Graphic 45®

A Moment of Gratitude For All You G45ers!

2012-05-25T05:00:00-07:00

Hello G45ers,

Happy Friday and welcome to today's blog! Thank you all so much for joining us on this lovely day! This has been such a fun and exciting week here at Graphic 45. We've been working hard to get our new collections Happy Haunting and A Ladies' Diary out to stores as fast as possible. We know you are all anxious to get your hands on these wonderful new collections. Plus we've been having such a great time getting to share the glorious creations from our new 2012 design team. It was wonderful to read all of your comments this week. You all seem to be just as excited as we are with the fabulous talent that our new design team is bringing! Thank you all so much for your terrific feedback this week! Today we thought we'd say thank you to all of you fabulous G45ers out there. We're going to be featuring some wonderful crafts that were posted to our Ning site from your fellow G45ers! We love seeing what you're creating with our products. We encourage all of you to share your creativity on our Ning site, Facebook page and website gallery!

We also have a winner for this week's blog contest! Huge thanks to everyone who left us blog and Facebook comments this week. We loved hearing from you! This week's winner, chosen at random from this week's blog comments, is...

-Connie L Riley: "I don't know what I'm going to do--I'm running out of superlatives and the DT has just started! If they keep it up, I'll have to resort to my thesaurus or just not post... The Olde Curiosity Shoppe is one of my obsessions and I loved all three projects. Sharon's altered box gave me so many ideas. Although I'm not much of a jewelry person, I was fascinated with Denise's video and how the necklace was constructed. Definitely great ideas there. And, the box and mini album from Clare went right to the top of my projects to try list! Thanks."

Congratulations, Connie and thank you for your kind words! Please email us with your shipping information at info@g45papers.com to claim your prize.

And now it's time for some stunning crafts that were posted on our Ning site! Here is a fabulous lift curtain by Anne Elizabeth Rostad.This is such a grand and inspiring creation! It absolutely captures the fun and eclectic sentiment of Olde Curiosity Shoppe! One word: "wow!"

Here we have an amazing rat trap note holder by Kimberly.This clever creation features Kraft Reflections and lots of beautiful embellishments. This fabulous craft has a great shabby-chic look that is simply beautiful!

Next up is this gorgeous Olde Curiosity Shoppe layout by Teresa Manchas. You can see some wonderful paper distressing in this piece that gives it a truly vintage look. Plus this is just so adorable with the sweet photos of a cute pup. Fabulous paper layering also gives this LO great dimension and texture. Fantastic!

Next up is this stunning Little Darlings keepsake box by Martica Gonzalez.This is such a wonderful creation. Keepsake boxes are always so much fun to make! This adorable box captures the preciousness of our Little Darlings collection in so many ways. Pretty embellishments and ribbons also help to add to the charm of this wonderful box. It's such a treasure!

Here is another fantastic Little Darlings creation! This is an altered canvas by Anna Fearer. Isn't this lovely?! You can see how perfectly Little Darlings papers blend with pretty embellishments. This would make such a fabulous gift or a beautiful piece of home decor. Incredible!

Once again, thank you all so much for joining us today. Huge thanks to all of today's featured artists for their remarkable projects. Big thanks to all of you G45ers out there who share your kind words and wonderful talents with us. We appreciate you all so much! Please come back and see us again. We've got another week of wonderful craft inspiration ahead! Have a glorious day and enjoy your weekend!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Jump for Joy With An ABC Primer!

2012-05-24T05:00:00-07:00

Hello G45ers,

Thank you for stopping by our blog today! We have some truly delightful craft treats to share with you on this fine Thursday! We've got brand new craft creations from our fabulous design team members Denise Hahn and Alberto Juarez. Today's crafts highlight our adorable schoolhouse-inspired collection An ABC Primer. Today you will see a splendid mini album by Denise Hahn and some beautiful wall hangings by Alberto Juarez. This day is going to be so much fun!

We love An ABC Primer. The beautiful colors and vintage schoolhouse images are filled with so much wonder! There are so many ways to use this fabulous collection to create something unforgettable! First up is this gorgeous mini album by Denise Hahn. She completely captured the vintage spirit of this collection! We love the way Denise used the pencils to decorate the spine of this mini. What a clever idea! There is something wonderful to discover on every beautiful page. You can see how Denise layered the papers and added cute embellishments to enhance to precious look of this mini! Wow!

Supplies:

Graphic 45 ABC Primer papers
Graphic 45 ABC Primer Chipboard Tags 1 & 2
Graphic 45 Flowers #30
Graphic 45 Staples Trim #3
Bazzill Basics Cardstock
My First Ticonderoga Pencils
Vintage Fabric Measuring Tape
Vintage Dennison Label
Vintage game tile
Colorbox Fluid Chalk Black
Colorbox Fluid Chalk Prussian Blue
Smootch Glitz Starlight
Clearsnap Embossing powder-clear
Sharpie Paint Pen white
Tulle
Provo Craft letter stamp Circa 18pt
May Arts Bakers Twine
Mini Book on cover-cut from scrabble board

Next up we have these fabulous wall hangings by Alberto Juarez using An ABC Primer. These would look perfect in a nursery or child's room! These would even be great in an office or study area! They are nice and simple but they radiate with wonderful vintage charm. The lovely altered frame and ribbon add a dash of brilliant color to these sweet works of home decor. They are simply lovely!

We hope you all enjoyed today's wonderful crafts! Please join us tomorrow for more splendid craft creations. We will also be announcing a winner for this week's blog contest. There is still time to enter for your chance to win this week's prize. Just leave us a blog or Facebook comment! Huge thanks to Denise Hahn and Alberto Juarez for their incredible work today. We wish you all a blissful day!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Fun Little Darlings Ideas & Metal Buttons Tutorial!

