Crate Paper

Project Life with Marcy

One of the things I love about using a smaller size album for Project Life® (which is what I'm currently doing) is that I can tell one story in one spread. It's not too big.  Not too small. It's JUST right. 

 

This time I wanted to document a quick weekend trip to Ikea. Super random and mundane… but worth documenting just the same.

For the right side of my spread I enlarged a photo to 6x8.  I didn't want to do too much else to it, but I came across this "Cologne Water" die-cut in the Craft Market pack and I immediately thought that I could use the lower half to document the plant in the photo (and my tendency to kill plants most of the time).

I adhered the die-cut to the top of the page, trimmed off the top and layered a gold arrow beneath it.

My left side consisted of four 3x4 pockets.  My photo was horizontal so I trimmed it in half and used it to take up two of the pockets.  That left me one pocket to embellish and one to journal in.

 

I trimmed out a tag from a piece of patterned paper in the Craft Market collection and added a little subtitle with letter stickers.  I adhered that to a piece of white cardstock and trimmed off the bottom.

 

To customize my tag a little bit more I pierced four holes in a square shape and then embroidered an "x".

 

Tip // If I attempt to pierce my holes with an "x" in mind then it usually ends up all wonky.  If I think of it more like a square instead, then it's much more even.

 

 

I wanted a subtle title on my last card since the tag already pops so much.  I used the white thickers from Maggie Holmes' Confetti collection to make that work for me.

Some quick journaling.

And there you have it.  A quick and easy spread that encompasses one entire event.

I definitely don't approach my memory keeping by theme often enough.  I really like how that approach turned out and I'll have to remember to do that more often.

Layout Inspiration by Jennifer Chapin

Hello and welcome to another week on the Crate Paper blog! Today I am sharing a layout and a sketch with you, so I hope you will find some inspiration to start creating.

 

Here is the layout I created based on the sketch. I used one 3x4 photo and a large title made with the cardstock letters from Crate's Journey collection. I also used embellishments from the collection - vellum, chipboard and puffy star stickers.

I printed my journaling out on white cardstock so it would blend into the background of the layout.

For the top portion of the layout, I used a journaling card cut from CP Journey patterned paper, as well as a few vellum pieces from the ephemera pack.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today! If you create a layout with the sketch we would love to see your work. Please link us up in the comments!

Clip & Create :: Rebecca Luminarias

 We love the concept that Rebecca Luminarias came up with for using leftover random tidbits–it's something most creative types enjoy doing when bumping into cute, keepable combinations created on the fly. Great ideas come and go-stockpiling them in one place for future use is genius.

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REBECCA LUMINARIAS: When I'm making projects, I will inevitably collect random bits and pieces that I love but that don't make it onto the current project.  So I pin them onto a clipboard, which I hang on the wall, and as the collection grows, I'll eventually re-visit it and try to make a new project out of the cluster of embellishments that has accumulated.  My most recent clipboard was born from Journey and the idea of 'letting go' of fear and anxiety and just being free.  It's not necessarily about taking a vacation, but more of a pep talk for myself on the way I'd like to start living my life.

 

 

So I went from the organized pile of encouragement to these cards and tags...It was an awesome way to work, too, because while I've been collecting items on the clipboard for awhile, I had 2 cards and 2 tags made from them in under an hour, and for me, that's unheard of!  But just about everything I needed was right there!  When we received word of the clipboard assignment, I knew right away that this would be my project and so I would look up at my board on the wall from time to time and mentally put different things together.

 

 

This card almost made itself.  I made the 'go' tag during my last Journey project but didn't end up using it.  At the time, I coupled it with the 'have more adventures' acetate tag and loved them together, but wasn't making anything with the set that I loved so they got pinned to the board.  I returned to them a few weeks later for this project, and they turned into a card in about 5 minutes!  Don't lose faith!

