Trend Talk: Trendy Elements that Endure

I'm not sure about what's happening in your neck of the woods, but spring is having a hard time finding its way to mine. It's been cold and snowy and windy and rainy where I live. The plants in my yard have been slow to quicken and I've yet to enjoy a lengthy moment where I sit in the sunshine, absorbing its warmth like a lizard on a rock. Either it's just too chilly to begin with or the wind erases any attempts the sun has made to soak into my wintrified skin.

But by sheer tilt in the earth's axis (in the northern hemisphere, anyway), it definitely is spring, and I wanted to share some inspiring spring projects with you today to celebrate its arrival.

The cool thing about today's post is where I got these projects. One of the most pleasing things about trends, in my opinion, is that they tend to stick around for a while. Once we've embraced them, we like to hang on to them, squeezing out every last drop before we move on to the next. And, what's more, classic designs and patterns are always in style. By applying a trendy color scheme or the latest texture--voila! Instant trendification.

By way of example, I pulled these projects from Card Creations, Volume 7--one of Paper Crafts magazine's top-selling special issues from last year.


Note how you can still draw trendy springtime inspiration from the pages of its folds. Check it:

Missing U Card by Tanja Rigby, p. 103

Moxie Fab Alert: Clouds continue to reign supreme, as you'll see in our May/June 2010 issue, hitting newsstands in just a coupla weeks. What else have we got here? Clever typography paired with polka dots and stripes in a fresh color scheme and you know this design isn't gonna date itself anytime soon.

Being My Friend Card by Laura Williams, p. 81

Moxie Fab Alert: Does damask ever go out of style? When incorporated in a trendy brown and blue color scheme and paired with a moxie fab bird, it remains one of the most classically trendy patterns of all time.

Chick Hello Card by Alli Miles, p. 68

Moxie Fab Alert: Cute is always in style. Period.

Circles & Buttons Hi Card by Nicole Keller, p. 100

Moxie Fab Alert: Tone-on-tone is another classic way to approach colors. Nicole has trended hers upward by adding monochromatic dimension with the addition of one of the trendiest accents on the scene today: buttons.

Treasured Memory Card by Wendy Sue Anderson, p. 134

Moxie Fab Alert: Another way to treat trendy damask, Wendy has made it soft and vintage-looking by using spray inks in her technique, adding a vintage dimensional focal point, and topping it all off with a sheer ribbon that wows.

Be Still & Know Card by Debbie Olson, p. 72

Moxie Fab Alert: The combination of stitching and folk art still dominate today, and while it may have "morphed" into more of a doily look since this card was published, we can still gain inspiration from this card's soft, gentle look and our insatiable need to go back to a simpler time.

Hoppy Easter Card by Alli Miles, p. 67

Moxie Fab Alert: From the ledgers and lines in the background paper to the polka dotted ribbon to the paper pieced eggs, this card is just as fresh today as it was last year.

Spring Card by Dawne Ivey, p. 66

Moxie Fab Alert: I can't think of a trend in recent memory that has lasted as long as butterflies. We did a full feature on them in our March/April 2009 issue and they had been on the scene long before that. How to keep this design fresh over time? Swap out the patterned paper, the embellishment, the font, and even the focal point as the trends evolve.

Which brings me to this undeniable point. Most people who subscribe to Paper Crafts magazine or who pick up our special issues on the newsstand never throw them away. That's a definitive never. They pore over them, dog-ear them, spill coffee on them, and fall asleep with them in their laps. Fact is, they tend to be a constant resource, and capturing trendy elements that endure is yet another way our magazines can constantly inspire you.

How do the magazines from Paper Crafts and/or the projects you see here today inspire you? I'd love to hear. Leave me a comment by midnight MDT on Sunday, April 4 and I'll draw one random winner to receive something yummy from my prize drawer.

Trending towards the past,

~Cath

Tuesday Trigger: Hippity Hoppity Easter's On Its Way

Just in time for Easter, more inspiration from Alicia Thelin:

Glazed Ceramic Eggs via Hostess with the Mostess

Alicia says: I ran across this photo and was "wowed" by the colors of the Easter Eggs. I don't usually go for pastels and such...so traditional Easter cards are kind of a stretch for me. This is what I think Easter colors are! They reflect the bright flowers that are popping up all around. Yum.

Alicia's card:

Moxie Fab Alert: I love the way Alicia has captured the bright folk treatment of the eggs in the trigger. Moxie trendifab!

What a fun trigger, eh? I can't wait to see what all y'all come up with for this one! Link 'em up below.

If you're new to the Tuesday Trigger, let me 'splain. Create a project that is inspired by the Trigger that Alicia has provided and post it to your blog. Then, click on the title of your blog post, copy the URL at the top, and link it using Mr. Linky below. If you don't have a blog, post your project to this flickr group and link it to Mr. Linky as soon as you've grabbed the URL. Easy peasy and TONS o' fun!

Before I skeedaddle, here's a great big shout out to the Trigger Targets who rocked Jaclyn Miller's Trigger last week: Rebekah, Michelle Mathey, Linda Beeson, lynn, Jennie Harper. Way to go, ladies!

Feeling eggs-celent,

~Cath

PS Friends, I'm always looking for seasonal Tuesday Triggers to post as inspiration. Send me the image, an image of the inspired project you created, and a blurb that says how and why you were inspired to tuesdaytrigger@gmail.com. Whatchugotupyoursleeve?

Winnerday!

Ready? Set! Scroll!

The winners of the Anthology collection and some moxie fab stamps from Studio Calico in last week's Moxie Monday are:

Carolyn King who said...
Lordy............what is not to like! I love the paper--beautimous....but the fun stamps are what made me "ohhh and ahhh" Pure awesomeness!

and Carla (cmsuto) who said...
I love this whole collection! Love the colors and patterns (especially the Bouquet pattern) and the stamps (especially the camera)! So Cool!

