Crate Paper

April Creative Weekly Challenge Winner & Runner-Ups!

A record number of you followed suit in last month's {April} Creative Weekly challenge. After finally sorting through all the entries, and greatly admiring your handmade projects, a winner awaits - since collage was the central feature of the challenge, it's the details that capture most. Jina Jean's yellow "keep the sunshine" layout beautifully illustrates this, lending her the title of April CW Challenge Winner.....

April Challenge Winner :: Jina Jean

Congratulations, Jina, you are the brand new owner of The Pier, CP's Summer token collection. We'll be in contact with you shortly! 

Before dedicating the rest of today's post to our runner-ups, we'd like to share our sincerest gratitude with all of those whom submitted projects on behalf of the challenge. It means the utmost to us, really. Thank-you...

Challenge Artist: Nina Ostermann

 

Challenge Artist: Melissa Vining

 

Challenge Artist: Annelie Maddock

 

Challenge Artist: Azumi Izuno

  

Challenge Artist: Lilin

 

Challenge Artist: Jessica Lohof

 

Challenge Artist: Jamie Isaak

Challenge Artist: Lacy Tatum

 

Challenge Artist: Evgenia Petzer

 

Challenge Artist: Lea Lawson

 

Challenge Artist: Vanessa Menhorn

Do join us on Monday, May 20th, to find out the next Creative Weekly Challenge. A tiny hint; Summer Fun in the Sun. Don't forget to bring your swimsuit, beach ball, sunblock, sandals and camera! 

April Creative Weekly :: Color Collage + Challenge Reminder!!

Naomi Atkins

Naomi here with a color collage for this week's Creative Weekly. I love the color pink, and a lot of Crate's collections have lovely pink papers in them! When I saw "The Pier" collection's polaroid frames in all kinds of colors, including pink and gold, I knew I wanted to make a pink color collage and use some gold accents! I dug out all of my papers and found some to fill the spaces of the polaroid frames. I love the gold accents in a lot of the new collections, and I'm really obsessed with gold right now! Gold was also the theme of my daughter Camille's 2nd birthday party. So, after pulling out all of the pinks, I pulled out as many gold accents as I could from the DIY Shop collection, the Maggie Holmes collection, and The Pier collection. I made a banner at the top and used some AC Thickers in a various pinks and gold for the title. I love zig zag stitching the tops of banners, and then I attached some clothespins with pink accents at the top of the banner...they clothespins and sewing make it look real. I placed all of the accent down the left side of the photo and added a few more pink small embellishments and stickers. I hope this inspires you this week to make a color collage for yourself!

 

Michiko Kato

I love Spring - it's my fave of the seasons. If I had to compare Spring to a color, I imagine it would have to be red. Red is the color of strawberries and in Japan, picking strawberries is an annual Spring event in my family! Of all the fruits, we love strawberries most. Already, we look forward to going strawberry picking. :)

This picture was taken when my daughter was just five years old. She'd taken a strawberry with both her hands and ate it as a little girl would. Both her hands and clothes had been completely stained the color "red". I remember it being really hard to clean her hands and clothes thereafter. In memory of this unforgettable "childhood" moment, I created this layout using an assortment of red papers and embellishments from the Party Day collection. The Party Day collection has ample to offer for Spring crafting! It's one of my favorite Crate collections!

 

Sasha Farina

Creative Weekly this month couldn't have come at a better time! I'm in love with the gold/tan/yellow shades right now and The Pier is just the perfect collection for what I had in mind! The selection of embellishments are darling - I absolutely adore the ready-made banner from the Ephemera Pack. It's just the right "pop of colors" needed for my layout. Creating the golden collage as the main focus of the project was an immense joy. I highly recommend the collection if a gold fan like myself!

 

Evelyn Pratiwi

So, as you know, yellow is my favorite color amongst other bright colors, but for today, I decided to go the more "neutral" route - black. Yes, there's also a hint of grey. I gathered all of the supplies from both DIY Shop and Fourteen. So, you might be wondering, why choose this color? Because I wanted to create a layout that was timeless and that best highlighted the feel and theme of the layout; my personal wedding images. In creating it, I played with gesso by applying it to the background; white cardstock. After that, I sprayed black mist onto the painted area. Because of the gesso, the black mist looks subdued; more gray than black. Finally, I layered tags, cards, chipboard, washi tape, stickers, a flower and black sequins to bring to life the magic of that special day.

