Has that changed for me? No way! I still love scrapbooking trips both big and small, and what I really appreciate is how the industry has gone from intensely themed and brightly colored product to more useful product, and to items that can cross over into other pages and subjects as well. While I utilize a great many items in my vacation scrapbooks that are not themed, I also am always on the lookout for the best of travel and vacation products available.

And from cruises to road trips, time at the beach to camping,  and just general travel, journey, and trip products…there is definitely a lot available. Here are six collections I think are fantastically useful, cool, and otherwise great buys:

• Bo Bunny Press “Paradise”  Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
• Creative Imaginations “Oceana”  Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
• Little Yellow Bicycle “Pack your Bags”  Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
• Making Memories “Panorama” Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
• Studio Calico “Documentary”  Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
• The Girls’ Paperie “On Holiday”  Two Peas | Scrapbook.com

I particularly appreciate the value in the Girls’ Paperie sticker book (just $4.99 for seven sheets of stickers!) Scrapbook.com | Two Peas

Looking for a great accent for your next travel or journey page? Try these tags from 7 gypsies.  Two Peas | Scrapbook.com

I also like this transparency from Teresa Collins Travel line. It could be such fun to mark on, paint, spray, and otherwise alter to suit my travels.

One stand out line this season that I mentioned above is Making Memories Panorama line. I love the tropical feel of the product, and that the colors are not too bright, and that any number of layouts could be lovely with the product – not just travel.

I created this layout about a vacation at our home – and I loved how easily it all came together.

Patterned Paper (die cut):  Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Patterned Paper (background): Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Making Memories Title Letters  Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Making Memories Tickets Two Peas
Making Memories Journaling Card  Scrapbook.com
Making Memories die cut shapes Two Peas
Making Memories Wordfetti Two Peas

Evalicious flowers with buttons www.shopevalicious.com
other: white thread, rhinestones, black pen

I like vacation products that put me in a relaxed state of mind. I like products that have a style that I’d normally choose to use, and that can be used for all kinds of subjects. Words like laughter, good times, journey, and so many others that can be found in these products can be creatively put to use for anything! Palm trees and ocean waves don’t have to mean that you’re on a cruise – they can represent a summer’s day, or just a relaxing time.

What adventure will be next in my scrapbooking? I’ve got a few ideas, and you can be sure that I’ll be taking some of these fantastic products along with me to create and enjoy. Before I end this article here are a few more fun items to consider:

Canvas flip flops mini book by Quick Quotes: Scrapbook.com

Martha Stewart Border Punch: Scrapbook.com

Karen Foster metal decorative plates are so fun – perfect if you’re traveling or on a road trip in the USA.  Scrapbook.com

I could go all day! Bella Blvd has a great new camping line. EK Success continues to produce travel-themed Jolee’s Boutique stickers. By getting specific with what kind of vacation you’re having when you use search terms, you can find even more inspiration and fun. I hope you’ve enjoyed my look at some current picks for great vacation products.

[Disclosure: May is a member of the design team at The Girls Paperie, some of whose products appear in this article.]

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As I surf the internet and manufacturer websites I’ve been gathering some of my favorites. I shared an article before the show with some of my sneak peek favorites, and now I’m back with more. It certainly wasn’t easy to narrow down.  There are a lot of great things! A few I’m especially loving are Tattered Angels, Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Bella Blvd, October Afternoon, and Crate Paper. They all have fantastic looking product coming out.

This article contains a few of my top picks. Oh yes – I have a whole new list of must-have items that are soon to be available. (And I hope it’s sooner than later!)

Jenni Bowlin has been a favorite of mine since discovering her years ago. Guess what? This release is no exception. Her products build on past releases and work well together to help breathe new life into older products and inspire with new amazing cuteness. I am smitten with these star stickers!

I have seen samples with these Hambly rub-ons where designers have partially filled the images with buttons and rhinestones, as if the jars are filled with the treats. I love that idea, and I adore this sheet of rub-ons! I think they’ll be a whole lot of fun.

Kaiser Craft has a lot of great stuff coming out, and I especially love their ‘beyond the page’ line of alterable items. This wreath is so lovely – I simply must have it. I have visions of a Christmas wreath for it, and I hope to find one of these in a store soon.

