Layout - DT Project for "Make it Manly Week" at Gina's Designs

I'm calling this layout "Driven by Chaos" because the reality is that chaos and a hectic day are what I thrive on.  While I might complain about it, and how little free time I have, I've never been one to twiddle my thumbs, it drives me crazy.  In keeping with the manly or masculine theme for this week I chose to create a Heritage/Steampunk style layout.  This theme was a little bit out of my comfort zone, (OK, more than a little bit).  Yikes!....No flowers!,  but I really enjoyed the challenge.  Once I began looking through my gorgeous chippies, the project came together easily.  I'm really happy with the end result.  I think this would make a great gift for the man in your life when mounted inside of a 12 x 12 shadowbox frame under glass.

I used a variety of techniques on this layout.  The vintage photo came from a free collage sheet I'd downloaded.  I printed it out then cut it into four strips and mounted the strips on a mat.  I think it gave the photo a little more interest.  The chipboard pieces were colored using different techniques.  The hot air balloon was colored with gelatos, I punched holes in the bottom section of the balloon with my cropodile and connected it to the top section with jump rings.  The antique car was embossed with stampendous shabby black embossing powder. The clock faces were inked with Prima chalk inks in various shades.  The hinges were given a rusty look with Tim Holtz distress embossing powders in vintage photo and antique linen.  The clock hands were embossed in copper.  The antique bike was inked in black and trimmed with a little gold rub n buff.  I really enjoyed incorporating all the collage elements with the chipboard pieces.  I hope you like it and that I've inspired you to try something different.. 

To see  more "Make it Manly Week" projects, visit Gina's Designs new blog on blogspot!

Gina's Designs Products used:

Hot Air Balloon from Steampunk Shape Set

Faux Typewriter Keys (in gold color)

Antique Car from Guy Thing Shape Set

Skeleton Clocks (sets of different sizes)

Hinges Shape Set

Gears from Gears Shape Set

Antique Bicycle from Guy Thing Shape Set

Mini Album Display Case in a Twilight Theme

Here's a little something for the Twilight fans!  I'm not ashamed to say I'll always be a Twihard and I had so much fun creating this.  The little drawer is the perfect storage space for my ticket stubs and other mementos from the movies.  I used a different book for each movie and also filled them with photos from the movies.  I hung charms from each book, the Twilight book has a glass apple, the Breaking Dawn has a checkerboard bead.  Each has a Twilight related charm.  I had planned to sell this one, but I can't part with it.

Gina's Designs products used:

Mini Album Display Case
Fern Fronds Shapes
Words 10 sentiments (I used Love)
Grasses & Foliage

The adorable mini album case with drawer contains four little mini books.  So cute!  I used the DCWV Immortal Love Stack to paper all sides and the drawer after I spray painted the whole thing with black  hammered paint by Rust-Oleoum.  The knob by Tom Holtz curio knobs screws easily into a pre-cut hole in the drawer.

Photo (above)  from the Breaking Dawn movie.  The word "Love" from Gina's Designs and the fern fronds.

Fern frond from Gina's Designs, flowers from Petaloo

Ornamental grass from Gina's Designs, flowers from Petaloo

I designed one book for each movie

Each book contains photos related to the movie

Layout - Birds of a Feather

This layout features my cat "Timothy" who loves bird-watching from the wire enclosure outside his window.  This is one of the many outdoor enclosures we had built for the enjoyment of our multi-cat family and to keep them safe from harms way.  I used tons of chipboard embellishments from Gina's Designs on this one, including many of our newer items in the store.

My inspiration for this layout in both design and color comes from the very talented Charlotte aka Suepup sketch 0513.

Products used:

From Gina's Designs
Items from the Bird watching shape set
Large sized 8-inch doily sets (this one in Ivory)
Ornamental bird cages set
Border sticks (this one in heart shape, other styles are available)
Decorative flourishes
For the birds shape set (I used the nest and eggs from this set)

Other Products used:

Design paper by GCD studios Botanique collection
Flowers by Petaloo
Ink distressing of chipboard and paper by Prima chalk inks
Glossy accents by Ranger (on the bird eggs)
Ranger liquid pearls on the bird cage
Butterfly by Renea Bouquets on Etsy

DT Project - Altered Frame

This altered frame features lots of chipboard shapes by Gina's Designs.  This frame began as a particle board unfinished frame which I purchased with a coupon from Michael's.  I crackle painted it and added the chippie embellishments.  The frame was donated to an auction for a dear friend to help with some veterinary costs.  The frame measures 12 x  12 inches and holds a 5 x 7 photo, or a smaller photo with a mat.

Products used:

From Gina's Designs:
chipboard chain (available soon or by request))
chipboard bird-watching shape set
chipboard flourishes
chipboard ornamental grasses
chipboard ornamental bird cages
chipboard chicken wire
chipboard bird house

Michaels' unfinished frame
Folk art paints
Elmer's white school glue as crackle medium
pan pastels used to color chipboard
gelatos used to color chipboard
Prima chalk inks to color chipboard
butterfly by renea bouquets on etsy
flowers by Prima, Petaloo, and Bo Bunny

DT Project - Layout - Southwestern Prickly Pears

The layout features my beloved Shelby way back in 2007 when we first moved to the country property.  He used to stand over by the prickly pear cactus and I had to rescue him from the fine prickly hairs that were all over the ground in that area as I soon found out.  Being a city girl, I didn't know about the prickers in the fruit because you couldn't see it with the naked eye.  Unfortunately, I picked one of the fruits.  Needless to say, I never did it again.

