02/10 Scrapbooking Goodies' DT Challenge: Black Magic, Whitewash & Core Essentials Core'dinations

For February 2010 the Scrapbooking Goodies Design Team challenge was to use Core'dinations Black Magic, Whitewash and Core Essentials cardstock on a layout or card, but the REAL challenge was to use as many different techniques as possible with the cardstock: antique it, sand it, tear it, emboss it - don't JUST use it as CS.

With all that in mind, here is my layout using all those techniques, with one additional trick "sanding using a template" added in that I will explain a little further in this post:

The CS colors I chose for this layout are Whitewash Window Pane, Whitewash Cellar Door, and Core Essentials Marine Blue. I did another non-related layout using Black Magic that I am submitting for next week's Practical Scrappers' DT challenge but I can't go into the techniques I used on that page until Wednesday...

To create the background image, I cut a road sign from my "Street Sign" cricut cartridge at fit to page. I used a repositionable adhesive to keep the shape in place on the Whitewash Window Pane CS and sanded around the outside edge of the paper, leaving just the sign shape as white and revealing the black core along the outer edge (additional technique: sanding using a template). To give the shape of the road sign more definition, I traced the outline with a Zig Millinnium black marker. I felt that it made it stand out better.

To give the photo mats a little variety, I ran Whitewash Cellar Door CS through my Cuttlebug using a D'vine Swirls embossing folder, then I sanded the embossed areas to reveal the blue core (technique: embossing).

The subtitle letters (headin' down) were cut on my cricut using the Sans Serif cartridge and the title letters (US1) were cut using Street Sign. "Wish you were here" is a phrase from the Going Places cartridge.

The oversized mat was done by tearing and layering whitewash Cellar Door and core essentials Marine Blue CS. The tag was created by adhering scraps of the embossed, and torn CS as well as a small scrap that I crumpled up, smoothed out and then sanded (technique: antiquing) to a store bought tag. A scrap of sheer ribbon was looped through and the tag was 3d Foam dotted onto the layout.

While this layout is simple and basic, it does show a lot of different uses for Core'dinations cardstock. Check back on Wednesday to see another layout using Black Magic, Whitewash and core essentials CS.

With the DT submissions all in at Scrapbooking Goodies, it is now time for the store customers to take the challenge. We're challenging the customers to bring in their Core'dinations project using as many techniques possible with these 3 types of CS. One lucky customer will win a package of Core'dinations CS from the store. No email or online submissions accepted - in-store only.

Next month's SG DT challenge is Embossing - dry, heat, Cuttlebug, whatever...

Thanks for stopping by and...

Happy crafting,
Barb

Practical Scrappers DT Challenge: Use Flowers

Greetings from Southwest Florida!

Normally I would post my PS DT submission first thing on Wednesday morning (or late Tuesday night) but I've been up since 4:45am, it's relatively quiet in my house at the moment (so I can think), and I plan on plopping on the couch to watch TV tonight until I can't keep my eyes open, (although MY favorite show "The Biggest Loser" isn't on this week) so I decided to post this now.

Here's this week's Design Challenge From Practical Scrappers:

"It's cold and there's snow in 49 states (not here in SW Florida though!) but it's definitely time for a break from winter. This week we want you to use up flower supplies - you can make your own, use some primas, put a creative twist on a different supply to make flowers - whatever you'd like!"

All that said, here's my Design Team submission for Wednesday, February 17th:


In keeping with my goal of scrapping a lot of my older photos as well as my current ones, I decided to design a layout for another photo from our Disney World Summer 2004 trip. The kids and I went to the "Spirit of Aloha" dinner show at the Polynesian Resort and it was so much fun! Alyssa even got into the "Aloha Spirit" by joining other kids to learn how to hula!

The paper I used in this layout was "Aloha Chic" by STARfish Dreams, Inc. I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Dusty Concord to tone down the background just a tad. In all honesty, I was having trimmer issues and couldn't get a straight cut to save myself! When I finally managed to cut way too much more off the edge than I originally wanted I noticed the blade had mangled the paper's edge (urggg!) so distress to the rescue! I'm very pleased with the result.

The hibiscus flowers were cut using my Story Book Cricut cartridge as was the accent frame surrounding the photo. I accented the stamins with yellow stickles to make them pop. To embellish the white paper to the left and right of the photo, I turned to my Cuttlebug and a "Frills" embossing folder. I also used the embossing folder on the little journaling tag. The title letters were cut using Don Juan Cricut cartridge.

Don't forget to submit your own project at Practical Scrappers. This week we will have a winner for the project that uses the most flowers, a winner for the most creative use of flowers, and a winner for the favorite project. The design team is looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Even if you don't have a flower project to submit, take a few minnutes to check out all the projects that have been submitted by the design team as well as all the submissions by papercrafters just like you. I'm sure you'll find a lot of great ideas and tons of flowery inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by and...

Happy crafting,
Barb!

Practical Scrappers Friday sketch 1/29/10 (an update)

Here's this weekend's sketch from Practical Scrappers:


And here's my layout using the sketch:


I used DCWV striped paper from the "Spring Stack" for the background paper and mats. I ran the blue photo mat through my Cuttlebug using the "Tiny Bubbles" embossing folder then lightly sanded it to bring out the white core in the paper. I really like how it actually looks like bubbles when sanded!


The title letters were cut on my Cricut using Tear Drop cart, which just may be my newest favorite font cartridge due to it's whimsical playful appearance. "Bubbles" was also run through the Cuttlebug and lightly sanded to reveal the white core.

If you look closely right above the polka dot ribbon that runs across the page, there is a scalloped border. I created this by using an EK Success Corner Adorner "bubbles" punch, removing the corner guide and aligning the punch holes to create a border. By using DCWV adhesive matstack paper, the inside cuts created by the corner punch adhered flat and blended enough so they are barely seen. I'll have to experiment with my other corner adorners now to see how they look as borders.

A scattering of EK Success vellum bubbles completed the layout.



Thanks for looking and...


Happy crafting,
Barb!

11/09 Scrapbooking Goodies' DT Challenge: create an "About Me" layout

This was such a fun challenge and something that I have wanted to do for a very long time!

I chose to do a spinner page for the left page and tags tucked in to a pocket for the right page. I am a HUGE fan of hidden journaling, so these 2 techniques had to be included in an "all about me" layout :)

I created the spinner element in Cricut Design Studio (CDS) using George and Basic Shapes and Accent Essentials cartridges, but I hand cut the pie shaped spinner opening. The title letters were welded in CDS using Alphalicious and shadow feature, then layering the base letters after they were cut. I used my CuttleBug and the Swiss Dots folder to emboss the center circle. The paper flowers were ones that I had in my stash that I just had to use!

The pocket page was also created in CDS using Alphalicious for the letters, Everyday Paper Dolls for the pocket (it's actually a road on the cart!) and Tags, Bags, Boxes and more for the tags and flowers on the top of each, but then more paper flowers from my stash were attached to the top using brads. I handstitched the edge of the pocket and in between the tag sections using embroidery floss (more stash that I need to use up!).

I love these Doodlebug Design Inc. papers and use them (in all of the color combinations) in a lot of my layouts and projects! I also used a lot of Core'dinations cs in this layout.

Next month's SG Design Team Challenge: create a layout using a Fairytale Creations Chalking Template.

Happy crafting,
Barb!