2012-05-23T05:00:00-07:00

Hello Fabulous G45ers!

Welcome to our blissful blog! We hope your week is going wonderfully. We are pleased as punch that you are joining us today! We are having so much fun getting to share the incredible crafts that our new design team has been creating. Today we have an enchanting Little Darlings altered dresser by Arlene Cuevas that you are going to love! Arlene has also included a fun and easy tutorial that will show you how to create gorgeous altered metal staples using the Graphic 45 Metal Button Staples! This is a great technique that brings a brilliant look to metal embellishments. Yes indeed, today is going to be lots of fun! Don't forget that we've got a great blog contest this week that you can still enter to win! Just leave us a blog or Facebook comment any time this week. We will be choosing one random winner from this week's comments and announcing them on Friday right here on our blog. This is the wonderful prize you can win this week! Oh, so pretty!

We know you are all getting super excited about the new collections A Ladies' Diary and Happy Haunting. Here is a fun video that Arlene made where she takes you on a tour of the new paper collections! Our design team are starting to get to work on these wonderful new collections. This fun video is sure to get you super excited to start papercrafting! Start looking for A Ladies' Diary and Happy Haunting in stores in June!

And now it's time to get inspired! Here we have an adorable and beautiful Little Darlings Altered Dresser by Arlene Cuevas. This would make such a wonderful gift or a piece of decor for a nursery or child's room. You can keep sweet little keepsakes in the drawers too! There are so many great uses for this magical creation. Let your imagination take flight as you look at these great photos! Here is what Arlene had to say about this precious work of art.

"A friend of mine is expecting a baby boy this fall and I wanted to make something special to welcome him. Naturally, I reached for the Little Darlings paper collection! I found this miniature wooden dresser at a local craft store and thought how cute it would be to alter it. I primed the base with Gesso, then painted the entire dresser with buttermilk white acrylic paint. The edges are inked up with Ranger Distress Ink in Antique Linen. I painted the Staples Metal Buttons and Ornate door plate with acrylic paint and distressed them using a baby wipe, which is fun and easy to do (tutorial included.) The little picture frame is from the dollar section at my local craft store. I matted a Little Darlings chipboard frame to it and included a photo inside from the paper collection. The handmade flower was created using the Cherished paper and Spellbinders Rose creations die set. The Little Darlings paper collection is so full of inspiration. It’s fun to work with, that’s for sure!" -Arlene Cuevas

Supplies:

Little Darlings paper collection

Little Darlings Tags 1 & 2

Little Darlings Cardstock stickers

Metal Brads

Ornate Door Plate

May Arts lace/pearl trim

May Arts Silky Crush ribbon

I Am Roses flowers

Cheery Lynn Designs Lace corner Deco E & Francesca border

White doily

Michael’s mini white dollar frame

Ranger Distress Ink – Antique Linen

Gesso

Buttermilk White Acrylic paint by Americana

Next up is this lovely and fun tutorial that Arlene created. You can see that she used Graphic 45 Metal Button Staples on her Little Darlings altered dresser. She used this great technique to add a splash of color and vintage charm to the Metal Button Staples. Learn how it was done in this great tutorial! What fun!

Altering Staples Metal Buttons Tutorial:

A few simple steps for a great look!

Supplies:

Staples Metal Buttons, Paint brush, tweezer or gripper, acrylic paint, paint dish, heat gun, baby wipes

Step 1: Use your gripper to clip the brad in place. Add a small drop of paint into the paint dish. Dip your paint brush lightly into the paint and apply to the brad. Cover completely, making sure you don’t miss any crevices.

Step 2: You can either let the paint sit and dry, or use a heat gun to dry the paint. NOTE: Be careful! When you use a heat gun, the metal gets really hot! TIP: Do not dry completely. The paint should be slightly moist to the touch.

Step 3: Take a baby wipe and brush it lightly over the brad, paying attention to rub on the surface of the brad only. You want to slightly remove the paint on the surface of the brad to reveal the antique gold.

Voila! You have an altered brad! You can use a similar technique with alcohol ink. But instead of a baby wipe, use a dry paper towel and wipe the alcohol ink lightly before it completely sets.

Have fun trying out this super easy technique!

We hope you all had a great time today! Big thanks to Arlene Cuevas for her fantastic Little Darlings creation and tutorial! We have more inspiraing crafts to share with you on tomorrow's blog so we hope you'll join us! Enjoy your day, G45ers!

With Hugs and Pretty Paper,

Your Friends at Graphic 45

A Craft Celebration of Olde Curiosity Shoppe!

2012-05-22T05:00:00-07:00

Hello Fabulous G45ers!

It's another bright and happy day here at Graphic 45! We are so glad you've stopped by to see the latest in craft inspiration. We've got so many fantastic crafts to share with you today! We're celebrating the many ways you can create gorgeous projects with our collection Olde Curiosity Shoppe. You'll see magnificent works of art by Sharon Ong, Denise Hahn and Clare Charvill! Plus we've got helpful tips, a fun tutorial and videos! Wow! So much fun! So lets just get right to it! First up is this remarkable 5x5 altered art box by Sharon Ong. This box is so beautiful! Sharon even included some great tips on how she created this inspiring piece! With a collection as beautiful as Olde Curiosity Shoppe there is no limit to your creativity! Take it away, Sharon!

The Graphic 45 5X5 altered art box is perfect as a little container for tags with quotations, or in my case bible verses to remember. Here's what I did with mine:

Instead of using the album that comes with the box, I used it to make a pocket to hold tags. (the album paper is nice and sturdy so its great for building with!).

