G45 Happy 4th of July Kite Tutorial

Good Morning!

Today is the last day of Graphic 45's special sneak peeks of Mother Goose. I don't know about you, but I plan on stocking up quite a bit on this paper line! It is so heartwarming and nostalgic ... and as a soon-to-be-auntie, I know I'll my fair share of nephew projects to make. ;)

You can win Mother Goose before it hits the stores! Just leave a comment on the Graphic 45 blog or Facebook page and you might be one of four lucky winners! You'll also want to stop by the blog today to check out a very special project by fellow design team member Nichola Battilana, along with my 4th of July kite that I made below!

Opportunity knocks in the land of Lady Liberty!

G45 Happy 4th of July Kite from Maria on Vimeo.

~Supplies~

Graphic 45 Paper:
Place In Time 12” x 12” July Foundation
Place In Time 12” x 12” July Cut Outs
Place In Time 8” x 8” July Foundation
Place In Time 8” x 8” July Cut Outs 

Graphic 45 Embellishments:
8x8 Matchbook Box
Place In Time Alphabet Stickers
Place In Time Stickers
Place In Time Tags 2
Regular Tag Album
Ornate Metal Door Plate and Knob
Ornate Metal Door Pulls
Ornate Metal Keys
Alphabet Sticker Staples 

Additional Products:
4’ gold, 2’ red, 6” blue May Arts ribbon
Core’dinations Triumphant Red
Core’dinations Bon Voyage
Core’dinations Crème Brulee
Petaloo Darjeeling flowers
Embossing folder of your choice
Prima mini roses - white

~Instructions~

Overall note: Ink the edges of all papers that you trimmed and fussy cut with Vintage Photo Distress Ink before adhering.

Step 1: Remove base from your 8x8 Altered Matchbook Box and set aside. Ink all edges of your matchbook box lid with brown ink.

Step 2: Take your red Core’dinations paper and cut (4) pieces that measure 1 3/8” x 8 3/8”, (2) pieces that measure 1 7/8” x 8 3/8”, and (1) 3 7/8” x 2.75”. Take the (4) 1 3/8” x 8 3/8” pieces and adhere to the front of your lid.

Step 3: Take your blue Core’dinations paper and cut a 8.25” x 8.25” square. Adhere to the back of your lid.

Step 4: Locate your 8” x 8” Place In Time July Foundation and cut out a 5 3/8” x 5 3/8” square from the center.

Step 5a: Attach Ornate Metal Door Plate and Knob to July Foundation paper, then adhere to red paper. Step 5b: Adhere Ornate Metal Door Pulls and mini roses to top and bottom corners. Adhere blue Petaloo flower to Door Plate.

Step 6a: Locate your 12” x 12” July Foundation paper. Fussy cut “July” with the flourish and cherries; fussy cut the smaller flourish and cherries. Optional: apply Glossy Accents to cherries. Step 6b: Fussy cut (2) parts of the border. Step 6c: Use your regular tag album to trace a tag shape, then cut out.

Step 7a: Using your leftover July Foundation paper, cut a 5” x 1” strip. Make dovetail cuts on both ends, then fold to create a banner shape. Apply Place In Time stickers. Step 7b: Trim one of your borders to 2 7/8” long and apply Place In Time stickers. Step 7c: Take your 12” x 12” July Cut Outs paper and cut out all images, borders, and tags.

Step 8: Arrange additional Petaloo flowers, “Cheery Greetings” tag, seagull stamp, fussy cut flourishes, and blue border cut into (3) 4” long pieces per photo.

Step 9a: Locate white Core’dinations paper and cut a 8.25” x 8.25” square. Locate 8” x 8” July Cut Outs, flip over to reveal solid colors, and adhere to white paper. Step 9b: Attach Place In Time stickers and blue ribbon to tag with blue border. Step 9c: Arrange all pieces in photo then adhere using foam dots. 

Step 10: Place 8” x 8” July Cut Outs paper inside lid and adhere. Easiest step so far! ;)

Step 11a: Take (1) tag from your regular tag album and trim (2) borders to fit the tag. Take 3 7/8” x 2.75” red paper and emboss. Adhere borders and red paper, then attach image of kids with foam dots. Place 6” of gold ribbon through cherry chipboard button and adhere. Tie red ribbon around binder ring. Step 11b: For reverse side of tag, find remaining blue paper, cut a 3 7/8” x 2.75” piece, and emboss. Trim border to fit and adhere. Attach “liberty” image with foam dots and adhere shell stamp.

Step 12: Punch hole through “A bicycle built for two” tag. Attach July 4^th sticker and insert through binder ring.

Step 13a: Punch hole into top center of postcard. Adhere “Happy Birthday” Place In Time sticker and alphabet letters “USA”. Step 13b: Flip postcard over and adhere border. Attach lady & gentleman image with foam dots and slip “Celebrate” ticket sticker behind.

