Core'dinations Design Team Call

Ask me what my favorite cardstock is...Go ahead, ask!  Well, that's easy!  I really LOVE Core'dinations Cardstock!  I love that it comes in a TON of colors!  I love that it textured!  But most of all, I LOVE THE COLOR CORE!  I can tear this paper and see a coordinating color inside.  I can also emboss and sand it too (or just sand, for a distressed look).  And I can't forget my most favorite thing to do with Core'dinations papers is to cut them in my Silhouette Cameo digital die cut machine.  All of their beautiful papers cut like butter in the Silhouette!

All these reasons came to mind when I saw that Core'dinations is having a Design Team Call!  I was recently chosen to be a part of the Craft Warehouse Design Team and I think that being a part of the Core'dinations team would be the perfect match for me.  I use Core'dinations papers on almost all my scrapbook layouts and papercrafting projects.  I can't imagine a project that wouldn't look a little nicer with some textured cardstock that has a fun colored core!

So, here I go...Core'dinations asked to see three projects featuring their amazing papers.  These projects are  some that I think show you lots of options for using Core'dinations papers and ones I think you'll enjoy seeing.  As always, I use a lot of color in my projects, along with some fun cuts from my Silhouette.  I hope you like them!

For this layout, the kids jumping in the pool reminded me of a clothesline.

I found the Loads of Fun die cut shape from Samantha Walker and altered it to fit my vision.

I added the flower & number 12 to the shirts and then I wanted to find a fun girls' swimsuit for

my clothesline, I found the Bikini by Sarah Bailey.  It was perfect with the addition of tiny holes for polka dots.  I love the way the Silhouette Cameo cuts such intricate shapes into the

Core'dinations papers!  Next, I used some tiny sanding tools to add a little texture to

my die cuts.  Distressing my little clothes lets you see the coordinating color inside the textured

cardstock and gives this layout that extra 'something'! 

Here are some close ups of this fun summer layout:

Next, I want to share a card I made this week with my favorite collection from Core'dinations,

the Vintage Collection.  I LOVE the Vintage Collection because you can see both colors of the paper in the texture without tearing or embossing it!  The Vintage papers give every layout an added color and texture without me doing a thing! My most favorite of all the hundreds of Core'dinations papers is Kisses from the Vintage Collection.  Kisses is the most perfect red for all my projects and, of course, its texture and colors give my projects and added depth I can't get with any other cardstock.

But back to my project!

I found this rainbow quote and the design of this card just popped right into my mind.

I used my Silhouette Software to design my own rainbow.

(I can explain how I did this, just let me know if you're interested in a post on it in the comments!)

I cut the entire rainbow out of each of the six yummy sheets of Core'dinations Vintage Collection papers.

Then I chose one of each color (in different sizes) and laid them together on my embossing folder.

This one is from Lifestyle Crafts.

After embossing the pieces, I used a sander to sand over the textured sections.  In this photo, the red and purple pieces have been completely sanded, while the blue piece has only been sanded on the right half.

You can see how much the design 'jumps' out of the Core'dinations papers when they are sanded

to reveal the inside core color of the paper.

I found this banner in my Silhouette library.  I used a Silhouette Sketch Pen and my own handwriting font to print the quote onto my banner.  Then, I cut the center of the banner.  The paper for the center of the banner is from the Core'dinations Whitewash Collection, and is called Washboard.

I cut the ends of the banner from metallic gold paper to symbolize the gold at the end of the rainbow.

I was very happy with the way the Silhouette Sketch Pens worked perfectly with the textured

Core'dinations paper!

For my last project, I want to share a double page spread layout I created to showcase

my daughter's birthday photos.

On this layout, I tore and sanded to reveal the coordinating bright colors inside the cardstock.

I love the way this paper adds just a little extra flair to my page!

 Here are some close ups of the Core'dinations papers at work!

I hope you enjoyed my projects featuring Core'dinations papers!