 

That said, most of the other pieces didn't turn out at all like what I had envisioned.  These tags, for instance, were not going to be tags and I had planned to use the 'let's go' phrase on a card with the 'explore' wood piece.  In the end, I separated them into tags and I like them better this way.

 

 

Incidentally, I've had this cluster of notched tags (as seen below on the 'let's go' tag) clipped together with that same Craft Market mini clothespin since April!  Those items were clearly meant for each other.

 

 

I had the idea that I was going to use the red and white plus-sign paper and the die cut feather garland with the wood frame, but you see how that worked out.  This card turned out nothing like the way I originally intended, but that's the fun part of creating, I think--letting your ideas run wild on you because you might be (happily) surprised where they lead.

 

 

 A rough coat of white acrylic paint brightens the cork letters here.  Aside from a few outside decorations like glitter tape and doilies, I challenged myself to stick to using only items that were on the clipboard.  That also helped make the work go quickly since I've been known to spend an embarrassing amount of time gathering embellishments.

 

 

I didn't get to using everything on the clipboard so I began a new one...and I like it already.  I love that it hangs on my wall, growing and changing, inspiring me for future ideas and projects.

 

 

Clip & Create :: Jen Chapin

 Crate Paper design team member, Jen Chapin, preserves two of summer's most popular icons on two separate, colorful revamped clipboards–popsicles and pool time. Thankfully, Crate Paper's Poolside collection indulges in both!  

 

Hello there! Is it summer yet where you are? Here in the Midwest, temps have been up in the 80s and we are taking advantage of it! Today I am going to share a few embellished summer-themed clipboards that I created with the Poolside collection.

 

I made one pink for my daughter, and the other blue for my son. As you can see, there are plenty of paper and embellishment options in the collection for either color!

For the pink clipboard, I layered some patterned paper along with my photo, then added some gold acetate, a heart clip, and some other assorted chipboard and wood veneers.

 

The gold acetate comes on a 12x12 sheet so you can cut what you need and save the rest for later! I'm so glad there are Popsicle embellishments, my kids are in love with them :)

 

 

For the blue clipboard, I used some more patterned paper, along with a few cardstock embellishments from the ephemera pack. I also used one of the word Thickers from the collection - my favorite! 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by! I think I will display these somewhere on my mantel to keep us in the summer spirit. Have a great day!

 

Clip & Create :: Melissa Phillips

Welcome to 'day 2' of Crate Paper's Clip & Create festivities. Our CP Gals are remodeling clipboards this week! Today, CP Gal Melissa Phillips conveys homespun happiness & Craft Market as part of her clipboard redo.

MELISSA PHILLIPS: I love clipboards...large, small, miniature, you name it :). In my mind, clipboards are the perfect element in creating pieces of art ready to hang in your craft space, kitchen, child's room, etc. They can be fun and functional, or just fun to look at.

I chose to create a "just for fun" clipboard inspired by the beautiful mood boards you see floating around Pinterest. I decided to focus on a color scheme that I found inspiring, soothing, and perfectly me.

I used many elements from the Craft Market collection including Ephemera Die-Cuts, chipboard, glittered clothespins, and cardstock stickers.

I wanted to leave my clipboard natural instead of painting it because the color is so beautiful and combines perfectly with the aquas, creams, and pinks used in my color combination.

I love the touches of gold glitter brought in by the Craft Market Ephemera Die-Cuts, the vintage inspired postage stamps, and the burlap print on the chipboard...little things that add character, age, and touch-ability.

I added just a few of my own special touches such as tiny paper flowers, sequins, and wooden spools wrapped in fabric tape, tea-stained twill, and vintage lace. These things bring in more of my own personality and create a homespun feel which I am always striving to achieve.

This was truly so much fun to make.  I challenge you to create a mood board/clipboard of your own, adding in colors you are drawn to and elements that you find inspiring and special.

