CHA-Summer is over, and time has given us a chance to synthesize the new products and trends that we saw. Here’s Scrapbook Update’s analysis of the top product trends that we saw on the show floor at CHA-Summer 2009:

Kitchen Themes

Lots of companies are trying to capitalize on the nesting trend that the recession has brought us, as well as on the upcoming holiday gift market for handmade recipe albums. Food and kitchen-themed collections were shown at CHA-Summer by companies that included BasicGrey, Graphic 45, and BoBunny. For BasicGrey, in particular, the collection was a big expansion of its themed designs (which had previously been limited to its baby & winter holiday collections).

Vintage Holiday Themes

CHA-Summer always sees the release of the winter holiday lines. This year, there was a heavy emphasis on vintage in the holiday line releases. Certain companies, you’d expect to see that emphasis from, such as Graphic 45, Pink Paislee, and Webster’s Pages. But other companies that are more flexible in their style, such as KaiserCraft, BoBunny, and Cosmo Cricket also showed vintage-inspired lines for the holidays.

Pink Christmas

Of all the festive colors you might associate with the winter holidays, pink probably isn’t high on the list. Yet many companies this year were showing holiday lines that incorporated a good deal of pink. Among the companies celebrating a pink Christmas this year were Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker, BasicGrey, My Minds Eye, and Upsy Daisy Designs. In some collections, the pink completely replaces the traditional red, while in others it complements it.

Cherries

Cherry icons started trending at CHA-Winter and they were seen in several lines at CHA-Summer. Some of the manufacturers showing cherry icons in their designs included Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker, Basic Grey, and Cosmo Cricket.

Die Cut & Laser Cut Papers

Lots more lines are using die cut or laser cut papers in lieu of higher-priced embellishments in their lines. Some of the new styles are patterned papers with a die-cut outer edge, and some styles are more complicated laser cut “lace” papers. As the offered embellishments in lines have decreased, the offerings of these “paper as embellishment” options have increased. Notable companies on the CHA-Summer show floor that were offering die-cut or laser cut paper options included Little Yellow Bicycle, Crate Paper, BasicGrey, BoBunny, Sassafras, Jenni Bowlin, and Pink Paislee.

Buttons

After falling out of favor for awhile, buttons are back, presumably for their affordability and versatility. Buttons also appeal to cardmakers, an expanding market that many scrapbook companies are trying to reach. BasicGrey, Making Memories and BoBunny were among the companies showing button assortments with their new collections.

Chipboard Buttons

An extension of the resurgence of buttons is a trend toward a new kind of button: chipboard buttons. These are lightweight and easier to adhere than real ones. Jenni Bowlin showed some beautiful ones at CHA-Winter, and added a huge assortment at CHA-Summer. Making Memories showed some holiday ones. If you’d like to design your own buttons, Technique Tuesday has an exciting product – buttons made from their chipboard tile material that can be stamped, inked, glued, or painted!

Journaling Products

Part of the new trend toward affordable embellishments has been an emphasis on journaling products like pre-designed tags, stickers and sheets for journaling. Loads of lines had some form of these embellishments, but standouts included Little Yellow Bicycle, Basic Grey and Jenni Bowlin.

Felt Embellishments

This trend is possibly a hold-over from the 1970′s trend that has all but disappeared due to the rise of vintage. Felt embellishments were shown by companies in a variety of styles, from Sassafras’s 1970′s signature style to more vintage looks from BasicGrey & Making Memories.

Pearls

Along with the rise of vintage style in scrapbooking has come a new kind of bling: pearls. Prima showed a large selection of pearl designs in its CHA-Summer collection, and KaiserCraft was among the other manufacturers adding pearls to their line of embellishments.

Fabric Embellishments

The trend toward texture in scrapbooking has continued through the use of fabric embellishments. Prima, Pink Paislee, and Webster’s Pages were among the companies showing various fabric embellishments (primarily tags) at CHA-Summer. But most notable were the denim and corduroy offerings of new exhibitor Buzz & Bloom, who won CHA’s Innovations award for the CHA-Summer 2009 show for their product offerings.

Bingo Cards

Bingo cards started showing up at CHA-Winter and they were back with a vengence at CHA-Summer. Unity Stamp, Tattered Angels, and Jenni Bowlin were among the companies showing bingo card designs in various products.

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