some trends from CHA-S

Hello! Thought I would share some trends I noticed at CHA-S last week. Just things I saw while wandering around. Hope they excite and inspire you!

1.Polaroids

From stickers to die cuts. My absolute favorite was from Studio Calico with their Die Cut Polaroids. They have words! Check out this blog post from Studio Calico to see them being used.

2. Project Life-style products

Simple Stories has the best product out there, for my money, called Snap. I love their albums and then how beautifully their products coordinate. I can get crazy and make a 2 hour layout. Or, grab a few darling journaling cards, photos, and record a memory in five minutes.

Technique Tuesday has some great cards as well.

3. Chevrons

SO happy to see this one hanging around! It’s a personal favorite and hey, I called it back in late 2010 with my stamp set Beyond Borders. :)

4. Hexagons

In love with this too! My favorite is still Hexagons from Spellbinders Paper Arts. I can die cut patterned paper. I can create hexagon frames. I can make way too many projects with them. :)

And, again, I called it  with my stamps, Beyond Borders Too. :)

5. Wood grain

Cannot get enough. Spellbinders Paper Arts has a new M-Bossabilities folder called Bricks and Bark. Jillibean Soup has some darling new buttons with wood grain, along with their wood flags. And I could go on and on. Another trend sticking around that makes me glad.

6. Stencils

Fancy Pants has an entire line of old-school stencil products. Very intrigued by these! Check them out HERE.

Jenni Bowlin also had a cute one, which could be used on its own. Very cute. Check it out HERE.

7. Neon colors.

They are starting to peek out here and there. Heidi Swapp has some cute embellishments. But I am really loving the new Neon Inks from Hero Arts.

8. Mixed Media.

Don’t freak out. Its not all doll heads and weird pieces and parts. :) Did you know that when you use a button or twine on a card, you are creating with mixed media? Its just a way to describe a project that uses more than just paper and ink. You can go crazy and layer with techniques and ephemera, but even those who are not sure about this style can easily embrace all the new products coming out. Just grab some fancy trim and embrace your inner Mixed Media Artist. :)

thanks for stopping by!

~kimberly