October Afternoon

When the fair isn't in town, Guest Designer Melanie Fink makes her own!

I am so very excited to be the Guest Designer on the October Afternoon (OA) blog this month and playing with their AWESOME products!  Like all of you, I am a huge OA fan!  Their products are so versatile and they have a wonderful throwback feel that just makes you feel warm inside. 

I came to love OA products even more when I went to the OA Warehouse Sale last fall and met some of their employees.  They are wonderful people and they live in Minnesota, which makes them even more awesome!  Yes, I am a fellow Minnesotan, which you may have guessed already or read in my introduction on the blog last Friday.

I am a big die-cutting fan too, so you can expect to see me incorporating die-cuts (particularly SVGs) in my projects.  Die-cuts create so many possibilities with paper, as you will see with my project today.  With the exception of wooden dowels used for support, it is entirely constructed of paper!

I primarily used OA’s Midway collection to create the Ferris wheel (SVGs from the Summer Street Carnival collection at SVG Cuts) and the base it is standing on.  I used bits of other collections as well – Witch Hazel (wheel), Cakewalk (twine), and Sidewalks (buttons).  You can fill the carts on the Ferris wheel with treats and/or plastic toys, and you can embellish it so many different ways.  It is a great center piece for a carnival themed birthday party!  Disclaimer – the Ferris wheel does take patience to assemble.  The great news is that there is a video tutorial here that shows you how to put it together.

When I am tackling a big project like this, I start by cutting out all of the SVGs that need to be assembled.

Tip:  Use lightweight cardboard for the base of the Ferris wheel.  This creates a sturdier base.

Tip:  Cut each of the carts out twice – once with the Midway paper and once with a solid-color coordinating cardstock.  Then glue them together prior to assembly. This will allow you to put heavier treats in the carts and it makes the patterned papers really stand out.

Next is assembly time!

Tip:  Use Spray Adhesive to glue the wheel together – it is faster and easier to reposition before it dries.

And more assembly!

Now for the embellishments!

I created a fun star embellishment on the face of the wheel!   To create this embellishment, you will need the Midway brads, Sew Fun Banners, and Label Stickers, a 1-1/8” circle punch, foam dimensional stickers and decorative star pins.  Start by taking one of the circle banners and poke a hole in the center of it. 

Then put a Midway brad in the center (I liked the red star one) and apply one layer of foam stickers to the back of the banner circle.

Next, add the 1-1/8” circle punch to the back of the banner circle.  Apply two layers of foam stickers to the back of the circle punch.  To finish the layered circle, add the label sticker to the back (I liked the gray star-like one).

To finish off the embellishment, add star pins by pushing them into the foam stickers inside the layered circle.  I added a rhinestone circle-shaped sticker that I had lying around too.

I used buttons from the Sidewalks collection on the ends of each wooden dowel on the wheel.  I added rhinestones to the center of each button for some bling (adds to the glitzy feel many Ferris wheels have).

I chose to embellish the right side of the wheel base with stickers from the 12” x 12” sticker sheet in the Midway collection and I added a star pin too.

Who wants some cotton candy!  I do!  I put mini cotton candy bags into the carts.  I used 4” x 3” bags, cotton candy, and twine from the Cakewalk collection to assemble these.  Yes, I ate some of the cotton candy during assembly!

Lastly, I created a base for the Ferris wheel using a corrugated box (It is the one I got from OA filled with goodies and it is the standard scrapbooking paper box size).  The first thing I did was take extra tape off the box and cut off the 4 top pieces of the box using a utility knife.

Next, I cut 4 sheets of the Midway paper so they were 11x11 and would fit perfectly together on my box.  Then I started at the center of the box and taped down the sheets of paper as shown below.  Don’t worry about the tape showing, you can always cover it up, as I will show you.  To make it look like a wrapped gift box, I folded the paper in the corners as shown below.  Don’t worry about the tape showing, you can always cover it up if you don’t like it showing. 

When done adding the 4 sheets of paper, the box looks like this.  

Next, I cut two strips of the Midway patterned paper to cover up one of the taped areas on top.  You can use any paper you like. 

Then I added some ribbon and a bow to cover up the tape line running horizontally. 

There are so many different ways to embellish this paper Ferris Wheel.  You could add your own unique take - use flair, Midway miscellany, and/or goodies from other collections!

