Sunday, August 28, 2011

Paper Issues "Learning Curve" & Football!

Happy Sunday all my friends! I hope everyone is doing well getting into the groove of fall with the kids starting back-to-school. Paper Issues reveals the newest theme today, "Learning Curve" which is perfectly fitting for this time of year. To me, the first thing that naturally pops into my mind is first day back-to-school photos, school supplies, and everything that comes along with it...cooler weather & football! I live in Norman, Oklahoma which is a huge football town. Known for the competitive football here, the University of Oklahoma resides at the epicenter of the chaos. When the kids start arriving for the fall semester, our town suddenly has 30,000 more residents...the OU college students! Talk about a major transition each fall for the remaining 70,000 of us that are permanent residents of this college town. Hosting 9-10 home football games each season, the whole town is painted varying shades of crimson & cream. As our town prepares for all the exciting madness of it all, I thought it would be fun to create a calendar focusing on football and all it entails.

To create, I have been purchasing/collecting football stamps for months. The outer border of the circle corkboard is covered in lots of different stamps from Hampton Arts, Karen Foster & Fancy Pants. Using black StazOn, it gives each image a crisp clean image. I created the numbers using my 1" button maker and lots of assorted papers from GCD, October Afternoon, Prima, Cosmo Cricket, Graphic 45, Teresa Collins, Pink Paislee, CTMH, Simple Stories, My Mind's Eye, Crate Paper, Basic Grey, Creative Imaginations, 7 Gypsies and some vintage papers. In addition to the paper, I used some stickers and rub-ons from Echo Park, American Crafts, Karen Foster, Hambly, Making Memories & The Paper Studio.

For a fun twist, I created 3 felt pennants for the calendar. These would be used in place of the number on corresponding game days. For those that are big football fans, what a great way to look forward to the big game day cookouts and tailgating parties! If you are interested in creating one of these yourself, I will share with you some quick details on creating these fun little mini pennants. If not for a calendar, they would make great embellishments on a layout or card too.

Mini Pennants Tutorial:1. Stamp directly onto sticky backed felt using stamp slightly dipped into paint. With a fine tip paintbrush you will want to repaint the image since felt tends to absorb the paint initially.
2. Once paint dries, cut out the pennant like a long skinny diamond since you will be folding it in half. For the pin, I used quilting T-pins since they are longer than reqular stick pins. To make the pennants bendable, here is a fun little trick for you...use some copper or metal sheeting on the inside! That way once you have folded over the felt with the pin and metal securely tucked inside, the pennant can be folded, rippled or wrinkled to your liking!

This is my "Learning Curve" project for you today. As Paper Issues unveils this new theme, be sure to play along and share your projects with us. Your project might just be featured! Remember, it can be anything that you interpret it to be. I look forward to seeing all of your amazingly creative projects!
Thanks for stopping by my sweet, beautiful friends! :)
Amy

20 comments:

Gretchen said...

what a cool project!! and ROLL TIDE!! :)

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

This is sooooooooooo AWESOME! I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee your calendars! :):):):):):):):):):):)

Keri said...

This is so great, Amy...caught my eye out of my blog list right away! :) Love this stamping technique and have done it lots on chipboard, but HAD to order some cork sheets & an alpha so I could give it a try, thanks to you! :) Thanks for the inspiration, girl!

Paper Issues said...

This is fabulous!!! I live North of you in MIZZOU country!!!! Go Tigers!! =)

Valerie said...

Oh my gosh, Amy - this is fantastic! I love how you stamp the edges - just love that!!

Unknown said...

I love the little pennants!!! They're adorable!

BabyBokChoy said...

Wow, the growth of a town each year at the end of August :) What fun or maybe not :) Your calendar is absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! absolutely!!! wow!!!

Anonymous said...

WOW this is fabulous Amy!!!!

Audrey Pettit said...

Wowzers! How absolutely creative and beautiful, Amy! Such a COOL idea. Your stamped border is fabulous. LOVE those felt pennants and all the numbered fabric brads. This totally rocks, my friend!

Irini said...

What a fabulous gorgeous project I love the idea of the pennants just fabulous hmmmm.....maybe I could do something similar, wont be as fabulous as your though!!!!! LOL

Ruby said...

WOW, so creative!!!! I just love how you've done the buttons, they are adorable!

~jan said...

You never fail to knock me off my feet with your creativity! Those little felt banners are so fun! The stamping and the cork? All I can say is wow. Thanks always for the incredible inspiration!!

Lana Bisson said...

WOW!!! this is supreme!!! love this project.. My daughter would love this with the indianpolis colts theme..

Andrea Amu said...

Can't even express enough to you about how totally rad this is!! Such a perfect idea for a themed calendar!! The Game day felt pennants are the coolest, and wowza to all that cool stamping on the cork!

Jan Hennings said...

Love your project and your beautiful blog :)

Jessy Christopher said...

Wow you are just so good with altering items!! This is fab!

Chantal Vandenberg said...

Oh my goodness! This looks UNREAL!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!!

Chantal Vandenberg said...

BTW - I'm your new follower!!! :D Love your work, girl!!!

Christy said...

I'm not even sure FABULOUS covers this. What a great altered project :) :) :)

LovinMS61 said...

LOVE this! You make such amazing things! I have a couple of questions-- where do you get the cork, espeically the shapes? Are the scrabbles tiles made into push pins? Or are they magnets? Also the button numbers, again, pins or magnets? Thanks!
A new huge fan!