Floral Cards by Shanna and Artist Trading Blocks by Donna

Hello Everyone!  Today we have two Designers on the blog.  First up is Shanna with some gorgeous cards.

Hello and how do you do.  Shanna here with another set of fun cards to share with you today.

I loved using this paper collection with these flowers. It helped make the flowers just pop to me.

I gave my chipboard just a single coat of gesso and made them the main event of my cards.

Items Used:

Gina's Designs Lasercuts

Queen Anne's Lace 

Hypercium Beries

Next up today is Donna sharing her take on the Artist Trading Blocks that each team member is creating this month.  We've seen several so far and each artist's version has been uniquely different and equally awesome!

Hi, it's Donna here today to share my Artist Trading Blocks from Gina's Designs!  I chose to decorate my blocks with a Paris theme.  Ooh La La!  They are so easy and so much fun to put together and decorate! The options are endless! I also used Gina's miniature dress forms on all four sides of the three boxes. It's really great that you can special request Gina's chipboard shapes in many different sizes! The tiny dress forms I used on the two smaller boxes are a special requested size, and are so darn cute!!!!!!!!

After I glued the boxes together, I painted the corners black with chalk ink so the color of the box would not show. I could have also used black gesso or paint.  I chose the paper I wanted to use for each box and each side, including layers, cut them, and glued them to the box. I then got out "the works" and just started having a blast! Pearls, feathers, bling, flowers, lace, glass knobs, shabby ribbon, netting, stickers, and wooden feet!

Then it was time to decorate the dress forms! I painted all the dress forms with gesso, with the exception of the black ones. I used black chalk ink directly on the chipboard and that worked fine. I would have probably used black gesso if I had it.  I find it best to cover my chipboard shapes with gesso as a protective coat before painting or embossing.  I used vintage pink chalk ink, over the gesso, on the darker pink dress forms. Two of the little white dress forms are covered with white opal liquid pearls, and the other set with white chalk ink and spun sugar distress stickles. I was having so much fun with the darling dress forms, I also made two free standing dress forms! I added a piece of cardboard to the back so they could stand up!

Thank you so very much for stopping by today! 

 Gina's Designs products

Artist Trading Blocks

Miniature Dressforms 1

Miniature Dressforms 2

Other products 

Authentique Classique: Pretty paper and sticker sheet

Glass knobs - Hobby Lobby

Feathers

Flowers

String pears, Black and White

Wooden feet - Hobby Lobby

Lace - misc from stash

Chalk ink - Black, vintage pink, white

White opal liquid pearls

Spun sugar distressed stickles

Crafter's Pick glue

Vintage Sewing Themed Altered Cigar Box by Nancy

Hi everyone, it's Nancy here!  Today I am sharing an altered cigar box using papers from digital files that I have printed myself.  This coming August,  the Gina's Designs team will be participating in a cross promotional using digital designs by Kitty's Scrap Post.  We were excited to find out that in addition to each of us picking our choice of a digital  kit to work with for our August projects, all of us received the French Seamstress Kit as an extra bonus.   When I saw this gorgeous French Seamstress kit,  I just knew I had to combine the papers with Gina's sewing themed chipboard shapes.  A match made in Crafty Heaven!

 I'd been wanting a box to store my vintage Czech glass button collection and other sewing related collectibles I have accumulated, so I dug out this cigar box from my stash, and went to work.  I'm so happy with the way it turned out.  The box measures 7" x 7.5" x 4" deep.

I began by covering the box both inside and out, even the bottom got papered.  The best thing about digital papers is that you can print them as many times as you want to.  Just look how pretty the images are in this collection!

After the box was papered, everything got two coats of matte Mod Podge so the box can be wiped clean with a wet cloth.  Several techniques (as described below each photo) were used to decorate the chipboard shapes.

The dressform on the top of the box was embossed with Stampendous Shabby Pink Embossing Powder.  Closeup view of the top below:

Aren't the papers gorgeous!  In addition to the dressform, I simply added a few Recollections flowers and fabric leaves.

On the front of the box I added more chipboard shapes and a few buttons to blend in with the button print on the paper.  Here the chippies were painted with Folk art acrylics.  Metal bookplate by Recollections and metal feet by Tim Holtz were painted with gesso and green acrylic paint.

On this side of the box I added the button border from Gina's Designs, and embossed it with Stampendous Shabby White, Pink, and Blue alternately.

On this side, I added a skeleton clock and clock hands embossed with Stampendous Shabby White embossing powder.  The chipboard clock mimics the clock and clock hands design on the paper.

On this side, I added scissors and another dressform.  The dressform is embossed with Shabby Blue, and the scissors with Shabby Marine (handles) and with a brass color embossing powder for the blades.

Here's a view of the inside! I'm all ready to add my collection of buttons and things!

Closeup of the inside lid.  On these shapes,  I have painted first with Gesso, stamped with a script stamp and then inked with pale pink and pale blue inks from Recollections new Vintage Romance collection of products.

Inside of the box at the bottom is another gorgeous design from the kit.  It was so hard to decide which paper to use on the top!

I hope you like my project, and be sure to visit us at Gina's Designs, and also check out all the gorgeous digital paper collections at Kitty's Scrap Post.

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Vintage Seamstress Shape Set

Button Border

Dressforms 1 Shape Set

Dressforms 2 Miniature Shape set

Skeleton Clocks

Clock Hands Shape Set

Other:

Digital Design Papers by Kitty's Scrap Post

French Seamstress Kit

May Sketch Challenge with Sample Layout by Nancy and an altered frame by Veronica

Welcome to the May Sketch Challenge!