 To share in my excitement as the Guest Designer this month, I have a surprise for you!  The box I made for the base of the Ferris Wheel has some goodies inside!  Stop by my blog http://www.thepaperretreat.blogspot.com, to see what is inside and to enter to win the goodies inside!  I hope you stop by my blog and celebrate with me!

Melanie

(For more from Guest Designer Melanie Fink, check out the OA blog every Friday during the month of April!)

Tuesday Sketch: All in a Row

Vivian here with our weekly sketch. Today's sketch lines photos up in a horizontal row, with the title placement and a few key page elements drawing attention to all the photos, with one focal point photo emphasized with a large chevron/arrow element:

Interestingly enough, both Roree and I interpreted this sketch as a card.

Roree rotated the sketch 90 degrees to the right and came up with this absolutely gorgeous card:

Roree had this to say about her card: "It is always so fun to see which direction a sketch will take you. Just by turning the sketch you can get a very different look. I just love that about sketches! I created my card using paper, stickers, and chipboard from the Farm Girl, Woodland Park, and Sidewalks collections. I decided to replace the photos/journaling boxes with a long strip of floral paper. I replaced the title with a scalloped edge along the paper strip. And I kept my sentiment towards the bottom like in the sketch and replaced the arrows with white twill ribbon that I misted using Comet Tail Sprinklers from the Rocket Age collection."

Let's take a closer look:

While Roree went in the gorgeous direction, I went in the whimsical direction. My card uses the sketch in its original orientation and combines patterned paper, stickers, and embellishments from the Midway line (including the fun Photo Booth patterned paper). A few white staples add the finishing touch:

We hope you are inspired by this sketch, whether you use it for a layout, a card, or any other project! We'd love to see projects inspired by this sketch, so be sure to post them to our October Afternoon Flickr gallery.

Tuesday Sketch: Pinterest Inspiration

Hey everyone!  Roree here with today's Tuesday Sketch Challenge. I am back at it with another inspiration piece from Pinterest. (I just can't see to stay away from that place!) Today's sketch was inspired by this image:

I just love this image and I thought the design of this piece would work well for a simple sketch. With it, I created this:

With this sketch, I created this card:

I used bits and pieces from Farm Girl, Woodland Park, Midway, and Sidewalks. We are so close to the beginning of Spring that I thought a happy, cheery spring card was in order. I just love yellow in my projects, so I used lots of it.

I did lots of layering for the butterfly and the sentiment.

Danni played along with the sketch this week and created this absolutely adorable card. Here is what she had to say about it:

"I absolutely love this sketch by Roree and look forward to using it again. I think this sketch is not only perfect for layouts and cards but would be ideal for Project Life and the new October Afternoon Daily Flash.

I have been cleaning my desk all weekend and this carousel horse from the Midway line needed a home. When Roree sent over her sketch, I knew I had the perfect sketch to give this beautiful chipboard a home.

I think the arrow at the bottom of the sketch makes layering fun at the bottom of the card, little tidbits or doodads are perfect with this kind of sketch. I can't wait to see what you all will create with her amazing sketch."

I hope you enjoyed today's inspiration sketch and the samples Danni and I created using it. If you get a chance to play along, don't forget to post your project in the OA Flickr group.  I can't wait to see how you interpret it.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Thursday Sketch: On the Diagonal

Happy Thursday! Vivian here with this week's sketch. Today's sketch adds a bit of fun to a clean-lined design with several strong diagonals.

I shared my sketch with Roree, who had this to say, "When I saw the sketch, I immediately thought of sun rays, so that is the direction I went with it."

Roree created her fun card by combining products from all of the following lines: Midway, Woodland Park, Sidewalks, Thrift Shop, and Farm Fresh. I love the combination of all of the different yellow patterns on Roree's card and her gorgeous three-dimensional flower embellishments. Let's get a closer look:

I used the new Witch Hazel line to create a layout using the sketch:

My title combines black letter stickers from the Witch Hazel Mix-Up 12 X 12 Alpha Stickers with letters created by using the "Today" Here & Now Book cover as a stencil with the Swivel Chair Sprinkler from the 9 to 5 line.

If you create anything with this sketch we'd love to see it! Please be sure to post your work in our October Afternoon Flickr gallery.

