter Fancy Food Show (Moscone Center, San Francisco) beginning January 17. The show is presented by the Specialty Food Association, which has more than 3,000 members, including manufacturers, importers and allied professions in the U.S. and abroad. The orgianization is also very active in supporting anti-hunger initatives. If Gourmet Food is an important part of your inventory, check out this show.
If it's important to you to support home-grown products, you might be interested in attending the American Made Show. There are three locales to choose from: The Washington DC show is Jan. 17 and 18, Dallas Market World Trade Center hosts a show Jan. 21-24 and Greenville, South Carolina is May 17-19.
 While the Dallas Market center hosts the large Total Gift and Home Market, the facility also hosts smaller specialty shows, such as the Apparel and Accessories Market (Jan. 27-30). Since it's an apparel show, it features fashion shows as well as "Wearable Trends" and Western fashions.
New York is the site for two simultaneous toy shows: Toy Fair at the Javits Center, the Toy Industry Association and the American International Toy Fair by the Toy Industry Association. The shows have overlapping dates from Feb. 13-17. If you're west of the Mississippi you may prefer Toy Fest West in Las Vegas, March 6-8.
The American Craft Council sponsors four shows a year showcasing the handiwork of various artists. The annual shows are in Baltimore (Feb. 17-18), Atlanta (Mar. 11-13), St. Paul (Apr. 8-10), and San Francisco (Aug. 5-7). In a similar vein, the American Craft Retailers Expo (ACRE) will be in Las Vegas in June.
Especially "Specialty" is the Mineral and Fossil Show in Tucson, AZ (Jan. 30-Feb. 13). The museum-oriented show will have over 400 dealers from all over the globe. Additional shows are held at other times of year in Southern California, Colorado and Massachusetts.
So there is more than the massive Gift and Home shows to explore. The specialty shows might have just what you're looking for to set your store apart.
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Featured Vendors
 indicates a CAMEO EZ© web site.
 Cameo Glass transforms your cherished photos into stunning translucent Glass Prints. Freestanding and visible from both sides, Cameo Glass makes unique gifts and awards that captures life’s special moments.
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 Camille Beckman is known worldwide for the quality of their fine creams and lotions. For the past 18 years, this 'Made in America' product has been rated #1 in the personal care industry and continues to offer formulas based on rich and wholesome ingredients, blending small batches and using hand-crafted, old-fashioned methods that create a difference you can feel! Being that personal care products are an indispensable item for many gift shops, Camille Beckman is a natural choice because of their 27 years of service to the locally owned gift industry.
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 Candles and Quotes: Our 100% All Natural All Soy Candles are made by us "The Soy Sisters". We pour each and every candle by hand and use only Essential Oils to fragrance our candles. Our candles are 100% Eco-Friendly. Each candle comes with a beautiful quote, that is either meaningful, funny or down right crazy. If you don’t see what you like ask “The Soy Sisters” and we will make it for you. We personalize all of our candles so your own uniqueness and quirky personality can be put on a candle. So watch what you say because it may wind up on a candle!
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 Clarissa Tumblers: The Clarissa Tumblers' motto is: There's no order that's too big or too small - we do them all! Our customers are our priority and enjoy receiving our services to provide them with quality custom and personalized tumblers for their weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, golf tournaments, family reunions, custom brand marketing, and more. Clarissa Tumblers is passionate about tumblers, and knows that their tumblers are second to none, and pride themselves on their superior customer service.
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 Coast Lamp Manufacturing was established and incorporated in the state of Florida in 1955. Now, a North Carolina Corporation since 1975, located in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. We are a family owned and operated company. Our product is UL/ULC listed and approved and made in the USA. Customer satisfaction and a long lasting relationship are our goals. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you.
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 C'Zire by Lamar Creations - "...your heart's desire" - provides turnkey jewelry programs featuring industry leading quality Cubic Zirconia jewelry. Our jewelry is produced at the same standards as fine jewelry. We cast our jewelry in jewelers bronze also known as brass, the most expensive and durable material used in costume jewelry. We hand polish every piece to a mirror like finish and then hand set high quality Cubic Zirconia stones. We use a double thick genuine rhodium or 18K gold electroplating for lasting wear.
