Monday, May 31, 2010

It's Sketch Challenge Week!

Hello hello dear friends! I hope everyone is having a wonderful extended weekend. Here in the States it's Memorial Day, where we gather with family and friends and honor fallen soldiers. Of course, there are pounds of burgers, hot dogs and potato salad consumed, too. :) Best wishes for a happy and safe Memorial Day to each of you.

So it's Monday, which means I get to ring in a new week for the Beary Scrappy Girls and introduce our next design team challenge. This week we have a sketch challenge, designed by little ol' me. It's my first sketch and I think it turned out OK (if I do say so myself!).



"Hello, my name is Susan, and I'm a Basic Grey Kioshi addict."  Or so it seems, anyway! I can't get enough of the delightful patterns in this line of papers. Here I've used the larger 12 x 12 patterned paper for the background as well as the smaller 6 x 6 pattern paper. I love those itty bitty paper pads!
This little sweetheart is Bubbling Tilda, from Magnolia's Fairytale collection. I've layered her and cut out her bubbles. Her dress is lightly colored with cranberry and very pale yellow Prismacolor pencils. Her wings are colored with the same pencils and enhanced with Stickles. I used a Copic Spica pen to highlight random strands of her hair. Even though the sparkle is visible when I view this photo in Photoshop, it's washed out once uploaded to blogger. *sigh* That's what imagination is for, right?

The big flower is hand made with a strip of chiffon and Fabri-Tac. Cool, huh?

Card Recipe
Thanks for stopping in! Tomorrow we will have our next Beary Sweet Challenge, so be sure to come back for all the details.  Don't forget that today is the last day to enter your project into our current challenge - Fancy Folds. You could win a Scor-Pal!

Oh, and if you're a blog candy kinda gal, today is the last day to enter my birthday blog candy. Good luck!

Cheers,
Susan

Saturday, May 29, 2010

No more pencils, No more books....


Are you ready for school to be out? Summer is almost here - yay! I have really enjoyed seeing the wonderful creations that the other Beary Scrappy gals have shared with you all week, but it has also struck panic in my heart, because I was absolutely stumped with the theme this week of No More Pencils, No More Books.

I finally decided to use Cheerleader Hilda the Hippo from Motivet. My thought was all of the kids (and teachers) will be cheering that school's out. I thought how cute it would be to cover her pom-poms with flower-soft to make them nice and fluffy. The problem is, when I finished, it looked like she was holding two small shrubs.

So here is the new story for Hilda:

Hilda had always been such a good student- straight A's, class president, even captain of the cheerleaders, but even prize pupils go a bit crazy when it comes time for senior pranks. Upon a dare from the other cheerleaders, Hilda snuck out of class, went outside, and right there, in front of the principal's window, dug up his prize rhododendrons, and took off running with the shrubbery. She didn't stop until she got to the local Wal-mart, where she sat down in the middle of the parking lot, and put up a sign "Plants for sale." She quickly sold the shrubs, and made enough money to buy pizzas for the whole cheerleading squad. She was never caught, but rumor has it, that no other flower has ever grown in that spot again.

Be sure to stop back on Monday to see what our new theme will be (and I promise, I won't write any more silly stories for you!)

Card Recipe:
Stamp: Motivet Cheerleading Hilda
Paper: Pink Paislee 365 Degrees, bazzill
Medium: Copics, Flower-soft
Embellishments: Basic Grey buttons, ribbon

Friday, May 28, 2010

Thanks For Being A Wonderful Teacher

Can you believe that school is almost out? Is it just me or did the year seem to fly by? I know that my son only has a few more weeks left and then I will be hearing every day Mom "I'm bored". He's right at that age where he's to old for camp and to young to work yet. The school year flew by but something tells me the summer may go slow, or at least for him.

Well in honor of all the teachers out there let me say a big
Thank You
for all that you do for our kids.

For this week I choose to honor all the teachers out there with my card.



