August Zva Blog Hop Winners Announced

We'd like to congratulate the FIVE August ZVA Creative Blog Hop winners! Their names will be found on the following blogs:

Julianne McKenna-De Lumen

Tara Orr

Gail Lindner

Susan Lui

Tanya Tahir

One winner from each of the 5 blogs will receive a ZVA Creative prize package worth $30.00.

The winner from my blog is... KELLY MASSMAN!


Kelly, please contact me (torrjorr[at]shaw[dot]ca) with your mailing address so we can get your prize shipped off to you ASAP!

Huge Congrats to all the winners!

Le Cirque Clock

Been thrift store shopping again... Found some totally awesome pieces. I just get such a rush when I find something cool for such a cheap price. This clock was $2.00... yea, I know!

I totally think I need to have my own American Pickers show! (only problem is that I'd end up keeping everything rather than selling it for a profit - LOL!).

I love altering things in a simple way. This clock originally had a face with a Rooster on it and red ringers (and a cockadoodledoo ring).  When I saw it I immediately thought that Graphic 45's Door Knobs could easily replace the ringers. All I'd have to do was put a cool image on the face using some of their papers! 

When I got home, I took the clock apart, removed the face and replaced it with a bright image from Graphic 45's Le Cirque Collection.  Thankfully I was able to put everything back together.  I then removed the original ringers and replaced those with some Geometric Door Knobs that I had painted red and finished with some glossy Mod Podge to match the shine in the body of the clock.

Thanks for your visit today!  I've been a little out of sorts as of late.  As I mentioned, all my little ones are quite sick - my daugher has had croup for the past few days and lets just say mommy is in desperate need of some sleep... Very scary but I think we are finally on the road to recovery. Take care everyone - be back tomorrow to announce the ZVA Creative Blog Hop Winners.

Zva Creative August DT Blog Hop!

Zva Creative and our talented Design Team welcomes you to join us this month for a blog hop that we feel is always extra special! We thought it would be more fun to add even more chances to win our blog hop prize! See details below.

The summer trade show was in July, which means brand new Zva Creative products. So please keep an eye out for them at your local craft stores.

As you know, Zva offers so many beautiful color groupings for pearls, flowers and crystals. We want to make sure that they shine bright for you, so each designer was asked to share a creation using a specific color or color combination on their blog hop project.

The Blog Hop begins at Kim Hughes' blog. She will have the complete list of all blogs that are participating in case there is a glitch along the way. If you would like to play along, just follow along the blog path. I am linking to one of the Zva designers and that designer is linking to the next and so on. Be prepared to be inspired along the way. Hidden on FIVE of the blogs is a Zva Creative prize package...YAY! Winners will be randomly chosen after the hop is over, so it's important to leave a comment on as many blogs as you can along the way.

The Blog Hop starts today, August 29th and runs through midnight US Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, August 3oth and the 5 winners will be announced on Wednesday, August 31st on each of the five winning blogs. The full list will be found on Kim Hughes‘s blog as well (linked above). We will do our best to notify each winner, but it's best if you can pop in to all of the blogs once again on Wednesday...plus, you never know what kind of inspirational creation that you may find there. All you need to do is leave a comment on this Zva Blog Hop post...you do not need to leave a comment on each and every designer's blog post to qualify. The more times you leave a comment along the blog hop path though, the more chances you will have to be one of the lucky winners.

To increase your chances of winning:
* Comment to let us know that you posted on your Facebook page about our hop (link to any of the blog hop posts)
* Comment to let us know that you "tweeted" about our hop (link to any of the blog hop posts)
* Comment to let us know that you asked your local store to carry Zva creative products. If they already do, that's fantastic, maybe you can suggest other products that they don't carry

Sooo, you have FOUR chances on each blog to win one of our FIVE prizes! That's technically OVER 50 chances :)

The project I would like to share with you all today was featured this past summer CHA at the ZVA booth.  The papers are from Graphic 45's Magic of Oz collection and worked perfectly with ZVA's beautiful purple crystals and flowers!
The roses you see above were actually white to begin. I painted them in more of a cream tone to add a little more age to them and so that they would work more seamlessly with the papers. The beautiful chipboard pieces are from my friend Jane at Imaginarium Designs.

