Digital Sign in Book

Welcome to Designer Crafts Blog Connection hop day!  Today we are all going to be showcasing Wedding themed projects!  We will also be announcing the winner of the Cricut Expression.

My project for today is a Digital Sign In Book that I made a while back using a program called Heritage Makers.  Did you ever go to a wedding and see those giant poster size pictures of the bride and groom where you can sign the frame matting it?  I often wonder how many of those actually make it into a frame and onto the wall of a new couple's home.  Probably not that many.  My solution is to make Digital Sign In Books using pictures of the happy couple.  Using this program I can completely customize the pages and manipulate the photos.  I can add text to the pages if I choose....for example, one couple gave me lyric quotes from some of their favorite songs.  The point is to leave lots of "white space".  Once I have the pages laid out just right, I can have them printed in a 21-page, hard covered book.  The couple then can send it around to all the tables at the wedding for their guests to sign.  It makes a wonderful keepsake and it is a bit more manageable than those giant posters.  

Here are a few samples of pages from inside the book.  Enjoy!  Oh...and don't forget...our next hope date is 4/4! 

Artfully yours,

Theresa

Recycled Floral Decor

For as long as I can remember I have been very attracted to tins that are unusual sizes and shapes.  I have hoarded and stockpiled them always with the intention of doing something "really cool" with them.  So, during the holidays when I was out at the liquor store buying what I like to call "happy gifts", this tin of Jameson Irish Whisky caught my attention.  I just had to have it....and I don't even drink whisky!  So, I gifted the bottle and kept the tin just for me!  Is that wrong?  lol

Ok...yes, it's March.  I just wasn't quite sure what it was that I was going to make this into at first...but finally, when I saw the new Graphic45 papers at CHA Winter, I knew that this bottle and those papers were going to make a beautiful couple.  The long, narrow, cylindrical shape of this tin, I thought, would make a lovely holder for a dried floral arrangement.  

This is a very quick and easy project that anyone can create rather simply.  I didn't even use glue!  (sometimes I have no patience for having to wait for glue to dry)  Here are the supplies I used to create this project:

• Jameson tin (but you use whatever you have!)
• ATG tape gun - I find the thin adhesive to be strong enough, but a strong adhesive like Mod Podge will work also
• Graphic45 Curtin Call paper (any scrapbook paper will do)
• Mini Scrabble tiles
• Paper trimmer
• Scissors

The first thing I did was decide which papers from the Graphic45 Curtain Call collection I was going to use.  I happen to love the vintage feel of all their papers, but I particularly like this line because I am also a musician.

Once I figured that out, I set right to work covering the outside of the tin with a full sheet of 12x12 paper.  As you can see, the tin is a little bit longer than the paper...

I dealt with that by choosing the coordinating paper that has these ticket stubs.

It was really unnecessary to measure this, so I just cut off 2 lines of tickets, like this...

Next, I adhered that strip to the top rim of the tin...

Graphic45 not only sells their papers individually, but they also have these really cool paper packs.  Inside the pack are 2 sheets of each paper design and then in the back there are these press outs that are dual sided.  I used these....

Actually, the one that has the musical notes had a piano keyboard on the underside.  I ultimately went with that.  I trimmed those with scissors and began to layer them vertically onto the tin.

This image came right from the scrapbook paper itself.  I cut that out, mounted it onto another coordinating sheet to make this panel...

...which I then layered onto the tin.

That was all it took!  Pretty simple so far, right? Finally, I added these mini Scrabble tiles to spell out the words "music" and "jazz".  Those made a nice finishing touch and still allowed the paper to be the star!

I added some dried flowers that complimented the paper.  It now proudly sits in my studio.  I think it makes a great addition!

I hope this project has inspired you to go out and alter something of your own!  Let me know what you did....send a link back to your blog so I can see!

Artfully yours,

Theresa

CHA Revisited

Hello my wonderful friends!  Welcome to the official kick-off of the Designer Crafts Blog Connection.  As I have mentioned previously, this fantastic group has been born from the Sizzix Blog Hop that was held this past fall.  Many of the designers from that group...along with a few new faces...expressed a desire to remain linked together.  So here we are!

Today is particularly exciting for two reasons.  First,  it is the first coordinated effort of the group to provide you all with some really great content!  Second, for this blog hop we have a giveaway!  That giveaway is a Cricut Expression!!!  To enter to win is simple.  Nine (9) blogs contain the Cricut Logo somewhere on their blog.  All you need to do is post the names of all 9 blogs into the comment section of Julie McGuffe's  blog and you will be entered to win.  The name of the lucky winner will be announced on March 13th...which happens to be our next coordinated Hop date.  

     

So, back to our Blog Hop topic!  When you hop along the circle today, you will see all sorts of information about CHA.  There will be lots of pictures.  Everyone will be posting about all the cool stuff they did and saw and heard at CHA Winter show.  I have already done quite a bit of blogging about the show, so I am approaching it from a little bit of a unique angle.

What I especially noticed at CHA Winter wasn't so much all the great product.  It was something that I was especially in tune with this show...

...and that was Designer presence!  Practically everywhere I turned, you were reminded of the strong Designer section presence at the show.  It was amazing to see!  Of course, Designers have always been active participants at CHA, but in my 4 short years here, I have seen that grow by leaps and bounds.  It makes me very proud to be a member of such an important and influential group.

