I want to thank everyone for leaving such lovely comments on my Maja Design projects!  And before I announce my blog give-away winner….I would like to share an art journal page I created, “It’s Go Time.”

This is the first complete art journal page I created in my hand-made art journal.

I created this art journal from an 18 x 24 watercolor paper pad (I like to use watercolor paper because of it’s thickness, and because of all the wet media I like to use in my art journals) ….I tore out the pages….folded them in half… & punched holes in the center of each page, so I could sew them together.

In between the pages, I added “signatures” – various ephemera, such as a time card, a large envelop, a map page.

To create the front and back cover, I simply decoupaged some beautiful paper napkins (yes, I said napkins) onto the front and back sides of my sewn together journal.

I used my big bite to punch the holes into the centers of the folded paper.

I used some heavy-duty thread-like rope that I had to sew the pages together, creating the binding.

Above, is a photo of the center of the book, showing the stitching.

Above, you can see the frayed edges of the pages, since I tore them out of a watercolor paper pad.  If this bothers you, you could easily trim off the frayed edges.  Personally, I like the way it looks, so I didn’t mess with trimming the sides.

And above is the center pages….(I started in the center)…. showing a finished page on the left, and one just started on the right.

This was a very easy process.  So, if you have been thinking about giving a hand-made book a try, I highly encourage it.

And NOW, without further ado, my blog give-away winner, randomly drawn from a hat , is

February 23rd, 2013 at 6:42 pm e Sharon Says:

OK, you certainly don’t make it easy to pick one, because I can honestly say that they are all my favorite in their own special ways.  You have created masterpieces here, Nancy.  If I had to pick just one, I would go with that amazing sun canvas that tells that grey skies are gonna clear up!!!  Or the lamp shade. . . ok . . . I will pick the sun canvas!  Thanks so much, Nancy for having this giveaway, too.  It’s been much too long since I have visited your blog!!!!

Congratulations Sharon!!! Please let me know where you would like your gift certificate, so that I can get it sent to you pronto!!!

Have a great weekend everybody!!!! and thanks for looking!!!!

Do you want a $50 gift certificate to Scrapbook.com?  or would you rather have one to A Cherry On Top?   I am giving away a $50 gift certificate to one lucky winner (winner chooses which on-line store above.)  Here is how you enter to win….tell me which project is your favorite in the comments….from all the projects I created using the gorgeous Maja Design paper collections.  Then stay-tuned as I randomly select & announce the lucky winner next Saturday!  The winner will have 2 weeks from the announcement to claim his/her prize! That’s it…..that’s all you have to do….BUT, you have to “be in it to win it!”   Now, how about a re-cap of the projects I made, to make it a little easier!

Created using the Sommartider paper collection from Maja Design:

gray skies are gonna CLEAR Up

Seize the Moment

Our Sweetheart

Fancy Lamp Shade

Created with the Vintage Winter, Maja Design paper collection:

The Heart Project

My Little Snowman

Created with the Life by the Sea, Maja Design paper collection:

Sail Away, Sail Away, Sail Away

Content

And finally, created with the Ska Vi Ta En Fika? Maja Design paper collection:

Pretty Baby

Sweet Little Cupcake

Fancy Damasks

There you have it!  Which one is your favorite?  Good Luck!

Hello my friends!  Today is my very last posting for my Guest Creative Team spot at Maja Design.  I have had so much fun creating with Maja Design’s exquisite papers and would like to thank the lovely ladies over at Maja Design for their generosity and support!

Today, I am going to share the projects that I created with the gorgeous “Ska Vi Ta En Fika?” papers.

I created 2 mixed media pieces and (1) 12 x 12 layout.

Details on how the flower above was created, can be found on the Maja Design Blog.

Above are 3 deep-edged 4 x 4 canvases I created with this gorgeous collection.

Details and up-close photos, on how these little canvas pieces were created, can be found on the Maja Design blog.

And for my last project, here is another mixed media project I created.  These canvases are 5 x 5.

Thanks for looking, my friends!!! I have so enjoyed sharing all of my Maja Design projects with you over the last several weeks!

Stay tuned for my next post.  I am having a blog give-away of a $50 gift certificate to the winner’s choice of either Scrapbook.com or A Cherry on Top!  All you have to do is vote for your favorite project that I created using the Maja Design paper collections!!!!

Well, today marks my 3rd contribution over  at Maja Design for February’s Guest Creative Team spot!  This week I am sharing the projects I created with the amazing Life by the Sea collection.

My first project is a 12 x 12 mixed-media canvas.  To see up-close photos of this project and the steps in it’s creation, please visit the post over at the Official Blog of Maja Design HERE.

My 2nd project is a 12 x 12 layout of my sweet baby boy:

These papers were perfect to scrap this photo!  To see these beautiful papers and other gorgeous paper collections from Maja Design, click HERE.