 

Sophie Crespy

I love paper collage; it's my favorite technique because I really have a lot fun combining various shapes, colors, textures and so forth. For this layout, I chose "Blue" as the main color (with a tiny bit of pink) because it's central theme is my daughter's amazing blue eyes. There are plenty of blue's to pick from given the plethora of colors made available via Crate's Spring collections; take for example the vignette dark teal polaroid photo overlay from the DIY Shop collection - to bring out it's cooler side, I embellished it with a navy blue die-cut and light blue pinwheel. And finally, to keep predictability at bay, I threw in a splash of "fuchsia"!

~

The Creative Weekly challenge is still in progress - you've plenty of time to join in on the fun!! For the full scoop, visit this week's first Creative Weekly post; HERE. We anxiously await your entries, and as an extra incentive, we're adding our favorite entries to our brand new "Creative Weekly" Pinterest board! Not yet a Crate follower? Click & Follow HERE. 

 

April Creative Weekly :: Color Collage

Ashley Cannon Newell

Me and the color yellow are joined at the hip. I love this color during any time of the year, but especially in the Spring and Summer. For this week's Creative Challenge, I had to use the yellow color family to create a layout. With all of the colors on the houses in the photo from New Haven in Copenhagen, the yellow tones just makes it all pop. I pulled out all products I could get my hands on in the yellow color family and got to work. I layered a piece of vellum over patterned paper to mute the tones a bit. I also misted patterned paper with white ink to break up some of the patterns. I just love how gold pairs so well with yellow, so I use those sparkly Thickers for my page title. 

 

Deb Duty

The Pier collection has the most beautiful shades of blue and green that perfectly compliment the sky and water in my beach photo. For part of the background, I used a mask with acrylic paints that I mixed to match. I added fun elements all around the photo. I especially love the slide frames from The Pier. The blue and white frame is a nice addition to my layout and helps draw attention to the photo.

 

Katie Ehmann

I started this project with the gorgeous bokeh paper from the Maggie Holmes collection. The colors really complemented my photo of a crazy Chicago sky. I then used additional pieces of patterned paper, tags and ephemera to create a collage surrounding my photo. Finally, I cut a title from my handwriting with my Cameo from white cardstock, and sewed it down. 

April Creative Weekly :: Color Collage

In case a reminder would be of help, this week's Creative Weekly is hosting the theme, "Color Collage"; an intricate assembly of layers using both shades and tints of a single color family. Take for instance this first layout from our brand new team member, Jeanette Lee. Her floral bouquet of peach, pink and reds is a bold, sweetly-crafted collage reminiscent of Spring with lots of layers of prettiness and warmth. 

 

Jeanette Lee

Red; it's boldness intrigues me, and it's the perfect color for any occasion. Wanting to achieve a spectrum of 'reds' in my layout, I chose different shades of red embellishments and papers across the Party Day and DIY Shop collections. The white background has splatters of red mist to highlight the color even more. 

I cut out several die-cuts found in the double-sided die-cut sheets and accent cards from the ephemera packs. I placed them either horizontally or vertically, completing the collage design. This helped to achieve clean and simple lines throughout the layout.

This layout talks about the common traits shared with my niece. In this case, it's love for a particular type of biscuit.

 

Megan Klauer

We are in the potty training stage at our house; which as many of us know, it's a day-to-day challenge. Many days, we are singing the "potty training blues", so I wanted to document the "real" in our life right now. I used a combination of the Maggie Holmes collection, as well as bits and pieces of Acorn Avenue to pull the blue themed layout together.

 

Marie Lottermoser

When I first received the Color Collage challenge, my first thought was to use my favorite color, aqua, but then I kept reaching for embellishments in this soft green color. It went really well with my canister of mint tea. One thing I did in making this collage was to use a lot of vellum. I typed my journaling straight onto vellum and then layers it throughout the page. I think it helps to soften the collage and gives it more of a vintage look.

   

March Creative Weekly Challenge Winner + Runner-Ups

We got totally lucky with this month's CW Challenge thanks to a bunch of talented folks feeling the Spring buzz!! Lots of you joined in with your own interpretation of paper butterflies, a technique fluently practiced by scrapbookers and card makers alike. From a clotheslines decorated layout to a festive rosette wreath, your butterflies and other fluttering creatures greeted us in the cutest of ways. Thank-you so much for lending us a smile and bringing Spring to our front door! We couldn't be happier thanks to your creativity and admiration of Crate Paper...

