Designer Friday

I'm a little bit teary because, as the current design team term comes to an end, today is the last Designer Friday for Windy and Suzy.  I hope you will take a moment to leave them some love for all of their beautiful and inspiring creations over the past six months.

Windy created a set of gorgeous cards using the new GCD line, Funhouse, and two items coming to the shop during the upcoming update: Light Gold and Coral Satin Blossoms:

Windy said the cards were easy to make, but "stunners" because of the flowers :).  Thanks, Windy :).  I love how lined up in a row the flowers add texture and elegance.

Suzy created a really fun layout with Cupcake Poppies in blue and red.  Mixed with the Block Party line by BoBunny, the poppies look like they were made for this collection:

And for a special treat, I have a guest joining the line-up today!  Tabitha Gibson from Georgia created a beautiful wall-hanging and altered frame for her daughter's room with the February sampler (sold out) and a set of custom Yo-Yo Posies:

Sigh....I need a girl :).  Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful projects, Tabitha, and thank you Windy and Suzy for being amazing design team members!  I am grateful to all of you for your support of Precocious Paper.

If you're interested in joining the next team, see the call details here.  Have a wonderful Friday! Tessa

Designer Friday

Happy Friday!  Today I have a sneak peek of the March Sampler for you, as well as a new set of Sweet Spots to share.  Let's begin with Suzy's layout, featuring the new Mustard and Plum Sweet Spots:

This is one of my new favorite color combinations.  I've included a big jeweled brad, a variety of image pebbles, butterflies, hearts, graphic text, and my favorite mustard yellow wool felt.

I love how Suzy made the "o" in her title one of the sweet spots, and the visual triangle the embellishments create is pleasing to the eye.  Beautiful layout, Suzy!

Are you ready for a sneak peek of March's Sampler, A Walk in the Woods?  Windy has created a beautiful thank you card gift set, the kind that's perfect for a school auction or fund raiser.

As you can see, this sampler features earthy colors that could be used to compliment more masculine pages and projects.  I love how the kraft paper works with these colors.

I've included two fabric and felt flowers that are currently not available in the shop - one with Amy Butler fabric from the Soul Blossoms line and the other a basic polka dot in chocolate brown.  I love the whimsy these blooms add to the sampler.  A Walk in the Woods will be available on the 25th.  Beautiful work, Windy!

Thank you for visiting today.  I appreciate all of your comments and kind words, and I know the design team does, too.  Did you know my etsy-versary is coming up?  Three years!  Stop by on Monday to see how I'm going to celebrate (and how to win some Precocious Paper goodies!).  Have a great day! Tessa

Designer Friday

Have you seen the new Valentine's Day Sweet Spots in the shop? 

Windy worked with the Neapolitan Sweet Spots to create a set of love notes for her girls.

Windy says, "Every year on Valentine's Day I leave my girls several little Valentine's throughout the day.  I like to hide them in spots that I know they go to... sometimes little treats and gifts are tucked away with my notes.  Just a way that a mama shares a little love with her girls on Valentine's Day. (ps... I also leave a few for hubby too:)."

I love this idea - a simple card, a folded medallion (find a tutorial by Windy here), a Sweet Spot and a little sentiment.  Love!

Thank you so much for sharing, Windy!  Be sure to stop by the shop to see the other styles of Sweet Spots available (including Sweet on You, Hello Cupcake, and Cupid).  Enjoy your day! Tessa

Designer Friday!

I love Fridays.  I especially love them because I get to share with you what my talented design team has been up to.  Mandie created one of her fabulous signature double-page layouts with three sets of my rolled fabric flowers - Hunter Green, Red, and Caramel:

Mandie said, "When I saw the flowers in my package I knew they would be PERFECT with the Echo Park Merry Christmas papers that I have been hoarding!"  I knew they'd be perfect, too - that's why Mandie was sent these particular blooms :).  You can really see the shine in this photo:

Windy is ready for gift-giving after using fabric and felt flowers from the Country Christmas Bouquet and Christmas Scroll set.

"I think these would make great gift bags and gift card holders for teacher, co-worker gifts or for anyone you might be delivering a small gift to," Windy says.  I agree!  The kraft paper compliments the flowers so well, and the result is simply elegant.

Thank you, Mandie and Windy, for some fantastic holiday inspiration!  How are your holiday preparations coming along?  If you'd like to place an order for any holiday gifting, scrapping, or decorating, I can ship on Monday :).  Use this coupon code for 10% off your order: DESIGNERFRIDAY2 (good through Sunday).  Shop here.

