It's the Graphic 45 Card Extravaganza!

Hello G45ers!

Happy Friday to you all! Welcome to another day of glorious adventures in the world of papercrafting! This week has been so much fun and we've got more incredible creations to show you today! Plus we have a winner to announce for this week's blog contest! Today's blog is packed full of wonder and delight to get you excited for the weekend. This blog is all about cards, cards, cards! We've got the most inspiring card creations from Tara Orr, Yuka Hino and Gloria Stengel of our design team. So put on your shiniest dancing shoes and get ready to do that happy dance. First we want to announce the winner of this week's blog contest! We had so many wonderful comments on our blog and Facebook page this week. Huge thanks to everyone who left us a comment. This week's winner was chosen randomly from our blog comments. And the winner is...

 -Debbie Peyson

Here is Debbie's comment from Wednesday's blog. "I love all the projects. What great talent. Your papers just keep getting better. Thank you." Thank you too, Debbie! Please email us with your shipping information at info@g45papers.com to claim your prize. Congratulations!

Well G45ers, as you know we're gearing up for our new 2012 Design Team. Right now at the Graphic 45 office we're getting together packages of product to send out to our new team. It's a big job but it is so worth it when you see the incredible crafts that get made using these fabulous materials. For the past few days we've been cutting ribbon, lots and lots of ribbon. Here you can see the big piles of May Arts ribbons that we're preparing to send out to our new design team. There is something so magical about seeing gorgeous ribbons delicately organized like this. It's like a ribbon buffet! So beautiful! We just had to share.

And now it's time for the cards! Today we have a wide range of cards from our design team that you're sure to love. This first card was made by Tara Orr using our vibrant Fashionista collection. This card has so many fabulous layers and incredible dimension. Plus it really captures the fun and elegant spirit of Fashionista. Here is what Tara had to say about it!

"I just love going back through older collections every now and again.  The bold and bright colours and designs found in the Fashionista Collection will never go out of style in my opinion.  I love pairing the more vibrant hues with a neutral palette as well - any kind of newsprint or text paper is fantastic for this!" Tara Orr

Supplies:
Graphic 45 Supplies:
Patterned Paper: Fashionista Collection
Hautee Couture, Buttons a la Mode, Debutante, Potpourri, Vintage Cherries, Tags
3D Foam Dots by Scrapbook Adhesives
Twist and Flip - 2 in 1 Corner Punch by Fiskars
Flowers by ZVA Creative
Misc: Doilies, Acrylic Paint 

Next up is this super sweet congratulations card by Yuka Hino. Yuka used our new Little Darlings collection to create this adorable card. The lovely colors and heartwarming images are just perfect for creating an enchanting card like this! Just cut out your favorite images, do a little paper layering, and a pretty embellishment or two and there you have it! A beautiful card to share with someone you love!

Supplies:

Graphic 45 Papers

Little Darlings: Little Darlings, Peek-A-Boo, Heaven Sent, Rock-A-Bye, New Arrival, Little Treasures
Scrapbook Adhesives By 3L: 3D Foam Squares - Black, Small

Petaloo: Flower

Spellbinders: Die

Prima Marketing: Alphabet Sticker, Distressing Tool

Ranger Industries: Stickles, Ink

String, Acrylic Color

Next up are these fabulous cards by Gloria Stengel. These first two cards were made using An ABC Primer. You can see some great examples of contrasting paper patterns and colors. These cards are fairly simple but have such a captivating look! Their classic designs and sweet embellishments make them instantly endearing.

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 Supply List: 

Graphic 45 papers:

An ABC Primer: Alphabet Soup, Games and Playtime, An ABC Primer, Jumping Joan, Building Blocks, Grammar School

Graphic 45 Stamps: An ABC Primer Cling 2

Cardstock: American Crafts, Neenah

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers

Twill: unknown

Die cutting system: Spellbinder Grand Calibur, Classic Rectangles LG, Classic Scalloped Rectangles LG

Adhesive: Scotch 3M tape runner, foam tape

Designer note: I use sharp scissors to "rough up" the edges of my paper. To give the paper a more distressed look, I crumple it in my hand, then smooth out before attaching to the card.

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Supplies List:

Graphic 45 Paper:

An ABC Primer: The Three R's, Grammar School, Games and Playtime, Jumping Jane, Building Blocks, Alphabet Soup

Ink: Clearsnap Colorbox Graphic 45 Decades Antiquing Ink Photogenic, Venetian Lace

Die cutting system:

Spellbinders™ Products:

Office Supplies

Nested Lacey Pennants

Nested Pennants

Standard Circles Small

Standard Circles Large

Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine

Cardstock: American Crafts Black, Kraft

Stamps: Waltzing Mouse Fancy Phrases (inside of card)

Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon Black Twill

Twine: DMC Ecru Floss

Adhesive: Scotch 3M tape runner, foam tape; glue

Other: vintage buttons

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This is an exquisite Steampunk Debutante card also by Gloria. This card is just so beautiful. By creating a few pretty layers and adding delicate embellishments, this card is instantly enchanting! It has such a beauty and femininity. A card like this is perfect for any occasion!

