The Next Moxie Fab World Challenge: Fanatical About Botanical

As most of you know, I write a column in Paper Crafts magazine called Moxie Fabs. In each issue, I ask 5 designers to explore a trend that we editors feel is relevant to our readers. Sandwiched between two other inspiring columns, Go-to Sketches and Color Play, Moxie Fabs offers creative approaches to trendy topics in an effort to make the trends (which can sometimes be intimidating) approachable to our readers--which is you!

In the July/August issue, the trend focus is botanicals. You might say that botanical style is a definitive style in design all on its own. As in, it never really goes out of style.

And what, exactly, is botanical style? The botanical style (think botany) is characterized by realistic drawings or watercolors of flora and fauna. Originally used as a way to identify and categorize plants and animals, it has, indeed, become its own style of design. It's always around, in one form or another, as the seasons and years pass by.

What makes it a trend now, you might ask? Well, the difference is in how prevalent the style is in our everyday world, that is, how often we see botanical elements from day to day--and it's also a measure of how the style is being treated. While the botanical trend might have had a certain spin in the 70's, '80's, and '90's, it definitely has its own timbre this go 'round. Check it:

Anthropologie

Etsy

Anthropologie

Coggles.com

Cath Kidston

Pottery Barn

Anthropologie

Crate & Barrel

Etsy

Etsy

Le Scrap de Caro

Etsy

Mirabella

Pottery Barn

Anthropologie

One important thing to remember about botanicals? The images are life-like. They are not cartoon-y. They are not cutesy. They are not necessarily graphic, either, although they can be graphic in their realistic representation of a life-like thing (see the Marimekko image from Crate & Barrel above, for example.)

Here are some moxie fab projects from the issue itself:

Beautiful Butterfly Frame by Danielle Flanders, p, 24

Moxie Fab Alert: Danielle actually drew her inspiration from the butterfly Pottery Barn pillow shown above. Note that she's also included some text and numbers which often accompany the botanical style.

With Gratitude Card by Betsy Veldman, p. 26

Moxie Fab Alert: This card has all the elements of botanical style: a beautiful flower that is drawn/painted to look real, a sentiment treatment that emulates the often romantic "feel" of botanical style, and a music background--another element that is often paired with botanical images.

Eclectic Thanks Card by Julia Stainton, p. 25

Moxie Fab Alert: Here is a gorgeous graphic interpretation of the botanical style. Note the use of white space, the eclectic font treatments, and the colorful background elements Julia has incorporated to set off the botanical bird. Moxie to the fab!

Whaddayasay? Are you ready to give this trendy style a try? If so, here are all the details you'll need to rock it:

• Create a paper crafted project (card, gift bag, tag, layout, home decor item, mini-book cover, etc.) that incorporates the botanical style in an innovative way.
• Upload it to your blog, click on the title of that post, copy the URL, and add it to Mr. Linky below.
• Tell your readers that you've created your project for the Fanatical About Botanical Challenge in the Moxie Fab World and link it back to this post to encourage your readers to play along as well.
  
• 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.
• Upload your projects by midnight EDT on Monday, August 8.
• The winning entries will be shown on this blog on Wednesday, August 10 and will receive an "I'm Moxie Fab" challenge winner button as well as a truly moxie fab prize.

What a fun chance to dabble in a style that may be comfortable or brand new to you. Either or, there's sure to be gigantical amounts of inspiration along the way.

Fanatical about botanical,

~Cath

PS To see additional moxie fab projects from the column by Jennifer McGuire and Kim Kesti, see pages 25 and 26 respectively.