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!

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.

Quickly alter a flower?

You can quickly alter a flower or any other time of embellishment with the use of an enhancer or two. I love enhancers. This would be mists, inks, paints, glitter glues, etc.

Take a look at this white fabric flower. They come on a strip, so you can make a border or cut one off and use individually.. I layered it with a very inexpensive daisy from a big box store. I just buy them in bunches, uber inexpensively, and then take them apart for use later.

Then I misted it with Bubble Gum Tattered Angels Mist. Then I used my heat tool to dry it, and added a bit of Glam Pink Stickles, and here ya go!

So go forth and alter!!! Who says you can't do this with flowers you cut from paper..?

A blast from the past to peruse...

Just went through some old photos while cleaning out the old PhotoBucket account, and came across some older projects. Have you ever noticed how your style and preferences change over time? I truly did not realize how much my choice in supplies has changed in the past couple of years. Here are a few projects that go back a few years...hmmm...need to take some pics of more recent heart art to show ya'll the difference!

 

The layout above was with Core'dinations card stock, and let me say, once I started using them, I really haven't stopped...so that choice in supplies is still the same...  This card to the right was made with what I had on hand in my scraps I think...but I can see that even back several years ago I loved GLITTER. Maybe not that much has changed? I am thinking maybe it is my style of creating that has changed, not what I choose to create with.          

Has this happened to you too?

  Well this one below is one of my favorite projects ever.... I used Cosmo Cricket paper and coordinating fabric and the iTop from Imaginisce, Clear Scraps, Clearsnap inks and Beacon Adhesives for a great organization board. The project had been originally for my debut on the HSN channel for Purple Cows, but alas it would not fit in my luggage and I was not trusting my samples to arrive via a shipper. Now my dear friend Marti has it hanging in her craft closet and every time I go over there and see it, my heart gets all mushy. Isn't THAT what heart art is about?   Ok, this stroll down memory lane has been fun, time to go get a massage, a kiss from my honey, and my finger gooey in some NEW heart art. What are YOU going to create today?                                                                                                                                     

XO, V.        <3

Finding Balance

Dont we all want to be happy, and content? I think so. But achieving that is sometimes tantamount to climbing Mt Everest.
We have work, spouses, children, volunteering, housework... This list of what we have to do, and what we need to do sometimes far outweighs what we want and love to do.
Balance is the key to contentment, fulfillment, and joy. This week, I will be sharing some tips to achieving that balance. More balance equals more crafty time right?
Well coming this week, look for a craft studio make over, a tip or two to make life easier in the kitchen, and even a little snippet for your soul.
Happy Monday, and lets make it a crafty one!
Kisses!
V.
P.S. Don't forget to like our FB page, Shabby Bling Studio. We are doing a random drawing for crafty goodness for every 25 "Likes"!