Crate Paper

Two Girl-Perfect Layouts with Laetitia Poissy

 On this casual Wednesday, CP Gal Laetitia Poissy has two sweet & dainty girl-themed layouts to introduce, and a brief insight into the many Maggie Holmes Confetti collection offerings.

I'm completely in love with the Maggie Holmes Confetti collection. It blends seamlessly with my minimalist, eclectic scrapbook style. For today's post, I'm presenting two brand new layouts that I made using an assortment of Confetti's pretty products. They are simple and sweet.

For this first layout, I used my favorite Confetti patterned papers to build up my background, "Party" & "Garden Party". As a decorative touch, I trimmed a variety of lovely paper labels from the "Party" patterned paper and then pulled and added two labels from the Confetti die-cut pack. 

I then turned to the Confetti acetate & vellum die-cut pack to create the layout's title work and flower combination. The extra large 'words/phrases' are a quick means to create a charming, direct title on either a layout or card. 

And this cute, Kate Spade looking bow-tie clip was the final touch–I'm wild about it! The clips are included as part of the Maggie Holmes Confetti Hardware Embellishment pack amongst other small gold items.

In this second layout, I used paper leftovers and labels from Confetti's "Snapshot" patterned paper. Similar to the prior layout, once again, I took advantage of Confetti's embellishment selection, including Confetti's Thicker stickers–some of the Thicker designs look hand-scripted, lending a softer, more playful edge.

And there you have it–two charming layouts that capture several odds-and-ends from Maggie Holmes' Confetti. It has been a joy to have you stop by!

Craft Market & Confetti DIY Inspiration Board

We are starting the week off with a phenomenal DIY inspiration board from CP Gal Team Coordinator, Christine Middlecamp. The details are priceless and convey two of Crate Paper's most current Spring collections: Craft Market & Maggie Holmes' Confetti.

One of the greatest gifts as an artist and scrapbooker/card maker is 'color'. Usually, my color preference is 'the more, the merrier'. I'm always in the market for a dynamic, uplifting color palette, especially this time of year.

One of my favorite hues this season is Violet. It radiates freshness, an ideal quality fit for Spring! This is especially the case when paired with light olive green, emerald, gold, and a smidgen of pink and peach.

Today's project is a great example of the aforementioned color combination brought to light. The colors look fantastic together! I brought them full circle through a series of intricately created layers using the Crate Paper collections, Confetti & Craft Market (hints of Journey). The project itself is an investigation of color & everyday design. The end product is an inspiration board for my studio bookshelf.

To create the board, I started with an antique white, thin "8 x 10" frame. I removed the glass from the frame and painted it a pastel violet using a wide flat brush and craft-quality acrylic paint. After leaving it to sit and dry overnight, I inserted a "8 x 10" burlap covered board that I purchased from a local craft store.

Next, I pulled out a stack of Russell and Hazel blank, foil stamped "3.5 x 2.25" cards. I laid six of them on top the burlap in the upper region of the frame. I then went about decorating each card with its own array of closely clustered embellishments and other necessities. Even though the cards are separate, each one carries over onto the next, creating one large cohesive design.

As a finishing touch, to the lower region of the frame, I added ribbon and a simple flower/feather duo.

**Tip: To adhere the cards and ribbon to the burlap, I utilized a hot glue gun. Worked like a charm!

One clever tiny combo I want to share is this adorable flower. A cake stand & painted plastic dome serve as the base. There are four layers; turquoise cardstock, a Confetti pinked-edge circle, a 1" pink button & flower cabochon, and finally, two banners (Confetti chalkboard label & American Crafts gold glittered paper ribbon) and delicate blue vinery.

 This little polka-dotted fella is from Confetti's die-cut pack. He is oh-so-charming. He has matching friends throughout the collection in both cardstock and chipboard form.

I wish I had a photo of how pretty the frame looks on top my shelf in my studio. Never does Crate Paper disappoint! Love the violet, too!

