Crate Paper

Crate Scraps to Gift Wrap w/Tara Anderson

Hello Crate Paper fans! It's Tara here to share a little post that I'd like to call "Crate Scraps to Gift Wrap". Now that we are inching ever so closer to the Holidays, it's time once again to start thinking about presents and gift wrap, and what could be better than creating your own handmade gift wrap from all that scrap-paper you've been holding onto?!

I'm going to start off by discussing the topic via a recent gift wrapped box I recently made - housed beneath a pretty, large-sized  butterfly that is sure to delight a friend or family member..

My FIVE favorite ideas for handmade gift wrap!

1. Start with a color scheme and choose about 3 or 4 colors. You'll be surprised at how simple gift wrapping becomes when you limit the choices of colors you can use. By sticking to just a few colors, you can organize your supplies accordingly and hopefully, this will save you time! For this particular wrapping, I went with the warth of Fall and balanced it out with snippets of both Grey and Cream.

 

2. I try to make it a point to reuse as much of my paper scraps as possible. I'll use my paper punches to punch a shape out of every last little piece of scrap paper. Once my punched shape collection has grown, I sew the paper pieces together and create paper garlands that can be used to wrap around gift boxes! (To keep your garlands nice and neat (and untangled), wrap each one on it's own spool!)

 

3. I love the layered look of gift packages and it's easy when you layer a combination of colors and textures together. To create a layered gift card, I started with a vintage button card and decorated it with a few of Crate's lovely buttons, along with a self-made pretty floral. I then took one of Random's Accent Cut Cards and wrote a little note on the front of it. I partnered the two cards together with a scrap of canvas and a cute petite clip.

 

4. Use your paper punches or hand-cut shapes to make dimensional embellishments. (You can also use foam pop dots in between the layers of paper to give your embellishment more dimension) I always create one large embellishment for my gift wrap, these will replace the traditional bow on top the gift.

5. Go Neutral! You can never go wrong with Crate's infamous tone on tone pattern papers as wrapping paper for a small gift or instead, opt for ledger paper (as I've noted below). They lend seamlessly to colorful additions to placed on top the gift!

 Lastly, FIVE simple must haves for a lovely gift!

1. A Neutral gift wrap paper. I love vintage ledger paper, map paper and flocked wall paper.
2. Handmade paper garlands.
3. Ribbon to tie and hold everything together.
4. Layered gift tags
5. A grand gift topper! 

Hope you enjoyed a few of my ideas on creating your very own gift wrap and remember to save those scraps! I'll return next week with an entirely new series of holiday gift wrap images from Crate's Peppermint Collection! Have a lovely weekend! ~ Tara Anderson 

September's Simply Crate w/Kinsey Wilson

 

 

Hey Everyone! Kinsey here with your monthly installment of “Simply Crate”…Today, I’ll be showing you guys how to build a fun, layered frame collage layout perfect for multiple photos that’ll work with any event or theme. So let’s get started!

This layout is all about layered rectangular frames which I love because it’s a graphic, yet simple element to create and customize, and they can be used for any theme. For this Barbie/Christmas themed layout, I used a combination of papers from both the Peppermint and Random lines, as well as embellishments and accents from Peppermint.

 

To get started, I busted out my trusty Silhouette to make the frames for me- if you don’t have an electronic die cut machine, not to worry! Just use a paper trimmer or craft knife. I cut 6 frames total and saved the insides of them as well to fill a couple of the openings (more on that in a sec). The other 2 frames are from the Peppermint Accent Cuts paper, I just used my x-acto knife to cut the centers out of them.

 

Once you have all the frames cut, it’s time to figure out placement…just move your photos and frames around so that they’re overlapping until you find a configuration that works for you and then with a pencil, lightly trace the inside edges of your frames onto your background paper just in case you’re like me and have a crazy cat who likes to jump on your table and rearrange things a bit when you aren’t looking, ha!

 

Set the photos aside for a minute and align all the frames with your pencil guidelines and glue only the frames together where they overlap so that you end up with a frame collage. Also, if you want to add frame insides to your collage, now is the time to do it…I did it after I had glued the frames to the background and had to perform scrapbook surgery, ha!

 

Erase all of the pencil lines from your background paper or cardstock and adhere the frame collage to your background paper. (Note: the little L-shaped marks in the photo below, indicate where my photos go…it’s not a necessary step, it just helps me remember)

 

With everything glued into place, clean up the edges of the layout, but trimming away any frame overage. Now the fun part…embellishing! Just move a few little baubles around until you get it the way you like and ‘install’.

