artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,408 
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Post by artbabe on Aug 1, 2023 15:40:28 GMT
I was looking at the new American Crafts lines (Shimelle, Crate Paper, etc.) and I noticed how they aren't cohesive at all. I usually buy most of a collection and store it together because it works together but as I was picking out Shimelle and Crate Paper stuff it occurred to me that I'm going to have to break up the collection in order to have papers that match in color, mood, theme, etc.
I have no idea what is going on with that Crate Paper line. Bizarre.
American Crafts has always been weird about this. Amy Tangerine stuff was all over the map. The motifs (tigers, donuts, etc.) didn't match at all. I think her lines were always the winner in having the most random motifs.
I don't notice this as much with other manufacturers. Echo Park keeps their collections within the same palette. Doodlebug are really cohesive- all of their Halloween lines, for example, keep to the same palette and style of art.
Do you notice the same thing with American Crafts brands? Are there any other manufacturers that just throw random stuff at a line and call it a collection? And why do they do that?
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Post by hoopsfn on Aug 1, 2023 19:41:11 GMT
While I like a lot of AC lines, you're right artbabe. A lot of their collections don't seem to be "collected". Shimelle's new line has quite a few pp-s that I will buy. But this line (and several other AC offerings) seems to be connected more by color than by theme. Not saying that it's weird but I plan on doing what you mentioned: sort them by color and place them amid other lines that they'll coordinate with. P.S. I haven't seen the new Crate Paper line. |
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pantsonfire
Drama Llama
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
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Post by pantsonfire on Aug 1, 2023 20:19:14 GMT
Except for this new CP line, I have always found their Halloween, Fall, and Christmas lines to be cohesive. So if you mean between years, I am able to pull older papers and pair them with newer papers.
Shimelle's colors match the last one see did, at least to me.
I do however like lines that don't match older ones. It means a new color palet and new designs and that makes me happy. I get tired of the same old stuff.
One reason I like VB papers sometimes as well as Heidi Swapp. Gove me something new and different.
Using the same colors or patterns gets boring.
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craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by craftymom101 on Aug 1, 2023 20:33:21 GMT
artbabe great question, and I really had to think about it. I prefer collections that are loosely cohesive rather than strictly cohesive. I need a large color palette with several motifs and themes in order to inspire my creativity. I mix and match collections a lot and don't use matchy-matchy supplies (more often than not). "Close enough" works for me, but I realize not everyone scrapbooks this way! For example, I LOVE the Simple Stories Lemon Twist collection, however, it has an extremely limited color palette and only a handful of motifs. While I purchased the collection, I've already used it with several other collections to make it feel more "me".
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edme
Junior Member
Posts: 63
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Post by edme on Aug 1, 2023 22:12:27 GMT
I also find more broad collections easier to work with most of the time but some of them are pretty random (looking at you tigers and don'ts)!
I wondered if Shimelle's style is deliberately or subconsciously influenced by the best of both worlds kit she does, where there are lots of different patterns often brought together by a few colours rather than matching motifs.
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Post by wallyagain on Aug 1, 2023 22:25:09 GMT
I also find more broad collections easier to work with most of the time but some of them are pretty random (looking at you tigers and don'ts)! I wondered if Shimelle's style is deliberately or subconsciously influenced by the best of both worlds kit she does, where there are lots of different patterns often brought together by a few colours rather than matching motifs. That’s what I was thinking. I have watched many BOBW videos and gone through the supply lists and often, there are papers that go but don’t match. She always seems to make it work. I did not order the whole collection, I went through and just ordered the papers that I liked. I rarely only use papers from one collection when I scrap. |
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Post by aj2hall on Aug 1, 2023 22:56:33 GMT
I think perception of cohesiveness probably depends on your style and how you scrapbook. Do you stick to just one collection, one manufacturer or do you just use what inspires you? For me personally, I tend to scrap with collections. One of the reasons that I have shied away from AC collections is the lack of cohesiveness. I like Shimelle and Vicki's bright colors, but struggle a little trying to use their collections. It's challenging for me to combine and layer papers in a way that is pleasing to me. Other manufacturers like Echo Park, Bella Blvd, Simple Stories and 49 & Markets are a lot easier for me to use. Hope that makes sense.
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Post by Linda on Aug 1, 2023 23:28:22 GMT
I don't really care for random icons but cohesive collections aren't a make or break for me as I tend to combine different collections/manufacturers when I scrap (I'm a colour first scrapper typically)
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Post by chaosisapony on Aug 2, 2023 4:31:45 GMT
I've noticed this too and I often wonder why they are calling it a "collection" when all of the papers don't seem to actually go together.
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Chinagirl828
Drama Llama
Melbourne, Australia
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Jun 28, 2014 6:28:53 GMT
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Post by Chinagirl828 on Aug 2, 2023 9:55:23 GMT
This is an interesting question. I mix and match collections and manufacturers, but when I consider it, I feel like a collection should look like it obviously belongs together. While it doesn't need to be as limited as a line like SS Lemon Twist, I feel AC are particularly broad with their collections. I can see how designers repeat colours over time, and I appreciate a new release that can seamlessly breathe life back into my older stash.
