AWDML Design Team Blog

Made You Look Monday..Inspiration Station

Hey there everyone and happy Monday.  I hope everyone has had a fabulous weekend full of lots of family time and shopping :)  So now that the holidays are over and you are getting ready for the next one, you may have lots of pictures to scrap already.

Sometimes I have a very hard time with titles on my page.  I always want something a little different, not the same old titles I always use.  Have you ever thought about using a quote for a title, or putting quotes on your layouts??  I have come across this TOTALLY FABULOUS book!!!!  I'm telling you this is one you want to pick up!!!  The first time I saw this book I feel in love. 

The book is called Inspiration Station.  It's by a fabulous Iowa author Betsy Flot.

 
This book is like 600 pages of fabulous page titles, toppers, & quotes.  This book makes is super easy to find any type of title you want.  The table of contents breask eveything down in categories.  You have holidays, travel, it's all relative (which is mainly family things), courtship to marriage, birthdays, pastimes, sentiments, sports, seasons.....I could go on and on.

The fabulous thing is it's on sale right now over at the AWDML store.  Hurry and grab yours today before they are gone!  I promise you...this is one book in your scrapbook room that will get a work out!  It may get more of a workout then your paper trimmer :)

Until next time ....

~~Stacy~~

Alcohol Ink Gift Tag Step x Step

Hi All!  Happy Tuesday.  It's Scarlett here today a bit later than I had planned but the weather around here has just not been cooperative.  It still isn't all that great but at least I was able to get a bit brighter pictures for you.  So let's get started!

Here are the supplies you will need to complete the gift tag we are going to create today:

Supplies:

Alcohol Inks

Alcohol Ink Applicator/Felt Pad

Spellinbinders Nestabilities Scalloped Circle Dies

Marvy Scalloped Circle Punch

Embossing Folder (I used Sissix Tim Holtz Retro Circles)

Patterned Paper (I used Crate Paper Snow Day 6x6 Pad)

Cardstock

Metallic Cardstock

Not Shown: Baby Wipe, Shimmerz Spritz

Step 1:

Cut circle from metallic cardstock using a Nestabilitie die and emboss with embossing folder.

Step 2:

Ink up applicator tool felt pad with choice colors of alcohol ink.  I used butterscotch, stream, and wild plum.  Apply alcohol ink to embossed circle in a pouncing type motion.

Step 3:

Using a baby wipe, rub away alcohol ink from select embossed areas revealing the metallic color below.

Step 4:

Punch out large circle from cardstock. Cut small circle from patterned paper. 

Step 5:

Adhere embossed circle to cardstock circle.

Step 7:

Ink up small patterned paper circle with remaining alcohol ink on applicator.  Spray with mist to give a shimmer.

Step 8:

Attach patterned paper circle to tag with dimensional adhesive and get ready to attach to gift. 

Hope you've enjoyed this step x step and give this uniquely beautiful gift tag a try!

Made You Look Monday... Echo Park: Merry Christmas!

Echo Park has done it....AGAIN!  They released TWO wonderful lines of Christmas themed paper this season.  One has non-traditional colors (pinks and blues) mixed in with the reds and greens, and there is also a more traditional line called "Merry Christmas."

There are 12 double sided pieces of paper and TWO sticker sheets!  One sticker sheet is all alphas:

 And the other sticker sheet has images and titles:

 
Isn't it GORGEOUS!!  I have been using it for Christmas Cards and Christmas layouts.  And, of course I'm hanging on to some to scrap this year's fun, too!  Check out Echo Park's Merry Christmas line in the AWDML Store today!!

~Nicole

Inspiration Friday-Use Punches on Your Journaling

Hi guys, it's Erica! 

Today's layout is inspired by the November 1st Challenge over on the forums.  The challenge was to use a punch on your journaling.  You could punch out a custom journaling spot, use a small punch to punch a shape out of a portion of your journaling spot or use border punches on journaling strips or spots.

 

I chose to use a scalloped border punch on my journaling strips and then layer them to create a ruffly journaling box.  I also punched along a shorter strip and used it as my sub-title. 

Products used~Patterned Paper-The Girl's Paperie, Cardstock-Bazzill, Bakers Twine-Divine Twine, Plastic Flowers-Maya Road, Ribbon-Maya Road & Bazzill, Cardboard Embellishments-Jillibean Soup, Pen-American Crafts, Letter Stickers-American Crafts & October Afternoon, Punch-Fiskars.

