It's THAT time of year again...

Every year at this time - Craft & Hobby Assoc. Trade Show time - I get a little sad. It's like reverse home sickness. After spending YEARS attending and working this incredible show, where all the latest and greatest in the scrapbook industry are unveiled, I've been away from it now for about three years. And I miss it. Terribly. Yes, I came home exhausted and blistered each time, but it was WORTH it! Because each time, I also came home incredibly INSPIRED! Nothing turns on my creative energy more than being drenched in fresh new products and surrounded by other artsy souls. It is my heaven on earth. Aahhhhh.....

To help me survive my show withdrawls {thankfully} are the many sites that release "sneak peaks" of the newest products being released. I love that I can peruse pages and pages of what I would have seen and touched on the show floor (and certainly nothing beats that, but this is a nice back-up alternative).

With that said...I have a confession to make. This year I'm not quite as sad that I won't be there. I have not been jumping for joy at the lines being released this year. And let me be the first to say...I have NOT seen them all. But the industry seems to be leaning heaviest toward cartoony and flowery designs this year. And well, that just isn't my style. It is for some - and that is great - it's just not me. So I'm not finding tons of inspiration out there this year. Well, that was until I saw these......

Prima is releasing adhesive felt strips, reminding me of the Queen & Company rolls I LOVED. I can't wait to start adhering these to EVERYTHING!

And if that wasn't enough to make me start drooling...Donna Downey has designed some incredible jumbo, foam stamps! I can already see the layouts in my head. Inspiration achieved.

I'm sure there will be more great things to get me fired up, but for now...that's all I have on my shopping list. I'll let you know when I find more!

Since I mentioned Queen & Co.'s awesome felt borders, I thought I would share a couple ways I've used them. Most recently added to a candle to give it that romantic touch. My initial use of the border was for a bedroom mirror. I bordered the sides with the felt and used rub-on words to create a border along the top. Unfortunately, the mirror has since been broken and I do not have any photos of it after it was completed. This in-progress picture will inspire me to re-create it.......someday.



Enjoy the things that ignite your creative energy.
-d.