Christmas Blog Hop with Best Creation Inc.

Hello and welcome to a blog hop full of festive projects to kick-start the holiday season.  It's our first official blog hop at Best Creation Inc. and all of us are excited to show you lots of fabulous projects.  Because we all love prizes, and it is after all the season of giving, one lucky person will win a $100 prize package of Best Creations goodies and a second person will win our Valentine Collection of papers and stickers. How wonderful is that?


How to play along:
We have thirteen stops and my blog is the first stop.  Leave a comment on each blog as you hop along to collect the letters of our secret phrase. Once you have commented on the final blog (Best Creation Inc.),  email the mystery phrase to teresa@bestcreation.us. The winners will be announced on Friday, Dec. 3rd. Good luck and have fun hopping!

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My Project:

Best Creation Inc. has a number of glittery paper lines that are perfect for any holiday project.  For my project, I chose to alter an inexpensive charger plate I found at Michaels using some of the cute snowman papers.

"Altered Charger Plate"

Supplies:  Paper, Foil Stickers (Best Creation Inc.), Trim (Bo Bunny), Glitter Word & Charger Plate (Michaels), Gems (Kaisercrafts)

I love how the foil stickers pop off the plum colour of the plate. 

Before you leave, the first mystery letter is S.  Hop on over to Karen's blog for another fun Christmas project and your next letter.  Good Luck and thanks for stopping by.

Your Adventure is Here

The second line released last season by Scrap Within Reach is called "The District 406".  I decided to try my hand at making a masculine birthday card, something I do not do often enough. The elements you see on the card are all cut from the journaling card paper.  The shield was popped up with craft foam and I hand stitched black cross stitches to add some texture.

Supplies:  Paper (Scrap Within Reach), Cardstock (WorldWin), Stamp (myStamp BOX), Button & Twine

Don't forget to check back in on Monday for a blog hop full of Christmas projects to kick start the holiday season.
Have a wonderful weekend.

December Publications - Scrapbooking & Beyond

Page 23 - featuring "The Cottage" patterned paper by Scrap Within Reach and "Let it Snow" stamps by myStamp BOX

Page 25 - featuring "Paper Boy" & "Industrial Park" patterned paper by Scrap Within Reach and "CKU Giggles" stamp set by Unity Stamp Company

Pages 30-31 - featuring "Let it Snow" stamp set by myStamp BOX

Page 46 - featuring "Snapshot" stamp set by myStamp BOX

Page 74 - Daphne's first publication

Featuring "Urban Garden" patterned paper by Scrap Within Reach and "Bold Blocks" stamp set by myStamp BOX

Rain, Rain Don't Go Away

I took this photo a few weeks ago with this paper line in mind.  It's the new "Georgia Rain" line by Scrap Within Reach.  I love all the beautiful patterns and coordinating journaling cards.

The bus stop is half way down our street so it's an adventure getting there on time on a good day.  Add in a little drizzle and we have a full event.  The girls are actually excited to see the rain for that very reason.

Supplies:  Paper, Stickers, Kraft Mini Bag & Rub-Ons (Scrap Within Reach), Brads (Bazzill Basics), Epoxy (Epiphany Crafts)

To jazz up the border sticker, I decided to create matching epoxies using Epiphany Crafts' Shape Studio Round Tool.  What a quick and easy way to finish off a page.

I've got another fun use for the epoxy tool coming soon.  Check back here on Monday for a Christmas Blog Hop you won't want to miss.

EDITED TO ADD:

Look for this page in the Summer, 2011 issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond.

MY Pumpkin

I have another "Apple Cider" (Imaginisce) page to share today and this does not even begin to dent my fall photo stack.  For some reason, it's been awhile since I've posted a baby page so here it goes.  I had to make a page just for this photo.  The look on the baby's face is just priceless and it's made even better with the cat sitting behind her.

"MY Pumpkin"

Supplies: Paper & Stamp (Imaginisce), Chipboard (Technique Tuesday, Riff Raff Designs), Kraft Bag (Scrap Within Reach), Tulle (JoAnn Fabrics), Rick Rack (Lil Davis Designs), Letters (Basic Grey), Journalin Sprout (Jillibean Soup)

For other Apple Cider work, check out these links:
-Good to the Last Bite
-Fall Napkin Rings

Check back soon for a bulletin board project I made to display my girls' artwork. 
Have a wonderful weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.