Melissa Phillips

Clip & Create :: Marcy Penner

A clipboard is an empty canvas waiting for something magical something to happen. No longer are clipboards for the 'office' only. They beg to be transformed. Think about it–chances are, you own a half dozen clipboards, if not more, thanks to Pinterest, Target, and the everyday hobby store. You can't get enough of them. Now, what to do with them all....

Our CP Gal team has been working to create their own 'made-over'clipboards on behalf of this week's premium Crate Paper feature, "Clip & Create". They paired them with your favorite Crate Paper collections, including the very latest, Poolside! This first one is super simple and comes to you from Marcy Penner....

 

MARCY PENNER: I'll admit, I had no idea what I was going to do for the crate theme this month. All I knew was that it involved a clipboard. I knew I had a small one somewhere. Once I found it (my room's under construction, so it took a while), I noticed the large "5" I had clipped to it and an idea formed.

Love it when that happens.

The large number I had clipped to it was from one of those perpetual calendars you get at the bank (or wherever)...the ones where you flip the number everyday. It dawned on me that this would be the perfect countdown for summer holidays!

I started by gathering up some supplies from the Poolside collection I thought I'd use...papers to layer and embellishments for the bottom half of the clipboard.

I trimmed my first paper slightly smaller than the clipboard.

And my second paper slightly smaller than that. I purposefully put the "busier" paper at the bottom of the pile.

I layered those two, plus a piece of vellum, and a number to the clipboard to see how much room I had to work with at the bottom.

I pulled out a smaller frame, die-cut and chipboard word from the Poolside collection and played around with their arrangement on the bottom half of the page. I decided to run the frame and die-cut across width-wise and then slightly layer the title over them.

 

To fill in the frame a little bit, I layered another die-cut underneath it and added a flamingo button.

It didn't quite feel like enough, so to fill in a little more space, I typed out a little title, trimmed around the words and adhered it on to the vellum.

None of my embellishments are adhered near the top, so the large countdown number can easily be removed and switched out for the next one.

I kinda think that I might recycle this idea for an advent calendar this year as well! It's nice and simple with just a bit of fun.

Guest Designer :: Evelyn Pratiwi Yusuf

As we say 'hello' to the weekend, a long time Crate Paper CP Gal is visiting us with a special, unexpected contribution. Evelyn Pratiwi Yusuf is a gifted photographer and paper craft artist who's talent is met with an elegant feel that is very much her own. We are delighted to have her as a guest. Welcome, Evelyn.

EVELYN PRATIWI YUSUF: Typically, I'm not one to partake in DIY project making. If it just so happens that I feel up to creating something pretty and the moment calls for it, I'll jump in headfirst!

Recently, we celebrated my baby boy's {Jasper} 1st Birthday. Before the celebration, I visited Pinterest in search of party ideas. Eventually, I decided upon a 'Lemonade Summer' birthday theme with the color combination yellow, brown and a little bit of gold.

In working with my chosen theme, I created a series of decorative centerpieces that included party bags using Maggie Holmes' Confetti collection and Craft Market's Mason Pocket Jars.

I started with three brown paper bags and decorated each one using the pocket jars and other odds and ends. The plan was to create 'birthday wish' bags for the guests to write down wishes for my baby boy on his special day. Later in life, he can read their wishes and be reminded of the event and those who love him.

Inside the bags, I tucked a random assortment of CP papers & tags for the guest to write on. I then leaned them up against canvas wrapped mason jars adorned with flowers, and a lemon & pencil.

After the party was over, I committed each wish to memory and then placed the pocket jar paper bags into Jasper's special box.

 

An Outdoor Adventure with Journey & Maria Lacuesta

 Going BIG on layouts is turning into a major trend these days. From photos to alphas, the motto "bigger is better" reigns king. Here with a mega-sized photo layout is CP team member, Maria Lacuesta!