My favourite part of this project is actually the sides of the box. I used the Olde Curiosity Shoppe "Genuine Article" papers to paper the sides and painted over them with a thin layer of teal coloured paint, then stained it with distress ink. I like how it makes the paper look 'mouldy'. :)

Supplies:

Papers: Mercurial Masterpiece, Parlor Wall, Optical Oddities, Butterfly Specifics, Apothecary, Genuine Article, Bazaar of Wonders,
5x5 Kraftboard Altered Art Box w/Album
Metal Flower Staples
Metal Hinge Staples
Metal Button Staples
Metal Clothespins
Stamped Metal Brads
Olde Curiosity Shoppe Chipboard Die-cuts 2
Other Supplies:
Marks Filmstrip Washi Tape
Making Memories paint - lagoon
Ranger Distress Ink - Vintage Photo, black soot
Bazzill kraft cardstock
twine - my own

Next up is this unique and elegant Olde Curiosity Shoppe thread spool necklace by Denise Hahn. This is such a clever idea and so much fun to create! Plus it's a great way to recycle your old thread spools! Turn them into one-of-a-kind accessories like this one! Here is what Denise had to say about this lovely necklace!

"I have been making these necklaces for a while now, but was inspired by Graphic 45’s Old Curiosity Shoppe’s butterflies and Staples Metal Butterflies. I decided to combine them with some fun ribbon from May Arts to make this attention getting wearable piece of art." -Denise Hahn

Check out Denise's Video Tutorial.

Supplies:

Graphic 45 Paper Old Curiosity Shoppe
Graphic 45 Olde Curiosity Shoppe Stickers
Graphic 45 Staples Butterfly
May Arts Ribbon
Want2Scrap Say it in pearls
Vintage Wooden Spool
Colorbox Chalk Black
Decoupage Medium
Thick Gauge wire (I use rebar wire)
Wire cutters and flat nose pliers
Clearsnap Rollograph with word words stamp
Colorbox Archival Ink Pad Black
Pre-made rosary chain
vintage rhinestone piece
E6000
Metal key

Next up is this enchanting altered box and mini album by Clare Charvill. Clare is an expert when it comes to creating incredible works of altered art and mini albums! Let this stunning piece capture your heart and imagination! Want to know how it was made? Clare has even included a detailed tutorial and videos that show you how to create one of your very own! So lets have some fun with the amazingly talented Clare Charvill! Take it away, Clare!

Supplies:

Graphic 45 Supplies

Papers from the 12 x 12 Olde Curiosity Shoppe Collection

Back Cover - diamonds

12 x 12 Parlour Wall

12 x 12 Optical Oddities

12 x 12 Genuine Article for the dragonfly

Staples Ribbon Black

Miscellaneous supplies

Wooden Box

Polystyrene balls

wooden knob for closure

3 covered florist wires

Alterations Metal Embellishment on lid

Wooden Cotton Reel

Back Soot Distress Ink

The Instructions

Instructions:

1. Take a wooden box and paint it inside and out with black acrylic paint. Leave until completely dry and cover with a coat of matte varnish. I used Claudine Helmuth Matte Medium

2. Measure front, back and sides of your box and cut paper 1/4 " smaller than actual size of each panel to allow for a black border. Ink all edges cover with tacky glue and stick each piece to the corresponding side of the box, making sure all edges are firmly stuck down. I used the back cover of the 12 x 12 paper pad. The diamonds were just the right size for the project.

3. Cut two border pieces out of black card stock using the Sizzix Swirly Back decorative strip and, centring each piece up with the front and back of the box and the bottom edge, stick down firmly to box. Then cut out the "eyes" element from the 12 x 12 Parlor Wall paper and stick to the centre front of box.

4. Take 4 polystyrene balls (bought from local craft store) with black acrylic paint and leave to dry thoroughly. Stick on to each of the bottom corners of the box with tacky glue/glossy accents. I stuck each one on a cocktail stick to make it easy to paint and dry them.

5. Cut out a selection of words from the 12 x 12 Optical Oddities paper, ink the edges of each one with black soot distress ink. Crumple up and then stick them so they overlap around the bottom edge of the border strips on the box.

6. Measure the inside front back and sides of box and cut paper pieces for each that are 1/4" smaller than the actual size of the sides. Ink all paper edges. Paper used was 12 x 12 Parlor Wall. Also cut out peacock element and ink edges. Cut two strips of black ribbon from the G45 Staples range and stick each piece to the inside of the lid and side of box. Then stick the paper pieces to the inside of the box and the peacock element to the inside of the lid.

To decorate the lid:

7. Cut out the dragonfly and two butterfly's from the 12 x 12 Genuine Article and Butterfly Specifics papers. Ink all edges. Take three paper coated florist wires, roll around a wooden spoon to curl and stick one to each of the two butterflies and dragonfly cut outs. I cut a tiny oblong shaped piece of paper from the same sheet as the butterflies, add some glue to the back of the butterflies, position the wire in the glue and stick the little oblong piece of paper over the top. Hold for a few seconds until stuck. Paint a cotton reel black and when dry, group the three wire ends together, push down into the centre of the cotton reel. Squeeze some glue into the hole and leave to dry.

8. Cut out two words from the 12 x 12 Optical Oddities sheet and the frame around the butterfly's on the Parlor Wall paper ink edges and stick down on the top of the box.

Add a metal embellishment to frame one word. Stick cotton reel in place with some tacky glue and leave to dry.

9. Cut out the key from 12 x 12 Parlor Wall paper, ink edges and cover in glossy accents. Leave to dry. Make a small label from Genuine Article 1 x 12 paper, punch hole and stick a hole re enforcer to either side. Take two pieces of thread, fold in half, attach tot he key and tag and then wrap around the cotton reel, sticking down with glossy accents.

