Crate Paper

Notes & Things Grand Prize Winner

Sending a special congratulations to the Notes & Things prize pack winner....

"SWOON! I love the colors and overall feel to this-. I am most excited to see that there are rubons! Looking forward to getting this one!" Posted by: Raechelle Bellus | June 26, 2014 at 03:02 PM

We are so very happy for you, Raechelle! Please forward your information to [email protected] and we will arrange for the shipment of your prize pack!

Also, we want to formally express how grateful we are for the support and love of the brand new Crate Paper collection, Notes & Things. It means the world and we can't wait for you to own it!

New Release: Notes and Things

Hello everyone! Today we're so excited to be unveiling our latest collection - Notes & Things. 

The soft detail in this line evokes memories of sweet days when notes and letters were penned by hand with intricate detail. 

You'll love the lasting impression made by the delicate palette that includes shades of pink, yellow, turquoise, and gold. Simple graphics of butterflies, cameras, and florals add the perfect final touch for cards, letters, and everything in between.

We think you will love working with this beautiful collection, but be warned...You're going to see this product and you'll need every single item!

This lovely collection includes 15 double-sided patterned papers, chipboard, chipboard frames, stickers, journaling cards, kraft labels, standouts, and a variety of tags. You will also be able to pick up rub-on transfers, an ephemera pack, and coordinating Thickers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't that a fgorgeous collection?! The soft power of this collection is amazing and we love all the adorable icons. Notes & Things will be available in your local retail store in mid-July.

We would love to hear your favorite part of the collection. Leave a comment below and you could win a Notes & Things prize pack! The winner will be announced on Monday, June 30. Good Luck!

 

Crate Paper Adorn It: Creating with Frames - Melissa Phillips

We expect a lively week thanks to tomorrow's anticipated Crate Paper collection reveal and giveaway bonus - with just one day left before the start of the two-day gala, shabby chic CP Gal, Melissa Phillips, shares how to compliment your card making with Open Road chipboard frames and other accessories.

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Crate Paper's chipboard frames are among my most favorite paper-crafting supplies.  I am instantly drawn to them as I begin creating.  They provide perfect focal points and offer so many possibilities as to how to use them.  I've created a few projects for you today using chipboard frames from the Open Road collection, each using them in a different way.

I used two frames on my tag shown here.  One large frame to accent and frame in the journal card, and a smaller frame layered over a cardstock sticker with a chipboard feather perched on top, providing a perfect spot for it to rest.  The small yellow frame instantly grabs your attention and highlights the darling striped feather.

Combining the chipboard frames in various sizes is a fun way to put these lovely items to use.

I used two frames here again on this card, with the larger frame placed behind and embellished with a layered border, button, and cardstock sticker.

My second and smaller frame was attached to the bottom of the larger one with staples....a super easy and fun way to attach chipboard to your cards.

I added a chipboard sticker and die cut bottle cap to continue on with my theme and dress up my frame just a bit, without covering it up completely.

And lastly, I used a frame on this card in order to highlight a grouping of "like" images, such as this trio of cardstock feather stickers.

I then used another layered border over the top of the frame, doubling up on the dimension and texture.

To finish my card, I stapled a couple of chipboard letter stickers to the bottom corner...easy peasy.

Frames are essentials in my craft room.  I love every size, shape, and color!

Thanks for visiting.  Enjoy your summer!

Pretty Things: Hawaii and The Open Road collection - Jill Sprott

We're finishing the week with the help of CP Gal, Jill Sprott, and her lucky getaway spot, North Shore Beach–Hawaii!! The Pretty Things theme this month is 'Summer Beach' and what better location than Hawaii to talk waves, sand and sun!

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One look at my pale self and you may have a hard time believing that I live in Hawaii. At any given time, I may be 20 minutes or less away from a beach, but you will rarely find me seeking sand, sun, and surf until school is out for the year and summer vacation rolls in.

With summer vacation comes summer scrapbooking, and while I am all too happy to splash in the waves, I am also perfectly content when documenting our beach adventures in my albums.

This layout offers a glimpse at our first beach excursion of the summer. I snapped some photos using a little point-and-shoot camera that I always add to our beach bag, and included a few of them here.