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 Divinity Boutique is a gift company that is focused on trendy and fun gifts that feature inspirational verse and themes.
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 Elegant Baby Elegant Baby® understands that babies deserve style just as fresh as they are! Our marvelous collection of baby products is full of bold colors and spectacular designs. From traditional to contemporary, today's baby gift is sure to become tomorrow's treasure. Products ranging from My First Rubber Ducky to My First Baby Bible, My First Baby Blankie, My First Baby Jeans to the iconic silver spoon, Elegant Baby is where style meets tradition.
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 Gently Spoken: Our dream is to touch a million hearts with words of affirmation and encouragement. Thanks to YOU, our dream is becoming a reality. PEAS are changing hearts and lives! Turn the pages and you'll discover why. Featuring the "Eat Your Peas" books.
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 Gina B. Designs is an award-winning greeting card, gift and stationery products company featuring exceptional art and design. With an array of styles, variety of products and outstanding customer service, Gina B. Designs has "something for everyone." All products are proudly made in the U.S.A.
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 Goods 4 U Global is a sales rep agency "caring and sharing Artisan goods from around the globe," offering handmade, fair trade, socially responsible goods created by local artisans in many countries.
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 Greenbriar Pottery: Our Ceramic products are made using custom clay and glaze formulas. Each piece is reduction fired to 2380 degrees making them highly functional. All of our products can be used decoratively and functionally. Each item has have been hi-fired to 2300+ degrees. This provides oven-safe stoneware for everyday. The clay and glaze formulas are custom and made from scratch. No commercial glazes used here.
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 Isa's Naturals is a forward thinking personal-care products company. Our products include therapeutic bath salts, body cleansers and moisturizers. At Isa's, we draw our inspiration from Ethnobotany - the relationship between people and plants.
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 Jozie B: What is Jozie B? Or, rather, who is Jozie B? She's a friend, she's a sister, a mother, a daughter, a neighbor. She loves to give gifts that lift the spirit with words and a touch of style. She's you... she's me...she's Jozie B. Jozie B first entered the general wholesale gift market to retailers in 2012. She offers a variety of gift items, including wall plaques, wine accessories, mugs, pillowcases, jewelry, and much more! Jozie wants her gifts, which are at affordable, everyday prices, to celebrate and uplift a woman's friends and family members, through both the gift's inspirational wording and its stylish appearance.
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 JTP Wholesale : JTP Wholesale is a wholesale website offering monogrammed bathroom tissue, coasters and a line of t-shirts for the young and old: Future Jock t-shirts and onesies and X-Jock adult t-shirts.
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 Limelight Imports: Limelight Imports is a wholesale manufacturer and distributor of whimsical jewelry and key chains.Our pieces are designed to create smiles, spread laughter and offer fun, yet affordable jewelry and key chains with a twist. All of the products of Limelight Imports have a special connection to family, friends and cherished memories.
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 For over 20 years, MikWright has set the pace for outlandish, provocative humor. Pairing images from bygone days with contemporary humor, the company's Birthday and All-Occasion greeting cards are sure to bring a laugh.
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 Pure Factory Naturals: With over a decade of experience in natural skin care, PUREfactory Naturals delivers a fresh and fun approach with a modern and sincere take on skin care. Our commitment speaks loud and clear: natural is best and simplicity is beautiful.
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 Red Carpet Studios, Ltd.: All Jazzed Up™ Fashion Accessories for Fall & Spring. A wide range of Giftware for the Home & Garden. Visit our website for New Products & Specials.
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 Richard E. Bishop Features Men's gifts like glass and mug sets, decanter sets, and "Tipsy Wine Glasses". Also the company features a variety of old-book-themed photo albums, binders and storage boxes.
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 Seeds of Happiness started out as leftover lumps of clay Mark Borella made into little smiles to give out to friends who were going through hard times and need a little smile. That was in 2006. Since then Mark has given out thousands of smiles to folks, a handful at a time. In turn, they share them and the story with their friends in need of a smile. Those people then share with more friends and keep the story going. Seeds of Happiness are all over the planet by now.
