8 Collections I Want from the CHA 2015 Paper Arts Show

Coverage of the CHA's Summer Paper Arts show was no where near as extensive as it was for the show last January. As a member of CHA, I was able to watch a few demonstrations from the floor through a live feed. However, given time constraints and other issues, I didn't catch nearly as much as I had hoped to. I searched through a few manufacturer blogs and was happy to see some new items.There are some exciting new supplies but I will admit that I was a bit disappointed in not being able to find as many products as usual. The most comprehensive website I have found with links to many of the new releases is at the Scrappy Jedi's blog. Despite the difficulty of finding information about the new releases, I managed to find a few items to add to my wishlist.

**update** Scrapbook Update also has a comprehensive list of new Summer Releases highlighted at the CHA show.

Ready for a little enabling( and a few affiliate links when possible)?

Crate Paper Wonder

I want the whole line!It includes a nice blend of the eclectic styles of papers that I like. The motifs are general enough for a varity of layouts( also it has cute cats). You can preview the collection on Crate Paper's Website. It's also available for pre-order at a variety of retailer's including Amazon.com.





Ken Oliver Crafts Colorburst

To be fair, this item was also shown during the show in January. After seeing another live demo of the product, I decided I just might need to have the whole collection of colors. You can see a demo of Colorburst from Ken on his website. Ken is a wonderful paper artist to follow. He is creative and very friendly. I got to speak with him earlier in the year when he visited a Get It Scrapped Live crop. I recommend following his blog for craft inspiration.



My Christmas Paper Picks

I think I am ready to donate a lot of older Christmas supplies in favor of getting some new ones after seeing the latest releases from Carta Bella and Basic Grey. Both Carta Bella Christmas Wonderland and Basic Grey's Juniper Berry offer a lovely mix of vintage with a fresh new feel.

My Fall Supply Picks

I am always a sucker for Fall themed and Halloween themed kits. Maybe it's because I have never lived in a place with a true fall. Even so, it is still my favorite time of year. For Halloween, I once again find myself drawn to Carta Bella for their new Halloween line. The nice thing about most fall kits is that you can mix and match supplies between them to create your own mega kit. I hope to choose between Carta Bella's Fall Blessings line and Simple Stories Pumpkin Spice.

My Project Life Picks

I am counting this as one pick but really, it encompasses many products. I have a minor hoarding problem when is comes to Project Life and pocket cards. The new releases shown on the Becky Higgins website have done nothing to curb my desire to get more kits. I want all of the new releases!

Silhouette's New Machines

This next pick is more of a bonus pick rather than a collection.Did you hear me mention the new machine from Silhouette on the Digiscrap geek Podcast? Both are on my wishlist and will be available this fall. The new Curio offers the option to emboss and etch as well as to cut. The new options make this machine a huge consideration when it comes to the possibility of upgrading from my portrait. Though, I might just wait a bit to see if these options will be offered in a new smaller machine.

 The Mint will offer the option to create your own stamps. I might wait for a review of this prior to purchasing as I wasn't too impressed with the stamp quality from their Stamp to Cut material kit. However, the option to create my own stamps always intrigues me.

Both are currently available for pre-order from Amazon.



As with past wishlists, I most likely won't be able to get everything on it. However, creating a wishlist does make it a bit easier to help me budget for supplies in the coming months.

What new items have you seen to add to your wishlist? Did I miss anything cool that caught your eye?

Are you excited about the CHA 2015 PAPER ARTS+ SHOW 2015?

Right now, my friend and fellow DigiScrapGeek Podcast co-host, Karen Poirier-Brode is at the Paper Arts show. I admit that I am a bit jealous and wish I was there on the floor. I joined CHA along with my co-hosts a few months ago and were it not a matter of distance, you can believe I would have loved to go.  I have had a peek at the industry trend report and have a few thoughts on that which I may share later on( possibly on an upcoming episode of the DSG Podcast).

Sitting here right now, I am wondering how tempted I will be by the new supplies. I think that many of us( me included) get caught up in the excitement of new things. I often lament that I want to buy it all. If you want to hone in on the key things from your wishlist, check out this article I wrote about How to Navigate Cha Temptation on a Budget.



I have been pretty good with my craft spending this year. I have stuck to using my kits to control my budget. I currently subscribe to Cocoa Daisy( Scrapbook Main and the Project Life Kit) and to Pinkfresh Studio. Cocoa Daisy has continued to deliver a nice mix of new supplies( Stamps, various manufacturers and a great embellishment selection) which has kept me satisfied. They also recently introduced the concept of a la carte add ons. Rather than buying full kit add ons, you can buy only the individual items you want. It's much more budget friendly for me. Pinkfresh Studios offers me a nice selection of embellishments, a new stamp and a new die every month. It also keeps me from feeling I need more. Otherwise, I have only gotten a few items from this year's CHA wish list separately. Definitely smarter spending and it's keeping my small creative space from overflowing.

