Graphic 45 Design Team 2012 Audition

What fun I've been having the past few weeks, secretly creating projects for the fabulous opportunity to audition for the Graphic 45 Design Team! If you've never heard of Graphic 45 I must ask you "where have you been?!" They carry some of the coolest, vintage-inspired paper-crafting products you can find. Full of deep color and richness, it's just plain yummy is all I can say. You can check out their blog here, and their website here.

The requirement for the first round is to submit at least six projects showcasing any of the following: cards, layouts, videos, and home decor projects. Using Graphic 45 products is not required, although preferred.

So let's get on with it then. (I'll warn you: this is a LONG post with tons of pictures) I am submitting the following six projects.


1. Halloween Card


This card utilizes Graphic 45's The Magic of Oz paper line. I had some fun mixing a few other embellishments in to create a fun and whimsical feel.



2. Christmas Accordion Album

This 6 x 6 table-top display accordion album utilizes Graphic 45's Christmas Emporium paper line and coordinating card stock die-cuts. When I say "yummy" I really mean it. I knew when I saw this paper in the local scrapbook store I immediately had to have it.



Inside view



Outside view.



Close-up 1




Close-up 2




Close-up 3




Close-up 4




Close-up 5




Close-up 6




Close-up 7



3. Altered Purse Tin


This project started with this fairly unattractive tin I found in the clearance section of my local craft store.



Using Graphic 45's Fashionista paper line and a variety of embellishments I had on hand, the tin was transformed into a pretty home decor piece. I just love the vintage images of the ladies. I swear I was supposed to be born in this era. It's me all the way.




Add some flowers and the tin has a whole new look!




Close-up 1




Close-up 2. Why the 48? Why not 45 for Graphic 45? 
(I promise to explain after I find out if I made the first round. So stay tuned.)



4. Altered Dress Form

My 4th project started with this papier-mâché dress form and unfinished wooden candle stick from my local craft store. I was already dreaming up what I was going to do...



Using Graphic 45's Tropical Travelogue papers and a few extra embellishments, I had fun creating this whimsical decor piece. A seamstress I am not, so I just gave the main piece of tropical paper a rough cut, spritzed it with water and started decoupaging it to the bodice. It took two pieces; one for the front and one for the back, and with enough patience and massaging, I was able to get it to conform pretty well.




The flower accents are cut from the paper and sparkled up with some Stickles. Artificial ferns help to accent the paper strips shooting up from the bodice, along with a single feather spritzed with color to match the theme.



This was the part I had in my head when I first purchased the dress form. I knew the Tropical Travelogue pack had a sheet full of these beautiful tropical leaves. So I sat down, put on the Food Channel and started cutting each and every one of those babies out and layered them onto the bottom of the dress. Adhesive pearls in shades of gray cover the seam and add some glitz.



5. Cruise Scrapbook Layout

(Be sure to click on this photo to get a good look at all the details)
I couldn't wait to start scrapbooking the cruise I took with friends back in the fall, and I knew that Graphic 45's Tropical Travelogue paper was the perfect choice for my experience in the Eastern Caribbean. Not only is the paper beautiful, but the coordinating chipboard die-cuts are (I know I keep saying it but...) super yummy! I mean, what is it about scrapbook paper that makes us feel this way? And I know I'm not the only one. Right?



Close-up 1 shows off some of those pretty chipboard die-cuts which I adored with some twine.




The chipboard die-cut tropical tickets are connected on the sheet, but here I simply cut them apart, pierced a hole and reconnected them with twine for a border between my two photos.




These pretty vintage botanical-style postage stamps are on a full sheet of the 12 x 12 paper in this pack in various sizes. A little inking of the edges and some foam tape to pop them up and they become great little page embellishments.




I pulled in some of Graphic 45's Core-dinations card stock into the layout to create the page background, the photo mats and this fun fringe accent.



6. Altered Lunch Box & Grade School Mini Album

My final project started with this unfinished wooden lunch box from my local craft and hobby store.




Using Graphic 45's An ABC Primer paper line, I transformed it into a vintage style lunch box...




...which contains a coordinating School Days grade school album that is spiraled at the top to make a vertical style mini which measures 4 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches. 




The mini begins with a simple page to start off the "story" using a pocket pull-out for journaling.




Then continues through each grade level in elementary school. (In Florida our kids go K - 6). 




Grade 1




Grade 2




Grade 3




Grade 4



Grade 5



Grade 6




One final look how the two projects look together.


If you made it this far into this post, I owe you a HUGE thank you for hanging in there. I would love to have your feedback and hope you enjoyed looking at the projects as much as I enjoyed creating them.


Have a fabulous weekend!


Comments

  1. Good luck Annette! Your work is fabulous!

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  2. These projects are incredible! I loved every single one. The best of luck to you!

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  3. Annette, these are amazing!! I think you are a shoe-in for this job! :) Good luck, my friend!

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  4. You should ace the first round with flying colors! Very clever and imaginative entries!

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  5. Wowwwwwwwww!! Your work is GORGEOUS! I loveeeee the altered lunch box!!! Good luck with the call!

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  6. Ohhh your pieces are just gorgeous!! Love the facelift you gave to that Tin. Good luck with the call!!

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  7. Fantastic, Annette! I love all the projects and I LOVE Graphic45.
    They're my favorite company, I don't think they have a product I don't like. Good luck, you certainly deserve to be part of their team!

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  8. Annette, if you don't pass round 1, and you don't get to design for Graphic 45, I certainly don't know who will. You have a fantastic talent! Good luck.
    My personal favorites? Every single one!

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  9. Beautiful artwork all of it! Good luck and I hope you make the DT.

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  10. I am in awe. These pieces are wonderful!

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  11. Oh, Annette, these are gorgeous creations! Good luck with the DT app. You've put forward a fantastic app!

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  12. fantastic projects Annette! I have to say I love the dress form - I started on a very similar leaf idea yesterday. Great minds think alike!

    Good luck!

    Cheers,
    Susan

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  13. I love them all!
    Good luck!
    Manu

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  14. Good luck, you certainly deserve a place on their design team. I'm unable to pick just one favorite, but love the lunch box and album...
    All your projects show imagination and expertise.

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  15. Fabulous artwork Annette!Love Graphic 45 and everything that you did with it. The details, the layers, the textures - great job! Good luck.

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  16. I love Graphic 45 also, especially their Steampunk papers (I love Steampunk more than I can ever put into words!) Your work is, as always, STUNNING!!!!! Good luck, this will give me even MORE reason to LOVE Graphic 45!!!

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  17. Another Graphic 45 fan here. May I say Wow, Wow, Wow on your audition creations. You went "all in" and who could ask for more? Competitions can lead to disappointment, and of course everyone reacts to art differently. Bon chance to you. Charlotte

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  18. Just wanted to say great job :) I thought for sure you were going to be one of the 30!! I'm licking my wounds but won't give up. There's always next year!

    Paula
    Mia Sogni Dolci

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  19. You're #1 thru 30 in my book ~ for sure!

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