CHA-S Picks (Round One)

It's been a busy week. I've started my new position full time at work, and if my brain had muscles, they would be protesting greatly. As it is, I'm pretty tired at the end of each day. Satisfied, but tired. Getting into balance with the new workflow will take some adjustment time, I'm sure.

I've got about five or six blog posts sitting on the back burner that I gotta get finished and get posted... I'm hoping it will happen this weekend, because I am really excited about them.

But then again, my weekend plans include a cleaning my desk (truly a feat), going to a movie, breakfast at pike place market and a trip to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM), hanging out with friends, going to an art fair, and possibly, maybe, catching up on some sleep.We'll see how things go.

On the scrappy front, I finished a whole forty page scrapbook album last week. It was a pretty intense round of craftiness. The album was a birthday gift, and I was literally working on it till the last minute, so I didn't even get any photos of it before I gave it away. But I think it was pretty well received.

I love making and giving meaningful gifts like that. :)

Anyway... it's almost time for the summer craft and hobby association show, and the internet product peeks have been going out fast and furious. Overall, I'm finding that I don't like most of the craft releases this time around. I'm actually kind of happy about it though. It's certainly encouraging me to use what I've got on hand, and also is good for the old budget.

Though Basic Grey and Hambly have yet to post more than teases... so we'll see about them.

Anyway... let's do a round of five of most favorite released peeks, in no particular order:

Studio Calico - Elementary and Accessories
Despite certain events, I think that SC is developing into a pretty strong brand. I continue to enjoy the designs and color palettes that they use. Their Elementary line is pretty great.

See the full line here.

I will, of course, be buying some new stamp sets. This one is my favorite:

They are also releasing some new rubons, some ugly tissue paper flowers, some different woodgrain veneer, and their own proprietary spray ink line.

I cannot wait to experiment with their claims of opacity on these spray inks. A truly opaque white mist that gives spray paint level of coverage is truly like the holy grail of mists, in my opinion. We'll see.

More of the accessories are here.


Pink Paislee - Parisian Anthology
I have to admit that I was not as wowed by their new releases as I was with the last one (oh Queen Bee, I do adore you)... until they showed up with this line, which is in collaboration with the House of 3.

Aside from the lovely colors and designs of the papers, that stamp set is killer! Must have. And the trims and accessories were each one something I would want to buy.

And that book. Oh, the divided page protectors. I'm going to buy three. One of which WILL be my December Daily this year. Mark my words.

More information is here.

((I think the other lines they are showing are a little too overworked, design wise. They look like really fussy digital pattern papers, which doesn't appeal to me at all. I'm hoping to be surprised by their real-life appearance, but not holding my breath.))


Martha Stewart Crafts - Punches (of course!)
"Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in."

The Christmas ones are just not an okay level of good. The dove. The snowflakes. Oh, my. I'm really hoping that Michaels will carry these. So I can buy them with coupons. ;)

More images are here.


My Minds Eye - Lost & Found, Haunted
MME has been a long time staple in the scrap world, but despite the luscious textures of their papers, I just could not get into their designs. Until the Lush line came out last year. And then they got me.

Seriously cute.
And the colors. Soft blues, creams, and greys. With text. I feel like I'm just hanging out at Sally Jean's blog.

Lost & Found full line here.

And what about Halloween? Carina Gardner can do no wrong when it comes to Halloween.

A kraft line? Brilliant. Full line is here.


Lily Bee - Catching Fall
For some reason, and I can't quite put my nose on it, but this line reminds me a lot of the mini books that Eve Johnson (aka Evalicious) used to do with scenic route stuff.

I'm hoping that Lily Bee turns out to be like Pink Paislee. Couldn't stand their first few releases... then they got better and I'm totally hooked.

This line has fantastic colors. I hope the real life stuff is as good as the internet previews.

I sense a mini-book in my future.

More of the line here.

Well that's all for now.

I hope you've enjoyed my enabling.

I'll be back later with some fun photos of a barbeque, my recap of Summer Urban Craft Uprising, and hopefully, some crafty goodness.

Happy Friday!