Have a wonderful day! Tessa

Designer Friday

Happy Friday all!  I have two beautiful cards to share with you today, from designers Windy and Mandie.  I love how easy it is to dress up a card with a Precocious Paper flower - a little patterned paper, a sweet sentiment, and the embellishment does all the rest for you.

Windy created this beautiful card with an Autumn Leaves Dyed Cardboard Flower:

To create card:
1) make card from cardstock
2) adhere patterned paper rectangle and strip
3) adhere metallic pearls
4) adhere sentiment letters
5) adhere flower

Products used: flower: Autumn Leaves Dyed Cardboard Flowers, cardstock: Vintage Cream by Papertrey Ink, patterned paper: Curio collection by Basic Grey and Autumn Harvest by Making Memories, embellishment: metallic pearls by Mark Richards, stickers: Tiny Type by Cosmo Cricket

As part of the Attitude of Gratitude challenge, I love what Windy shares here: "Ultimately I am thankful for all that is in my life... the good, the bad and even the ugly....because all of that has made me and my family who and what we are today. And I have to say that I'm pretty proud them, because even though we are far from perfect, we live a pretty good life together and I'm extremely thankful for that."

From autumn to winter, we next have a snowy card from Mandie:

Mandie found beautiful blue snowflake paper in her stash to create her background with.  She  layered a light blue Lace and Felt Flower (this color coming soon to the shop!) onto a scalloped circle that she created with her Mini Monograms Cricut Cartridge.  Finishing touches include pretty satin ribbon and an embossed sentiment.

As for my Attitude of Gratitude thoughts for the day, today I'm grateful for my role as a mother.  After spending hours upon hours yesterday cleaning and doing laundry (our recently washed clothes were inundated by ants!), I reminded myself that even though my daily tasks may not be glamorous or fun, I love doing them.  I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to serve my family, love them, teach them, and be with them.  I wouldn't trade this job for any other in the world.

Thank you for stopping by!  If you get a chance, I have layouts featured today on the Scrapbook Circle blog (later today) and the Papercrafts Inspirations blog.  Thank you, Windy and Mandie, for sharing your creations with us.  Have a wonderful Friday, everyone! Tessa

Designer Friday

Happy Friday everyone!  I have two more wonderful and talented designers to share with you today, Windy and Mandie.

Meet Windy: I'm the mother of 5 year old Campbell and 2 year old Hadley, and the wife of wonderful Brian. We reside in Loveland, Ohio-- a suburb on the east side of Cincinnati. I've been scrapbooking for about 12 years, and started making cards a little over a year and a half ago. Since then I have fallen head over heels in love with card making, and have been fortunate to have my work published in Paper Crafts and Cards magazine. In my spare time I enjoy hanging out with my family and volunteering in my community. If I can do something helpful and creative everyday, I'm a happy girl!

Windy has created a beautiful gift tag and photo frame - a gorgeous gift, don't you think?

Windy took a $1.00 frame from Michaels and transformed it with a Tim Holtz mask, walnut stain distress ink, and a Falling Leaves Fabric and Felt Flower.

Windy created the tag in much the same way, but altered the size of the Falling Leaves flower by removing the bottom layers of fabric and felt.

Meet Mandie: I've always loved crafting! When I had my first daughter 4 1/2 years ago my aunt introduced my to scrapbooking! She bought me a basket of supplies and I was HOOKED! Scrapbooking and paper crafting was that missing "something" that I had been looking for. I like to think that my style is still evolving and right now I mostly scrap two page layouts. I also feel like no layout of mine is complete unless it has flowers, ribbon and/or buttons! I also enjoy making cards with my scraps from past projects. Luckily my husband of nine years is very understanding about my love of scrapbooking! We also have a beautiful 1 1/2 year old daughter whom I am currently working on baby pages of! I love to scrap not only our family adventures but also the little everyday moments. I'm so excited to be a part of the Precocious Paper team!

Mandie is my go-to girl for two-page layouts, something I should play with more.  She created this sweet layout with a Primrose Lace and Felt Flower.

This fun layout includes my I *heart* Halloween Embellishments and an Orange Glitter Tulle and Felt Flower.  I love how the orange pieces of the Halloween set worked so well for a hayride theme.

Mandie used one of my favorite colors in my lace and felt line, Grass Green.  I love the way it looks paired with all those pretty fall papers and the deep teal background.

Inspired?  How about a little reward for my blog readers: purchase any of the products featured today and receive 25% off of those items.  Just type "designer friday" into the box during checkout (or convo or email me) and I will quickly send you a refund via PayPal.  You have through Sunday to take advantage of this offer.  Shop here.

I will be back later today with my layout for Scrap That Poetry, including one of my favorite Precocious Paper goodies :).  Thank you Windy and Mandie, and have a great Friday! Tessa