Step 14a: Locate the tag you traced and adhere “Home Run” tag, turtle stamp, border and “July 4^th” sticker. Attach lady image with foam dots. Step 14b: Flip tag over and adhere tag, crab stamp, and “July” border. Attach lady image with foam dots.

Step 15: Tie 12” of gold ribbon to “Souvenir” chipboard tag and 10” of gold ribbon to lady chipboard tag. Tie 2’ of gold ribbon to tag album binder ring.

Step 16: Pierce a hole in the top and bottom corners of your lid. Take gold ribbon with attached pieces from Step 15 and tie through the hole you punched in the bottom corner. Tie a red ribbon between gold ribbon and matchbook box. Use fishing line through top hole so you can hang your kite. 

Thanks for looking and for all of you in the U.S., have a safe and happy 4th of July!!

Graphic 45 Place In Time Layout

Good Morning!

If you haven't already seen Graphic 45's blog yet, head on over so you can be one of the first to see their new CHA release! You will LOVE it -- I sure do and I can't WAIT to get my hands on it!!

In the mean time, I'd like to share a simple pocket scrapbooking layout that I made using Place In Time and A Ladies' Diary. (The sheet covers are from Echo Park.) If you're a newer scrapper or find that this newer trend in scrapping is more your style, this should be a pretty easy layout for you to mimic!

Since I love layouts to have dimension and not feel "flat", I applied some of the embellishments on the outside part of the sheet cover.

So I am in love with Graphic 45's banners. So much so, that I traced their shapes onto my Place In Time and Core'dinations paper as those paper lines don't come with banners. It's a quick little design trick that you can apply to any one of G45's older lines!

Thanks so much for looking! And again, head on over to G45's blog if you haven't already -- you're in for some amazing sneak peeks!

Many hugs,

Maria

On Graphic 45's blog today!

Good Morning!

I am so blessed to be on the Graphic 45 blog this morning! As most of you know, Graphic 45 has been introducing the 2013-2014 Design Team this month. It's been so much fun seeing the mix of last year's designers and new artists. If you have a moment, feel free to hop on over to the blog!

Check out all the Bohemian Bazaar and Steampunk Spells product that The Mad Scrapper just got in ... I can't wait to start designing some class projects. Stay tuned!

Have a wonderful day and thank you so much for stopping by!!

Many hugs,

Maria

Graphic 45 Father's Day Envelope Card Trio Tutorial!

Gooooood Morning, crafty friends!

I am so excited to have my first Graphic 45 Design Team project featured on the G45 blog! So often when there's a holiday, like Father's Day, many of us end up having to make more than one craft. If you have more than one man you'd like to honor this Father's Day, this tutorial is for you!

As a fun challenge, I thought I'd use A Ladies' Diary paper. Sometimes we don't have the exact paper we want to create meaningful gifts, but that shouldn't stop us from trying! I tried to tone down the feminine elements of this paper, but my inner flower-child came out and stuck on some mini Prima roses. ;) 

So the front of the envelopes (which come from Graphic 45's fabulous black policy envelope album) have a flap that opens up to reveal a large area for writing and tucking away things like photos, tickets, or even some money!

As for the inside of the envelopes, I left them blank so that Dad can fill them with special mementos from Father's Day. 

Graphic 45 A Ladies' Diary - Father's Day Card Trio from Maria on Vimeo.

Without further ado, here's how you can make your own Father's Day Envelope Cards! 

~Supply List~

Graphic 45 Paper:

A Ladies Diary Ageless Beauty

A Ladies Diary Fashion Plate

A Ladies Diary Lasting Impression

A Ladies Diary Moment In Time

A Ladies Diary Timeless Memoir

Graphic 45 Embellishments:

Black Envelope Policy Album

A Ladies Diary Alphabet Stickers

A Ladies Diary Chipboard Die-cuts 2

Ornate Metal Label Holder Staples

Ornate Locks Staples

Ornate Keys Staples

Additional Products:

May Arts sheer gold ribbon (6) 1 foot long pieces

May Arts black plaid ribbon (3) 1 foot long pieces

Imaginarium Designs chipboard pieces

6 tiny metal brads

Prima mini roses

Corner punch of your choice

Ranger Distress Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy

~Instructions~

Overall note: Ink and distress edges of all papers that you cut and fussy cut with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and a paper distresser before adhering.

Step 1: Remove (3) envelopes from your black policy envelope album. 

Step 2: Take Timeless Memoir paper, tan side up, and cut (3) 3 7/8” wide x 12” tall pieces. With each piece, score 3” at the bottom and fold. You will use one piece per envelope.

