We All Need To Wag More

I'm excited to bring you my final project for the Unique Laser Designs team.  I have been guest designing for a couple of months now and I have been inspired and left speechless by the beautiful creations put together by the other ladies on this time.  They are certainly a wonderfully talented group!

The first time I reviewed the Unique Laser Designs catalog of products there was one piece that immediately caught my eye.  It's the Unique Laser Designs Wag More Bark Less die cut.  I love this saying and the way these simple words are designed are too cute to pass up.  For for my last project, I knew I needed to feature this product.

Here's what the MDF die cut looked like before I started to work my magic.

While the piece looks amazing in its natural state, I choose to paint the words black and use it in combination with one of the newer Graphic 45 lines, "Raining Cats and Dogs".

I purchased this bare frame for a dollar and then covered it with a patterned paper and embellishments from G45.  I then added the Unique Laser Designs Wag More Bark Less piece to the top.  

This inspiring saying fits perfect with this classy line from G45.  I plan to give the frame as a gift to a friend that just rescued a middle-aged Lab from our local animal shelter. 

I hope you are inspired by this project and it gives you a chance to get your fingers a little inky! 

Stay Scrappy My Friends,

P.S. And, remember to wag more and bark less!!!

Christmas Greetings to Ring In The Holidays

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!  Renee Robbins from Scrap Owl back with you today to share some warm Christmas greetings.  It's exciting to be back here with you and finally reveal the second creation I made using the Unique Laser Designs Snow Globe - Bell die cut.

As you may remember, I shared my snow globe shaker card last month. I started out with a chipboard version of the Unique Laser Designs Snow Globe - Bell.  I cut out the bell and ribbon from the interior of the snow globe in order to use it as the foundation of the shaker.  However, with a design this beautiful, there is no way I was going to let the bell and ribbon go to waste!

I know what you're thinking.  "How could she cut it apart?!?"  Yes, I know.  This piece is beautiful as one complete image, but sometimes you need to think outside the box - or in this case, snow globe.  There are so many different ways to use these incredible designs and I love being able to come up with something new.

So, here's what I did with the ribbon and bell.  Does it measure up to your expectations?  Have I earned back your trust after cutting the design apart?  I sure hope so!! This clean and elegant Christmas card will be going to my Grandmother who I know will love it.

I used Ranger Gold Alcohol Ink to color the bell.  Those alcohol inks just add the perfect amount of shine to the Unique Laser Designs chipboard.  I then used my Imagine Crafts Lady Bug Memento Marker to shade in the ribbon.  I layered the ink from the marker until I got just the look I was searching for, and then applied a sprinkling of sparkle embossing powder.

Let me know what you think of the card and my choice to cut the bell and ribbon out from the snow globe.  Do you think that the two cards justify the alteration?  Either way, my hope is that these cards get you thinking about how you could use these amazing designs on your next project!

Stay Scrappy My Friends!

Winter Getting You Down? Shake It Off!

Brrrrr!  Hello everyone, it's Renee from Scrap Owl back with today's creation inspiration!

The snow is starting to stick on the ground and I'm none too happy about it. See, even living in northern Illinois I can admit that winter is not something I look forward to.  Yes, we have snowmobiling, and sled mountains, and ice skating, but we also have cold.  Bone chilling cold. Why can't we have all the fun and none of the cold?  Well, my project today, I did just that!

Snow Globe Shaker Card

I created my snow globe shaker card using the the Snow Globe - Bell die cut.  This particular die cut was made from chipboard, but it is also available in the medium density fiberboard (MDF).  I used a tip that I gleaned from Kisha Walton during our Scrap Owl Podcast interview where she told me that you can stretch your Unique Laser Design pieces by cutting them up.  It got me thinking.... "do you wan to build a snow globe?"

By cutting out the bell inside the globe, I now have two pieces that I can use for my cards or layouts.  Additionally, it opened up space to make a shaker card!  If you haven't seen these yet, they are extremely popular right now.  I actually had the chance to talk with Paulina Nakamura from Pretty Pink Posh who, some say, is the mother of the shaker card movement.

I primed the snow globe with some white paint for the globe part and some black paint for the base.  I then went back and added a coat of Imagine Crafts Clear Creative Medium for shine.  On the bottom, I only applied the medium, but on the top I mixed in some subtle sparkle.

To make this shaker card, I stamped a sentiment on top of a piece of vellum and attached that to the underside of the chipboard snow globe.  Then I applied foam tape to the back of the chipboard to make the snow globe pop off the page a bit.  This step is crucial for a shaker card.  You need to give the sequins enough space to wiggle and jiggle.

For this card I used Paulina's Marshmallow sequins.  They have just the right amount of shine to mimic snow.  I flattened them into a small group and then attached the snow globe right on top of them.

For the base of the card, I used the a-side of Merry Christmas from Moxxie's Happy Pawlidays collection. I also stamped some small snowflakes around the snow globe and embossed them with a pearl shine.

I simply love the way this card came out and hope you do, too!  Also, I'm looking forward to sharing with you what I do with the bell that originally came with the snow globe!!  Stay tuned!!

Stay Scrappy My Friends,

Mmmmm! Lunch With Max

Well, howdy there new friends!  It's Renee Robbins here from Scrap Owl with today's blog post.  I'm so excited that I get to hang out with the sweet folks over here at uniQue Laser Designs for a couple of months.  They have already been super gracious and all of the projects I have seen have been incredibly inspiring.