My card recipe:
Background paper is by Pink Paislee the Starlight collection and I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink Fired Brick around the edges and matched very well.
The digi image is by Karen Doodles and was colored with Copics and I used Stickles on the apple.
I also used Spellbinders and computer generated my saying. I also used miscellaneous card stock and punched out with a Martha Stewart punch.
I hand stitched the card and added Prima Flowers and Pearls.

Thanks for looking and remember there is still time to enter your card in our Beary Sweet Challenge - Fancy Folds and win your self a Scor-Pal.

Have you also checked out The Beary Scrap Store Blog Kimm has been working hard on getting some more Acrylic Paper Piecing Patterns so far she is up to two new releases for June 1.

~Patricia~   




Thursday, May 27, 2010

Treats for Teachers

,It's that time of the year-- end of the year tests, classroom parties, graduation, cleaning out desks and lockers, the last bell and then total freedom for the summer! Freedom that both kids and teachers alike look forward to and count down the days to!

It's a great time to show those teachers how much you appreciate their hard work and the contribution they have made to your child's life. My project this week is a quick and easy treat you can make and send with your child to a special teacher.


I made my own "Happy Meal" for teachers by creating a french fry box and covering a Diet Coke (my personal favorite) out of coordinating papers from the My Mind's Eye Just Dreamy collection that is currently on sale at The Beary Scrap. These papers are so cute!! Definitely snatch some up while they are such a great price, they are double sided with a ton of cute patterns that fit both both boy and girl type projects. They would be great papers for birthdays, dance recitals, sports, summer fun and lots of other pages.

I used glue dots to cover the bottom half of the pop can with paper and added a little thank you sentiment printed up on my computer. Then I tied ribbon through the pop top of the can along with a tag that says "Pop, Pop! Fizz, Fizz! What a great teacher you is! (I mean are)."

To make your own french fry box, follow these instructions:

1. To start with you will need an empty French Fry box from McDonalds (this is a medium though you could probably "supersize" it!). Carefully take the box apart and spread it out flat.


2. Use double sided cardstock weight patterned paper, lay the fry box on your paper and trace around it.


3. Cut out the shape you have traced. You should have a shape identical to the fry box you disassembled.


4. Using the original box as a guide, mark the fold lines and then score lightly along those lines so the box can be folded.


I don't have a Scor-Pal (though, believe me I am ordering one TODAY! I can't wait to have that little baby so that it's easier to do projects like this plus all kinds of cool folds. Make sure to check out our store, the Scor-Pal is currently on sale!) To score my lines, I placed my paper on top of my paper trimmer, lined up my pencil marks with the groove where the blade goes, and then used a stylus to score a line by pressing it gently in the groove. Though I couldn't totally "score" the round lines on the bottom, I did go over them the best I could with the stylus to help with the folding.5. Fold up your fry box just like the original was, using your scored lines to fold on and carefully fold the bottom round lines in. Secure the sides with glue dots or glue lines to make sure they don't come apart. **Before folding, I distressed all of the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Broken China.



6. Lightly push the bottom of the box inward so it stands up.


7. Now just decorate the box any way you choose! I die cut stars on my Sizzix and then distressed them with Color Box Chestnut Roan ink. The sentiment uses tiny alphabet letters like these mini alphabets from My Little Shoebox-- these are really fun and come at a great price! I love that they include so many of each letter so they can be used a lot.

8. Finally, add your treat. I filled mine up with candy, what can be better than Diet Coke and chocolate! And yes, I did go to the store and buy candy that was in bright green, orange and turquoise packaging because I wanted it to match the paper. I am a little OCD about things matching! But add whatever type treat you want-- maybe desk supplies or movie tickets, whatever is right for that particular teacher.

OR-- try these fry containers for a birthday party favor filled up with noise makers and toys or a wedding shower favor and fill them with lotion, bath gel, etc. Be creative!


