ANAHEIM, Calif. — Some people do it for the artistic expression. Some see it as a way to preserve memories. Others like the social aspect. Some think it is just fun. Some do it for all these reasons and more.
But whatever the incentive, the bottom line is that lots and lots of people are scrapbooking. And those people are always looking for new ways to do it.
At the recent Craft & Hobby Show held in Anaheim, Calif., and sponsored by the Craft & Hobby Association, more than 300 scrapbooking companies showed off their newest wares. Scrapbooking accounts for a huge section of the industry. With annual sales of $2.59 million last year, representing a 4.3 percent increase over 2006, it ranks No. 1 in sales. Second place is art and drawing, recording $1.94 million in sales in 2007.
A CHA survey also projects an increase for 2008 of 2.5 million households who say they plan to do this craft during the upcoming year.
Many of the companies involved in scrapbooking are based in Utah, but it has also gone global, with companies from Japan, England, Australia, Nepal and other corners of the world now offering products.
There was something new at every booth. But these are some of the things that stood out:
Individuality. There is truly something in this industry for everyone. Want it quick and simple? You can find it. Want it elaborate and detailed? That's there, too.
There are also increasing ways to personalize your books. One of the fun new additions we found comes from My Pages Talk, based in Lehi. It is a 30-second voice recorder that is about 1/4-inch thick and comes with an acid-free paper cover that can be embellished or decorated however you like. There's a slide-out battery tray and batteries and enable/disable switch to protect the recording and flash memory that store the message forever.
Bright, bold and edgy. Maybe because it was the winter show, or maybe because there's so much dark and dreary news these days, but it seems like bright is better.
"Bright colors are definitely in," said Erik Haneberg of Utah-based Scribble Scrabble. Among its new offerings: Felicity's Collection, paper die-cuts and cutouts featuring Crimson Daisies and Mini Gumpdrops in "vibrant colors to dazzle the eyes."
Bright is beautiful, echoed Lisa Parken of Crate Paper, in Spanish Fork. "We have four new collections all done in hot pink and purple and other bright colors."
And BamPop, from Orem, offers exactly what its name implies: paper with bright graphics and cool, hip designs. Owner and designer J.J. Harrison has a background in animation, he explained. All his designs are hand-drawn and tend to be "more illustrative. They appeal to hip young people with kids."
At Provo Craft, spokeswoman Jackie Shafer has also noticed a trend toward bringing in teens and "indie" crafters with some edgier designs. "One thing that has been very popular are our street signs. Kids have been putting them on their walls. It's a way to make their space their own."
Sophisticated and classic. While there will always be a place for cutesy, homey, whimsical designs in scrapbooks, there also seems to be an increase in upscale, sophisticated designs produced by such Utah companies as BasicGrey, Scenic Route, Karen Foster and lots of others.
"We've always been known for bringing stylish flair to scrapbooking," said Grant Madsen of Provo-based American Crafts. "We're sort of the Banana Republic of scrapbooking, the fashion forward guys." Some of their new Amplified papers, for example, include things like scalloped edges and embossed and embellished designs.
At the same time, said Mark Durham of imaginisce, based in Salt Lake City, "scrapbookers want to know some things won't change. They want things they can count on. That one reason behind our Black Tie Optional line of black-and-white papers, for example. The designs will change, but scrapbookers will know they can always find black-and-white paper. We will always have a wedding line. And a baby line. They will get refreshed from time to time, but the line will remain."
Texture. Texture is everywhere, from thick, chipboard letters sprinkled with glitter to ruffly flowers to felt attachments and more.
One of the fun, new ways to add texture is with Doodlebug's line of Crushed Velvet flocking. "We like to come up with unique names," said John Bishop of Doodlebug, in Salt Lake City. "Last year we called our glitter 'Sugar Coating.' This year, we're doing 'Crushed Velvet."'
The flocking powder comes in 12 colors. You simply use an adhesive transfer, a glue pen or double-sided tape or other sticky surface, shake on the powder and shake off the excess. You have instantly added texture.
Die-cuts. These shapes cut out of paper have been enjoying a revival, thanks in part to new ways to customize them.
Provo Craft introduced Cricut, an electronic die-cutting machine, a couple of years ago. It's still going strong as new designs are added, said Shafer. Cricut works with cartridges that each offer a variety of designs and fonts. "You can customize designs six different ways," Shafer said. "You can cut designs up to 23.5 inches long. You can cut paper, card stock, thin chipboard, vinyl, even adhesive-backed vinyl that you can stick on walls."