Thank for stopping by today and keeping us company! We appreciate your support and wish you a wonderful, happy Monday!

Wrap it Up w/Rebecca Luminarias

Dressing up 'gifts' is Rebecca Luminarias' specialty! She is our go-to gift wrap expert! When it's party time, she knows what shines and stands-out from the present pile crowd. Today, it's all about topping off BIG presents using the beautiful Confetti collection and the popular paper crafting embellishment, rosettes.

 

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It's no secret that I love sprucing up little packages to give away.  Small details are such fun--add a sequin here, a tiny tag there--they've become my favorite paper craft to produce. But what do you do when you have a larger gift to give? We can't always give jewelry and small notebooks...how do you present a statement-making present on a larger scale? It's easy!

 

 

The Confetti collection is all about parties and celebrations and features decor like garlands, oversized balloons, and large Paper Pinwheels.  My daughter just turned 2 and I hung these up at her party, as is, without any added embellishments. When it was time to take them down, I wondered what else could be done with them...

 

 

How about package toppers for large gifts? They make the perfect accessory actually--they're festive, can be decorated, and are sized just right for big presents (I've used the 8" x 8" and 10" x 10" accents here). 

 

 

Because of the 3-dimensional rosette look to these, you don't need to do much more to them. Yet I did want to add some extra touches and the easiest way to layer rosettes is to add more circular elements, which is why I chose paper doilies and another medallion from the pack of Standouts. I wanted this to be a statement piece, though, like nothing my recipient had ever before received.  Gold strands of tinsel, paired with a ribbon of crepe and patterned paper offered color and shine.  The 'hooray' and tinsel strands remind me of a New Year's Eve celebration popper, ready to POP and spread cheers of joy all around. That's just the idea I was hoping to convey for my recipient, too.

 

 

The last detail was this 'happy' toothpick flag--the sweetest finishing touch and another burst of color and flair.

 

 

Gift bags are incredibly handy for larger presents and these days they're widely available in beautiful designs. But if you want to personalize the wrap or bring in some handmade touches, these pinwheels go a long way!

 

 

This aqua rosette was a bit trickier to decorate because it's not flat in the center like the gold polka dot was. To navigate around that, I designed a cluster of embellishments, delicately placed. The blue medallion Standout sits right on the raised area in the middle, while a half doily is adhered just above it, and more tinsel is scrunched up and bunched up to create some height around the 'nub' so the rest of the elements aren't laying flat.

 

*Tip:  Even though most of these embellishments are adhesive backed, I used hot glue to secure each piece. Because the surface area isn't solid, I had to make certain that the pieces would hold firmly onto whatever they were stuck.  Also, since this will be moved around in transit and it's a 'delicate flower', so to speak, I wanted to ensure it's stability and longevity. 

 

 

I couldn't resist making an enclosure card out of this "Happy Day" scrap from the 'Party' patterned paper. It really is a perfect match!

 

I purposely avoided putting a name or even an occasion on these decorations, the idea being that these are the kinds of things that are nice to re-use.  This way, if I give it to my friend for her bridal shower, she has the freedom to use it again for a birthday or wedding; it has less of a chance of sitting in her closet until she needs it for a bridal shower.

 

While it's always a pleasure to fashion sweet little gifts, it can be just as fun to create larger packaging when the need arises.  Big or little, a gorgeously wrapped gift is always appreciated--no matter what's in inside the box.  

 

Crate Paper Tips & Techniques :: Sequin Fun

How about a fresh batch of tips & techniques to get you thinking outside of the box during your next crafty session? Over the next couple of days, our CP Girls will introduce an assortment of original, one-of-a-kind ideas that we think are a total hit and worth trying. You'll not want to miss a single one!

This first tip is brought to you by Jen Chapin. It includes a brand new layout using Maggie Holmes' latest collection, Confetti.

Jen Chapin: Sequins are so trendy in the paper crafting world right now! One of my favorite techniques is to scatter them across a page to draw your eye through a layout.

