Bon Voyage

It's been ages since I made a Bon Voyage card. Doesn't seem to be much call for them nowadays. Still I got to play with Boarding Pass for Arfull Crafts and it seems a shame not to make one using the fun ephemera cards from the Miscellany Pack.

Although I've never been one for standard sized cards, this did turn out pretty unusual being really tall and thin. I turned the nautical looking stripe pattern into what resembles a ticket by adding a column of numbers with an arrow. 

I'm so happy to see lots of travel themed and travel inspired collections from CHA 2012. Keeping my fingers crossed that Liz stocks some of them in her store. 


Linking up to these parties.

Supplies : October Afternoon Boarding Pass (Venice, Berlin, Miscellany), twine 

Coffee Anyone ?

I'm not much of a coffee drinker. Once in a while I'll have a kopi-oh or black coffee. So when Jaime requested a coffee-related layout for Scrappin Studio, I scrapped this shot of these almost empty mugs taken at my neighbourhood market.
  

The colour palette was inspired by Cosmo Cricket's Postcards from the 2wenty-Thr3e collection. I've always been partial to yellow, from sunshine brightness to dull gold. Paired generously with grey and a dash of brown, it just called out to me.

Since this was my last assignment using the February kits, I decided to take stock of what's left before breaking up the kits. Excluding the stamps and alphas, there were quarter or half inches of these papers, buttons and lots of mistable trim left. Most interesting was the fact that all packaging materials have been incorporated into my layouts and cards. 

It's been exciting working with the kits. It takes me longer to make layouts as I haven't worked out a system for scrapping like I have with cards and altered projects. But creatively speaking I couldn't have been more pleased. Look forward to what April brings in terms of Studio Calico kits. 

 Linking up to these parties.

Daydream Believer Supplis : American Crafts Ash cardstock, Sassafras Exclusive Paper, Dear Lizzy Neopolitan Hazy Horizon, Dear Lizzy Neopolitan Sea Breeze, Dear Lizzy Epoxy Sticker, Studio Calico Frame Stamp, Vintage Mini Letter Card

Stepping Stone Supplies : Studio Calico Alphabet Stamp (packaging), Authentique Gathering Petite Type Square, MME Everyday Fun Neutral Rhinestones (product + packaging), October Afternoon Farmhouse Journal Cards, October Afternoon Farmhouse Buttons

Others : paper clip 

Cosmo Cricket Postcard Paper

Blog Hop Time !!! (Winner Chosen)

Welcome to the Echo Park Paper and Artfull Crafts Design Team Blog Hop.

Join us and you could win an Echo Park Collection Kit

One winner will be selected from EACH blog to receive an Echo Park Paper collection kit of their choosing. To qualify leave a comment by midnight EST, Sunday March 25th. The winner will be announced on each blog Monday March 26th so be sure to check back to see if you've won.

A list is provided below to guide you from one blog to the next. Return to the Echo Park Paper blog at any time for the next blogger on the list in case you get lost or confused.

Echo Park Paper
Leslie Ashe
Sandy Ang
Linda Auclair
Betsy Clark
Nancy Damiano
Lowri McNabb
Amy Heller
Lisa Skinner
Christine Bonifacio
Tamara Tripodi
Louise Forsyth
Wendy Sue Anderson
Jennifer Gallacher
Artfull Crafts

Taking my inspiration from advertising posters, I scrapped this 8.5"x11" layout about a friend's pet. It's a simple design where the patterned papers from the This & That Charming collection echoed the grey, white and brown colours in my photo. To focus attention on Mimi's eyes, I placed them in a visual triange with two spots of attention-grabbing reds.

Now hop on to Linda's blog where more exciting ideas await you.

Linking up to these parties.

Winner Update :

Thank you to everyone who joined the blog hop and commented. The lucky winner is

Please email me angsandy@yahoo.com.sg so I can arrange for you to receive the Echo Park collection of your choice.


Echo Park Supplies : This & That Charming (Vintage Fans, Yardsticks, Numbers, Journaling Cards, Tickets Please, Alpha Stickers), This & That Graceful (Journaling Cards, Red Cardstock), For the Record (Element Stickers, Alpha Stickers) Be Mine Grey Cardstock
Others : Basic Grey Basics Label Sticker

This & That

Two Artfull Craft layouts today, both using Echo Park's This & That Charming collection. I had a great time working with these papers featuring crosswords, rulers, numbers and grids. They are the perfect complement to the 'everyday' type photos I take.

Living with the tropical Singapore heat accounts for my fascination with fans, especially vintage ones. This 8.5"x11" layout captures the story of finding and restoring one for my craftroom. You can see some  quirky touches in the close-up below : flag-tails fluttering in the 'breeze' and a loopy border strip to suggest electrical cording.  