Monday Challenge - Design Team Scraplift

Hey everyone!  Roree here.  It's Monday, so it's challenge time again.  The girls on this team are so talented, and I admire their work so much.  They are always coming up with inspiring projects and fun techniques that I want to try.  So, I thought it would be fun to have a Design Team Scraplift Challenge. 

This is an oldie but a goodie from Marcy: 

Harvest Festival by Marcy Penner

(You can see it originally posted here.)

I just loved the chevron pattern that she created, and I have been wanting to try it for such a long time.  I decided to create a card using the chevron pattern for my background. 

Here it is:

Happy Times by Roree Rumph

I used the blue patterned papers from the Farmhouse collection to create this fun background. 

I added some machine stitching along the edges, because I just love stitching on my cards.

I also used some of die-cuts from the Farmhouse Flower Sack along with Label Stickers, a Button, and some Sidewalks Ribbon to create some soft and pretty flowers, because who doesn't love flowers?!

Marcy played along with my challenge this week, and she chose this layout by Becky to work from:

Add Such Joy by Becky Novacek

(You can see it originally posted here.)

Here is what Marcy came up with:

All Too Often by Marcy Penner

She played off of the argyle pattern in Becky's layout using triangles to create the fun background on her layout.  

Such a fun mix of patterns from the 9 to 5 collection, don't you agree?  I just love it!

Is there any of the OA designers' work that you just love and have been dying to try for yourself?  Well if there is, now's the time to try.  You have been challenged!  ;)

If you get a chance to play along with today's challenge, don't forget to post your project in the OA Flickr group.  We love to see what you are working on! 

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

~Roree

Tutorial: gift envelope ideas

Good Morning! Becky here today with a simple envelope tutorial. I have gifts on my mind right now, with both Mother's Day and graduation celebrations coming soon. I like to give gift cards and money, but I don't like to give them without some flourish. Creating custom envelopes is SO quick and easy! 

For your template, the easiest idea is to use an envelope you have as a template. Carefully, take it apart.

Forgive the first two not so great images.

After you cut out your envelope, use a bone folder or ruler to crease the folds.

Then put a little adhesive on one flap that overlaps the other two. So easy!

After you have your envelope put together, it's fun to customize it with simple premaid embellishments.

It's not just a girly project. I made a more masculine version for a graduation gift.

I used a larger envelope as a template, so that a little wad of cash would fit.

A simple pattern paper strip made a perfect band to hold the cash together. Office supply tags provided a place to write a few sentiments and sign our names.

I tucked one tag behind the cash and one in front. 

The Mother's Day envies are little more feminine with a few more embellishments.

One of my very favorite October Afternoon papers is this floral. 

The sticker embellishments are perfect for this. As well as a simple little vintage flower bunch with OA ribbon...these little flowers are getting harder to find, so I hope Mom feels special.

You can't go wrong with adding a few buttons, right? 

I hope this simple gift idea tutorial inspires you. I'd love to see what you make, so please share your take on the OA Flickr group! 

Thursday Sketch Challenge

Hey everyone!  Roree here, and I have this week's Sketch Challenge for you.

While trying to come up with a sketch idea, I thought it would be fun to use up those scraps and embellishments that we all have laying around our craft rooms.  Here is what I came up with:

Perfect for those little odds and ends pieces, right?

I created two cards using the sketch as a jumping off point.  Because they are on a smaller scale than the layout, I adjusted accordingly.

For my first card, I used the Sasparilla collection. 

I used bits and pieces from the Flower Sack and Miscellany packs, plus some stickers from the Word Sticker sheet.  They are perfect for this type of sketch.

And I just love the wood grain and colors in this collection!

For my second card, I used the Sidewalks collection along with the new Washi Tape from the 9 to 5 collection and a few leaf stickers from the Fly a Kite collection.

I used the Flower Sack flowers and banner, leaf stickers, and sun in place of the squares in the sketch. 

Two totally different cards inspired by one sketch.

I hope you enjoyed today's sketch.  There are definitely lots of different directions you could go with it.  If you get a chance to play along, don't forget to post your project in the OA Flickr group.  I can't wait to see how you interpret it!

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

~Roree

 

Mother's Day Accordian Album

Spring seems to fly by over here.  Maybe it's because we have a big yard to tend to as soon as the weather warms up?  Maybe it's because my kids all seem to get cabin fever as soon as April hits. Whatever the case I find that it's in my best interest to plan ahead and get cards and gifts planned before I forget about them.