In assessing a winning submission, one of the things we often seek out is technique implementation and originality. We love when ideas are slightly "out-of-the-box" and fun! When we spotted this layout by Lilin Fang, right away we noticed the clothesline with the ultra pretty butterflies and hidden journaling. Held together by mini staples and crafted from Crate patterned paper and vellum, Lilin's butterflies are darling! She's the official winner of this month's CW Challenge! Please, give a warm congrats to her...we'll be in touch, Lilin!

 Selecting Runner-Ups was no easy task this time around - there was a lot of Crate love to be had. Thankfully, there's enough space here to share as much of it as we want {no strings attached what-so-ever!}.

Layout Artist: Becky Williams

 

Layout Artist: Bellaria Rosady

 

Layout Artist: Cindy Lee

 

Layout Artist: Elena Stefanidou

 

Layout Artist: Henny Tanuwijaya

 

Layout Artist: Georgia Heald

 

Layout Artist: Jeanette Lee

 

Layout Artist: Jessica Lohof

 

Layout Artist: Jessy Christopher

 

Layout and Card Artist: Leigh Penner

 

Layout Artist: Mandy Dodd

 

Layout Artist: Maria Asmus

 

Layout Artist: Michelle Whorwood

 

Layout Artist: SamSam

 

Layout Artist: Teagan Skwiat

 

Layout Artist: Vanessa Menhorn

 

Card Artist: Veronika Galenko

 

Card Artist: Kerry Angeles

 

Card Artist: Lea Lawson

 

Wreath Artist: Cassandra Cyr

An EXTRA BIG thanks to these awesome ladies for sharing their craftiness with Crate Paper!! We look forward to next month's Creative Weekly challenge {more PIER up for grabs!!} starting Monday, April 22nd! 

March Creative Weekly :: Wings + Challenge Reminder

A final reminder, today marks the last day of March Creative Weekly and there's a challenge in-progress! Show us how you envision the fluttering of your favorite insect on either a layout, album, card or other crafty creation. Full details are available HERE. The deadline to submit your entry is Monday, April 1st (5:00pm Central). Again, the prize is a surprise box of brand new "The Pier" and "Maggie Holmes" product! There's also the extra perk of making the Crate blog - it's a win, win all around! 

~

Naomi Atkins

When I saw this month's theme involving butterflies, I was excited! They remind me of Spring and I thought it would go perfectly with some of the new Spring papers in the Maggie Holmes collection. I snapped this picture of my daughter and all I could think of was how her sweet little smile makes my heart flutter! She is so loved by everyone in our family! I paired the photo on the left, and decided to place a large butterfly on the right, over the doily. I was originally going to make a lot of smaller butterflies, but instead, decided to attach a large one made up of various patterned papers. I really like the result! I layered another vellum butterfly, and used some of the gorgeous jewel pins for the center. I stitched a few other random pieces of paper above my title and used the gold Thicker stickers (which I LOVE because of the big chunky glitter!) - it really finished off the layout! Hope this inspires you to do some Spring time scrapping with some of Crate's new collections!

 

Anabelle O'Malley

I love butterflies! I decided that I wanted them to take center stage on this page. I cut three large ones from blue papers in the Maggie Holmes line. Then, to add some texture and dimension, I layered a vellum butterfly on top of each of them. The photo shows my husband and son hiking in our favorite state park. The butterflies definitely represent the natural, exploration, 'outdoorsy' feel of the page. I didn't want to overpower them with alpha stickers, so I cut a phrase from one of the Maggie Holmes canvas frames and added some strip journaling. 

 

Megan Klauer

I love this quote about butterflies and the chipboard pieces from the Maggie Holmes line. They were the perfect accent to use as the focal point alongside the beautiful words. Every once in a while, it's great to create a layout with no photos. It lends a place to showcase a favorite quote,or your own handwritten journaling.

 

Marie Lottermoser

With Spring approaching, we'll soon be spending more time outdoors. My son loves this time of year because he can explore in the woods to look for treasures like sticks, rocks and small creatures. I made a page about him at one of his favorite "outdoor" locations doing a little exploring. To reflect his love of nature, I used a repeating pattern of butterflies throughout the page. There are the larger butterflies crafted from pattern paper and a Maggie Holme's die-cut. Then, there are some smaller ones punched from green washi tape.