Celebrate the end of school and get ready to have a fun summer! But don't forget those teachers, they're excited for that final bell to ring too!

Check back tomorrow for more "No More Pencils" projects and don't forget, you have a few more days to enter our Fancy Folds Challenge for the chance to win your very own Scor-Pal (but I am still buying mine TODAY!)

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Schools Out ... Let's Party!!!

Hey Friends!  Well, it's another week at The Beary Scrap blog!  This week, we're making things that shows the end of school and the beginning of summer ... hence this image.  lol!!!  I remember it being the last day of a loooooong school year, and feeling like, "Hip Hip Hooray!!" when the bell rang for let-out!!!  Summertime fun begins ... go to the beaches, watch TV, sleep in, get to visit my older siblings on the other island of Oahu ... oh so much FUN!!!






I hope you'll stop by for the rest of the week to see what my sweet fellow DT's have in store for you, and don't forget to take part in the bi-weekly challenges on the 1st and 15th of each month!  Cool things to win!!!  :)

The Fun Stuff:Image:  Kraftin' Kimmie
Papers:  MME
Medium:  Prisma Colored Pencils

Thank you for visiting me and I'll see you soon!
Always,
Elise

Monday, May 24, 2010

No More Pencils, No More Books!

[Edit: Ok, so I had to rework this original card. The 3am version wasn't so good the next morning, so I've changed and added a bit. I'm much happier now! *grin*]



Hello friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I spent mine with my lovely in-laws. They came all the way up her just for little old me (last Thursday was my birthday). *grin* Husband and his father put up pegboard and did some other garage organization while my mother-in-law and I wandered the garden center. What a happy place! We all get along well, so visits usually fly by way too fast. *sigh*

This week at The Beary Scrap the DT's are celebrating that school-age feeling that comes around at the end of May. Remember how excited you were for summer? Ahh, the exhilaration as that last bell rang out the school year.

No more pencils! No more books! No more teacher's dirty looks!

For my card, I've used two Magnolia stamps and the "joy fold" technique. (Click here for an SCS tutorial.) For some reason I decided to use loads of layers... hehehe. I can't help but think about my "inner Gini" again. *grin*



The front Tilda (Tilda with Pencils) is layered 3 times - the top layer is the pocket and left arm with books. "Happy Tilda" on the inside is layered twice.

The "reworking" includes the dogwood and crystal jewels, as well as changed-up charms: I added the chains and a homemade pearl bauble. I colored the pearls with a pink Copic on the front (as well as the butterfly trail on the inside).



This is the first time I haven't used a white "signature"panel - I'm on the fence about the green (or more accurately, I'm unsure of *anything* but white.) Ah well, the sewing machine had it's way with that panel, so green it stays!


Haha! How about that ladybug on Tilda's head? It's one of those unforseen quirks of homemade cards... right? I'm tempted to make it official and pop another ladybug on her head "for real". I added grass with Prismacolors, similar to the grass I did on this card. It's not quite as good as that Edwin card, but it gives enough of a hint of the grass she's frolicking in that I'm happy. The little butterfly is cut and layered from scraps of the MLS paper.


So, you know how much I LOVE my Star Dust Stickles, right? Welll, I was chatting with Kimm the other day, whining about something wanting a white Stickles without the iridescence, and she turned me on to Frosted Lace. It makes me think of a fine white Distress Stickles, if there was such a thing. I used it on the inside flower (with a touch of Star Dust in the center of the Frosted Lace), as well as on the front around Pencil Tilda's white frame. You can't really see it in the photo, but it's there!


Card Recipe
While you're looking for project inspiration this week, don't forget our Beary Sweet Challenge #2 - Fancy Folds. You have until May 31 to link up - you could win a Scor-Pal! 

Thanks for stopping in, and I hope to see you at the challenge!

Cheers,
Susan

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Eskimo Kisses - It's not just for Christmas anymore!




