My Top Ten Posts of 2011

Hi Everyone - I hope you are having a wonderful time over the Holiday Season! I have jumped on the Top Ten bandwagon this year and am showing my ten most popular blogposts (by pageviews)from the year.

1) Valentines Deck of Cards

This has been my most popular post by a factor of 60! This year I am going to post a more detailed tutorial on how I created it.

2) Map Folded Flowers with Tutorial

I made these one afternoon for my mother-in-law and the illustrated tutorial has been really popular.

3)Back to School Magnet Board with Tutorial

I created this project after I was selected as a monthly Guest Designer for Little Yellow Bicycle.

4)Halloween Treats with Echo Park

One of my favorite projects of the year - part of a large collection of items I created for Echo Park as part of their Fresh Face Design Team.

5) Got Kids? make your own Dinosaur Fossils

One of my few non-scrapbook posts but really popular with parents and teachers alike!

6) Paper Covered Lids with Tutorial

Such a fun way to upcycle jars and use scraps of scrapbook paper.

7) Christmas Mini Notebooks Tutorial

This really simple tutorial using a single sheet of paper has so many potential uses.

8)Got Kids? Got Crayons? Tutorial

Another non-scrapbooking project, this idea is perfect for using up old scraps of crayons.

9)Echo Park Advent Calender

This project was a labor of love but so worth it!

10)December Daily Album with Echo Park

This was so much fun to work on but I decided the pressure of completing it every day was too much so we gave it away in the shop as a prize at our Christmas event!

One of my personal favorites of the year was this post below.

Deployment / Patriotic Mini Album & Frame

 

I created the items for a lady named Jodi who won a custom card set. When she set she wanted one with a military theme to give to her son who was about to start training, I suggested a mini album and frame instead and she was so thrilled. I got a REAL kick out of that!

I look forward to bringing you some more paper crafting inspiration next year.

I would like to thank everyone who has become a follower this year and everyone who has left a comment. I love to read them and I try and visit your blog too! 

Please leave a comment with any questions.

Lowri :-)

I am linking up this post to these websites here. 

Casual Summer Wedding Stationery w/ Pink Paislee

Hi Everyone

Hope you have had a wonderful few days over Christmas. We had a very casual family wedding last week and I put together a few fun items for decoration.

Placecards

To create each card I cut two pieces of paper using Spellbinders, creased them in the middle and glued one on top of another. I printed names onto clear labels and added one of my rolled paper flowers (see below).

Candy Favors

I have made these many times before (I have a tutorial here if you would like to see how!) but they are so elegant and perfect for hiding a couple of after-dinner mints.

Confetti Bags

I collected all the paper scraps from the other items and punched butterflies using a small punch. I then punched the same shape from layers of baking paper to create confetti. (Note - 8 layers of baking paper at a time was perfect!)

Flowers

I also created some paper flowers for decoration. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of them after they were arranged as I was doing all the cooking for the reception and it was a little busy!

Here are a couple of pictures of what was an absolutely fabulous day!

Please post a comment with any questions

Lowri

I am linking up this project to these websites here.

Wine Glass Markers (Pink Paislee)

Hi Everyone - a really quick party idea to share today using one of my favorite products this year - Vintage Vogue Spool Buttons from Pink Paislee.

If your parties are anything like mine - you need to keep a pretty close eye on your wine glass throughout the evening!

These are a great way to give your guests a good chance at remembering which glass belongs to them!

To make these I used a plain wire ring (sold as wine glass charm rings or plain earring bases) and threaded on some beads for decoration. I used the stone chips as the first bead to stop the others falling through the center hole. Using pliers, you then bend the plain end of the wire 90 degrees to make a right-angle  end to fit through the loop.

Please leave a comment if you have any questions.

Lowri :-)

I am linking up this project to these websites here.

Neighbor Gift Idea (with Echo Park)

Hi Everyone – an easy neighbor gift to share today. It’s really two gifts in one as the decoration for  the main gift serves as a mini-gift too!

First of all I have taken some of the Fa-La-La-La-La paper from the Holly Jolly Christmas Collection and used it to cover the lid of my jar. 


You can see a tutorial on how to do that below - all it takes is a pair of scissors and some mod-podge! 


I have also used some of the Element Stickers to add some extra detail around the edge.  

 

I filled the jar with my Christmas bark and for decoration I created a few blank tags that could then be used be the recipient to decorate their Christmas gifts.  

 

I used a few of the digital journal tags, printed them onto matte photo paper, and used double sided adhesive chipboard to give them some weight and add a plain paper backing so they can be written on. I secured them round the treat jar with a generous length of bakers twine that can be used to attach the tags to gifts.

To make the Christmas Bark – melt some white chocolate, throw on some crushed green and red M&M’s, a few smashed Candy Canes and try and hide until December starts!!

Covered Lids Tutorial

1. Cut a circle of paper (see Note* below for sizing information)
2. Trace rim onto reverse of paper
3. Make cuts as shown ¼” apart to centre line
4. Using mod-podge, glue lid to paper
5. Glue strips, one at a time overlapping as you go round
6. Seal with 2 coats of mod podge all over
   
   Note*
   Cut circle to equal diameter of lid PLUS 2 x height of rim PLUS 1.5cm

Please post a comment with any questions

Lowri :-)

I am linking up this project to these websites here.

Christmas Tags (with Echo Park)

Hi Everyone – A few easy ideas for gift tags to share today using the Holly Jolly Christmas Collection from Echo Park.  I created these for the Paper Bakery Kit Club - you should definitely check them out!

