New Dusty Attic in my shop!

Just a head's up that last night I re-stocked and had 112 styles of chipboard my shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/vickyalberto), ranging in quantities depending on popularity. I woke up this morning and there are only 87 styles left. They are selling FAST!

Check out just a few of my favorite new pretties I added...

Giving petals soft texture (Green Tara)

Almost all plain economical scrapbooking flowers are made from mulberry paper. Green Tara's newest white petals are especially thick which makes it easy to create these flowers (click on image to see in full size):

They look like pretty fancy flowers but all I used was 4 layers of Green Tara white petals (2 of each style shown below) and a decorative centre. You can use other styles than I chose but you'll want the flower to be a big size (at least 2 inches/5 cm) with wide petals. This won't work very well with daisy style flowers.

You will need:
- 4 mulberry flowers layers
- a Q-tip
- warm water
- firm toothbrush
- decorative centre

Bottom layers (2 of these) Green Tara Code PFLP01:

Top layers (2 of these) Green Tara Code PFLP143:

Decorative center (your can use anything to match your project style!) Green Tara Code XF5034lv:

Instructions:

Step 1: Working with one flower at a time, take a wet Q-tip and "paint" the only the very edge of each petal with warm water. Do this to the 2 bottom layers and 1 of the top layers.

Step 2: With dry fingers, pull off the wet edge of the petals in 3-4 small tugs of each petal. Let dry without damaging the fuzzy edge you just created. HINT: I left one of the top layers plain (didn't fuzz the edge) to have contrast since my flower is all white.

Step 3: Once the 3 fuzzy layers are dry. Brush them with the firm toothbrush bristles to fuzz them even more. Stroke the bristles from the middle of the flower outwards.

Step 4: Glue your layers together and add the decorative center.

That's it! So simple yet so elegant and expensive looking. Another alternative is using your flower punches/dies to make your own petal layers too. Green Tara sells all kinds of beautiful mulberry paper in any color imaginable.

For another kind of mulberry flower, check out my Fuzzy Lollipop Flowers.

Thanks for stopping by today, let me know you were here!

Hugs and Kisses (Pion Design/Green Tara)

I just couldn't wait to start playing with the new Pion Design collection "From My Heart 2" when it arrived this week. The collection is soooooo heavenly. I made this card with the 6x6 papers.

I have a confession... I don't own a die cutting machine, a sewing machine or any big fancy tools (other than a gazillion paper punches). I still even use my Creative Memories cutter for circles and ovals, LOL. Anyways, my friend Bonnie cut out a few shapes for me a while back, including this cute Tim Holtz birdcage.

I lightly crackle painted the cage and the bird, inked them and then dressed it all up with a bunch of Green Tara trims (lace, twisted pearl and tassel) and their gorgeous pink roses. I gently plucked a bit off my daughter's dress-up feather boa when she wasn't looking to adhere to the bird, shhh!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Green Tara Products Used:
20m Mini Tassel Ribbon 15mm Cream CODE: RB456c
9mm Twisted Organza PearlAntique Pink Ivory CODE: RB6715API
1cm Off White Lace  CODE: L3077OW
1 cm Roses Pale Pink CODE: FDR001PP

Win a Pion Design Collection!!!

Today is the Pion Design Blog 1 year anniversary and we would like to celebrate with some wonderful blog candy! What you need to do to have the chance to win the entire collection of From My Heart ll and From My Heart ll 6×6 is…

· become a subscriber to the Pion blog

· write about the blog candy on your blog with our logo (below) and link back to Pion Design

· last but not least, write a comment to their post and tell us your favourite collection from Pion Design.

The winner will be announced 14 th of February, on Valentines Day.

Good luck!

Here is a peek at the prize collection...

I will be back next week with some new projects!

Swirlydoos DT Announcement

I'm sure you've heard of this "little" scrapbook kit club called Swirlydoos?  If you haven't, then let me fill you in... They are a terrific scrappy kit club that ship elegant kits, featuring the hottest products, right to your door EVERY month - and they have asked me to join their rockin' design team!  I will start in February, for the February kit reveal.  I am thrilled to be joining the talented ladies over there and getting to know everyone on the forum.

