The Gentleman Crafter

Graphic 45 Project Reveal -Lynn's Lighthouse -DONE!

Good Morning Everybody!

Please join me today over at the Graphic 45's blog , as they present my Lynn's Lighthouse Project! 

You may recall, in May I went to my favorite place to relax in the USA... Hilton Head Island, South Carolina!  I had a...what would you call it...a contest maybe... for an idea to do for a Graphic 45 project.  So many cool ideas came pouring in!  I was so amazed by the imagination of everyone!  AMAZING!

Here's the funny thing... as I was reading the comments and ideas I opened one from my sweet friend in the UK, Lynn Wild while I was walking by this.....

She had just suggested a lighthouse!  Weird that I would be walking reading her suggestion and just happen to be standing right next to a lighthouse ...right?  What a great project that would represent my wonderful time on the island!  Thanks Again Lynn!

As I was saying in yesterday's post, this is truly one of my favorite projects with a COOL NEW binding system for us all to add to our collections!

There will be a pattern done for this project and will be my very first pattern up for sale.  It will be in my Etsy shop hopefully by the weekend so please check if you are interested!  (Still working on CHA samples for G45, so hopefully this weekend!!)  Hope you like it as much as I do.

Lynn's Light is made with the woderfully AMAZING Graphic 45 paper collections,  Olde  Curiosity Shoppe, Le Cirque, ABC Primer and Tropical Travelogue.  How could you go wrong with placing these papers on anything!

Here are a few pictures  and a video to get you started.....

 

Thnaks for coming by!  Much appreciated!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie, Texas!

You may remember me mentioning the Crafty Scrapper back in April.   (Remember that AWESOME Distress ink holder?? Yep, same place) Well, I finally had a chance to go back! 

OK, after walking and working 90 miles per hour (LOL!) at market, we thought....Well....I thought we deserved a trip to Waxahachie and the Crafty Scrapper on the way home!  Yes, I drug Vicki and Marsha in with me!  Come to think of it, I think Marsha went next door to the baby shop!  Oh well...we all have our priorities don't we?

What's the big deal about this store you say?  For one, they have EVERYTHING you would ever want and need for paper crafting!  My stars this place is huge and chocked full of the most amazing things!  Here are a few pictures of the shop.  Also below that, a video of some goodies that accidentally found themselves in my studio!

Me diggin' in the Graphic 45 Section!  Like I can never get enough!  Got to love their paper!  Am I the only one who lays paper out on the floor?  LOL!

Here's what I got.....

 

I leave you with this picture!  I don't know why...When driving back home tonight we saw this....I thought these folks were crazy driving 75 mph with a KING size mattress and box springs that was barely tied down to this tiny SUV!!

Well, thanks for looking and thanks for being patient with my gazillion posts!  Hahaha!

Have a great weekend!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

 

 

Lightening Trip To Dallas...To Market to Market...

OK, I'm back!  This is going to be a picture intense post so sit back and grab your favorite beverage and relax a sec! 

I'm going to do another post/video on my FAVORITE store...The Crafty Scrapper next...

As I was saying earlier today we hit the showrooms at lightening speed yesterday and today.  It was one of those FLASH trips to grab lines we knew would sell out before Atlanta in July.  This is just a sampling of the thing we saw today.  Thought it might give us all some inspiration.....Hope you think so too....

I thought this display was so clever.  The line is Paddy Wax....I wish now that I had looked to see how they got every stinkin' picture to be faced forward! Oops except that one!  Hahaha!

Cool gas pump!  The larger piece was a storage unit!   Love the oil can watering cans!

Cool Signs...

This a button wall hanging.  Fairly large around 3 foot by 2 foot maybe.  Really like the colors and concept....

My best friend...Marsha with the beautiful model and multi talented Sabrina Barnett.  Mar is trying on one of Sabrina's skirts from the Sabrina Barnett Collection.  It was hysterical y'all!  Just sayin!  We got 'em for the store!

Me being GOOFY!  Starting to think Halloween...

My other best pal, Vicki and the one and only and best sales rep ever...Suzanne.  Trying on Angry Birds hats...What can I say???  Too much COFFEE?

