Scrapbook & Cards Today Blog

Sorry SCT friends, we just have to enable you today!

There has been some A-MA-ZING product releases these past two weeks and we just thought we would take some time out to enable you er...show you!  Yes, that's right, show you  :)

First up Maya Road has their early summer releases the highlights of which are new twine, chipboard and vintage treasures.  See all of their release here!

 

New from Fancy Pants last week...Time for Spring!  Love this beautiful colour palette.  You can see the entire collection right here!

 

Next up is Studio Calico and the release of Heyday...

And there is more to this beautiful line you can see here! 

Have you seen the new Crate Paper?

Of course, you can see the entire collections right here!

Moving right along, we have the new Bo Bunny collections...

Hello Sunshine, Camp-A-Lot and Little Miss!  FABULOUS!  To see the entire collections (and you'll want to!!!), just click here!

Have we done enough enabling?  How about one more?

The new Shoreline collection from American Crafts!

The Shoreline collection (and all the fabulous new Thickers!) can been seen in it's entirety right here!

Alright, perhaps we've done enough enabling?  Would you like to see more?  Let us know!  Have a great day dreaming all about what's about to hit the stores!

Have a wonderful day!  Emily is back tomorrow to continue to "de-mistify" misting!  See you then.

~ Catherine

More CHA pics!

The team is back!  We're a little tired, but completely thrilled at all the wonderful brand new products we saw and in some cases had a chance to use.  From the new ribbon cutter from Imaginisce and the Lucky 8 Punch from WeR Memory Keepers, to the beautiful papers from Crate, Doodlebug, Bo Bunny and more.  We also had a chance to use the incredible Embossibilities from Spellbinders.  All we can say is you MUST have some of these!  Save up a little extra money because over the next few months some of the best products we have ever seen will be hitting store shelves!

Of course in order to prepare you a little for what's coming we need to share what we saw right?  We are only to happy to tempt and enable you...lol!

Two of the nicest girls at the show...April Foster from Studio Calico and Elizabeth Kartchner from American Crafts, the creator of "Dear Lizzy".

(look for this line in our next issue!)

Two more amazing girls, Vicki Boutin and Amy Tan!

Let's move on to some delicious new Bo Bunny...

New Vintage Double Dot colours...ama-zing!

(one of our favourites from the show!)

Crate Paper did not disappoint!  Absolutely stunning collections...

Fiskars and Jenni Bowlin - a perfect pairing!  These were HOT at the show...

A little Prima elegance...

Catherine and Tanya Fox from CardMaker magazine showing Kimber some love!

And it's a wrap!  CHA was amazing, fun, exhausting but above all else INSPIRING!  We know many of you could not be there but hope these images help you to feel a part of it all.  Be sure to join us tomorrow as along the way I picked up a thing or two for YOU  ;) 

~  Catherine

CHA sneak peeks - Day 2

Good morning!  Day 2 at CHA was another amazing day.  Just imagine walking through a candy store with beautiful candies lining every wall.  Yes, that is what CHA is like.  From beautiful papers, to fabulous projects to amazing artwork.  It was a great day!  We are thrilled to share some more photos with you and can tell you we have been picking up some yummy goodies along the way to share with YOU (pssst...be here tomorrow!)

There was so much to Jillibean Soup we just could not get it all in!  If you are asking what my personal favourite is here, hands down is is those new felt flowers below!  Love them!

 

 

 

Bella Blvd. fun!  Monsters and goblins...oh my!

 
 
 

 

From Imaginisce...a new tool!

 
 
 

 
 
 
Be sure to join us tomorrow for our CHA wrap up and of course, we've got something special for you! 

~ Catherine

CHA sneak peeks - Day 1!

Hello from the CHA show floor in Chicago!  We had a great first day seeing all sorts of fabulous goodies and thought we would share some of the fun new products and projects we saw at the show... 

From Crate Paper

 

the prettiest buttons ever!

 

beautiful embellishments!

 

 

Some fun cards we thought you might like!

Doodlebug...

 

beautiful cards - perfect for a summer wedding!
 

new die cut "doodle pops" -  perfect for an instant embellisment in a full range of fun styles!

