Crate Paper

Crate Style :: Spring Mood Board w/Magda Mizera

Hello, it's Magda! I'm very happy to share with you my first project crafted from Crate Paper. When I first came upon the three new collections from CHA Winter, Maggie Holmes, DIY Shop and Party Day, I thought they'd be a great option for upcoming Spring projects! The lovely bows and other assorted embellishments from the Maggie Holmes collection stole my heart, and the flower patterned paper from DIY Shop is some of my all time fave! So, I thought I would do something for my craft space! I looked at my wall and right away, saw a messy, disorganized board, hanging below my desk - definitely not ideal! Time for a change...

I perused my Pinterest boards and from them, selected a number of inspiring images symbolic of Spring. Most reflect pastel colors, funny quotes, beautiful imagery and free printables. I decided to print some of the "printables", as well as the photos, to try and organize a new "Spring" mood board!

To get started, first, I made a layout invoking "Spring" using quotes and an updated self-portrait I just took a few days ago. I chose a bright color palette to go with them; yellow, green and a bit of light mint. I also included a camera from the Maggie Holmes collection.

My favorite decorative touch is the cloud with hanging hearts (Studio Calico). I trimmed the cloud from patterned paper (DIY Shop) and then hung the wood hearts from it's backside using embroidery floss.

Following the completion of the layout, I chose printables I liked and decorated them with Crate's patterned papers and embellishments. I then glued a few pins to the board and adhered colorful bows to them. This is the result!

What do you think of my "Spring" mood board? Talk about a great addition to my craft space! I love it! I recommend that everyone give this project a try - it's a definite change to my scrapbook space and is truly uplifting!

 

Crate Style :: Soft and Sweet Circles w/Stephanie Dagan

Hello Crate friends! Stephanie Dagan joining you today for a Crate Style project filled with circles and their many uses on projects of all types. Sometimes, I think it's good to return to traditional techniques that are easy to implement because ultimately, they're the basis of scrapbooking that everyone is familiar with. Circles are no exception. In terms of design, they're front and center! I often prefer them because they bring a soft and sparkling appearance to a project. They're easy on the eye as they offer a break from the usual hard angles and rectangular shapes. And, applying them opens all kinds of doors to various design opportunities...

In celebration of my daughter's birthday, I created this special layout to remember just how much fun was had by all! You can see that I included a fair number of circles both big and small. The very first circle to take note of is the journaling circle in the upper left area, just above the photo. More often then not, journaling is common occurrence within a rectangular form. Here, I broke the mold and added journaling to a circle using computer software. I then slipped the journaling beneath the top edge of my photo.

Continuing with the "circle" theme, I layered five different sized circles. The circles are each constructed from patterned paper, though one is crafted from vellum. I sewed them together, along the top, with a sewing machine. Think of all the unique ways you could "sew" with circles!

More circles are lend via patterned paper, vellum, misc. embellishments and Crate's new Party Day paper bags. In total, they create unity throughout.

 

Because I'm a HUGE fan of mini albums, I thought it a fantastic idea to create one from large circles! I chose four papers and went about cutting them with my Big Shot. I kept the pages the same size, though you're welcome to try crafting the album from different sized circles if that's something that appeals to you. Being that I'm a simple scrapbooker and prefer minimalism, I went with just one size.

 

I decorated the cover with strips of paper, glitter tape and ribbon. I then positioned a Party Day pinwheel to the upper right corner. I sewed the pages together along the album's left edge - a convenient solution for binding small albums of this kind. 

 

For easy opening, tabs decorate the edges - "Yes", even a circle album can be a great home for page tabs!! I love the way they look, too! They emphasize the "roundness" of the album. They're totally cute!

And there you have it - the basic circle at it's prettiest! Thank-you for stopping by and spending time with Crate Paper today! We appreciate your company!

Make it with Crate :: Page Tabs w/Marie Lottermoser

 I love the look of having a large variety of tabs along the edge of a mini album. Not only are they great page separators, they're a quick entrance mark for finding a specific page or memorable event! Today, I'm going to show you how to go about making lots of different types of page tabs using everything from photos to bows.