To finish box, paint small wooden knob black and stick to centre front of box lid.

The album

There are four videos, and here's the link to the first, how to make the basic album. The other three will be on my you tube channel shortly and follow on from the first.

We hope you all had a ton of fun today and got some great ideas! We want to thank you all for stopping by and seeing us! Huge thanks to Sharon Ong, Denise Hahn and Clare Charvill for their amazing work today! We hope you'll join us tomorrow for more incredible craft inspiration from our wonderful design team! Have a glorious day!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Magical Graphic 45 Mini Albums & Tutorials You'll Adore!

2012-05-21T05:00:00-07:00

Hello G45ers,

We are so glad you are all joining us for more craft bliss here at the Graphic 45 blog! Sure it's Monday but that means that it's a whole new week for discovering marvelous crafts with all of us here at Graphic 45! This is going to be such an incredible day! Our new 2012 design team have been working hard to create some astonishing works of art. Today we're all about mini albums. Jim Hankins AKA The Gentleman Crafter and Kristin Wilson have both created some gorgeous minis that will sweep you off your feet. There is also a fun and easy tutorial and video that correspond with these magnificent creations! Plus we've got a great new blog contest where you can win some glorious Graphic 45 goodies! Yes, this day is going to be a lot of fun. Lets get started by talking about this week's blog contest! All you need to do is leave us a blog or Facebook comment this week. We will be choosing one random winner from this week's comments and announcing them here on our blog on Friday. You could win this wonderful prize pack that includes an 8x8 paper pad from Olde Curiosity Shoppe and Little Darlings, Graphic 45 Black Policy Envelopes, Metal Hinges, Flower Staples and an Antique Typewriter Wood Stamp Set! Wow! So be sure to leave your comments for your chance to win!

And now it's time for some magnificent inspiration with this wonderful travel diary! Feast your eyes on this gorgeous Kraft Reflections travel diary by the amazing Jim Hankins. This is such a wonderful creation that is just perfect if you are about to embark on a journey or if you know someone who is. Travel dairies are great for jotting down your favorite moments, adding fun photos and keepsakes. There are so many possibilities. Join Jim as he takes you step by step through the creation of this wonderful dairy with a fun and simple tutorial!

Supplies:
Graphic 45 Kraft Reflections Paper Collection
Graphic 45 Trim Staples
Graphic 45 Metal Tags
Graphic 45 Button Brads
Idea‐ology Timepieces
Idea‐ology Game Spinners
Idea‐ology Locket keys
Chipboard
24” of twine
Kraft Cardstock

This Fast and Easy Kraft Reflections Travel Diary is a fun gift to give someone as a Bon Voyage!

Step 1:

Cut chipboard to the following:
2 @ 3‐1/2 x 6‐1/4
1 @ ½ x 6‐1/4

Step 2:

Chomp corners of the chipboard with a ½ inch corner chomper.

Step 3:

On the backside of a piece of Kraft Collections paper, mark ¾” on bottom and left edge.

Step 4:

Align your pieces of chipboard with the marks and adhere to cardstock leaving a
1/8‐inch gap between the spine piece.

Step 5:

Miter all corners leaving ½ at each corner. Cut into the corner around the rounded
part of the chipboard. Be sure not to cut right up to the edge but close.

Step 6:

Apply Scor‐Tape around all edges.

Step 7:

Pull the tape backing and bring all ¾ inch edges over and onto tape. For the corner
you should have several tabs. Bring one in at a time and fold over corner.

Step 8:

Glue down corner tabs.

Step 9:

Cut a piece of contrasting Kraft Reflections cardstock to 6‐1/8 x 7‐5/8. Using your
½ corner chomper round the edges.

Step 10:

Using adhesive, glue cardstock to inside of the cover and burnish to secure.

Step 11:

On the spine, punch a 1/8 hole one inch in from each edge. Next, insert and set an
eyelet into the two holes.

Step 12:

Cut 10 sheets of plain Kraft Cardstock to 5‐7/8 x 6‐3/4. Next stack them together
and fold them in half. Open the paper stack up and punch two 1/8 holes 7/8 from
each end. Take the twine and fold in half. Insert each end into the holes and then
through the eyelets of your covered chipboard cover. On the spine, tie the twine
into a bow to secure.

Step 13:

Last, apply Scor‐Tape to the outside middle completely around the book. Cut a 20
inches piece of the Graphic 45 Trim. Pull the backing off the tape, find the middle of
the trim and apply this first to the spine then around to the front and back of the
book. Embellish the front cover as desired. Voila! Fast and Easy Travel Journal.

Wow, wasn't that great?! Next up is this remarkably beautiful tea cup mini album by Kristin Wilson. She's created this fun video where she takes you on a tour through each enchanting page! There is so much to discover in this sweet creation. Kristin blended lots of different Graphic 45 collections to create an exquisite and unique statement. Plus you've got to love all of those gorgeous embellishments and heartwarming sentiments on every page! This mini is pure delight!

Kristin Wilson

Supplies:
Graphic 45: Olde Curiosity Shoppe Collection, Kraft Reflections Collection, Le’ Romantique Collection, Steampunk Debutante Collection, Curtain Call Collection; Metal Brads, Hinges
Prima: Locket Charm, Padlocks, Pearl Spray
Tim Holtz: Safety Pin, Metal Gears, Metal Chain, Clock
Stampin Up!: Stamps, Ink, Brads, Lace, Punch, Dimentionals, Library Clip, Flower Brad, Button, Jumbo Eyelet
Accessories: Flowers: Petaloo; Wood Buttons: Maya Road; Leaf Punch: Martha Stewart; Twine: Papertray Ink; Ribbon: Etsy; Mini Album: Unknown

Tips:

To hold heavy objects in place use Glossy Accents as your adhesive.
Do more with ribbon and add a button or twine to the center of your bow.
Don’t have that perfect sentiment? Just print one out on cardstock and distress.

