Christmas 2011

This week's unveiling of October Afternoon's Holiday Style sparked a hunt for what's actually out there (or expected) in the way of Christmas papers this year.

I mean, hello, Holiday Style is definitely top of the list, but I thought I'd check out some other lines too.

It still seems a bit soon, but I'm used to working in advance with these things. I once taught a Christmas class in August!

Anyway, I've been hunting...and finding some fun things. I do love Christmas papers.

This year I'm feeling like it's going to be a traditional year - ie. red and green. Actually, it might be red and cream. We'll see. Sometimes how it goes is dictated by what's available.

Projects I'm thinking of:

1.  Glittery flowers using the Fairy Dust Glitter - need a small pattern on the paper for those.

2.  Projects for PC.

3.  December Daily - I've done one for the past three years and this year I really want to do a Smash Journal type one. I reeeeaallly wanted the Smash people to put out a Christmas Smash book, but it wasn't to be. My plan at the moment is to make the blue one into a Christmas one - I'll make it work.

Okay, onto the Christmas collections...

Firstly, Echo Park.

(They've only been in business since April 2010, but boy, have they made a splash. The kicker has been their kits, I reckon. So easy to just buy the kit. They also sell their papers in 6 x 6 pads now too)

Check out all their collections here. Just saw another new one called Times and Seasons - very heritage/vintage.

This is my favourite of their Christmas collections - I'm really feeling the green/red/cream. That snowman's cute.

See the rest of the collection here. Love the extra bits - the die cuts, journalling cards, stamps - too. Fun.

I especially love that the base is cream. Oh, cream. Luscious.

I'd buy this collection for cards, general scrapbooking and for the glittery flowers because it's got tight patterns that work well for die-cutting. The 6 x 6 pad would be good for that too.

On 6 x 6 paper pads - they've been around for a while, but they've really hit their stride now. Everyone's making them (except October Afternoon who does 8 x 8, which I'm very happy about. OA, don't change...please!).

Check out Nancy Nally's article here on the benefits of using 6 x 6 papers for die-cutting.

And check out this Paperclipping Roundtable episode where Noell, Nancy and Tammy talk about the 6 x 6 paper pad phenom.

Here are Echo Park's other two Christmas releases. The Dots and Stripes collection makes total sense - a basic set. They've released Dots and Stripes in other colours too.

Next, Fancy Pants.

Their Christmas collection is called St Nick - very traditional.

See the entire collection here.

I know I mentioned this above, and yesterday, but it has to go in here too.


October Afternoon.

October Afternoon Holiday Style.

Yep, chevrons are in. I'm seeing them everywhere.

Love the red and cream. Love the Santa.

Next, Webster's Pages...

This line is called A Botanical Christmas.

What I like about this line is the 4 x 6 cards on that page up there. Perfect for card fronts with a big glittery flower in the white space.

(No, you wouldn't post the cards - too expensive. They'd be 'give to' cards)

Check out the rest of the collection here.

Discovered any favourites yet?

Next, My Mind's Eye.

This collection is called 12 Days of Christmas. 

I like the bold stripes and peppermints. The die cuts and bits are nice too. And the base is cream. I'm noticing a lot more of that. 

I'm not into decorative brads, but I reckon I'd buy these - they're nice. You can see the brads and the rest of the collection here. 

They have another collection too - it's Lost and Found Christmas. Very vintage. 

Onto Crate Paper. 

Their collection is called Peppermint. 

My favourite papers are Candy Cane and St Nick (I've blogged about them before).

See the entire collection here. 

Basic Grey also has a collection called Nordic Holiday. You can see it here (on video). 

Graphic 45 has a collection called Christmas Emporium. It's available in stores already (good for them, at least someone's getting it out early). I used this collection for those Christmas cards I did. The ones with the glittery flowers. 

Bo Bunny is releasing a collection called Father Christmas. 

Well, I think that's it for now. Of course other brands are out there...there are so many. 

My favourites are Holiday Style (of course) and Season's Greetings from Echo Park. And I think I'd give the My Mind's Eye one a whirl too. 

It'd be nice to see them in real life, hey? Sometimes that makes a huge difference. 

Anyway, enjoy the virtual shopping - all this stuff is going to start hitting the shops soon if it hasn't already. 

Ho Ho Ho!

PS. Totally off the Christmas topic, but well worth the watch, check out Stacy Julian's 'Happy Colours' episode on My Craft Channel. She's a legend, that Stacy, I totally get her on the colour thing.