The photos come together in a unified cluster, but each also stands out individually, accented by papers, tags, and frames. I combine collections here, using a mix of oceanic blues, greens, and yellows from the 'Open Road', 'Boys Rule', and 'Style Board' lines.

The foundation of the layout is a sheet of 'Style Board' cork paper, the color and texture of which remind me of the grains of sand found on my favorite North Shore beach. Before beginning the layout, I mounted the sheet on a piece of cardstock to ensure that the background would be sturdy.

Whenever I gather supplies for layouts, I am always on the lookout for details to enhance the theme of a page. I found some terrific details in the 'Open Road' collection. For instance, a sheet of 'Junction' paper, which features a hundred printed bottle cap designs, became the source for the three circle-punched accents that I added to the page. I also trimmed a journaling card featuring an image of a sailboat, honing in on the waves.

The title that I selected is not just a play on words, but it also channels a beachy vibe, with the golden word 'sun' reflecting sunshine and sand, and the blue 'block' serving as a reminder of the sea.

A beachy layout does not necessarily have to use a bold aquatic color scheme, however. In my second layout, I attempted to capture the feel of the beach through soft pinks, minty greens, and pale blues.

Once again, I combined collections, using a mix of 'Open Road', 'Style Board', and 'Oh Darling.' The key component to this multi-layered page is a 12" x 12" sheet of vellum, which softens the brightly colored papers behind it while creating a gentle contrast with the papers that are over it.

The accents on the page reinforce the theme as well as the color scheme. Feeling that a large, bold title might be out of place on a page built on the notion of subtlety, I opted to print my title on an 'Open Road' label sticker, and I tucked it behind the photo frame, which I stamped repeatedly with the word "moments" from a 'Style Board' roller stamp. The frame, from the 'Open Road' collection, has a matte texture, which allows for easy stamping without smearing.

I revisited the idea of moments in my journaling, which focuses on the memory of four friends at the beach on the morning after their junior prom.

 

There may appear to be many layers here, but the design of the layout is actually quite simple. There are two basic sections to the layout--a photo block on the right and a journaling block on the left. Everything else on the page is built over and under these two central components.

Together, these two layouts capture the wonder of the beach for me. My pale self may not be able to handle much sun, but at least I can spend as much time as I want scrapbooking the beach without getting a sunburn.

American Crafts Purchases We R Memory Keepers

Today, American Crafts announced the purchase of industry leader We R Memory Keepers. We're excited to join forces with such a well-known, respected brand and look forward to continued use of their innovative tools and incredibly popular albums.

We know you will be interested in learning more about this exciting development and are including the press release issued today.

Related News Release 

OREM, UT – June 17, 2014 – American Crafts is pleased to announce its acquisition of We R Memory Keepers. The move brings together two industry leaders and provides retailers and crafters with the best variety of scrapbooking, papercrafting and DIY products.

We R is an innovator of crafting tools that simplify and enable the creative and memory keeping process. We R also offers premier albums, storage solutions and the Lifestyle Crafts-brand of die cutting and letterpress products.

Sarah DeVoll, president of American Crafts, says that the company intends the We R brand to operate long-term, expanding on its superb track record of product innovation. Many of We R’s outstanding employees will remain with the brand and will continue to develop and innovate under the We R brand.

“This is an exciting new chapter in the history of American Crafts and We R Memory Keepers,” says DeVoll. “We’re very happy to have We R join forces with AC – working together we will be able to provide a broader assortment of top-quality products, a stronger method for innovation, and more convenient one-stop shopping for our customers.”

Wayne Mitchell, CEO of American Crafts, says that previous owner Andrew Hiller ran an innovative company that is an important part of the scrapbooking and crafting industry.

“For more than 90 years, Andrew, his family and team did a great job of building We R into a company that makes unique and creative products,” says Mitchell. “We look forward to decades more of success with the We R brand.”

Mitchell adds that American Crafts is committed – just like it’s been with all of the companies it has acquired – to maintaining the distinctive look and quality of We R’s product offering.

For the foreseeable future, We R will continue to independently operate while thoughtful integration of the two companies takes place. Future announcements to retailers will explain any changes in ordering or processes. The continued use of We R’s quality suppliers for leather albums and quality crafting tools will mean that crafters and retailers should expect the same amazing products We R has always been known for.

