Exciting Design Team Changes and Sketches4All Mixed Media Challenge!!!

Happy New Year all!!!!  I hope you have a fabulous (and SAFE) New Year's!!!  I truly can't believe that 2014 is already here!!!!

With the start of the New Year, there is also some exciting news!!!  

First, I would like to announce that I will now be on the 2014 Design Team for....  FROSTED DESIGNS!!!!!! I can't tell you how happy this makes me!!! I have been "playing along" with them for quite some time and am always inspired by their very talented DT.  And now, I'm a part of it!!!!  When you have a moment, please stop in and check out their blog: http://www.frosteddesigns.blogspot.com/ and Store: http://frosted-designs.com/.  Frosted Designs is a "Kit Club" but their store is loaded with wonderful collections, embellishments, mixed media supplies, etc.  I will be sharing my first project with them on January 7th :-)

Secondly, as most of you know, I have been on the Design Team with Colorful Creations for a little over 18 months now.  The site is undergoing some changes and effective January 1st, it will be a Challenge Blog!!!  The "ning" site will no longer be there, but the creativity and inspiration will continue to flow on the blog!!!  Stop in and check it out: http://colorfulcreations2014.blogspot.com/.
 

"Altered Trinket Box" with Crate Paper "Maggie Holmes" Paper Pad

Okay... Now that I have the "big" news out of the way, I'd like to share a few projects I've been working on for the New Year!!!  Sketches4All is hosting a "Mixed Media" challenge for the month of January... That's right... GET MESSY!!!!!  Any type of mixed media work is fine!  

I decided on making a trinket box for the challenge.  I found this unfinished wood box at Michael's on clearance because the clasp was broke.  No biggie!!!  I knew I was going to replace it anyway!!!  

Here's a look at the box before I started working (I already painted it when I took this photo! Please excuse the first few pics as it was already dark outside!)

I started by measuring the box and cutting out paper pieces accordingly (American Crafts 'Maggie Holmes' paper collection).  I inked all the edges with Distress Ink, then got to work!!!!

I layered on some Mod Podge (matte used here!) and started adding my pieces.

After all the paper was on, I added another layer of Mod Podge for sealing purposes.  Then I started to embellish!  

I just love the rose trim by Tim Holtz!  It's so pretty and very versatile.  I colored it with "Chipped Sapphire" Distress Stain (which left my hands blue for days!!!) and added it to the base of the box.  I added another pink trim with pearls directly above that.  I used my Martha Stewart "doily" edge punch and created a border to go down the center of the box.  I then added a pink ribbon atop of the punched piece and strategically placed tiny pink rhinestones around the entire box.  I then added some flowers by Martha Stewart and Recollections, metal pieces painted with "Silver" Liquid Leaf, and blue felt and inked paper to the inside for a finished look!!!

Here is the finished product!!!!

Isn't it beautiful?!?  And to think... This box only cost me $1.75!!!!  AWESOME :-)

 

"Christmas Cheer" Scrapbook Layout with Simple Stories "Handmade Holiday" Collection

Next on the list is a page I created for my January Sketches4All "Once Upon A Theme" Challenge!!!  

I decided for January, I would do a "Cheer" theme!!!  Holidays always seem to bring people cheer and what better way to show it than with a scrapbook page?!?  

I used Sketch # 105 from Sketchabilities to complete this page:

This is my oldest daughter on Christmas of last year:

I used the Simple Stories "Handmade Holiday" paper collection to make this layout.  It's full of awesome elements and tidbits for "fussy cutting"!!!  The tree has buttons designed onto the paper so I added real ones for detail where they lay.  

I made the "pocket" with coordinating paper and used a White Gelato by Faber Castell and a snowflake stencil to create the

design.  I finished the page with tiny chipboard stars by Studio Calico (purchased from the Frosted Designs Store!!!).  

Here are a couple of close-ups:

Well gang...  Thanks soooo much for stopping in and have a LUCKY day :-)

See you next year!!!!