Well, between last Friday's Pion DT announcement, having spent a wonderful birthday weekend in the mountains and now this announcement... you could say that my New Year's resolution of "more laugh lines, less frown lines" isn't very hard to fulfill these days, LOL.

Pion Design DT Announcement

I am so excited to share that I've been asked to return for another year on the Pion Design DT. Not only do I get to work with some of the amazing ladies from last year, but... the line-up of guest designers for 2012 is out of this world talented. All of our parcels are in the mail and you should be seeing a lot of Pion gorgeousness with the new "For Father" and "From My Heart" collections very soon. I can't wait to see what everyone creates! In a few months, a few of our guest designers will be asked to join the team for the rest of the year too. Congratulations to all (a special whooo-hoooo to my scrappy online buddies - you know who you are :)

Dream Layout (Green Tara/Pion Design)

My Pion Design and Green Tara projects just seem to be a match made in heaven. I truly feel blessed to be on such wonderful design teams that I can combine assignments for. There are always so many gorgeous projects posted on these manufacturer blogs too from the other designers... so be sure to check them out!

Here is a layout I made using TCR palette #92, along with a sketch that Nadia Cannizzo designed for the January C'est Magnifique challenge. The papers are from the Pion Design For Father collection and I used some Green Tara white petals, cream roses and apple blossoms, as well as some of their divine lace trim. I soooooo love their lace - thick and gorgeous!

The photo is of my son a few years ago asleep on the couch. I just can't seem to do a boy layout without flowers, LOL Here is a close-up of the beautiful Green Tara embellies:

This is the fantastic sketch that I rotated like so:

Here is TCR inspiration palette I used:

Guest Design for OUAS

I was thrilled when Nadia asked if I would have time to create a layout with her gorgeous sketch for the Once Upon A Sketch Jan 1st-14th challenge. The criteria along with the sketch is to share your thoughts/feelings or a memorable experience regarding New Year's Eve. For me it used to be about the party. Now that I have kids, it is usually a night we hang out and have a lot of fun together  - but this year was different. 2011 was an exhausting year for me and I wasn't feeling up to doing much celebrating. We spent a quiet evening watching a movie and after the kids went to bed I made my first New Year's resolution (first one ever!).

Here is my layout interpretation of the sketch and the journaling is on the back. I used a few Dusty Attic chipboard pieces and I made the flowers using Green Tara petals and lace, then added some bling. The papers are Bo Bunny (timepiece collection) and those gorgeous butterflies were a beautiful gift from:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KarlasKreativeKorner

Journaling reads: "This is me 3 years ago, the last time I didn't mind being photographed. As the years go by it is inevitable that more lines start appearing on our faces. I'd like to say that I have more laugh lines now... but the truth is the frown lines seem to be more prominent. My motto for 2012 is more laugh lines, less frown lines. This means some changes in my lifestyle will need to occur. I don't do well with change - but life is too short to not have the time to truly enjoy the moments that make you smile".

Here is a close-up of the flowers:

I rotated the beautiful sketch like so:

It's not too late to enter the challenge!

Farell to Scrap That!

As Scrap That! transitions to new ownership in 2012, I have decided to step down as a design team member as well as their kit design coordinator. After almost 2 years on the team, it is time for me to explore new opportunities and fulfill a few other scrappy goals. I have met so many wonderful ladies through the kit club/community and designed alongside some of the best designers in the industry - for that I am truly thankful. This is not goodbye as I plan on dropping in on the forum from time to time to catch up with everyone.

New Pion Design Collection!

Ohhh I just can't wait to get my little paws on this amazing Pion Design collection - "From my Heart 2". Pinks and browns and butterflies - oh my! It is available in 12x12 and 6x6 sizes too. Perfect for all those upcoming Valentines projects. My DT package just can't arrive fast enough, LOL.

