Paula M's June Feature

The Project:



The Instructions:

Begin with a sheet of 12x12 white cardstock, spray Tattered Angels in Artic Blue & Vintage Pink, let dry. Using a die cutting maching, cut out thought bubbles from Making Memories Slice Metallic paper in Lime; then trim down photos to fit inside largest thought bubble, adhere photos. In lower right corner, adhere photo of yourself, next attached largest thought bubble then the two smaller ones. Using brads from American Crafts Dear Lizzy collection, attach Dear Lizzy rose ribbon to page along bottom, embellish with two brown crochet Dear Lizzy flowers. Using green ink & alpha stamps, create All About ME title for page. Embellish with Making Memories Wedding bling, stamp music stamp from Dear Lizzy collection with StazOn, attach metal butterflies die cut and colored with Tim Holtz Adirondack alcohol ink.

How I cam up with what to put in my thought bubble:
I decided to eliminate my family, friends, and children to truly make this page just about me. Thing in my thought bubble: my hot pink purse (because it’s so not me but I’ve been using it for two years), my purple flowers and the woods where I live, my favorite pair of blue jeans (notice tag is folded so the size can’t be seen!), a bit of my book collection in the bonus room, my Wrangler, my beer, my wheels on the Wrangler, my business card from work, and on the very top is my first ATC (Artist Trading Card) I ever made.

The Video:



The Artist:

JeepMama here, no that’s not the name I go by everywhere or the one my parents gave me, that would be Paula, but it does explain a bit about me. I love my Jeep Wrangler, it’s my attitude adjustment, it clears my head, and it off-roads; which is a very good thing since I live off-road as well. My family moved to Arkansas when I was 4, I lived briefly in Joplin, Missouri during college then it was back to The Natural State for me. I am married to the nicest guy on the planet, we have two pretty awesome boys who are currently 10 & 13. I began scraping when my oldest was just over a year old but I’ve been a crafter my whole life, mom & I made quilts together when I was a little girl. I much prefer paper to fabric and let’s face it, a sewing machine is a dangerous thing for me to use. I enjoy ink, stamping, ripping & tearing paper, gluing, poking holes and have this fascination for ribbon & flower collecting. I’m often found in my small yet very comfortable craft room and once a month I host a crop for my friends in our bonus room.

Lyndi's June Feature

The Project:





The Instructions:

To make a "All Me, All Smiles" Layout, start by choose 1 12x12 patterned paper then choose 1 solid colored 12x12 piece of cardstock and 4 different solid or slightly patterned 12x12 papers that compliment the patterned paper. Cut the 4 papers into 6x6 squares (or make them slightly different sizes than each other to add more personality) and adhere them to the solid 12x12 cardstock. Cut the patterned paper into a 4x12 strip and glue it down the middle of the page. Choose 8 pictures of yourself (or whoever you're featuring on your page) of various sizes. Use the leftover paper to mount your photos (2 pictures for each type of paper). Use simple designed rub-ons to decorate your photos. Paste the pictures to the page, each angled at different directions and overlapping each other. Choose your favorite embellishments (I used brads, stickers, and cord) and place some in each section of your page. Put your name in the top right corner and the title "All Me, All Smiles" in the bottom left corner with rub-ons (stickers or die-cuts letters would work too).

"Pretend like I sent some Swedish Fish with this project... I KNOW that would make it better. :D"

The Video:



The Artist:

I'm *LyndiLou* and I'm just goofy. I love to laugh and have fun. I love family & friends, stars & pasta, bracelets & candy. I enjoy meeting new people and think a person can't ever have too many friends. I enjoy scrapbooking, making frames and magnets for my Etsy shop, and make cards and other projects sometimes too! I love paper and rub-ons, but I enjoy shopping for and using all sorts of different supplies! I'm always trying to create more than I shop! It's a work in progress. I'm in love with CropChocolate because I can find the best products at amazing prices and make friends while I'm at it.