Thanks to everyone who left comments last week!

Winners, in order to claim your prizes, please send me your addresses in an email to cedvalson@papercraftsmag.com with the prize/post you won in the subject line.

I *heart* Winnerday,

~Cath

Moxie Monday: Welcome Home from Teresa Collins Designs

Who's ready for some yummies?

What better way to perk up your Monday than with some rich, graphic deliciousness from Teresa Collins Designs?

I mean, feast your eyes on all this trendy goodness from the Welcome Home collection. It's got hotter than hot icons like keys and frames and chandeliers and chairs and it's all mixed together with classic colors and even more classic patterns. Layer them all together and this is one t-r-e-n-d-y line! Check it:

Chairs

Chairs (B)

Chandelier

Chipboard Door Cover

Damask

Damask (B)

Notes

Notes (B)

Quote

Quote (B)

Our Home

Our Home (B)

Home Sweet Home

Frames Transparency

Home (B)

Home

Door

Chipboard Elements

Ribbon

Clear Stamps

Luscious, no? Click your heals together and leave me a comment saying what you love most about this line and why by midnight MDT on Sunday, April 4 and I'll draw two randoms who will have it delivered to their home sweet homes sometime real soon.

Hitting a home run,

~Cath

Five for Friday: A Panorama of Pansies

Pansies by R. C. Lehmann

Brilliant Blue Pansies - Fine Art Print from KarensKreations22

Tufted and bunched and ranged with careless art
Here, where the paving-stones are set apart,

Violet Posey Flower Earrings from Gingeroni1

Alert and gay and innocent of guile,
The little pansies nod their heads and smile.

Vintage Pansy Girl - Hand Embroidered Pillow Case from bobetsy

With what a whispering and a lulling sound
They watch the children sport about the ground,

Pansies and Posies from mauswood

Longing, it seems, to join the pretty play
That laughs and runs the light-winged hours away.

Whimsical and Mischievous Easter Bunnies Hiding in Pansies from frenchlilac

And other children long ago there were
Who shone and played and made the garden fair,

Lil Patchwork Pansy Skirt from 3lilmuses

To whom the pansies in their robes of white
And gold and purple gave a welcome bright.

Purple Pansy Necklace from JewelrybySharon

Gone are those voices, but the others came.
Joyous and free, whose spirit was the same;

Summer's Hat with Pansy from Mamachee

And other pansies, robed as those of old,
Peeped up and smiled in purple, white and gold.

Purple Pansy Ring from lunashineshine

For pansies are, I think, the little gleams
Of children’s visions from a world of dreams,

Pansy - 3-Piece Party Set from PartyPoms

Jewels of innocence and joy and mirth,
Alight with laughter as they fall to earth.

Pink Violet Pansy Lampwork and Sterling Silver Earrings from ErikaPrice

Below, the ancient guardian, it may hap,
The kindly mother, takes them in her lap,

Pansy Vintage Style Necklace from ilovecharms

Decks them with glowing petals and replaces
In the glad air the friendly pansy-faces.

Parisian Violet Sachet from homesteadtreasures

So tread not rashly, children, lest you crush
A part of childhood in a thoughtless rush.

Pale Yellow Pansy - Fine Art Photograph from EllieLee

Would you not treat them gently if you knew
Pansies are little bits of children too?

Hand Carved Goose Egg - Pansies from 1eggman

Have a wonderful weekend, friends,

~Cath

The Picking Up the Pieces Challenge

Ready to pick up the pieces? The left-over pieces, that is? Paper piecing is all the rage these days, and in our March/April PC101 column (pp. 28-30), Paper Crafts Go-to Gal Betsy Veldman did an amazing job "piecing together" some moxie fab ways to incorporate paper piecing into paper crafted projects. Check it:

Use punches to create a flower.

Fussy-cut motifs from patterned paper to create a design.

Stamp images on multiple papers, then piece together.

Create a scene with punched and hand-cut pieces.

Piece a background with blocks of patterned paper.

Print downloadable coloring pages on several patterned papers, then piece the scene.

Cut apart punched shapes then piece together for a folk art look.

Create unique monograms by piecing on chipboard.

Die-cut the same image on different papers, then cut and piece together.

In this softly stunning card, Betsy paper pieced the flower and the monogram:

B is for Baby Card, p. 29

Here she pieced the background and created a scene with different scraps:

Easter Blessings Card, p. 29

Aren't these just stunning? Oh the pretty possibilities! I'd love to see your take on these techniques as well as see some of your own!

Here's the drill:

• Create a project (card, gift bag, tag, layout, home decor item, mini-book cover, etc.) whose background or focal point is paper pieced using one of these techniques or a technique of your own.
• Upload it to your blog, click on your blog's title, copy the URL, and add it to Mr. Linky below.
• If you don't have a blog, upload your project to this flickr gallery, copy the URL to your project, and add it to Mr. Linky below. Make sure you set the security on your photo so that I can copy it. If I can't copy the image, I won't be able to offer it as a winning entry.
  
• Upload your projects by midnight MDT on Monday, April 12.
• The winning entries will be shown on this blog on Wednesday, April 14 and will receive an "I'm Moxie Fab" challenge winner button and a moxie fab prize.

*Piece* out,

~Cath

PS Did you know? Our latest call for submissions has been posted! Click HERE for all the details you'll need for a chance to be published in Holiday Cards & More, Volume 5, the *hottest* holiday special issue in the realm. And for those of you who have submitted before, please note the new change to our process--make sure your submission photos do not include a watermark. Thanks in advance for your help on this!