Little Angel (Pion Design/Green Tara)

Happy New Year! (I just can't stop saying it, LOL)

The papers I used for this layout are a mix of Pion Design "fairytale of spring" and "studio of memories" collections. The lace, purple gardenias and cherry blossom as well as a pink apple blossom (used as the middle of my handmade flower) are all beautiful Green Tara blooms. The handmade flower was designed to surround and blend with the pink Green Tara apple blossom in the middle. I will be doing a tutorial on this gigantic flower soon so stay tuned :) The bling is ZVA (thanks again to my friend Bonnie for custom ordering!). The title is a wonderful Dusty Attic piece - I will have more in my shop in just a few weeks.  The picture? That's my daughter when she was 9 months old in an egg prop. Thanks for stopping by today!

Once Upon A Sketch PRIZE Sponsor

Happy New Year! I am thrilled to be a sponsor for Once Upon A Sketch for the start of 2012. Not only do I love the sketches and the incredible design team interpretations, but I am also proud to sponsor a site that my scrappy friend Nadia created. It is one of the top sketch challenge sites in industry and definitely embraces the true meaning of preserving memories.

All entries will qualify to randomly win this Dusty Attic chipboard prize pack. You can find a selection of chipboard in my Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/vickyalberto. Please note that I have ordered and will be receiving the newest released chipboard styles mid January. I will also be restocking my shop with the most popular pieces at this time. They sell out fast so be sure to check back often!

Here is the beautiful sketch and criteria:

Journalling Criteria/theme: New Years Eve!
New year's Eve is the theme. We would like you to journal about your feelings around this time of year, or tell us about your most memorable New Year's Eve. Where were you? Who were you with? What did you do? Why is this one memorable? Note: the photo that you use for this challenge does not have to necessarily be from New Years Eve. For example, if you spent New Years Eve with your family you can have a photo of your family taken ANY time of the year.
Remember that you are allowed to also create a card or altered project based on this sketch and instead of the journalling criteria you need to use a quote. You must combine our journalling criteria/theme with this sketch.

Cherish Layout

Yes I do still scrapbook! I was so focused on projects other than layouts before Christmas that it really felt good to get back to my "roots",  LOL. Now that Christmas is over, I had the itch this week to do a tropical vacation style layout. As soon as I saw TCR palette #91, I was determined to get it done. I found these awesome Prima "Shabby Chic collection" papers in my stash and decided to give the BAP sketch a go too. This isn't my typical palette style but it was so much fun to do. How can you go wrong with a cute toddler picture too, right? The papers are pretty busy so I kept the rest simple. The title is a Dusty Attic chipboard piece and all the flowers are Prima. I used chalk ink on the chipboard and stippled gesso on the edge of the picture.

Here is the awesome December Prima BAP sketch:

TCR#91 palette I used as inspiration:

BTW - I have ordered and will be receiving the new Dusty Attic chipboard releases mid January for sale in my Etsy shop.

I can't believe this is my last post of the year! Have fun celebrating tonight :)

Dusty Attic Update

My shipment with the new Dusty Attic chipboard has been slightly delayed and I am now anticipating it to arrive mid January - instead of this week. In the meantime, I have loaded most of my personal scrappy stash into my shop (40 listings added today!) for those of you who need some chipboard right now. That's why most quantities are only of 1 each... and some of these I will not be bringing back for a little while. My delayed shipment includes most of the brand new releases as well as I will be restocking some of the popular styles (yes, loads of chicken wire :)

Thanks for your patience and continued support.

I TRULY do appreciate you!

Check it out at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/vickyalberto

Merry Christmas! (Pion Design/Green Tara)

A few little "Merry Christmas" tags I made with some of my Pion Design scraps from the Waiting for Santa 2 collection. I thought these would be cute for my boys this year. The beautiful red roses, white buds, silver stars and red bead string are all from Green Tara. Make sure you head on over to both of these manufacturer blogs and follow them. There are so many wonderful projects being presented by all of the talented ladies on these DT teams (especially this magical time of year). I am amazed at the creativity and can't wait to see what 2012 will bring!