We hope you all enjoyed today's blog. Thank you all so much for stopping by. We can't wait to read your comments this week on our blog and Facebook page! Huge thanks to Jim Hankins and Kristin Wilson for their gorgeous work today! We will have more inspiring creations to share with you all tomorrow. We hope you'll come back and see us! Have a wonderful day, G45ers!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Clever Ideas & Tutorial Inspiration From Graphic 45!

2012-05-18T05:00:00-07:00

Hello G45ers,

TGIF! Welcome to our very special blog today! The end of the week is here at last and we've got just what you need to get inspired for your weekend! Today's dreamy crafts by Alberto Juarez and Nicole Eccles are so incredible! You wont believe your eyes! Alberto has created a gorgeous Tropical Travelogue album with a fun tutorial that you're sure to love. While Nicole has made a breathtaking piece of altered art using Olde Curiosity Shoppe! Yes, we've packed this blog full of so much enchantment and inspiration! It's going to be such a fun Friday! Also we have a big winner to announce for this week's blog contest! Huge thanks to everyone who left us comments on our blog and Facebook page this week. We love reading all of your terrific feedback! This week's winner was chosen at random from our Facebook page. And the winner is...

-Marcia Neat: "Isn't this weeks prize what dreams are made off! Every crafters dream. The Olde Curiosity Shoppe with extra pinch me am I dreaming who will be the lucky one I don't know but I do know that whoever they are they will be the happiest crafters in craftworld. All the Graphic 45 Design team are so gifted yet each craft submitted is so different and amazing the detail is astounding such talent."

Congratulations, Marcia! Please email us with your shipping information at info@g45papers.com to claim your prize. Hooray! This is the prize that Marcia won this week. We will have a great new blog contest on Monday so there are more fabulous chances to win some great Graphic 45 goodies!

And now it's time to behold some gorgeous crafts! Here is an astounding Tropical Travelogue album created by the amazing Alberto Juarez. Every page is filled with magnificent color, fabulous photographs and fun techniques. Alberto has even created a great tutorial that explains how this album was created! Wow! Get ready for an incredible journey! This album will transport you to another world!

Next up is this glorious Apothecary cart by Nicole Eccles. This is such an amazing altered art creation. Nicole has such a fun imagination. There are so many small and beautiful details to this gorgeous cart. You're going to love it! Nicole seems to have quite a knack for creating such clever works of altered art. Many of her projects happen to be on wheels, including this one! While Nicole may not have invented the wheel, she sure knows how to beautifully alter it with Graphic 45! Here is what she had to say about this inspiring work of art!

"This week I have been hitting it hard trying to finish all the little details on my Apothecary cart. This was something my mom found on Etsy thinking it was A LOT smaller. Once it came I was pleased to find how big it really was! Measuring approx. 10”x 5”x 12” there was plenty of room to create a shadowbox. However, inside of the opening there were wooden pegs to represent a Calliope. With a little work I was able to remove them and turn this little circus calliope into a full service Apothecary Cart! Inside the cart handmade boxes and shelves created from chipboard house tiny glass bottles filled with concoctions. Tiny labels cut from Graphic 45’s Apothecary paper adorn the bottles filled with Distress Stickles and Embossing powders for effect. Mini Metal Brads make the perfect knobs along the bottom of the shelf to hang your keys.. And in the corner a small bottle cap table sets atop a wooden spool base. A decorated wooden wheel serves as the perfect “pillow” for the crystal ball. Resting atop the cart, luggage has been created out of heavy chipboard and stacked underneath netting for the long haul. Created with a mix of 5 different Graphic 45 lines, this piece is the perfect example of how well all the lines work magically together!!!" Nicole Eccles

Here is how the cart first looked before Nicole dressed it up with Graphic 45!

And here is that same cart all decked out in Olde Curiosity Shoppe as well as four other gorgeous Graphic 45 paper collections! It's a whole new world of wonder! Behold the splendor of this incredible creation!

Supplies:

Graphic 45 Papers:
Olde Curiosity Shoppe: Counting Down, Exquisite Motif, Optical Oddities, Parlor Wall, Apothecary, Genuine Article, Olde Curiosity Shoppe
Steampunk Debutante: Fantasy Floral, Eclectic Emporium
Le Cirque: Magnifique
An ABC Primer: Calico Kids
Renaissance Faire: Masterpiece, Venetian Lace
Graphic 45 Staples: Mini Metal Brads
Want 2 Scrap: Fleur De Li
Maya Road: Giant Bottle Cap
Ranger: Glossy Accents( as adhesive)
Scrapbook Adhesive: 3D Foam Squares
Tim Holtz: Corked Vials
7 gypsies: Tiny Metal Keys, Ornate Metal Strip
Other: Wolf Creek Calliope Wagon, E6000, Mode Podge, paint, sandpaper, wooden spool, wooden wheel, marble, Sharpie Markers, heavy chipboard, metal charms, gems, clipart

Wow! Wow! Wow! Wasn't that fun?! We hope you are all super charged up for a great weekend. We hope you find some time to get out your paper, scissors and glue and create something special. Papercrafting is so wonderful. Giving yourself some time to be creative is essential! We celebrate each and every one of you out there, G45ers! Your creative spirit is what keeps us going! Big thanks to the amazing Alberto Juarez and Nicole Eccles for their fabulous work today! Have a wonderful Friday and enjoy your weekend!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Lovely Graphic 45 Layouts & Sketches!

