According to the calendar (and the temperature) spring is clearly not here yet. Especially here in the frigid Northeast. But take one look at the new spring collection by Making Memories, and you can almost see the snow melting and the flowers popping up.

One thing I love about Making Memories (and you know there are many), is the fact that when they create a collection, they go all out. The Flower Patch collection includes 8 12″x12″ double-sided patterned papers, 5 12″x12″ specialty papers , 3 12″x12″ die-cut papers, an 8″x8″ specialty paper pack, and a 6″x6″ paper pad, along with a ton of embellishments including ribbons, butterfly charms, shimmer alphabet stickers, dimensional flowers and clear stamps – plus this charming spiral journaling book.

STYLE

If you liked last year’s Garden Party (and you know I did), you’re going to love Flower Patch. What scrapbooker doesn’t love flowers and butterflies?! The colors — green, pink, yellow and a perfect teal – just scream spring. A couple of papers and embellishments are Easter-themed, while the rest are all about flowers, butterflies and other spring-like patterns.  The products are sweet, and yet not too cutesy. Very Making Memories.

QUALITY

As usual, I have nothing but good things to say about the quality of Making Memories products. This is the good stuff!

VERSATILITY

So – I will admit to a very short minute of panic when I opened my package of new Making Memories products and saw the papers with chicks and Easter eggs on them. The papers are adorable – and the paper with chicks is even glittery! — but I don’t celebrate Easter. “Okay Jill,” I hear you asking,”why didn’t you just put aside the two or three Easter-related papers and try out the multitude of non-Easter related products in this collection?” Good question, but the answer is: I like a challenge. Plus, I quickly remembered a picture from the Creating Keepsakes Convention in New Hampshire last May of a couple of my scrapbooking friends and me wearing t-shirts that say “Scrappin’ with my Peeps.” They even had chicks on them. BINGO!

The moral of the story is that if I can find a use for the couple of Easter-themed products in the Flower Patch collection, there is no reason for you — regardless of whether you celebrate Easter — not to buy it all!  I will admit to just ordering some more of the collection on Two Peas in a Bucket myself. The die cut paper is just too beautiful to resist! I already plan to make another layout about a day I spent with my mother in a garden in New York City, just as soon as my package arrives.

COMPATIBILITY

The great thing about working with collections by Making Memories is that it takes no time at all to create a layout. Just grab some papers, cardstock, picture, a page or two from the journaling book and some embellishments, and you’re done. This is certainly true when working with Flower Patch. The products go together seamlessly, and you just can’t help wanting to use it all on one page. Once you sit down to create with several (or all) the pieces from this collection, I am sure you will agree.

BOTTOM LINE
That brings me to my final point, the conclusion that I came to after playing with these beautiful papers and embellishments: There’s no reason not to spring for the Flower Patch collection. (Sorry for the pun; I couldn’t resist.) Now, if only the weather would cooperate…

Flower Patch is available from Two Peas in a Bucket. Pieces of the collection range from $.70 for select papers to $12 for an embellishment box.

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