Hiller says the sale of We R to American Crafts will benefit customers for years to come.

“We R wouldn’t join forces with anyone but American Crafts. Their character and quality standards are unmatched,” says Hiller. “We R can’t wait to be part of the team.”

Stationery Style: A Garden Card Arrangement - Ashley Cannon Newell

 We shifted our schedule to reflect a full collection reveal on Tuesday, June 24th. We still very much look forward to unveiling the new product line. Crate Paper Founder and Design Director, Lisa Parkin, is on board to deliver it all, as is tradition! Mark your calendars accordingly if you are a Crate Paper Fan–a new modernized everyday collection awaits!

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Summer is here and the flowers have bloomed among us. I simply can't get enough and am truly inspired by the colors, shapes, and textures in the yards I pass and the gardens I visit. Today, I have a few cards to share that will surely get you in the floral spirit. The great thing about floral cards is that they can be used for just about any occasion.

On this card, I used floral patterned paper to set the tone or wallpaper on my design. I layered it with a few scribbled circle die cuts, a circle cardstock sticker, and a floral cardstock sticker. Sometimes, you just need one flower–front and center–to get the point across that you love that someone special.

What better way to greet someone with a happy hello card, than one with flowers? I used a journal card as a backdrop for a cardstock floral die cut. I added it to some patterned papers. Floral patterned papers are perfect to pair with other patters, like chevron. I divide the two patterns up with a solid colored cardstock.

Don't send cards? It's okay to admit it because you're not the only one. I forget to send them too. But when I do, they totally make that person's day. I usually get a text, e-mail, or even a phone call about how grateful they were to receive snail mail and a handmade card. So, even if you just want to touch base with someone and tell them 'hey there' you can whip up cute ones using chipboard flowers, rub-ons, and some journal cards.

I hope you make some time this summer to stop and enjoy the flowers. But, don't forget to take that inspiration into our craft world and create some floral arrangements on cards, too! Those cards will surely be a pick-me-up in someone's life.

CP Dots & Stripes: Fun at the Carnival - Katie Ehmann

 

 

As one of June's feature specialties, Dots and Stripes is here once again to show you how to dress-up your next project using the infinite variety of polka-dot and stripe patterned papers that Crate Paper has to offer. Today, you'll 'spot' two fun-filled layouts from long-time CP Gal, Katie Ehmann. We love her take on the theme!

***New Collection Reveal starts this Thursday, June 19th + Giveaway!!!

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Whenever I receive a new box of paper goodness from Crate Paper, I always delve into the stack of patterned paper first. While I love paper with big, bold graphics, florals, and cut-apart journaling cards, my heart skips a beat when it comes to stripes and polka-dots. Not only are they incredibly versatile, they provide a big pop of color and interest to any project, without taking away from the embellishments and photos. For these stripe-y/dotty projects, I combed through my stack of Crate papers and selected all the stripes and dots I could find, initially intending to choose a few with which to work. Ultimately, I loved the look of the stack that I had, so I decided to go pretty eclectic for my first layout: Fun at the Carnival!

I began by trimming down a few papers and layering them in an alternating stripe\dot\stripe\dot pattern beneath my photo. I rarely use black in my layouts, but for this project, I felt the black really provided some contrast to my bright photo and embellishments. Once I layered my papers, I adhered my photo and attached the whole pile to a piece of dotted vellum from the Oh Darling collection. Finally, I machine stitched the vellum to a sheet of white cardstock. I selected embellishments and alphas from Open Road, Oh Darling and Styleboard, creating a fun collage to surround my photo.

For my second project, I chose to focus on polka dots and punched circles from a variety of dotted patterned papers. I arranged them in a grid across white cardstock, taking care to alternate the patterns. Once adhered, I gathered circular embellishments from Open Road, Styleboard and Oh Darling, and placed them atop my dots. Next, I decided to place my title, 'So Awesome', directly on my photo to keep the look cohesive. I adhered the vellum 'awesome' sentiment from Boys Rule with This to That {AC} tape runner. Finally, I trimmed the white cardstock and backed it with a neutral paper to serve as a border.

Thanks for joining me today, Crate fans! I hope you're enjoying your summer and are busy taking lots of photos for your stripe-y and dotty layouts!