2012-05-17T05:00:00-07:00

Hello G45ers,

Welcome to our blog today! Thank you all for joining us for another day of stunning crafts! We have some real treats in store for you today. You're going to see some incredible layous and a fabulous card, sketches and a fun tutorial, all of which are sure to brighten your day! Our fabulous design team members Tara Orr and Gloria Stengel have created the most lovely works of art. You'll also learn some fun and versatile ways to create amazing crafts from simple sketches. Today's blog is full of fun ideas! And don't forget that today is the last day for you to leave us a blog or Facebook comment for your chance to win this week's Olde Curiosity Shoppe prize pack! We will be announcing our randomly chosen winner on tomorrow's blog. Don't miss your chance to win some spectacular Graphic 45 goodies!

Okay, it's time for some fabulous crafts! This first creation is by Tara Orr. It's a gorgeous layout featuring our Little Darlings collection. Here is the wonderful sketch that Tara made for this beautiful LO. You can use it to recreate her fantastic LO. Get inspired with this sweetly layered and vibrant creation!

Supplies:

Graphic 45 Supplies:
Patterned Paper: Little Treasures, Cherished, Kewpie Cute, Peek-A-Boo, Heaven Sent: Little Darlings
Little Darlings Alphabet Stickers
Little Darlings Stickers
Little Darlings Chipboard Die-cuts 1
Little Darlings Chipboard Die-cuts 2
Scrapbook Adhesives: 3D Foam Squares
ZVA Creative Leaves and Flowers

Next we have two stunning crafts by Gloria Stengel. Using the same sketch, Gloria created an amazing layout and a card! Two beautiful creations from one simple sketch! Wow! This just shows you the wide range of projects you can make with a few easy guidelines! First up is Gloria's wonderful layout. Here she takes you step by step through her creative process in this fun tutorial. Take it away, Gloria!

"This photo is of my friend Beverly and me when we were at our girls' retreat the summer of 2011. We were checking out the scenery of a small town near Chicago and stopped for a photo shoot at this old mill. There were a lot of "out-takes" due to combing four giggling women and a very hot day, but we did manage a few nice photos. I chose a color scheme for this page layout based on colors that I know Beverly likes: summer colors!" -Gloria Stengel

Instructions:

1. Use the sketch below for photo and embellishment placement.

2. Spray Graphic 45 Kraft Reflecti ons Express Yourself paper with Peacock Tattered Angels Chalkboard Glimmer Mist. Dip a round item (a lid or paper cup) into Gesso and stamp circles on the paper in a random pattern. Allow to dry.

3. Using sharp scissors or a craft knife, cut the center from the Express Yourself paper. Distress the edges with your fingers, rolling the paper and tearing it slightly. Place a sheet of Graphic 45 Olde Curiosity Shoppe Exquisite Motif paper behind the opening, creating a frame. Glue the papers together.

4. Trim the printed paper stack to 11 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches.

5. Using Bon Voyage and Antique Moss Decades Antiquing Ink, ink the edges of pale blue cardstock. Then using an edge distressing tool or sharp scissors, distress the edges of the cardstock. Attach the printed frame to the center of your cardstock.

6. Using ink and mist, color the naked chipboard. Try mixing glimmer mist with Gesso to create your own "paint." Give the some of the chipboard shapes luster by buffing them with metallic rub-ons.

7. Use Gesso and metallic rub-ons to add color to the metal door plate.

8. Glue flowers and the chipboard items to your layout as shown, using the sketch for placement ideas.

9. Add subtitles and journaling with stickers. To create a hidden journaling card, die cut a long, tag shape from white cardstock. Ink the edges with blue and green ink. If desired, stamp a message on the one end of the journaling card and tuck it behind the photo.

10. You may wish to distress your photo edges with a scraper tool or a pair of sharp scissors.

Supply List:
Graphic 45 Paper:
Olde Curiosity Shoppe: Exquisite Motif
Kraft Reflections: Express Yourself
Graphic 45 Staples:
Geometric Metal Door Plate and brads
Graphic 45 Stamps: Le Cirque Cling Stamps 1
Chipboard: Imaginarium Designs: Page corner, Butterflies, Clock, Title
Ink: Clearsnap: Colorbox: Archival: Wicked Black; Graphic 45 Decades Antiquing Ink: Bon Voyage, Antique Moss; Mix'd Media Inx: Patina
Cardstock: American Crafts: Black, Blue
Flowers: Prima
Stickers: Prima
Die cuts: My Favorite Things Die-namics: Vertical Greetings
Mist: Tattered Angels: Chalkboard Glimmer Mist: Peacock; Glimmer Mist: Moonlight
Paint: Delta Ceramcoat: Gesso
Metallic Rub-Ons: Craft-T Products: Sky Blue, Silver Blue, Golden White
Adhesive: Scotch 3M tape runner; glue

Here is an amazing way to use this exact same sketch by Gloria! It's a gorgeous card! One sketch with two incredible options! Versatility is a wonderful thing!

Supplies:

Graphic 45 8x8 Paper:
Olde Curiosity Shoppe: Exquisite Motif, Butterfly Specifics
Once Upon a Springtime: Enchanted Forest, Woodland Fantasy
Ink: Clearsnap: Colorbox: Graphic 45 Decades Antiquing Ink: Antique Moss
Cardstock: American Crafts: Black
Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon: Blue Topaz Diamond Satin
Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts
Gear: 7 Gypsies
Clock and Light bulb: Sky Blue Pink
Border punch: Martha Stewart
Adhesive: Scotch 3M tape runner; Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L foam squares; glue

We hope you all had a great time today, G45ers! Big thanks to Tara Orr and Gloria Stengel for their fabulous creations! We hope you'll all come back and see us tomorrow for more inspiring crafts and our blog prize winner announcement! It's going to be a great day! We wish you all a fabulous day.