I also want to let you know that I'm in the middle of redesigning by blog and moving it over to juliechats.com

All of this should be finished by next week!

Stop over and LIKE my Facebook page for last minute details in case this site is down and 

the new on isn't quite ready yet!

Layout of the Week - My Happy Place

Most of my layouts come straight out of my own mind.  I usually get inspired by my photos or new papers & supplies at the store.  But from time to time, I see a layout I just have to "scraplift"!  There are just some layouts that appeal to me so much, I have to honor them by recreating them, with a little Julie-spin.  Lately, I've been getting a lot of inspiration from Instagram.  I stumbled across the Chic Tags blog just this way.  After seeing the fun creations from Chic Tags on Instagram, I've been checking their blog for inspiration.  And a couple of weeks ago, I found a layout that begged me to recreate it!  Created by Kasia, who lives in Turkey, the "Today was Awesome!" layout had me smitten!

I love everything about this layout!  Now, someday, I really do plan to recreate this layout in the colors that Kasia used.  But, in this case, I had already chosen papers & photos and just needed to use this layout for its design...as more of a sketch or plan.

Being obsessed with color, I chose to add my Julie-spin by creating a layout full of bright colors, letting Kasia's overall page design guide the placement of my elements.

To start, I hand trimmed my dotted paper and used my sewing machine to stitch it to one of my very favorite colors of cardstock, Ruby from the Vintage Collection of Core'dinations.  I liked the idea of continuing the dot theme, so I searched the Silhouette Online Store until I found the Linked Welded Rings cut that I could duplicate, rotate and weld to create a background similar to Kasia's.

I cut it in a dark teal, Stargaze from American Crafts.  Then I went back and deleted out the center of all my circles and cut that in white to create a background.  I love using the Luminarte Mists from Splash of Color (previously Creative Imaginations), so I used a paint brush and water to wet the white background and then dripped four colors of the mist onto the paper.  I let the white pieces dry before adhering them to the circle pieces.

Next I gathered some tags & other embellishments, some old, some new to give my page a graphic look similar to Kasia's. I chose some stickers from the Fancy Pants kit, along with a couple Technique Tuesday stamps and my SMASH date stamp.

I love how my page turned out, with tons of color and lots of layers & textures.  If you're having trouble layering your embellishments, just remember to lay everything down and move it around a lot until you like the result.  THEN start from the bottom adhering the back pieces first.  Adding pop dots to a few of your embellishments gives some depth to your creation, just be sure to pick only a few.  Everything doesn't need to be "popped up"!

I hope this "scrap-lift" shows you how you can use your inspiration layout as a sketch and think of its design elements in your own way to create something original that shows a little bit of you!

Check out my fun idea and TONS of other amazing ideas over at the link party on Today's Creative Blog!  Tuesday is 'Get Your Craft On' day!  You'll find SO many cool ideas there every week, you'll wonder why you hadn't found it before!  Oh, be sure to tell Kim (Creator & Diva of TCB) HI and that Julie from JulieChats sent you!

Supplies:

Paper:

Core'dinations Vintage Collection Ruby

Fancy Pants Down by the Shore: Colorful Days

American Crafts Textured Cardstock: Stargaze

Colormates Non-Textured Cardstock: Light Heritage White

Stickers:

Fancy Pants Down by the Shore: Sticker Fundamentals

Tags:

Peterson Arne: White & Yellow Mulberry

Creative Cafe: Together

Stamps:

Technique Tuesday: Awesome and Studio AE: My Life

K & Company: SMASH Date Stamp

Ink:

Versamark Watermark

Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Walnut Stain

Splash of Color Luminarte Radiant Rain Mists:

      Bashful Blue

      Ginger Peach

      Key Lime

      Sunburst

Embossing Powder:

Ranger: Rich Red

American Crafts: Zing in Cricket

Misc.:

Scrapbook Adhesives: 3D Foam Squares

Yellow Thread

Layout of the Week: Halloween Headstone

Even though it seems like summer only just arrived here in Oregon, the calendar says it's time to get ready for Fall!  Never one to miss out on seasonal decorating, these extra large pennant banners just jumped right out at me during the EK Success Craft Fest this fall in Portland.

