Crate Paper

A Crate Paper Designer Gallery

 

It's an exciting, lively week at Crate Paper, and American Crafts. The warehouse has taken on a large arrangement of new shipments that include Crate Paper's Acorn Avenue & On Trend collections. Also, there's Sleigh Ride patterned papers and stickers, with the remainder arriving the end of October. As we prepare to deliver the fantastic, Summer '12 CHA releases to retailers, the Crate Paper blog is undergoing a behind-the-scenes makeover that will be of a familiar format, but with updated designs & a "trendy" personality to better match all our awesome new products! Upon it's premier, will be a very special multi-collection giveaway, a free downloadable CP Blinkie, renovated DT project galleries, fancy graphic headers, and other streamlined additions. And lastly, starting this month, most the projects you find here, will be exclusive to Acorn Avenue & On Trend. The CP Girls are already maximizing their stash, pulling together ideas to incite & inspire! The release is in full swing!

~

CP Designer: Anabelle O'Malley

"I had so much fun layering goodies from the Little Bo Peep line on this page. Throughout the layout and around my photos, I used a lot of foam adhesive to add dimension. Beneath the photos is a pink chipboard frame and to the left, is a die-cut star burst decorated with a cluster of chipboard and cute pink brad."

 

CP Designer: Janna Werner

 Janna's layout is a blend of Acorn Avenue and On Trend, literally. If you take a close look at the photographs, you'll catch a peek of both - someone had a "Happy Mail" day!! Love the quad set-up, too - tons oh' fun!

 

CP Designer: Tami Gookstetter

An amusement park trip & a gorgeous, glowing sunset sit beautifully on top of Crate's "Party Guest" patterned paper {Backside} - sometimes, it takes only one sheet to truly set the tone of a layout. The pink is serene, just like the photo. 

 

CP Designer: Piradee Talvanna

"I opted to create this little catalog booklet for my ever growing typewriter collection (Honestly, I think I've gone crazy). The Booklet has a total of 12 pages (room for 12 typewriters), but unfortunately, the rest are currently in transit."

*We spot Story Teller behind them typewriters!!

 

CP Designer: Ashley Cannon Newell

Crafted from the "Little Boy Blue" collection, is a hand made card and box of the same sparkling theme, stars galore! The first set of stars are stamped and the second, is a die-cut box, trimmed and formed from paper. They're a precious set!

~

Hanging out w/Garland by Kimberly Garofolo Neddo

 

 

Type "garland" into the search box at Pinterest, and without a doubt, what pops up is every garland variety imaginable. No longer is garland just for celebrating special occasions like birthday's and weddings, or the standard party hall. It's become so much more than that, thanks to the infinite possiblities at one's disposal for creating his/her own handcrafted garland. Today, I'm going to share with you one such possibility; Paper Dotted Garland. It's quick, easy and doesn't require the use of a sewing machine! It can also be made to span a room, or fit on a sheet of 12" x 12" paper. In this instance, I added to a layout, and I adore the way it turned out!! Let's get started...

 ~

 {Garland Supply List}

Scrap Patterned Paper from Crate's Pretty Party Collection

Glue Gun (Or any glue that dries quickly)

String, Twine, Thread or Yarn

Several different size and shape punches. Mainly punches that you can fold in half to mirror it's shape.

 

Plug in the heat gun and allow it to warm up. Collect your other supplies while waiting.

 

Trim 15" sections of string (or longer). You'll want it long enough so that there are tails at each end of the garland.

If you've yet to gather your paper, pull it out. Make sure it coordinates well with your layout/photographs, etc. 

Next, you'll want to punch out several different circles. You can keep it simple, or go all out! It's completely up to you :) I'm going to keep mine simple, as in the example.

 

Once the circles are ready to go, line them up on the string while leaving about a 1/4", or 1/2" space between each one. You can also mix things up and vary the spacing. I went ahead and randomly changed the spacing for a more eclectic look.

Now, simply apply a bead of hot glue to the string and place your shape over the top of it. I used a non-stick heating mat (Ranger) beneath the garland while piecing it together to protect my work surface and to ensure the pieces wouldn't stick to my desk during the adhesive process.