Halloween Goodies...

I know not everybody digs Halloween but these guys were too hard to resist....

Me getting into the spirit....Come to think of it, I believe the girls look better in the Angry Birds Hats!

Close up of some HUGE scissors

The Display with the HUGE scissors, thread spools and clothes pins.

This line was right up my alley!  Love and had to get the bike!  You put notes on the spokes with clips.  Cool huh?

OK, now for a little Christmas....

Canvas Christmas Tree...

Cool stocking!  I loved all the embellishments on it....

I thought this was a cool idea...It's basically a large topiary form as the structure.  Think about a large tomato cage.  Next, they added a large wreath at the bottom and then used smaller ones going up.  This makes the coolest Christmas tree.  Or at least I think so.  Going to have to try this for Christmas!

Well, that's about it.  A samplng of inspiration...Hope you enjoyed!  Now for Part Two post...The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie and my haul!  LOL!

Thanks for Visiting!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JIM DOES BEACH TAGGAGE?

Hello Everybody!  Thank you for the warm and wonderful congrats!  Much appreciated!  It's going to be so much fun! 

The week has officially started and I've been busy running around in circles really!  I hate that!  How can anybody spend an entire night cutting chipboard down to JUST the right size for a project! Hahahaha!  Well, it had to be perfect for everything else to fall into place...kinda!

I wanted to share with you all my first challenge on the Inspiration Team, we were to make something for the Create A Little Sunshine June Monthly Challenge over at the Inspiration Journal.  I went beachy and did a tag.  Here's what I came up with....

I made my tag from white cardstock and layered the blue card on top.  I then punched 1/8 holes around the edge 1/4 inch in and inserted eyelets.  I inked some bamboo skewers with Frayed Burlap Distress ink and knotted them onto the tag edge with hemp twine.  I then drank the rest of my Monster drink (hehe) washed the can and slit it open and cut the aluminum on the Sizzix Tim Holtz Washers Border Die.  I glued that in place at the bottom to represent the waves of the ocean.  Far fetched maybe,  but I love this die as it can be used for a multitude of things!  Ok, where was I?  Yes, next I glued a Tim Holtz Idea-ology corked vial in which I placed a message onto the "ocean."  I added a sand medium to the middle of the tag and adhered shells.

Last, I layered some burlap, Tim Holtz Destinations Paper, a picket fence piece,  and a picture of vacationing legs on the tag.  Finishing off the front with a Tim Holtz Idea-ology Word Stick and brad.  I topped off the tag with an assortment of seam binding ribbons from May Arts and Tim Holtz Trimmings and some beads.

Makes me want to go back to the beach!  It's already been over a month or so...doesn't that count for another beach excursion????  Oh well.  Maybe I will just look at my tag and dream!

Thanks Tons For Looking!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

Blog Hop with Scrapbooksteals.com Today!

Good Morning Everybody!  
Today is going to be a BLAST!!

A Blog Hop with Scrapbooksteals.com, Graphic 45 and my fellow Design Team members!!!!  Oh, did I mention an AWESOME prize package from Graphic 45 when you visit all the blogs and leave comments!! Here is the aweome prize package valued at over $40.00!! Yahooooo! Got to love it.

Today, we are all featuring projects with Graphic 45's Communique and Playtimes Past Paper Collections!  Both of these collections are totally awesome and fun to work with! Got to LOVE 'em!

Here is a sample of the Masculine Mini I've created using both collections.  They work so well with each other don't ya think?  For how to's on making this mini as well as additional inspiration and scrapbooking ideas head over to ScrapbookSteals Blog!!

The Hemingway Mini...

 

Please continue to hop to my teamies blogs for a chance to win the awesome prize and be totally inspired by their amazing creations!

Arlene: http://butterflykisseswithlove.blogspot.com/
Clare: http://mycreativespirit.blogspot.com/
Laura: http://www.followingthepapertrail.blogspot.com/
Jim: http://thegentlemancrafter.typepad.com/
Gloria: http://www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com/

Graphic 45's Blog:  http://www.g45papers.typepad.com

Don't forget to check out Scrapbooksteals.com!  Grab some Deals and Steals!

