Trends to try!

 

Hey, what’s up? I love this mug. I saw it at Target and it inspired the name of an upcoming Clique Kit…oops spoiler alert! One of the things I love to do on a bloggy catch-up weekend is grab my coffee and talk trends. So let’s do it!

Trend 1 Marbleized surfaces:

Marble and marbleized surface design on paper is a really really old technique. But it has re-surfaced as a modern pattern in everything from stationery to fashion to home decor. Italian bookmakers and handmade paper makers actually invented over a dozen specific patterns of marbleizing, but my favorite is freeform. I especially love when metallics like gold and copper are mixed in. I have seen more and more marbleized paper appearing in scrapbooking recently from patterned paper collections from Dear Lizzy to Crate Paper to Maggie Holmes and even a whole monochromatic marble line from Bazzill basics.  I think we will continue to see marbleized paper through several more seasons!

Trend 2 Plaid Patterns:

I think this trend was especially apparent at Christmas time when black and red and sometimes gold were very hot, but get ready for Spring when pastel colored plaids and tartans are going to be just as big a hit! I am especially enamored with some patterns I saw from Photoplay paper company and Lawn Fawn!

Trend 3 Wild Things:

Animal Prints, animal faces, geometric animal illustrations, and more…we seem to have developed a fetish for our furry friends- whether wild or domesticated, cute and cuddly or not so much! Some trends have been around in fashion and have always made a bold statement, like giraffe print and zebra print. What kinds of wild looks do you like?

Pictured above is an ipad cover with a non traditional zebra print spotted at Target, a We Are Memory Keepers Clearly Posh acetate print in gold cheetah, and a cat face sweater!

Trend 4 Tassels and pom poms:

I have been seeing tassels and pom poms everywhere. I don’t know about you. They started out as something I saw mostly as party decor-banners made up of fringy tassels made from crepe paper in pastel colors and even gold. Now I am seeing accesories and key chains and even techie gear like the item pictured made from classy leather tassels. Small tassels are pretty embellishments on mini albums and planners. I remember making pom poms in summer camp once- I never thought it was something I would look up again, but I couldn’t help myself. Here is a link to a super easy fork method of making pom poms and a tutorial to make this adorable and trendy pom pom bracelet!

Trend 4 Brushstrokes and Painterly Effects

This is defined as patterns where the artist’s hand is visible in the strokes of paint-whether watercolor, ink, acrylic, or oil, or even splashes- there is evidence left behind of the process of the artist. We are loving this look lately-from monochromatic to bold splashes of colors- and even florals! There are some amazing collections that have come out incorporating this style for scrapbooking by designers like Dear Lizzy, Amy Tan, Ashley Goldberg, Paige Evans, Shanna Noel, and many more! I can’t wait to get these in my upcoming Clique Kits (oh no-more spoilers)

Trend 5 Geometrics

These designs are really popular right now and really make an impact on any space-like this bedroom wall. I love geometric patterns on paper and geometric renderings of animals likes bears and foxes. They look really cool in scrapbooking too. Keep an eye out for dies, stamps, wood and acrylic shapes, die cut pieces, and paper patterns incorporating geometric designs.

Trend 6 Neon Pastels

This is more of a color palette trend but I have seen a lot of this especially in fashion and it also influences paper and embellishment collections in scrapbooking we like, planner colors along with accessories. I really like to add pops of neon and gold to my pastels-so feminine and pretty for Spring!

 

Trend 7 Succulents

How about those cactuses (plural cacti?) And their cousins the succulents? These have become the houseplant to have lately, and naturally, images of them are a popular motif in stamping, cards, and paper patterns. I was given one as a gift and with my black thumb I managed to…never mind. It’s too sad. I do have a really nice thriving one outside on my front lanai.

I probably missed some new popular trends, but those are the ones that immediately come to mind! I hope you enjoyed my trend talk- please let me know your thoughts!

-xo Aloha! Gia