Designs by Mandi: Design Team: March Assignment

Treasured Memories Design Team 2008

1. Tell us about yourself. What would you like everyone to know about you?

My name is Mandi Green. I am a 19-year-old Fashion Design and Merchandising major at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. I'm bubbly and outgoing, and I love to laugh. The most important thing in the world to me are my friends and family; I love spending time with them, just talking and being silly!

2. What is your scrapbook style?

Eclectic and messy! I do everything shabby chic all the way. Many of my embellishments are non-scrapbooking items. I really like to make a lot of my own embellishments, too!

3. How long have you been scrapbooking?

The first time I scrapbooked was about 4 years ago, and after a long break from it, I got back into it heavily within the last year or so.

4. Who do you scrapbook?

My wonderful and fun family, friends, and boyfriend!

5. Name your top three tools.

I like to keep it simple - a paper cutter, a paintbrush, and scissors.

6. How are you inspired to get started on a layout?

I start with the photographs and pick paper to match them. Then, I layout the photos and paper and did around in my stash until I have pulled out every piece of chipboard, ribbon, lace, brads, etc that match. From there, I arrange and rearrange and consolidate my heavily layered layout until everything is just the way I like it.

7. Do you have any great tips to share?

If you don't have an embellishment you want or you have it but it's the wrong color/size/etc, try to make the embellishment yourself! You may be surprised at your own creativity!

8. What are your 3 favorite embellishments?

Acrylic paints, ribbon, and flowers are always a must!

9. What is your favorite paper line?

I love love LOVE Scarlet's Letter by Basic Grey. It has my favorite colors (red, sage green, black) and a beautiful and eclectic floral pattern. I love it so much that I have a desk decoupaged with it. Seriously!

10. What is your favorite way to journal?

I don't usually journal much, but I do like to add little things like song lyrics, poems, quotes, etc to my layouts.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Design Team: March Assignment

Our assignment for March was to use the required materials: a set of Buzz and Bloom chipboard and two sheets of laser cut cardstock. Upon receiving my chipboard and laser cuts, I sincerely believed that I was working with the ugliest/most complicated/ridiculous/[insert negative adjectives here] supplies on earth. However, with a little work and a lot of imagination, my once horrific supplies became something beautiful.

The lesson of the story: Don't judge a chipboard set by it's spikey, vicious appearance.

Click layout to enlarge!!

To create the dandelions, I started with one pack of Buzz and Bloom "Spin Me Round: Spikes" Chipboard. Because the chipboard is burnt to create the shapes, I started by rubbing off the burnt black part with a paper towel. Once it was clean, I applied to coats of a special mixed color of paint I created with acrylics (Craft Smart White and Mustard Yellow). Once they were dry, I worked in sections on the chipboard and applied a thin layer of scrappy glue over the top. Before the glue had a change to dry (that Scrappy Glue works quick, you know!) I pulled apart cotton balls and pressed them down over the glued areas. After pressing down a bit and allowing them a few minutes to dry, I pulled all the excess cotton off, leaving a thin fuzzy layer of cotton (just enough to where the paint can peek through)! And that's really all! To add the green section of the larger flower, I painted it's original middle section with a mix of Folk Art Forest Moss and Buttercream acrylic paints and pop-dotted it over the flower.

The other technique I used was stamped and hand cut leaves for the dandelions. I used a fine tipped paintbrush to apply paint to one of the Impression Obsession Floral Damask stamps. I stamped the image to black cardstock and cut it by hand. The laser cut cardstocks I was assigned were also cut by hand to create the red border for the center picture and the 3 in the title and the 2008 on the side.

The three challenges I completed were:
1. Layer, layer, layer!
2. Use "trash" (the cotton balls)
3. Hand cutting

Products used:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Chipboard: Buzz and Bloom "Spin Me Round: Spikes"
Laser cut cardstock: KI Memories
Flowers: Prima - Chartres Lace Yellow & Queen & Co Red Felt Flower Border
Ladybugs: Creative Imaginations
Stamp: Impression Obsession "Floral Damask"
Paints: Craft Smart - White and Mustard Yellow, Folk Art: Buttercream and Forest Moss
Embroidery Floss: DMC
Lettering: Quickcutz - Maddy Anne
Other: Cotton balls, buttons, brads, rhinestones, rick-rack, letter beads
Adhesives: Scrappy Glue, Miss Elizabeth's tape squares, pop dots, glue dots

And let me thank my fabulous photographer friend Brianna for the amazing pictures (she's the one with the glasses)! The other lovely lady pictured is my friend Danielle. (I love you guys!!)

So, we have our next assignment, and I'm going to scrap today! I can't wait to get started!