Thanks Y'all!  Have Fun!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

 

Memorial Day...

 

On This Memorial Day...

And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

 

Have A Safe Memorial Day!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

Altered Wooden Birthday Box!

It's my niece Liya Kathryn's 9th Birthday Party in Brownwood, Texas today!!!

This is her first American Birthday and will all be our first time to celebrate it with her. To commemorate the special occasion, Uncle Bubba had to pull out his paper, tape and scissors (which honestly live on any flat surfaces in my house!) and make my sugar lamb a present.

I had a squarish, wooden box in my stash that was begging to be altered. I just needed the perfect paper. Now, unlike Uncle Bub, Liya Loves Loves Loves...Pink! If you know me, I am not a lover of pink! No Sirity! I hate it with a purple passion! But for Liya, I would do anything! So here is the pink altered box...

I first pulled off the hinges and latch and painted the box inside and out. Once dry, I lightly sanded all the surfaces with a very fine sandpaper. I used DCWV's Preppy Princess stack to cover the inside, outside and edges.

For the niches, I cut 1inch pieces of chip and covered them with designer paper leaving a 1/2 inch on each side. I then clipped at the top center of the piece forming two tabs on each side as well. Next, I applied glue to the tabs and adhered all pieces into the box. I just added little trinkets and charms to the niches. They don't exactly match, but I think she will love to pull them out and look at them.

The little album was fast and easy...I glued a small Idea-ology 2 ring binder to the left side of the box. I applied DP to the chipboard on each side. For the pages I used 5 white right opening invitation envelopes, cut off the flap and scored and glued a 2 inch pocket at the bottom. I added a binding strip to the left side, glued in place, and punched holes in it for the binding rings. I added tags for Liya to journal or add pictures.from her birthday.

For the exterior of the box... on the front I made little lollipops flowers from satin looking fabric and melted the edges. I added a handle to the top and added a locking latch and found a perfect little pink lock and key so she can keep all secret treasures safe. That's it. I hope she likes it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Hope this gives you some inspiration to alter those items that have been hanging around awhile!

Thanks for looking!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

Laura's Twist and Tag Album!

Good Morning!

The Oscar album is looking really cool!  If I do say so myself!  I can get so lost in the details and this is one of those albums where one idea leads to another.  So needless to say, I'm still working on it and having a blast!  Hopefully, one day I will be able to share it with you!  Not in time for this year's Academy Awards obviously, but if you had a formal occasion, this would be the album!  Ok, enough of that!

Since I couldn't share Oscar with you, I thought I would share my twist on the Twist and Tag Album from Laura Denison.  You can grab the pattern here: Twist and Tag Mini Pattern  and the Ustream classes where Laura shows you how to make it here:  Twist and Tag Class 1 and Twist and Tag Class 2.

It's a fun, fast and beautiful album to make!  Laura hits it out of the park again!  Here are some pictures of my album:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still Playing Catch Up!

I'm still having fun in the studio playing catch up.  It's one of those crazy things for me that I can not go forward until I catch up with the things I left behind first!  This is sometimes a very bad thing!  But when it involves creating anything, you know I'm into it!

I love this little photo box that Laura designed!  So cute.  What a great thing to put on your coffee table to flip through or have your company flip through while they are waiting for you to burn something in the kitchen!  And believe me friends, you dont want me in the kitchen!  Grease Fire! LOL!

Here is my take of this quick little project that could be done in a few hours! 

Thanks for Looking!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

Last One For The Day!

Hahaha!  Didn't I tell you that I was in a crafting/posting kinda mood?  Well, I just finished my last project for today!  Just in time to actually get in bed at a decent time!  Hope I'm not boring y'all!  :)

This was from Laura's Ustream class today.  She made this clock/calender for the Graphic 45 Blog Hop.  You can see pictures of her clock here...on the Graphic 45 Blog.  Scroll down and you will see the Clock.   You can also see Laura Denison's Ustream class to make this here.

Here's my take on the clock.  I steampunked it up a bit and added a place for notes or a picture.

Thanks For Looking and Good Night!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter