Graphic 45 Design Team 2012 Audition

It is with great excitement that I am finally submitting my audition for the Graphic 45 Design Team!

I love creating with Graphic 45--it is truly my favorite papercrafting company! I have always loved the vintage illustrations, rich color palettes, and multiple coordinating patterns of Graphic 45's timeless paperlines. It would be a dream come true to be chosen for Graphic 45's talented design team! I would love the opportunity to inspire countless people using Graphic 45 products just as I was inspired only less than a year ago. So without further ado, here are some of my favorite Graphic 45 creations that I hope convey my passion and versatility for this fabulous brand!

~TAGS~

This is a tag I created for a Donna Salazar challenge a few months ago using Steampunk Debutante paper. I love creating with the color blue so this paperline fit perfectly with my tag idea!

 

I created my next tag for Graphic 45's December 2011 tag challenge. I used scraps from several G45 paper collections including Christmas Emporium, Communique, Curtain Call, and Once Upon a Springtime along with G45 Flower Staples.

~CARDS~

A friend of mine was turning 30 and I wanted to wish her an over-the-top, amazing birthday. What better paperline to use than Le Cirque? I felt the sentiments of this collection, along with the fun circus theme, were perfect for creating a feeling of celebration and excitement.

 

Next is a card I created for Graphic 45's recent "Random Crafts of Kindness" challenge using Fashionista paper and more Flower Staples. I loved this challenge because it was the added kick in the pants I needed to show my appreciation for the nice folks in our townhome community! 

~SHADOWBOXES~

My next project is a Tim Holtz Configurations Box that I designed for Paper Mermaids, my creative "home base" when I lived in Newport. (Hi, Carol!) I used Christmas Emporium paper for the entire project along with other Christmas-themed goodies I found. I had a blast creating this display for Paper Mermaids as there are so many charming Christmas images and patterns in this paperline! 

 

Below is a Tim Holtz Configurations Tray that I put together using Olde Curiosity Shoppe. I love this paperline because it is so whimsical and fun! When I poured through the 12x12 paper pad, chipboard tags, and stickers, all I could think about was creating something that resembled a store that showcased all the Strange & Lovely Things you would find at the Olde Curiosity Shoppe! My crazy, wacky, and interesting little store features a flying pig, a frog in vial, a pocket watch I created with Olde Curiosity paper and Tim Holtz goodies, a shadowbox within a shadowbox, a mysterious mask, and more! 

 

~WOODEN CRAFTS~

Here is a project that I made for a dear friend of mine. She was expecting her first child and I wanted to create something for her nursery! I decorated a little wooden purse using Once Upon A Springtime paper for the front and inside of the wooden baby satchel. I chose this paper collection because of the adorable and timeless Peter Rabbit illustrations and the whimsical fairies. Little did I know, my friend was already planning on using a Peter Rabbit item from her husband's much younger years in the nursery - this made my project feel even more special!

My next wooden craft is another purse, only this time, I designed it behave as a little suitcase using the exotic Tropical Travelogue paper. This paper collection features rich, vibrant colors along with more everyday hues, like black and tan. I wanted to focus this particular project on the black and tan side of the collection, as I thought it would create an extra vintage look to my little valise. I used pretty Petaloo flowers on the front and created some fun "suitcase straps" using black ribbon on the inside to hold all kinds of little treasures! 

My final wooden craft is a set of nesting trays I decorated for my father-in-law using A Proper Gentleman. I wanted him to have a unique way to organize things like his incoming mail, cellphone, and anything else that needed a special place. Just in case he felt like using them for display, I designed the inside of the trays using various Proper Gentleman images. 

~ALTERED PROJECTS~

Ever since I started papercrafting, I've been a hoarder of all kinds of things that I feel would make a great starting point for a new project. I love upcycling things like old cardboard and paper items and turning them into something completely new and repurposed, such as this altered project made from a candy box and paper candy liners! I got the idea to make this "Valentine's Day in Wonderland" box after flipping through my 8x8 Hallowe'en in Wonderland paper pad and noticing all the patterns that fit beautifully for Valentine's Day. 

My last altered project to share with you is a baby mobile I made using Little Darlings paper and an old satin hanger! I love how you get the traditional blue and pink pastel colors, along with more unisex colors like green and yellow. I had a lot of fun choosing which chipboard tags and paper images I wanted to display on my mobile. Every piece you see has a design on the back, that way a baby (or curious onlooker) can enjoy the mobile from every angle!

 

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And that is it! Thank you for reviewing my audition! (Fingers crossed & hands prayin' ... :)