Making Memories, a company I’ve used and enjoyed for years has a bunch of must-haves this go around. Their Paper Reverie line really works for me. It’s got sparkle and vintage charm, and is fairly neutral, so I see it having a long shelf life in my stash. The pieces shown above are my favorites.

The Je t’Adore line from Making Memories has a lot of great stuff. This cute box of creative ‘chocolate’ has some interesting bits and pieces as well as being presented in fun packaging.

Studio Calico continues to grow and delight me. I am currently envisioning misting and enjoying playing with these notions. I wouldn’t have thought flowers would be so exciting, but I can not wait to get my hands on these unique ones. They also have a great paper line, some mists, and wood veneer stuff that I am anxious to get in my eager hands.

I am really excited about the “Freestyle” and “Celebrate” lines from Teresa Collins. I like the infusion of more color into her collections while still maintaining the style and look she’s known for. This argyle patterned paper will be perfect for scrapbooking about my girls.

If I were doing an article entitled “I want everything ___ company put out” then Webster’s Pages would certainly be in it. Their new “Sweet Season” line really captured my attention. I love the fusion of color and sweet treats in a winter line like this.

One more pick from Webster’s – I simply can’t live without these trims. I don’t know how they do it, but they bring out more vintage inspired trims each show and each time they are exquisite!

I must add Pink Paislee to the list of companies who had a “want every piece” release. I am so impressed with all they’ve come out with, from the line with the House of 3 to this line called “Sweetness”. I want every single item! They’ve come out with fresh ideas and new products with their signature flair and sensibility for useful but trendy product.

Before you faint with shock, yes that’s me (the ‘no die cuts’ lady) picking a die as a favorite. I’ll talk about that more some other time. For now, just know that Tim Holtz ROCKED the summer show with die cuts and texture fades and all kinds of other awesome goodies for his Sizzix line.

Tim’s idea-ology line is packed full (as are his stamps, and everything else he came out with) of amazing possibility. These trimmings are a must-have. Ink, spray, or paint them – heck, stamp on them, too! I just love everything about this line. The designs are great and I love them all. Just call me a crazy fan girl – I want it ALL!

[Editor's Note: Crazy Tim Holtz fan girl May became crazy Tim Holtz design team girl last week after she wrote this article but before it was edited & scheduled for publication. Our sincerest congratulations to May on getting her dream gig, and to Tim on getting a talented designer that I know from personal experience is as passionate about his products as he is.]

Cupcake Love is a new collection from Little Yellow Bicycle that is over the top girly, and frosted in pink. I love it! These layered felt ribbon sliders are my favorite piece.

Claudine Hellmuth released some stamps with Ranger that are intriguing. There are both foam and acrylic stamps that can be layered as shown above. She has several sets and I’m really excited about this look. I think it would be great on her canvas paper, with stitching or other elements added, and for all kinds of projects from cards to layouts and so much more. I look forward to seeing more of these.

As you can see my shopping basket is quickly filling, and this has been a fantastic show for new and exciting products. I haven’t gotten into the seasonal releases like the amazing Christmas and Halloween goods coming from the Girls’ Paperie [whose design team May also just joined recently - Editor] I can’t stress it enough – this show was FULL of good stuff!

I can’t wait to stop dreaming and start creating! What are you looking forward to working with? What are your favorites?

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When I discovered the “Vintage Groove by Jill Schwartz” line from Making Memories at CHA-Winter 2010, I was instantly smitten. What you are about to read is a gushing review of the most unexpected find of the winter show. A scrapbooking company getting into jewelry? What sounds crazy at first makes a lot of sense to me. There is a lot of crafting overlap already, and I believe they’ve done an excellent job with this.

What appealed to me were the detailed vintage inspired pieces, the colors, and most of all the usefulness of the line. Once I saw how easy it was to use, and that even I could find success with the line I was sold. I have been working with some pieces from this new offering, and I’m impressed with the quality, variety, and how beginner-friendly this line is. There are a lot of items available, from monograms to charms, flowers to rhinestones – everything you need to make simple and amazing jewelry.

