Crafting Trends

Hi Crafters,

Today it's the beginning of another super blog hop. You may have noticed the blue button at the left of my blog. This button will take you on a tour of a host of designer blogs where you will see fabulous designs and read about the latest in crafts. This month, we will be talking about the trends we saw at the Craft and Hobby Show in January. And, as you hop around the blogs, look for clues. Yes, it's a blog hop and a treasure hunt! And, the prize is--ta da! A Cricut Expression! Now, that is a prize worth hunting for!

This prize is offered by Julie McGuffee, well-known designer and TV personality. You can find out how to hunt for the clues to the Cricket Expression on her blog. She also provided the photos that I will be using as I discuss some of the trends I saw at the show. These photos are provided for information only and contain designs under copyright.
Overall, I saw a continuing trend toward nostalgia and vintage in crafts. We want to get back to that idyllic past in the middle of the last century or beyond. There were lots of old suitcases like the ones Mom used to carry on the train--heavy and with no wheels! There were also old bikes and trikes and other rusty stuff. Old kitchen appliances in the '50's colors with coordinating aprons were very cute, as were all of the bright and colorful '50's designs. Love the pink stove! The show featured a lot of scrapbooking papers and it's nice to see that the trend in scrapbooking and paper suppliers is to use paper in different and more crafty ways than in layouts. There were lots of layered flowers in every shape and size. Birds are still a prominent motif in every form and material imaginable. This year, adding to the bird motif, were bird cages--old rusty ones, shabby chic white ones and others cut out of paper. And, adding to the fascination with air and flying were hot air balloons, paper lanterns, chandeliers and pennant garlands. Pennant garlands have gone from the triangular version into all shapes and sizes. Above you can see the bird cage combined with garden, home and layered flowers putting all the trends together!

Another trend that is still around is the early industrial/Steampunk look taken from the Victorian era. It's still quite a factor in jewelry with chain, pendants, and watches in a variety of tarnished, rusty and antiqued colors. The above photo is from the Ideaology booth and shows the vintage trend in the mixture of old machinery with the aged chest and birdcage.

I hope you enjoyed my take on trends. For more on trends in the craft industry, hop forward or back on the big blue Designer Crafts button.

Happy Crafting,

Terry