Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

Guess what my friends :)  Yup it's that wonderful time of the year again when Graphic 45 opens their dt up.  Yes, yes, yes.  That wonderful time where we all create and cross our fingers and toes in hopes that we manage to snag a prized spot on what is without a doubt one of the greatest papercrafting companies in the world.

Truly this would be a dream come true for me.  I love everything about Graphic 45, and creating with their products is a pleasure. This year I think I really went hog wild in a way I haven't in the past.  I pushed myself to create pieces that opened me up to look and see just where my strengths lie as far as my crafting goes and that's a good thing. Instead of beating myself up wondering what the hey I'm doing wrong, I have learned that I am stronger in different areas of my crafting.

Some of these projects I created specifically for this call.  Be warned this post is major picture heavy so here we go...

Once Upon a Springtime Altered Book  I got my inspiration for this on where else, Pinterest.  Cutting through the pages of the book was tedious, I'll tell ya!  The book was an old book that I've been saving for the right project to come along, tada :) -

Nutcracker Sweet Christmas Banner This was a Christmas gift for this past holiday that I gave to my cousin and his wife.  Their daughters go to ballet school and I just had to make a banner specific to them.  I love how it came and all its dimension -

Twelve Days Of Christmas Mini-Album This album was another project created just for this call.  My inspiration came from my lss.  They had their annual Christmas project extravaganza with make and takes and TONS of projects to inspire you from easy peasy to more labor intensive -

Olde Curiosity Shoppe/Communique Mixed Media Plaque This was something I wanted to play with as far as technique and just exploring. I re-purposed this plaque from a trio I had in my bathroom which is no longer in the style I like.  Let me just say, this plaque ended way different than how it started and what I saw in my head!  I kept fighting the flow trying to do what I had originally planned for about 2 1/2 hours before I let go and just allowed the creativity to come out on its own.  I like how the silver tape treatment came.

Secret Garden/Place in Time Easter Cards I made these cards for my mom and aunts this past Easter.  Wow how has the time flown by?  It'll be Easter again before we know it!  They are easel style which I just love -

Once Upon A Springtime and Secret Garden Tags  Can I say, I LOVE tags!  They are one of my most favorite things to make.  I gave these as part of a gift to my friend. -

ABC Primer Altered Clipboard  I have a few clipboards in my stash.  Have had them for years now.  I knew I wanted to alter it specifically for this call.  I love ABC Primer and am so happy with it -

I do think my  most favorite project is the Once Upon A Springtime book, followed by the Clipboard. This is a wonderful time for me, I love creating projects for this call.  Now with baited breath I wait, maybe the saying "Three time's the charm." will ring true for me.

Stash Raid Part Deux

Hiya folks!  I'm back with Craft Hoarders Anonymous' second challenge of the month.  Gloria does two each month so if you miss one, you can pop on over and give the second a try :)  Click on the title for a peek at all the fun and if you try, you just might win a prize!

This challenge had a color scheme with the prompt of "Let's see that hoard!"  You had to go into your stash and use what you seem to hoard the most.  Guess what?  I hoard everything!  From paper to buttons, bead and ribbon.  I made a cute little card easel style.  I really like those type.  Here is the color scheme -

Aren't the blues so pretty :)  They are so calming and peaceful.  Now here's my card -

 Whaddya think?  This was another awesome stash raid!  The blue buttons and snowflake buttons on the front I have had for about 5 years, bought them from Joann's. The blue raffia bow, and blue brads on the inside was from a swap that us pals from Memory Makers Mag boards had a few years back. Yup girls, I still have all my swappy goods!  My papers are from Bo Bunny's Winter Wonderland line that I won in a raffle at the best little lss in so Cali, Collective Journey when they had their weekend extravaganza, Let's Wrap Up Christmas in November.  That was a blast and to win the line was just icing on the cake :)

I cut the backs off my snowflake buttons where you'd sew them onto something and hot glued them on, printed up that quote on my pretty digi-scrap frame and inked it then did some stickling on it and the snowflakes.  Threaded my buttons, printed up another phrase for the inside put on my brads and just stuck it all down.  Hope you like it.

Products -
Bo Bunny Winter Wonderland
White Cardstock
Blue Buttons
Snowflake Buttons
Raffia
Stickles
Brads


Ok, some chatty stuff since I haven't been chatty in a while.  Has anyone been watching True Detectives on HBO?  Man it is awesome!  How about Shameless?  I say, I think this is the best season yet. That Fiona is a real dope!  Can't wait for Game Of Thrones, now that is an awesome series.  Can you believe it's gonna be March in two weeks?  Me neither.  Time flies when you're having fun :)

Have a great week,

Jumping Outside The Box!

Hello there everybody.  Back again with a layout challenge for Once Upon A Sketch! This month's prompt?  Ha, Totally addicted to...I can answer that with so many things but I stuck to one.  I also didn't just think outside the box with this puppy, I jumped way out of it.  This layout is not my usual thing.  No tons of layers and embellies.  I went very minimalist with it.  Ya know what, that's ok. Sometimes it's alright to try  to shake things up a bit and do what isn't your norm or makes you feel out of your element :)  Here's the sketch to go by, and remember, you must have journaling somewhere on your page -

Nadia always does a great sketch.  I know I say it all the time, but if you haven't, give their title a click and check them out!  Here's my take on it -

I used just plain white cardstock and used a stencil and my homemade texture paste for some circles.  Then I sprayed my Lindy's mists and used some of my Silks acrylics for random dots.  Also, some Distress stain for the bigger dots.  I had this ribbon for a while and I just kept going with the theme.  I like it.  I backed it on lime colored cardstock and of course I distressed the edges.  That I can't seem to avoid.  As you can see my addiction is SKITTLES!!!  I love those little suckers!  A movie just doesn't feel right if I don't have my little skitts :)  Even my title is different for me since I hand wrote it.

My journaling says "Skittles, I love them!  When we go to the movies I bring my baggie of skitts.  Movie night at home?   I got my skitts.  Yeah, I'm addicted!"

It's true, I am, come taste the rainbow :)  

Products -

White cardstock

DCWV Citrus Stack lime green

Heidi Swap stencil circles

Homemade texture paste

Lindy's Stampgang sprays, Yellow Rose of Texas ss, Mad Hatter Mint ss, Queen of Hearts Red ff

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Marmalade 

Distress Stain Barn Door

Silks Acrylics, Apricot Nectar, Sunflower, Pretty Peridot

Color Box Cats Eye chalk ink

Ribbon