For this project, I used the Maggie Holmes Confetti collection, which includes a sequin pack. The light blue sequins in the package match the patterned papers perfectly. I started by layering patterned papers and stickers, then when finished, I placed the sequins in a diagonal pattern from the top right to bottom left corner. This technique can also be used with buttons, stickers, enamel dots or chipboard. Do give it a try!

 

Anything Goes!

 This sweet pair, flowers & pockets, comes to you from CP Gal, Marcy Penner. She has a great idea for using them leftover pocket pages you might have hanging around the studio and it's brilliant!

This project came together right after completing another assembly for a future Crate Paper post focusing on tips and techniques. So, apparently I was still in a transparent pocket mode because that topic carried on over onto my scrapbook page.

This page started with a photo of some flowers that my hubby brought home for Valentine's Day. I thought it might be fun to balance the photo with a transparent pocket of "confetti".

Last year, I manually converted my 12 x 12 Project Life page protectors into 9 x 12 ones by trimming off a column of 3 x 4 pockets. I kept a few of them to use when I wanted to create floating elements in my spreads. I took one of those pockets for this page and sewed three of the four ends closed.

I played around a little bit and decided on a vertical arrangement. I trimmed a piece of patterned paper to fit in the pocket and adhered the chipboard "love" onto the front of my pocket. The letters were kinda getting lost, so I took out the text paper and trimmed a white one instead.

I knew I'd be filling my pocket with some confetti, but I also knew that I didn't want it to all sink to the bottom of the pocket. I decided to adhere some of the larger gold sequins from the Confetti collection, right to the white paper.

I also added a chipboard and metal heart to the mix. Once I had my bigger pieces glued down, I just tossed in the smaller pieces. I sewed the pocket shut once I felt it was full enough.

After I completed my pocket, I moved on to the rest of my page. I trimmed some papers in random sizes to layer behind my photo. I stacked that above my pocket on my 8.5 x 11 background and repositioned them till I could see a little bit of them all.

I added a little ticket, some gold paint splatters and a small "&" bingo chip before moving back to my confetti pocket.

I didn't want my pocket just floating there so I grounded my pocket on a large tag by clipping it on with a bow paper clip. The tag was just large enough that I could add a bit of journaling on the side to complete the page.

Confetti pockets can add an instant party to your pages! Give it a try sometime!

The Story of Us & Pocket Page Scrapbooking

CP Gal, Jen Chapin, is here to take you on a pocket-page journey that are emblematic of two fun-filled subjects - both of which take advantage of Crate Paper's new Craft Market & Confetti lines! Take a peek!

 

Hello! Jen Chapin here, and today I am going to share some 6 x 8 pocket pages with you. I love doing Project Life in many different formats. Currently, I have three albums going; 12 x 12 and 9 x 12 family albums, as well as a 6 x 8 personal album. This is the album that I am filling with things all about my life as a person....not just as a mom, but as a wife, co-worker, friend, student, etc. I had the idea a few months ago because I think that it is so important to document the story of 'us' for our children.

For all of these projects, I used a mixture of the new collections, Craft Market and Confetti. Even though they are not specifically designed for Project Life, the patterns and elements lend themselves well to it. This page is a full 6 x 8 and it is such a fun size! I love how little it takes to fill up the page but yet makes such a great impact.

These chipboard Thickers from the Confetti collection are just gorgeous. I am quickly working my way through a package of them! I also love that butterfly patterned paper and the ephemera/vellum elements too.

This is also a 6 x 8 single page. I wanted to document getting to make projects for the Crate Paper CHA booth and thought that my personal album would be the perfect place. I used elements from both Craft Market and Confetti on this one.

It seems I cannot make a project without my sewing machine....and stitching through chipboard Thickers are one of my favorite techniques to add to a page. I love the texture and interest it adds.

I also took advantage of the birthday theme in Confetti and created a few pages about my husband's birthday celebration in January. I had fun layering stickers, chipboard and vellum to create a balanced spread. Paper clips make a great addition to pocket pages as they add some fun visual interest without being too bulky.