Here are some ways I enjoyed seeing the Designer Section make their mark on CHA Winter:

During the Welcome Event of the first day of show, a group of CHA Designers (me included) had their art canvases displayed.  These canvases went into a silent auction for the Kids in Need Foundation.

Me and Marisa Pawelko....Marisa generously coordinated the designers and projects  donated to the auction.

This is the Designer's Craft Studio.  Here, designers created and displayed projects using certain craft projects in new and innovative ways.  Then, each designer had a demonstration time.

Designer Craft Studio had 24 participants.  This diplay had their pictures and demo times on 3 sides!

Display case at Craft Studio.

Another group of designers donated projects for auction to another very worthy cause.  These projects were displayed in the main hall...

Of course, everywhere I went, Designers were working!  They were working in booths, demoing, interviewing, doing make and takes, doing book signings, taping shows!  It was quite a site!  Way to go Designer Section!

Even I was busy doing demos!

Sue Kelsey was at Makin's Clay.

Rebekah Meiers was at Simplicity.

Laura Bray was doing Make and Takes for When Creativity Knocks at Craftwell.

Ken Oliver was working at Unibind.

Laura Bray and Cindi Bisson were doing Make and Takes for When Creativity Knocks at Elmer's.  

Of course, our celebrity designers were working just as hard...

Suede was at Simplicity to promote his new, awesome line of dress patterns.  He was signing them for the masses.  He also made an appearance at Craftwell.

Mark Montano was signing copies of his new book, Pulp Fiction, at several booths at the show.  I caught up with him at Design Originals.

 The Designer Section Members are more than just creative...we are also business savvy!  We are a very organized and coordinated bunch.  Here we are conducting our Designer Section Meeting.

Ann Butler, Lorine Mason, Svetlana Kunina....and I got part of Tiffany Windsor, too!

 A big part of the show is the Designer Showcase, which is open to editors, publishers and manufacturers.  Forty-nine designers participated in this event!  CHA promoted us through the show catalog and signage like this one...

 

Here I am with my display.  I set up in the weeeeee hours of the morning because I was so busy working.

Carla Schauer and Jen Goode not only participated in the Designer Showcase, but they had a booth in the License and Design Section as well.

When all the work was done and we cleaned up our art supplies....it was really just great to see my colleagues, many of whom I am proud to call friends!

Cindi Bisson

Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Roxi Phillips, Beth Watson, Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Vicki O'Dell and Laura Bray.

 Hope you enjoyed seeing how the Designers spend time at the show and this little revisit of CHA Winter.

Now hop forward....and don't forget to look for those Cricut logos!  There are 9.

Artfully yours,
Theresa

REMINDER: Designer Crafts Blog Connection and Giveaway!

Thursday, March 3rd, is the official kick off of the Designer Crafts Blog Connection!  Finally!!  While we have been linked to each other for a couple of weeks already, Thursday is the first coordinated post.  We have a theme (but you have to wait til Thursday!) and a fantastic giveaway!  

We are very excited to have this Cricut Expression to give to one lucky winner.  All the details will be post on Julie McGuffe's blog, Life in the Craft Lane.  Check there for all the details on how you can win this fantastic personal electronic cutter.

Good luck...don't forget...Thursday, March 3rd!  See you then!

Theresa

Daily Window Challenge: You Can Win, Too!

Hello crafty ones!  This past January, I participated in a challenge for Daily Window.  They are a really neat company that makes personalized bags.  Each bag has a "window" in it where you can display your personal artwork, pictures, etc.  I strongly suggest you at least take a look.  The bags are beautiful and so are the people who work there!!  

Each month, they have a challenge.  They put the call out with directions of what they are looking for...then you create and submit your image.  One winner and two runner ups are selected.  The winner receives $100 and a bag of your choice. 

This was the winning image for the January challenge.  It happens to be mine!  Last week I received my prizes.  It was a really nice surprise to win.  I was very happy and I just love the bag.

Please go to the Daily Window website and check out the current challenge.  There is still time to submit for February.  The deadline is March 10th.  

Good luck!  Let me know if you submit.

Artfully yours,

Theresa

Designer Crafts: A New, Ongoing Hop!

Hello my crafty friends!  I have great news!!!  If you haven't already noticed the new logo in my sidebar, allow me to point it out to you....go ahead, take a peek, I'll wait right here....

For those of you who followed the Sizzix Triple Play Blog Hop, I mentioned a few times that many of the designers involved were looking for a way to stay linked together.  Well, this goal has finally come to fruition! So, I would like to introduce you to Designer Crafts Blog Connection.  I want to thank all the designers who have chosen to stay linked together.  I especially would like to thank Niki Meiners, Jen Goode and Julie McGuffe for coordinating, writing code, hosting...and several other jobs that go along with this responsibility.

Please feel free at anytime (even now) to hop from blog to blog.  You will certainly see some valuable content.  We will be having specific challenges that the group of designers will participating in...there will be announcements when those are coming!  

Stay tuned...

Theresa

FABULOUS CHA PHOTOS!

As I walked the show floor, I often wished that there were two of me so that I could look AND get pictures of everything on the show floor.  Well...while I was able to get some, it just isn't enough.

So, I asked my good friend and colleague, Julie McGuffe if I could link to her sight so that you could see all her amazing photos.  Honestly, it is like a candy store of the most amazing pics from CHA.  Thank you, Jules!!  You totally rock.

Check these links out, so you can see for yourself.....

Life in the Craft Lane - CHA Part 1
Life in the Craft Lane - CHA Part 2