For the love of CHA- Post #1

This is the time of year that all scrapbookers look forward to. The time of year when visions of adding new products to their every growing stash of scrappy-ness is overwhelming...the companies, the products, the loads and loads of new inspiration and ideas that the designers share. It is a budget conscience husbands nightmare. :) It is in fact time for the CHA Summer 2012. A time when companies debut their upcoming scrapbook lines for fall and winter.

I always love to look at all the wonderful things that scrapbook companies are putting out. It not only gives me great ideas for my own layouts and projects, but it also shows what up and coming trends are. I don't buy heavily into trends, but it always interesting to see what is coming and many times you see the trends in scrapbooking also reflected in home decor and fashion.

I always end up with an incredible list of "wants/needs", but I always seem to be able to cut it down significantly before I place orders at Two Peas that would make my dear hubby's head spin. I am also quite lucky that many of the things I like end up as part of the monthly kits that I receive from Cocoa Daisy. Christine does an amazing job of putting together beautiful kits.

I tend to gravitate towards particular companies, rather than lines of scrapbook products. For me it seems that the companies I like put out good products each and every year and that excites me. My post today focuses one company that I have really come to like Studio Calico.  They too have a monthly kit, but since I am already part of a kit company I love and can't afford the time or money to join another, I stick pretty much to their retail lines. Their lines for fall/winter 2012 did not disappoint. Here are the things I am loving:

Yearbook Paper Collection

Classic Calico Vol. 3 Collection

I doubt that I would buy both Collection packs, but I do love the colors and designs of both these lines. I need more time to pick through these papers and decide which ones I need.



I am also digging these embellishments/products from the SC Yearbook Collection.

These pockets could be easily used on a layout, card or within Project Life. I can also see it as a separate piece added to a mini album that has different size pages and pockets.

Love the idea of layering these frames over pictures or as parts of a mini album or layout.

The first washi tape really lends itself to journaling & titles. I will definitely have to have this.

These paper clips would be really cute used on a birthday layouts or with a mini album that is made up of  a list (ie. Top five summer favorites).

These fabric mistables would be a really great way to add more texture to a project without adding tons of buckle. The fact that I can mist/paint/ink them my needs is a huge plus. I will have to have some of these to!

I like the looks of these stickers, but I am not completely sold because it is a whole lot of the same size/same shape stickers. How many projects would I really use these on? This is one of those cases that if I bought them I would end up cutting them apart and sharing with a favorite scrappy friend, so that they would not sit in my stash go to waste. I already have enough products doing that right now!

I also liked these pieces from the Wonderland collection.

I love a good mask. This one is small enough to cover the front of a card or used in sections along a layout or mini album page. It doesn't just scream Christmas either, it looks to have many versatile uses, especially for a mama of little boys who are super stars in her eyes. ;) 

I like the idea of these frames for Instagram pictures as part of December Daily, Project Life, or just layouts.

These journaling cards would be great for Project Life, December Daily, or as part of layouts. I'm always looking for an interesting journaling spot!

Love these wood veneers. Here again, like the fabric mistables, I can add whatever color paint/ink/mist to them and they won't add tons of buckle to my project.

 Finally,

Out of the all the Studio Calico Summer 2012 products this rolling stamp is my absolute favorite piece they have come out with. There are so many possibilities for this stamp. It is going to definitely be part of my stamp collection! I always make sure to add a date to all my layouts and this will be a well used tool.

I was also very intrigued by the Handbook that Studio Calico is putting out, but I just picked up quite a few pieces from the Simple Stories Mix and Match Album System which is very similar in my opinion. I really don't need another mini album to put together considering that I have two bins full of them downstairs waiting to be used. I may pick up a few pieces here and there to add to the Simple Stories albums I am using, but I need to think on it a bit more. I will say that Lisa Truesdell puts together an amazing summer album using the SC Handbook.

I will be back tomorrow with a few more pictures of products that I am excited about from this Summer 2012 CHA debuts. I am also still working on a post about how I store my Cocoa Daisy stamps. I have decided to include how I store all my stamps so I am now in the process of taking more pictures and running my blog post through my head to get it all the lined out.

Later! Happy Scrapping!!

Olivia