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Think Outside the Box With Graphic 45 Altered Art Boxes!

2012-05-16T05:00:00-07:00

Hello G45ers,

Welcome to our blog! We are so happy that you've stopped by today! We've got some terrific altered art boxes to share with you from our talented design team members Susan Lui and Maiko Miwa! You are sure to love the fabulous creations they've made! And speaking of love, we have been enjoying such gorgeous weather this week! We're even keeping the windows open here in the Graphic 45 office during the day to let in the fresh spring air! It's just glorious! So we thought we'd share the sunshine with all of you today by bringing you some radiant craft inspiration! No need for sunblock! Just enjoy basking in the beauty of these lovely creations!

Altered art boxes are just wonderful. They are fun to create and they also make amazing gifts. Here is a beautiful altered art box created by Susan Lui. She combined different Graphic 45 collections with gorgeous embellishments to create this fabulous box. You can also see Susan's amazing use of paper layering on the top of the box that adds a multi-dimensional quality. It's simply stunning! Here is what Susan had to say about it.

"It's a cake box I altered into a vintage style treasure box using a mix of Renaissance Faire and Curtain Call papers. I converted the cake box by attaching hinges and a close featuring a Graphic 45 Metal Buttons. I then went to town with all the beautiful patterned papers from Curtain Call and Renaissance Faire, layering the images with muslin, lace trim, pearls and a couple of Graphic 45 metal butterfly embellishments and buttons. I also added some homemade gold corners fashioned out of paper and given a distressed look." -Susan Lui

Supplies:

Patterned Papers - Graphic 45 Curtain Call (Pantomine, Let's Dance, Top Billing, Curtain Call); Renaissance Faire (Renaissance Faire)
Metal Embellishments - Graphic 45 Metal Buttons an Metal Butterflies
Cardstock - American Craft Black Cardstpcl
Dies - Tim Holtz Alterations Bigz Dies Hardware Findings
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Others - Robin's Nest Dew Drops, Ranger Industries Distress Stickles, Ranger Industries Distress Crackle Paints, Making Memories brass brads

Next up is this adorable Little Darlings altered art box by Maiko Miwa. This is a great example of using altered art to celebrate a cherished memory. Maiko created this sweet box to honor the birth of her daughter. Inside the box is a precious little world of memories. What a fantastic idea! Here is what Maiko had to say about it.

"I made a altered box for my daughter. In the box there is a tape of her first voice since she was born, umbilical cord box and baby bracelet. Since I wanted to make a box to save my treasures, I am very glad that I was able to meet with this box and collection. " -Maiko Miwa

Supplies:

Graphic45 Papers: Little Darlings, Peea-A-Boo, Bundle of Joy, Lullaby, Heaven Sent, New Arrival, Cherished, Precious Poesy, Little Treasures, Baby Borders

Graphic45 ChipBoards :Little Darlings Chip Board Diecuts 1.2.

Graphic45 Stickers: Alphabet Stickers, Stickers

Graphic45 Staples: Stamped Metal Brads, 5×8Kraftboard Art Box, Ornate Metal Door Plate and Knob Staples

Imaginarium Designs: Embellishment4,BirdCage(small)

Prima:Flowers

Tsukineko:BLLIANT(GALAXY GOLD),VersaMagic(Sage),MEMENT marker(London Fogs),

Ranger:DistressInk(Tea dye,Antique Linen)

Kuretake:punch

TOKYO RIBBON:stripe ribbon

Ceramcoat:Acrylic paint

Wow, such wonderful ideas today! We hope this post got you thinking about a wonderful altered art box you'd like to create! There are so many unique ways to create an altered art box. What are some of your favorite altered art box ideas? We'd love to know. Big thanks to Susan and Maiko for their marvelous work today. And thank you all for joining us! Please come back and see us tomorrow. We'll have more ultra-inspiring crafts to help brighten your day! Have a great day, G45ers!

Your Pals in Paper,

Team Graphic 45

Stunning Steampunk Debutante Creations By Candy Rosenberg

2012-05-15T05:00:00-07:00

Hello G45ers,

Welcome to another fine day here at Graphic 45! Thank you all for joining us on this lovely Tuesday! We have a special treat in store for you today. We're going to be featuring some spectacular Steampunk Debutante crafts by Candy Rosenberg. Many of you may remember Candy from our previous design teams. Well she's still just as creative and clever as ever and today we're going to share some of her gorgeous Steampunk Debutante and Olde Curiosity Shoppe creations! These terrific projects have been chosen to be featured in an upcoming issue of Just Steampunk Magazine by Scott Publications! Wow! We are thrilled to be featuring Candy's exquisite work today. Please enjoy a super dose of craft inspiration with these gorgeous works of art by the amazing Candy Rosenberg!

About Candy:

Candy Rosenberg has traveled internationally to teach and inspire with her signature style of fussy cutting and layering that all started right here at Graphic45. Candy tends to gravitate to paper that needs to be cut up and reconstructed into an inspiring home decor piece or layout to share. She educates, designs and produces product with various companies, including a signature line of stamps with The Rubber Cafe, May Arts, GlueArts, Flourish with a Bling, Vintage Street Market, Blumenthal Lansing and Ranger.

You can see more of Candy's fabulous work on her blog and Facebook page!

Blog: www.livingthealteredlife.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Candy-Rosenberg-Artist/417004861647384

And now it's time to behold Candy's fabulous creations! Feast your eyes on these incredibly clever and inspiring Steampunk projects! Candy also gives some great descriptions about how these marvelous crafts were made! Take it away, Candy!