 

Finishing touches…for my title, I chose a large chipboard font and a small sticker font. I wanted both to be red so I used Schoolhouse mist by SC to change the chipboard color. Add journaling- I initially wanted to journal inside one of the frames but when it came down to it, I decided to journal around the edge of the title frame instead…just go with your gut! Last but not least, the stitching…this is an optional thing (my layouts always feel ‘nekkid’ without a little stitching somewhere) so I just added a few cross-stitches to the frames…

So that’s all for today folks! Thanks so much for stopping by and hanging out with me for a bit!

September Color Challenge ~ Winner

 

 
Hello again everyone! It's Tara here and I'm happy to be able to announce the winner of this month's Color Challenge! I have to admit that this past challenge has been my favorite so far. I was so incredibly impressed with how many beautiful layouts we received and to see how many different ways this color combination was interprete, simply amazed! Thank you to all who contributed this month!

So, let's get's to it! The September Color Challenge winner is: Christin Gronnslett

 

 

We loved Christin's 3 photo layout, the use of color and the combination of old and new Crate Paper collections! (Emma's Shoppe and the Random Collection) Congrats to Christin for being our September winner!

I'll share some of my favorite layouts from this month but first I wanted to share this very creative project we received from Natt Smith. She created a flower holder as a home decor project. How clever and pretty!

 

 
I also loved what Natt had to say in her email to us: "there is no limit of creativity when it comes to pretty paper from Crate Paper."

 
 Scrapbook layouts really seemed to reign supreme this month as well as dainty handmade garlands! I'll share a few of our favorite pages from our challenge participants!

 

 
scrapbook art by: Nao Honbo

 

 

scrapbook art by: Carol Monson

 

 

scrapbook art by: Nancy

 

 

scrapbook art by: Tina Walker

 

 

scrapbook art by: Rachael Funnell

Thank you so much, again, to all of the Crate Paper fans who played along with the challenge this month! I hope you enjoy these Color Challenges as much as I do! Please join me here next month for a bold costume inspired Fall palette! Until then everyone ~ Happy Creating!

 

Creative Title Making with Geralyn Sy

Hi everyone! Geralyn here today, and I wanted to share with you a fun tutorial on how I made the ‘joy’ title on my scrapbook page. I wanted to try something a little different and instead of using letter stickers for the title, I came up with this! 

Here's a quick supply list before we get started: Crate Paper Peppermint/Farmhouse Patterned Paper & Accent Cuts, Adhesive Foam Tabs, A Craft Knife and a Pencil.

 

First, I picked one of the designs from the Peppermint Accent Cuts sheet. I then used a craft knife and cut out the inner portion of the card. I’ll be using the green frame for this project.

 

I cut out a rectangle that’s the same size as the green frame, from a sheet of Sunday Dinner patterned paper (Farmhouse collection). Then I used a pencil to write the word ‘joy’.

*If you're not comfortable drawing out a title, print one directly on top the patterned paper via the help of your computer and then use it a guide in the following step.

 

Using my craft knife, I carefully cut out the word ‘joy’.

 *Don't forget a cutting mat to lay beneath the surface of your paper when doing this kind of trimwork or else you risk damaging your treasured work surface (well, technically, our work surfaces have a tendency to grow covered in ink and cut marks quickly, but none the less, it's something worth thinking about).

 

Time to pick another patterned paper, but this one's to go behind the negative space of the freshly trimmed word! I chose the red and grey-striped b-side of the Gingerbread patterned paper (Peppermint collection). So, now you have three layers: the green frame is the top layer, the word ‘joy’ is the second layer, and the red and grey paper is the bottom layer.

 

Instead of using my adhesive runner to put the three layers together, I wanted to add a bit of dimension to my project, so I used adhesive foam tabs between each layer instead. That’s pretty much it :)

 

I decided to add some finishing touches before I used the newly created ‘joy’ card on my layout. With the help of a white pento, go ahead and add some faux stitching around the frame. I then popped up a couple of circle die-cuts (Peppermint collection) using adhesive foam tabs. Finally, I added a little scalloped border at the top right corner, and tied some baker’s twine around the side of the frame to finish it off.

 

Here is my layout again, using the Peppermint collection. One thing I love about the Crate Paper patterned papers is that there is a printed scalloped design on the bottom strip of each paper, where the name of the paper and the collection it’s belongs to, is listed. I fussy cut the woodgrain scalloped from a sheet of Gingerbread patterned paper (Peppermint collection) and used it across my page.. Note how it creates a strong, defined base for the placement of my photo and title!