Welcome to the last day of Fancy Fold inspirations from the Beary Scrap Gals! Hasn't this been a great week? Have you entered our Fancy Folds challenge yet? You have until May 31st to get your entry in - and you could win a Scor-Pal! I love my Scor-Pal and must admit, I use it everyday, and would be lost without it. (And it's on sale this week!)

I really enjoy making Fancy Fold cards - but I think my very favorite is an easel card. So, that's what I have to share with you today.

I loved the Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses when it came out for Christmas, but somehow, I didn't get any of it then. Kimm has it on sale now, and it is really a versatile paper. Don't let the fact that it was a holiday paper scare you away. I love all of the colors, and just chose to use the side that didn't have snowflakes!

Did you notice my flower bouquet? Those are the fabulous mulberry flowers from the Beary Scrap! I love them, and can't wait for Kimm to get those babies posted - I need more! They were white, and a sprayed them with Glimmer Mist to color them - yummy! Also, I know everyone loves using the MS branch punch for leaves with their flowers, but I added some of the ultra-fine Flower Soft in sage - and it's pure magic!

We hope you have been inspired and that you will join us in our challenge!

Card details:
Stamp: Kraftin Kimmie - Giselle
Paper: Bazzill, BG Eskimo Kisses
Medium: Copics, Glimmer Mist, Ultrafine Flower Soft
Embellishments: TBS Mulberry Flowers, Misc Ribbons/Lace, Swarovski crystals
Tools: Scor-Pal, MS branch punch

Friday, May 21, 2010

Fancy Folds and Tutorial

Wow there have been some pretty Fancy Folded projects so far this week from my fellow design team mates. Today is my turn and I also have a tutorial for you this week using the Scor-Pal.

Can you believe that you can win one in our
Beary Sweet Fancy Folds Blog Challenge.  

For this week I made my very first Tri-Fold Card. I have to admit this was pretty fun and very easy to make.


Here is a top view.
Here is what the card looks like all folded up.

Before I show you how to make this card let me give you my card recipe.
Digi Stamp by Stamp Insanity Summer Lovin' Maddie


Now how to make a Tri-Fold Card.


Now when I went internet surfing on how to make a Tri-Fold Card most were only 12x5 but I like bigger cards and it also gives you more room to decorate. So my card is 12x7

Now scor on the 2", 4", 8" and 10' lines.


Now rotate your paper a quarter turn and scor on the 1 1/2" mark but only scor from the 2" to the 10" scor mark see my red lines. Only scor in that area. Turn the paper to the other side and do the same thing.


Now on a self healing mat use a ruler and cut along the red lines (I only added colored lines for the tutorial).


Cut both sides and this is what your paper should look like.


Now use the next two pictures to fold your card the same way.



Here is how your card will look folded up.

I hope you liked my tutorial now lets see what you can make for our

~Patricia~

Thursday, May 20, 2010

A Fancy Folded Forest

When Susan told me the theme for this week, I knew immediately what I wanted to fold! My layout this week takes you Into the Woods with some complicated-looking but easy-to-make pine trees that work perfect on a camping, nature or even Christmas layout or card.


To make your trees, cut squares in descending half inch sizes ( 4", 3 1/2 ", 3", 2 1/2" etc.) out of a LIGHTWEIGHT patterned paper-- cardstock or cardstock-weight patterned paper will not work as well. Begin by folding your first square directly in half, unfold and fold in half again the opposite direction.


Unfold, you should now have a square with crease lines as shown below-- I have traced over mine with a pen to make sure they show up in the photo.


Now fold you squared diagonally to make a triange; unfold and repeat in the opposite direction.


Now your crease lines should look like this:


Fold the square directly in half again along one of the previous crease lines and then carefully fold both sides in toward the middle to make a triangle that looks like this.


Then you will need to fold in each side of the triangle into the middle to a point like this:

Place a glue dot in the inside of the larger triangle and in the small folded tip to hold it.