Supply List:

Graphic 45Paper:

Steampunk Debutante: Fantasy Floral

Ink: Clearsnap Smooch Spritz (spun sugar, tea party), Clearsnap Colorbox Chalk (butterscotch, chestnut roan), Clearsnap Colorbox Pigment (sapphire silk, bronze)
Embossing powder: Clearsnap clear

Die templates: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S4-345 Picot Edge Circles, S5-059 Ironwork Motifs)

Cardstock: American Crafts Coffee, Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla
Chipboard: Maya Road Cameos
Pins: Maya Road
Flowers: Making Memories (blue), Wild Orchid Crafts (tan)
Lace: fabric store
Adhesive: Scotch 3M ATG, Glue Dots, liquid glue

Designer notes: To create the cameo, I inked the fancy oval chipboard with bronze pigment ink, then added several layers of clear embossing powder to make a glossy finish. I used the same technique on the silhouette, only I inked with sapphire silk pigment ink. To create the center chipboard oval, I covered it with patterned paper, then used chalk ink to soften the edges.

To make the "doilies" in the center of the card, I cut the shapes with a Spellbinders die templates (Picot Edge Circles, Iron Work Motifs), then sprayed them with Clearsnap Smooch Spritz.

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And last but not least we have this marvelous card that combines Le Romantique and Curtain Call. Again you can see how wonderfully these pretty papers blend together, even papers from different collections! This is another great example of an all-occasions card. It's nice and simple but still so gorgeous and such a wonderful statement of love.

Supply List:

Graphic 45 papers:

Le' Romantique: My Beloved, Loves Labyrinth, Key to My Heart

Curtain Call: Tour de France, Moulin Rouge, Applause

Cardstock: American Crafts

Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon 3/8" White Double-faced Satin

Ink: Copic markers

Adhesive: Scotch 3M tape runner, foam tape

Designer note: I used Copic markers to color the satin ribbon to match the paper.

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We hope you all had a great time today. Big thanks to Tara Orr, Yuka Hino and Gloria Stengel for their beautiful work today. We will have a very special blog post tomorrow so we hope you'll all stop by and see us. We wish you a fabulous Friday and a great weekend!

With Love and Pretty Papers,

Your Friends at Graphic 45

Comments

[Julie Tucker-Wolek]

Congratulations to Debbie! And today's cards are absolutely gorgeous! Wow!

[stephanie mccorquodale]

What can you say! They are as beautiful as ever....Such a talented bunch of designers. Thank you G45.

[Barbara Ford]

I am absolutely in love with the abc primer line. Such wonderful memories evoked!

[Tammy Hall]

They are all like looking through the candy window!!! So pretty!!!

[Sarah M]

these cards are all so fabulous! I am bursting with inspiration right now!! Thanks for sharing them!!

[Sue Lui]

Love the cards and those ribbons are divine!

[Robyn B.]

Love everything about you guys!!

[kathy/northcarolina]

All that gorgeous ribbon has me drooling! YUM!

And, I love,love, love these cards...unique styles from each designer,and all equally fabulous!

[Michelle Reaves]

Ribbon Buffet, now that is the perfect phrase to describe that photo! I love love LOVE today's cards!!! I have a dear friend that just found out she's about to be a Grandma, I'll have to make her one using Little Darlings :-)

[Beverly Jordan]

Yur wonderful design team makes such beautiful projects! So talented and such inspiration! Thank you!

[Jeyatha]

Love love love all the cards..

[Kristin]

Tara I love how you rolled those papers. So clever!! Your work always inspires me. The baby card is so soft and adorable!! And Gloria... what can I say? Absolutely beautiful!

[Anne McIntosh]

Gorgeous! (I really need to find another word - perhaps I'll try to find one this weekend). Can't wait to "imitate" the Little Darlings card for a friend's baby to come! Finally got the paper yesterday. Thanks again!

[Pamela M. Perkins Zirbel]

I am a cardmaker and absolutely love all the goodies today!! Well done everyone...well done!! Oh &: Congrats Debbie!!

[Rosann]

You girls just BLOW ME AWAY... I love your creativeness... your projects are so AWESOME !!! ( I feel like Ann, I gotta find another word... I've worn out AWESOME). Okay, it's raining ... good day to go drowl over some papers !!

[B. Poteraj]

These are so gorgeous. I especially like the projects with the kids and babies. Nice.

[Amy Jones #8546]

Love all the projects. As always. Everything is so Beautiful.

[Sharon Gullikson]

Your projects are so classy. That's all there is to it.

[JACKIE H]

Wonderful cards!

[Julie Shearer]

I love this blog. Wow !!

[Mary]

Congratulations Debbie!. Today's cards are beautiful!

[eyes2theocean]

Goodness me these projects are so pretty. I honestly couldn't choose what my favorite line of paper is. I find myself purchasing and repurchasing paper from long ago and from current releases that I've used up. I just never get tired of looking at them. Seems each new line just keeps getting better. I would just love it if Graphic 45 would think about putting a book out. A little bit of heaven in a book I think.:)

[Dee Dee LD]

WOW! these are fabulous!. Love these cards. Wow!

[bessy]

Your great work, always inspires me. You are fabulous!!

[Karen]

Love Gloria's cameo card and the colours on her Paris card - just fab!

[Dianne B]

There is no blog more inspiring than yours...Wowsa!!

[Mary Harris]

Beautiful!!

[Kelly]

So many beautiful cards to admire....G45 always delivers the most exquisite creations :)

[ava]

ah yes and ribbon buffet!!!!!!!!! gott'a love it
ava

[Eniko DeLisle]

Gorgeous stuff! Love cards! xo

[CatMyers]

Beautiful! Inspiring.

[Carrie]

Fabulously amazing cards!