Paula I's June Feature

The Project:





The Instructions:

To create project:
1. Gather some sweet paper and clear craft plastic, cut with die ( I used SU! top note & Sizzix album)
2. Choose photos and arrange.
3. Stamp and embellish accordingly
4. Assemble pages and use crop o dile to punch hole at middle left side.
5. Use brad and/or ribbon to hold pages in place.

The Video:



The Artist:

Paula, Proud Air Force Wife to Ian Irvine and SAHM to Paul 4 and Philip 1. Originally from Costa Rica but grew up in Southern California. I now reside in Tucson, AZ.

Summer's June Feature

The Project:




The Instructions:

Starting with the basics, I chose my patterned paper, matted my pictures and positioned them where I wanted them to be. I decided on a title and chose my thickers. I layered a few 12 inch patterned paper strips, crinkled and ruffled the edges a little bit and then placed the orange scalloped border piece across the largest strip. I then added the YOU and the ARE.

I cut out each individual heart from the heart banner leaving a white border around each one so that the original string line was still showing. I then used my diamond glaze to give them a glass like look with added dimension and thickness. I also used the diamond glaze on the Y O U and then set them aside to dry.
When my glazed hearts were dry I placed a pop up dimension adhesive to the back of each one. I cut a few pieces of thread and rolled them together to make it look like one thick piece I placed the thread on my Layout sort of where I wanted it. Starting from the left I placed each heart on the thread using the lines that I purposely left to make the curve of the banner easier to create. I place the three hearts on the left first and then added the picture and then continued to add the rest of the hearts on the right.

I made a list of all the words I wanted to use and spelled the ones I could with the alpha stickers that were part of the Echo Park Little Girl Paper Pack. Some of the words I wanted were already stickers on the sticker page in the pack! (so convenient!) When I used all the alphas I could I finished off my list by writing each word on different scrap pieces of patterned paper in various types.

With my banner and pictures in place I started to layer my words (adhering some down with pop ups and some just with glue giving love and depth) and then added the final touches; the three hearts on the side of the top picture, the green cup sticker needed so love so I added an American Crafts Brad by giving the sticker a little snip with the scissors and sliding the brad right in. I also gave the Heidi Swapp clear butterfly some love by adding Brads and a Making Memories Button. I punched two holes for the brads and then added some diamond glaze to hold them into place. I then finished off the Layout by adding the name and date. So EASY!

The Video:



The Artist:

I grew up in Standrod, Ut (30 miles south of Malta, ID) and graduated from Raft River High School in 2003. I come from a family of 16; 8 girls and 8 boys and yes it was crazy but I love every single one of them and I cant imagine life without them. (I know you are wondering... Same mom and dad and no twins or triplets all single births!) After graduating I spent 2 years studying art at Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista, Virginia. I moved back to Utah to continue my education at UVU and BYU. I met my husband through a mutual high school friend and we were married in 2006 where we lived in Logan for 2 years while he finished school at Utah State. I finally graduated from BYU with a bachelors in Home and Family Living in April 2010 just 25 days before my first baby girl was born! I have been living in Oakley Idaho for 3 years now and LOVE it! I am a stay at home mom with a passion for family, sports, scrapbooking, art, sewing and cooking.

Karen's June Feature

The Project:





Product List:

Products: 3-4 pieces of 12X12 paper from the Like Father Like Son FP paper pack, Alpha and embellishment stickers from the Like Father Like Son FP paper pack, Apricot Jewel brads by American Craft, Making Memories embellishment paper, eyelet setter tools from MM, blue ribbon, Glossy Accents for the embellishments, and 2 eyelets or brads



The Instructions:

Container:
1. Using the take-out container template, cut out the pieces 2-3 pieces of 12X12 paper (depending on the variety of patterns you would like on your container).
2. Fold container as per template instructions. You will need 2 eyelets or brads to hold the container together, and some ribbon to thread through, or tie on as a handle.
3. Using the border embellishments from the Like Father Like Son paper pack, line the bottom edge and top edge (closure) of the container. If your border accent is scalloped, cut the top edge of the closure to match the shape.
4. Decorate the front of the container with a tag that shows the recipients initial or other greeting. For this project, the alpha stickers from the Like Father Like Son paper pack by Fancy Pants were used, together with a heart shaped embellishment sticker.
5. If desired, add some Glossy Accents to the stickers to add a little "pop".
6. Place embellishments onto container with glue dots.