Step 3: Adhere the 9” tall section of the Timeless Memoir pieces to the front of the envelopes. (The front of your envelopes have the envelope flaps on top.) Adhere the 3” tall sections to the back of the envelope.

Step 4: Take Fashion Plate paper, black side up, and cut (3) 3.75” wide x 12” tall strips. Trim each of these to 3.75” wide x 8.75” tall, but save your 3.75” wide x 3.25” tall pieces for Step 7.

Step 5: Take 3.75” wide x 8.75” tall Fashion Plate paper and score .75” from the top and fold. Adhere just the scored section to the front of each envelope to create a flap.

Step 6a: Take Lasting Impression paper, border side up, and trim off the bottom (3) patterns: the journal images, clocks, and pink fashion plate. Cut out each journal image; you will use one per envelope. Take clock border and cut (3) 3.75” long strips. Take pink fashion plate border and cut (3) 3 7/8” long strips. Save the pink fashion plate strips for Step 15.

Step 6b: Take your remaining Lasting Impression paper and flip over to reveal blue side. Cut (3) 3.75” wide x 7.5” tall pieces. Then, trim each piece to 3.75” wide x 6” tall but save your 3.75” wide x 1.5” tall scraps for Step 11.

Step 7: Locate your 3.75” x 3.25” Fashion Plate pieces from Step 4. Turn pieces so they are 3.25” x 3.75”. Use a fancy corner punch (I used Martha Stewart’s Deco Shell punch) on each corner.

Step 8a: Locate your Moments In Time paper. Fussy cut (6) bunches of flowers, (3) medium clocks, and (3) large clocks from the edges of your paper. Set aside the medium clocks for Step x10.

Step 8b: Locate your Ageless Beauty paper and cut out the (3) photo mats that have men in them along with the photo mat of the car. Fussy cut (3) stamps.

Step 9: Open up each flap. Adhere 3.75” x 6” Lasting Impression, journal image, stamp, and large clock to upper half. Adhere 3.25” x 3.75” Fashion Plate pieces and fussy cut flowers to lower half. Optional: Use Ladies’ Diary Alphabet Stickers to spell “for you” on each.

Step 10: Locate your fussy cut medium-sized clocks from Step 10. For a crackled effect, apply some Distress Crackle Paint in Clear Rock Candy to each. Dry completely before using.

Step 11: Optional: Take some fancy chipboard embellishments, such as these corner edges and medallions from Imaginarium Designs, and apply some brown ink. Set aside.

Step 12: Locate your 3.75” x 1.5” Lasting Impression pieces from Step 6b. Make sure the blue side is face up, then use your alphabet stickers to spell “Dad” or “Papa” in the center of the piece. (Note: These particular letters from Ladies’ Diary can only fit 5 characters or less.) Adhere Ornate Metal Label Holder over stickers; punch holes and insert brads. Also punch holes in the lower left and right corners and insert tiny metal brads. Adhere to the bottom of the front flap to create nameplates.

"Lolo" means "Grandpa" in Filipino! ;)

Step 13: Locate 3.75” wide clock border pieces and adhere above nameplates. Then, arrange Ageless Beauty images, chipboard embellishments, Ladies’ Diary chipboard die cuts, mini roses, fussy cut flowers, and medium-sized clock per photo.

Step 14: Take black plaid ribbon, fold in half, then fold in half again. Take a Metal Brad and pierce through ribbon and insert into envelope flap hole. Take 1 foot of gold ribbon, tie an Ornate Metal Key in the center, then tie around Metal Brad. Place a letter sticker under the envelope flap to hide the brad arms.

Step 15: Take your Lasting Impression 3 7/8” strips from Step 6a and adhere to the back of your envelopes, blue side up. Take 1 foot of gold ribbon and tie around the inside of the envelope, making a bow on the side. Take a large monogram sticker and attach with foam dots to the back.

Step 16: Insert some movie tickets or other fun things underneath the gold ribbon. Or, tuck a menu from his favorite restaurant inside the envelope. Then, give him a big hug and tell him “Happy Father’s Day” and how much you love him!  

October Afternoon Travel Girl - class tonight!

Hi there!

So this post is quite late - but better late than never. This is a fun little 10" x 6" mini album that I made using October Afternoon's retro "Travel Girl" line. And I'm teaching it tonight! (If you'd like to attend, feel free to call 425-427-8871 or visit The Mad Scrapper's website to order up a kit.)

Your handbag album flips open to reveal several pages of photo mats, journaling cards, flaps, and pockets:

This paper line is perfect for you world-traveller types. ;) I wish I could say that I've been to all the fabulous places listed on these papers, but I can't! One day I'll make a Europe trip so I can make one of these for myself. ;) 

Thanks so much for looking - again, I'm sorry for the short notice but if you'd like to order a kit, you're more than welcome! 

Have a great evening,

Maria