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 Shelley Kyle is among the most talented and innovative leaders in the fragrance industry today. When she began her company, The Shelley Kyle Collection, almost 17 years ago, it was an immediate success. The company evolved "one fragrance at a time" over the years and continues to amaze those who follow the Shelley Kyle wave.
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 snoozies!® are not socks and they're not slippers - sort of a crossover between the two and that's why we call them "foot coverings"! snoozies!® are made with a brushed fleece exterior in colorful & fun printed patterns and then lined with a soft Sherpa fleece inside.
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 Spiker Brands is the creator and wholesale distributor of the Spiker Lifestyle Holder, the original made-in-America holder for all your items at the beach, river, lake, lawn and more. Sand Spikes, Beach Spikers, Cup Holders, Beach Beverage Holder, American Made, Made in USA.
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 Stephanie Dawn quilted handbags are fun, functional and fresh. All colors and patterns are designed with modern American women of all ages in mind. Finally, a stylish and high quality handbag line that is EXCLUSIVELY MADE IN THE USA.
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 Stephers Inc.: Greeting cards featuring 100% Dead Sea Bath salts, funny sea characters, and a little 'BE HAPPY' meditation to lift your spirits ~ LIFE CHANGING SEA SALTS right in your very own tub! SPA CARDS. "TRANSFORMING HUMANITY ONE BATH AT A TIME".
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 Sunburst, a USA manufacturer, leads the way in resort jewelry, gifts, souvenirs, name programs, customs, educational and trendy accessories. A variety of metals including sterling silver, 14kt gold, solid copper and natural metals is available. Sunburst's turnkey display programs are a shopper's delight and a retailer's best friend! Enjoy the convenience of upc priced merchandise delivered fully packaged and ready for sale.
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 Sunday Greetings
is a greeting card company that started when Brenda Kellman made a homemade birthday card for her husband Alan. Brenda's photography is on the cover of the company's greeting cards for every occasion.
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 Tripar International Inc.: Tripar International is your source for both displays and decorative accessories. Our extensive product line includes a wide assortment of easels, risers, ornament stands, plate racks, mirrors, jewelry displays, and unique display pieces. We are also an excellent source for wine accessories, wall decor, inspirational signs, and cookbook stands. We offer quality with style, low minimums and fast shipping.
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 Unforgettaballs: "The finest collection of artwork printed on baseballs in the world" is our tagline. The products are baseballs with a variety of designs printed on them. Some are images of famous stadiums, and other baseball themes, but others are messages for special occasions or just "Cool Design Baseballs".
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 Unwined Candles: A glass of wine. Candlelight. The makers of Unwined Candles know that it's the little things in life that make it worthwhile. We handcraft our candles using elegantly rustic reused wine bottles and all natural soy wax infused with relaxing scents. You'll find the difference in the fine details of our candles. "Every day is a great day to Unwined".
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 Wellspring makes functional products with fresh designs for companies that sell gifts. Great fun and cute personal accessories designed for the purse, stationery designed for organization and Flip Notes- the best-selling slim notepad consistently ranked by retailers as a top 10 in sell through. Perfect 4th quarter pick up gifts at under $10 retail- a sweet spot with today's consumer. Now with collegiate logos!
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 White Mountain Puzzles is ahead of the pack when it comes to puzzles with educational content. Why not learn something while doing a puzzle? If you love to travel, why not put together an entertaining birds eye view of KEY WEST, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, BOSTON or NEW ENGLAND? Or work on a puzzle of states like MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, OHIO, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA or GEORGIA? Or learn something about PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY or THE CIVIL WAR? These challenging projects take artists like DAVID HARRISON WRIGHT, DEB MARCONI, GARY TORISSI, and MAUREEN RUPPRECHT months to create.