The blog hop begins here: Kim Hughes

Your next stop is here: Gail Lindner

Thank you SO MUCH for joining us

Supplies:
Leaves: FL-04CA-112
Adhesive Dots: AD-01CB-101
Flowers: FL-04CA-136
Bulk 3D Flowers in Purple and White
Self Adhesive Crystal: CRB-04CB-107
Self Adhesive Crystal: CRS-04CB-105

Classy Curtain Call

Happy weekend everyone!! I hope that everyone out East is staying safe during this whole ordeal with 'Irene' - how scary!! My thoughts are with you all.

I have a few simple cards to share with you today using the elegant Curtain Call collection from Graphic 45.

Both cards are quite clean and simple but I really wanted to focus on the beautiful images in the papers themselves.

I'll be back tomorrow with a few photos and updates on my wee ones (who are all super sick right now... ugh - perfect timing with the start of school only a week or so away...) and please join me on Monday, August 29th for ZVA Creative's monthly blog hop!!

Take care

Trick or Treat Magic of Oz Style!

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Today I have a fun project to share with you using The Magic of Oz collection from Graphic 45. Everyone on the design team was asked to create a Trick or Treat bag for the Summer 2011 CHA show. It was so neat to see everyone's takes on their project - all very different and unique.

Here is my take on the trick or treat bag.  I love the warm, rich colours in this collection.  Lots of fussy cutting on this project with many popped out elements.

I am simply in love and addicted to all the Metal Staples from Graphic 45.  I think I use their hinges on pretty much every project I create!

I also used some of Graphic 45's newly released chipboard tags to add a little dimension.  For the metal button, I simply painted the inside a rusty colour to match the papers.  The beautiful ribbon is from May Arts.

Thank you so much for your visit today!!

Moves Like Jagger...

I am TOTALLY addicted to that new song by Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it and so do the kids!!  This is what we did tonight while waiting for our pasta to cook and for daddy to return home from work...


Gotta grin right? Best 3 and 5 year old dancers ever! LOL!! Enjoy your weekend!

Checkmate!

TGIF!! My goodness - what a week! All 3 kids were in swimming lessons this past week and let me tell you - that is crazy times having to get them all warmed up and dressed at the same time! Thankfully we had a wonderfully warm week with lots of sunshine and they all seem to like the water (at least enough that they'll return the next day) so it makes my life WAY easier in that regard!

I'm soooo proud of each and every one of them.  This was Eden't first time ever in a pool and let me tell you, the trust factor is a major part of swimming.  To let a total stranger take you into the water and make you feel comfortable enough to relax and put your head back on them, knowing that they could let you go at any moment (eventhough they won't - but tell that to a little kid!) is a huge deal!

Okay, let's dive into today's scrappy goodies! I have a very easy and very quick altered project to share with you using another one of my thrift store finds. This project is so simple to do and can be completed with any contrasting papers!

I came across this plain, wooden board at a local thrift store not too long ago and knew that I could use it for something down the road. What a perfect square - perfect for my son's chess game I thought.

The old cardboard mat we had was in pretty rough condition so I decided to alter this board into a sturdy checker board. I simply cut a bunch of squares from Graphic 45's The Magic of Oz collection and adhered as you would see on a checker board.   The board was originally pine coloured but I painted it cream to coordinate with the papers.

I finished using some Mod Podge to seal and protect as well as offer a nice glossy finish.

Thanks so much for your visit today!! Be back tomorrow with some photos from my son's birthday - he turned 7 yesterday!!!
Graphic 45 Supplies:
Patterned Paper: The Magic of Oz, Parcel Post & The Magic of Oz

Other Supplies:
Mod Podge by Plaid
Acrylic Paint by DecoArt
Distress Ink by Ranger

And The Winners Are...

Can I get a drum roll please?

Firstly, I just want to say how very appreciative I am for having so many amazing and wonderful followers and fans!  It is your sweet words and supportive comments that keep me going so strongly and I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your continued support for what I do and what I love!

I have a FEW winners to announce today!

The winner of my August Blog Giveaway was chosen by my eldest son, Owen.  He chose the number 1 because it is the first number and he is the oldest so he is like the number one too... (the mind of an almost 7 year old...)

So... based on this logic, the first person to make a comment and winner of my August Giveaway is....

Astrid Maclean  (August 2, 12:35am)

I let my youngest son pick the winner of my Bo Bunny Blog post that I had yesterday.   "Well, if Owen is going to pick the first person, then I'm going to pick the last person!"  And there you have it...

The last person to comment before the 12pm PST deadline and the winner of my Bo Bunny Prize pack is...

Jan Garber (August 17, 11:39am)

Congratulations Astrid and Jan!!! If you ladies could please send me off an email (torrjorr[at]shaw[dot]ca) with your mailing address, I'll ship those goodies off to you ASAP!

