OnStage Display Samples! Metallic Sequins and Color Theory DSP

Well, I was selected to create display samples for OnStage! This honor came with a big box of brand new goodies from the upcoming Annual Catalog... which was Absolutely Fabulous, and included lots of OOOH-worthy stuff and a few that I knew would stretch my crafty brain! But hey, that is how we come up with stuff we wouldn't necessarily have tried otherwise, so I was up to the challenge. I am not listing all of the supplies I used, so if you would like details you are certainly welcome to ask!

Today I am sharing the scrapbook page I used featuring the GORGEOUS Metallic Sequins! In the new catalog, they are listed on page 197. They are easy to miss - but don't make that mistake! This was definitely an OOOH product. The metallics are so beautiful and rich. The shine is amazing. They just ooze class and they are so fancy! I had to make a page featuring my cute daughter and the copper sequined dress she wore to prom last year. Since I had a package to play with at my leisure, I chose to slather them on! Not the way I would normally use and abuse embellishments. I am normally a frugal embellisher. (that's a real thing.) I had planned to put just a wide row of sequins under the photo, but once I measured everything out and realized what I had left for space, I just globbed on the Multi Purpose glue and piled them on! I like the simplicity of the layout. The Copper Foil letters and numbers coordinate perfectly and it just works for me.

I also thought the sequins would make an amazing shaker card. However, I thought it would be fun to make a shaker-looking card with filling that didn't actually move! I put adhesive all over the background of the cupcake top and stuck the sequins in place, then built up the top layer as I normally would for a shaker feature. (Adhesive sheets in the new catalog will make this super easy to do!) The white sequins have a pretty iridescent pinkish sheen to them so I paired them with the silver glimmer paper and NEW In Color Powder Pink for the scallop layer and the number 40. Generously applied splotches of Wink of Stella by whacking the glitter pen against my finger.

Let's talk about Color Theory for a minute. I had an inkling that when I opened up the paper pack and couldn't think of a whole heck of a lot to do with it that it must be part of a larger suite of products - which it definitely is! WOW, how fun! I wasted several sheets trying out paint-chip look ideas and card layers, but ultimately decided to make mini treat bags and dress the paper up that way. 6x6 paper is great for treat bags! You use a sheet and a half. It's a good stash-buster, too. There are four colors featured in this set but I used 3 to make this set of bags.

The first is a sunburst. I used one of the paint-chip style designs in Daffodil Delight (there is another with white between the graduating shades of color) as the bag base. I cut the sun from So Saffron and layered on a Daffodil Delight swirl from the Swirly Scribbles die set. The twine is Pool Party solid baker's twine, also from the new-stuff goody box. Metallic Embellishments and For You from Jar of Love finish out the card.

The next sample uses Old Olive in one of the crackle finish papers. The color felt right for a pretty pink rose! I cut it from the Rose Garden framelit in Powder Pink and Blushing Bride. I used the outline in Powder Pink and filled with Blushing Bride. Piecing this together can be a chore. I cut a piece of Powder Pink slightly larger than the rose, and covered it with Fast Fuse. I placed the outline on the base. I used Press n Seal wrap to hold the Blushing Bride pieces in place and pressed them into the outline. Then, I trimmed around the rose and made sure there was no adhesive oozing out of the sides. I did a similar trick with the leaves but only used one color, Pear Pizzazz. Can't say I want to do that again, those tight curves are tricky with the scissors! For You is cut from Shimmer White card stock using the word die from the Mini Treat Bag set. I am definitely getting my money out of those dies. The ribbon is NEW also, 1/8" Sheer Ribbon in Whisper White.

The last of the treat bags that I finished is Dapper Denim, the ombre design. I think this is my favorite print in all four colors. I had some bits and pieces lying on my work table so I put them together to make a little collage using the lighthouse from the High Tide stamp set. Those birds... I think I need to shave down some of the low areas of my stamp since it tends to get more ink on the paper than I want! The frame is cut using the Layering Squares. The words are framed with the Stitched Shapes - totally necessary, needs to be in every crafter's permanent collection!! The stars are from the Mini Treat Bag. The Natural Burlap trim is just the right earthy touch to help ground the collage.