 

After the garland is finished, attach it to your layout to create a fun embellished border across your page. You can drape it, make it straight, layer several together, one on top of the other. 

 

Do have fun with this simple embellished garland! With the holidays quickly approaching, this will make it especially easy to add a little something extra without costing you too much time. One last note - it's great for cards, too!

Splash Layout Tutorial w/Michiko Kato

 

Hi Crate Paper fans, Michiko Kato with you today to introduce a brand new, whimsical layout, and instructions using one of my favorite techniques, watercolor painting. Even if your not a "painter" per say, more than likely, you still use a painting medium of some kind. Maybe you prefer the ease of use and unpredictability of "acrylic mists". They're reliably fun and readily available. As a stamper or card maker, you probably have a sizable collection of Copic Markers, a great medium for coloring stamped images and creating watercolor effects similar to that of watercolor paint. My painting medium of choice has always been watercolor. It's colors are beautiful and soft, and mixing and matching them is a breeze! With that said, let me show you how I went about using watercolors on this most recent layout titled, "Splash".

 

Project Supplies

{Pretty Party Collection}

Patterned Papers, Chipboard Accents, 6 x 6 Patterned Paper Pad

{Miscellanious}

Cardstock (Kraft & White), Washi Tape, White Gel Pen, Sewing Machine, Circle Cutter, Scissors, Exacto Blade

 

Cut a sheet of 12" x 12" cardstock to 12" x 9" and adhere to it, a 6" x 9" section of Pretty Party's "Confetti" patterned paper. Trim a a varied selection of 3/4" x 6" strips from Pretty Party's 6" x 6" patterned paper pad, as well as two tags from Pretty Party's tag sheet. Position them accordingly beneath your photos.

 

Cut different sized circles from white cardstock. Trim some of the them to fit the edges of the layout (or you could wait 'til after they've been adhered to the layout and then trim them).

 

Using a watercolor paint brush & watercolor paint set, paint the circles using a combination of soft and dark colors. Start with soft colors first. Load your brush with water and paint, (the less water, the more concentrated the color). Lay the brush at the edge of the circle and pull the color inward. You should see some subtle gradation during the application process. Continue this technique with the darker colors. 

*Make sure not to use too much water on your brush as it may cause the cardstock to curl. In this instance, less is more. 

 

In total, I used six colors; Pink, Flourescent Pink, Yellow, Veridian, Emerald Green, and Gray

 

Once the circles are painted, and dry (or not dry - it's up to you!), spray them with "White" mist. It looks like they've been splashed with water, doesn't it? Kinda fun...

 

Journal around the bottom portion of the page, and draw a line around the top portion. Sew the patterned papers with the help of a sewing machine. If you're lucky and own a Cameo Cutting Machine, trim a cute lil' page tab and back it with patterned paper. Lastly, finish up the page with your painted circles and other Pretty Party embellishments. If you'd like to add more mist, feel free to do so - and don't forget the washi tape! 

 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you again next month...

 

CP Creative Weekly :: Cake Sprinkles

 

 

Sometimes, the best kept secrets are those found behind glass at one's local boutique bakery. Row after row of pastries, cakes, cookies, and more, all dashed with a hint of SPRINKLE. This month's CP Creative Weekly is about them candy colored, irresistible sprinkles. Their itty-bitty-ness is the main source of inspiration for the layouts and cards our designers created for you this week. So, grab yourself something SWEET, prep your Pinterest button, and consume to your heart's delight!

~

Megan Klauer

When I saw this month's theme, our trip to Sprinkles Cupcakes in Chicago came to mind right away! I used a combination of the new "On Trend" and "Acorn Avenue" papers to punch different sized circles and sprinkled them down the center of my page. I wanted the pink to pop as much as possible, so I used a larger perforated edged circle to punch from the On Trend "Haute" paper. This also mimicked their signage from the store front. 

 

Ashley Newell

I was inspired by the cake sprinkles concept and immediately went for one of my favorite Crate Paper products - chipboard stickers! I was so happy to find a cute cupcake that I could embellish with some glass glitter to simulate sprinkles. Not only can this card be given to celebrate a birthday, but also for any occasion to send along with some cupcakes as a gift! What are you waiting for? Sprinkle some creativity with Crate Paper in your life today!