Now... that brings me to the next issue.  Anyone happen to check the sidebar on the right of my blog lately? 

WELL I HAVE!
FREAKING OUT HERE!!!

One second I am in the 980 followers range, the next second that number has surpassed 1000!! SAY WHAT?!  I am sooooo excited and proud and thankful and grateful and humbled and...blown away!

I vaguely remember mentioning something about if I reached 1000 followers I'd do some kind of HUGE, GIGANTIC, ENORMOUS, '1000 Followers Celebration Giveaway' or something like that?  Anyone remember?

Working on it.... trying to see how much 'stuff' I can cram into my chosen package... might have to use the panoramic setting on my camera for the shot - just sayin'.  Stay tuned.

Teacher's Gift Set

Well hello! Happy Wednesday to you!  I'm so excited to finally be able to share this project that I created as a thank you gift for my kids' teachers on the last day of school this past June. 

While searching for "school ideas and themes" for Graphic 45's NEW An ABC Primer collection, I came across the idea of a pencil holder adorned with those yellow school pencils (Pinterest, Google have lots of examples) and thought - hey, I could do that!

I took it one step further and decided to alter each pencil with some beautiful Curtain Call Papers from Graphic 45 (I didn't have my CHA Releases yet!!).  I decided because it looked so elegant, rather than having the teachers use it as a pencil holder, that they could use it as a vase for their desks!

I also created a matching giftbag with the same collection. The tags found on the giftbag and Pencil Vase were created using Spellbinders' Dies.

So glad you could stop by today!! I'll be back a little later today with the WINNERS of my August Blog Giveaway AND the Bo Bunny Spotlight Winner!!!

Graphic 45 Supplies:
Curtain Call Collection: Top Billing, Tour de France, Applause, Moulin Rouge, 8x8 Paper Pad

Other Supplies:
Ribbon by May Arts
Spellbinders Die: Labels Eleven
Adhesive Dots by ZVA Creative
Tacky Glue by Alleen's
Scor-tape by Scor-Pal Products
Glass
Pencils

Bo Bunny Designer Spotlight

During the month of August, Bo Bunny is hosting a Designer Spotlight series to let their fans get to know the design team a little better. Well, today it's my turn to be in the Designer Spotlight! If you're interested in reading a bit more about me and seeing some new projects featuring the new Summer CHA collections, please stop by the Bo Bunny BLOG today!

Here is a taste of what you'll find on the Bo Bunny Blog...

 A layout created using the newest Garden Girl Collection!

 Isn't that Owl to die for adorable!?  The beautiful flowers and bling are from ZVA Creative!

Here I used some of Bo Bunny's Clear/Acrylic chipboard letters and simply painted around the outer rim so they would stand out against the background.

I also created this layout using Bo Bunny's Garden Girl collection - how different the two projects look when you use the darker tones in this collection! Totally tried the 'paint splatter' technique - think it adds just enough 'umph' to an otherwise bare space? 

 The beautiful bling is again, from ZVA Creative, as are the wonderfully coordinating flowers.

Just loving the Bo Bunny Trinkets!!

Lastly, I thought I'd save a little treat especially for my blog!! I created this project using the new Sweet Tooth collection.

I simply altered some old Prima Packaging, filled with candy and voila!! (note: all candy has now been eaten - thank goodness I took photos sooner than later - LOL!)

Want to win some amazing prizes! All you need to do is leave a comment on the Bo Bunny BLOG today and at the end of the month there will be a giveaway for each Designer Spotlight! (Be sure to visit throughout the month as there are new designers featured each day!)

Want another chance to win?? Become a follower of my blog (if you aren't already) and leave a comment on this post by 12:00 PST tomorrow (August 17th) and I will randomly choose a winner to give away this Gabrielle prize pack...

Thanks so much for your visit today!! Good Luck

Graphic 45 Blog Hop Winners!!

Thank you so very much to everyone who participated in the Graphic 45 and Want2Scrap Blog hop this past week - such fun and such beautiful projects to see!

I'd like to announce the Graphic 45 winners of this week's blog hop!

Congratulations to: Manhatan Mandie who left a comment on my blog this week, and Patti Goodding Swartz who left a comment on the Graphic 45 Facebook page. Ladies, if you could please email Graphic 45 at Graphic 45 with your shipping information we will send out your prizes!
Don't forget, Want2Scrap will be announcing two random winners on their blog today too so you'll definitely want to check that out!
Enjoy your weekend!!

