More Beautiful Design Team Samples....

I was just walking around today noticing some really GORGEOUS new design team samples that I wanted to share with you:

Look at this little tag from Luci Britto:

How stinkin' cute is that?  I have to say, I would never in a million years have looked at that lace, and I totally had to buy some today... LOVE it on the tag!  It looks beautiful and it adds interesting texture to the tag... really, really love that lace!

And look at this cute little mini album she brought us, using a canvas album from Maya Road and Bo Bunny's Prairie Chic:

Just a few pages shared here... you really want to come see this in person because you're just not going to see all the love and detail in these pages in the photos...

Design Team Challenge #1 - Melinda

If you've been reading faithfully the last few days then you will have read all about our design team's very first challenge to alter cards from 7 Gypsies photo carousel - our lovely muses really met the challenge and definitely inspired us here in the store, and now we're hoping they'll do the same for you!  Here are some pictures of the completed photo carousel:

Ultimately, we decided that all the ladies did such lovely work that we didn't want to lump all their entries into one bulk post, so we decided to showcase each ladies submissions separately so that they would each have their time to shine.

This week we're highlighting design team member Melinda Miller's cards and I gotta say, I just love them.  They are SO cute and Melinda did a great job showing how to incorporate photos on the pages.  I think you'll really enjoy Melinda's photo carousel altered cards:

Of course, my pictures never really do the samples justice - please be sure to drop by and check these beautiful cards out in person!

Design Team Challenge #1 - Luci

If you've been reading faithfully the last few days then you will have read all about our design team's very first challenge to alter cards from 7 Gypsies photo carousel - our lovely muses really met the challenge and definitely inspired us here in the store, and now we're hoping they'll do the same for you!  Here are some pictures of the completed photo carousel:

Ultimately, we decided that all the ladies did such lovely work that we didn't want to lump all their entries into one bulk post, so we decided to showcase each ladies submissions separately so that they would each have their time to shine.

This week we're highlighting design team member Luci Brito's cards and all I can say is WOW.  The detail in these cards is really amazing - here are Luci's photo carousel altered cards:

Of course, my pictures never really do the samples justice - please be sure to drop by and check these beautiful cards out in person - Luci incorporated so much fine detail that you really have to look at these up close and personal!  And be sure to keep an eye out for the next batch of cards - we'll be sharing them very soon :)

Design Team Challenge #1 - Angel

Over the last several days we've been sharing the results from our design team's very first challenge to alter cards from 7 Gypsies photo carousel - our lovely muses really met the challenge and definitely inspired us here in the store, and now we're hoping they'll do the same for you!  Here is the photo carousel:

And here is a sampling of the materials we gave the design team to work with:

Ultimately, we decided that all the ladies did such lovely work that we didn't want to lump all their entries into one bulk post; we decided to give you little samplings of each ladies submission separately so that they would each have their time to shine.

Today we're showcasing design team member Angel Estes' submissions - Angel had a really unique take on the challenge and incorporated some great (and sometimes really funny!) quotes - here are Angel's photo carousel altered cards:

Of course, my pictures never really do the samples justice - please be sure to drop by and check these beautiful cards out in person. We hope you enjoyed this second preview - we'll be sharing the next set in just a few days so keep checking in!

Design Team Challenge #1 - Jeannie

A few days ago we shared a quick post about our design team's very first challenge - our lovely muses really met the challenge and definitely inspired us here in the store, and we're sure they'll do the same for you...

The design team was given products needed to create a 7 Gypsies Photo Carousel and we have just been loving their designs.  In fact, they all did such lovely work that we decided to give you little samplings of each ladies submission separately so that they would each have their time to shine.  Here is the completed carousel:

First up we have design team member Jeannie Ziegleman - Jeannie's been wowing us with her talent for some time and she definitely delivered on this challenge.  Here are Jeannie's photo carousel altered cards:

Wow - how amazingly diverse.  Of course, my pictures never really do the samples justice - please be sure to drop by and check these beautiful cards out in person.

We hope you enjoyed this first preview - we'll be sharing the next set in just a few days so keep checking in!

Come Join Our Lovely Muses...

I have to say, we really struck gold with the new ESS Design Team!  They've been turning in such lovely projects - every time one of them drops something off it's like Christmas in the store!

Last month, Nancy issued the design team their first challenge... they were given the following products to create a store sample of the 7 Gypsies Photo Carousel:

Our ladies went all out - I have to say, they really NAILED this challenge!  Each designer interpreted the challenge differently, and it's so fun to just sit and flip through the photo carousel to see what the ladies came up with.  Their projects are so inspiring, they really just made me want to create!!!  Here are a few pics of the photo carousel:

Keep your eyes peeled - over the next few weeks we're going to highlight each designer's unique take on this challenge, and of course the actual photo carousel is here in the store, so make sure you come on in and get a closer look - you'll be glad you did!

Tuesday Tutorial Time #2

It's that time again - Tuesday Tutorial Time!!  Haven't you been anxiously awaiting the release?  I know, me too! 