Pretty Party Birthday Favors :: Roree Rumph

Hi Everyone! If you're like me, you have lots of Summer Birthdays coming up. That means lots of oppportunities to use the beautiful Pretty Party collection! I thought I would get a head start and make some fun party favors for one of these upcoming occasions. 

I decided to make cone shaped pouches to hold some candy or small gifts for handing out to party guests. This is what I came up with...

The Essentials: Pretty Party Paper, Alpha Stickers, Chipboard Accents, Phrase Stickers, Adhesive, Sewing Machine, Thread, File, Cricut Expression 2, Once Upon a Princess cartridge.

 

These are so easy to make, and pouches don't take much time at all. Here's what you'll need:

- Patterned Paper Panels (trimmed to desired size)

- Adhesive

- Decorative Scissors (if desired)

- Sewing Machine & Thread (if desired)

 

To make one favor, cut your patterned paper to your desired size. I started with a 6" x 7" panel.

 

On the underside of the panel, place adhesive along two adjacent edges.

 

Roll the panel into a tube shape and press the ends together, adhering them. 

 

Press the end of the tube (with the adhesive) closed.

 

Machine sew along the edge, if desired.

 

Trim the edge with decorative scissors, if desired.

 

Fill the favor with candy or small trinkets. Turn the favor so that the length bottom edge is facing away from you. Close the top edge and seal, as desired. I chose to sew mine shut so the favor could be torn open. If you prefer, you could add some adhesive or punch a couple of holes and tie off the end with some ribbon. Trim the edge with decorative scissors, if desired.

 

Repeat the step to make multiple favors

 

All that is left is to decorate them. 

They really were easy, weren't they?

Thanks so much for letting me share my project with you all today. I really hope you enjoyed it, and maybe it will inspire you to have a go at making some of your own.

Have a wonderful day, and thanks so much for stopping by!

A Crate Paper Layout :: Christine Middlecamp

Crate Paper's collection releases are vast and varied. Since 2006, Lisa's created a countless number of them for papercrafters to enjoy and make use of via their crafting habits. Fortunately, I've been around long enough to benefit from most, minus the first few. When people ask me if I still own the "old stuff", I say "Of course, and it's all coordinated nicely in drawers, paper holders, and baskets throughout my scrapbook space." My all time favorite release is Prudence, Crate's classic white, black and grey collection. It still blends seamlessly with today's design trends! For this reason, I thank my lucky stars that Prudence is just one drawer away from me. Truth be told, you never know when a collection might come back in style ;) Might as well keep all them, just incase.

Given the above layout, can you spot the number of collection's thrown in the mix? There's at least five, including Pretty Party, Story Teller, Emma's Shoppe, Random and Portrait. Why mention this? Because I love how you can take five different Crate collections, and create a layout that is uniform in appearance and of a large cohesive design that is engaging and fun. Very rarely do I create a project from just one collection - it just doesn't happen!

*If you look closely, there's one element that's truly different. Hint: Cover Graphic.

Moving on to tips and techniques...

Frames are fun. It's that simple. They pretty much lend themselves to just about every project type, too. Here, I backed the frame with transparency, glittered 3-D flowers (Paper Clothe Patterned Paper), and a small sticker (Pretty Party). On top the frame and to the side, I sat Mr. Blue Bird :)

 

I try to avoid glitter at all costs. Once it's out of the bottle, containing the stuff is impossible! To save myself from the doom that is glitter, I go the route of Stickles instead. So much easier!

I wasn't satisfied with just plain ol' flowers. Nope. To give them additional texture and sparkle, I applied a light coat of gold stickles around their edges. 

 

If you haven't already deterimined, I have a thing for layered circles. I call them self-made embellishments. Pop them on a flower, or a Crate Paper heart such as this one, and you will have created a one-of-a-kind combination that is all your own. Just make sure to have a lot of circles punches on hand...

 

I punched the center of this Pretty Party label out to make room for black patterned paper. I punched out the top area as well before backing it with Story Teller's "25 Cent" journal card, and a misc. title. 

 

An especially old Crate Paper embellishment, the "thanks" chipboard sticker from the now retired collection, Cottage.

 

Are you curious as to why the layout is titled "Crate Paper"? Simply put, I adore the brand. I've been avid fan of their designs for as long as I can remember. Also, I share a very special past with Crate...it's a story to be told another day. 

Had you found the odd item? It's the Crate Paper Title/Cover Label from CP's wholesale catalog! I originally intended to use the catalog's cover as the basis of a layout, but changed my mind. Believe it or not, the cover is super cute!! 

Have a wonderful day everyone! This has been a lot of fun! I shall see you again next month! 

 

A Pretty Party Layout w/Christine Middlecamp

I feel I'm slightly overdue for a visit to the Crate Paper blog, so I thought today would make for a great opportunity to give you the in's and out's of a brand new layout that recently premiered in the Spring issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today, a regular supporter of Crate Paper. The premise of the layout is simple; patchwork + a centered assembly of Pretty Paper embellishments. Also, a homespun polka-dotted flower that is effortless to make, and is a mock version of "real canvas"!

 

Crate Paper is ever-so-close to the release of these illustrated, delicious strawberries {few short weeks, possibly sooner!}. They're a charming Pretty Paper addition. I propped them up with pop dots on top a series of stacked label stickers, all of them Crate.

 

Moving on to Crate Paper's newest embellishment release, Tag Cutouts, I trimmed one to size and tucked it beneath a heart-shaped transparency. Transparencies of any color, pattern, and size are quickly transformed via the use of punches/die-cuts. Punch just one shape, or many from a single transparency, and use it to adorn your project's background, or as a frame for opulent mini collages.

 

A triple-layered heart {Pebbles Inc.} makes use of banner stickers {Paper Love Collection} in a fresh, innovative way. Prop two similar banners opposite of each other beneath just about anything and it'll look more like ribbon than a banner. 

 

My favorite Crate Paper quote of Summer, 2011 {Random Collection} - "Stinkin Cute"! It sits just below a serious of tiny buttons dressed in bright pink rhinestones.

 

I have a drawer on my scrapbook desk that houses all my Crate Paper brads & buttons. It's a joy to look through them from time to time - the drawer is similar to a bin filled with candy, minus the calories ;)

 

A neutral chipboard butterfly {Pretty Party Collection} greatly benefits from a boost of color with the help of this accordion flower. And around it our those tiny bits and pieces we often forget, or ignore. Don't forget about them! Throw them in a cup or in a place where they're easily located. They're ideal collage components and provide contrast when next to large sized elements.

 

In this particular image, the color of the flower is "untouched". To bring it out more, I spritzed it with Light Turquoise colored mist. Check out the image below to see the improved version. 

**For instructions to create the flower, please visit Scrapbook & Cards Today. 

 

Again, let me remind all of you that both Pretty Party & Story Teller will be available for purchase at your local scrapbook store'(s) within a few short weeks {possibly sooner}. They'll also be available online if you typically shop that route, too! Crate Paper can hardly wait to see what you create from them - please forward your Pretty Party & Story Teller projects to cpblog@cratepaper.com

In saying thank-you, I'll make it a priority to return with even more Crate Paper yumminess in the near future. It's been a pleasure - have a great day everyone!

 

Craft with Crate - Charlene Cundy

Hello! I'm so happy to be here today, posting my 1st tutorial for Crate Paper! I was so excited to put my hands on the new collections. The papers are really incredible, and it's so easy to work with them!! I thought a frame would be a great tutorial. They are really inexpensive and make a wonderful addition for all your loved ones photo's, and my friends and family love getting them as a gift because they are handmade and personalized. I don't know if you're like me, but I have frames all over my house. I'm definitely a frame collector!

 

Here's the supplies you'll need (and a nail file, not shown). The frame is from Michael's, and the cost? $1.49 :) The gesso is available at Michael's as well, though can be found at any craft/art supply store. I'll share more about it at the end of the tutorial.

 

Pour out some Gesso, about the size of three quarters.

 

Then add your choice of color to the gesso. I used Americana Warm White, which I bought at Michael's as well. You could easily add any color to the mix. The proportions are two parts Gesso, and one part paint. 

 

Using a small spatula or something similar, mix the two together, making sure to mix completely.

 

Start painting the frame. Back from my old days of tole painting, I learned that you always paint towards the edges first. That way, you have a clean edge and it doesn't leave ridges in your paint or puddle up. I painted two even coats. The reason for using gesso is because it serves as a sealant and with the color added, it saves you an additional step.

 

After the frame has dried, set the frame on top your chosen patterned paper and lightly trace around both the inside and outside of the frame using a pencil. Trim the traced area from the paper and adhere it to the front of the frame with an even coat of wet adhesive (decoupage glue such as Modge Podge is a favorable option).

Don't overuse the adhesive, just enough to get a nice, even coverage. Also, ensure the edges are sealed down well. Make sure to really rub your hands across the paper, or use the flat edge of a credit card, to push out any air bubbles or areas that aren't adhered well. 

 

Then, take a nail file and sand down the edges. I prefer a nice, clean edge. Remember to sand towards the edge of the paper, and not the opposite direction.

 

Next, figure out how you'd like to decorate the frame. I chose to use Pretty Party's Borders & Phrase Stickers from the alpha sheet, and the patterned papers Invitation (top) and Planner (bottom).

 

Go ahead and add the green patterned paper to the bottom of the frame just as I have. Don't forget to sand the edges again as well.

 

Next, I chose to "Fussy Cut" some roses from the patterned paper, Invitation. I adore the colors of Pretty Party!

 

I decided the frame needed a banner, as they are a great addition to any project! See the little windows in the banner? I cut them with a Spellbinders Postage Die. Then, I backed the openings with patterned paper. 

 

Another fussy cut rose, but on top a white, die-cut doily.

There you have it! A great gift in a few short steps! I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial and will consider giving it a try! 

A quick note about Gesso: 

Gesso is a primer. Artists sometimes apply it to a surface before painting on it. In fact, gesso looks a lot like paint. you can mix it with any color to make sealing a one step process! Originally, gesso only was available in white. Artists put it on canvas, wood, or other surface types before creating a painting with oil paint or acrylics. Gesso makes the surface a little stiffer. It prevents paint from soaking into the support (canvas, paper, wood, etc), and it gives the surface a little more texture, or tooth, so that the paint sticks better. Today, gesso comes in many colors. White is still the most popular, but black and other colors are widely used for art journaling and other kinds of art.

 

Project Snapshot :: CHA 2012 Winter/Spring

A final CHA project paraded at the Crate Paper booth, one of Suzanne Sergi's lovely choreographed mini albums. And as always, she's come up with some great ideas for mixing and matching our new products! DO inspect each and every page, and then take a minute to find out the winner of this week's "Pretty Party" giveaway! 

And to the plentiful party mavens out there who've been patiently waiting for the announcement of the "Pretty Party" winner, the day has finally arrived to "shout" out the best party on the block! Bring on the glitter! 

I attended a fabulous girls night out recently. The theme was "all that glitters"! Even the mini cupcakes had glitter on top! Posted by: Keesha | January 31, 2012 at 11:29 AM

Congratulations Keesha, send your info to cpblog@cratepaper.com. We'll send out your prize pack as soon as it's ready! Yeah! 

~

Don't forget, tomorrow starts anew as we enter into February. You might notice some changes, too, as we broach new topics, tutorial themes, weekly features, and more, with the help of Crate's latest set of CP Girls! It'll be fresh & fun! 

Project Snapshot :: CHA 2012 Winter/Spring

If you've ever attended a CHA event before, you know that around every corner, alongside all the new products, are projects galore from talented artists using the latest and greatest goodies. Most end up photographed at some point or another, and eventually, find their way to the crafts community to be shared and enjoyed by all! Well, the Crate Paper's booth is no exception! We love to fill our booth up with layouts, cards and altered goods from the talented CP design team! And as is par for the course, they didn't disappoint! Take a look at the following items from Rahel Menig and Anabelle O'Malley...

Layout Designs :: Rahel Menig

 

Card Designs :: Anabelle O'Malley

Over the next couple of days, more projects from the Crate booth will show here, along with a few images taken from the showroom floor!! Stay tuned..