I have a few other groups of samples to share, so please stay tuned! If you have questions on any of the projects I have shown, please feel free to contact me.

Thanks for looking!
Becca

Fall Goody Bags

I work for a company with several branches, and I had to go to the main office this week for a meeting. I wanted to bring goodies for a special few who really help me out every day, since my position has always been held at the HQ until now, and I can do MOST functions from my desk but I need a little support. I didn't want to leave anyone out but I didn't have time or desire to make a special package for every single person there, so I also decorated a couple of baskets and loaded them up with candy.

For the large sunflowers on the baskets, I used Floral Frames Framelits and Royal Fiber Sunflower paper, sponging the edges with Crushed Curry ink. Garden Green makes the leaves, and Early Espresso embossed with the Fancy Fan folder makes the centers. I hot glued the flowers right onto the baskets and tied raffia bows on the handles. I loaded them up with tons of mini candy bars and Dum Dums.

The goody bags are some small lunch bags I had bought from my company a while back. They are the perfect size for a little treat. I put a generous handful of wrapped candy and a handful of candy corn in each one before tying it shut.

More raffia bows... I have the retired ribbon slot punch, which makes things like this easy peasy. The bow was tied before I hung the tags on the bags. The tag is the large bread bag tag from the Chalk Talk framelit set, cut from Royal Fiber Birch paper. I love the uber natural appearance of the flecks in this paper. The pumpkin is created by punching 3 XL Ovals from Pumpkin Pie, and sponging with Cajun Craze ink. I die cut the Little Leaves using more Garden Green CS. The pumpkin stems are punched from Early Espresso using the middle size Boho Blossoms. The little sunflower is similar to the big ones but just a single layer. These were really simple but they did take some time. Lots of gluing and popping with dimensionals!

I have to give my mother in law a shout out! These photos were taken on her deck, and required zero editing. She has a huge fall/Halloween display out including a little fireplace (non-functioning, I think) where I was able to set my items for some quick pics.

Happy Fall!
Becca

Notebooks

I have made custom covered notebooks for the church bazaar craft sale for a few years now. I have posted a lot of them here. These are the ones I made last year. I used a lot of retired product but they still look good!!

Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla. I used the Friends 24/7 stamp set here, with the damask print embossed with clear powder. I think I made 8 of these. 

I almost didn't want to give this one up. I only made one, using Bashful Blue and the In Stitches DSP, and a couple of pins I bought at a discount store. The focal point is stamped and doodled in Tangerine Tango. Here is a closer peek...

I made a couple other one-offs and then a nice journal - I have a couple of those left so I will try to get a quick pic before I take them back to this year's sale. I have had tons of ideas but haven't started making a new batch for this year yet. I always make Christmas cards and notebooks, so I know what I'll be doing for the next few weeks!

:) Becca 

Fun birthday cake!

I made this fun candy cake for a co-worker. I found the idea on Pinterest and had to give it a try. Let me tell you, it was kind of a disaster... I bought all the candy, used large glue dots to stick them to the cake tray, and bound it up with a ribbon I had bought back at Christmas. I was so happy with it! I went to bed, and when I woke up, the ribbon had popped open and the candy had fallen. Ugh. Luckily, it all fell down in the pattern it had been in, due to the glue dots, so it was pretty much just a matter of setting it up and re-wrapping the ribbon. I found a box and set it in the car. On the way to work, it popped open and fell down again! Really???

So, I was early for work (thank goodness) and needed to figure out how I would make this thing stay together. RUBBER BANDS. Of course. I banded each layer. Inside is a circle of Snickers bars, which are short. Around those, Hershey regular and almond bars. Around THOSE, Kit Kats and Reese's peanut butter cups. On top of the Snickers, I put a handful of Twix minis. We enjoyed candy for quite some time!

I had dotted the corrugated cake tray with sponge daubers and Gumball Green ink to match the ribbon. :) This is a somewhat spendy gift but it was too much fun to make!

Have a sweet weekend!
Becca