I've had a great time working with the various products I received from uniQue Laser Designs.  Once I got started playing with the wood and cork embellishments I just couldn't stop!  For this post, I wanted to share this sweet layout I completed of my beautiful nephew... well, he's beautiful in one photo, but a messy little monster in the other.  Ha!

Making A Messy Masterpiece

So, as a proud Aunt, I have to confess that the title of this section is really about my nephew and not the layout, but using the pieces from uniQue Laser Designs certainly helped elevate my page to the next level.  To create it I used the Large Wacky Mmmmm  as the title.  The foundation is cork and I didn't do anything extra to it since it was simply perfect the way it was.  But, when I splattered my Pear Tart irRESISTible texture spray, the title did happen to get a little coating.  All part of the fun, I say!

However, in addition to the title, I also used wood Splats to dress up the page.  The Splats come in a 6 splat set, but I only needed to use four of them for the optimal effect.  Plus, this way I have two more for another project!!

To dress up my splats, I heat embossed them using Recollections Pearl Embossing Powder.  The clear shine that the pearl provides to the wood gives it an almost translucent metallic look.  Depending on the way the light hits the Splat, you can see the wood grain or it looks silver.  Certainly a cool effect.

Just a Few More Details

Also on this layout, I used Pink Paislee's Solstice Bora Bora patterned paper for the foundation, Studio Calico's South of Market Lettuce, Turnip the Beet for the circle, Pebbles' Jen Hadfield Homemade 1905 Pine for the banner, and Chickaniddy Crafts' Scrumptious for the stripes and journaling stickers. 

I hope you like the layout!  I look forward to showing you my next uniQue Laser Designs project.  In the meantime, take a gander at the inspiration offered up by the other marvelous ladies on the team.  And, feel free to stop by my site for a visit!   If you're into scrapbooking podcasts, we've just released episode 40!! :)

Stay Scrappy My Friends,

A Proper Introduction...

Happy Saturday, Everyone !

As you know, we recently closed the guest designer call, and briefly introduced our new guest designers.  

I'd like to let you get to know them a little better, so here are a few words from each designer.



Elizabeth Brown Pipkin

Pinterest

Hello everyone! I’m Elizabeth and I have been married to my husband, Kenneth, for 32 years and have two sons, Sam and Dan, ages 22 and nearly 20. We reside near Cashmere, Washington.  I’m so excited to be a Guest Designer for Unique Laser Designs. I have enjoyed all sorts of crafting since my youth, including photography, sewing, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, cross-stitch, and all sorts of handmade crafts! I took up scrapbooking and paper crafting in about 2006 after being encouraged to do so by my best friend, who also purchased my first scrapbooking kit for a birthday gift. I was very reluctant to take it up because, at first, I felt intimidated by it, but once I got going I can't seem to stop! I also enjoy card making and at times incorporate my photography into cards as well as scrapbook layouts. My technique work and style has increased dramatically since joining Scrapbook.com and being inspired by so many wonderfully talented ladies since 2010.

Renee Robbins

Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Welcome!  I am Renee and I am the force behind Scrap Owl, a scrapbooking site filled with projects, ideas, and even a paper crafting podcast.  I started scrapping in 1997 but only got seriously addicted when I discovered I was pregnant with my first child.  Thousands of pictures and another little one later, I wouldn't trade the feeling I get when my little ones look through our scrapbooks for all the chocolate and wine in the world. I love discovering new ways to use products and learning techniques that take my projects a step beyond what I thought possible. 

Martha Lucia Gómez

Blog / Instagram / YouTube / Twitter

Hi, I'm Martha Lucia, the Latin member on this incredible Design Team. I live in Miami, FL with my husband and our two daughters and I divide my time between my family, my work in a Public Relations Company and my passion, stamping and crafting. I love to create cards, 3D´s and altering different projects. This is why I am excited to be a Guest Designer for Unique Laser Designs and can´t wait to share with you this new experience.

Michele K. Henderson

Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Hello! I’m Michele, and I live just outside Tuscaloosa with my husband Aaron and our three feline sons, Felix, Max and Omar! They love to assist me as I create a little bit of everything: cards, tags, mail art, postcards, mixed media, book arts, lush organic designs filled with layers of paper and color. I’ve been creating my entire life and still learning new techniques every day. After years of travel and community organizing all over the world, I finally got married and recently graduated with my M.A. in Visual Communications. Roll Tide! When I’m not writing or in my crafting studio, I’m usually enjoying Crimson Tide football and Southern barbecue with my husband. I’m thrilled to be a part of Unique Laser Designs, and to create with such beautiful, detailed products. You can find more of my projects at Crimson Owl Creations. Live your life in color!

Introducing Our Newest Guest Designer

Happy Friday, everyone - I hope you all have some wonderful plans for this up coming weekend - CA is supposed to have some record highs for this time of year.   If you're in TX, experiencing the severe storms, please be safe !

I'm excited to share our newest guest designer, Renee Robbins !  

Renee is an active scrapbooker from Illinois, and has her own blog, a great Facebook community site and her own paper crafting podcast with some great interviews covering lots of different topics - a wealth of information for sure.

We are thrilled to have her on our team for the rest of this year and are super excited to see what she creates to inspire us all to go out and create !

Welcome, Renee !  :D

Just a reminder, our guest design team call is still open for a few more days, so if you'd like to apply, please send your application soon !

You can find all the info on our blog.

Happy Crafting !

Shilo