One technique I also love to do when pocket scrapping is to layer my enamel dots on the outside of the pocket. This creates more dimension and lessens the glare from the page protector.

This black and white floral patterned paper is from Craft Market and it is one of my favorites - I love the pattern and eventually want to spend some time water coloring it. I slipped that into the pocket then added a chipboard sticker and gold heart from the Confetti line.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I had so much fun making these pages and I hope you have taken some inspiration for your own pocket scrapping. Don't forget to document your story as well -- you are worth it and it is so important!

Craft Market Hoopla!

 Such fun you are going to have today with our design team coordinator, Christine Middlecamp. She has a great project to talk about that is crafted from one of this season's most popular Crate Paper embellishments–Craft Market Wood Veneer Hoops!

When I heard directly from Lisa Parkin, Crate Paper's founder, that she was releasing an ADORABLE set of miniature wood embroidery hoops, I felt an immediate 'swoon' from within. Seriously, tiny wood embroidery hoops? Where had she picked up such an awesome idea and what direction would I run with it? 

The hoops eventually arrived, and they have been patiently awaiting my attention. Finally, over the weekend, I took to playing with them, attaching felt to the backs and embellishments and papers to the fronts.

I'm in the habit of collecting every felt color known to man. I chose a pleasant, lively color palette for the altered hoop set; emerald green, bubble gum pink, carnival turquoise, & deep fuchsia.

I adhered each hoop to a patch of felt with 'hot glue' and cut away the excess using a sharp scissors. I double checked my glue job and re-glued areas that were in need of extra support or were missed altogether.

In the end, I crafted a total of 'five' hoops ranging from 2.5" to 6" in diameter. I covered each one with circles cut from Crate Paper's various new releases, including Craft Market & Maggie's Confetti. I layered some of the circles with cardstock and topped them off with an array of delightful additions. 

**I attached the paper and elements to the felt background with Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive (my fave wet adhesive) & staples.

The key to creating flowers such as these is 'texture'. I've always made my own one-of-a-kind layered flowers. Over the years, I have simplified the process some, but I still follow the same basic rules:

1. mix & match surface texture, tone, size and shape.

2. Try to keep each layer as distinctive as possible.

3. Include an occasional layer of contrasting cardstock.

 4. Bring it full circle with a vintage, retro button & rhinestone.

5. Circle punches are a MUST.

{**I hand carved the bird from a stamp block using  both V/U-shaped Speedball Gouges.)

 You might not remember the diamond gold transparency design from the Journey collection, but it is stunning! It's part of a larger set of tags sold on a 12" x 12" sheet of gold foiled transparency.

The pretty pink multi-flower brad is from an old Crate Paper collection that is no longer in production. These last seven years, I have kept everything that Crate Paper has sent to me, brads included! I keep them stored in their very own drawer on top my desk.

These fancy Craft Market/Confetti phrase stickers are new to the Crate family–they are the perfect size!

The last two hoops call attention to a quote that inspired the project's running theme, 'letting go':

"We can never go back again, that much is certain." - Daphne du Maurier

 It has been a truth that I have endured as a young widow the last six years. Now, is the time to focus on my future. The embroidery hoops express the journey ahead through color, tiny phrases and imagery. 

 Please feel free to pin anything that is of interest–the Craft Market embroidery hoops are too cute for words!

It's been an absolute joy spending time with you today! Happy Crafting!

Everyday Memory Keeping :: Marcy Penner

For the first time, CP Gal, Marcy Penner, is granting the Crate Paper blog a brand new monthly series devoted to everyday stories–the big & small. This is her very first installment and it's a good one.

***Let it be heard that her post is packed full of awesome tips! You won't want to miss a single sentence. Take a moment to read and absorb, and then pin whatever catches your eye. Marcy is genius! 

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Everyday moments are a big deal. They're the things I want to remember. The things I want to look back on. They may not seem important at first glance... but it's these little pieces of everyday life that I strive to capture and document. They're the ones that are important to me... now and later.