These were a fabulous find at the local Goodwill, they screamed out my name to go crazy with! Each of the bottles feature Steampunk Debutante and Olde Curiosity Shoppe, along with beautiful vintage color flourishes with Flourish with a Bling, May Arts burlap twine, Stampendous Mica Flakes and Ranger Ink.

This banner is a deconstructed chipboard album made into a banner, using both the Steampunk Debutante and Olde Curiosity Shoppe collections to cut and layer each piece along with beautiful May Arts ribbon, Blumenthal buttons and Flourish With A Bling flourishes. This makes a fun little banner for my studio.

I received this great box from my friend, Nicole, she said I can doing something with it, so I did. I made a faux printers tray, this is actually a wood silverware tray that I have painted, fussy cut, and adhered my way through. Using Olde Curiosity Shoppe paper collection, May Arts burlap twine and Ranger.

Wow, such gorgeous projects! We want to thank Candy for her wonderful work today. We hope you all enjoyed seeing these inspiring crafts! Don't forget to leave us a blog or Facebook comment this week for your chance to win the amazing Olde Curiosity Shoppe prize pack! We wish you all a magnificent day. Thank you all for stopping by our blog. We will have more happy and inspiring crafts to share with you tomorrow. We hope you'll join us!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Graphic 45 Design Team Introductions & Blog Contest!

2012-05-14T05:00:00-07:00

Hello G45ers,

Happy Monday and welcome to another week of craft bliss here at Graphic 45! We are so pleased that you have stopped by our blog today! There is a lot of fun in store for today. We're welcoming back the fabulous Jane Tregenza for another year on our design team. You'll get to see the incredible creations that Jane made for the final round of the Graphic 45 design team call. Plus we've got a new blog contest this week! Yes, it's another chance for you to win some spectacular Graphic 45 goodies! This day is going to be great! So lets start with this week's contest. All you have to do to enter for a chance to win is to leave us a blog or Facebook comment any time this week. We will be choosing one random winner from this week's comments who will receive this wonderful Ole Curiosity Shoppe prize pack! It includes an Olde Curiosity Shoppe 12x12 paper pad, both sticker sets, both sets of coordinating chipboard die-cuts, a stamp set and Geometric Metal Door Plate and Knob Staples! Wow! We will announce the winner on Friday right here on the blog! We can't wait to read your comments this week! Hooray!

We are thrilled to be welcoming back this incredible artist for her third year on the Graphic 45 design team. Jane Tregenza's dazzling crafts are always such a pleasure to behold. She has her own unique style that is both artistically superb and skillful. She blends radiant colors, patterns and brilliant shapes to form profoundly beautiful works of art. At the heart of Jane's work is a deep love for her family. She frequently creates gorgeous and heartwarming crafts that celebrate the wonderful moments in her and her family's lives. It is this incredible combination of technical and artistic skill as well as emotional sincerity that makes Jane's crafts so deeply impactful. She also loves to share her magnificent techniques in fun and informative tutorials. On her fabulous blog you can see lots of exquisite examples of Jane's work as well as find some of her famous tutorials. We are so happy to have Jane back for another magical year. Please join us in welcoming back the incredible Jane Tregenza!

"I the proud mum to 5 adult children and wife of 30 years to a wonderful husband. I live in Adelaide South Australia, which is Australia’s best kept secret. I have been working and teaching crafts for over 25 years in many forms. I came to scrapbooking about 7 years ago when I decided to do an album for my eldest daughter’s 21^st and in true scrapbooking style it’s still not finished! I have a daughter with a disability and needed to find employment for her. I decided to open my own scrapbooking store – Seriously Scrapbooking which is in its 6^th year. I get to teach over 10 classes a month in my own store of which most are Graphic 45 projects. I am regularly invited to teach master classes for other store owners and teachers and at expos here in Australia. I am the Creative Director and Design Team Leader for Imaginarium Designs. I love my job, I get to share my passion for this papercraft art form with Ladies and Gents every day. I get to hear their stories and share their life’s, it is a real privilege and something I treasure I have had the honour of being on the Graphic 45 Design team for the past two years and was delighted to be given a 3^rd term. I am so looking forward to this year working with Graphic 45 and the amazing talented design team they have put together. It will be a wonderful and creative year for us all." -Jane Tregenza

The stunning project that you'll see today was submitted by Jane as part of the final round of the Graphic 45 design team call. One of Jane's many talents is her skill creating gorgeous books. This astonishing piece encompasses Jane's grand artistic vision and her deep love for her family. Jane used lots of different Graphic 45 collections to create this amazing book including Olde Curiosity Shoppe, A Proper Gentleman, Little Darlings and An ABC Primer. We were obviously impressed by this magnificent piece. Here is what Jane had to say about it!

"For my final project I decided to make a book on my grandmother. I remember her as a child, she passed away when I was 12. I have strong memories of a gracious old lady with a high collar and a brooch. A thick head of beautiful white hair and long thins hands. We would visit her in her nursing home. We never stayed long, just quick visits. How I wish I could ask her about her life. What it was like growing up and raising a large family? How she felt about all the changes that happened in her life time. Electricity, the motor car, even man on the moon. I wonder what she would think of us today living an easy life with everything at our finger tips. Although I don’t know much about her every day experiences, I do have lots of wonderful photos. I decided to start the book at the end of her life, because that’s when I knew her and then backwards to the start of her life. I have really enjoyed making this book and researching all the information on her life." -Jane Tregenza

That's all for today, G45ers. Thank you so much for joining us. Huge thanks to Jane Tregenza for her fantastic work. We look forward to another great year of her talents on our design team! We hope you all have a great day! Don't forget to leave us a blog or Facebook comment for your chance to win this week's blog prize!

Happy Papercrafting!