First, gather a small collection of clips, page tabs, brads, stickers, washi tape and so forth. For my album, I crafted tabs using an assortment of items from the Maggie Holmes collection; stickers, bows, flower clips and washi tape paper. 

For the base of the tabs (extra support), trim small pieces of cardboard. Any type of cardboard may be used, including product packaging. If you're concerned about acidity, then your best bet is to research a resource that sells acid-free/archival quality cardboard. 

Paint the cardboard coordinating colors that match your album. My rectangular tabs are approximately 2" wide by 1.5" long, which I then folded in-half.

Then, the fun begins! It's time to decorate the cardboard pieces. Start with stickers and position them right on top the painted cardboard tabs. 

To change things up some, switch to fabric bows, or tiny photos. Consider the theme of the album when dressing up your tabs, as well as the content. Try incorporating elements that support both, and relay to some of the designs already created within the album. This promotes unity and will help to bring the album together as a whole.

You can then simply add the tabs to their corresponding pages. For cardboard tabs, I prefer stapling them directly to the pages. Not only are staples super convenient, they're a snap to add! They're also super sturdy and ensure secure placement of the tabs. Of course, there's always the option of wet adhesive - whatever you're most comfortable using on your pages.

Since I stapled the tabs directly the pages, I placed a small sticker over the staples to hide them.

After positioning the cardboard tabs, I finished the album with even more tabs! Some are directly from the Maggie Holmes cardstock sticker sheet, some are pieces of washi tape folded over and some are made with flower clips which just slide onto the page.

After orienting all the tabs, take a moment to flip through the pages of your mini album. Note how fun the tabs are to use, and how they feel beneath your fingers - they give the album a unique "edge".

I encourage you to try your own variations when tab making. Position them in different spots; bottom, top, right, etc. Mix & match different materials and mediums. Also, consider punches and other helpful tools to create one-of-kind shaped tabs. There is no limit to what you can do!! Have fan with it!

 

Crate Style :: Inspired by Cards w/Deb Duty

 I have a board on Pinterest filled with gorgeous cards that I love to look through even though I rarely actually make a card. I enjoy all the different styles and designs, so I wanted to find a way to use them for inspiration. Today, I'm going to show you how I took inspiration from three favorite cards to create scrapbook layouts!

My first inspiration comes from this lovely card by Maggie Holmes.

Maggie Holmes :: I Love You

The banner and circle grounding the other elements were repeated on my layout under the photo. I also used an arrow cut file which was inspired by the arrow under the heart on Maggie's card. And by coincidence, this layout was created using the beautiful Maggie Holmes collection!

My next layout was inspired by this fun card by Maile Belles.

Maile Belles :: Hello You

I love the way the bottom third is covered by patterned paper with the pinked circle tucked underneath. On my layout, I used a pinked circle underneath my photo and covered the bottom of my layout with the yellow starburst paper. This layout was created with the DIY Shop collection.

My last layout was inspired by this bright and colorful card by Kelly Rasmussen

Kelly Rasmussen :: Happy Birthday

The banner and the grid paper with a notebook punched edge are my favorite parts of this card. I used these same elements on my layout using products from Fourteen, DIY Shop, Party Day and Maggie Holmes collections. 

This was my first time using cards as inspiration and I really enjoyed the process! It was fun to take a smaller canvas and turn it into something totally different. Next time you're looking for ideas, I hope you'll give cards a try!

Project CP Life :: March 2013 w/Piradee Talvanna

Sometimes, I feel as though things are moving at fast forward speed as it's already March; I'm pretty sure that the next time I look up again it might even be December. It's a challenge to keep pace with the passing months. It's just one reason I enjoy Project Life so much; it allows you to record memories in an easy, simple format without losing track of time. Given everything that's been happening lately, I'm thankful for this vital Project Life benefit.

Today, I bring you week seven. It entails a trip to Bangkok, amongst a few other details. To put it all together, I used the bright and lively Maggie Holmes collection.

