Trendspotting at CHA

I wrote this post from CHA as a member of the Guest Design Team at Flamingo Scraps and wanted to share it here.

Hi everybody! Amanda, Julie and I are here in LA for the Craft and Hobby Association tradeshow. They're CHA veterans, but I'm a wide-eyed newbie. So what's my first impression? In a word, awesome! There really aren't adequate words to describe the experience of seeing every craft material in the world under the same roof. All my favorite manufacturers are here, along with dozens I'm learning about for the first time. There are scrap celebrities at every turn. This is truly a crafter's paradise.

One of my favorite things about CHA has been seeing all the new releases and trying to figure out what trends we'll be seeing. I had some ideas of what I might see from the sneak peeks that came out before the show, but now that I'm here it's even more apparent what is hot in 2011.

1920's: Motifs from the 1920's are huge. Graphic 45, Cosmo Cricket, Pink Paislee are among the many with paper lines that feature images from the era.

Circus and carnival: Images from the circus are everywhere, as are big fair ribbons.

Dress forms: This trend has been here for awhile and it's stronger than ever. Many of the booths have dress forms on display, and I'm also seeing them in new stamp sets, paper lines, and embellishments. Everything about sewing is going strong- needles, spools, buttons, sewing machines, etc. are all showing up in multiple booths.

Banners: Huge before, even more huge now.

Bicycles: This is another trend that has been growing. I saw lots of bicycle images today, along with some tricycles too. Most of the bicycles are old-fashioned, tying in the trend of hearkening back to simpler times.

Berries/Fruit: Strawberries, cherries, watermelon, lemons... they're all over the place.

Lobsters: I noticed one really cute lobster, then another, and another. In my mind, that qualifies as a trend!

Clouds: In the past, rain clouds have been a fairly common, but the clouds I saw today were happy, cutesy clouds with no rain in sight. Think white and fluffy, not dark or dreary.

Dragonflies: Butterflies are still going strong, but dragonflies seem to be gaining on them! Some are cute and whimsical, others more realistic.

Nostalgia: This incorporates some of the other trends I've already mentioned, but it bears emphasizing. For several years we've been seeing images from Grandma's house, such as old typewriters, sewing machines, and clocks. Those are still going strong, along with some new additions. Crate Paper is introducing an adorable collection called "Toy Box" featuring all sorts of retro toys and games. October Afternoon's entire booth had a charming retro look.

So what's on it's way out? I was on the lookout, but did not see nearly as many chandeliers, chairs, keys or birdcages as we've seen in the past. I think those trends are on the decline.