EDITED TO ADD:

Look for this page in the Fall, 2011 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine.

"Catching Snowflakes" & "Silly Santa"

As much as I hate to admit it, winter is coming.  It has been a fantastic fall and snow is the last thing on my mind, but when Best Creation Inc. sent me a wonderful box full of Christmas and Winter themed paper I couldn't resist putting them to good use.

"Catching Snowflakes"

Supplies:  Paper & Chipboard (Best Creation Inc.), Letters (Basic Grey, Michaels), Buttons (Jolee's Creations), Doily (Little Yellow Bicycle), Lace (craft supply store), Gems (Kaisercrafts)

This line absolutely glistens it has so much sparkle on the winter scenes.  I love it.  And where there wasn't enough shine, I added more with some stickles.  The cut snowflakes were mounted with foam squares and then topped with stickles and a sparkly silver button.  Jolee's Creations have really caught my eye lately with some fantastic, classy embellishments.

This next page uses a mix of several holiday themed papers from a few different Best Creation Christmas lines.

"Silly Santa"

Supplies:  Paper & Glitter Cardstock (Best Creation Inc.), Trims (My Mind's Eye), Letters (October Afternoon, Webster's Pages), Border Punch (Fiskars)

To bump up the glitter factor even more I used the most SPARKLY trim I have ever seen. It is by Mind's Eye. I have it in two colours and it really is spectacular.  If that wasn't enough sparkle, I flanked it with a glitter, black scallop border I made using black glitter cardstock and a Fiskars border punch.

I'll leave you with that for today.  Hope you Tuesday is spark-tacular!  It won't be long and the holiday decorations will be going up.  Falalala lalala.

Apple of my Eye

"Apple of my Eye"

Supplies: Paper (Fancy Pants, Creative Imaginations, Imaginisce), Playing Card (My Mind's Eye), Stickers (Imagination Project), Letters (Making Memories, Basic Grey), Pearls (Making Memories)

This is one of my most favourite pictures of Julia. Abbie from Heartsmiles made the hat and it couldn't get any cuter. I used some Fancy Pants and Creative Imaginations paper from my stash on this page and whatever bits and bobs I found that coordinated. It's kind of fun to rediscover hidden treasures in the craft room.

I've got a bunch of projects I'd like to get done over the next few weeks including my first canvas mini album.  Look for that one real soon.  Hope you all have a wonderful day.  Thanks for stopping by.

Celebrating Another Year

Today we are celebrating another birthday in our house.  My oldest daughter is five today.  We are going to have an official party for her on the weekend, but I wanted to do something special for her today too.  So I made this decoration last night, bought a balloon and had one gift sitting for her on the table when she woke up this morning.

Supplies:  Paper, Chipboard, Rub-Ons, Stickers (Imaginisce), Chipboard Panels (Magistical Memories), Chipboard Letters (Maya Roads), Zutter Bind it All, Paint

The inspiration for this banner was two-fold. First, I wanted to make a banner that was different from the ordinary.  Second, I had some leftover pages from the Magistical Memories build a birthday book I altered a few weeks ago.  Attaching the pages together with my Bind it All gave me just the element of "something different" that I was looking for.

Because of all the cut-outs in the chipboard, I decided to paint the panels white in lieu of covering them with cardstock and painstakingly cutting out all the images.  Spraying them with spray paint was the best idea I've had in a very long time.  What a quick and painless way of covering chipboard. I even sprayed the letters white too so I would have a much stronger red once I inked them. It really worked well.  You can see a slight white border around the perimeter of the letters that I just love.  I will definitely be doing this again.

I couldn't resist adding a springing sticker on the piece. They are just too fun and perfect for a five year old.

Look at the banners from this angle.  Some are rub-ons, other are paper.  I think this has got to be my all time favourite Imaginisce line and the best birthday line ever.

Here is a photo of the birthday girl before heading off to the bus stop this morning.

