When faced with a ....

"When faced with a mountain, I will not quit! I will keep striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine, with God's help.”
                                                                                                                   - Robert Half


Hello Readers
This is Pam from Papillon Digital Designs. Thanks Carolyn and Allison for having me on today.
Today's project challenge is doing "Something New/Something inspiring"
I love the above quote as it is especially apt today as not only am I doing a Layout which is not in my comfort zone but my layout subject is Mine - Independence Mine - Alaska.
My layout is an interactive-spinner layout.  I was inspired by hot of the press spinner template. But I did not like the heart and oval shapes that came with. So decided to use cameo for making my own.
Here is the layout

Now I will be garrulous and try to explain both how and why I chose to do what I did as I go along.
First thing I did was make a silhouette file

The white spinner wheel is cut as a template so that you can put a brad and then turn it to mark the frame for the photos on the actual spinner wheel. The frame on the spinner is 1/4 " lesser than the opening on the layout to give it a mat effect ( I used 3x2 photos so the opening on top is 3-1/4" x 2 -1/4". Now these pictures will maybe show what I am talking about better.

So after you come to this stage just attach a foam to the spinner. Make sure if you are using foam dots/pop dots to dust the outer side with powder so that it does not stick to the top of the layout for then it will not spin. Then using a brad assemble the layout.

Now my choice of papers. Since the pictures were more of blues I decided to use a red orange pattern to give a contrast to the pictures. I also decided that the plaid design will kind of give a solid feeling as the subject matter is a mine. That's why I did not round the corners too. But I needed some curves though not dominant but as an accent. So I decided to make a kind of mountain pattern on another pattern paper. 

Now for the embellishments. I took some of the pictures itself and traced it on silhouette studio and cropped it and did a print and cut. I also took some gold coin and silver bar images from online and did the same. I did not find a gold dust bottle souvenir image so decided to make my own using some circles and rounded square. After cutting them out with cameo then for the first time I took out my yourstory and then using a scotch hot  laminating sheet from walmart  - laminated all the cut outs. It gives it a nice sticker effect as I did not want to use glossy accents. Then I took perfect pearls and with some water (for setting the perfect pearls) and brush applied some gold copper and silver color to get a nice shine in some areas. They look lovely at an angle. I also cut some trees and stickled the tree and the title. Then I used a Martha Stewart triangle punch (which I had got from walmart way back) for border and then attached a gold ribbon (Costco) to it. Some metal flowers and leaves and suede leather bows completed the rest . 

Here is a closer look at the layout. I still have to fill in the journaling on the white strips

The interactive part when you spin the wheel (of course you have to cut  a slit in the page protector so that you can spin and maybe also add an arrow and words spin so that the viewer can spin it to see the rest)

So today's challenge on do something new is to do a card or layout which is interactive - be it a spinner like this or an  accordion fold or a hidden tag. One good resource other than the web of course is the book - Magic by Jeanette Lynton.

Thank  you all  for reading

October Something New

Happy Sunday all. This week's challenge is "something new". That's right we all read about all these goodies we have to have or techniques we just have to try. Well this week we are going to use/try those items.

We are still on our Fall theme and what's better than Friday night football in that crisp fall air? I know what would a Floridian know about crisp fall air?? Well while living in North Carolina Friday nights (sometimes Saturday nights) were football nights. Well my friend coaches rec cheerleading for the football team. Well their year end party is next week and she likes to give them a "certificate" to remember their year of cheering. She asked me again this year to make something special for them.

I immediately knew that these would fit into our something new challenge. I actually used 2 something news on them. I used metal roof sheeting for the base covered in paper. I wanted something sturdy but didn't want to do chipboard. And I used action wobbles. Although I tried to use an action wobble before it didn't work right sooo I thought I'd give them another go and LOVE them.





I ended up making 24 of these "certificates" for the girls and can't wait to hear how they liked them.

Now it's your turn. Use a new product that's been hiding in your space. Or try one of those projects/techniques you've always wanted to do.

Can't wait to see what you make!!!!

---Caroline

Something New - Ribbon Card

Are you ready for the weekend? I know I am!! This Friday's challenge is to try something new! so I decided  to try a new kind of card - and to be honest - I think it came out pretty sad looking. But I am not scared to show you my sad little card - maybe it will inspire you to create something much better! This post should also be called "Why Allison should not make cards"  Onto the sad card:

I was inspired for this card by a beautiful wedding invitation I got in the mail but I am not doing the inspiration justice. I really love the style of this card and yet I have no idea what is called so I am calling it a ribbon card. 

I took a 5 1/2 by 12 inch strip of K and Company kraft patterned cardstock and scored it at 2, 4, 8, and 10 inches. Then I punched some holes with my Big Bite for the ribbon o go through. Here is the card "unfolded" so you can see how it folds to meet in the middle:  

I cut two 3 inch  pears from Preserves and layered them over each other (a pair of pears! - sorry can't help myself sometimes). I adhered them to the front of the card while it was closed and then used a razor to split them down the middle. I was not happy with the way that came out at all so if I were to do it again I probably would cut them first and then apply them to the card. 

Then it was time to put the ribbon in - which is honestly my favorite part.  You loop the ribbon towards the center of the card. 

And then bring the ends through the whole toward the front of the card. 

You can trim the ends if they are too long and then you are done!

So that is my little sad card! While I am not pleased with the way it came out I do like the style so I expect I will be trying it again. I can't wait to see what new things you all try! Happy crafting!

---Allison