The first thing I grabbed from the collection is the double-sided journaling cards. They're conveniently printed on a standard 12" x 12" sheet of patterned paper. They're affordable at under a "buck" and quick to cut-out! They're also perfect as Project Life inserts! You have the option to choose from multiple designs depending on your needs. I usually use them as the base for my 3" x 4" cards. 

 

Another thing I love about the collection is the combination of colors - pinks, blues, turquoises and yellows. They're especially gorgeous when backed with dark woodgrain patterned paper. Just look at this card and how the colors "pop"! 

A third fave from the collection are the light-hearted, sweet designs. The Ephemera Cardstock Die-Cut Pack includes a large selection of shabby chic images. The pink butterfly and blue tag, above, are just a snippet of what's inside! I highly recommend this collection's Ephemera options!

 

At the heart of this week's Project Life spread is a series of trips and a brand-new learned hobby. It was sad to leave Bangkok as it'd been a while since my last visit there. The food is fabulous and I miss it dearly! In Singapore, I had a chance to attend a stamp carving workshop/class. I have to admit, this might be a new hobby addiction for me. The stamps are a lot of fun to make, and the image possibilities are endless!

 

Last, but not least, I managed to squeeze in a stroll down the quieter streets in Chinatown where you can still find old shop houses/town houses in Singapore. I have to admit, one of the things that I really appreciate about Singapore is that they invest in preserving the past. Visitors are able to get a glimpse of how things use to be before the arrival of newer, fancier buildings.

Thank-you for stopping by today - have a great weekend everyone!

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 [email protected] 

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 [email protected] 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.

 

Project CP Life :: March 2013 w/Janna Werner

Incase you hadn't a chance to investigate "The Pier" collection, click this link; SUMMER. It'll take you directly to the premier! Also, a full collection giveaway is in progress - be one of the first to own "The Pier"! Hurry, warmer days are soon expected, as are those fun beach photos! 

~

Hello everyone, this is Janna with a small Project Life spread. :)

 

I've been extremely busy these last few weeks. I was stuck behind my desk doing an abundance of computer work. Therefore, I didn't have a whole lot of photos for week 8 and 9 of my Project Life album. Instead of insisting on creating a double spread each week, I've decided that it's ok to combine two weeks. Honestly, that is the beauty of Project Life; scrapbooking at your own pace without the burden of deadlines. It's about scrapbooking life as it happens and making the process as convenient as possible. 

 

This is the first time I combined a two week period and it was way more fun than I thought it would be. I picked a few highlights like my new tripod (which makes my work so much easier!), the opening of my Etsy shop, our sweet dog and meeting friends for dinner. I added pictures of the scale as well.

 

I used Crate Paper's Sleigh Ride Thickers for this week and adhered them in a non-straight way. This kind of typography set-up makes the page feel more playful and happy. 

 

I punched out a couple of butterflies from DIY Shop, Party Day and Maggie Holmes. The large one on the left is from the Maggie Holmes Ephemera Pack. I also used punched scraps. The butterflies are a synonym for my desperate need of Spring, and Sunshine!!

 

There are two journaling spots; one on the left, the other on the right. Both include highlights of those two weeks, like my addiction to Game of Thrones, working and visiting Ikea. 

 

I embellished all the photos. Some have either a sticker or patterned paper attached to them. I used my sewing machine on nearly all the parts - I love the shabby touch it adds. 

 

If you've been following my Project Life, you know that it's a weight loss album. I document my weight loss on a day-to-day basis. Right now, it's a bit up and down, but all in all, the weight is falling off. I try to focus on eating healthy and exercising more. Most the time, it works just fine, though other times, it doesn't. In truth, that's ok because pressure is by no means beneficial, nor helpful. 

Already, I covered 9 weeks of 2013!! It's fun to go through the existing weeks, study the things that have happened and read about them. On the other side of things, it can be challenging to keep pace with it all! I try to jot down notes throughout the week so I don't forget the day-to-day stuff. That being said, what sort of tricks do you use to track stories for your Project Life album?

Have a great weekend! See you in four weeks!