I am so proud to be her Mom.

Happy Birthday, Callie.

EDITED TO ADD:
Look for this project in the Summer, 2011 issue of Paper Creations Magazine.

One Spooky Night

I simply adore working with acrylic of any kind, but the one thing I can't seem to master is the photography.  This page is a prime example.  I have layer after layer of transparent pieces but I'm not real certain if you get that same feel looking at this photo. 

"One Spooky Night"

Supplies:  Paper (Little Yellow Bicycle, Basic Grey), Transparency & Die Cuts (Little Yellow Bicycle), Glitter Cut Swirl (Fancy Pants), Black Floral Spray (Prima), Die Cut Border Sticker (Recollections), Epoxy (Epiphany Crafts),  Rub-Ons (Making Memories)

I curved the floral spray and made the end piece curl around the swirl in the letter 'N'.  The piece was then stitched into place with black thread.  Notice also that all the "Creepy Crawlies" on the border sticker were made into epoxies, yet another dimension added in acrylic.

I'll leave you with that for day. I am certainly open to any and all "photographing transparencies" tips as well.
Thanks, as always, for stopping by.  I truly do appreciate it.

Edited to Add:  Look for the page in the Fall, 2011 issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond Magazine.

1st Soccer Season

This page is based loosely on the November sketch on the Upsy Daisy blog.  I used the Vogue paper line again.  I find it works so well with summer photos I couldn't help myself.  I must also be truthful;  blue and green are my favourite colours so noone will ever have to twist my arms to use this line. 

This layout is my first ever sports themed page and I found myself seriously lacking in the sporty embellishments department.  This past summer marked the first soccer season for my oldest daughter.  She really wasn't sure what she thought of the whole experience for the first few weeks until the jerseys arrived.  She was less than impressed that her team got the blue ones.  It wasn't until they pointed out the writing on the underside that a smile appeared.  Check it out.  Tim Horton's was their team sponsor and the fine print on the shirt was a free pass for timbits after every game.  All of the sudden soccer was the place to be and wearing blue was cool.  It's ruthless marketing if you ask me.  I suppose it could be worse.

"1st Soccer Season"

Supplies:  Paper (Upsy Daisy Designs), Trim (Bo Bunny), Button & Sticker (Jenni Bowlin), Epoxy (Epiphany Crafts), Letters (Basic Grey, Heidi Swapp), Brads (Bazzill)

If I could have found a soccer ball on anything I would have turned it into an epoxy for this page.  I'm still on the lookout for one.  You know what?  I just got an idea.  I should just google it and print a mini clipart soccer ball onto the blue paper and epoxy it.  There you have it.  This whole blogging thing really is good for something.  Why I didn't think of this two weeks ago is beyond me.  I'll chalk it up to sleep deprivation.  That's my excuse for everything these days.  With that, I'm going to sign off for tonight.  I have to pack for twelve hours of uninterrupted scrapbooking and shopping tomorrow.  Oh what fun!!  And there is not even a single note of sarcasm in that last sentence.  My, the times have changed when Friday night is happily spent packing craft supplies for an all day event of cutting and gluing paper on Saturday.  I wouldn't change it for a second.
Cheers (hehe),
Tracey

Have you noticed??

I don't know when it started.  Or how. But it did. And I kind of like it.  I have started to ANGLE my photos.  I know it's not earth shattering news by any stretch of the imagination, but it is something that I never use to do.  Never.  It just didn't seem right.  In fact, after the discussion we had in THIS POST, I had accepted the fact that it is OK to be a linear scrapbooker.  I had this page all lined up with the photos going straight up and down and something made me angle it.  In fact, I've noticed on alot of my pages lately that I am angling more and more.  I guess it's just one of those things that happened...kind of like the whole scrapbooking with pink thing.

Supplies:  Paper (Pink Paislee, Jenni Bowlin), Die Cuts (Jenni Bowlin, Jillibean Soup, Tattered Angels),  Twin (Jillibean Soup), Letters (Basic Grey), Flower (Bazzill), Rick Rack (L'il Davis)

I'll leave you with that for today.  I've got a crop coming up on the weekend that I'm really excited about.  We shall see if this whole angling thing sticks around.  Have a wonderful evening.

