New Eskimo Kisses by Basic Grey

If you've followed the Design Team Blog for awhile, you know how much I enjoy working with Basic Grey paper. Their patterns are often funky and cool, busy and colorful, and yet, oh so delightful to use for creative projects.

The Eskimo Kisses line that is out for the holidays is no exception. Not only is the paper exceptionally versatile, the chip board accents, and other embellies, make creating layouts, cards, and even gable boxes a snap!

And while I used this line for more traditional Christmas layouts, this paper could have many many other uses (it's not just for this holiday...anymore*).

And while I am certainly in a Glossy Accents and fine glitter phase, so I'm probably biased, I do think the extra dimension and sparkle that is added by these products is soooooo perfect for this holiday line!

Enjoy!

Anita

* You saw my "re-purpose your holiday paper challenge, right? Scroll down here...

Halloween paper for Pine Derby races?

When I issued the challenge, I had an advantage...I made this layout a month or so ago. This layout combines a few of my "loves":

• Scenic Route paper (this is last year's Halloween line). So sad they are going out of business.
• Harrison (my youngest)
• AWANA Grand Prix races (like Pine Derby races for Boy Scouts)

I adore the colors in this paper...using lime green should be "mandatory" for Halloween paper, don't you think? Sure, the other side of this paper has ghosts on it, but this side has stars, swirls, dots...all of which conveyed motion to me...perfect for racing pine derby cars!

Anita

Anita's Holiday Paper Challenge

Anita, great challenge! And thanks for posting it the day I finished my DT layout that fit your specifications! (Pure luck, I tell you...)

I had some more of the BOO! to You! papers by My Minds Eye, and realized that in our household, Halloween is not the only scary time of year. My sweet 6 year old has learned that the big bad world outside of Mommy's care can be daunting. And she's learning how to cope with it.

So I created a layout that shares the feelings my 6 year old has. And one day she can look back and see how much she's grown and learned since that first day of kindergarten in 2008.

Again, it's a hybrid layout. I used Renee Pearson's high contrast photo effect in PSE and my title block with a faux finish brush. I printed the center photo/title square and then used papers and embellishements from the die cut sheet to finish out the page.

So, don't just assume halloween papers can only be used for events in October! Be creative.

BOO! to You! from My Mind's Eye

I haven't seen any paper lines from My Mind's Eye that I haven't liked. Great company.

And wouldn't ya know it, their halloween stuff for this year is just great! I was lucky enough to make a trick or treat box to add to the gable box parade at Paper Pals. All the ladies did such unique projects... how could I make mine different? I came up with adding windows (using the new Bazzill Clear transparency paper).



Sure had fun with this one!

Themed Paper Challenge

I used last year's (or was it two years?) Christmas paper, Figgy Pudding, from Basic Grey to make this quick layout of my guy and me in the beautiful mountains of southern Germany. I painted all the edges and punched out the hearts from the paper too. The title letters are felt stickers from American Crafts.

Thanks Anita! That was fun.

Themed paper challenge

My little cottage cheese monster page using Halloween paper and stickers for my daughter's first time feeding herself.

Thank you Anita for the challenge. It took me a while to think of something. I kept on trying to do something with Christmas then I thought about Halloween. I had actually bought this paper from Paper Pals last year and hadn't yet used it. I did some embroidering stitching for the spider web.

I have a challenge that I have been thinking of but I am going to wait a bit till I post it. He He.

DT Challenge...Thinking outside the "box"...

...or in this case, holiday-themed paper.

Confused?

What can you do with a specific holiday-themed paper that isn't for that holiday? Cards, layouts, altered item, whatever strikes your fancy...let's see it!

Anita

Getting in the Spirit with Graphic 45

I was so eager to work with this Christmas Past paper line by Graphic 45. It is so beautiful and reminds me of patterns and colors that were in my grandma's house around the holidays. I was contemplating using the Making Memories Mistletoe line for my December Daily Album, but I think I may have just found a new favorite. Or maybe I'll use them both?

