Paper Sundaes DT Call

Paper Sundaes is having a DT call. Now this is my kind of challenge blog because they a wide variation in their challenges. Some weeks it is a technique and others its a particular supply or maybe a color. Well for their call they asked for examples of favorite projects. I think its hard for me to choose favorites but I'm going to share with you and them some past cards I've loved and a new project inspired by their latest challenge.

I love color and funky paper. My first card featuring some SEI Bridgeport and my second card is made with Sassafras. In both cards I tried to mix lots of different colors in a complimentary way. As you can see and you would know from following my blog the only thing I like more than challenges is patterned paper.

For my last project I have my entry into their latest challenge to make your own flowers. GCD Studios shared a flower technique that I modified to create this 3D pendant for my cousin's birthday.

So check out the Paper Sundaes challenge blog to find out more details about the current challenge and the DT call.

Pink Elephant Scrapbooking Challenge #1

The Pink Elephant Challenge now offers scrapbooking challenges! I'm so excited to see these challenges because I've loved their card challenges since the start and so this is one more way to play along. The first challenge is to show them your favorite technique. My favorite thing to put on any LO is handwritten journaling, but I also did many of my other favorite things on this LO like adding rub ons, a Thickers title, and keeping it clean and simple. I use elements from many different manufacturer's. We R Memory Keepers background pp, A Scarlet's Letter scrap and some rub-ons from Basic Grey, as well as some GCD Studios epoxy stickers.

This LO features some photos from a summer morning hike at Merrill Creek. It was really early but also really gorgeous. It was beautiful to see the reservoir lake change so much as the sun came up. These photos are shot in color so if you look closely you can see the green of the tress in the top photo but the scene and surrounding colors were so muted that morning that they appear to be black and white.

Card Patterns Anniversary Sketch

So I didn't get a chance to finish my card until the evening because I had quite a bit of homework to finish up before the weekend. Which has led to this iffy photo but hopefully I'll get a new one tomorrow when its nice and sunny. GCD Studios is announcing their new DT on Monday as well as some very fun other positions. So with all the excitement I decided to play with some GCD paper and tags. I used the Card Patterns sketch. Its their one year anniversary! I've played along with the blog periodically since the beginning and I must say they have had fabulous designers and sketches. I also decided to pull in the Creative Belli Eyelets challenge. It always feels good to use up some goodies I haven't played with in a awhile.

A Stamped Card

So I'm not always the one to reach for my stamps but Stamp It Week left me inspired to play. So I pulled out some GCD Studios paper and tags as well as Making Memories letter stamps. This card is for the Thank You category of the Olympics of Stamping Challenge.

I used the CPS sketch although my proportions are a bit off. This was also created for the Pink Elephant add some green color challenge. The card had some bold elements and colors and I think the touches of green and green card base ground everything nicely.

Another Treat Holder

So I’m back with another treat holder because well who couldn’t use a cute simple gift. Plus I’m a little addicted to my GCD papers lately especially the black and white. This is a design I made as I went, but hopefully I can walk you through it, if you’d like to give it a go, since its pretty simple.

To make the small pocket inside I cut a 6 by 3 inch rectangle. I folded at a ¼ inch in from each long side. Then I folded down the middle and again ¼ inch below that.

Snip the two folds in the center as seen in the picture and add adhesive. The two side flaps sit on top of each other and one side will be longer than the other like a library pocket. Punch a hole on each side of the pocket at the top.

The outside is simple a 3.5 by 8 inch rectangle folded at 3.5 and then again at 4.5. You will need to punch holes in the middle sides of the top of the container. Thread the ribbon through the pocket then up through the outside piece and tie a bow.

Decorate the front and inside pocket as desired. I choose some GCD Studios paper, a chipboard circle and a tag for the front.

Tea is Wise Tag Album

So I've recently given up coffee for awhile basically because its kind of a vice/crutch for me even though I never have more than one cup a day. I don't want my DD coffee to be the highlight of my day because I want to focus on the other joyful nonmaterial things in life. So I've found myself sipping on tea when I want a warm drink and on Celestial Seasonings tea there are little quotes at the end of the strings. Well since I like to collection things to repurpose I collected some of these quotes. Then GCD Studios issued a challenge that asked us to reflect in a LO one what we've learned in 2009. But I didn't make a LO, instead I went with a mini album and used the quotes to reflect on last year. It was great to get a lot of journaling out even if there are no pictures.

I used GCD Studios letter stickers and a few of their fantastic journaling tags. Honestly I wish I knew somewhere that carried them where I could just buy a plethora of the tags because I don't want to use up the ones from my collection packs. So this is an album to relax my hoarding ways which is something I learned in 2009. Use what you have, not just scrapping supplies either, because not only is it good for your budget and the earth its good for your guilt. Ever feel bad picking up those few more sheets even though you know you have more paper than you could ever use?, then you know what I mean.