EDITED TO ADD:

Look for this page in the Summer, 2011 issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond magazine.

First Day of School Mini Album

Things sure have been hopping on my blog this week.  I rarely post this often.  The fact of the matter is, last night was the first time in my craft room since last Wednesday.  The projects you are seeing are assignments that were made up to a month ago and I am finally able to share.  Do you know how hard it is to wait that long?  At any rate, I'll get on with today's post.

I had the pleasure of guest designing for Clear Scraps these past two months and here is a mini album I made with one of their mixed chipboard and acrylic albums.  It is my first ever school themed project and it was actually kind of fun.

Supplies:  Album (Clear Scraps), Chipboard (Ezee Pzee, Riff Raff & Cosmo Cricket), Paper (Cosmo Cricket), Transparency (Creative Cafe & Teresa Collins), Lace Paper (KI Memories), Felt Frame (Prima), Epoxy Hearts (Epiphany Crafts), Stickers (Jenni Bowlin), Trim (Making Memories), Alpha Beads (Dollarama), Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels)

To make short work of covering the chipboard, I sprayed both sides in Scarlet Glimmer Mist.  Quick and Easy. 

I have been sitting on this number paper die cut for years and finally found the perfect project to use it on.

All the epoxy hearts were custom made with my Epiphany Crafts' Shape Studio Tool.


Now that we have started the whole school thing here, I can see many more school themed projects on the horizon. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Fall Napkin Rings

Believe it or not, making these is rather addicting.  I'm already contemplating a summer themed set.

Supplies:  Paper (Imaginisce), Twine (Jillibean Soup), Custom Epoxy (Epiphany Crafts), Lace (Dollarama), Misc. Buttons

I have been using my epoxy tool everywhere lately.  I think these little critters are especially cute done this way.

Spraying the toilet paper rolls in glimmer mist was all that was needed to alter the colour to match my paper.  Covering it with Mod Podge at the end really made them sturdy.  I really think these will stand up to multiple uses.

For my Christmas themed napkin rings, check out THIS POST.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by.  I truly appreciate it.

"5 GOLD-EN Rings" (sung in my best shower voice)

On the Scrap Within Reach blog we have been counting down the weeks before Christmas using the ever popular "12 Days of Christmas" as our theme song.  My turn is today and my line is "5 Golden Rings".  Awhile back I mentioned that toilet paper rolls keep finding their way into my craft room and today you are going to see my Christmas version of toilet paper roll napkin rings.  Who would have thought? The funny part is, it took me a few weeks to come up with something clever to make and I was so darn proud of myself to come up with such an original idea.  So I made my napkin rings a month before the deadline. I liked them so much I made a second set for fall and then decided to google handmade napkin rings so see what other people are doing.  Would you believe this is not a new idea at all??  People have been making napkin rings out of everything from beads to toilet paper rolls since forever.  Oh well.  I guess my design is original even if the medium isn't.  So here they are.

"Handmade Christmas Napkin Rings"

Supplies:  Paper (Scrap Within Reach), Ribbon & Pearls (Making Memories), Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels), Mod Podge

Now they aren't gold, but if you look carefully you will see some gold rings in the design.  I used the "Modern Minimal" sheet from the Urban Garden line to decorate the rings.

Instructions:
1.  Cut a toilet paper roll in half.
2.  Spray inside and out with Scarlet Glimmer Mist.  Allow to thoroughly dry.
3.  Fussy cut design from patterned paper and adhere around ring with Mod Podge. 
4.  Cover the entire outer surface in another coat of Mod Podge to seal. 
5.  Add trim and pearl details.

Aren't they cute?  I'm thinking one could make custom napkin rings for most any occasion.  There is certainly no shortage of toilet paper rolls around and spraying them with glimmer mist made short work of colouring them.  Make sure you let me know if you give this idea a try.  I'd love to see them.

Before I sign off for today, here is another little project I made using the same paper line: Urban Garden.

Be sure to check the Scrap Within Reach blog next week for another installment in our countdown to Christmas. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.