pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}

If you don’t love colour, then don’t come anywhere near the candy-coated rainbow that is Doodlebug Designs! But colour is definitely good in my book, so a closer look indeed! You know, once I get past the idea of a tree that sprouts glittery Easter eggs. Because that puts trees, glitter and chocolate all the same object and I’m totally excited for that idea. Tree scientists, feel free to make this a reality. Please and thank you.

Cardmaking is more and more evident at the Doodlebug stand with each show, and the Doodlepops sticker line is perfect for that. 3D layered stickers sold individually, so you can grab just the design you want rather than trying to compromise with a sheet filled with a dozen designs at a higher price. I’ve used a couple of these and they are very sturdy for a layered sticker, so that does make them excellent for cards.

Two boy-themed lines cover babies and growing up years – with coordinating blues to make the more versatile patterns cross over the two.

I wonder if the shop-owners noticed this. Because this next to the till in a scrapbook shop would make me completely and totally powerless at staying away from baker’s twine. It would all be in my basket in under sixty seconds. Even if I didn’t know I needed it at all.

And I love how they package these buttons too, though this is probably something that works best for a retail store. It’s how I shop for buttons in the haberdashery department, so it makes sense in the papercraft world too. But the colours are extra lush, of course!

A little something new for the Doodlebug glittered papers: coloured backgrounds, white spots. I get a few of these each time and they look so fab in an album. Adhesive and the glitter can be a bit tricky, but it stitches really well, so that works a treat!

New clear and rubber cling stamps, including backgrounds and an alphabet, plus ink pads to coordinate with the Doodlebug colour palette.

Pretty much everything here ships in early March, so be ready to grab your favourites very soon!

Click here to shop for Doodlebug products!

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After three collections in 2010 but nothing new in 2011, a new addition to the Dear Lizzy + American Crafts partnership is a bit exciting. It’s one of the first collections from the entire show to hit stores, as it’s shipping straight away, and it’s filled with watercolour washes, ice cream cones and well… Thickers. Of course.

And a rolling date stamp that includes a selection of sweet phrases to accompany the date, larger word embellishments that could also work for party decor, two smaller flat alphabets and paper rosettes.

Two sets of clear stamps include a camera and bunting flags in one set and a jar to fill with wishes in the other. (Or if not wishes, your choice of hearts, stars, flowers or strawberries. Same thing.)

My favourite is probably the sticker book – I love these in every AC collection and use them to the very last sticker. And the ribbon card includes sequins!

Printed chipboard collection is quite delish!

One of the paper releases is a ruffle paper – 12×12 with several ruffles of crepe paper attached to the background. It can be used on its own as a 12×12 sheet or cut apart to create separate ruffles, ready to be added to any project with just standard adhesive. (It also looks very nice stitched!)

Oh, the window dressing here! So lovely! So making me want to sit down for a tea party on a blanket in the middle of the aisle. But unfortunately, that sort of things is generally frowned upon at the trade show. Also, I did not bring a tea pot. So that plan is ruined quite quickly and instead I just looked at the pages and took plenty of photos.

Including a couple of Liz(zy) herself, of course. It’s only polite!

Click here to shop for Dear Lizzy products, already in stock!

7gypsies is another company that has been in the swing here and there going from independent to a parent company, but they have continued to stay true to their brand and their booth never fails to inspire. They keep their new releases on the small side and always make sure they work well with the existing products in the line, so if you’re a fan of their products, you will probably be a fan for life. I love that consistency in their work, and think they have benefitted from not trying to grow to double or triple the size of their collections. Everything has a lovely boutique feel and seems very right as a package.

There is some new cross-branding here too, with special edition colours of Tattered Angels products in colours to match the 7gypsies collections – and they are more colourful than you might first expect.

But I have to admit that half the fun of walking around the 7gypsies booth is just looking at all the pretty things tucked away. It’s sometimes hard to tell what is display and what is product – but in a very fun way!

I’m long a fan of the 7gypsies 97% Complete sticker sheets, and these are a new twist on that mix, with a mini alphabet in there along with the word stickers I’ve used so many times.

This is what I mean about it being hard to tell the difference. If that flash card were to be marketed, we would all find a place to display it, right?

This is the softest and most antique-fair of the new collections…

with darker tones and plenty of maps in the Global collection.

Love this shadowbox. So much.

So many examples of what you can do with the alterable bases from 7gypsies – but of course you can use these with any paper collection for so many more looks too. I think these make a great gift for a crafty friend to make something special but they also work as a way to make something yourself and gift finished to someone who would appreciate something pretty for the wall but wouldn’t know what to do with just a scrapbook page or two.

I think I’ll need to pick up that easel too, as I have a couple of the older shadowboxes balancing a bit precariously on the counter. Not sure why I didn’t think of an easel before, but now that’s an easy addition to the line-up.

The vintage chipboard book covers are a huge value and I’ve used them on a couple projects and always loved how they really do look like an old photo album, but now there are more options including frame styles that look like they would hold an old tintype photo.

You wanted to see the tape. I knew you did.

Just so much prettiness everywhere!

Click here to shop for 7gypsies products. Global and the paper tape have already arrived in the store, with other products to come throughout the spring.

My Little Shoebox is does cute better than pretty much anybody, so if you embrace the cute, they won’t disappoint this season! But what I really love is how there are always a few things in the mix that will work with non-cutesy styles too – so don’t overlook this brand just because you don’t think cute is your thing.

Happy Go Lucky includes a great bicycle print and a nice twist on book text with the small flowerpots added to the page.

Each collection includes a die-cut sheet (including 3D spiral flowers), a die-cut paper, a 12×12 sticker sheet including a large alphabet and a separate mini alphabet in a coordinating colour.

Those are the spiral flowers – they are so lovely! But I’ve flattened them a bit and included them on a normal page without any trouble too, so definitely workable for a range of projects.

The Keepsake collection features bright florals and little frames.

Aiko includes pretty pink cherry blossoms. (Love that blue sky background.)

Lovely Day lets you put a bird on it – ‘it’ being any scrapbook page or card you fancy, of course.

Up in the Trees includes my favourite of all their new papers: a tree-trunk style woodgrain with a heart-shaped knot in the wood. (I am nothing if not predictable, I know.)

Then My Little Shoebox totally brings on the inspiration by covering the outside of their booth with gorgeous samples from their design team. Soak it in!

Click here to shop for My Little Shoebox products. Everything except Happy Go Lucky is already in the store, so shop away!

A quick look at the clear stamp world of Technique Tuesday this afternoon! Their booth made me discover some looks I hadn’t noticed from their brand before, like the silhouette series…

…and a selection of detailed florals. Definitely good for cardmakers… is there a way to make these look lovely on a scrapbook page? I’m curious!

These sets with the silhouettes and a coordinating set of words would definitely work for scrapbook adventures.

And of course, new stamp sets from Ali Edwards! That set on the right would be perfect for a certain class in September: it includes a stamp that says ‘Learn something new every single day’!

There’s a lovely balance of styles across this collection – good to see a mix of playful and formal, handwritten and some font work.

Sadly not a lot in the way of example pieces to show you from this booth, but since these stamps are hitting stores pretty quickly, there will examples aplenty very soon!

Click here to shop for Technique Tuesday stamps – many of these designs are already in stock!

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…in need of your help.

There is too much craft stuff here. We can’t move. It needs a new home, and quickly.

Should you have a UK posting address and would like a surprise box of scrapping stuff, then step right up!

Boxes are £15 including postage (to a UK address – sorry I cannot offer these overseas).

Each box will be unique and will not include releases from this current January CHA. Just to make that clear. But things I do have to split amongst these boxes:

12×12 papers by known manufacturers (Bazzill, My Mind’s Eye, Bella Blvd, Pink Paislee, Studio Calico, Little Yellow Bicycle, Cosmo Cricket, K & Company, BasicGrey, We R Memory Keepers, and others).

Stickers and embellishments, also from those companies. Embellishments include brads, ribbons, chipboard and various doo-dads.

Clear stamps.

All of what’s included will be full sheets or packs, with the exception of ribbon which may be varied in length (I figure splitting a 15 yard roll amongst all the boxes would be more useful than landing one person with fifteen yards of one ribbon they may or may not want to use for everything they have ever seen) and chipboard which may loose pieces rather than the original packing (because I just don’t store chipboard in the original packaging).

While each box will be a surprise, its retail value will be far greater than the the £15 – and that includes the postage as well, so definitely a bargain box.

I’ve listed twenty of these and once they are sold out the button shouldn’t let you order but just keep sending you back here – so if you have that happen, then I’m sorry they are all gone for now! But once those twenty have gone, I’ll see if we can move in our flat yet!

Thanks so much for your interest!

xlovesx

PS: Looking for Ten Things on the Tenth? It will be up shortly – go ahead and post your list and come back in a couple hours to leave your link!
Looking for And Now for Something Completely Different? It’s here. Oh my is it a busy day here!

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Next on the list, Pebbles, who make those candy dots embellishments I love so!

They added these crystal dots to that line up, for lots of sparkle in a tiny little embellishment – just peel and stick to your layering for that finishing touch. But don’t worry – there is plenty of paper on offer too!

Hip Hip Hooray is shipping now (and it’s available as of today at Two Peas!) Summery party colours abound. In fact, looking at these pictures are a bit of an antidote to the snow falling outside my window.

Many of the papers have these small repeating patterns making them great additions to your stash (something Glitter Girl discussed this week, by the way!)
(Apologies for the shadow – busy busy in this booth!)

Let it Ring is a patriotic American collection shipping in late April. Stars and stripes abound, but the lettering is something we might use the world over!

Love the idea of printing a collection like this on kraft (something we’re seeing more of from various manufacturers), and the paper rosettes are so very election-year, right? And actually some of those papers needn’t be specifically USA, should you need a good navy or red for a less-specific theme.

After coincidentally spending the last two July fourths stateside after a great many years without such an event, I think I shall be here in London for the day of Yankee Independence for 2012 – but that star garland actually makes me tempted to throw some sort of party. Pre-olympics, perhaps?

Country Picnic is also hitting stores right now, with plenty of soft spring florals in the traditional Pebbles style.

Something a little different in the lettering: a corrugated alphabet in several colours. I don’t always like corrugated card but this was small enough that it looked quite nice! (Find both lettering styles here should they take your fancy!)

Lots of green and pink and dots and flowers. Love this updated look at the classic Pebbles designs. (Did you know Pebbles is one of the oldest companies in the scrapbooking industry? Yep! Years ago we knew them by the much longer name ‘Pebbles in my Pocket’ and they were abbreviated as PIMP on message boards! They still have a retail store in Orem, Utah.)

The addition of handwriting to the embellishments and stamps is quite sweet.

Some inspiration for a Valentine bouquet? (Someone teach The Boy to make paper flowers, quick!)

But the best bit is two of the lines are already shipping to stores, so this is one that won’t make you wait! Click here to shop for Pebbles products, including the new Hip Hip Hooray and Country Picnic collections, plus more than 150 products on sale.

(And by the way, American Crafts Gardenia from the post a few days ago is now available too. Happy shopping!)

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2012 may be the year of the chevron, but it was also marked the return of the Heidis – not just Heidi Grace Kress, but also Heidi Swapp. This Heidi started designing product first for Making Memories, then under her own branding for Advantus, then came work with both Tattered Angels and House of 3, the latter selling digital and printable designs online but then also releasing paper products through Pink Paislee. Caught all that?

And now Heidi is back with her own branding again, but with the orders being fulfilled by Pink Paislee. I think this is a good step we’ve seen with a few brands now: let the creative folks really focus on strong product development rather than trying to carry the burden of everything else about the company too. Surely that option would lead to creative burnout sooner or later? Anyway, let’s look at products, shall we?

First is this, the Foto Flipbook, which is a bit like a minibook redefined – not like a Smashbook or a Daybook but like its very own design with a mix of page designs and sleeves for 4×6 photos.

Even Heidi’s very first product releases showcased her handwriting as their trademark, so long-time fans won’t be disappointed by pennants and stamps that continue that tradition.

Mistable papers are something Heidi has worked with possibly more than anyone else over the last few years, so there are designs of those to match plus file folders to customise too. The file folder concept is part of Heidi’s Memory File system – making a file box an alternative to an album with page protectors. Check out this post on Heidi’s blog for a look at how she scrapbooks on these folders then tucks them away in the Memory File box for safekeeping. But back to mistables:

Spot the goodness at the left: those block letter stickers from before, but now colours are customisable with mists or paints. Definitely ordering those.

A bit of day-glo neon! With the idea that like in fashion, if you use it at all, you’ll just use a bit. This seemed hit or miss with buyers – but I think that’s much the same as neon on fashion. Either it catches your eye or it annoys you. Fair enough: take it or leave it as suits your style.

A closer look at the glitteryness on the various pennant options.

Something a little different: the Stix embellishments. An embellishment… on a stick. Indeed! I’m sure we’ll see these on party table displays soon, but I’m interested to see how they end up on papercrafting projects.

Handwritten epoxy stickers and paper bows – Heidi loves paper bows on her projects!

Another option in the flip book design – perfect for a summery getaway!

That Polaroid-style photo frame? That’s actually part of the product line-up! It’s a frame that snaps around the picture to make it look and feel like an instant photo even though it’s a regular print. They are called Instaframes and are perfect for square photos, so extra fun for those who use Instagram.

Between glitter and travelesque papers, I was pretty much at home here!

Look for this line to hit stores in late spring. Will be this be one for your wish list?

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