This year, Making Memories, out of Centerville, introduced a handheld portable electronic die-cutting machine called Slice. It will cut images up to 4 1/2 inches and generated a lot of interest at the show, said Jenny Weston. "Die cuts were considered old-school, but they are coming back."
Recipes. Scrapbooking recipes seems like a natural. "Everybody eats, and food and memories are always linked," said Judi Kauffman, spokeswoman for Sulyn Industries, based in Florida, which has introduced a whole line of cooking-related books and accessories in their Cookbookin' line.
It's a great way to preserve your own recipes, Kauffman said, and it makes a great gift for family members, bridal showers and other occasions. "You could even do special-interest books of sugar-free recipes or grilling recipes or have everyone bring a recipe or do a page at a holiday cookie exchange."
Quick Quotes is another company with a recipe-scrapbooking kit. It comes with cards you decorate and add recipes to and tuck into a recipe box that you can also decorate.
Digital and hybrid scrapbooking. Software programs are available that allow you to do everything from put pages together on the computer and print them out for your albums to letting you create and keep entire albums on your computer.
The computer has become another tool for scrapbooking, said speakers at a special seminar on digital scrapbooking. But there's also no question that it appeals more to younger scrapbookers. However, they pointed out, there is a whole spectrum between doing everything on the computer and doing nothing on the computer.
A lot of scrapbookers are easing into technology by becoming hybrid scrapbookers: using the computer to print out journaling, for example, or to print out pictures and then add buttons or glitter to create more visual appeal.
Organization. The more embellishments and accoutrements people gather, the more they wonder what to do with the leftovers. Many companies are coming up with storage systems that can help.
"Storage is always a big thing," Making Memories' Karen Mooney said. Among their solutions: desktop organizers, a modular wall system, rolling tote bags, over-the-shoulder tote bags, clear plastic boxes with lids, clear plastic boxes that are divided into compartments, jars that can be filled and stacked and more.
The idea, she said, is to keep things organized but also to make them portable, so people who go to crop parties can pull out a box or bag and take it along.
ScrapOnizer, a new Salt Lake City firm, also offers storage solutions. It makes clear plastic cases that can stand vertically on shelves and tabletops or stack horizontally in drawers. They have removable compartment trays that come with two, three, four and eight compartments and a snap-lock design that keeps the cover secure.
"They are inexpensive, lightweight and work not only for scrapbook supplies but can hold threads, pins and buttons for quilters, office supplies, even nuts and bolts and small tools," designer Jim Holbrook said.
Going Green. Piggy Tales, a company based in Las Vegas founded by Brigham Young University graduates Debbie and Ryann Juden, has become the first major scrapbooking manufacturer to print its entire collection of scrapbook paper on recycled paper with an organic-based ink. "Scrapbookers are passionate about saving memories; now we are giving them a chance to save the environment as well," Debbie said.
Going green was easier than they thought, Giboney Sparks added. "The quality of the paper remains just the same." The process costs more, "but we've been able to keep the pricing the same."
A dozen tips for scrapbookers
1. If you have quotable family members, keep a list of their utterings on your computer or in a notebook you carry with you. You never know when what they say might fit on a scrapbook page.
2. If you are overwhelmed by too many pictures, start by organizing them: by date, by subject matter, by place, by person. Then look through your groupings and choose whatever suits your fancy.
3. Try creating a whole series of art for each season or holiday. It's a great way to showcase your creativity. For example, if you have a random selection of leftover hearts from Valentine's Day, you can create a fun collage page.
4. Before snapping any pictures, make sure your backgrounds won't distract from your subjects.
5. If you have a hard time writing in a straight line, don't be afraid to add lines on your page to keep your journaling straight.
6. Keep busy patterns from overwhelming your page by using small pieces.
7. If you want a specific shape and don't own a template or tool such as a circle cutter, look around you for inspiration. A dinner plate may be just the shape you need.
8. If you find yourself reluctant to buy a whole spool of ribbon for a layout, team up with your friends. Have everyone buy a different spool and then divide them up at a swap.
9. For a quick gift idea, take some pretty buttons from your stash, attach wire stems and wire them together in a pretty bouquet. "Plant" them in a decorated jar filled with candy, pebbles or other material.
10. Leftover strips of patterned paper make great accents on another page.
11. Check to see if your sewing machine has decorative stitches and experiment with them on your pages.
12. Most mistakes can be covered up if you think creatively. A smudge? Cover it with an oversized paper corner. Misspelled a word? Cover it with a word printed on different paper, and then highlight a couple of other words on the page in the same way.
SOURCE: Better Homes and Gardens Scrapbooks Etc. magazine
E-mail: carma@desnews.com