Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Fall'n for Flair

Paper Issues has issued the newest theme:  Fall'n for Flair.  With the start of fall finally here, it is refreshing to feel a bit of crispness in the air.  Especially here in Oklahoma, where we are known for 100+ temperatures all summer long it seems.  As for the flair, I am all about it!  You know me for my mosaics and my calendars.  I would have to say my calendars are dripping with tons of flair, wouldn't you agree?

Today I share with you 2 calendars I created for 2 sisters both with their own sense of style.  As you can see they were each custom created to suit their favorite color schemes and patterns.  When designing them, they both gave me artistic license to create.  It is so fun to play with these calendars with so many little bits and doodads.  So much vintage goodness from years gone by.  Having a huge stash of numbers I have collected over the past few years, it is almost like putting together a puzzle every time.  I hope that Holly and Heather have been enjoying their calendars, month after month!  :)

Don't forget to share your "flair" projects with us at Paper Issues.  You might just be featured with your awesome project, and there is some "fabulous flair" up for grabs.  Check out the info for the giveaway here, and link up here!

Happy Tuesday!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Tag, You're It!

Good morning! I am excited to present to you Paper Issues latest theme: Tag, You're It! To get this party started, we are having a blog hop with some fabulous projects and a killer giveaway you will definitely want to win! Here is a list of all the girlies participating in the hop to get you started...
1. Bethany http://ribbonglitterandglue.blogspot.com/
2. Christina H http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fchristinaheeren.blogspot.com%2F&h=-AQHbWcze&s=1
3. Kelly Jo http://www.kellyratcliff.com/
4. Melissa Gener http://www.missygener.com/
5. Amy B. http://www.curlyqmosaics.blogspot.com/
6. Ashli http://purplemailbox.blogspot.com/

In honor of the newest theme, I created a sweet gift bag embellished with tags for a dear friend of mine's birthday. She has lots of beautiful "keepsake" books she has created over the years that are true masterpieces. Dripping at the seams with tons of ribbon, fabric, ephemera and notes from dear friends I knew she would appreciate these sweet tags to add to her collection. To make these reusable for her, all the tags are simply clipped together by use of a clothespin covered in some Hambly woodgrain washi to make it extra pretty. I created the tags using lots of Tim Holtz dies and 7Gypsies goodies. My favorite 2 would be the copper birdcage with the glass glittered bird and the K & Company Naked Chipboard Tag I completely transformed with the use of aqua chalk ink, the lovely Cradle Robin Nest from Prima and the white vine created from Tim Holtz' Regal Crest Die.

The trophy you see is the actual present. Let's just say the tags are the "icing on the cake." :) For the trophy itself, it is completely transformed from it's original state. I wanted something to hold the bird in, so I opted to use a trophy cup. The cup turned out beautifully. I used German Glass Glitter on it. My first time ever using the stuff. Talk about beautiful to the naked eye. I wish you could see it in person, these pictures just don't do it justice. As for the trophy, I filled the top with krinkled kraft to create a nest if you will. The paper medallion was created using Crate Paper, May Arts ribbon & a Martha Stewart felt cupcake to top it off. Lastly, I added the kraft tags on there. See? The possibilities are endless as to what you can do with tags. They are so versatile, they can dress up just about anything. They are not just needed to dress up packages anymore! :)

In keeping with my typical style, I favor using vintage or upcycled pieces in my work. As mentioned, the trophy & the clothespin are completely given a new life. The ornate vine on the tag I created is from a vintage vinyl tablecloth with such amazing embossed texture. The "give" tag was created using a vintage "sight words" card I simply trimmed down and tied some seam binding to.  Speaking of upcycled, I am also sharing this project with the folks over at Lessology since their challenge this month is "It's A Wrap!"

Okay, now onto the "issue" at hand. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Paper Issues is having a huge giveaway in conjunction with this newest theme, Tag You're It. The grand prize is an eBosser from Craftwell! Can you believe it! It is a $200 value! All you need to do for your chance to win are a few simple things: follow my blog, Paper Issues, and like Paper Issues on Facebook. Easy peasy!

Be sure to continue following on the hop to the amazing Ashli for more inspiration. Make sure to share your "tag" projects with us at Paper Issues, we would love to see what you've got! Lastly, if you are in the market for some fabulous scrapbooking goodies please be sure to peruse Paper Issues' Shop and use promo code CURLYQ for a 20% discount!
Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous day!
Amy