This is a traditional Christmas photo at our house and I'd love to pull all the years together into a mini book to display around the holidays. As I've mentioned before, when I'm working with many different patterns of paper, I tend to make some sort of grid. All the patterns of this line work really well together, so putting the layout together was quick, and after adding some gold photo corners and numbers, I simply had to choose my favorite designs from the coordinating die cut sheet as embellishments. I did a little sewing to tie the patterned grid together (thanks for the inspiration Leah) and of course inked every single edge with brown ink. Because of the busy patterns I wanted to keep the overall design simple, so I chose to journal around the outside of the layout to add a border element and additional continuity.

Aren't these great? They were fun and easy to make, and there are enough tags on the die cut sheet to make short work of your Christmas cards this year. Sorry for the spoil if you're on my list!

Gable Box

Here's my box. I love projects like this, seeing what everyone creates with their supplies. We're all so very unique and amazing!!

My paper kit this month is new Christmas from Graphic 45. My gears have been turning all morning, it's the perfect line for vintage photos, hmmmm....

Inspired!!

I was so inspired by Leah's use of this new Creative Imaginations "Zoe" baby paper that I just had to have some to "play" with!! We don't have a new baby in the family, but I have this picture of Kate (now 4 years old!!) and I thought it worked perfectly with the paper!! I totally scraplifted the idea of Leah's to put buttons on the tree!! This paper is just adorable, and it comes in the "Zack" version for baby boys!!

Thanks, Leah, for the inspiration!! (The thickness of the buttons caused the layout to scan a little funny, but you can get the idea!)

Creative Imaginations Line

It is so exciting to get the call from Shawna telling me to come pick up my goodies. I had almost bought this paper for a baby book I am working on. It is so adorable. I was not too sure what I was going to do with the box. Then I started thinking about gable roofs. That is when I came up with the house idea. Originally I was going to make a little doll house and some paper dolls and outfits. My daughter is almost 3 so I don't think she would be into it yet. She likes her baby dolls to be naked. Then I thought of the idea for a keepsake baby box and still keep the house idea. It was like I was a little girl again. I had a lot of fun building my house. I embossed my windows with some clear embossing on blue paper. I scored the paper for the house front every 1/2 inch. The roof is alternating pinking edge and straight edge. I painted the handles baby pink and then decoupaged the whole box when I was done. I also cut a 5x8 piece of paper board to go in the bottom of the box to make it sit better. I did not like the way the top closed so I attached two magnets and a bit of ribbon to help pull the magnets apart.

This is a scrap lift from a July 2009 issue of Scrapbooks etc. pg. 24. I did some stitching on my page which was fun. I like the quilt look of this page.

Another scrap lift which didn't really end up looking that much like the original. This one was from a Creating Keepsakes July 2008 magazine pg. 99. This is the kind of paper that is so cute you don't want to cover any of it up. I find that when I am given these kits to create with I become more creative. When I scrap with the paper I have at home sometimes I will not use it because I don't want to cut it up or don't know what to do with it even though I really like it. Then I end up saving things thinking I will use it one day. Therefore I have a bunch of paper that I love and don't use. So thank you Shawna and Karen for challenging me. It has really pushed me to be more creative.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY" take-home box

For me, scrapbooking means a 12X12 "flat" layout, so you can imagine that "altering" this take-home box was a challenge!! (Thank you, Shawna and Karen!!) :0) But, I'm happy to report that it was SO MUCH FUN to see that simple, brown chipboard take-out box turn into something so festive!!! What a fun way to deliver that "extra special" birthday gift.

With all the different "themed" printed papers available, you could turn one of these little boxes into a present for any occasion!!

"Mistletoe" by Making Memories

You're going to LOVE this new double-sided printed cardstock "Mistletoe" from Making Memories! The prints are whimsical and fun and the colors are traditional for Christmas!! Soooo much fun to use with your Christmas photos!

Oh, and speaking of "inspiration"...new, fun patterned papers really do inspire me!! That is one thing that I just love about Paper Pals...they always have the newest and most fun pattern papers on the market and I love matching them with my pictures and coming up with a new and different layout! :0)