Get the template for the take-out container HERE.

Fortune cookies:
1. Cut out 6 - 3" circles. Your circles can be bigger, but at this size, the 6 cookies will fit into the container. Try not to go smaller - the paper becomes difficult to fold into a cookie shape if it is smaller.
2. Cut out 6-12 pieces of 1/2" by 2 1/2" pieces of white paper for your fortune messages. For this project, I used two colors from the MM 12X12 Embellishment pack that coordinated with the colors from the FP paper. Make sure the paper you use is not too heavy - it will be difficult to fold into the cookie if the message is too stiff.
3. On one side of your pieces of paper, write a "fortune" for the recipient. For this project, I wrote things that I appreciate about my husband.
4. If desired, write a message on the back side as well. Instead of the traditional lucky numbers you might find on the back of a fortune, I wrote 2 different messages - "I am so 'fortune-ate' to have you" and "Who needs lucky numbers, I have you".
5. Fold each circle in half and pinch on the fold line in the middle. Do not fold all the way across the fold line.
6. Open the circle, and fold the other way to form a "t" fold. Do no press down the fold.
7. Keeping the paper pinched in one hand, use the other hand to push the center of the cookie inwards on the first pinch fold you created.
8. Open the cookie back up and place the fortunes you created inside. For this project, I put 2 inside each cookie because I always love it when there is more than one fortune inside the cookie!
9. Continue pressing the cookie inward along the fold line until the two edges meet.
10. Glue the fortune cookie into it's shape by either placing a glue dot in the middle of the fold of the cookie, or by using a glue gun in the same place.

The Artist:

Karen (aka Scrappy Canuck) was born and in Calgary, Alberta, a Canadian city about 13 hours due north of the CropChocolate warehouse! A proud mommy of two little gals aged 3 months and 1 and 1/2 years, and a happy wife of a 43 year old (who is much older I might add), Karen is currently enjoying some time off on maternity leave, playing with her two cuties and scrapbooking as much as she can to effectively avoid housework, accounting and other such tasks. Once these good times are over, this self professed "braddict" will return to work as an elementary school teacher, a job she loves almost as much as those decorative and functional little jewels. Almost!

Michele's June Feature

The Project:







Product List:

1 empty quart jar
20-30 paper strips, crimped
Popsicle sticks
Stickles (optional)
Your favorite patterned paper
Letter stickers, words, etc for flower messages that tells something about you
Ribbon, buttons, charms, etc.
Chipboard (medium thickness)
Adhesives
Mod Podge
4”x4” cardstock card
Pen of your choice

The Instructions:

To make this chipboard flower arrangement you need to do the following:

Cut a 3” wide strip of patterned paper to wrap around the jar. Use Mod Podge to glue the paper to the jar. When the paper is dry, take a length of ribbon (the wider the better) and wrap it around the outside of the jar and tie it in a knot.

Fill the jar with the crimped paper strips. Make sure some are sticking out so they look like grass or other greenery.

To make the flower:

Cut out 3 chipboard flower shapes (4” flowers are the best size) for every ONE flower you want in your arrangement. Then cut out patterned paper flowers for each of the chipboard flower shapes.( Lots of different types of patterns work GREAT with these flowers!!!)

Glue paper flowers to each of the chipboard flowers and let dry.

To assemble flowers:

Once the flowers are dry, put a pop-up glue dot in the center of the “base” flower. ( The “Base” flower is going to be the back part of the flower) Then place another flower on top of the base flower. Put a glue dot in the center of the top flower and place another flower on top.

Then, fold forward the petals on the front TWO flowers, leaving the base flower alone. There is a chance that the paper will separate from the chipboard and that IS OK!!! It will give the illusion that there are a lot of petals.

Once all of the petals are folded forward, push them back and arrange them the way you would like the flower to look.