I'm super excited to share little tips and tricks for Everyday Memory Keeping with you through the course of the year. They may come in the form of layouts, pocket pages or something else entirely.... but they will hopefully encourage you to record and preserve those little moments of your life.

I started this page by digging into my chipboard frame stash. The Crate chipboard frames are for sure one of my top 5 embellishments of all time. They get their very own basket too. They're that special. I decided to start with the black and gold glittered frame from Maggie Holmes Open Book collection. It was quite the showstopper and I liked how the diagonal division pointed directly to my cup of tea in the photo.

I had another basket full of Maggie's latest release, Confetti, nearby so I pulled out some of my favorite things to see if they would spark some sort of idea or direction. I ended up pulling out a few papers, two alphabet sets and some die-cuts. I think narrowing down the papers was the hardest part.

I don't get to use girlie products all that often so when I can, I totally do! I used one of the leaves in Confetti's metal die pack and cut one out of vellum. I figured I should be able to layer that somewhere on my page. The vellum would keep it subtle and add dimension if I curled up the edges a bit.

At this point I went back to the item that jumpstarted this whole project... the chipboard frame. I really loved the diagonal division and thought it might be cool to echo that in my patterned papers and have them line up together. I laid out my patterned paper on my background cardstock and lined it up so that I could follow the line of the frame across the page. I marked the points where it hit the edge of the patterned paper and trimmed it off using those marks as a guide.

Once that was done, I was left with something like this.

I matched up another piece of patterned paper to fill in the other side and added some gold paint splatters. Once the paint dried, I sewed along all the edges. It's so very simple, but the black dot paper is a current favorite of mine!

I housed my large photo inside the chipboard frame and adhered a smaller one beside it. Embellishing is always fun for me, so I gathered up those die-cuts I set aside and started incorporating them onto my page. I knew for sure that I wanted to tuck the "A Gift for You" tag somewhere.

This whole page is about my morning tradition of making tea for my daughter and myself before we head off to meet the bus for school. It's a small thing. Just a minor routine, but it really is so special to me.

Once I tucked some flower die-cuts (and that vellum leaf) behind the frame, I decided to add a title. Normally I'm totally fine without having a title...but I had some extra space on the bottom that I wanted to fill up. If I moved my frame down to fill up the space, my diagonal line wouldn't line up with it anymore. So title it was. I like to use my plastic ruler to line up my letter stickers. This lets me move them around until I'm happy. To do this I just stick them on the edge...

...and once I'm happy with where I have it on my layout I press them down and slowly peel the ruler back.

Lastly, to add a little bit of context I added an "every single day" word strip to the chipboard frame.

I originally had these photos printed out to go in my pocket page album. But really there was a story to tell. A small story, but an important one. And those are the very best kind.

A Birthday Party Mini Album

Laeticia introduces the first birthday mini album of the year using the new Maggie Holmes 'Confetti' collection. The album's sixteen page formula easily accommodates many photos and is pretty to look at!

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The Maggie Holmes Confetti collection was most ideal for documenting my dear sweet Lisa's birthday photos. Making the album was pure joy for me - I'm in total love with Confetti's patterned paper and assorted embellishments. 

To start the album, I pre-trimmed sixteen pages of the same size and decorated each one. I added one photo per double spread and bound it together with two rings and three delicate Confetti embroidery floss tassels.

On many of the pages, the elements are supported by tags and labels trimmed from Confetti's 'Party' paper. At just a $1 a sheet, they're a super deal!

A cute, feminine offering available via the Confetti collection is a multi-layered rose die. Above is a sample of the rose cut from just one sheet of patterned paper. To bring in more contrast, consider using solid cardstock to offset the various layers.

Super simple, and so CUTE! The collection has a way of standing on it's own without any extras to help make it 'pop'. It also radiates "celebration", a quality that perfectly accentuates the running theme of my album. Happy Birthday to my little girl!