Crate Designer: Christine Middlecamp
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Hello Crate Paper Fans, this is Christine Middlecamp, CP Design Team Coordinator, leading the way in sharing with you a bi-yearly Crate Paper update. As you very well know, we pride ourselves on bringing you a fabulous team of designers, product information, and technique incentives here at the Crate blog. We spend a great deal of time thinking of how to improve each one on a regular basis so that not a day goes by that we're without your company and that you sincerely continue to love our collections. It's with a tremendous effort that we strive to satisfy your daily cravings for all things scrapbook related! That said, I have some small updates to share with you, including news of recent DT changes that you may have already noticed....or, not noticed. Also, the blog is taking on a couple of new features that we feel confident you're going to enjoy to the fullest! Read on to find out more!
Every six months, the Crate Paper Design Team undergoes a major transformation. Just this past month, the team expanded from twelve designers, to seventeen designers, which is the biggest leap we've ever taken in a single design team term. The increase in members translates into more inspiration, from every corner of the world, and from designers you readily know and recognize. We can barely wait to see what they create from Crate's latest collection release. Please check out their blogs when you've time - links to the left.
With the expanding design team, Crate Paper is exploring new content to debut on it's blog. Starting in August, alongside our usual general tutorials, will be a series of specialized features dedicated exclusively to subject matter that is in-vogue with up-to-the-minute trends and areas of scrapbooking that interest you most. Also, CP's Creative Weekly will be ongoing, but this time around, we're going to ask for your involvement and post your entries along side our designer's contributions. More about that in the near future. Lastly, Pinterest seems to be gaining more and more steam by the day! Crate Paper, of course, has it's own Pinterest boards. Our dt team members add to them frequently as they go about searching for your Crate Paper creations at popular sites like Two Peas and Scrapbook.com - to keep pace with their pins, we're hosting TWO "CP Spotted" posts a month. We pick our fave spotted projects and give one lucky pin a prize! So, if you haven't already, upload your Crate projects to the world wide web - we might just 'spot' ya!
If you're one of our Color Challenge followers, good news, Tara Anderson is creating new color combinations via her gorgeous clothe line displays for the upcoming months. As is tradition, a new combination is live and ready for viewing the first Friday of each month. "It's a Wrap", Tara's pretty packaging post, is 'sticking' around as well! :)
I've given you the scoop, now it's your turn to tell "us" what you'd love to see at the Crate Paper blog..or maybe you've a collection suggestion, or ideas for the design team. Whatever the case, leave a comment. You're feedback is highly valued by all of us here at Crate Paper and American Crafts. We'll select and announce two of you to take home a collection kit of your choice (Acorn Avenue or On Trend) this Thursday, August 2nd, 2012.
Thank-you for stopping by to catch up with this latest bit of news! Again, tell us what you think! Have a wonderful Monday!
I love all things Crate Paper!! I love all of the challenges you have on the blog and you have such cute collections too. I think if I had to chose anything for you to develop it would be more seasonal lines....themed for summer, and the 4rth of july and maybe halloween??
Posted by: Tina Phillips | July 30, 2012 at 11:39 AM
I really like the tutorials & how to mix and match different lines together.
Posted by: Ezlie Perez | July 30, 2012 at 11:51 AM
I think this sounds thrilling:-) I love your collections and Taras color clothesline. Bring it on, bring it on, i can hardly wait to participate!
Posted by: Marja Seidemo | July 30, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Love all the awesome inspiration, along with the tutorials and mixing of collections.
Posted by: Cyndee K. | July 30, 2012 at 12:04 PM
I really really love everything on the blog. I visit daily and I dont think there is a day I have not been interested in. I guess I would like to see more regular scrapbook layouts. I love the projects and the extras but I am most inspired by scrapbooking.
Posted by: Ashly | July 30, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Sounds exciting all these changes. Just keep up the good work! All these ideas are FABULOUS. What not add a sketch once a month!
Posted by: Lilith | July 30, 2012 at 12:15 PM
I love the new collections and look forward to seeing how the designers use them. One thing I would like to see on the blog regularly are pages that mix collections. I like seeing how new things can work with product I already have in my stash.
Posted by: Terri | July 30, 2012 at 12:25 PM
I love it! I like the opportunity to interact. Just keep bringing the inspiration to my computer screen and everything will be peachy keen!
Posted by: Jess Leggett | July 30, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Love challenges and lots of design team inspiration.
Posted by: Connie Tacazon | July 30, 2012 at 12:36 PM
These changes sound ever so fun and fabulous! I do love any kind of tutorials and colors combos are always fun!
Posted by: Anna Sigga | July 30, 2012 at 12:42 PM
Thanks for keeping us up to date! Your blog is always inspirational and I'm never disappointed with Crate's products. You seem to anticipate what I will like with every line. I do have to say that Toy box and Storyteller have been my favorites - so lines with less florals and versatility for "girl" and "boy" pages would be great.
I'm intrigued by the changes you're making and happily anticipating what you have in store for us fans! :)
Posted by: Cynthia B. | July 30, 2012 at 12:45 PM
I love challenges and sketches, so lots of those please. They push me to try new things.
Posted by: julie e | July 30, 2012 at 12:57 PM
How about weekly technique videos? I'd love it!♥ Thank you for asking.
Posted by: Kim Thomas | July 30, 2012 at 12:57 PM
i really love the idea of involving your fans more....there are LOTS of us and opportunities to be included in challenges and spotlights I think is really nice. Thanks for the chance to win....lets hope you pull the right Carol this time! That would be ME ;)
Posted by: CarolM | July 30, 2012 at 12:57 PM
I love layouts the most! Maybe you could have a random winner sketch challenge every month. Some of us love to play!!!!!!!!!!! :-) Thanks!
Posted by: Kelly Massman | July 30, 2012 at 01:08 PM
Thank you for making me less sad that summer is almost over, and look forward to the fall. I love Crate papers style and I have two, very humble, suggestions:
More tutorials and how-to's. Your designers are all so very talented and inspirational and I would love to develop my own style.
A collection that has boys (2-10) in mind. But not dark colors, and sports and monsters and all that other stuff we see for boys all over. But a collection that is still cute and soft and beautiful and quirky like Crate always is.
I love what you do, keep up the good work!
Posted by: Niina | July 30, 2012 at 01:53 PM
I would love to see some card and layout sketches!
Posted by: Janet | July 30, 2012 at 02:13 PM
Oh, all the changes and ideas sound fab! I like seeing how different collections can be mixed.
Carol B
ciaoitalia2007(at)gmail(dot)com
Posted by: Carol B | July 30, 2012 at 02:35 PM
I would love to see an "old and new" post, where you show some pages with the new collections and pieces of some of the old collections!
Posted by: Heather V | July 30, 2012 at 02:55 PM
I just became a follower recently and one thing I like about your design team choices is that all of them are not on 10 other mfg sites (that I go to anyways). It is nice to be able to see new inspiration and different styles! I would also love to see some projects using older collections.
Posted by: Sandy Davis | July 30, 2012 at 03:12 PM