1. Heartfelt Whimsy Diecuts - these whimsical diecuts are made of felt and are available in 3 colors (Tulip, Garden Green and Buttercup) that are perfect for Spring, Summer and even Christmas. You can buy them separately for $9.95 (page 97) or you can even get them at 50% off in the Hostess Collection 3 (page 2).

2. Dimensional Elements - these chipboard embellishments are great! I love how they can be decorated with paper, chalk, ribbon, glitter, stamps, inks, or markers to coordinate with any layout. One 12.5" x 12.5" sheet of Borders is just $5.95 (page 96).

3. Dimensional Elements In Color - Adventure - speaking of dimensional elements, these are a great way to add a 3-dimensional effect to your layout without much added effort. They coordinate beautifully with the Back Country paper, but could be used in any number of other projects (page 17).

4. New Paper Packs - Part of the excitement for me is seeing the new paper packs. This catalog has three great ones that I love: Moondoggie, Tinkerin' and Animal Crackers on pages 20-31. Not to be overshadowed are Bella (very feminine!) and Back Country (great masculine set!)

5. The layouts! My favorite designs are on pages 57 and 82-83. Not only are the designs fresh and interesting, but I am truly excited about combining some of these color combinations. Talk about a way to stretch your everyday colors and supplies.

6. Rub-ons! These are an old standby, but the All-Out Adventure set is a camping and an outdoorsy pack that is very versatile. Plus, for just $9.95, you get a sheet of each of 3 different colors (White Daisy, Black and Chocolate). I can definitely envision using these in summer layouts and cards.

7. Stamps, of course. My favorite stamps of the catalog are Treetops and True Happiness, both on page 57. I just think that these have so many potential uses. However, I also love the Level 3 Moondoggie stamps (Surf's Up and Extreme Happiness) featured on page 22, Level 3 Animal Crackers stamps (It's A Zoo and Sweet Baby) on page 26, and the beautiful sentiments of the TLC stamp set on page 79.

8. Card kits - there is a brand new My Originals Card Kit on page 52 called It's Your Day that is designed for the most frequent of card giving days: weddings, birthdays, and celebrations! It is definitely a must-have for a quick handmade card!

9. Wishes - a new card idea book by Jeanette Lynton!!! This is the second book in the Card Confidence series (page 12) and I can tell you that the ideas are simply amazing. You will be so inspired and create beautiful projects effortlessly!

10. Foundry Tabs - these are new metal embellishments in 4 great colors: Crème Brulee, Vanilla Cream, Desert Sand, and Cocoa. They come in a pack of 8, which makes them perfect for splitting with a scrapbooking buddy (page 33).

Have you been inspired? I know that I can't wait to get my creative juices flowing. Now, off to pick the perfect photos!

Copyright (c) 2009 Tara Hamilton