I have one more week as the Guest Creative Team member for February.  So, be sure and check back next Saturday, as I have 3 projects to share!!  And don’t forget, I am having a blog give-away right after my last posting for Maja Design.  I will be giving away a $50 gift certificate to either A Cherry on Top or Scrapbook.com  (winner’s choice)- all you  have to do is to vote for your favorite of all the projects I created using the beautiful Maja Design paper collections.   Then, you are automatically entered to win!  BUT, you have to be in it to win it!!!

TFL my friends! Until next week, I hope you have a wonderful weekend and have a chance to be crafty!!!!

Here is my 2nd Saturday sharing projects I have made from Maja Design’s Vintage Winter papers. Be sure and check out my blog spot over at Maja Design’s blog HERE.

Here is an (8) panel canvas, mixed media piece, that I created with the gorgeous Maja Design papers, Vintage Winter.

I was very inspired by the gorgeous blues and reds in this collection.  And being that it is Valentine’s season, I wanted to create a Valentine themed project.  Each mini-canvas is 5 x 5 – here they are up-close:

Be sure and stop by the Maja Design blog if you would like a behind the scenes look on how these were created.

And here is a layout I created with this gorgeous paper:

TFL my friends! Stay tuned, as I will be sharing my projects using a 3rd collection from Maja Design next Saturday!!!

Today marks my 1st post showing all of the creations I have made using the gorgeous papers from Maja Design’s Sommartider collection.  As February’s Guest Designer, I will be posting my projects for Maja Design papers each Saturday – and don’t forget, after I have posted all of my projects I will be having a blog give-away for either a $50 gift certificate to Scrapbook.com or A Cherry on Top (the winner picks.)  To enter, all you have to do is tell me what your favorite project is that I have created with Maja Design’s beautiful papers this month! that’s it!

My first project is a 12 x 12 mixed media canvas piece:  “gray skies are gonna CLEAR up”:

If you would like to see a photo tutorial on the process of how I created this mixed media piece, please visit the Maja Design blog HERE.

My next project is another 12 x 12 canvas mixed media piece called “Seize the Moment”:

again, I used the Sommartider paper collection from Maja Design for this piece…but I did use one beautiful piece of their Fika collection for my branches.

again if you would like to see detailed photos on how I created this piece, check out my post on the Maja Design blog HERE.

I also created a layout using this paper collection as well:

I just love this photo of my baby girl, not so much a baby anymore.

a photo tutorial on how I created this “quilted” flower can also be found on my post at Maja Design blog

I also tried out the amazing “Paper Ruffles” tutorial posted by the super talented, Gabrielle Pollacco, over at Maja Designs.

The final project I created with the Sommartider paper collection is my personal favorite:

I altered this paneled lamp shade.  I just LOVE the whimsical and girly feel to this! Every panel has a different piece of patterned paper from this collection.  And I framed each panel with some of the HUGE amount of ribbon I have been hoarding, oh, I mean collecting over the years!  I have also stepped this project out in photos on my Maja Design blog post if you would like a closer look.

Here are a few more photos of different angles of the shade:

Well, I hope that I have inspired you to create something today! and I sure appreciate you taking the time to stop by!!! TFL!

Every month the Maja Design blog  posts an inspirational  “Mood Board” challenge.  This month I was very inspired by the beautiful blue and brown tones and wintery feel to this month’s mood board.

Here is the project I created:

I used papers from 4 different Maja Design Collections:  Life by the Sea, Ska vi ta en Fika, Vintage Winter, and Sommartider.   Here is a basic photo tutorial on how I created this calendar.

I started with my basic 8 x 10 sketch journal.  Because this paper wasn’t quite as thick as I would have liked, I first prepped the surfaces of the pages with Gesso- this is basically just painting the pages with the gesso to “prime” them…this allows the use of wetter mediums such as paints, etc. and the paper becomes less porous.

and because I am not a very patient person, I use my heat gun to quicken the drying process

To create the background, I used some snowflake chipboard and plastic pieces as a mask. (purchased these snowflakes at Walmart)

I used one of my Lindy Stamp Gang mists.

I wanted the background snowflakes to be a bit more pronounced, so I drew around the snowflakes with one of my Neocolor II watercolor crayons.

After outlining the snowflakes, I went back over the outlines with a wet brush to soften the lines.

I used my 1 7/8 ” square punch to punch the squares for my calendar days.

Tip:  I used Mod Podge on the backs of the squares to adhere them to the page….my regular adhesive resists the gessoed pages for some reason, and I am not a big fan of going back and “fixing” projects that have come apart.  I distressed the edges of the squares before adhering them.