You only need jump rings and pliers to attach things together, and you can simply piece things together. Making Memories has a variety of chains and pieces that are able to link together, and I was able to start making things in minutes. I used to string beads to make necklaces when I was a child, but I have never been into making my own jewelry. This line has me re-thinking that and ready to buy a whole lot more.

I didn’t need to figure out “how”, just simply what I wanted. Choose a chain, choose some decorative pieces, and attach with jump rings.

I learned quickly (with a very sore thumb) that two pairs of pliers to twist the jump rings open is imperative. Making Memories has a video on their website demonstrating a quick and easy monogram necklace that demonstrates the how-to nicely.

Playing with these products, I found myself both dreaming up pieces for myself and thinking about the gifts I could create for others as well. I was really encouraged by how easy they’ve made this so that I don’t need to be an expert to put something pretty together. Above is a necklace I made in under 10 minutes. I confess, the hardest part is choosing what to use! That takes considerably longer.

I really like that no matter what you choose from the line, it’s going to go with everything else. Depending on your color and style preferences, you can make any number of looks, and it can be as tricky or simple as you like. In the above necklace I pieced together some charms, pieces of chain, and even some pre-made lengths of beads to create this funky necklace. I didn’t worry about matching things, and I love how this looks on me. Funky and fun – and totally one of a kind.

I showed the pieces I have to a friend who is very into jewelry making, and she was excited by how the charms and decorative beads and pieces could be used in her more advanced work. Because the line is sold in small affordable bits and pieces, you can really get the things you love, and not be stuck with items you don’t wish to use. I went wild with a multi-strand necklace (above) using the silver bead chain that is a part of the line. Having chains and strands of beads ready to go is so nice. I just get to play with the fun stuff!

What I am most excited about is how quickly I could start having finished pieces in my hands, and that if I made a mistake I could simply open the jump ring back up and start over. I am also very excited by how some of these pieces would translate beautifully into scrapbook and paper craft projects.

I already shop the bead isles at my craft store for unique embellishments, and I love that some of these are flat enough to work for me.

In the layout above (Making Memories princess sticker, alpha stickers, paper, and Jenni Bowlin button) I strung several pieces together along the bottom of my photo and removed the metal backing for the large blue flower. Normally I think I would just choose one or two special pieces to accent my layout, but I couldn’t resist.

Playing with these products has been a treat, and I look forward to seeing all of the products in stores soon. I’m told that a handful of select Target stores have the line now, and that it should show up the first week of April in stores that have ordered it. If you like the vintage look as much as I do, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for it.

I’m already looking forward to making another necklace and bracelet, not to mention some canvas and scrapbook projects.

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A few months back, I noticed banner patterned paper in a Studio Calico kit. I’ve also noticed digital brushes and other files from Rhonna Farrer at House of 3 that I like a lot. The more I think about it, the more paper banners make sense in scrapbooking. I am not sure why, but it would seem 2010 is destined to be a year of banners in scrapbooking. This is one trend that is picking up speed quickly!

{image above from American Crafts CHA booth – the Dear Lizzie collection}

Banners were all over the sneak peeks for CHA-Winter, and once on the show floor I noticed them everywhere – both decorating the booths and on product as well. Here are a few examples:

Melody Ross (above) has chipboard that could be turned into a decorative banner, mini book, or so much more. Webster’s Pages (below) has incorporated banners into their paper and ribbon.

The Dear Lizzie line from American Crafts (above) held banners in all forms from paper embellishments and patterned paper to stamps. October Afternoon (below) has a lovely banner sticker in their new “go fly a kite” line.

Making Memories (above) has a whole set of travel stickers full of banners and colors that make me want to take a vacation to somewhere warm. Jenni Bowlin (below) introduced make-your-own banner stickers. I think these are clever, and because they are paired with alphabet stickers on the same sheet, you can make titles or decorative accents for your projects as well.

Maya Road, The Girls’ Paperie, and several other companies also have products with banners coming out. There’s so many choices! Now, as products become available in stores, the next question is – how will I incorporate this trend in my crafting? My number one suggestion is that you make sure that your banners aren’t just floating around on your project. Ground them to the edge of a photo, to the edge of the paper, to an embellishment, or to some other element on your page.