Pretty Things: A Florida Beach Escape - Anabelle O'Malley

 

 

We're still talking 'beaches' here at the Crate Paper blog as part of this month's 'Pretty Things' theme. Beaches can serve as a tremendous source of inspiration–from the sand to the sky and everything inbetween, there's lots to see and much to admire. Recently, CP Gal Anabelle O'Malley, visited the beautiful Sanibel Island in Florida where some of the most eye-catching beaches reside–she has two 'beach' themed layouts to share from the trip. Have a look!

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If there is one thing I love, it's the beach. I love the sounds, sights, scents and feel of it. Being on a beach, and feeling my toes in the sand, is truly my favorite thing in the world. Recently, my family and I took a trip to Sanibel Island, Florida. The gulf coast has some of the most beautiful beaches and I loved every second of it. I was excited to scrap a couple of layouts using Crate Paper lines. They were perfect for the colors I captured in my photos.

This first page focuses on one of my favorite photos from the trip. I decided to make the photo the focus of the page and printed it at 8" x 12". I knew that I could use some of the open space on the picture to add elements.

I used a mix of Open Road and Oh Darling goodies on this page. I wanted to be able to use soft pastels and both lines offer papers and embellishments that fit this bill. In this photo, I added some stand out stickers to the bottom corner of the page. I wanted this cluster to draw the eye to my husband and son as they walked down the beach in the photo.

I decided that I wanted to have some 'beachy' elements on this page. To do this, I found several papers that fit my color scheme. Then, I used my Silhouette to cut out several seashell die cuts. I decided to create a border with them along the side of the photo. I didn't want them to overwhelm things, so I tucked them under the picture and let them peek out. I added some gold enamel dots (you can make dots with gold glitter glue if need be) and added a couple of cork stars for some texture.

Next, I pulled out a vellum tag from Oh Darling, a chipboard frame, some chipboard elements and some stickers from the Open Road collection. I layered them together to form another cluster that served as part of my title.

I finished off the page by adding my die cut title and some journaling on vellum strips. I added these to the open space on the photo.

My next page focuses on a fun day trip we took while on vacation. We visited Captiva Island for some wave running! It was a blast.

Again, I looked to the Open Road and Oh Darling lines for this page. I started by adding a large strip across the top of the page and then added two smaller strips to tie in the colors from the photos. I added stitching and roughed up the edges of the top two strips to provide some texture to the page. A folded over, stapled on packing tag with a sticker on it serves as a pretty detail in the top left corner of the page.

In order to make the photos stand out a bit, I layered them onto two chipboard frames. The photos were adhered with foam adhesive, I decided to add some vellum cut leaves as a layering elements. Both Sanibel and Captiva are lush islands with beautiful vegetation. I thought that this would be a good way to capture that feeling without overwhelming the page.

To create my title, I reached for the 'Day Trip' chipboard element. Then, I added a subtitle using some smaller letter stickers.

I finished off my page with another folded tag. Tucking a sticker under it and using the chipboard arrow to draw the eye to it helped me create this journaling spot.

As you can see, you don't need beach 'themed' products to create fun, beachy pages. Both Open Road and Oh Darling are perfect for documenting your 'fun in the sun' summer memories!

CP Photo Fun: Summertime Photography - CP Gal Naomi Atkins

We leave behind this weekend a different kind of post filled with tips and ideas for capturing FUN summertime photos–CP Gal, Naomi Atkins, is an avid professional photographer running and managing a photography business called Inspired and Enchanted Photography. Her work is phenomenal - we invite you to enjoy and linger.

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Naomi here today with some summertime photo tips, and a quick project that you can make and then swap out your revolving summer photos.

It's summer, and time to take your camera outside again! Who am I kidding...I take my camera outside all times of the year. Just ask my daughter while they're shivering outside in the snow with tutus on.  However, you have much more time and opportunity to get the perfect shot! My favorite photos are a mixture of things I stage, as well as snapshots of my kids having fun, doing what they love to do. I know it can be a pain, but take your camera everywhere!! It's the only way to capture those summer memories. I love my iPhone, but it doesn't give me the control I want and I'm always wishing I had my nice camera with me!

Some of my favorite photos of my children are them just playing outside. They love their swings, and we put a big wooden one up that two kids can fit on. I came out the other day and my husband was pushing my two littlest on the big wooden swing and they had their arms around each other...LOVE!