Graphic 45 Blog Hop!

Welcome! I am so glad you could join us for the Graphic 45 and Want2Scrap blog hop! The hop kicks off today, August 8th and runs until August 12th, 2011. 

From the Graphic 45 Team we have myself, Tara Orr and Laura Denison participating today and from the Want2Scrap Team, the featured designer is Elise Durenberger. Be sure to stop by each designers' blog, the Graphic 45 Blog and Want2Scrap blog for your chance to win a bunch of amazing goodies!

Want2Scrap and Graphic 45 will both be giving out two prizes. One prize on each of our blogs and one prize on each of our Facebook Pages. Want2Scrap will be giving out two $25 Gift Certificates and Graphic 45 will be giving out two prize packages valued over $25. For the blog prize winner, we will pick a random person who comments on one of the designers' blog posts. For the Facebook prize winner, we will pick a random person who leaves a comment on our Facebook fanpage.

Now, on to the good stuff!! For today's project I am delighted to show you a super-shabby chic mini album created with Want2Scrap's Gate Mini Album and adorned with the elegant Curtain Call Collection from Graphic 45.  In addition, I will be giving you a tutorial on how to transform your papers and embellishments into shabby chic treasures.

Shabby Chic Distressing Using a Whitewash
There are many different options to distress both your papers, photos and embellishments. I find my personal style is drawn to the shabby chic look which gives off a soft, worn look with a little bit of rustic appeal. I will offer a few tips and tricks today on a particular form of distressing - whitewashing.

Shabby Chic Style:
This style can be defined as one in which the elements give off an aged, tattered or comfy feel while maintaining its natural beauty. It often incorporates distressed and worn looking items, vintage items or heirlooms, antique tags and elements, buttons, layering (of papers and elements), muted and neutral colours, and things that seem to have a natural type of beauty.

Shabby Chic Elements:
I often include more than one of the following items: ribbon, lace, tulle, hemp, twine, burlap, cardboard, elements found in nature. In addition, photos converted to black and white or sepia often enhance the feel of this style as does stitching on your page.

Whitewash Technique:

Whitewashing is a substance used for whitening surfaces, consisting of a suspension of lime or whiting in water, often with other substances added. For my project, I decided to use the basic principal of whitewashing on my embellishments. For scrapbooking/paper crafting purposes acrylic paint (diluted or full strength) works perfectly fine to achieve that aged, shabby chic look.

I gathered all of my 'naked' chipboard pieces, metal embellishments, anything I thought I may add to my mini album and simply painted everything 'white' with acrylic paint.

Once dry, I distressed each piece even further by inking around each edge or contour with my distress ink.

The final result seemed almost 'rusted' to me which was exactly the look I was aiming for.

I then took the whitewash technique one step further. I decided, rather than distressing my project with a darker ink or torn edges, to use the white paint around the edges of my papers and other added embellishments for a softer, romantic look.

There is no rhyme or reason to the paint - sometimes the more messy and inaccurate the better it looks. Remember, your goal is to add character to your project and antique your page and embellishments.

Other Shabby Chic Techniques:

Sanding the edges of your photos, papers, alphas, etc with a piece of fine sandpaper - much like you would sand a piece of wood - until a desired, worn look is achieved.

Tearing the edges of your photos or papers

Inking the edges with distress ink. Dab your blending tool onto your ink pad and then rub in downward strokes onto the edges of your photos/embellishments/papers. I personally love Tim Holtz’ Distress Ink in “Vintage Photo”

Distressing the edges using your edge scraper. Go around the edges of your photo or papers for a worn look.

Thank you sooo much for stopping by today! Have fun and good luck!

Graphic 45 Supplies:

Curtain Call 12x12 Paper Pad
Curtain Call 8x8 Paper Pad
Metal Buttons
Metal Hinges
Metal Plates
Staples: Trim
Staples: Stickers, No.1 Sheet
Graphic 45 Packaging

Other Supplies:
Chipboard Gate Album by Want2Scrap
Chipboard "Filgrie" by Want2Scrap
Baby Bling (pearl) by Want2Scrap
Chipboard Clock, Gears, Paris Title, Fence, Swirl by Imaginarium Designs
Paris Postage and On Butterfly Wings Stamps by Hampton Art
Distress Ink in Vintage Photo by Ranger
Glossy Accents by Ranger
Film Strip Ribbon by Ranger
Adhesive Dots by ZVA Creative
Acrylic Pain in Warm White by DecoArt
Misc: Metal Clock Hands, Paper and Crochet Doilies