Cut a 1” circle out of the chipboard scraps and cut a 1” circle from the patterned paper for each flower. Glue these together, add your words, charms, buttons, etc to the circle and glue to the center of your flower using a pop-up glue dot. (Remember…. These words, gems, etc need to represent something about you. )

If you have some glitter glue or Stickles, you can add a little to the center of the flower to give it some additional “shine”.

Attach your flower to a popsicle stick using glue or other strong adhesive. A hot glue gun works the best! You can glue strips of paper to the sticks in case you want to have the flower stems show or you can leave them plain…it’s your choice! Tie a 5”-6” piece of ribbon around the top of the stem to add that little flair.

Arrange your flowers in the jar. Save one flower from the arrangement and use it for the front of the jar. Just stick the stem of the flower under the knot on the jar. Use adhesive to hold it to the jar if needed.

Write on a 4”x4” card a “definition sheet” explaining what each “flower” says about you. Punch a hole in a corner of the card and tie it onto the flower.

Makes a PERFECT gift when you need to introduce yourself and you just don’t know if you can do it!



Products I used:

Chipboard (medium thickness)
Bo Bunny’s Vicki B collection
Miscellaneous ribbons and buttons from MM

The Artist:

HI! I’m Michele and I love to make a mess of my craft room on a daily basis! No really….I love to play in my crafting playground. I started playing 12 years ago with cheap cardstock and a pair of scissors. I cut out EVERYTHING! I couldn’t afford much back then so I had to do what I could with what I had. Today, I push myself to be as creative as I can be and have even gone outside the proverbial box and it’s been so much fun! I love to make cards and lately I have fallen in love with making paper flowers. I also like to find anything in my home that needs a little “pick-me-up” and alter it. My brain is always working and always thinking of different things to make!!

I joined Crop Chocolate’s design team a little over a year ago and I simply love what I have learned about myself. I have made some AMAZING and lifelong friends through Crop Chocolate…Thank you!!!

I do work outside of the home as the Accounting Manager for a major plumbing supply company and have been there 14 years. I have an amazing husband, David, and two beautiful daughters, Sheridan who is 15 and Hannah who is 9. We also have a boxer/coonhound mix (Molly) and two cats (Crookshanks and Akeelah). We ARE a happy family! J

DeeDee's June Feature

The Project:



Product list:

Euphoria collection pack by BasicGrey
Rhinestone Brads by Making Memories
Miracle Tape by Viva Las Vegastamps!
Twine
Distress Ink
Cork
Brown pen
Mini Eyelets

Instructions:



--------For all paper cutting refer to sketch above---------

PIECE A - From one piece of paper cut a 6" x 11&1/2" square (this will be the outside base) (I used a Pink on Pink pattern from Euphoria)
---On one end cut your diagonal corners off.. Come in 1&1/2" on the long side.. and come in 2" on the short side

PIECE B - From a coordinating piece of paper cut a 5&3/4" x 11&1/4" (This will be the main pattern on the outside of the box) (I used a green on pink pattern from Euphoria)
---On one end cut your diagonal corners off.. Come in 1&1/2" on the long side.. and come in 2" on the short side (Same as before on PIECE A)

PIECE C (x2) - Cut 2 squares.. 3"x3" (I used the SAME pink on pink as PIECE A) and score at half inch increments - fold ACCORDION STYLE

Do any distressing, inking, stamping etc you'd like (leave embellishing and 3D work for later)

Adhere PIECE B on top of PIECE A -- Patterns Up!!!

Flip over your paper so the white or back is showing.. and measuring from the short uncut edge of PIECE A score and fold at 4 inches, 5 inches, 9 inches, and 10 inches (All from the FLAT SHORT edge that has NOT had the corners cut) Crease and make sure your folds are nice and sturdy! Your flap should fold out and over the edge of your box to create a closure!