 

bakers twine in doodlebug colours - say no more!

Pink Paislee...

 

look at those spool buttons above!  We are loving those!

 

 

Studio Calico...

 

A beautiful card in the Studio Calico booth!

 

Studio Calico & Hero Arts - be still our hearts!
 

 
butterflies and hexagons...a match made in heaven!

Check back tomorrow where we will have even more pictures direct from the show floor!

~ Catherine
 

CHA sneak peeks - Day 1!

Hello from the CHA show floor in Chicago!  We had a great first day seeing all sorts of fabulous goodies and thought we would share some of the fun new products and projects we saw at the show... 

From Crate Paper

 

the prettiest buttons ever!

 

beautiful embellishments!

 

 

Some fun cards we thought you might like!

Doodlebug...

 

beautiful cards - perfect for a summer wedding!
 

new die cut "doodle pops" -  perfect for an instant embellisment in a full range of fun styles!

 

bakers twine in doodlebug colours - say no more!

Pink Paislee...

 

look at those spool buttons above!  We are loving those!

 

 

Studio Calico...

 

A beautiful card in the Studio Calico booth!

 

Studio Calico & Hero Arts - be still our hearts!
 

 
butterflies and hexagons...a match made in heaven!

Check back tomorrow where we will have even more pictures direct from the show floor!

~ Catherine
 

CHA recap...part 2!

Hello SCT fans! Catherine and I just got back from CHA late last night and we have so many exciting things to share with you from CHA! I’m sure you’ve been peeking at all the sneaks and let me tell you, the photos do not do justice to the fantastic releases many manufacturers had at the show. From Cosmo Cricket’s “Gluebers” to Fancy Pants’ Coffee Filter Doilies to Maya Road’s Zipper Trims, we saw a lot of really cool stuff!

Jillibean Soup

 

 

 

 

Melissa Frances

 

 

Cosmo Cricket

 

 
 

Pink Paislee

 
 

 

One big trend at this year’s winter show was COLLABORATION. Your favorite manufacturers have teamed up with other industry leaders to bring you fresh and fabulous new tools, embellishments, dies and stamps! Spellbinders teamed up with Xyron and Donna Salazar and released the most wonderful collection of intricate dies. BasicGrey partnered with Hero Arts and the new stamp sets are just divine. Coredinations released embossed cardstock sets for My Mind’s Eye, Jenni Bowlin, BasicGrey and Fancy Pants. Pink Paislee and the House of 3 released the most gorgeous collection called Daily Junque…I simply swooned when I saw it!

Tools were a big hit at the show, too. We R Memory Keepers, one of the queens of scrapbooking gizmos, has a new border/corner punch called the Lucky 8. You simply punch out the four corners of a 12x12 sheet of paper, then flip the paper over and do it again, and voila! Instant diecut shaped paper! Making Memories introduced the new Slice for fabrics, sure to be a winner with quilters and scrappers alike. American Crafts has launched a streamline set of paper trimmers (in three sizes)  including one that will cut three different ways - straight, perforated or curvy.  They also released a border punch system called Knock Outs with interchangeable cartridges - wait until you see the patterns.  Very cool! Imaginisce’s I-Top Brad Maker now comes in a whopping  34mm size for making large brads and badges.

Trends were also set at this year’s trade show. A very notable one was “Celebrations,” from birthdays to anniversaries. Making Memories launched a complete “make it yourself” 3D keepsakes program called Bravissimo, perfect for awards, cards, scrapbook pages and more. Doodlebug released the most darling birthday collection in both boy and girl theme colours.  BasicGrey’s “Life of the Party” will be a party in your scrapbook albums, and you don’t even need to wear a lamp shade on your head! Nikki Sivils’ new “Summer” collection may be seasonal by name, but the papers and embellishments scream “celebration!’ Melissa Frances brought the ceeee-utest mini cake dome to the show – you have to see it to appreciate how darling it is! Pink Paislee has the coolest kit called “Flags and Party Sticks,” perfect for scrapbook pages, cards and even cupcake toppers.   There was also a little bit of Tim Holtz everywhere - from stamps, to mists, to the Vegabond...you name it, Tim was there.

