Scraps and Ink

Webster's Pages DT- Giving it a Go

 
 
 Everyone who has ever scrapbooked is familiar with Webster's Pages products- with their signature feminine flair and fabulous detailed artwork. Well, until now, being on the Webster's Pages Design Team has always proved elusive. Even though they have been in business successfully for years, their DT has always been "invitation only", which means they do not accept submissions for DT consideration. You have to be "noticed" and then they ask you to join their team of amazingly talented paper crafters and scrapbookers. 

I have always longed to be on the Webster's Pages DT, and in fact, every year that I attend the big CHA Winter Hobby and Craft Show as a Designer Member, I am always armed and ready with a stack of resumes and business cards to hand out to the hundreds of manufacturers in attendance, which ALWAYS includes Webster's Pages. Most will gladly take my resume and card, even if they are just being nice and throw them in the trash when I am not looking. But even so, this has proven somewhat successful, and I have landed many a gig this way. But not with Webster's Pages. Nope. Brandin and the other gals gracefully decline my resume and are very sweet and kindhearted when they tell me that the DT is "invitaion only", but appreciate my interest and continued support of their products. So I tuck tail and drool as they walk me through the booth showing me all the new papers and goodies they have just released. I am never dissapointed with their product quality and it always makes me happy to see all the yummy colors and textures of each new item. As I leave the booth, I quietly and secretly shed a tear, knowing that they remain the ultimate unatainable goal for me, telling myself "there is always next time", and knowing full well that next time will probably never come.

So imagine my excitement when I read the Webster's Pages newsletter stating that they were having their FIRST EVER open Design Team call!

Could it really be true? Yup, truer than true! So I promptly set out to purchase as large a variety of Webster's Pages products as I could find locally. Three different scrapbook stores later, and I was set!  So I cut, glued, sanded and inked my way through three different projects that I feel best show my ability as a professional papercrafter to use the Webster's Pages products.

My submission has been sent, and now the waiting game begins. I have no idea how long they will take to decide on the members of the DT. I imagine they will receive hundreds of applications and submissions and it could take weeks to go thru them all and narrow it down to the select few. So in the meantime, I thought I would share a tiny sneak peek of what I included in my submission The rules did not state that I could not share publicly the projects I submitted in their entirety, but often times is the case, manufacturers like to present the winners and their submissions to the public for the first time on the company's own forums and blogs, so I do not want to risk it. :) So all you get are sneak peeks!

     

 

Well, there you have it. My hat's been thrown into the ring, and now it is up to the powers-that-be at Webster's Pages to decide my fate. :) Ragardless of their decision, I can say that I truly appreciate the opportunity to even be considered for the DT, and loved each and every product that I used on my submissions. Their product quality is really top-notch and they will always be a manufacturer I turn to again and again for the products I want to use on my pages. So WISH ME LUCK!!!!

later,

nancy 

*NEW* Echo Park- "Be Mine" collection is ALL MINE! :)

 
 
So what showed up on my doorstep last Thursday but a box of absolutely perfect paper goodness! I saw the return addy from Echo Park and new "IT" had arrived! I anxiously opened the box and took a whiff- AHHHHHHH! Totally yummy, hot-off-the-press, brand spankin' new ECHO PARK paper goodness! The highly anticipated "Be Mine" collection, to be exact! Designed by none other than the fabulous Miss Cassandra Cooper. The smell alone transported me to paper heaven. :) I was like a kid in a candy store as I carefully thumbed thru what seemed like an endless array of papers,  surveying each and every one! There are LOTS of patterns in this collection, my friends. And I love every single one of them. But first, let me tell you about the colors- licorice, bubblegum, raspberry and a beautiful grey (not too dark, not too light) to round it out. Such a yummy palette to work with! And the patterns...I must say that it is about time someone designed patterns with the avid scrapbooker as well as cardmaker in mind so that each and every sheet can be used to its full potential for any and every project under the sun. So lets start with my fave design element- polka dots: This collection has lots of dots! From tiny demure white on grey dots, to big, bold, multi-colored dots (I love when paper manufacturers get the concept that we want more than one kind of polka dot). Then there are the stripes: This collection did not disappoint with stripes in both diagonal and horizontal, thin sweet tonal stripes to bold, multi-colored stripes. How about floral? Yup, got several. And damask? Yup, some of the prettiest I have ever seen. But Cassandra did not stop there. She threw in some absolutely gorgeous script patterned paper as well. The soft bubblegum pink tone on tone script looks good enough to eat! I could see this on the most chic of baby announcements and bridal shower invites. Oh, and did I mention the sheet music paper? How fun is that? And the black and white argyle???? LUV LUV LUV the argyle! And YUMMY raspberry pink swirls! You want other goodies to go along with all those fab patterned papers? This collection's got that too, with FOUR sheets of extras that include alpha stickers (TWO sizes), borders, journaling cards, quote cards, labels, and an array of adorable, fun little elements like butterflies, hearts, postage stamps, crowns, keys, birdcages, balloons, raffle tickets and postmarks! So if you were to add all this up, tie it all up in a pretty Parisian bow, you would have the new BE MINE collection by Echo Park.