Today's tutorial is this sweet fall card and matching envelope designed by Melinda Miller: 

Let's start with the card:

Melinda used papers from Authentique's "Lively" Collection:

Papers used from the Lively collection: · Chipper · Spirited · Bright · Details Sticker Sheet Bazzil cardstock – Brown Card Stock - White     Directions:

Other Supplies: Orange Ribbon / Cotton String ATG Adhesive Brown Pigment Ink Tim Holtz distress ink - Vintage Bone folder Large Scallop border punch or circle punch Scallop circle punch Pop Dots and glue dots Bird and branch dies

1. Form a 4 ¼  x 5 ½ inch side-folded card from Bazzill cardstock, rounding the corners. 

 

2. Cut the background paper (Chipper) to 4 x 5 ½ inches.  

 

 

3. You have two options for creating the scallop border.  If you have a large scallop punch, just cut a piece of the Spirited patterened paper to 2 x 5 1/2, then use the scallop border punch along the edge.

 

If you do not have a large scallop border punch, punch five 1 1/8" circles from the Lively paper.  You will have to overlap them a little, but if you adhere them to the card base and layer the Chipper paper over the top, you will have the appearance of a scalloped border.   

 

Before you adhere these pieces, ink edges of both the background and the edge border.  Adhere the border (or circles) first, then adhere the Chipper piece.  Glue orange ribbon over the seam of the background and border.  Wrap cotton string around twice and loosely tie.

 

 

4. Die cut your branch and the bird and ink edges.  Adhere branch to the front of card and adhere bird using 3D Dots. 

 

5. Thread buttons with floss and glue down with glue dots.  

 

6. Punch a scalloped circle.  Crinkle the circle and then smooth out.  Using a “Details” sticker, do the same and then adhere to the punched scallop.  Adhere orange brad through the center.  Attach to card front with a pop dot.

 

7.  Place the letters from the “Details” stickers to spell HELLO onto a scrap piece of cardstock and cut out.  Using a scrap piece of the “Bright” paper, I formed a flag and adhered the “HELLO”.  Punch a small hole and untie the loosely tied string, thread through the hole and finish with a bow.  

Wow - you're almost done!  How about the envelope now:

Supplies Used:

Papers used from the Livvely collection:   Chipper Details sticker sheet

Other Supplies: A2 Envelope Branch stamp Brown pigment ink Embossing powder - Dark Brown Glossy Accents

1.  Distress the envelope using Tim Holtz “Vintage” distress ink. 

2. Stamp the image and emboss with powder. 

3. Apply stickers from the “Details” sheet and apply Glossy Accents to the stickers. 

Isn't this a beautiful fall project!  Thanks so much to Melanie for sharing these designs with us!

Meet the New ESS Design Team!!

The time has finally come - we can now announce the new Design Team members for Everything Scrapbook and Stamps!  We had some really lovely and talented people to choose from, but the votes are in and our first team has been selected.  Take a few minutes to get to know them - you should be enjoying some lovely new samples from them very soon!

Jeannie Ziegelman

We're very excited to bring one of our long-time favorite customers into our design team fold... we did a customer spotlight on Jeannie earlier this year and you've seen her beautiful work all over the store (that Halloween house is to DIE for, right? - and not because it's scary!) 

Jeannie recently brought all of us all our own decorated bags filled with AMAZING witches hats: 

 

 

 

Isn't it great??  It's on it's own little stand and you can just see the little bag of treats in the back.  Here's a close up of some of the top detail:

 

 

And this was how she decorated the front of the bags:

 

 

These are outstanding - we have Michelle's here in the store if you want to come sneak a peak!

 

Luci Brito - Mixed Media/Altered Art

Blog:http://lucisscrapoddities.blogspot.com/

 

Luci is a very trendy artist who makes great use of space and color. 

Luci said: "I am a native Floridian who has a wonderful husband and four amazing children; two are mine and two are my step-children. I have a passion for everything paper. I scrap, create altered art, make party favors... you get the picture.  If it has anything to do with paper my grubby, inked fingers are in it."

 

Luci submitted this beautiful altered canvas as part of her design team application - this piece is so full of loving detail:

 

 

Melinda Miller - Scrapbooking

Melinda said: "I am very creative and enjoy exchanging ideas with other creative people...they inspire me!"  We loved Melissa's creative scrapbooking layout ideas and we think you'll love them too!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These fresh and fun scrapbooking layouts earned Melinda her spot on our design team:

 

 

Angel Estes - Cardmaking

http://angelestesinkspot.blogspot.com/

 

Meet Angel: "My name is Angel. I am a wife and mom to two beautiful girls. I love stamping, cooking, reading, cycling, and about a zillion other things!" 

 

We really enjoyed Angela's clean designs and clear sense of focus - these samples are so fun! 

 

 

 

Kim Dubois - Mixed Media/Altered Art

https://www.facebook.com/Bellavioletta

 

 

 

Here's how Kim described herself:  "Paper is my drug of choice!! I love to glue, paint, fold, cut and hoard it!! Plus I have a million ideas and I NEED to share them!!  I am a self-taught artist, and I enjoy mixed media, painting and sewing. Paper and fabric have always been my passions. I love to CREATE! My personal motto has always been "ART SAVES LIVES".

 

 

 

Kim is truly a creative spirit - we loved this fun flower tutorial:

 

 

 

Needless to say, we think these ladies will bring a lot of wonderful projects to our store and to you!  We can't wait to see the projects that will be coming our way - keep an eye out in the store!