Sometimes an occasion or memory doesn't have an accompanying photo. That doesn't stop me from scrapping the story and using the opportunity to create a background with suitable design elements. I started by scraplifting the diagonal layout of a concert poster by Jonnson & Le'macks. My journalling was hidden in a pocket beneath the crossword paper.  

Then serendipity struck. As I repositioned the layout for photography, I chanced upon an alterative composition that's admittedly an unorthodox size - 7"x 9.5". One which places the journalling front and center. Lifting a design and then being able to internalise its concepts is a great learning experience for me. 

Linking up to these parties.

Cool! supplies : This & That Charming (Vintage Fans, Numbers, Border Strips, Journaling Cards,Tickets Please) This and That Graceful Dots, For the Record (Element Stickers, Alpha Stickers), Be Mine Black Cardstock

Sudoku supplies : This &That Charming (Tickets Please, Yardsticks, Journalling Cards) For the Record Alpha Stickers, This & That Graceful Cream Cardstock

Ruby Rock-It DT Call

Australia/New Zealand Design Team Call - let's get started!!

Ruby Rock-It Bella! Fundamentals is looking to add to their team! We currently have 13 designers on the Ruby Rock-It team and we will add SEVEN more, will that be YOU??!!

We are looking for a variety of crafters: simple design, clean design, mixed media, altered arts, gift, packaging, home decor, wedding invitations, cards....the possibilites are endless.

As a design team member you will receive:

• A package of Ruby Rock-It lines every 3 months including new product before it is released.
• Your name, bio and photo on the Ruby Rock-It blog and website.
• Sponsored product for blog hops, blog features, social media or other.
• International exposure on blog, social media and website.
• Elibigle to create designs for trade shows, website and social media.

We are accepting applications from Australia and New Zealand.

What are we looking for in a design team member?

Ruby Rock-It Bella! Fundamentals lines and products are vintage style papers and richly textured embellishments. We want our team members to be able to design layouts, altered art, home decor and cards that are sure to compliment the product to the highest quality.

Social media and blog: Designers must also be very savvy to blog and participate in social media to help represent Ruby Rock-It Bella! Fundamentals in a varitey of online outlets.
Photography and presentation is a plus!

Easy enough, right??!!
Don't be shy, we want to see your amazing designs.

What does it take to apply:

Please send a total of FOUR projects to: Rachel Carlson at rachelcarlsonviarubyrockit@gmail.com

Projects to include:

1 layout
1 card
1 altered project (mini book, small gift project, etc)
1 home decor project

We want to see how each designer does in each category so put your best designs forward. Designs must be 'never-before-seen', non-published and contain at least 80% of Ruby Rock-It Bella! Fundamentals product.

Please also include:

• Full contact information.
• Name, home address, phone number, email address, blog/website/social media links.
• Online gallery to view past designs.
• Any companies you have designed for in the past and who you are currently designing for.
• Please share a little bit about yourself and what you feel is your best design qualities.
• Finally, why do you want to join us on the Ruby Rock-It Bella! Fundamentals design team?

Deadline to apply: All entries must be received by April 9th and designers will be chosen on April 13th. Please direct any questions via email to me directly at the aforementioned email address.

We are SO excited to see your designs.

Ready, set, GO...and good luck!!

Creative cheers,
Rachel Carlson

August Moon for CNY

Earlier this the month I showed off the vintage, romantic side of Ruby Rock-It's August Moon with an altered mirror and a card. For my layout, I decided to use the collection in a more contemporary way to create a clean and simple look.

Here I featured a panel of the Crocus paper, my favourite of the collection. The tan and mauve colour palette really flattered the skin tones in my picture. I paired it with a simple grey grid pattern from the Wedding collection and embellishments from the Nostalgia collection. Up top I split a paper twine spool, tied on some twine and used it to define one corner of my visual triangle.

Not a traditional chinese new year layout with the usual red, gold or black. But one that works really well to tell the story of a girl and her pretty, new dress. Hope you're keeping an eye on the Ruby Rock-It blog as Rachel is about to sneak peaks of upcoming releases soon.

Linking up to these parties.

Ruby Rock-It Supplies : August Moon (Crocus, Cardstock Stickers), Bella Wedding (Tie the Knot), Nostalgia (Florals, Paper Twine) 

Dear Lizzy ATCs

After making three cards with the Dear Lizzy papers,  there was a good-sized pile of leftovers on my table. I gathered all the neutrals and made a couple of artist trading cards.

I used the image of a camera on one ATC and a mason jar on the other. The rest of the text papers were treated as varying pattern sizes to be layered behind number tags. Some distressed brown cardstock was added to hold everything together.
 

