LA's Consumer Product Events Holiday Gift Expo 2016

Consumer Product Events' Holiday Mini-Gift Expo 2016 at Hotel Le Merigot in Santa Monica.

Photos & story by Karen Ostlund
Among the gift-ideas launches were:

Celeb-Loved Phone Cases, Holiday Awkwardness Ice Breakers as card-games, HGTV's "Design Star" Darlings, Not-So-Fairytale Books, An App That Erases Scary Dark House Fears and Glam Interior Design Pillows.

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Consumer Product Events fall presentation served up a roomful of product suggestions for holiday gift guide planning starting Thanksgiving weekend. The anticipated preview was  held at Le Merigot JW Marriott in Santa Monica last September 14th 2016.
Interior designer Josh Johnson's motto is 'Design Your Shine"
The golden long-maned HGTV Design Star's "Sparkle Josh" Johnson is based in both West Hollywood and Nashville.
Josh presented his signature reverse-sequin "Sparklicious Pillows, in which a person can draw a name. Other products for the holidays were glitzy home accessories and specialty gifts, along with a collection of decorative drapery panels and accent pillows in luxe velvet, sparkly sheers, and metallic embroidered solids, in which Johnson created with Softline Home Fashions (featured at Walmart). www.softlinehome.com

"I designed my line with "livable luxe" in mind, paring the modern glamorous aesthetic with functional practicality, while making it truly affordable and accessible to the interior designer in everyone." www.JoshJohnsonHome.com The fall 2016 Collection can be found at Wayfair, Overstock and Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Josh Johnson Interior Design reverse-sequin pillows

     

(Left) Designer Josh Johnson with author Alison Dutch

 Designer Deborah Lindquist, whose clients range from Rhianna to Pink, showcased her new line of recycled cashmere sweaters and scarves with cat-eyes, including home décor pillows, pop art and dog sweaters, recycled leather handbags and fingerless gloves. Deborah has also a second line called "Green Queen by Deborah Lindquist" which features men's basics in her signature modal and organic cotton women's fabrics.www.greenqueenclothing.com
 Organic fabrics are grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides. Sustainable fabrics implement to earth friendly processing. Up-cycled fabrics are post-consumer items “reincarnated” into new garments. All designs are produced in her Los Angeles studio.

The game Personalogy creates awkward holiday moments for Holidays Parties, First Date Jitter, Family Dinners and Singles looking for Love using provocation as social icebreakers.The game helps overcome nerves by instantly connecting players. The Personalogy Game cards questions:
Which TV show best reflects my current work environment and why?
A.Scandal B.Modern Family C.Saturday Night Live D.Empire E.Parks and Recreation
I have an alter ego, what's the persona and why?
A.Bad Ass and Kicks Butts B.Sassy and Sexy  C.Reckless, Fast and Bold  D.Hilarious and Laugh out loud and funny  D.Fit, Takes no bull, a martial arts expert
The creators of this game are communication experts Michelle Burke and Lilamani de Silva from Interact Games LLC www.PersonalogyGame.com

Just Jan's is fruit spreads, tangerine marmalade and lemon curbs created in the kitchen by Jan Hogrewe which business started in 2012, after twenty years career in the film industry.  
In creating her spreads Jan has been guided by her love of food and ingredients, refusing to compromise on quality or flavor. The result is a line of spreads and curds that are all natural, preservative free, and 14% lower in sugar than traditional jams and jellies. Today Just Jan's features 13 flavors, from sweet to savory, to spicy. The fruit collection includes flavors as Kadota Fig Spread, Organic Strawberry and Seedless Strawberry.
 The savory collection includes Balsamic Onion and Tangerine Sriracha.  The Balsamic Onion can add a touch of flavor and sophistication to your dinner menu or wine tasting. 
Tangerine Sriracha, is a Silver SOFI 2016 winner : A mixture of spicy and sweet, which sauce can be used on everything, avocado, egg, or of course, chicken wings. The Holiday collection includes Cranberry Raspberry Relish and Homestyle Pumpkin Butter.
http://www.justjans.com/blogs/recipes