To make your own banners, I have two suggestions. First, try cutting out squares of patterned paper and then cutting from the bottom center up to the top corner of each side. This will give you a pretty triangle like the example I’ve shown below.

My second suggestion is that you use a triangle punch, or if you want a different feel you can use a circle punch and cut it in half and string the pieces together.

Here is a layout I created with the new Jenni Bowlin banner stickers:

supplies: New Jenni Bowlin stickers and buttons, October Afternoon patterned paper from Thrift Shop line, Prima flowers and rhinestones, American Crafts pen, unknown trim, cardstock, and buttons

I went for a relaxed imperfect look to my banner, and I really like how these stickers come with little alphabet letters. The neutral colors will work well for a number of page subjects.

I look forward to seeing banners incorporated in more pages as these products hit the shelves. From every day occasions to birthdays, I can see a lot of possibilities here. Across the top, in the center, for titles, over a corner, at the bottom, or any other way you cut it – I am loving this new trend!

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(These trends shouldn’t be confused with design trends, which will be addressed in another article. This article just deals with what types of products are being introduced, not what style they are.)

So, in no particular order…here’s the first five of the top ten product trends from CHA Winter 2010:

1. Banners

This trend is actually a product and a design trend. Banners were everywhere at CHA Winter. They were for sale as products, and handmade ones were used as booth displays to show off new products. But here, we’re only concerned about the products. There were canvas banners, banner board books, banner stickers & paper, and banner stamps:

Clockwise from top left: Canvas Home Basics, Canvas Home Basics, October Afternoon, Maya Road, Webster’s Pages, October Afternoon.

2. Decorative Tape

Tape has been around for awhile in a limited sense – I personally own a huge collection of the Heidi Swapp and Making Memories designs and love using them on pages and cards – but now tape is popping up everywhere. There was even a new exhibitor at CHA Winter called Love My Tapes that sells nothing but tape.

Tape is appealing for several reasons to both buyers and sellers. It can sell at an affordable price point for a large quantity. It also has use to a wide range of crafters, from scrapbookers, to cardmakers and beyond.

Clockwise from top left: Love My Tapes, Pink Paislee, Pink Paislee, 7 Gypsies, Tim Holtz idea-ology, Making Memories.

3. Felt

Felt has been around for awhile as well but it is becoming increasingly commonplace. The retro craze has made it especially popular. It’s being used for a wide range of sticker-type embellishments, as well as by companies like Queen & Co. for ribbon-style borders.

Clockwise from top left: Prima, Making Memories, Dear Lizzy by American Crafts, BasicGrey, Kaisercraft, Queen & Co.

4. Artist Trading Cards

ATC’s have been on the fringe of the paper crafts industry for awhile but lately they’ve been growing in importance as companies like 7 Gypsies have been releasing products aimed squarely at that activity, and stampers and scrapbookers look for more things to do with their supplies.

At the CHA Craft Supershow in Anaheim, one booth was doing brisk business in selling ATC card blanks from specialty papers by Strathmore. At the trade show, companies as diverse as Tim Holtz and Making Memories both introduced ATC supplies. Many stamp designs were being sold that were obviously influenced by the ATC aesthetic, which is infiltrating mainstream scrapbooking.

The bottom example here is of the most importance in illustrating this trend. It is of the Shabby Chic version of the new Tim Holtz idea-ology paper pads. It includes pages that are 12×12 as well as pages that are designed to be cut into smaller sizes. There’s some 6×6, some tiny squares, and then some pages that are a combination of ATC’s and borders. This is a big development in the market, selling a product that is designed assuming that most buyers are interested at least somewhat in ATC’s as well as more traditional scrapbooking and card making.

5. Unmounted Rubber Stamps

The use of acrylic stamps has been exploding in the scrapbooking industry. There are several reasons for the growth of unmounted rubber: Concern about the design limitations of clear stamps, a desire to attract hardcore rubber enthusiasts as customers, or the need to compete with the price of clear stamps.

Clockwise from top left: Eco Green Crafts, Hero Arts, Stampendous, Lizzie Anne Designs, Stamper’s Anonymous, Unity Stamps.

Stay tuned for part two, coming soon!

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