Designer Friday - More From Anna

Hello! Last week I shared a layout that Anna White-Sharman created with the July Sampler, "Pink Limeade." Today I am excited to share a home decor project with you.  Check out Anna's altered pillow!

Embellished with two of the fabric/felt flowers, as well as spiral felt flowers and ribbon, I think this pillow makes the perfect accessory for a summer patio!

The flowers and ribbon could easily be sewn on with a needle and thread. Or, if you don't sew, you could use fabric glue.  Be generous with the glue and give it plenty of time to dry before use.

Thank you, Anna! What a fun project!  If you're interested in the July Sampler, you can find it here.  Well, I'm off.  I did tackle quite a bit of my to-do list yesterday, but now it's longer.  Hmmm, how does that happen? :) :) :)  Enjoy your day! Tessa

Designer Friday - Anna White-Sharman

Hello Friday! I'm excited to be bringing back past design team member Anna White-Sharman as my July guest designer! Anna has been playing with the July Sampler, Pink Limeade, and has a fabulous layout to share today:

Gorgeous photograph, huh?! I need flowers like that in my yard :).

Anna has requested more of these tulle and felt flowers in the shop.  What do you think? I suppose I could do a whole line of different colors.... :) :) :).

What a pretty cluster of embellishments! I love seeing them all grouped together like this.

If you would like to purchase the July Sampler, you can find it here.  Be sure to check out the coordinating Butterfly Doilies (almost sold out!), Sweet Spots, and the Mini Sampler in the same color palette but with different flowers.

Thank you, Anna! I can't wait to see what you create next :). Have a great day everyone! Tessa

Designer Friday

Have you taken a peek at the April Sampler, available now?  I have some fabulous project ideas to share with you today, courtesy of the very talented Anna.

Anna took a simple tote, sewed ribbons from the sampler across the bag, and then embellished with flowers.  I would LOVE to take this shopping!

Even though Anna usually does single-page layouts, she thought these photos and embellishments deserved a two-page spread.  Isn't her Nan cute? This is her 90th birthday tea party :).

And last, Anna embellished an album with the silk rolled flower and the pink sheer ribbon:

And can you believe that Anna still has more product left, even after all these beautiful projects?  Anna, thank you for sharing your talents with us and supporting Precocious Paper :).  You can find the April Sampler, "Little Emmy", here.  Have a fabulous weekend! Tessa

Designer Friday

I can't believe it's Friday already.  This week flew by!  I hope you're not in a rush to get to your weekend plans because I have a handful of gorgeous projects to share with you today.

First, Anna designed this beautiful page with one of the most recent Fabric and Felt Flower additions to the shop - the Pink and Lagoon Paisley Bouquet:

Anna altered the lagoon-colored flower by removing the bottom layer, then added that layer elsewhere on the page.  Brilliant :).  I also love the addition of purple - very sweet!

Next, Amanda has been busy with a new set of Sweet Spots that coordinates with the upcoming March Sampler, "A Walk in the Woods."  This grid design is just gorgeous!

And speaking of "A Walk in the Woods", Mandie got to play with the March sampler and she created this sweet baby boy layout (click to view larger):

I intended the colors of this sampler to compliment more masculine projects, but I didn't realize how well it would work for sweet baby boy photos.  Sigh, this is just too adorable :).  Mandie used SEI's Chick A Doo line.

I'll be sharing even more from the design team tomorrow, so stay tuned :).  I've had a wonderful (big!) response to the samplers and new products in the shop over the past couple of weeks, and I hope to get all caught up on those orders today.  And I apologize for being a bit of a tease with the details of my etsy-versary celebration - Monday, I promise!  Have a great day! Tessa

Designer Friday!

Did you get your January Sampler, "Sunshine in My Soul" yet?  There are only a few left!  If you haven't quite decided yet, please allow Amanda's layout convince you:

Gorgeous, isn't it!  Amanda said, "I love this photo of my son paddling in the sea, taken a few years ago. I'm sure he was a fish in a previous life, water is like a magnet to him! Flowers from the sampler were a perfect addition to an otherwise simple page :) Who said you can't put boys and flowers together?"

You met my "Neapolitan" Sweet Spots last Friday.  Today, meet "Hello Cupcake".  Light pink, black and white is the palette for this set, and Anna knocked it out of the park!

Speaking of scrapping our boys, Anna reminded me that even though I thought I couldn't scrap my boys with pink, it can be done!  Anna said, "I took this photo of my little nephew having cuddles with his Nanny.  I turned the photo black and white to keep it from clashing with the colours of the Sweet Spots and used Black Magic cardstock, sanded down so the light pink shows through." 

See the little stitches and extras throughout the Sweet Spots?  I just LOVE this :).

Thank you, Amanda and Anna, for fantastic inspiration today!  If you've been inspired to pick up the January Sampler or some Sweet Spots, or anything really :), enjoy this coupon for 10% off your merchandise total at Precocious Paper: DESIGNERFRIDAY05.  The offer is good through January 24th.  And don't forget - the February Sampler will be available January 25th!  Have a great day! Tessa

Designer Friday

Happy Friday!  Amanda and Anna have some beautiful projects to share with you today.  First, Amanda created this layout using the Aqua, Butter Yellow, and Classic Ivory Rolled Fabric Flowers.

Amanda says, "I have 1 word to say about these flowers: YUM! I love the colours, the slight sheen to the fabric, everything. I love how they add such a classy look to my page with minimal effort. It's my Mum's birthday tomorrow, and I'm going to give her this page as part of her gift. I know she will just LOVE it!"  I'm sure she will, too!