I love these cactus by Gina's Designs.  They were perfect for this layout, all I had to do was to add the photo.  The direct link to this southwestern shape set which also includes a skull and coyote is HERE.  I have also used the chicken wire here.

Products used:

Gina's Designs chicken wire
Gina's Designs southwestern shapes set
The Crafter's Workshop stencil - chicken wire
Paper by Bo Bunny - Country Garden Morning
Sunflowers by Paper House
Prima chalk inks
Pan Pastels

Tomorrow is National Scrapbooking Day and to celebrate Gina's Designs is having a special sale! 15% off of all orders from now thru May 12th! The Discount Code is: NSD15GDhttp://www.ginasdesigns.net/Store/

Bagatelle Boxes! Brand new at Gina's Designs

I had the honor of being the first Design Team member for Gina's Designs to play with the new bagatelle boxes.  This was so much fun.  Each box is individual and notches together easily.  These boxes are made of wood, not chipboard, and are very sturdy.  I used plain old inexpensive white wood glue to glue them together.  Once you have them glued together, the fun begins and you can arrange them any way you please.  Below are a couple of different configurations I played around with.  The starter set comes with 12 boxes, 2 in each of six different sizes.  You can also purchase add-ons if you would like a bigger finished project, or use fewer boxes and make two.  You can also configure these boxes to form a square or rectangle rather than a free-form shape, although you may need to use more or less than the basic starter kit to form that shape.

After I glued my boxes together and figured out which configuration I wanted to use, I used hot glue to attach the boxes to each other.  I think it would better to use wood glue, but I was in a hurry that day :)  The hot glue works, but you have to be very careful to get your boxes even the first time if you use the hot glue.  After my boxes were glued together, I chose to cover the seams with Tim Holtz tissue tape.  It was so easy to use!  I then painted the back and sides with a crackle finish.  I like to use the white elmer's glue method of crackle painting because it's cheaper and quicker. You can dry it with your heat gun, and you'll be done in a jiffy.  I papered the inside backs of each box, and this is what I ended up with:

Now for the finished project!!!!  I had a lot of help filling the cubby holes from my BFF Susan who used to be a miniatures artist.  She had so many cute items in her stash including the collectible Avon figurine thimbles.  I just love the end result!

And My Blog Hop Winner is.......

Congratulations to Cyndie2010 for being the winner (as chosen by random.org) of the $10 gift certificate for Gina's Designs.  Thanks to all of you who have become followers and joined our very first blog hop.  I hope you all had a great time!  Cyndie please contact me so I can give you the code you will use in your shopping cart.
Thanks again!
Nancy

Welcome to the Gina's Designs Blog Hop

Welcome to Gina's Designs Blog Hop!

Since April 15 – 21 is World Creativity & Innovation Week, Gina's Designs decided to hold a blog hop in celebration of Creativity!  We challenge everyone to try something new and craft outside their comfort zone.  In keeping with this theme, each of our Design Team members will be unveiling a project that includes a technique that is new to them.  So hop over to each blog, check out the fun new techniques, and enter to win the prizes.

The Prize on this blog is a $10.00 gift certificate to Gina's Designs!

The requirement to be eligible (by drawing) to win the gift certificate on my blog is to follow my blog, and to leave a comment on this post telling me that you would like to win.  Remember that to be eligible for the *grand* prize you will need to visit each blog on the hop.

When you have finished the hop, be sure to go back to Gina's Designs  and leave a comment so we know you completed the hop. In order to be eligible for our grand prize you need to complete the hop, follow Gina's Designs blog (if you are not already a follower) and like Gina's Design on  Facebook. You have until 1 am central time on April 22^nd to complete the hop. Have Fun and Good Luck!

For my new technique I chose to create a mixed media canvas on which I have used a new paint technique to decorate my chipboard birdbath.  How easy is this to spray paint it with a stone textured paint!  I have also outlined it with Prima chalk ink in black.  I love how it turned out and it was so easy!

 If you get lost along the way, here is a list

Gina's Designs
Marjolaine
Monica
Lisa
Angela
Marfa
Deann
Dawn
Shanna
Nancy
Rashida
Heidi
Kathi
Heather

DT Project - Altered trinket box stand for Gina's Designs

I had so much fun altering this trinket drawer stand and I plan to use it for my collection of bird pins and brooches.  The unfinished wooden stand is available and ready to alter at Gina's Designs.  The specific link to this product is HERE.

Items used:
script tissue paper by Recollections available at Michaels
Golden soft matte gel medium
Tim Holtz curio knob
Folk art paints
white school glue used as crackle medium
Petaloo berry vines
Prima chalk edgers
All of the items on the "shelf" including the bird, nest, moss, eggs, bark, ferns etc are all from the floral dept at Joann's