Applications & Challenges

Well, I finally did it. I applied to be on a design team. I know, I know, I need to explain to my peeps what this means. Stamp companies occasionally put out a ‘call for entry’ to be designer to showcase their products. I’ve toyed with the idea and have read several ‘calls’. Today I found one that interested me. I like their line of stamps and even though I doubt I have a chance to be selected I decided to go for it. So I made the three samples they require, took a deep breath and clicked ‘send’. The worst case scenario is they say ‘thanks, but no thanks. I still have the projects because I only had to send photos of them not the actual cards. If they say no I will just keep applying with other companies. The commitment is for three months. The name of the company I’ve applied to is Paper Garden Projects. The requirements are listed on their blog.

Oddly enough, on one of the cards I submitted, the image was designed by one of the designers of the group I am applying to. I didn’t even realize that when I selected it to submit.
So without lots of detail about why I would like to be a design team member…I’ll just give you the low-down on the cards I created to use with my application. The process required three projects.

One non-card project: Mini-Boo-Bag
~Mini gift bags at the Dollar Tree. The bags were originally to be used as wedding shower favor bags. Each had a wedding image.

~Design paper covers the original image on the bag

~Copics to color in the little spook from Stampin Up!’s Booglie Eyes

~I coated the colored image using a satin water base varnish & sealer

~‘Loosely’ cut around the image

~The little spookie guy was attached to the dp using a foam dimensional

~DP cut horizontally in a small strip

~Two bat brads perch on either side of the wee little spooklette

~Assorted coordinating ribbons were tied to the bag handle

This non-card project was created specifically for this application process.

One card (or non-card) project featuring a technique.

This card features use of a top coat of Crackle Accents by Inkssentials, Copics, eyelash yarn and wire

~Base card is PaperTrey cardstock

~Next layer is design paper from DaisyD (Atelier Toile)

~The upper layer of design paper a coordinating DaisyD ((Samura) is attached to Crestwood Chocolate Truffle cardstock. I ‘roughed up’ the edge of the chocolate cardstock using the edge of a metal ruler

~The fence image is a stamp from the Dollar Tree. I colored in the fence with white watercolor pencil and colored in the leaves and vines using Copics. I ‘roughed up’ the edge and smeared a bit of Tim Holtz Old Paper Distress Ink. The leaves were coated with Inkssentials Crackle accents. Along the bottom of the fence is eye-lash yarn to simulate grasses

~The pumpkin was a stamp I found in my granddaughter’s box of crafts. The image was colored in using Copics and coated with Inkssentials Crackle accents, cut out, and attached to an olive color circle with the edges smudged with Stampin’ Up! Really Rust ink. The pumpkin was attached using Zots 3 D clear adhesive dot. Because the 3 D dot is ‘squishy’ I was able to insert a coil of green wire for a vine look. The olive circle was then attached to a circle scallop with the scallops pin-hole-punched. I like combining effects and embellishments. This card will also be uploaded as a response to the Stampin B’s Challenge #26. The challenge was to incorporate a pumpkin into the design of the card. This week's challenge at Stampin B was from designer Nancyruth Levine.

One project of my choice. Poppy’s_ala_Mel. I chose another card created specifically for this application. Base card is PaperTrey cardstock, a layer of DaisyD (Samura), another layer of PaperTrey cardstock, topped with a coordinating DaisyD layer (Pois). The image is a digi image from Mel Stampz. I colored it using Copics, the stamens are dotted with Stickles Black Diamond, the petals and leaves were coated with Stampin’ Up! Crystal Effects. When attaching the image I used two layers of dimensionals so that the topmost flower projects outward. I made a slit in the polka dot dp and inserted the bottom of the digi-image through to the back – again for an outward projection effect. I used a ‘buckle’ from the Stampin’ Up! Hodge-podge collection and threaded orange ribbon to complete the card. This card was designed specifically for this application process.

I will keep you posted on what I hear from the Paper Garden Project. Either way - I'm really jazzed about trying to get on a temporary design team.

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.

All good wishes,

Nancy