Friday, March 22, 2013

My Core'dinations Creative Frenzy!

"Simply Elegant"

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"Discovery"

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"Love Struck"

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Thank you for allowing me to try out for the Core'dinations 2013 Design Team!

Love Struck Brief Step Out

 This layout was easy breezy, and really a basic technique used on the Core'dinations card stock.



For the photo mat, I merely used an embossing folder that fit the theme of my lay out, and then once it was embossed, I tore the edges, lightly sanded the raised embossed image, and ran a light tea stain color of ink over it. A bit of black pigment ink around the edges for a bit of a masculine effect.




For the embellishment mats, I tore the correct sizes needed for each sticker, then crumpled them, flattened, and crumpled again. I repeated this one more time, then lightly sanded the card stock to let the yellow core show through just a bit.

For me, I often use pigment inks instead of dye based inks. I find they have a richer feel to them, and it translates into for texture in my projects. Here I used a brown pigment ink lightly applied to the creases and edges.

Add a few wraps with some light weight craft wire, and of course some bling. On this lay out, I used the iRock from Imaginisce.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Graphic 45 Design Team 2013 Audition

Glue guns down, cardstock to the edge of your desk... reminiscent of school days, ya? 
Well this my crafty peeps is the end of a long, long week.  I have been creating and compiling a selection to showcase...


Here is my Graphic 45 Design Team 2013 Audition:





"Congratulatory Wedding Card"
Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" 8 by 8 Paper Collection and Sentiment
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"Simply Elegant"
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"Ladies Personal Box"
Graphic 45 "Tropical Travel Lodge" Paper Collection
Graphic 45 Metal Butterflies
Graphic 45 Metal Buttons

Graphic 45 "A Ladies Diary" Tags

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"Expecting"
Graphic 45 "French Country Collection", and "A Ladies Diary Collection" Papers
Graphic 45 "A Ladies Diary" Chipboard Tags

Other Products Used:

Stickles
Misc flowers
ClearScraps XL Shapes
Martha Stewart Foiling
Tim Holtz Flower Ribbon
Technique Tuesday Stamps
Clearsnap and Ranger Inks


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"Truth Card"
Misc Scraps, Fussy Cut and Stickled

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"Heritage Plate"
Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" 8 by 8 Papers Collection
Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" Banners Collection

Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" Tags and Pockets Collection

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Thank you so very much for the opportunity to audition for the 
 2013 Graphic 45 Design Team!























"Heritage Plate" Brief Step Out

"Heritage Plate"
Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" 8 by 8 Papers Collection
Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" Banners Collection

Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" Tags and Pockets Collection



Starting with a Dollar Store Metal Plate, I applied Ranger Alcohol Inks and Sprayed with an acrylic matte coating.
Once all of the embellishments had been applied, I used Ice Resin to the tops of the banners, pocket, and the fussy cut rose. A bit of Stickles were added to the edges of the roses for a bit of bling.

"Congratulatory Wedding Card" Brief Step Out



Congratulatory Wedding Card

Graphic 45 "Secret Garden"
Cored'inations Cardstock
Misc flowers and ribbons
Stickles
ATG Adhesive Gun
Spellbinders Emboss/Deboss Plate
Ranger Distress Ink in Tea Dye
Lock-tite Super Glue Gel

The Tea Dyed de-bossed mat for the sentiment was actually a piece of scrap that I
de-bossed and burnished with ink to give some texture and contrast to the front of the card.
A few dabs of stickles added to the flowers gave it a bit of femininity with out making it too girly.



"Simply Elegant" Brief Step Out





Simply Elegant Layout

Anna Griffin Flocked Back ground Paper
Black pigment ink
Dove of the East Ribbon
iTop Brad from Imaginisce
Cardstock from Stash and Cored'inations
Clearsnap Smooch
ATG Glue Gun

Using an embossing folder, I created some added texture, sanded, then tore the edges. Lastly, I applied gold Smooch to give the embellishment a bit of a gilded look. Adding the iTop brad that is covered with the same flocked paper as the background, provided a slightly monochromatic effect.



"Ladies Personal Box" Brief Step Out



Ladies Personal Box

Plain White Close to my Heart Recipe Box
Graphic 45 "Tropical Travel Lodge" Papers
Graphic 45 Metal Butterflies
Graphic 45 Metal Buttons
Graphic 45 A Ladies Diary Tags 1
Flower from Stash
Black Acrylic Paint
Tree House Studio Clear Matte Coating
ATG Adhesive Gun
A page out of an old book
EK Punch

With my embossing folder and Vintaj machine, I embossed a zebra pattern onto the Graphic 45 Metal Butterfly. Then by adding a little black stickles, inks, and some craft wire, it became a full butterfly!

Using an EK flower strip punch to make the flower, I layered the Graphic 45 Metal Button and chip board tag to create the "knob" for the box.

Just a nice coat of paint, 
and papers on opposite sides 
to complete the interior.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Fun Ways to leave a message and stay organized!

Today is the first day of Spring!

Are you ready? Organized??

When we have busy lives, children, or in my case now, grandchildren, it is really easy to become disorganized!

These projects are a fun and easy way to get and STAY organized, leave messages for your sweeties, and be creative!!

Step one, choose the size and shape of your message board. Here, I chose a flip flop (too cute!), and then used a contrasting color in ribbon for the "straps" and then added the flower. Of course it HAD to be glitter paper!

Laminate the message board, and attach any 3-D elements you may want to add.
With my flip flops, I just added two strips of empty laminator sheet, and adhered ribbon to the top for straps. Attach the flower and add a big rhinestone for extra bling.

The secret is, that when you laminate something, it becomes dry erase! The possibilities are just endless. Check out the project to the left for a twist on this same type of project.
This time we included a little box for holding the dry erase pens. Clever!



 Here we used a die cutting machine to cut out "Messages" and adhered to the message broad prior to laminating.
We included a mat for this cut little cork board add on too. No more losing that Target receipt!

Hopefully this quick little post has given you some ideas on how to get ready for Spring!

Hoppy Spring, and Happy Crafting!
XO,
V.