MARIA LACUESTA: I went big with today's layout! This is one of my favorite photos from Memorial Day weekend and I wanted it to feature prominently in the composition. Because my image goes from edge to edge, with only a bit of white space on the top and bottom, I decided to add embellishments directly on the photo itself.

The wood veneer die cuts in the Journey collection are some of my absolute favorites. I love them for the super cute designs and how thick the wood is. They feel so special and I have to admit, I was kind of hoarding them! But the time finally felt right and I used the "Explore" die cut as a large title for my page.

I glued the wood veneer on top of a jumble of hot pink thread because I liked the pop of color against all the woodsy neutrals in the rest of the layout.

To add a bit more texture, I ran all four sides of my photo through my sewing machine. My stitches are messy and irregular, but I love that look...which is fortunate because my sewing skills are pretty non-existent!

The rest of my embellishments are from the Journey collection as well, including the perfectly coordinating puffy stickers and die-cut vellum, which I scattered around my title.

There's a tiny bit of journaling right below my photo that is handwritten on a die cut ticket from the Journey ephemera pack. Then as a finishing touch, I added more puffy stickers to the white space on the bottom of my page, creating a little border.

I tend to mix and match supplies a lot, but creating this page, using exclusively the Journey embellishments, reminded me how fast and easy it is to use just one collection at a time!

Summer Love Poolside Layout w/Jen Chapin

Did you know that tucked away in the Maggie Holmes Confetti collection is a large wood veneer heart frame? It's the cutest thing ever as you're about to find out...

 

JEN CHAPIN: Hello and welcome! Today I am sharing a summer-themed layout with you using Crate Paper's new Poolside collection as well as the fabulous wood veneer heart frame from Maggie Holmes' Confetti collection. I thought it would be a great compliment to my "summer love" title.

 

 

I started by adhering the heart frame to a piece of patterned paper with wet adhesive. After it was dry, I trimmed around the edges and adhered the heart to a piece of 'black and white striped' paper from Poolside. I set to work embellishing the different spaces in the frame, first with the gold sequin 'Love" -- what a great embellishment to use as a title!

 

 

I had this picture of my son which I am just in love with. I added a gold clip and used foam adhesive to adhere the picture to the layout. I kept my journaling simple with a few typed strips.

 

 

I love how this layout turned out -- lots of color, texture and dimension -- my favorite! Have you been mixing and matching Crate Paper's collections? We would love to see! Please link us up to your layouts in the comments so we can have a look!

Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today. Have a great one!

 

Random Everyday Mini Book w/Marcy Penner

During the summer, it can be a significant challenge to find enough time in the day to create a full page spread. Here to share a simple memory keeping short-cut is CP Gal, Marcy Penner.

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I've started keeping a random notebook to use like a mini book. It's just a few sheets of white cardstock stapled together but I thought it would make a nice little random mini book...for those art journal type pages or for smaller pages that I don't need a full sized layout for.

Because I'm working with a smaller canvas, I'm limited on where I can arrange things. I quickly decided that running things along the right side of my page was the way to go.

I trimmed off a small piece of ledger from the patterned paper and layered it beneath my photo, which I matted on a scrap piece of copy paper. I added a medium-sized tag and layered a cut die-cut leftover from a  previous project on top of it. To add in a little more pattern, I added a piece of dotted paper to the corner of the page.

I'm leaving every other spread of my mini book blank. This will let me sew through my pages. When I'm done, I'll just glue the pages together to hide all the stitching.

I wanted to add a title and didn't quite know where. My space is under construction and I couldn't find my ruler that I normally use when placing my alphas, so I positioned my title stickers on a piece of "clear" packaging. This allowed me to move them around until I found a location for them that I was happy with. Then, I simply removed them from the packaging and place them on the page.

To finish this page, I added my journaling on the tag and stamped the date.

And just like that, I have the first page of my random mini done.

I wouldn't be surprised if this little album ended up being an "About Me" type project. But for now, I have no plans and I'm excited to see where this project goes.