Here is a brief video on how to make a vintage envelope tie:



After your tie is complete you can now close your box with PIECE C! make sure any inking, stamping and or distressing is done! Attach with your favorite tape or glue, making sure the pattern is facing OUT. I put the bottom of the accordion as close to the bottom of the envelope as possible, leaving a small opening at the top for easier insertion of recipe cards and notes!

Then gather and adhere matching embellishments as desired! Alpha and title plate from the Euphoria collection, rhinestones from Making Memories

About the Artist:

I'm a 24 year old stay at home mom who gets to share her life with "The One." My husband is a few years older than me, and is everything I could ever ask for. We were recently blessed with a sweet little bundle of joy who has turned out to be the perfect topping to our wonderful life sundae! I have a bachelor's degree in Industrial Design and I love playing with all mediums, exploring all avenues, and creating all things. I firmly believe life should be enjoyed, and try my best every day to bring a little joy to someone else's life.

Jennifer's June Feature

The Project:



The Video:



The Instructions:

I used my Facebook status update collage from 2010 and printed it as an image. I then used Echo Park cardstock (pink) and placed it behind a MM 5th Avenue patterned paper. The pink shows through the flowers. I matted the picture on Black cardstock. I cut a strip of black cardstock for the bottom, and used a martha Stewart Punch to punch it for the border. Then I cut a 3 inch x 12 inch black cardstock for the title backing. I used MM glitter stickers for the title. Then I created my own bakery string to match and tied it around my picture before I stuck it all down. I love the bakery string look, and I really love making my own, cause I can make any color that I need now.

The Artist:

"My name is Jennifer, thought I am known online a lot as 'Moon'.
I am a married, Stay at home Mom, who lives in Florida. I love anything bright and loud!
I love scrapbooking everyday moments that happen within my family."

Jamie's June Feature

The Project:

The Video:

The Instructions:

I used 12x12 Springtime Collection Pack by Echo Park for all of the paper as well as the Scrapbook Tool Kit by Making Memories to cut the paper to fit the frame.

Instructions:

1. Cut a sheet of paper the exact size of the frame front (this frame is a $1 frame from Michaels).
2. Apply decoupage glue to the front surface of the frame (apply a very thin coat otherwise the paper will wrinkle).
3. Place paper on top of the glue and let sit for 15 min.
4. Cut the center of the frame out with the xacto knife from the tool kit.
4. Cut strips the width of the frame edge.
5. Apply decoupage glue to the edges of the frame.
6. Place paper on top of the glue and let sit for 15 min. again.
7. Sand edges of the paper along the frames edges to smooth as desired.
8. Ink edges as desired.
9. Cut 6 circles of various sizes out for the flowers, distress and glue together.
10. Embellish frame as desired.

The Artist:

"I generally have to squeeze my crafting in when I can because I have a husband, dog, and two little girls. I also gravitate towards simpler designs so this works in my favor. I have just gotten into paper crafting over the last two years and I love it!!!"

Alissa's June Feature

The Project:

The Video:

The Instructions:

1. Lay out basic elements like photo mats and stitching.
2. Choose a mask or design your own. I used the Gyspy. Punches, MM Slice, and other digital die cutters would also work.
3. Adhere mask with magnets or temporary adhesive.
4. Shake glimmer mist and spray. Let dry before removing the mask.
5. Rub off temporary adhesive.
6. Add pictures, embellish, and journal.

About the LO:

I could have gone with the trendy shabby chic, flowery fabulousness... or even dark and mysterious with lots of fun TH techniques. It would have been a great opportunity to move outside of my usual style. However, I don't exude shabby chic-ness and I'm not mysterious. I'm something of a clown and a kid magnet. I chose Nerdy Bird by Sassafras since I'm a nerd and a music teacher. I used my kiddie embellishments because I sing, dance, crawl on the floor all day, and thrive on silly jokes. I included a quote about being a mother because it is my most favorite job ever. My little boy took that picture last summer when he was four years old and I thought he captured me perfectly.

The Artist:

I started scrapbooking and making cards in 2007. I was dragged kicking and screaming to a silly Stampin' Up party... I was HOOKED! My stash began in an orange, plastic bin and has since grown into a well stocked studio.