Here is a page I was dieing to do just as soon as I got the collection:

 
 
 
 
And a sweet sentiments card for that special someone:

 
 
 
I'm off to create a couple more fun projects with my new Echo Park paper!

Thanks for looking, and THANKS to Cassandra Cooper and Echo Park for another FAB collection!!!

later,

nancy

7Gs Tags- All 25 DONE!!!

So I spent the weekend feverishly finishing the rest of my "7Gypsies inspired" tags. Now I need to focus on getting caught up to all of my uber-talented friends who are playing along with the Tim Holtz 12 Tags Of Christmas. Suz, Heidi and Lara are already on day 6 and their tags look amazing!!! Madeline is recovering from knee surgery, but rumor has it she is slowly working her way to her craft table and it is just a matter of time til she is caught up as well. I better get my butt in gear! Soooo behind on the Tim tags. But a fun filled day of shopping at the LSS and stamp store tomorrow with Aimee should get me enough "inspiration" to get me going again.  

So without further adieu, I bring you the last of the 7Gypsies Inspired Tags. Yup, that makes 25 total. PHEW!!! That's alot of tags! Now I have to come up with a clever way to display them all. Hmmm..... thinking...

 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 


 

So that's it- all 25 tags! Done and ready for display. :) Any suggestions? 

Just a little side note: Ya know, I took all of these pics of the tags in the exact same location, the exact same time of day, with the exact same camera settings, and it amazes me how the background color varies from photo to photo. Weird. Anywho, thanks for looking!

later,

nancy

Time for Tags!

Well boys and girls, it is that time of the year once again and I have been busy busy busy!!! Up to my eyeballs in all manner of glittery goodness!

As some of you may remember, last year at this same time, I followed along with my friend Tim Holtz's crazy-famous "12 Tags of Christmas", or as everyone affectionately calls them- "Tim Tags". So this year started out much like last year: I had all of my trusty Ranger, Stampers Anonymous, and Tim Hotlz products at the ready. Every Distress Ink, Adirondack Alcohol Ink and Crackle Paint bottle I own were lined up at the ready, anxious for some amazing tag creations!

Yup, that is how it started. Then.....I changed my mind. :) Not that I don't LUV Tim and his amazingly talented self, and will stay up til midnight PT every single night for the next 9 days to see the next day's tag reveal, but I was in the mood for something....."different" this year.

Sorry Tim. No hard feelings? Good. I'll catch ya' next year buddy.

I remembered seeing some pretty amazing creations done for 7Gypsies last year, specifically a collection of tags that were a tiny bit similar to Tim's, and done in mostly neutrals with touches of aged silver, tarnished gold and soft pewter. A few gems, glitter and LOTS of vintage style. LUVED them!!! Yup, that's what I decided to "give a go" this year. So that brings me to what I have been doing while holed up here in my office/studio for the past 12+ hours drinking Cherry Vanilla Diet Dr.Pepper like there is no tomorrow!

Here are the first 12 of what will be 25 "Silver & Gold 7 Gypsies Inspired Tags- 2010"

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I definitely have my FAVE, which one is yours?

There is no way I can possibly go into detail about how I created each one of these pretties, so just double click on each image for close-ups, and if you have questions, LMK and I will try to remember how I got to each end result. Each one is very different, and I just created as I went along (after looking at the 7G's tags for inspirtion of course!).

Notice how the tops of the tags do not have strings, ribbons, or anything to attach them to anything else? That's cuz I'm not quite sure what I want to do with them when all 25 are done! I may string them up into a long garland, turn them into ornaments and hang them on a tree, or add them to a frame. Any suggestions?

Thanks for looking!

later,

nancy