Switchmate is a lighting control on your phone.It attaches to standard light switches magnetically.Set a timer for your lights or create a schedule when you are away.
Switchmate solves the problem of coming home to a scary dark house, with help of a user-friendly free Smartphone app and a simple-to-install wall switch, that lightens every room of the house before you reach the driveway.www.myswitchmate.com

Thinium Technologies – Inspired by the thinness of a credit card and a desire to say "adios" to cables, Thinium is the skinniest of cell phone chargers. It charges up to two devices at once, using the integrated USB Port. cable-free with the Thinium ReCharge +, a slender, high-density 3000 mAh two-in-one backup battery for Apple (lightning tip) or Micro-USB phones. ReCharge+ batteries have a tucked-in USB cable and retractable AC prongs for wall charging. The ReCharge is found at Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon and www. Thinium.com

Wildflower Cases -  Wildflower Cases is a women owned and operated iPhone accessories company in Los Angeles, California. Each exclusive and limited edition fashion iPhone accessory is designed by founder Michelle Carlson and her two daughters, Devon and Sydney Carlson. Wildflower represents all of the girls passionately experiencing life with a free spirit and sense of independence, who are able to grow and survive anywhere, and are driven to succeed. 
The Wildflowercases website started after singer Miley Cirus
approached Devon in an LA restaurant asking where to buy their handmade iPhone cases made of fabrics, studs and denim. www.wildflowercases.com

Adventures of Camellia N. by author Debra L. Wideroe 

The first book takes Camellia N. on an exciting journey to the northernmost part of our planet toto discover  the wildlife and natural resources of all seven continents under the sea, and into space. The second book, released fall 2017 will be names Under The Sea, and will tell a story about an underwater expedition.  

The Adventures of Camellia N. is award-winning children's book series for early readers and bedtime explorers. Pint-size Camellia’s nightly dreams take her on magical adventures to all seven continents, under the sea and into space where she learns about and gains appreciation for the environment, wildlife and natural resources.

This nine-part book series not only educates and entertains, but encourages children to become global ambassadors. The Adventures of Camellia N. is the recipient of the prestigious Mom's Choice Gold Award®.  www.debbiewideroe.com

Breakaway Matcha's founder Eric Gower explained that the company now offer cold-brew single power packed doses for clarity and hydration mixed in a water bottle.
 It's a green tea from Japan, finely ground, that can be served hot or cold. It was originally served in formal ceremonies in Japan. The distinguishing features are:

No steeping. Matcha isn’t steeped, it’s “eaten.” You simply pour hot water over the powder, froth it (either with a special handheld bamboo whisk or an electric milk frother), and drink the thick tea. 

 It is full of naturally occurring antioxidants and amino acids; roughly 20 times those of regular green tea.The cold brew proportions are 8 ounces of very cold water to 1 gram ( half a teaspoon), and shake. To make 16 ounces of cold brew, use two grams (one teaspoon), and to make a quart, use 4g, or 2 teaspoons. 4 calories per serving and 25 mg of caffeine.

Anam Caras – California-based artist, Colleen Stratton, has developed an alphabet series featuring Gaelic "guardian spirit" fantasy animal letters that can be customized to spell a name or inspiration."My Anamabet Collection for children is a soulful alphabet series featuring the Anam Caras as they offer you their blessings in a short text beneath their portraits. It's soul

whether it’s for yourself, or a family member or friend, an Anamabet print is a unique and thoughtful gift for the ones you love the most".

Consumer Product Events, a sister company of Brown + Dutch Public Relations, Inc. established in 1996. It connects consumer packaged goods with the press who are looking to report about them. Created by a PR veteran whose clients have included ThinkThin nutrition bars, Swatch and Tokyo Coca Cola – CPE is a DIY matchmaker for products and press. CPE is the brainchild of Alyson Dutch, one of the nation's top consumer product PR mavens and author of the PR Handbook for Entrepreneurs.