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Quick Industry News
TRADE SHOW NEWS
Grandparent Gift Company Showing New Products in Atlanta and Dallas
 The Grandparent Gift Co. of Alpharetta, GA will be unveiling their new 2016 catalog at the Atlanta and Dallas Gift Shows. The company, celebrating its 20th year in business, is introducing many new products, including new sentiment concepts and extensions of the companies most successful gift lines, including Little Grandbaby, Pawprints Left by You and Grandma's Heart. Company owner, Teri Harrison is excited about the new introductions, including the new Grandbaby ornament and table frame, more handmade cross designs, "Where I'll Always Be" pet memorial gifts, and great new collections for Dad, Communion/Confirmation, Memorial and Grandparents.
The company will feature more Made In America gifts, from glass hearts and crosses, to pewter sentiment coins and unique photo sentiment frames.
Visit The Grandparent Gift Co. in Atlanta, Building 3, Booth 5-401 or at the Keith Smith Showroom in Dallas. Call, email or visit their OmegaNet wholesale site to receive the new catalog, available mid-December.
Calypso Studios Marks 10 Years at a Variety of Winter Shows
Calypso Studios is celebrating its 10 year anniversary as a leading fashion, faith, and high-margin impulse company. To celebrate, the company is introducing its exciting 2016 line featuring new products and bringing back originals with a lively new twist. Calypso is debuting new cork items with leather and burlap accents, unique tie dye handbags, an initial jewelry collection, and two new inspirational Comforting Clay Cross Collections.
Calypso Studios can be seen at the following shows:
- Jan. 8-11, Premiere Show, Northeast Market Center, Suite #108- Gilefksy Group
- Jan. 8-11, Philadelphia Gift Show, Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Booths 1219-1227- Eastern Sales
- Jan. 12-19, Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, AmericasMart,The Rep Connection, Suite 1407-1411 (note: this is a change)
- Jan. 20-26, Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, Dallas Market Center, Diverse Marketing, Suite 439WTC (note: this is a change)
- Jan. 22-26, Columbus MarketPlace, Suite 507/508- Gr8 Reps
- Jan. 22-25, Seattle Gift Show, Pacific Market Center, Suite 218- DL Anderson
- Jan. 29-Feb. 2, Minneapolis Gift Show, Minneapolis Gift Mart, Suite G #417- Priorities 2
- Jan. 30-Feb. 2, Market XChange, Suite 180-Excelsior
- Feb. 26-29, Rocky Mountain Gift, Denver Merchandise Mart, Suite 220- Salesmark
- Mar. 10-15, Minneapolis Gift Show, Minneapolis Gift Mart, Suite G #417- Priorities 2
- Mar. 18-22, Columbus MarketPlace, Suite 507/508- Gr8 Reps
- Mar. 30-April 2, Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, Dallas Market Center, Suite 1743- Road Runners
NEW WHOLESALE WEBSITES
 Vintage Reef is a new member of the CAMEO EZ© community. The company is best known for A Coastal Jewelry Collection crafted with Freshwater Pearls, Cultured Sea Glass & Genuine Shells. The Vintage Reef collection is available wholesale to the trade and perfect for Coastal Boutiques, Surf Shops and Aquarium/Museum Gift Stores. The majority of the company's line is assembled by their team in New Jersey, and custom requests are certainly welcome.
 Another new wholesale CAMEO EZ© website is Aspen River Candles. The company embraces the history and folklore of the 1880’s and the simple sophistication of Aspen, Colorado, in the 21st century. The company's mission is to offer quality candles with a long and clean burn time. Aspen River candles are based upon creative and distinctive fragrances utilizing unique designs and containers; offering the most sought after fragrances from around the world. The complex blends of fruits, floral, spices, and natural botanicals are carefully combined to help create a mood, a smile, a desire, or a memory of a place or an event special to you.
 Oak Patch Gifts has a brand new CAMEO EZ© website. The company's product lines encompass a vast array of different items including jewelry, coffee mugs, party goods, humor items and juvenile products under the brands Jody Coyote, Cross of the Trinity, Monarch Inspirations, MIXMATCH, Laid Back, and Laid Back Kids. Oak Patch Gifts sells wholesale to over 10,000 retail stores in the United States, Canada, and internationally.
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