These large arched chipboard pennants are 10" x 16" and when flipped upside down it just screamed Halloween headstone!

I gathered some fun Halloween papers & embellishments, some new, some older...

I think I used all these papers, except the tiger stripe.  After laying everything together and deciding which to use, it just didn't seem to fit into the look I was creating.  For my first step, I used the Soot Ink Pad from Tim Holtz, rubbing it along the sides and over the enter front of my headstone.  Then I cut strips of paper and attached them with spray adhesive, before adding some fun embellishments like self adhesive strips, ribbon, twine, a tag from 7 Gypsies, punched bats and a piece of jack-o-lantern flair.  We're planning to use the Halloween Headstone as a fun place to attached little notes in our booth during this weekend's Scrapbook Expo.  After the Expo, I'm planning to add some orange glittered THICKERS announcing Happy Halloween!

Tips:

Sand double layer cardstock, such as Core'dinates, to add a distressed look to your Halloween projects.

Don't be afraid to give your tags a distressed look too!  Wad them up & rub with ink to give them that "just found in the haunted house" look.

Trim your patterned papers and lay them over another coordinating pattern.  This diamond pattern takes on a banner look when trimmed.

Punch a strip with your favorite punch and mount it over a thick ribbon for a custom embellishment!  The bats have also been sprayed with Luminarte black shimmer mist (difficult to see in the photo) for and added texture.

Supplies:

Paper Accents

Tim Holtz Ink Pad

Papers-Teresa Collins, Authentique Paper, Core'dinates

Various Ribbon, Paper Twine & Yarn

Tag-7 Gypsies

Spritz-Luminarte

Sticker Strips-K & Co.

If you're looking for other creative Halloween inspired ideas, stop by Today's Creative Blog for Get Your Craft On Tuesdays.  100's of creative types submit their creations each and every Tuesday, I'm sharing this project and I'd love to see yours over there too!

Layout of the Week - Our Peaceful Free Spirit

Sorry I've been away from blogging for so long!  I've been in a bit of a funk for the last few weeks.  Just a combination of coming back to the rainy weather from tropical Mexico, not getting enough sleep, lot's to do at work & school, mortgage issues (don't get me started on this one...) and wondering where my time would be best spent.  You know, those problems all of us have.  But this week I decided I was going to get out of my funk, start working out again and try to get back to my regular routine...at least until school is out for the summer and it all blows up in my face again!  The appearance of the sun here in Northwest Oregon definitely helped urge me along in my effort to get back to normal.  A little sun can do wonders for your mood!

So I'm back at the blogging gig!  And I have a layout to share with you that matches my newly sunny mood this week!  I create this one during my stint working at our National Scrapbook Weekend Crop.  I had been looking for the perfect papers & embellishments for these photos of Delaney we had taken at Sears.  She's wearing her favorite birthday outfit from her favorite store Justice.  She's really into t-shirts & skirts, bright colors, peace signs & a little bling.  We love how these photos turned out...just like a magazine ad!

Tips

Save money and create a beautiful double page layout by cutting a large die cut in half and placing one half on the inside of each page.  The great die cut effect is now part of both of your pages.

Add a fun embellishment by using die cut felt self-adhesive ribbon trimmed into pieces & added to your projects.

Try tearing & sanding your Core'dinations cardstock!  The inner layer of these great textured cardstocks comes in lot's of great colors that can be revealed by tearing, sanding & embossing.

Supplies

Little Yellow Bicycle Free Spirit collection papers & stickers
Core'dinations cardstock
Kaisercraft Fozz Felt Ribbon
Prima paper flowers
Boxer buttons

I shared this Layout of the Week...

with Today's Creative's Get Your Craft on Tuesday



and with the ladies at Ann's Friday Night Virtual Girls' Night Out