Final Projects for the Graphic 45 Design Team 2013 Audition

Hey, friends!

Tomorrow morning at 5:00 a.m. PST Graphic 45 will announce their 2013 design team! Wouldn't it be a dream if all 30 of us made it? Like, what if the whole "final 15" was just a joke? Ah, like I said - I can dream, right?

I sent in my video to G45 with my three final projects last Wednesday evening, and I've been mildly paranoid ever since. Whatever the outcome, I am filled with so much joy for even making the first round and for discovering tons of new artists that I can't wait to see more of. :)

So, here are the final projects that I made!  

Altered pencil box, upcycled pizza box, and kraft envelope album!

Project #1: French Country - Upcycled Pizza Box

Style: Stately, practical, upcycled

First is an upcycled pizza box that I converted into a menu album! This project pays a nod to my passion for re-using everyday items and turning them into something pretty and practical. I love making dinner for friends and have always dreamed of making a fun yet practical way of describing what's for dinner. The final round gave me the opportunity to try out this idea using the beautiful French Country paper line and die cut flowers! 

Inside the menu album are a couple photo mats that I covered with clear masking tape. Just take a dry erase marker to write down what's for dinner (or leave your guests a little note) and simply erase for the next guest! Also, I just fell in love with this paper's fruit images, so it was only natural to use all of them for a food-related album. I didn't have the cardstock alphabet stickers, so I borrowed some from my Olde Curiosity Shoppe stash.

Graphic 45 Products: 

1. French Country papers 
2. French Country Stickers
3. French Country Flowers
4. Tropical Travelogue (green leaves on the front cover)
5. Olde Curiosity Shoppe alphabet stickers

Project #2: A Ladies' Diary and Kraft Reflections - Altered Pencil Box
Style: Feminine, eclectic, whimsical

I love Graphic 45's altered boxes, but sadly I didn't have the new matchbox box yet. Sooo .. I chose to alter a pencil box instead! I love creating with a variety of Graphic 45 Staples, so I wanted to share an example of how I like to design around a box shape. I also like to change my projects up from time to time, so I thought it would be fun to design with two paper lines: A Ladies Diary and Kraft Reflections!

To put a spin on this pencil box, instead of having it open and close and behave like a traditional box, I made it more like a book. When you open the "cover", out pops a "mini" mini album that I accordian-folded and adhered to the base of the pencil box.

Finally, I wanted to showcase one of the amazing stamp and die sets that Graphic 45 created with Sizzix. I love stamping and die cutting, so when I first found out about these new products earlier this year, I just about passed out. This is the stamps with clock design and I absolutely love it!

Graphic 45 Products: 

• A Ladies' Diary paper
• Kraft Reflections paper
• Metal Flower Staples
• Metal Button Staples
• Metal Tag Staples
• Mini Envelope Staples

Project #3: Secret Garden - Kraft Envelope Album

Style: Shabby, feminine, imaginative

My last project is a Graphic 45 kraft envelope album that I decorated with the beautiful Secret Garden line and whimsical metal clothespins. :) We've all seen the tan kraft album before, but I wanted to use it in a slightly different way. The envelopes themselves, when upright, made me think of seedling packets .... and with spring here and Mother's Day right around the corner, I thought this could make a great Mother's Day or spring birthday gift for the gardener in your life!

I used silk ribbon to "bind" the envelope pages together. And to cover up the binding holes on the bottom of the envelopes, I folded some of the Meadow Lark paper in half and adhered to both sides. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I love stamping - so I stamped each envelope with the matching Secret Garden stamps and then embossed them with gold powder. I felt the gold was very regal and elegant - and that the stamped pattern brought a little character. 

The album folds out and is decorated on both sides. You can see the tops of real seedling packets that I stuck inside!

Graphic 45 Products: 

• Secret Garden paper
• Secret Garden stamps
• Kraft envelope album
• Metal Clothespin Staples

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Well, that is all ... less than 9 hours to go! Best of luck to everyone and have a wonderful evening!

Xoxo,

Maria