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Post by riversong1963 on Aug 2, 2023 12:40:07 GMT
I like it when a collection coordinates. That's why I buy it. If I want to match random papers myself, I will buy individual sheets.
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artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,408
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Post by artbabe on Aug 2, 2023 13:49:40 GMT
So if you mean between years, I am able to pull older papers and pair them with newer papers. I don't really mean years, although Doodlebug does this and I see the new Prima lines match last year's. I mean the papers in a single line don't seem to have much to do with each other. Shimelle's new line is a good example of this. There doesn't seem to be a specific color palette or theme. For example, the light blue flowered paper in her new line doesn't seem to match the other papers in style or color palette. I like most of the papers but they don't seem to work with each other very well. Crate Paper has the same problem. In that one even the style of the art varies from paper to paper. I do agree that SS Lemon Twist is one that goes too far the other way. It is really hard to use that paper as a set because every single paper has the exact same color scheme and the lemons and "Squeeze the Day" sayings just repeat over and over. I love the colors in that line and bought a few of the papers but I'm going to have to do what craftymom101 mentioned and mix it up with some other papers. I do think some of American Crafts' lines do a good job of going together. The Heidi Swapp ocean line works beautifully together. I really enjoy working with it. I also think Vicki Boutin's go together really well, in colors and in style. |
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pantsonfire
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Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
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Post by pantsonfire on Aug 2, 2023 13:57:00 GMT
artbabe ah okay, gotcha! I do like papers to match but since I don't buy entire collections, I just pick what I like. I pick what works well wothin the line as well as what could work with papers I have. Sometimes I have only picked up 2 or 3 papers because that is all I like.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Aug 2, 2023 13:57:09 GMT
I think, whatever the *thing* of the moment is (bicycle, pineapple, owl, vintage red truck, stack of suitcases, a single chair, etc...) or the whatever the *word* of the moment is (cherish, hello!, best day ever, adventure, grow, enjoy, etc...).......it gets added to almost every collection. Whether it goes with the collection or not...it's included.
Once one company or designer adds *whatever it is* to their collection, then the majority(many but not all) of companies and designers >> aka followers, copiers and bandwagon jumpers.....add it to their collections too.
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breetheflea
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Location: PNW
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Post by breetheflea on Aug 2, 2023 14:59:19 GMT
I don't need my collections to match the past years (or decade) that gets kind of borig but it kind of needs to go with itself...
I have never bought an entire Paige Evans, Amy Tan, or Heidi Swapp (except Wolf Pack) collection and lack of cohesion is probably why.
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caangel
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Posts: 5,734
Location: So Cal
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Post by caangel on Aug 2, 2023 15:40:50 GMT
I find most Echo Park collections to be too cohesive. Every paper is so themed and has everything on it that it can be hard to use with out all of the other papers. They don't have a lot of "B side" patterns (or lack there of). I don't mind a collection that has a couple of papers that are slightly disjointed from the rest. I can either not buy them or use them with others. I appreciate collections that have a variety in their patterns and depth and breath in their color selection.
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Post by judyc on Aug 2, 2023 16:47:26 GMT
I like collections that coordinate but I've purchased papers from many that don't - I usually mix collections on my pages anyway. Toward the end of my Hip Kit membership, I realized that most of their designer papers (like Maggie Holmes and Amy T) did not coordinate with the other papers in those designers' current collections but Hip Kit mixed them with other papers from other collections that did.
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Post by artisticscrapper on Aug 3, 2023 2:48:37 GMT
I want some of a collection’s paper and embellishments to match color wise. All of them matching is too much. The papers the don’t match go into gen pop so I can get more use from.
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PaperAngel
Prolific Pea
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Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Aug 3, 2023 5:55:16 GMT
IMHO a lack of cohesiveness is a signature of AC (patterned) paper brands. The release photo of new collections often shows a random assortment of garish papers with various motifs, which IMHO looks more like an ad for the clearance aisle at a dollar store than a "designer" curated collection. I'm unaware of another manufacturer with the same approach to building its collections. While only the AC Creative Director(s) may know the reason for this design choice, it must be successful/profitable (since the company continues to do it). ETA: ... P.S. I haven't seen the new Crate Paper line. (this + all recent AC brands' collections are discussed HERE). HTH |
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Post by hoopsfn on Aug 3, 2023 13:30:19 GMT
Thank you PaperAngel. I do remember looking at "Moonlight Magic" on that thread. Can't say that it tempts me much. Sort of jumbled. |
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miascraps
Full Member
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Jun 26, 2014 15:37:58 GMT
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Post by miascraps on Aug 4, 2023 6:17:55 GMT
I pick and choose from collections. Not too concerned with matchy matchy. Shimelle teaches how to use papers from everywhere and it does work!
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Post by honeypea on Aug 4, 2023 22:42:35 GMT
I don’t like super matchy matchy collections. Too much sameness looks blah to me. For this reason I tend to like the releases that are more random. I bought more of Shimelle’s line than I ever do a single line, BECAUSE of the non-matchiness of it.
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paget
Drama Llama
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Jun 25, 2014 21:16:39 GMT
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Post by paget on Aug 6, 2023 13:03:52 GMT
I don’t buy collections - I like to mix and match my own stuff so I would probably be more likely to buy more from a non cohesive collection.
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