Memory Trends Report

I'm in the middle of day 2 of Memory Trends. It's been pretty quiet here - the attendance seems down - waaaaay down. There always seems to be a "buzz booth" where people are lined up to get their hands on a demo of the next new thing. I haven't seen that anywhere this year.

In fact, I've come to a conclusion. It's not about WHAT'S new anymore, it's about WHO'S new. Company A launches with a new paper line that looks an awful lot like the paper line of "uber" popular Company B. It's like Company A wants to pick up the buzz now and outshine Company B. However, you could seriously mix their papers into a kit and no one could tell the difference.

Bling is the only noticeable thing. And, BLING (rhinestones) were popular when I started my business 6+ years ago. The "rule" in fashion is that if you wore something the first time, you can't wear it when it comes back. If that was the rule in scrapbooking, we'd all be in trouble. Stuff just keeps coming around.

I DO like the Petaloo flowers - they are big and bold.

I'm not quite ready for the 3-D photo paper by some unknown company. It makes your prints "move" when you tip it back and forth (remember those things you got as a kid in the Cracker Jack box that "move" like that?)

There's always a new tool or two. Nothing earth-shattering, though. Just variations on the theme.

Yawn...

One bright spot was Wes from the Scrapped movie. He is such fun to talk to. He was in a corner of the Chatterbox booth. He had given his spin to a scrapbook tote sitting on the table. It was "altered" with spiked studs and a giant RAMONES decal. I'm thinking that no one would steal your crop bag when it looks like a short and fat doberman pinscher with a spiked collar.

We should be going to get fresh ideas and drop the quest for new products. I like a lot of the products already out there. But, if you can't give me a new way to use the older products, then I'll move on to the new ones just to keep things fresh.

Oh, and note to EK Success: the Elvis impersonator with the bed-head wig he pulled out of his drawer today should have paid YOU to be in your booth. He was one sorry Elvis... We had more fun with the Shrek cutout at Blue Sky Designs.

Digital software was EVERYWHERE. You digi scrappers are doing some AMAZING things! Now the industry is trying to figure out how to marry digi scrapping and LSS's. One software company is trying really hard with the Dot Scrap Alliance. I went to the "opening" last night and you could have cut the confusion and lack of enthusiasm with a knife in that room. Instead of the thunderous applause they assumed they'd get (during some dramatic pauses), there was a smattering of polite clapping and a lot of whispering. If the whispering was like our group, it was whispering about how this was going to work. Didn't really get it... It was a nice event, though. Far better than the one we had attended in another place earlier. It will be interesting to see how consumers receive this. They acted like you are all lined up at the stores already waiting for it. I'm not so sure.

The publishers of Craftrends Magazine announced last night that they are going to put out a new trade pub called Memory Trends Magazine. Beth Hess will be the editor. That makes me happy - she has some great insight on the industry but with a realistic spin. I hope to see the magazine help to chart a course that will help all aspects of the industry to remain healthy and strong and provide good solid info and not just 200 pages of ads.