Repeat with your other squares, doing as many as you want to make a tree. You can start with squares as large as you want and go up as many layers as desired to get the size of tree right for you. Just experiment and see what you like best. After finishing my triangles I inked all the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Pine Needles to make it stand out a little more and then adhered the tree, triangle by triangle, to my page. As I went up, I angled each triangle a bit so it didn't look to straight as, of course, no real trees truly are.


To make the page to go with my easy-to-fold evergreen trees, I used a light brown Bazzill cardstock that I trimmed to 10 x 10. I used letter stickers to spell out my titles on the Bazzill and then spritzed around the letters and other edges with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Clover -- this spray is seriously the most gorgeous green color I have ever seen and it's a limited edition so make sure and snatch some up before it's gone! After letting it dry a few minutes, I peeled off the stickers and threw them away, leaving the title behind in the mist. This is a cool way to title your page and a different way to use your letter stickers. Notice my stickers below don't even all match-- I had the same alphabet in several colors and I used them all to make my title since I was out of certain letters in some of the colors.


After letting the cardstock dry thoroughly I machine stitched it onto some Yellowstone National Park patterned paper, adhered all my pine trees and added my pictures. The pictures are all matted with Bo Bunny Double Dot cardstock-- this paper is so nice!! It has amazingly rich colors, the pictures on the website don't really do it justice-- I can't wait to get some more. I finished off my page with some brown polka dot brads from Doodlebug Key Lime collection and pine trees from The Eyelet Outlet.

They're amazing easy and quick, these fancy folded trees so give them a try. I left mine plain but imagine them embellished with brads or rhinestones to look like a decorated Christmas tree or topped with Snow Tex and glitter to look like newly fallen snow!

Don't forget to try your hand at some fancy folds and enter our Challenge #2 for a chance to win a Scor Pal from The Beary Scrap and be sure to check back tomorrow for some more folded inspiration!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Bee-Cause You're Sweet!

Hey Friends!  Well it's another Beary Sweet Challenge!  For this week, it's multi-fold cards, and I must say that I rather enjoyed making this card!  Something I've never done before, and pretty simple and so dimensional!

I've used this Magnolia Image since bees are just buzzing everywhere!!!  My gosh!  The other day I was out back, and this bumblebee would NOT leave me alone!!!  It kept following me everywhere and was totally SCARING the heck out of me!  Did it want to sting me or be my friend?  I don't know, but I didn't want any part of either!  Noooo, I don't want to be stung, and nooooooo, I don't want to be your friend!  "You FREAK ME OUT bumblebee!"  lol!  And "I don't have any nectar or pollen for you!!!"  Yikes!

Well, here's my card ... LOL!




The Fun Stuff:
Papers:  K&Co
Medium:  Prisma Colored Pencils

 Why not take part in this Fancy Folds challenge with us?  Make something multi fold!!!  :)  Hope to see your creations!

Thank you for visiting us here at the Beary Scrap and hope you have a lovely day!  Don't forget to stop back throughout the week to see what my fellow DT's have in store for you!  :)

Always,
Elise

Monday, May 17, 2010

BSC #1 Winners!

Please scroll down for Susan's "Fancy Folds" post!



Hello friends! We want to extend a huge
Thank You

to everyone who played along with our first Beary Sweet Challenge. We had a blast visiting your blogs!

Without further delay... Our Random.org winner of the $20 Beary Scrap gift voucher is lucky #5:
Congratulations to Charlene from Paper And Ink Playground!
Charlene, please contact Kimm for your voucher and to start shopping!
***
We also want to send our congratulations to our Top 3 entries (in no particular order):


Ladies - please feel free to use this Top 3 badge on your blog. Thanks so much!


We hope everyone will join our current Beary Sweet Challenge - "Fancy Folds". See you there!
Related Posts with Thumbnails