Wising you a very Merry Christmas!

Adventure Layout (Pion Design/Green Tara)

I couldn't resist making this layout for a few reasons... TCR palette #89 was perfect for use with my brand new Pion Design "For Father" papers  - so I knew I had to squeeze some creating time into this busy week. It was also a really good excuse to use The Dusty Attic December sketch and some gorgeous Green Tara flowers. This layout just seemed to fall into place in no time at all!

This layout is of my sons during a camping trip in the mountains two years ago. I am fortunate that all 3 of my kids love the outdoors. There is a mix of Pion Design papers (For Father and Studio of Memories), Dusty Attic and Tattered Angels Chipboard, plus I've layered some gorgeous Green Tara flowers on here. Sometimes on a boy layout, a little "flowering" goes a long way. Here I have used two layers of the new Green Tara white petals and a cream cherry blossom to create each flower.

Here is the gorgeous TCR palette this week:

And here is the DA sketch this month:

Thanks so much for taking time out of one of your busiest weeks of the year to visit me today! BTW I will have the new DA releases in my Etsy shop mid to end of January :)

Santa Sleigh (Pion Design/Green Tara)

This a was a fun project that I stumbled accross. I was searching for a kid's craft project (www.busybeecrafts.com) when I found this cute little sleigh template at that I just had to try out for myself.

I slightly modified their template (enlarged the template and put a deeper curve) used some Pion design paper and Green Tara metallic swirl embellies and trim. Makes a cute and easy little candy dish for the holiday season!

BTW, Pion Design is looking for guest designers. Scroll to my next post for the details!

Pion Design is looking for designers!

PION DESIGN DT CALL

We are looking for crafters from all over the world who love to create with Pion Design papers!

To start with, we are looking for guest designers, and later some of our guest designers will have the chance to become Pion Design Team members for the rest of 2012.

As a team member, you will receive a generous amount of Pion Design papers to work with. What we would like from you are a minimum of 2 project posts per month on your personal blog as well as for our blog and to promote our products on at least one major online gallery. Anything extra is appreciated.

Please send your application to jenny@piondesign.se Write a little about yourself and tell us why you want to be a member of the Pion Design Team. Link to your blog and let us know if you have any other design assignments. Send us 3 pictures of projects made with mostly Pion Design papers in size 1000x1000 px. These projects do not have to be newly created for this call and may be older projects. We just want to get a sense of your design style and how you use our papers.

(If you are from a country where we do not have any retailers it is ok to apply with projects without Pion Design papers)

Please write Pion Design Team 2012 Application as your e-mail subject.

This DT call is open until the 8th of January 2012.

International applicants are welcome.

Just for me!

I took some very good advice from my friend Tara Orr. She once told me that "sometimes you just need to craft for yourself, no DT deadline, no specified product to use... just something for you". That's what I did! I actually made 5 of these pretties for my Christmas tree. I have a "thing" about ornaments being in sets of 5, 7 or 9 - all exactly the same.

The round crochet doilies and foam balls I had bought on clearance from Michaels last Winter and the cameos are The Girl's Paperie. The cameos are actually buttons, so I threaded the seam binding through (2 strips) and tied a bow - no glue required! I bought the seam binding off Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Bluebirdlane because I was too lazy to tint and crinkle some myself, LOL. I love them and since I got really good sales on all the materials, they didn't cost me much more than $3 each to make. I'm, thinking these would look pretty with Bo Bunny or Prima Trinkets too! Hmm, now to find more doilies :)

Got my old blog back!

I am thrilled to report that ITKUPILLI at http://blo64rt.blogspot.com resolved the issue of shrunken backgrounds and she updated ALL of her backgrounds with new code to fix the issue and comply to the new blogger ways (Oh Blogger!). She is so wonderful to have done this and her backgrounds are truly the BEST! OK, so I have my old template back... but I'm keeping the pink links (used to be blue). Small changes - baby steps (LOL!).