I finished up the calendar pages with some number stamps, flourishes, and snowflakes….. stamps from CTMH, Stampabilities, and 2 beautiful little butterflies created by Reneabouquets.

TFL my friends! Be sure and get over to Maja Design and enter their monthly challenges….you can win one of their amazing collections!

And how about a sneak peak of a new Maja Design collection coming soon!

I know that it has been awhile since my last blog post….but it is NOT because I haven’t been super busy or  in a super creative mode!  I am so excited to  ”officially” announce that I am the February 2013 Guest Designer for Maja Design - a gorgeous paper manufacturer out of Sweden.  I have been busy creating away with their AMAZINGLY gorgeous and high-quality papers and am super excited to share with you the projects I have been creating over the last several weeks….and I have been creating A LOT of them! So be sure to stay tuned…I will be posting my new projects every Saturday during February, using just 4 of all the amazingly beautiful Maja Design collections.  AND to share my excitement, at the end of February I will give you the opportunity to vote for your favorite project that I created using these gorgeous papers and you will be automatically entered to win a $50 gift certificate to your choice of either Scrapbook.com or A Cherry On Top….that’s worth a whole lot of scrappy goodness!  So be sure and stay tuned.  I cannot wait to share!  Thanks for looking my friends!!! – Nancy

I’ll admit it.  Ever since I decided to temporarily “retire” from Design Teams (I was losing the “fun” out of creating with so many life stressors, my full-time job, raising small children that needed more attention – not to mention the insane amount of homework they pile onto kindergarteners and 2nd graders…and life just getting in the way) my posting and my creating has slowed WAY DOWN.  Not that I am not always creating in my mind…thinking of and planning new projects…..and now I run a ART CLASS at my work with my patients every week -( well actually I have been doing that for months now, but since I am always so laxed in posting new up-dates, how would any of my fellow peeps know that?)   So here is my latest up-date to all my latest creations:

Well…a blog post has been long over-due… I know.   But I have been sooooo busy.   I have been through almost EVERY DRAWER and EVERY CLOSET in my house…..talk about a big clean-sweep.  A few rooms to go….a final round on the garage before a “scaredy-hole” gets installed and then maybe, just maybe, I can relax for a moment and focus back on what grounds my soul…CREATING.  But in the midst of all the cleaning and organizing and general mayhem of a house with 2 small kiddos and a full-time working mommy and daddy…..I have managed to pull off a few projects……and since I am finding the rare moment to actually up-date my blog….I would like to share the projects I have completed since my last “up-date”   This is going to be a rather long post…so skim through if you don’t have the time…or sit back and relax.  AND anyone who leaves a comment, and is a current blog follower (see the subscribe 2 section on the right hand column if not already),  will be put into a drawing to win a box of paper crafting goodies…and if you have ever seen my give-aways, then you know you will not be disappointed……I’ll blog the prize just as soon as I gather it all together…I plan on stuffing a box FULL of goodness    Here we go…

So I have had a couple family birthdays over the last couple of months and here are projects I created for the special days:

Above is the creation I made for my oldest sister’s b-day….I created this on a 40 x 40 pieced together canvas …. I had to photograph my just turned 5 year old in the photo to demonstrate just how huge this piece actually is.  I used some amazing 8 x 8 papers from DCWV….some black yarn decoupaged onto the piece…some title stamps from CTMH stamped and individually cut-out.   LOVE this paper!

Above is a 16 x 20 mixed-media canvas piece I created for one of my nephews for his 10th birthday.  I used a lot of 7 Gypsies papers, some CTMH stamps….I did a ton of inking, painting, misting, masking, collaging….I just couldn’t keep up with all the supplies I used on this.

The above project is a 11 x 20 canvas project…framed by this amazing frame I purchased at Michaels (hand-painted) for my dear cousin.  I was going for a “search-a-word” type feel here… Can you see the saying?   I used an Oklahoma state map for the background (I am obsessed with maps) and used map paper to create the flowers.

The next 2 projects are art journal type pages, both 12 x 12, that I created with my kits from www.scrapsofdarkness.com – I used some stuff from both my Scraps of Darkness and Scraps of Elegance kits.

Next is a photo of the cover I created for one of my art journals (my new obsession.)

I stitched the flourished on this book cover with yarn instead of thread … and I love the added texture and dimension!

The next project I would like to share is another mixed media canvas – 16 x 20.

here are some of my Art Journal pages:

I am creating an Art Journal book for both my kids…..full of my “personal wisdom” per se lol!

whew! lol…and lastly…here is my very latest 12 x 12 art-journal style page I created with my ver August Scraps of Darkness kit:

and a few up-close shots:

Thank you for taking the time to peruse my latest creations! I appreciate each and every one of you!!! Don’t forget to leave a comment to win a great prize! Be in it to win it! God Bless!