Also LOVE getting the kids blowing the dandelions! The way their little lips pout when they blow the seeds off is just adorable!

Also, the golden hour, near sunset, is by FAR my favorite time to shoot.

We go on walks after dinner and I love that sunset light. When we are at a place where the sun sets beautifully, don't forget those silhouette shots!!

If you shoot manually, expose for your sky (with a high app) and your subject will be dark...these are some of my favorites!

When you are at the pool, grab those shots of your kids jumping and their excited faces wehn they get out! I love the shots of my kids when they are little and drowning in life jackets. All of my kids have been a bit afraid of learning to swim, so they have lots of 'Gear'...and these are some of my favorite pics, too! My son is wearing the dogs life jacket in this photo, and he was sooo happy because the life jacket went around his neck! I love my boys in goggles as well.

At the beach, the best shots are if you are able and willing to actually get in the water...my favorite photos are when I can get down low and get straight on shots of my kids jumping and playing in the waves. If you shoot manually, don't be afraid of the full sun. Try and make sure it's behind you so that your subject is exposed properly rather than dark or squinty. The ocean will probably be a bit overexposed as in my shots, but I can darken that back up a little when I edit.

I also like to get a shot of my feet in the waves, and often make it a screen saver...reminds me of how relaxed I was when I took the shot! Also, don't forget to get yourself in the shots. I set up the shots sometimes, and have one of my kids snap it. They love it!

Last but not least, don't forget those posed shots. I took my littlest to an orchard in bloom in early may and dressed her up of course!

Also, my oldest daughter recorded her own cd for a fundraiser for our missions trip to Africa, so I took urban-type shots of her with her guitar.

Don't forget to photograph your children with the things they love, or things that are special to them...and most of all, HAVE FUN!

And in case you want to make a little project to showcase those photos, all of the neat embellishments in the Open Road collection make for an easy project. I love to swap out my photos, so I took an old wooden frame, pinned some burlap twine to the back and hung some photos and Open Road embellishments to the twine for a quick and easily changeable project! You can get frames cheaply from thrift stores, take out what you don't like, and either distress or paint them for easy projects!

Thanks for stopping by today, and make the most of your summer photo opportunities!

Stationery Style: Four Floral Arrangement Cards - Jine Jean

 Our sweet and lovely CP Gal, Jina Jean, has arranged a vibrant and graceful selection of handmade cards, each a reflection of this month's Stationery Style theme–Floral Arrangement. Have a look!

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Hi CP fans ~ It's Jina joining you today to share my flower cards inspired by the Open Road collection. I've been a long time fan of all of the beautiful flowers Crate has created over the years. They're cute and elegant, and I really enjoy playing with them when scrapbooking or card making. It was no surprise then when I spotted the many exquisite flowers of various shapes and colors in the Open Road collection. I fell in love with their 'vintage' feel and amazing tones. I couldn't wait to create cards from them in honor of this month's 'Stationery Style' theme.

My first card is soft and clean. On a white sheet of cardstock, I trimmed and adhered sections of tiny flower patterned paper. I then hand-trimmed random sized layers of white cardstock and positioned them in the center of the card with small doily pieces. Lastly, I added machine stitching and clear rhinestones. In essence, the card feels pure, rich and romantic.

For my second card, I used vibrant patterned paper with the addition of Open Road's 'chipboard frames' and scattered sequins, which are super cute! I created a flower collage from different sizes and colors of flowers - a technique that is an absolute favorite on mine!

This time, I wanted to up the contrast by using strong colors and patterns. I went the route of 'black, bold stripes' and 'orange'. I extended the black/white theme to the embellishments by accenting Open Road's turquoise rose with a black/white chipboard feather.

Finally, I decided to make another card using flower patterned paper instead of flower die-cuts. I love the cute flowers on this vintage emerald green paper. It's fresh and bright–especially the beautiful yellow flowers! I went with even more yellow by housing Open Road's large yellow chipboard camera in the center of the card. Behind it sits a petite transparency window filled with glitter–a kind of camera splash!

I highly suggest giving The Open Road collection a look when sitting down to create your own assortment of flower adorned cards this summer. Thank you for stopping by the Crate Paper blog!