Each month, on the first Monday, a new sketch will be provided.  Use the sketch to create a layout, card or other craft project.  Winner will be drawn from all eligible entries and will receive a $10 gift certificate to Gina's Designs online store.  We encourage you to use Gina's Designs products in your project but it is not required to be eligible to win.  You have until the first Monday of the Following month to enter and the winner will be announced on the blog on the second Monday of the following month.  Use the Link Up tool below to enter.

Here is the sketch for May

Here is my take on the sketch.  Once again I have featured my cat Willie.  I'm currently creating a whole memorial wall for him with all the layouts in shadowbox frames.  I love looking at it, it makes me smile.  I began this layout with some background stamping, and I also used our Steampunk Doily as a stencil, then turned it to the other side and layered the actual doily behind the photos.  

Gina's Designs Products Used:

Cardstock Doily Set Steampunk (I had these cut in 8 inch)

Scribbled Frames & Lines

For The Birds (nest)

Next up is Veronica with an amazing altered frame filled with vintage goodness!

Hello Everyone, Veronica here to share an altered frame project using several pieces from Gina's Designs.

I had this frame all covered in Gesso and ready for something over a year ago, but didn't have a clue where to go after that!  Finally, after looking through my chipboard shapes, I got inspired to bring it back out and do something with my Grandma's in mind.

Gina's Doodled Cages is a perfect addition, my Grandma loved birds.

 One can never have too many of her Wooden Decorative Keys!

                       

I adore Gina's Dress Forms!

I also used Gina's 6 inch Deco Frames & Hanging Sign Shape Set # 2

Thanks again for stopping by! Have a Blessed Day!

Gina's Designs

Dress Forms

Wooden Decorative Keys

Doodled Cages

Hanging Sign Shape Set #2

An InLinkz Link-up

Cross Promotion with Craftsupplies1





Hi Everyone, this is our last posting for our big Craftsupplies1 Cross Promotion for  the month of March. We have had so much fun working with the Craftsupplies1 Team this month, and hope we can do it again one day!  

So without further ado, here are some more of the amazing Craftsupplies1 Design Team projects!

First up is Kim, who is also a member of our Design team, and this week she created a lovely shabby vintage tea pot using some of our new Tea Time shapes and border set.

 

Here is a link to Kim's Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8ivY-Q3aeY

Next we have a beautiful Altered Letter by Ashley, she has featured some of our dressforms on her letter.

Ashley's video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPd-rf2q2n4

Here is an amazing Altered Steampunk ATC by Jennifer, we just love what she did here!

Here is Marla R's Project an Altered Matchbox featuring some of our pieces, it's just gorgeous!

Here is a link to Marla's Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rNfbFQY1PM

And Lastly, we would like to share this video by Heather who has created a gorgeous butterfly box
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6v4tz1akFo

We want to thank Julie from Craftsupplies1 for all her hard work this month and for all the fun we have had working with her team of very talented ladies! Everyone on the Gina's Design's Team has been thrilled to work with the beautiful products from Craftsupplies1 and also for being able to work with such a fantastic team. Thanks so much everyone!

Please visit Julies stores, Craftsupplies1 on Etsy and Zibbet

Etsy Store

Zibbet Store



Dress Form Stand Mini Album

Hello  friends, Marjolaine here with my latest creation.

Today's project was made with Gina's Designs dress form stand. It comes with 12 dress form pages and is meant to be a calendar but I made mine to be a mini album. I drilled a hole at the top to attach it together. (OK so my husband drilled the hole because I don't like power tools!) I thought a dress would be appropriate so I fashioned one without having to sew! A pretty pearl necklace finished the outfit nicely.

The mini album is at the back and I added one line per page from a beautiful quote by Audrey Hepburn.

 So elegant!

Here's the beautiful quote I used,

"The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It's the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows & the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.”

Dressform For All Occasions Kit

Endless Possibilities with Glassine Bags by Heidi

Hello everyone....  it's Heidi here today with a little project that I did using Gina's glassine bags.  I will be honest with you all, when I first got these I had no idea what I would do with them, I thought they are little bags, what is up with that?  BUT...  now I tell you, I am having so much fun with these.  They make great gift card holders alone or if you put them on the front of a card- a little holder for money or a card.  Alter them and put them together for a little book, the possibilities are endless. 

So this is the first one I made, it is a graduation card for the daughter of one of our friends that is graduating this weekend.  That little tab at the top- attached to the money we are giving to her which is tucked into the glassine bag.  Perfect use for it do't you think?   I did decorate the front and back and the lace meets in the back and I attached my logo- did't think to take a photo for you.  I figured the back needs to be complete.  Then there will be a little card that I will tuck in it with a little message.  I love this litte sentiment because she has been so anxious to graduate and posted Yahoo on FB, fitting don't you think? 

Now this glassine bag will need to go to someone that enjoys sewing I think.  I love this G45 paper and just had to add some lace, doilies and buttons of course to go with the little Gina's Designs dressform.  The lace is from a stash that my mother gave me (on both glassine bags).   The little rosette is one that I made with some ribbon: they are really easy and go so well with the doilies. :) 

I hope that this has inspired you to pull out those glassine bags and if you don't have any stop over to Gina's and get you some along with the following supplies I used on mine.  

Gina's Designs Products

Glassine Bags (I used the 2 larger sizes)

Dressform

Doilies

Stackable Label

Have a wonderful day! 

Heidi