What exactly did I get from my January 2015 CHA wishlist? Not everything. Once the glamour of "new and exiting" wore off, I kept to just a few things. Ready for a little enabling( and a few affiliate links)?



I purchased the Fuse Tool from We R Memory Keepers. After reading a bit about it  and asking Karen who saw it demonstrated at CHA), I added the Precision Glass Mat to my purchase. The mat helps to protect your work surface and also enable the Fuse Tool to work optimally.

A few sheets and some die cuts from the Basic Grey Prism Collection made it's way into my supplies. Mostly, these came from my Cocoa Daisy kits. After using up those kits, I realize that I love this line so much I may just end up buying the whole collection. I still want to get all of Pink Paislee's Atlas line as well, though I haven't gotten around to it.

It remains to be seen whether or not I will find anything interesting at the Summer Paper Arts Show. If I do then I'll be sure to share my favorites. What I do know is this...I have a tendency to choose the same motifs and materials over and over again. Take a look at your own wishlist to see if this is true. Then, take a look at your own supplies to see if you already have similar items. Chances are that you might not need that shiny new whatever. Once you realize that, you can make smarter buying choices and narrow down your wish list.

When I do purchase, I continue to shop mostly at  Paper Issues, Amazon and Scrapbook.com. Otherwise, I am sticking to my kit club subscriptions as the main source for my supplies. If you are not sure whether a kit club is for you, check out this article. It may help you decide.

So Excited for CHA 2015!

Last year, I felt a little bit bored by CHA( Craft and Hobby Association conference). While I liked some of the products( and even made a wishlist), I didn't feel very excited or hyped up about most of the releases as I usually did.. This year is very different for me. For one, I have had an eye on some of the behind the scenes happenings. I wish I was going to CHA. If I would have been able to go, I would have been working at booth #2375 for Deflecto.  It looks like the people who do get to work the booth are going to have a great time with visitors and the lovely make and take project(if you are going, be sure to stop by). Since I am not going, I will have to live the conference vicariously through photos from friends and video coverage.

The second thing that has me excited for CHA is the releases I have seen so far. I am loving the new collections, many of which feature patterns and colors that play well with my style. I am also excited about one new tool in particular. I thought I would compile a list of  few favorites.

The We R Memory Keepers Fuse tool is at the top of my list. I like the idea of being able to make custom pocket sizes for my Project Life spreads. Just an FYI, the tool is available for pre-order at A Cherry on Top. ( not an affiliate link). It's priced at $29.95 which makes the tool worth considering. I am looking forward to getting one myself. I can only hope that the ruler tool helps me fuse or cut pockets in a straight line. I always struggle with that.

While we're talking about We R Memory Keepers, I thought I would share their new Hello Darling line. The camera caught my attention almost immediately. I am noticing a lot of purple in many of the paper lines so far. I think this one does a good job of balancing the feminine and masculine.Sure, there's lots of floral elements. However, the blue and black will make it easy to fit in a photo of my son.

I am also really loving the papers, bits and baubles from Crate Paper's Confetti collection. I think I might just want a banner for my craft space. There are also several other lines that are just as fabulous as this one.

The Clearly Kelly Stamp collections have also caught my eye. I have always loved Kelly Purkey's stamps. I am glad to see familiar ones along with some new designs.

In case you haven't noticed, I am a huge fan of anything with gold foil on it. I was especially happy to see these new wood icons from Prima. I adore wood veneer and am so happy to see it get a facelift and still be a popular embellishment.

Basic Grey didn't disappoint either. I have my eye on two collections. The one to the left is Prism. I am also eyeing their new nautical themed Adrift collection.

I was also super excited to see that Pinkfresh Studio had launched a new line.  It's their first paper collection and, in my opinion, it's just as cool as their unique embellishment line.

I adore travel collections. Pink Paislee's Atlas collection is a definite candidate for my wishlist. It has a nice blend of travel themed elements with some basic designs. I like that I could possibly use it for more than just a travel page.









As you can see, my list is pretty long this year. This is just the tip of the iceburg. Realistically, I know I won't be able to get everything. I do hope that I will get some of these collections in my Cocoa Daisy kits. If you do subscribe to a kit club, be sure to check out their forums. In many cases, they are asking what you saw and liked at CHA. Your responses may just inspire them to purchase certain items for their kits. You just need to be patient. Remember, many of these items will go on sale after this season is over. Waiting a bit also allows your excitement to wear down a bit. Reality can set in and you can determine if one of the collections you have been eyeing is really something you want.

Meanwhile, I will be checking out everything I can from CHA. I have been keeping an eye on PaperVine. They are compiling a list with photos of the manufacturer announcements for new products.  What new items has you excited? Share with us in the Get It Scrapped Forum.

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