Anna created this layout with the Aqua and Fuchsia Rolled Fabric Flowers.  I love how she added centers with pearls and gems:

Anna also created a gorgeous photo frame with the Pink Floral Yo-Yo Posies.  I love how she rippled the wired leaves that come with the set:

Even with this busy holiday season, Amanda and Anna have been really productive with Precocious Paper goodies and I have even more to share!  I've decided to feature their holiday creations on Facebook today, so if you don't already "like" the Precocious Paper Facebook page, please head on over and click away :).  There's a giveaway going on, too!

Thank you, Amanda and Anna, for your beautiful work!  I feel like I get Christmas morning every week when I see what the design team adds to our gallery :).  The deadline for ordering items that would arrive by Christmas has passed, but if you'd like to stock up on crafting goodies for the new year, here's a coupon code for 10% off your merchandise total, good through Sunday: DESIGNERFRIDAY3.  Have a great day!  Tessa

Designer Friday

Happy Friday! This is my 300th post on the blog!  And what better way to celebrate 300 posts than with two of my fabulous designers, Amanda and Anna, and their fantastic projects?!

First, I'd like to share a layout Amanda created with a new set of Sewing Pattern Petals.  Note: All my new Sewing Pattern Petal designs are going up in the shop this weekend.  We had computer issues that knocked me off schedule this week.  I love these particular flowers because of their vintage typewriter key vibe.  However, the sayings on the brad centers are abbreviations and texting phrases - so awesome!

I'll let Amanda herself tell you about this next project:  "I have really been enjoying reflecting on all of the things I have in my life to be thankful for this month as I've played along with the Attitude of Gratitude challenge. I made this fabric collage to hang on my wall next to my dresser, to continue to remind me each day to be thankful for what I have.

I used a variety of hand cut fabric scraps roughly stitched together with my sewing machine. The fabric background is topped off with some vintage buttons, grungeboard letters and, of course, the yummy fabric flower (from this set). I love the softness and homey feel of this project - it's warm and fuzzy :)
I am grateful for so many things, but I think the thing I am most grateful for is the opportunity to live my life the way I choose to. My freedom. I am grateful for my family and friends, plus lots of superficial things, too. But, really, without the ability to live my life freely, and experience it the way I choose, what are the point in all of those things?"  So true!
 
Anna also created a layout with Sewing Pattern Petals:
 

Gorgeous!  Anna played with my teal polka dot Cupcake Poppies, too.  How delicious is this layout?
 

Would you like to know what Anna is grateful for?  "I'm grateful for all the small things in life, lots of people just think of the things that aren't going right for them at the time and don't stop and think about all the good things in their lives.  I always count my blessings however small they are! One of those things is scrapbooking and craft.  I'm so glad I've found a outlet for my creativity that I really love." 
 
Thank you, ladies, for sharing your talent with us and for sharing your thoughts on gratitude!  Today I'm grateful for those people in my community who respond to emergencies.  We took a trip to the firehouse yesterday with Colten's 2nd grade class and I was just so impressed with the way the firefighters do their jobs.  I hope I never need them, but I feel better knowing that they are there.
 
We love hearing what you think about the DT projects.  Thank you to all who have taken the time to share their thoughts on Fridays and compliment these fantastic designers.  Have a wonderful Friday all! Tessa

Designer Friday

You've met half of my wonderful design team so far.  Let's meet two more fantastic ladies, shall we?

Amanda Jones: I have been scrapbooking in the format we currently know since my son was born almost 8 years ago. I have always loved writing, photography and paper products, and have dabbled in various crafts over the years. Scrapbooking is the creative outlet that combines all of my passions, and this is probably why I can never see myself stopping. At the moment I am enjoying mixing vintage and modern products in my projects, and finding creative uses for vintage items. Anyone who knows me will probably already know what a big fan of Precocious Paper I am. I am so excited and honoured to be part of Tessa's new team.

Amanda has created two projects perfect for the season.  First, an altered frame for Halloween.

What a beautiful, simple idea!  I love the way that this fabric flower, from the Festive Fall Bouquet, combined so easily with some alphas and a chipboard pumpkin for a super cute Halloween decoration.  Amanda also created a really creative home decor piece. 

She said, "My next project I started with the intention of creating an altered canvas, again as an autumnal decoration for my home.  I ended up turning 2 canvases into a fall decoration which houses a mini album.  My reasoning? This way I can enjoy it all year round! Once I'm done displaying it I can fold it together and keep it in my mini album storage basket. Oh, and did you notice? I used the red string from the cute packaging my flowers came in to tie it all together.  Again I used flowers from the Festive Fall Bouquet. There's such a versatile collection of patterns in there!"

I love how Amanda worked those fall flowers!  And I'm still oohing and ahhing over my next designer's project.  Meet Anna:

Anna White-Sharman: I’m Anna, I’m 26 and I’m from the UK. I love scrapping and have been creating for about 3 years now. I have a passion for embellishments! I have just opened my own little shop selling my own embellishment kits, The Make and Create Shop. I also love sewing, making jewellery and baking cupcakes! I’m delighted to be part of the first Precocious Paper design team, I can’t wait to receive some of Tessa’s delights!

Anna created a fabulous layout using my Red Super Stars.  Anna said, "I love them, they are brillant for little boy layouts! I thought they would go great with the Mickey Mouse cake I made my nephew for his 2nd Birthday. I wanted the stars to stand out so used black cardstock. I then used die cut, star cardstock as a mask to mist over using a silver shimmer mist to make the star pattern." 

A talented scrapbooker and cake-decorator this gal is!  Thank you, ladies, for your fabulous work!  I would normally give you some sort of coupon code right now, but today I am announcing another kind of sale over on Facebook.  You may want to stop by ;).

Have a great Friday! Tessa