 

I hope you've enjoyed my tutorial and decide to give it a try at some point! It's really quite simple to create, and you can customize it to any word you wish! Thank-you for visiting the Crate Paper blog today!! 

CP Job Opening

Hey everyone, it is Lisa here today and I'm looking for a little help. Here at CP we are searching for a new freelance designer to help us create some new collections for 2012. Because we are a small tight-knit company we always turn to friends and family for help or advise about Crate Paper. (For example, I called my sister this morning to look over an ad I placed. Thank goodness for sisters!) After I got off the phone with her I thought we should turn to our blog readers to see if you or anyone you know would be interested. After all, creative people usually know creative people. 

The job requirements and info is here... CP Jobs. 

We look forward to hearing from all of our Graphic Designer Friends! Have a great Weekend!

The Paper Bag Mini Album Revisited w/Jaime Warren

 

 

Hi Everyone! Jaime Warren joining you today to share a fun, little DIY Project! Slowly but surely, paper bag albums are coming back - yeah! I love creating these little albums, there's just so much you can do with them! For instance, I punched a border along the edge of my album's cover - it's a fun little twist to the standard paper bag album!

  

Crate's 6" x 6" pattern paper pads were perfect for this project because they're of a convenient petite size for smaller sized creations like a mini album. I took one of the papers from Crate's "Farmhouse" mini paper pad, punched it's edge and trimmed it to fit over my existing paper bag cover. 

 

After this quick prepatory step, it's time to start embellishing! To keep it as simple as possible, I used just one sheet of patterned paper for the cover and followed it up with embellishments.

 

After completing the front of the album, it was time to move onto decorating the inside of the album! I simply layered sheets of patterned paper, tearing a few along the way before applying them to the pages. The last detail of course were embellishments - layer and add them! 

I made sure to leave enough room for my photos & journaling during the embellishing phase....space is of the essence here! 

Overall, the layered embellishments create a really nice, chunky mini album, which I love!! It's always a lot of fun to handle this kind of album!! 

 

There are several different ways to bind this kind of album together, but my favorite way is with a couple of basic jump rings. They're classic and simple!

And as a reminder, there are so many different things you can try out with a paper bag album. Instead of folding it, leave it long and create an album that way! Again, have fun with border punches too, and maybe bring out the sewing machine if you have one! Simply put, have fun and experiment! 

 

Here's the completed album {Page to Page}

So, grab some of those paper bags you probably have on hand and have fun with them! (And if you don't, they're inexpensive to boot!! Seek them out and bring them home!) ~ Jaime Warren

 

CP Girl Designer Showcase

It's a day of fresh, gleaming projects from the Crate Paper Design Team, and guess what? The girls are settling in with the new collections and putting together some major "WOW" factors for us to look at, and just in time too, 'cause the new collections are readily available at your favorite retailers! We've already received numerous notices of the collections having been located by a few of you. Already, "Reader Gallery" projects are being spotted in our inbox from those taking to crafting and playing with the their latest Crate Paper Fave'(s). Also, our Facebook page has received a lot of traffic as well, hence the daily posting of projects directly by our FANS! Run and check it out if you haven't already... 

Accommodating almost every single one of Geralyn's enticing layouts is an easy to take away idea for those seeking alternatives to what they might already be doing on a regular basis. She's totally technique driven..well, at least we think she is, anyway. As a quick example, verticle strips of Random pattern paper joined together to reflect a colorful patchwork of prettiness. White outlines added thereafter...

 

Oh how clever you are, Kinsey Wilson! She overlapped sections from Random's "Textile" pattern paper with various other pattern papers to coincide with her meticulous stitching. The juxtaposition of cool & warm is also a nice addition - definitely a "Fall" friendly layout! 

 

Snuggled beneath layers of tissue paper, as Rahel Menig so readily shows us, are snippets of Peppermint's snowflake chipboard pieces and what looks to be a hidden journaling spot constructed from sewn on stickers and a hand-trimmed journaling card. A simple, beautiful idea that we so love...

 

A mix of Crate's old and new Christmas Collections, Michiko Kato created the most amazing holiday mini album & matching box that we've ever seen! The combination and layering of elements is endless - you can't help but look at each page more than twice!! So much to take in - the fireplace & presents is a perfect pair too!

