Trendwatch Tuesday: Banners

Okay, it's time for the first of my new regularly scheduled features!  Every Tuesday I'll be posting a new hot trend in design, papercrafting, scrapbooking, cardmaking, or crafting in general.

Today's trend is... {drum roll please}...  Banners

Some people call them banners. Some call them buntings.  To others they are pennants.  Whatever you call them, they are HOT right now!  Gone are the boring matted titles of years past.  The hottest trend in titling a scrapbook page, adding a quick sentiment to a card, or even decorating your fireplace mantle is to do it up in style with little flags.  Hey, I even used them in my new blog title above.  I think I'm on to something! 

Banners are perfectly vintage with a country fair feel.  They pair up well with so many other current trends, birds, rosettes, clouds, and just about anything at all vintage.  Pop a letter or a tiny die-cut on each little flag and you are good to go.  Bakers twine in a multitude of colors is becoming available from a lot of scrapbook design companies and it's the perfect companion for completing your banner.  Check out these cute banners out on the web:

From Hambly Screen Prints, cute banner and pennant rub-ons in three gorgeous colors:

From Maya Road here are some cute chipboard banner elements:

Rubber stamps are joining the banner party, too.  These stamps from Dylusions by Dyan Reavely are super trendy:

Lily Bee has a line of stickers that includes banner elements, these are the Memorandum Mixed Cardstock Stickers.  I love how they've maximized the space on the sticker sheet with the triangles alternating directions.

On the LilyBee Blog is a lovely layout featuring their banner stickers:

 How can you claim the banner trend for your own?  You can certainly invest in some of these great products.  You can also create them yourself!  There's a great tutorial on the Hambly Screen Prints website for making a Banner from Washi Tape.

But, hey, this is supposed to be a blog about creating cool stuff with your electronic die-cut machine, isn't it?  Never fear I have a few little designs that you can use to create this look and make it your own.  There are three Flag Banner sets in the store for you to choose from.

Want to see what others have created with these designs?  Never fear, I wouldn't leave you hanging like that. Here is a project created by Creative Team Member Sandra.  She made the cutest easter banner for her friend's antique shop. 

You can see that by cutting your own banners, you aren't limited by size, shape, color or material.  That's what I love about having a die-cut machine.  You can take a trend and run with it!

Time to get crafty, people!