If you'd like to join in, you can find all the guidelines here.  :)

Grungeboard Stamps!

Happy Thursday everyone!  Kim here with another fun grungeboard idea for you!  Textured grungeboard is so much fun to use as a stamp.  You can start with already textured pieces or run it through your embossing machine to add your own texture. 

Step #1 - Gather your supplies

- a sheet of textured grungeboard

- acrylic paint

- paper plate or paint tray

- Cardstock

-a brayer

- and a sheet of scratch paper of a craft mat

Step #2 - add small amount of paint to your  paint tray and add water until paint is thin. 

Step #3 - using brayer, add paint to your grungeboard.

Step #4 - flip grungeboard over onto your cardstock and rub to apply stamped image.

Step #5 - Stamp sheet twice before reinking to continue.  I love the look of both images --one with heavier ink and one with a more subtle look.

Step #6 - Let dry and use for your creations!

 
Have a great day creating!  

Kim :)
 

 

Step by Step Grungeboard tag

Hello everyone Stacy here.  Today i'm going to show you how you can make your own tag using grunge board and some other fun goodies.  First you want to gather your supplies.  You will need some paper for your layout and embellies to go with it.  Once you have your paper pick out some distress ink, acrylic paint and mist that go with you paper.

 
I am using the beautiful Crate Paper & stickers from the Restoration line.  I picked some Jenni Bowlin Ranger paint and the color is Malted Milk.  My Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist of choice is Apple and of course my Ranger distress ink brushed corduroy.

Step one is to cut the grundgeboard to whatever size you want to make then paint with the acrylic paint and let dry.  I used my heat tool on this to dry it faster.

 
Step 2 is to simply spray your mist over then heat set it.  You may need to do this a couple of times to get the look and color you want.

 
Step 3 is to simply distress the edges of your tag.

Step 4 is the final step.  Now you can stamp on it, add paper or whatever embellies you want.  Once that is done you are ready to place it on your layout.

 
Ok ladies....it was so fun to alter some grunge board.  Grab all your goodies and give it a shot.

Until next time...happy scrapping!

~~Stacy~~

Friday Inspiration: Sketches!!

Everyday on the AWDML forum, we have daily questions, daily challenges AND daily sketches!  That's right- there's a TON going on.  Are you missing out?  Stop by our forum, and jump right in- we'd love to have you come play with us!

For this week's sketches, we are featuring sketches by Pamela Young of Scrapbook Challenges.  She has wonderful sketches that lend themselves to infinite creative possibilities!  Today, I want to share with you one of this week's featured sketches:

And, here's my version....  I chose to rotate some of the sketch's elements.

 
So, if you aren't playing along with us on our message board, you are missing out!  Come on over!  See you there!

Products Used:  Bella Blvd One Fall Day, Bazzil Cardstock, American Crafts Cardstock, Bazzil Stitching Template, Maya Road Chipboard, Ranger Distress ink, Clear Embossing powder, EK Sucess Border Punch, Fiskars Border Punch

Getting Grungy - A Technique For You To Try!

Hi!!  It's Scarlett with you today and I am here to share another grungeboard technique for you to add to your arsenol.

Here are the supplies you'll need for this project:

Grungeboard with raised pattern - I chose swirls to work with

UTEE

Distress Inks

Perfect Pearls

Not Shown - heat gun, water in a mister, paintbrush for perfect pearls

Let's get started!!

Step 1:

Rub your distress ink pad over your grungeboard and immediately cover with UTEE so it will stick to the distress ink.  Heat up UTEE until it has a nice sheen.  This will create a surface that acts as a resist for the next step.

Step 2:

Using some other colors of distress ink, ink up the rest of your grungeboard.  Notice how the portion I already inked with Barn Door Red still shows up because the UTEE acts as a clear resist allowing the color to shoe through.

Step 4:

Dab on some perfect pearls with a fluffy paintbrush (it is even better if you use the brush that comes with the set of Perfect Pearls).  When you have the coverage you desire, spray the area with some water.  This allows the Perfect Pearls to set up.  Tip: Keep a paper towel on hand so you can dab away excess Perfect Pearls if you are not happy with the initial results.

