Crate Paper

Kiss Kiss Handmade Valentine's Day Cards

Rebecca & Maria have a couple of great Valentine ideas to tell you about today.  The first addresses the unexpected surprise of 'bright yellow' and the other offers a solution for conquering 'lots' of Valentines at once. Two totally different topics and each entirely original and fun.

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REBECCA LUMINARIAS: One thing I have always loved about CP's Valentine collections is that they nearly all include a shade of deep yellow. There's something about the combination of a bright yellow and pink that I adore--maybe it's the way the yellow POPS when placed beside the lighter (and darker) pinks. Just that snippet of yellow in the 'Valentine' sticker is enough to draw the eye in to the unexpected hue and hold its attention for a moment. Or perhaps it's because the yellow and pink pairing is sweet, which is what Valentines should be, too. Maybe it's both. I'll let you decide.

MARIA LACUESTA: Creating Valentine's Day cards with the Kiss Kiss collection is SO easy. For my sweet cards, I simply cut patterned paper to fit into some small envelopes I already had on hand and then I adhered die-cuts to one side of each card. As an additional detail, I secured the die-cuts in place with some minor, straightforward stitching. And it really couldn't get any easier–THE perfect game plan when it's the midnight hour and you have to make 30 Valentines.

Kiss Kiss Valentine's Day Cards :: Laetitia Poissy

  

It's that time of year when LOVE is in the air and everyone is thinking about the perfect Valentine's Day card to give to friends, family, classmates and the many other special people whom they adore. We certainly have begun to think about the 'all-is-red' holiday! Recently, we enlisted our CP Gals to get crafty with Crate Paper's Valentine's Day collection, Kiss Kiss. Each has a heartfelt card to share with you, along with some quick and simple tips for crafting a sweet and meaningful card of your own.

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LAETITIA POISSY >>> Valentine's Day is coming! This year, I wanted to give attention to my NSP, whom has become a very good friend over the years. We often take advantage of special occasions to send little gifts to one another. I thought I would cook up a nice little set of surprises using a pink and red color combo. To accompany my package, I made a pretty Valentine's Day card.

I chose a pretty Kiss Kiss collection tag and heart die-cut to decorate the card. It was difficult to choose from the many lovely embellishments in Kiss Kiss! We want to use everything at once!

The pink & gold does a wonderful job of unifying the card, as does the strong horizontal elements.

With Kiss Kiss tags and the ephemera pack, I will continue to craft my own little packaging for my dear sweet friend.

And you, who are you to spoil?

2015 Crate Paper Design Team {Final Day} + Giveaway

Before closing the curtain on the 2015 Design Team commencement ceremony, there  is one more paper crafter awaiting introduction. She is a special gal to us and the creative community as a whole thanks to her everlasting sweet southern charm and exceptional card making abilities–say 'hello' to Melissa Phillips.

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I jumped into the paper-crafting world as a card-maker and it still continues to be a favorite focus of mine, but I have taken the leap into scrapbooking, gift-wrap and packaging, mini albums, and altered items as well. Any opportunity I have to create with pretty paper, and I am happy as can be. My style is more on the soft, shabby, worn, and loved end of the spectrum. I love vintage, heirloom, timeless, classic, and all things related such as florals, lace, buttons, feminine images, etc. I am fascinated with eras from our past and incorporating things from days-gone-by. It creates a sense of connectedness that I yearn for and am drawn to. I have been creating since just after my little girl came along, 11 years ago. I didn't jump into the paper-crafting world though until about 2007. I have absolutely loved being a part of this industry from the beginning and it still brings me so much happiness and joy today. Allowing myself to be creative brings healing, happiness, and absolute contentment to my life.

BLOG: Lilybean Paperie
PINTEREST: lilybeanpaperie
FACEBOOK: Melissa Phillips

 

 

My favorite Crate Paper collection is always the current collection, so right now I am crazy about Open Book. Looking back though, I am always drawn to the sweet, soft, and pastel side of each collection. It's always so easy to adapt each collection to my individual style, such as with the double sided paper offering different patterns. The dimensional elements, sparkle, and delicate details associated with each new collection hook me immediately. I can't think of a Crate element I haven't loved.

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And there it is, the 2015 Crate Paper Design Team in its entirety! Congratulations to the new CP Gals:

MARCY PENNER
MARIA LACUESTA
JENNIFER CHAPIN
REBECCA LUMINARIAS
MELISSA PHILLIPS
LAETITIA POISSY

In conjunction with this fresh set of AMAZING designers is Crate Paper's longstanding DT coordinator, Christine Middlecamp. Her attention to detail and love of layers is a mainstay, always.

A quick shout-out before departing–Crate Paper is hosting a goodie bag GIVEAWAY at its Facebook page this week. Check it out >> CRATE PAPER.

Introductions :: 2015 Crate Paper Design Team

This next CP Gal is totally adventuresome, fun and cute! Because she is proficient in both pixels and paper, we absolutely knew she'd make a brilliant, new CP Gal! Say 'hello' to Maria Lacuesta.

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I am a blogger, designer, and memory keeper living in the Boston area with my boyfriend, Ray. When I'm not happily crafting pretty paper and pixels for my shop and blog, you can find me exploring the neighborhood I call home. I often document these everyday moments and experiment with different ways to combine strong typography, white space, and interesting photography in my compositions. I love being able to incorporate all my design interests into my memory keeping and currently, you can find me designing for 'One Little Bird' and 'Gossamer Blue'. You can also find me on my website and Instagram where I share peeks into my studio, design process, and everyday life.

WEBSITE: Analog Paper
BLOG: Analog Paper blog
GALLERY: Analog Paper
PINTEREST: analogpaper
INSTAGRAM: analogpaper

 

 

It is so hard for me to choose a favorite Crate Paper collection, but if I had to choose just one, it would be Notes & Things. I'm absolutely in love with the rub-ons and beautiful typography. I often talk about hybrid scrapbooking and fun ways to play with digital designs, but if you don't want to open up Photoshop, the rub-ons in this collection make it SO easy to add really interesting design elements.

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We so want to know what you think of Maria and her cheeky, random approach to scrapbooking. Leave her some love–we're super HAPPY to have her!

Introductions :: 2015 Crate Paper Design Team

This next new CP Gal joins us all the way from France! Her style is a blend of simplicity and bright, noticeable hues. She also has a fabulous knack for exquisite photography. Something we admire and look forward to greatly. Say 'hello' to Laetitia Poissy.

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I'm Laetitia and I live in France with my hubby and daughter, Lisa. I discovered scrapbooking through a magazine article I happened upon in 2007. At the time I was twenty-five years of age and looking to try something new, so I started scrapbooking. I followed it up with blogging just a year or so later, in 2008.

I enjoy photography and my laughter is my main inspiration. My style is light and simple, with soft colors. In the past, I served as a designer for a French online scrapbook retailer, but departed to focus my efforts on publication project submissions. I'm excited to be on the 2015 Crate Paper Design Team! It's a dream come true as Crate Paper has been my favorite brand for years!

BLOG: By Laeti
INSTAGRAM: by_laeti
PINTEREST: bylaeti
FACEBOOK: Laetitia Poissy

 

 

My favorite Crate Paper collections are Notes & Things and Open Book. I adore the delicate color palette of each and the array of products and embellishments.

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 Laetitia, you are so adorable! We are delighted to have you as a member of the 2015 CP design team, too!

And last but not least, we have two more introductions to make on Monday & Tuesday of next week–a sweet Southern designer with a flair for vintage charm and a fabulously fun, energetic paper fanatic! Have a great weekend, Crate Fans!

Introductions :: 2015 Crate Paper Design Team

This next 2015 Design Team member is celebrating her THIRD year with Crate Paper as a CP Gal and skillful DIY'er. Not only is her work fabulous, but her photography style is phenomenally colorful! Say 'hello' to Rebecca Luminarias!

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I've always had a big imagination and the need for a creative outlet, whether it's writing (in my younger years) or paper crafting, currently. I love stationary and the lost art of letter writing (but I think it's slowly coming back!), and in the last year or so I've become a little obsessed with clever and beautiful packaging. Sometimes I prefer a vintage look with lots of layered details; other times I'm happy to leave a project simple and sparse. More often than not, color determines the direction I take with my projects–I pretty much drop everything else when I find a good color combination! I'm happy to be back for another year with Crate Paper and you can also find me on the Gossamer Blue design team.

BLOG: Thurston Post
INSTAGRAM: @thurston_post
FACEBOOK: Thurston Post
PINTEREST: rebecca luminarias
GALLERY: Gossamer Blue

 

 

My favorite CP lines is the new Open Book. I love it's rich, saturated colors and the versatility of the embellishments and designs. I've already used it for everyday, autumn, and Christmas projects, and I'm coming up with new ideas for Valentine's Day and spring pieces. My love for glitter and gold has not waned, either, and Open Book has those in abundance!

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We know that Rebecca will WOW us with even more colour and DIY ideas in 2015! Give her a celebratory welcome 'back' and then rejoin us tomorrow for another new CP Gal introduction.

 

Introductions :: 2015 Crate Paper Design Team

We're pressing forward with Crate Paper's 2015 Design Team introductions. This next artist is brand new to the Crate Paper family! Please say 'hello' to Jennifer Chapin....

I started in the papercrafting world in 2006, first with cardmaking and quickly progressed into scrapbooking. Currently, my primary design interests are layouts and Project Life, both 12 x 12 and 6 x 8. My style is bright and colorful with lots of dimension, and a project is not complete until I use my sewing machine on it. I have been fortunate through the years to be on many design teams and have my work published. I am truly grateful for this hobby not only as a creative outlet, but for the friendships I have made as well.

BLOG: Jen Chapin
FACEBOOK: chapinjennifer
INSTAGRAM: @jenchapin
PINTEREST: jenchapin

 

 

It's so hard to choose, but my favorite Crate Paper collection to date is Maggie Holmes' Open Book. I love the patterns–dark woodgrain, yellow chevron and florals. The embellishments are also great, especially the gold glitter foam phrases and chipboard frames. The touches of black and gold are just perfect!

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And there you have it–the second addition to Crate's 2015 Design Team, long time designer and scrapbooker, Jennifer Chapin. She'll be lending her considerable talents to the CP blog along with her die cut creations and other paper specialties.

 

Introductions :: 2015 Crate Paper Design Team

Crate Paper is taking on a new approach to this year's design team. We're going small, making things more intimate, and giving you a chance to get to know our designers in a way never accomplished before. With just six designers joining us the next twelve months, our CP Gals are going to feel like 'friends' while entertaining Crate's collections from one day to the next. Each will host one post per week while relaying ideas you will LOVE and want to try. They'll also be highlighting our newest collections starting with Kiss Kiss & Craft Market!  

The moment we've been excitedly waiting for-introductions! Please say 'hello!' to Crate Paper's first 2015 CP Gal addition....

By day, I'm a homeshooling-homebody mama living in a big farmhouse in the country in Canada. By night, I'm a planner-loving, memory-keeping, photo-taking junkie. I'm a lover of layers, light colours, white space and simple design.

I'm currently holding down the first full time job I've had in fifteen years as a graphic designer for Studio Calico, as well as creating both layouts and Project Life spreads for their Creative Team.

You can see peeks of my life, projects and everyday adventures on my blog and on my Instagram.

WEBSITE: Marcy Penner
INSTAGRAM: @helloforeverpaperco
PINTEREST: marcypenner
GALLERY: Studio Calico

 

That's tough. They're all so good! I always fall in love with the new ones (like Notes & Things). And I loved Boy's Rule because it worked perfectly for pages about my two boys. But, I think my all time fave...the one I'm hoarding the most of...would have to be Storyteller. Those papers were just awesome!

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Please give a warm welcome to Marcy Penner. She is our first introduction of the week. We'll return tomorrow with another ambitiously talented CP Gal–check in to see who it might be! Congrats Marcy!

CHA 2015 Project Booth Decor :: Maria Lacuesta

We are sharing the very last set of projects from the Crate Paper booth. The show turned out to be a spectacular one and we are tremendously grateful to those who stopped by to visit with us! This final batch of prettiness comes to you from our brand new CP Gal, Maria Lacuesta!

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If there's anything I love as much as beautiful typography, it's gold foil. The Craft Market collection definitely satisfies my craving for both. I usually go for a more neutral background and this beautiful foil paper fits the bill, despite the bold all-over pattern.

To create a visual triangle, I clustered various die cuts and anchored them with some gesso. I also created cohesion between my photo and embellishments by repeating the pinkish red of the light leak in my image to the pops of pink in the florals and ink splatters.

I'm a sucker for a good map paper and this beauty in the Craft Market collection is no exception. I really wanted to play up this adorable pattern with my title work. The grid arrangement of the map patterned paper is also echoed in the background of my photo (gallery wall). To finish everything off, I added some ink splatters that work to anchor the photo.

 

The Kiss Kiss collection is not new to me, but I'm still finding more and more ways to use it. I'm definitely going to be crafting some great Valentine's Day projects with this line, but I also think it's incredibly versatile and I've been using it for other layouts as well, like this page about a DIY haircut I gave myself recently. I love hand cut letters and used the technique to highlight my title work.

I had so much fun making this layout with the Kiss Kiss collection! I wanted to create a grid-fashioned layout, so I decided to print a dotted cross-hatch grid directly onto my background paper using Photoshop. I also took advantage of Photoshop to create the page's title and finished it off with the super cute Kiss Kiss Thickers.

 

CHA 2015 Project Booth Decor :: Jennifer Chapin

 Along with today's CHA Crate booth projects, you'll notice a new CP Gal from our 2015 Design Team. Even though we have not yet officially disclosed the talented team, we are elated to have Jennifer joining us! Her Kiss Kiss makings are ADORABLE! 

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Jennifer Chapin: I was so excited to be able to make projects for the Crate Paper booth at CHA with the new Kiss Kiss collection. This collection is so fabulous for many reasons, but it is especially perfect for Valentine cards and gifts. I love the soft color palette and the florals and hearts are beautifully modern and trendy.

I started by making an altered frame. The white frame was purchased at Ikea and the clear acetate removed from the center. I then created some mini pages using patterned paper, chipboard embellishments, die cuts and stickers from the collection. I used two jump rings to attach the mini to the frame. This could be easily duplicated for any theme and would also be great as a calendar.

I created a few treat bags using Kiss Kiss as well. This is one of my favorite things to do. I love pulling doilies, tags and clips together to create a customized gift for a special someone. The beautiful glitter clips are from the new Craft Market collection. These bags can be filled with chocolates or homemade cookies.

Next up, a few cards! 6 x 6 paper pads are perfect for these. For the first card, I used the star background paper and added some stitching around the edge. I pulled hearts together from chipboard, die cuts and stickers and scattered them across the front. I added a few sequins for a finishing touch. I also created a sequin pocket card using some vellum. This is so easy to do with your sewing machine! I sew three edges of the pocket, then pour in my sequins and stitch the final edge shut. After tying on a piece of twine and embellishing with a few bits, the card was complete.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Be sure to come back on Monday for more CHA inspiration from another new CP Gal!