That about does it for today's Designer Showcase!! Thank-you to are awesome CP Girls for their hard work and dedicated insight into cultivating and bringing about great ideas to be shared here! Couldn't do it without you :)

'Tis the Season in September ~ Gift Giving

 And wouldn't you know it, the holiday weekend is already behind us, which means we've to return with a bit of gift giving today! In total, there are three Peppermint Collection Kits that await unwrapping, and after catching up on the 250+ comments you left us, a random few of you will be celebrating December a little early this year. Take a Look & Congrats to all THREE of the Lucky Winners! 

 

This year I want to do a December Daily - I've been in school for the last two years and just didn't have time! And I also want to make some mini albums as gifts for family, and a little something for my close friends... haven't figured that part out yet, though. Thanks for the opportunity! I love this collection :) Posted by: Gwen | September 01, 2011 at 09:18 AM

This year I am going to wrap up 24 books, and we will open one each night at bedtime. I am also going to make more tissue paper balls to hang above the table, and start a tradition of making one new ornament each year with the kids.
Love the new peppermint line! Posted by: Anna | September 02, 2011 at 09:17 AM

I came across a wreath idea for halloween yesterday (made of a bunch of fan flowers) that I a dying to do in pretty xmas papers :) now just trying to cool my heels until it is a touch closer to the winter holidays! Posted by: Andrea Jones | September 01, 2011 at 10:07 AM {Facebook}

 

Gwen, Anna & Andrea, please forward your info to cpblog@cratepaper.com so that your presents will find you in time for them big projects! Congrats once again!

A HUGE thank-you to everyone that left a comment about their soon-to-be-started holiday project idea! We encourage anyone that hasn't already, to seek out inspiration from the comments posted, especially if you're still adding to your "gift list" of homemade creations!! September's a great time to get started on them projects, too! If you've a Peppermint something or other to share, send it to us!  

September Crate Color Challenge

 

 Hello Crate Paper fans! Can you believe it's already September and being the first Friday of the month, I'm excited to be posting our Crate Color Challenge once again!

September, while I was living in Northern California, was always the start of Autumn and I so looked forward to the crisp evening air and changing foliage. You could say that Fall is my favorite and my best and for that reason I'm naming this month's color palette "Napa Valley," in ode to one of the loveliest places to spend the changing season. 

The color palette for this month is: Raspberry - Petal Pink - Apricot

 

and this month's inspiration wire:

 
 

Just a few guide-lines for the challenge before we start:

- You may submit a card, layout or project to be eligible. Projects need to be submitted by midnight (EST) September 12th. Please email your work to: cpblog@cratepaper.com

- You may use the colors in any proportion you wish, as long as you use all 3 colors in the palette. And you may add black, white or kraft paper to the colors.

- Projects must use at least 75% Crate Paper - you may mix any paper lines you like, old and new.

- The winner will be announced on September 14th and I'll share some of my favorite projects here on the blog.

- The winner will be selected based on creativity and quality of work.

~

If you know me by now, you've likely caught on to my love of using girly color combinations, pattern papers and flowers to scrapbook with. This color palette plus the Random Collection was a match made in my scrapbook heaven!

 

For my "creative time" layout, I used the Crate Everyday challenge as inspiration and created a pie chart using the various papers from the Random Collection. I also discovered pie charts are a nifty way of using any scrap pieces of paper you've accumulated!

 

Ok, I'll admit it. I cheated at my own challenge and used a color not permitted but when you're dealing with pretty patterned paper some times rules can be broken. Right? In other words, please feel free to use the Vintage paper from the Random Collection.... it is only fair!

 

 

I hope you'll enjoy creating something lovely using this month's color palette! I'll be back on the 14th to showcase some of your artwork and to share the winner of the August Color Challenge!  

Happy Creating! ~Tara

'Tis the Season in September

We thought it'd be fun to start off September with an early holiday gift or two for those of you visiting us today! Beneath the Crate Paper tree is a brightly colored stack of beautifully wrapped Peppermint Kits. We've tidied them up with intricately woven ribbons and yet to be noted, present labels that require filling-out of names. So how does one go about having their name added to one of the presents? It's as easy as sharing with us your upcoming holiday project ideas, though if you're without one, you're welcome to leave a comment none the less. We'll add names to all three labels (three giveaways) next Monday and bring good cheer to those chosen with a brand new, ready-to-go Peppermint Collection Kit! Good Luck to Everyone!

We've an extra special DIY Holiday Handmade Item that's to coincide with today's gift giving from our CP Girl, Rahel Menig. It's perfect for housing one's own personal wish list or plans in preperation for the not-so-far-away holiday season....

Once again, the kits winners will be randomly chosen and announced next Monday, September 5th. Please have your comments posted prior to Sunday, September 4th, 11:59pm {Central Time}.