These small scale projects are great for testing out design ideas. Only small amounts of time and supplies required, with the bonus of being totally satisfying when completed.

Linking up to these parties.

Supplies : Dear Lizzy Neapolitan (Cheerful Notes, Dreamy Days, Sea Breeze, Sunny Skip, Epoxy Stickers)  Coordinations cardstock

A Little Lily Bee

In Februrary I taught a craft class at a little girl's birthday party. Afterwards as everyone had cake and played, this poor baby tripped and fell over. As her mom comforted her and the last of her tears dried, I zoomed in and captured this shot of them together. Although I had lots of happy, smiley photos, I liked this one best and scrapped it as a present for my client.

Lily Bee's Dreamy paper has a pretty doily pattern on the front and a trendy chevron doily patterns in back. Both in a lovely turquoise colour. To created some 'white' space, I paired them with a tight blue check and the subtle tone-on-tone pink damask.            

On top of the bold patterns I worked in banners, lacy trim and florals. So I'm happy to see the photo hold it's own among all that's going on. Hope you'll head over to Artfull Crafts as there are lots that's exciting going on over there.

Linking up to these parties.

Supplies : Lily Bee Head of Heels (Dreamy, Index Journaling Cards, Stickers), Bella Paper Lace White, Cosmo Cricket Upcycle Chipboard, MME Lost and Found Market Street "Lovely" (French Stripe, Buttons), Bella Boulevard Faimly Dymanix Quadrants

Charmed by Lizzy's Pastels

Throughout January I followed manufacturer's reveal of their 2012 releases, even created a pinterest board to bookmark items that were inspiring, trendy or just fun to work with. When I saw Dear Lizzy's Neapolitan online, I thought pretty but don't think it's for me. Boy was I wrong.  

This was for Annette

Last month they arrived at my LSS and I took a second look (well a first in real life). My original impression of pastels and dreamily soft-focus images was confirmed. But there was something about seeing the whole range laid out that created a burst of happy, carefree feeling.         

This went out to Jona

So I bought some, getting three papers packed with small illustrations that would work well on cards. The fact that they covered a  wide range of colours (pink, yellow,orange, green, grey) was a bonus.     

Over the weekend I made three cards using up Cheerful Notes completely. I think there's potential for a couple more ATCs, perhaps a layout if I'm careful how I cut up Sunny Skip. For now I'm really satisfied with trying out something I normally wouldn't pick.  

This was for Julie

There were lots of cheery images to work with. Here I put together an unusual combination of mason jar, balloons and dainty shoes. Just for fun I tilted the jar lid so the balloons were on the verge of  escaping. Some baker's twine wrapped around the lid added to the sense of realism.  

Now I just need to add little notes to two of the cards before walking them out to the mailbox. Hope Annette and Julie enjoy receiving them as much as I enjoyed making these cards.   

Linking up to these parties.

Supplies : Dear Lizzy Neapolitan (Cheerful Notes, Dreamy Days, Hazy Horizon, Sunny Skip) Dear Lizzy Frolic Accent Sticker, Ruby Rock-It Nostalgia Baker's Twine 

News from Ruby Rock-It

As of March 1st Australian manufacturer Flynmark is streamlining the online presence of their brands :  Ruby Rock-It, BELLA! and Fundamentals. You can now find news, updates, contests regarding these brands altogether on one Blog and one Facebook page.

Hop on over to this post and leave a comment, you could be the lucky winner of our THREE  latest collections : Vintedge, Nostalgia and August Moon. Australian and NZ designers may want to stay tunned for the design team call that's coming as Rachel looks to expand the team.

Where I Belong

Some time back I posted my Modern Flourishes card for Artfull Crafts. It featured two sweet little girls from Cosmo Cricket's Odds and Ends and received a lovely comment from a French blogger  who wanted to know where to get the supplies. That got me to relook at the Trinkets paper which led to this card.   

The pair of hand-holding mannequins was so eye-catching, I needed something to draw attention to the sentiment. Red swirly circles sewn onto blue buttons did the trick. By the way those little spools of paper twine by Ruby Rock-It are a new favourite of mine. They combine the look of duo-colour baker's twine and the stiffness of jute in holding up the loops of a bow.

Down under they are already into full summer mode. If you have a summery project, why not enter Artfull Craft's March challenge. You will find more details here.

Linking up to these parties.

Supplies : October Afternoon Boarding Pass Miscellany, Basic Grey Out of Print Impasto, Cosmo Cricket Odds and Ends (Spare Change, Trinkets, Sampler) Echo Park Victoria Gardens Journalling Cards