 

Katie Ehmann

For this project, I knew right away that I wanted to use the turquoise butterfly from the Maggie Holmes Ephemera Pack. I chose a variety of cardstock papers, both blue and green, and punched five butterflies from each shade to create an ombre-like background. After sewing the butterflies down, I embellished the page with more Maggie Holmes and a piece of vintage sheet music. 

March Creative Weekly :: Wings

 

 

Ashley Cannon Newell

I've created a mini album cover using Maggie Holmes' mini clipboard album. Although Spring is right around the corner, I still have a few Fall photos to use. So, I thought it would be fun to add those Fall photos to bright and cheery pages by using Spring color schemes. I used the acetate cover as my base and added die-cut cardstock and embellished to my heart's desire. I love butterflies and knew I had to make one the focal point for the album cover. After layering a few patterns, I added a butterfly die-cut; making sure to curl the butterfly wings a bit using my fingers. I think it makes the butterfly appear more realistic. I also like to embellish the butterfly's body by layering a circle punch and fabric covered brad.

 

Sasha Farina

Butterflies, butterflies, and more butterflies. I think everyone around me knows how much I love them. Case in point - I have butterflies in my hair for my wedding photos!

I punched out several sizes of butterflies from vellum to scatter around the layout. Really loving the barely there effect. I think vellum butterflies are stunning! I stitched the background first, filled some spots with patterned paper and started layering from there. Butterflies can never get old for this girl!

How many collections can you spot on this layout? I had so much fun mixing and matching Crate Paper goodies, old and new. There's much to be admired and the collections blend so well together. Look closely to find out what I included on the layout. 

Remember to join in this week's CW Challenge! Can't wait to see what you create with Crate!! 

 

Kimberly Neddo

It really doesn't take more than a sprinkle of "flutter" to bring a layout to life. Anymore details than that are purely optional. The butterflies here are created from three different patterned papers. They're layered and stiched right down the center! I opted to use a neutral, woodgrain pattern as the background to create a "natural" space for the butterflies to flourish. It also echoes the background in the photos. The collection of choice is "Party Day"! It's full of bright, whimsical colors and patterns akin to Spring, and the Summer months ahead. 

 

Sophie Crespy

Bugs are a sign of Spring and renewal. I made accommodations for the season by using Party Day. It's hues and patterns fit well with warm weather and great outdoor moments. Beyond the collection, the layout is of a grid design that includes chipboard frames. They serve as a display for the "bugs" and give them a place to land. For dimensional purposes, the bugs are adhered to the page with 3D Pop-Dots. Surrounding the frames are small butterflies, each holding a section of journaling, like a flying banner. I love this layout for it's apparent simplicity and well-tended details. 

March Creative Weekly :: Wings

 

 

Evelyn Pratiwi

This is the layout I created for this week's running theme, "Wings". I chose to work with bright colors, flower patterns and butterflies because they remind me of Spring. Even though this layout is about my husband, I felt the bright color palette was optimal. I love my husband very much and the colors reflect that, as do the radiating butterflies. Personally, I'm all about using bright colors, flower patterns and butterflies to convey love, no matter the recipient. I hope you've someone close to try this on - it's Spring, so why not enjoy those you adore most however you wish?

 

Janna Werner

I adore the new Crate Paper collections! I used the Maggie Holmes, DIY Shop and Party Day collections to embellish these sweet little gift bags. I used mainly scraps as embellishments: I punched out the butterflies and attached them sporadically to both bags. I also enjoy taking advantage of negative space left behind from a punched shape. I used one as a frame for the yellow butterfly on the first bag. Last, but not least, a few spritz of mist was applied to create increased contrast and depth. 

 

Debra Duty

Butterflies are a favorite embellishments of mine. I have no trouble finding a place for them on just about any page, but this time, they were especially perfect for my layout because I decided to document a special day when we were able to witness a monarch butterfly emerge from it's chrysalis. I started with the DIY Shop "Crafty" paper as the background. I then used a combination of Maggie Holmes and DIY Shop papers and embellishments. The colors from these two collections work nicely together. My favorite embellishments on this page are the little butterflies punched from patterned paper and the mini chipboard banner strung with twine. 

 

Magda Mizera

I really like the look of clean and simple layouts with soft muted colors. When thinking about this month's Creative Weekly theme, I decided to follow through with the clean and simple style. The layout is about butterflies and the first touch of Spring! I used a photo capturing my favorite flowers, muscari, and a butterfly from the Maggie Holmes collection. The two have a soft and gentle appearance. I titled the layout, Fly Away on Wings of Spring.

 

The Pier Giveaway Winner + March Creative Weekly :: Wings

 

Summer days deserve a splash of color and today, we're here to share it with the giveaway of our new mid-release Summer collection, The Pier. Nearly five hundred entries were received, the most we've ever seen at the Crate blog!! Talk about a wonderful surprise!! Thank-you for the many personal responses - your love of Crate makes us so, so happy...especially our dear, sweet designer, Lisa. Thank-you!

Congratulations to....

Ahhh...summer. You totally nailed it with this collection. The colors, fun chipboard shapes, and I absolutely LOVE those chipboard slide frames! I think this collection just screams both happy and relaxing at the same time. Kerry A.

Reply | Edit | View | 2 days ago on The Pier

Kerry, you've won "The Pier" collection (patterned paper & embellishments)!!! There is a Crate box with your name on it - send your info to cpblog@cratepaper.com 

The Pier is currently scheduled for release the end of April. It'll be available for purchase at your favorite scrapbook retailers and also, the Crate Paper website. More giveaways to come, along with "Pier" projects from CP's Design Team, in a few short weeks! 

~ 

 

 Image Credit: Katie Daisy Illustrations

Soon, sprinkled throughout the air will be fluttering butterflies, buzzing bees and other sorts of four-winged creatures. Their presence is a reminder of Spring, in all it's glory, and the warm air that is soon to loom as we enter the warmer months ahead. Such a treasure it is to be able to sit outside, amongst blossoming flowers and the glowing sun with family, friends and neighbors. Only a little longer to go when we can finally say good-bye to Winter and "hello" Spring! What a wonderful feeling it'll be, don't you think?

In honor of this favorite time of year, Creative Weekly is taking notice of beloved butterflies, dragonflies, bees and more. And as is always the case, we encourage you to join in on the fun! Create a project entailing this week's theme using at least 75% Crate Paper product (old or new). The project type may be whatever you like as long as it's original, newly made and hosts a butterfly, etc. Send your submission to cpblog@cratepaper.com by April 1st, 2013 (5:00pm Central). The prize is a mix of the new "Pier" & "Maggie Holmes" collections. We'll post the grand prize winner and a selection of runner-ups on April 2nd, 2013. Good Luck!

Stephanie Dagan

It was such a pleasure to create this accordion mini album using this month's theme. I'd the perfect photos to match which I took last summer. We collected thirty caterpillars that we'd found in the garden and put them in a vase. Ten days later, they made their cocoons. Within a few weeks, they turned into butterflies - it was beautiful! My children were amazed! I recorded the moment inside this petite album, which is stored within a small box. I've made this kind of album before, but wanted to give it a second try using only Crate Paper.

 

February Creative Weekly :: Love Red Challenge Winner!

Already, two weeks has flown by since the announcement of our "Love Red" Creative Weekly challenge. We can hardly believe it!! The BIG day is finally here to spread word of our Grand Prize winner and of course, the 'lovely' runner-ups. Incase you forgot, the prize this time around is a full collection, CHOICE! This is the biggest prize we've ever given away on behalf of a CW challenge. The entry numbers were phenominal, too! Thank-you to everyone (and we mean it!) who joined in on the fun!!

Challenge Entry Artist: Cassandra Chen

Congratulations to Cassandra Chen, today's "Red" winner! We really like how you incorporated different techniques into your design. The glitter hearts are fab, as is the stitching with varying colors of red/pink twine. And the matching red clothes, love that too! Forward your info to cpblog@cratepaper.com

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Amber Engelhart

  

Challenge Entry Artist: Ann Schneider

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Iara Gomes

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Cassandra Cyr

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Tarrah McLean

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Christin Gronnslett

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Jeanette Lee

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Julia Schuler

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Lea Lawson

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Leigh Penner

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Mary-Ann Madonado

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Natt Smith

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Olga Lvova

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Jennifer Grace

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Sam Sam Ho

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Sayaka Aihara

 

Challenge Entry Artist: Vanessa Menhorn

And to the rest of this fabulous group of scrapbookers, card makers, canvas artists, and tag experts, "Thank-You!" It can never be said enough what an immense value your beautiful projects are to us, and everyone who visits here. We'll soon be pinning your projects to our "Crate Spotted" boards!! Be on the lookout for them in the very near future. 

Plans for March's "Creative Weekly" is currently underway!! If you're seeking a hint as to what the theme might be, then prepare yourself for Spring and pull out your warm weather stash. Something is a'flutter at Crate Paper!