Now you have some sparkly grunged up grungeboard to work with as embellishments for your projects. 

Here is what I did with one of my circles to have for a future LO:

Can you tell I have Christmas on the brain right now?! To make this look like an ornament I added some metal tape (you coud certainly use some aluminum foil) and then bent some wire to look like the hook.

Hope you enjoyed learning this technique and use it the next time you are wondering how to jazz up your grungeboard!

 

Step by Step Tuesday: A Wedding Card with (pretty!) Grungeboard

Hi guys, it's Erica!  :D

Today I'm sharing a step by step of a wedding card.  We'll be using the Everafter line from Cosmo Cricket.  It's a little less feminine and a little more appropriate for an autumn wedding but still gives that wedding feel.  :)  We'll be dressing up our card with a Grungeboard element that we'll make pretty, not grungy!

 First, you want to cut a sentiment from the elements sheet.  Then punch a strip of Something New using Fiskar's Upper Crest Border Punch and adhere along the top and bottom of the sentiment.

 

Using foam tape, mount it to the top portion of the card. 

 

Adhere a piece of Everafter Chipboard to the lower right side of the sentiment.  You may need to put a small piece of foam tape under the bottom half of the chipboard.

 

Now, grab a Grungeboard swirl and ink it up with cream ink.

 

Let dry and then spray with a sheer Glimmer Mist. 

 

Wait for it to dry and then adhere under the chipboard. 

 

And, here's the finished card.  :)

Products used-Cardstock-Core'dinations, Patterned Paper-Cosmo Cricket, Chipboard-Cosmo Cricket, Ink-Colorbox, Punch-Fiskars, Spray Ink-Tattered Angels

Here you can see the little bit of dimension that using the foam tape gives and the little bit of shimmer that the Glimmer Mist gives.  

 I hope you enjoyed this step by step and if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments!

Made You Look Monday!

There is nothing better than a universal birthday line, one that can be used for all ages. Fancy Pants has created just that kind of line. It's Your Day is a fun bright birthday line that works for all ages.

 

I created a fun birthday card set using a recycled metal tin for my case:

 

 

Doesn't that just make you smile?  It's so happy and just makes we all warm and fuzzy inside! 

Have a great day!  Kim :)
 

 

Friday Inspiration

Hey there everyone Stacy here.  Today's Friday inspiration is coming from the 11/4 daily challenge.  I love using punches so I thought this would be a fun one.  The challenge was to use your punches on the title. Love it!!!!  So instead on doing a layout with a title on it, I altered a couple of Maya Road chipboard shapes to make a wall hanging.  I used several of my circle punches to layer and pop up on the top and bottom piece.

 
I know this is bad....my daughter is going to be 14 this month and yes I still have pics of her not scrapped.  To my defense I was not scrapping then :)

So the fun supplies used on this are Maya Road chipboard books, Teresa Collins paper, American
Craft adhesive and foam pop dots, Bazzill flowers, Prima Crystals, Kaiser Craft pearls, and some Zva pearls.

So as you can see the challenge really makes your titles pop when using punches with them.  Don't forget if you want a little dimension add a couple of pop dots under it.

Until next time, have a fabulous weekend.

~~Stacy~~

 

A Grungeboard Technique!!

This month, we are going to be showing you some techniques to use with Ranger's Grungeboard.  I have to admit- Grungeboard intimidated me.  It comes in all kinds of pre-cut shapes and letters and people make incredibly beautiful stuff with them.  But, I wanted to make Grungeboard fit MY style.  So, I bought the full sheets, uncut!

 This "swirls" pattern has such a fun, swirly texture to it.  So, I ran a sheet of the Grungeboard through my diecut machine and cut a snowflake.  Then, I painted it white and added some stickles.  Then, I paired it up with some NEW Echo Park "Merry Christmas" papers and made this sweet little card! 

 
 
Check out a close-up of the fun texture on the Grungeboard.  The paint seems to really make it "pop"!

 
So, check out the fabulous selection of Grungeboard at the AWDML store and have FUN!

Products Used: Echo Park- Merry Christmas Paper, American Crafts Cardstock, Ranger Grungeboard, Ranger Stickles- Frosted Lace

~~Nicole~~