American Crafts has been a well-known brand for scrapbookers since 1994. It was founded by Steve and Alma Mitchell, along with their sons, and originally specialized in manufacturing an assortment of gel and ink pens, as well as markers. The company initially concentrated on the general-crafting market.
In the late 1990s, the company changed their focus from manufacturing writing instruments to creating scrapbook products for an emerging scrapbook industry. The well-designed paper and their focus on fresh, clean product design that featured bold colors and geometric patterns helped the company lead the trends in this specialty market. Some of their present designers are famous names from the scrapbooking world. Amy Tangerine and Elizabeth Kartchner are just two of the many talented people that design products for American Crafts. Some of their new releases are the most spectacular ever. Cut & Paste by the designer Amy Tangerine mixes bold and soft colors together for an eclectic collection that has everything from paper to matching stickers to stamps. They also have a Project Life Mini Kit that will be available with this collection.
(Original images acquired from the American Crafts Blog)
(Layout by Maggie Holmes from the American Craft Blog)
American Crafts also produces fabulous tools, like their paper trimmers and tape runners, and unique embellishments, like their patterned ribbon, buttons, brads and decorated clothespins.
By the late 2000’s, American Crafts expanded their business by acquiring other well-known scrapbook manufacturers to offer a bigger variety of products to their customers. In 2009, Pebbles Inc. joined the American Crafts family. The Pebbles label specializes in quick, easy-to-use products for any type of scrapbooker. This line offers everything from a Basics Line, which concentrates on papers that are simple in design that you can mix and match with coordinating alphabets and stickers, to their popular I Kan’dee chalk sets.
In 2011, American Crafts acquired the Crate Paper brand from Lisa and Steve Parkin, though Lisa remains as this brand’s creative director. Crate Paper is renowned for producing products that feature a more distressed/antique look. This brand does a fabulous job of mixing the old with new in their designs. Their new lines from the major craft and hobby show this year feature new products that have fresh and never-been-done-before ideas. Maggie Holmes “Flea Market” collection offers adorable decorative pins that could be used on a scrapbook page or in a child’s hair.
(Photo taken from the American Crafts Blog)
The line is very feminine, using colors like pink, aqua and gold, and combines vintage-style graphics and patterns. From paint chips to bingo cards-so much fun!!
In 2011 American Crafts also entered into a partnership with Studio Calico to produce and distribute this popular brand. Studio Calico is known for its products (like Mister Huey’s Color Mists), their fabulous embellishments (like their wood veneer pieces), and their beautifully designed papers. The founder of Studio Calico, April Foster, guides the design work of this innovative company.
(Layout from the Studio Calico Web Site)
In July of 2013, American Crafts purchased Imaginisce from Durham Brands, a design and manufacturing company that was based in Utah. Imaginisce is most widely known for its line of crafting tools, like the cordless glue gun and the iTop button maker, as well as fun paper collections featuring bright color combinations. According to the press release on the American Crafts blog, Jeff Mitchell, the CEO of American Crafts says “Imaginisce’s line of fun, colorful products appeals to a wide variety of crafters.”
New and existing products will be shipped from American Crafts in August.
Some examples of the new products that will be shipping are the i-Rock Pro hot gem tool and the Imaginisce Score ‘n’ Pierce tool. The new i-Rock Pro gem tool features an LED light and a mini vacuum so your gems won’t escape. The new Score ‘n’ Pierce tool features four different types of stylus options, from a fine paper piercer to a coarse embossing option all in one tool.
American Crafts has grown from a small company featuring a limited product to a large business that produces everything from pens to scrapbook products to tools that appeal to a wide range of crafters. It will be fun to see what the next step is for this innovative and ever-growing company.
To see more great products by this awesome company, visit the Scrapbook.com store.