 So, today I have a quick and simple little tutorial for you on how to make a quick, little accordian album brag book.  This one's going to my mom.  :)

 Start by determining what size you want to work with.  I knew I wanted to use one of the October Afternoon journaling cards so I determined my length and width from that.  Take your desired width and cut a few pieces of cardstock to size.  Score a line representing the height of each piece and fold.  

 

 Now, unless you only want two to three pages you'll have to glue those cardstock strips together... so do that now.  Trim off any extra pieces if you have any.  Now you'll have one long accordian fold card.

Select your patterned papers and trim so that they're slightly smaller than your pages.   I thought that the spring-y vibe from the Sidewalks line would be perfect for this project. 

Close your accordian book so that you can decide which flaps going to be the cover and the back.  Adhere a patterned paper to the back flap.  

Open your accordian book and adhere papers to ALL the pages on the opposite side. 

Now, back to the cover.  Take a piece of ribbon and position it so that when the book is closed you can tie it evenly along the opening.  Adhere your cover papers over the ribbon.  Sew in place if desired.  

That side should now look like this.  

The other side has patterned paper on every section.

 

NOTE:  Keep in mind, that if you're sewing you may want to do that before the papers on the other side are adhered.  Unless you like messy sewing (like I do).

Decorate your cover and add your photos on the inside.

I'm hoping that my mom either carries it with her or hangs it up in her house from the ribbon at the top.

See... super simple... easy peesy.  But perfect for Mother's Day.

What projects are you tackling for Mother's Day?  If you're making something we'd love to see it!  Share your creations in our Flickr gallery and you may find yourself featured on our blog!

- Marcy

 

 

I dare you....

to create a page using only 4 products! Becky and Amy here today with a challenge for you. Here are the "rules":

We're giving you a few freebies: scissors, writing pen and adhesive. You pick 4 additional products to make a page. 

From Amy: Becky’s challenge was just that for me - a challenge!! I never knew I relied so heavily on so many different types of product/mediums when creating a page. I didn’t even sew on this page (gasp!) and for me that’s a big deal. I didn’t thread my buttons or anything. 

The four “things” I chose to work with were patterned paper, ribbon from the Miscellany packs, buttons and alpha stickers. I found myself really struggling to make my page flow in a way that I thought it needed to. Finally after lots of experimentation, I was able to get a design I am happy with. I’m especially happy with the how the colors work together. Both the ribbon and the buttons became integral elements in the design, both in creating attention and in toning down attention (as in the yellow ribbon over the plaid paper in the bottom left corner) which is something I’m really happy with. I didn’t need to sew on it after all. :)

Here's her awesome page!

I adore the color mix! 

So pretty! 

My 4 items were: 

sewing machine

pattern paper

paper distresser

alpha stickers

I hope this challenge pushes you to try something new! We'd love to see your projects on the OA Flickr gallery.  Thanks for participating!

Spring Cards for a Friday!

Happy first Friday of April, OA friends! It's Amy here today with a couple ideas for some Spring-themed cards in celebration of Spring's official arrival and the upcoming holiday weekend. 

I used the darling Sidewalks collection to create two cards in celebration of flowers blooming, birds chirping, grass growing and perhaps a vistit from Peter Cottontail this upcoming Sunday. :)For this first card, I really wanted to create a fun embellishment with the adorable game spinner found in the Sidewalks Miscellany package. The great thing about some of the pieces in the Miscellany packs, such as this game spinner, is that they are printed on both sides, so when I went to use my punches on this piece I was able to use the side without the numbers on it to create this fun, and super whimsical flower full of Spring festiveness.This next card is a bit of a teaser, because along with Sidewalks, I've added just a couple pieces from the up and coming NEW collection, Cakewalk to the mix. I simply couldn't resist using the adorable little bunny from the "Party Hat" paper for the centerpiece of my little Easter card. Isn't he just darling? And I don't mind at all that he's holding balloons instead of a basket. It just adds to the festive feel! Plus, it shows how beautifully these two collections will collaborate together, don't you think?Well, friends, that's going to do it for me today! I hope these cards have put you in the Spring spirit! Thank you so much for stopping by today! And if you are celebrating over the weekend, I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend! :)