Secret Santa Tag

I really enjoyed creating this quick and easy little Secret Santa tag. First of all I highlighted the Santa from the Holly Jolly Christmas Element Stickers with some glitter-glue and then punched a hole in the sticker and tag using a very small hole punch. The gorgeous metal snowman was part of a kit from the fabulous Paper Bakery.

On the back of the tag is an element cut from the Journaling Cards patterned paper and a little gingerbread man who was hiding on the stickers sheet!

This fun idea would be great for jazzing up an otherwise plain Secret Santa gift

Gift Tag for Wine Bottle

You'll have to excuse me doing another wine-tag - but I do live on a vineyard so hopefully I am forgiven!  This time I have created a tag using some of the patterned paper backed with cardboard to give some added weight.

To decorate the wooden stars I used Glimmermist in the Chalkboard and Mel's Diner colors and added a small rhinestone to the center. The combination of the element cut from the paper and the journaling tag is a fun way to let the recipient know when they should be opening in the wine. I hope my father-in-law can wait that long!

Tiny Tags

I made these mini tags with some of the spare stickers I had from the Element Stickers Sheet. They co-ordinate with a similar set of Christmas cards I made – you can see those on my blog here. I have used the Postage Stamps Spellbinders to create these tags - making sure that one edge of the card was inside the die - leaving a seam to create a hinge for the tag. Throw on a sticker and that’s it! Embarrassingly simple but perfect for last minute gifts.

Please post a comment with any questions

Lowri :-)

I am linking up this project to these websites here.

Pink Paislee Drawers & EP Giveaway Winner

Hi Everyone 

Another Pink Paislee project to share today - this time using the Hometown Summer Collection. At the end of this post I have also announced the winner of my Echo Park giveaway.

This bright and fun collection was perfect for decorating these Mini Drawers from Kaisercraft. I have used the printed tissue from the Pink Paislee Daily Junque Collection to cover the sides and edges of the project before covering the top and sides with patterned paper from the collection. This was easily done by cutting the tissue to size and using mod-podge to stick it to the mdf project.

The baubles make wonderful handles for the drawers and small elements cut from the borders stickers make these great little flags on which to mount them.

These gorgeous little girls from the chipboard pops add such a fun feel to the sides of the drawers and even the back of the project gets a fun and funky feel with this alphabet printed paper from the 6x6 paper pack.

Hopefully my sister doesn't see this post before Christmas as I am going to give her these for her little daughter!

Please post a comment with any questions.

Lowri :-)

ECHO PARK WINNER
Congratulations to Jamie from http://oohlalapaperie.blogspot.com/ who wins the Season's Greetings and Times and Seasons paper pads!

Jamie - wherever you are - please email me through the Contact page on my blog with all your mailing details!

Snow Day Baby Clothes w/ Pink Paislee

Hi Everyone

I loved this Snow Day Collection from Pink Paislee as soon as I saw it, however being summer here in New Zealand - nobody was stocking it! Fortunately it is available digitally from jessicasprague.com

I have created this little fabric bag by printing one of the digital designs from the Snow Day Paper Pack onto fabric and using two of the digital elements to add a little extra interest.

 

I used an extra piece of fabric to cover a button (printed from the Snow Day Paper Pack)

Inside the bag are two little tops for a newborn baby to snuggle in - and I have decorated those too!

Using more digital papers and elements I created some simple designs and put them onto the t-shirts using transfer paper

I used the "Snuggle" element to add a little label in the back after removing the original labels that came on the t-shirts. I hope these ideas encourage you to think a little "outside the box" when it comes to digital scrapbook supplies!

I wish my kids were still small enough to fit this tiny t-shirt!

Please post a comment with any questions :-)

Lowri

Stepper Card Tutorial (Echo Park Blog Hop)

Hi Everyone

Please note that the Blog Hop and competitions previously detailed on this post have now closed. You can see who won the Echo Park giveaways on their blog here. You can see who won my giveaway here. Please see below a list of those who participated on the hop - I encourage you to visit their awesome blogs for heaps of fabulous inspiration!

Simple Stepper Card

I have created this super easy Stepper Card and I have a little tutorial at the end of the post showing exactly how I made it. I have used the fabulous Seasons Greetings Collection and have incorporated the papers, stickers, chipboard pieces and brads into this project.

The wooden star(from Kaisercraft) has been sprayed with glimmermist and I placed a tiny chipboard star from the collection in the centre. 

The tree has been painted and sprayed with glimmermist again to give a little texture and I used a few of the brads to add some dimension.  I cut the card 5" wide (see below) and it fits easily into a 5.5" square envelope

Simple Stepper Card Tutorial

This easy technique can be applied to make a card any width. The complete card shown above was made from a 5" wide card base

Blog Hop Participants

Leslie Ashe - http://leslieashe.blogspot.com/
Lowri McNabb - http://papervinenz.blogspot.com/ - YOU ARE HERE
Vanessa Menhorn - http://www.wingsofabutterfly-vanessa.blogspot.com/
Izzy Anderson - http://writesnapscrap.blogspot.com/
Wendy Sue Anderson - http://wendysueanderson.blogspot.com/
Carolyn King - http://myblogbycammie.blogspot.com
Tamara Tripodi - http://happylifecraftywife.com/
Linda Auclair - http://elendae.wordpress.com/
Kandis Smith - http://www.mycreativetreasury.blogspot.com/
Patricia Kumfer - http://scrapbookpatty.blogspot.com/
Amy Heller - http://amyheller.typepad.com/amyheller/
Echo Park Paper - http://echoparkpaper.blogspot.com/

Lowri :-)