Hello there! It's Group Post day which means that the entire Papertrey Design Team has a blog post for you today, each focusing on a new line of banner building products being released on Nov. 15 at Papertrey Ink. You are in for a TREAT, let me tell you! I am so excited to share my banner project with you and I know you're going to be wowed by all of the projects the other design team members have made.
I also have a second post for you today, so be sure to scroll down to see my post introducing the 4th of my signature sets being released this month -- Signature Series: Flower!
All righty, let's get to the banner chatter, shall we? :) I am in looooooove with how this banner turned out! I have to tell you that before beginning this project, I was thinking that it was likely to be pretty time consuming but it came together SO EASILY! I made this whole banner in maybe 2 hours!! When I hung it up on my china cabinet in the dining room, I almost squealed! It's a Christmas/Joy banner but you know what? I might not take it down for Thanksgiving!! It's hanging in the dining room right now and I think I might just leave it there straight thru till January because I love it so much!! Haha.
I've said it before but I think it bears repeating now and again and this is one of those times.....I think Nichole Heady is a genius! Not only does she design stamp sets that we all fall in love with and use over and over, but she also has a knack for designing coordinating dies and other products that are equally as squeal-worthy.
When I sat down to make this project, I couldn't believe how quickly it came together and it was due mostly to the fact that the new variety of banner building dies made it so fast and easy! For my banner, I chose to use the Boxy Banners Dies -- a set of two dies that allow you to cut out the basic banner shape and a slightly smaller mat layer. I selected a variety of papers I wanted to work with, began die-cutting them and laying them out in a row on my desk, mixing and matching the papers until I had them in the order I wanted. Then, I used the Banner Borders Die (a new personal favorite of mine I might add, because it can easily be used on cards which I and the other designers have been doing all week!) to cut out a variety of borders, one for the top of each banner "flag". I stitched those borders to the top of the flags and then began laying on various die cut and stamped elements, all of which kept to my Christmas/Joy theme. I've taken some up close pictures of each flag so that you can see the details.
On this first banner flag, I used the Boxy Banners die to cut out the pure poppy base as well as the It's Official patterned paper mat. I then layered on a regular old paper doily (Hobby Lobby) and topped it off with a rustic cream scalloped border that was die cut using the Banner Borders die and stitched in place. Lastly, I used the limitless layers dies to cut out a bit of vintage cream felt and stamped the "Very Merry" tag (from 2010 Holiday Tags) in berry sorbet ink.
Next up, a pure poppy base with vintage book print mat layer (yes, just paper from an old book), topped with a berry sorbet border also cut out using the Banner Borders die. (All of the borders I used across the tops of my flags were cut with that same Banner Borders die. Do you see now why I love it so?!) :)
I used one of the new images from Mat Stack 1 Collection to stamp on the mat stack 1 die cut and added some pieces die cut with limitless layers dies and stamped with the "Joy" image from 2010 Holiday Tags. Pure poppy buttons threaded with pure poppy baker's twine finished this one off.
Pure poppy base here, distressed dots patterned paper mat layer and vintage book print border. Fillable Frames #4 die cut and coordinating stamp and the "Merry Christmas to You" tag from 2010 Holiday Tags.
Ahhh......see something new on this one??? The "Joy" flower is from my new Signature Series: Flower stamp set. I die cut the rustic cream card stock using the coordinating Signature Series: Flower die and then stamped the flower in berry sorbet ink. It's layered on a pure poppy scalloped circle cut with a limitless layers die.
Lastly, a few more of the same elements as well as the mat stack 4 die cut berry sorbet card stock stamped with the coordinating image from Everyday Treats in pure poppy. A pure poppy felt layer was die cut with the limitless layers dies and tucked on top of the mat stack 4 layer and beneath a pretty snowflake image (also from 2010 Holiday Tags). A pure poppy button finished this flag off.
After I had each of the flags put together, I put a piece of 1/2" scor-tape on the back, right along the top of each flag and simply ran a strip of grosgrain ribbon right over the scor-tape. SO simple!
I personally think that banner projects can seem somewhat daunting because it's easy to think that a banner needs to have a word spelled out on it -- you know....one letter for each flag. However, I love this banner because it DOESN'T have a word spelled out on it! I was able to incorporate so many cute details on each flag by not spelling out one word and honestly, I think it made the project so much easier to tackle. And not only that, but it became FUN to put together! It's almost like you're creating a series of greeting cards that you'll get to have hanging in your house to ooh and ahh over all season long! What's not to love about that?!
Ok, so not only are there all of these great new dies coming out that will allow you to create a full size banner, but there is also a banner building stamp set as well as a set of small banner building dies that coordinates with it! Perfect for creating little banners on cards for all different occasions! Here's a card I made for my rock star "little" brother using the "Dude, You Rock!" sentiment from my Signature Greetings stamp set as well as a "Happy Birthday" sentiment from Birthday Basics.
I used the new Banner Builder dies to cut out these mini banner flags -- both the ripe avocado bases and the rustic cream mat layers -- and the hawaiian shores borders. Then I used the Banner Builder stamp set to stamp the different flags on the rustic cream layers. I also stamped the banner "string" image on my simply chartreuse card base before adhering the flags to the card front with foam adhesive. I topped off each little flag with hawaiian shores buttons.
The library pocket die was used to create a little pocket inside the card to hold a gift card. This is my favorite way to give a gift card! So cute and simple!
All righty, be sure to get around to visit all of the other girls on the design team today!
Mish Wooderson
Heather Nichols
Melissa Phillips
Maile Belles
Betsy Veldman
Lisa Johnson
Debbie Olson
Erin Lincoln
Niki Estes
Kim Hughes
Also, don't forget to scroll down to see my second post for today! I'll be back tomorrow for one more fun-filled day of sneak peeks! You're not gonna want to miss it! *wink* Hope to see you then!
{Christmas Joy Banner supplies}
Paper: pure poppy, berry sorbet, rustic cream, it's official, distressed dots, vintage book print
Stamps: Signature Series: Flower, Mat Stack 1 Collection, 2010 Holiday Tags, Everyday Treats, Fillable Frames #4
Ink: pure poppy, berry sorbet
Other: Signature Series: Flower die, Boxy Banners die, Banner Borders die, mat stack 1 die, mat stack 4 die, limitless layers dies, fillable frames #4 die, pure poppy & vintage cream felt, pure poppy baker's twine, pure poppy & berry sorbet buttons, pure poppy classic grosgrain ribbon, paper doilies, sewing machine/thread
{Dude, You Rock! supplies}
Paper: simply chartreuse, ripe avocado, hawaiian shores, rustic cream
Stamps: Banner Builder, Signature Greetings, Birthday Basics
Ink: ripe avocado, hawaiian shores
Other: banner builder dies, hawaiian shores buttons, library pocket die, corner chomper