Another trend I noticed (and love!) were vintage- and retro- inspired collections. From groovy to grandma’s attic, be sure to check out the nostalgic releases by Pink Paislee, October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket, Crate Paper, Graphic 45, Webster’s Pages and Melissa Frances.

Be sure to check out the SCT Spring issue (available March 25) for more rave reviews from CHA 2011, along with product give-aways every Friday, right here on the SCT blog!

Be creative in all that you do!

Becky

CHA Day One!

Good morning...and greetings from sunny California!  Becky and I are here at CHA and have had an incredible time this weekend (did I mention incredible?) looking at some of the incredible new products coming to a store near you!  Although the days are long, there is no doubt when you are surrounded by so much papercraft goodness, it does not really feel like work.  Armed with her camera and wanting to make sure our wonderful readers did not miss out (yes that's you!), Becky took these photos so that you could feel like you are right here with us!  A little like Christmas you say?  Oh yes it is!

Happy Birthday Doodlebug!

 

Doodlebug Fabrics

 

We R Memory Keepers - Sew Easy Kit

 

Coredinations - My Minds Eye

 

Coredinations - Fancy Pants

 

Maya Road - Zipper Letters

 

Spellbinders - Bird 

 

Spellbinders - Bird cage

 

Fancy Pants - Chipboard Banner

 

Fancy Pants - Beach Babe - Beach Bum

 

There you have it and that was just day one!  We will have more photos and things to share with you on Wednesday and just so you know, we've picked out something really special to give away this Friday.  Mark your calendars because you won't want to miss it! 

Day 3 in Chicago...and a giveaway (of course!)

We're back!  Such a fun and wonderful three days and if we had to wrap it all up in to one word, that word would be EXCITING!  Yes, CHA in Chicago was exciting.  It was not only exciting to see so many great new paper lines, it was exciting to see new tools, new trends and new companies too.  To be in a large football field sized room with so many creative people is truly and wonderfully exciting!   Yesterday was a shorter day at the show as it wraps up early on day 3 but we happily snapped a few more pictures to show you...

Some new EK Success punches...one, two or three...perhaps we need them all!

 
 

American Crafts City Park - love this line!

Sadly, the camera battery died before we could get some great images of the new "Dear Lizzy" line for I can say it what beautiful whimsy at it's best!

If you are expecting a baby, know someone who is having a baby, or are scrapbooking your own baby's pictures, the Pebbles "Litte One" line is going to melt your heart.  It is that adorable! 

Some great new Fancy Pants lines - no doubt these lines are going to be popular!

 

And our final stop...Jillibean Soup!

and I couldn't resist "borrowing" this image from the Jillibean Soup blog.  This is Jill, the owner of Jillibean Soup and our very own Kimber McGray who works with Jill.

oh, and did you see this? 

Kimber and Summer in a book signing session for their new book

 Remember This!  It is a fantastic book and one that won't be on store shelves for long.

Well, friends...that was how we spent 3 days.  Laughing, talking and loving all the new products on the way to your local stores.  We spent evenings having great dinners and catching up with friends, doing a little retail therapy and  browsing catalogues until we fell asleep - way too late of course!  Thank you for sharing our fun these past few days - we hope you have enjoyed it.  But, speaking of fun...we've got a giveaway just for you!  Our friends at Doodlebug offered our readers an opportunity to win this beautiful Welcome Home collection...

how super cute are these??

and these?

 
 or these?

We loved hanging out in the Doodlebug kitchen at the show and thought it was the perfect line to share with you because home is where the heart is! (and we loved the litte couches!!!)  All you have to do is leave a comment on this post before 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 5th for a chance to win.  Good luck!!!

Now before we leave you, just a reminder that tomorrow is our Project 12 August sketch launch!  And, we've got a little surprise.  If you are following Project 12 with us and loving Becky Fleck's sketches, you will love the August sketch!  See you tomorrow!!

~ Catherine 
 
 
 
  

Day 2 from Chicago!

Was it another wonderful, whirlwind and fun day?  Oh YES it was!  The Scrapbook & Cards Today team had another busy day looking at products (ok, so we drooled on a few of them!) and meeting with several of our friends and business partners.  We got a chance to snap a few pictures although we were so busy getting educated that we did not have enough time to snap more.  I think we can all agree though that we have got some very fun and exciting things coming to your local store soon.  

Little Yellow Bicycle - a super cute Valentine's line!  (We know it is only July but we are thinking ahead...lol!)

...and a little Christmas!  Love this adorable countdown to Christmas!
  

What a wonderful pleasant surprise in the Sassafras booth.  These collections were vibrant, fun with a whimsical feel that is all the Sassafras we have come to know and love.  LOVE those flowers below! 

(look at those cardstock edges and those 6 x 6 paper pads!!!)

Imaginisce, what can we say that has not already been said before.  Cute...check, well designed...check, a must have...CHECK!  If you remember "Snowy Jo" than you will want to check out their new holiday collection when it arrives.  The perfect papers for winter fun. 

We also got to play with the "i-rock" from Imaginisce.  Love it!  It you join us at the CreativFestival or ScrapFest in the fall you will have an opportunity to play with it too.  A little bling in everyone's life is a good thing!

Stay tuned for Day 3 updates and thank you for coming along with us.  Tomorrow is all about American Crafts, Maya Road (wait until you see the honey bee album!!!) and Studio Calico.  See you then!

~ Catherine and the SCT team 

Day 1 from the showfloor!

Good morning everyone!  Thank you to those that emailed us for suggestions on where to go in beautiful Chicago!  We spent the day Monday in the city and discovered what a stunning place it is.  We even got to watch the filming of a police chase for the new Transformers 3 (and ladies Patrick Dempsey and Shia LeBeof were in the same building as us!).  Very exciting!

This is called "Cloud Gate" and is one of the most amazing things I've seen.  It is a giant mirror in the shape of bean and absolutely stunning nestled in Millenium Park.  We could have spent hours just walking through Millenium Park.  This place is a jewel in the middle of a city.

A stunning view up the river that flows through the middle of the city.  Did you know on St. Patrick's day they turn this river green for just one day?  One of 100 interesting things we learned.  Vicki took over 500 shots around the city during our day - it was that beautiful!  

On to business!  Yesterday the CHA show opened and it was a busy day looking at all the new products and emerging trends.  We'll have a whole trend update and a fabulous surprise on Friday!  For now, feast your eyes on some new products...

First stop...Doodlebug!  Doodlebug is one of the few companies that does not release ANY sneak peeks so it is always a great surprise to meet up with our friends Cynthea and Tonya - the masterminds beind all that is doodlebug.

 
Doodlebug's booth is always the cutest their sweet colour palette that always includes blue, yellow and red and their new lines are even sweeter than ever.  I paticularly fell in love with their new petite prints which include dots, flowers and grids in all the colours we have come to love.  Here are a few more pictures from their booth!

(love this wall cabinet!  I think every lady needs one of these in their scrap room!)

Next we are one to Crate Paper.  Sorry the lighting is not better but I think we were too busy trying to close our mouths after walking through this booth.  There was a whole lot of inspiration here!

 

 

And a little BasicGrey inspiration from our friends Vicki Boutin and Greta Hammond.  We'll try to have more pictures from BasicGrey uploaded tomorrow!

 

A quick peek at Cosmo Cricket!  This was a busy place today.

 

 

And, look what we spotted in the WeR booth - a bundle of our magazines all "Cinch-ed" together!  How clever!

And ladies, we had an opportunity to test out the new "Sew Easy" that we featured on Monday and it was amazing.  Stictching on a layout was never so easy - really.  This tool with its interchangeable heads for different stiches is a must in your scrap room.  (wink, wink - be here on Friday!)

Well we have about another 100 pictures but will leave you with that for now or we'll never make it to day 2 of the show.  If there is something specific you want to see, let us know!

Reporting from Chicago...and loving it!

~ Catherine