Clinton Kelly, from TLC's What Not to Wear, came to my college, Rutgers, last night! It was very exciting and he is charming and hilarious. He gave a little speech about dressing for work then took a lot of audience questions. My friend Yoli and I (in the pic above) had those hats on the whole time because well I love hats and especially that one which was hand knit for me by bf's mom. Well when someone asked about hats and if they are ever a good accessory, Clinton pointed out our hats as an example of cute hats done right. A fashion compliment from Clinton Kelly, makes me feel pretty good especially because this hat has become my winter staple.

Stitching on a LO

Here's a LO featuring the GCD Studios Bright Skies collection. I added stitching details around the clouds and the larger photo mat. I love that the large die-cut came right in the collection pack along with the journaling tag. I think all the stitching details make it great for the Moxie Fab floss challenge.

GCD Studios Basket Tutorial

Easter is fast approaching and my mom is always looking for ideas for gifts to make. Yesterday I came up with an idea for a quick basket that can be used for Easter or really any other gift giving. Also its a great way to show off the other pretty side of your double sided papers.

I love the simple shimmery pattern on the other side of this GCD Studios Margarita paper.

These are super simple to make. Cut a 9x9 piece of double sided patterned paper. Another reason I love the GCD Studios paper is because it is thick and so I know my basket will be able to hold some candy without crumpling. Fold the paper at the 3 inch mark on all sides as seen below. Fold the paper so that the sides come into the inside pattern. You will also need to fold the corner squares diagonally toward the center.

Here's a picture of where to put the adhesive on the outside side of the paper. Push the diagonal edges toward the center and the basket will fold into a cube shape. The basket is further held together by the brads when you attach the handle.

I cut out a flower from the same GCD paper but used the inside for the embellie. I added a prima and a tag from the Margarita collection pack.

GCD Studios and Floss Necklace with Tutorial

There has been so much inspiration at the GCD Studios blog lately that I decided I really needed to play with some GCD goodies. I wanted to combine their chipboard with their paper but in a bit of a different way which made me think of the Moxie Fab floss challenge because it hit me. A necklace! I’m sure at least some of you have seen these paper beads before and they are very simple to make but I want to walk you through the project just in case you’d like to play with paper beads.

First I picked out my charms. A hand painted bead from an impulse buy at the craft store. Then I turned to my GCD Shades of Black chipboard. Now as other fans of GCD may know the chipboard is self adhesive which I love because it meant a way to add some quick texture to the back by covering the back with some beautiful flocked paper from the Bright Skies collection. I also tied my yellow in with a little flower on the J. I poked a hole with a paper piercer in each piece and then strung them.

To make the paper beads you simply cut paper strips to your desired thickness (I used ½, 1, and 1 ½ inch widths for my beads) and at least six inches long. Put a small bit adhesive on the end of the side you would like to be shown. Then put some additional adhesive on the other side. Roll around a pen or other utensil.

Now these paper beads made from some gorgeous black and white GCD paper are fab but I wanted to add a bit of interest to them and pull my yellow back in so I decided to give the beads a stitched look with floss. To do this you only need to make a few stitches on the tail end of the bead before you finish rolling.

I wanted these to be dangly charms, not coming right off the necklace so I needed a way to attach the string to the main necklace string. Well typing it on is simple enough but not quite so pretty. So I made an extra large bead again using floss stitching then I cut a slit to the middle where the paper met. Next I put the tied together chipboard charms over the necklace string then slid the charm string to the center of the large bead.

Now what I’m sure you’re all thinking is: Can I wear this? Well I’ve got to admit it’s a little delicate because it’s made of paper after all. But you can seal paper beads with modge podge to make them more durable and as for my necklace my sister is a big fashionista and I know she would love to display it on a necklace form just as a conversation piece. So that’s it my floss project hope it inspires you to take another look at some supplies you have laying around.

Sketch Girl #12 is up!

Sketch Girl #12 is up! We have a lovely sketch and a fab new sponsor!

The sassy girl on my card this week is a digital design generously given to DT members from our sponsor Sassy Studio Designs. They make so many fun images are generously offering 4 digi stamps to our winner! So head on over to Sketch Girl and check out all the DT inspiration then link up your take on our sketch by Feb 27th.

Also today I have the winner of my blog candy so congrats Elizabeth! Here's the links to check out the rest of the talented Sketch Girls including our fabulous guest DT Amy Tsuruta!

Alyssa

Harriet

Tiffany

Randee

Bonnie

Amber

Katie

Jennie

Sara

Annie

Julie

Guest Designer: Amy

A Quick Card

I always feel like I don't have time to make a card or join in a challenge during the school week but I decided to prove to myself that I could. So here is my 25 minute card using the simple but cute sketch from Paper Popsicles. Lynda challenged us to use her sketch on a friendship card which is the theme of the week at Paper Popsicles. In order to create a really quick card I went to my GCD Studios stash because the paper packs include coordinated paper and tags.

Also I kept in mind the Dutch Dare Card challenge which was a Summer in Winter challenge. Yellow and of course sunshine (the little suns on the tag) remind me of summer. Pile it On says enough with winter colors so those two challenges went hand in hand.