Purple Onion Grab Bags

This is a good one guys....Purple Onion goodies up for grabs:

Limited quantity of grab bags are now available. They contain around 25 stamps of different styles & sizes. US$15.00 includes domestic shipping. International orders will run around US$22.00. You will need to give your address for the exact total.The grab bags are all very similar so there would be lots of duplicates if ordering more than one. However, they make great gifts or break them apart to send out RAKS to friends.The grab bags are not on the website.

If you would like to order them please:
-Email Michele at: michele@purpleoniondesigns.com
-Indicate quantity you would like to order
-Full name & shipping address
-Method of payment: check, money order or Paypal (please include Paypal email address)

Go go go!!!

Out with the Old, In with the New

The Old:

Art Journal class in April - this was fun. There was something very liberating about ripping apart a $24.90 book....haha. I am a closet vandal - anybody used to scribble on your school desk like me? Back then it was destruction of property - now it's art!!! Sorry you can't see li'l goldfish clearly....he's covered in glossy accents and my shoddy photography skills are not doing him any good...

I love see through things...

Absolutely agree with this quote! - Happy accidents (of which there were none for this book ironically...)

And the New...

June classes ready for booking....*And the seasons....they go round and round* (love this Joni Mitchell song).... I'm on to another cycle - got July projects brewing on my mind, so if you see me this week and I seem a little spaced out, you know why. haha.

Knock Knock Who's There?

Here's a mini album I designed for April class called "Knock Knock Who's There?"
and the inside...
Mini Album: "Home is where the Heart Is"
The cover is supposed to look like a door (hence the corny class name)....but somehow I think the 'vegetation' took over and you can't quite make out the door anymore....haha. Don't know why by I think my cover looks very 'hobbit' house like...

Necessity is the Mother of Happy Accidents:
Q: What happens when you don't have enough metal keyplates / keyholes to give to people in classs?
A: You engineer a happy accident and make one of your own!

Make Your Own Keyplate / Keyhole:
1. Find a chipboard circle/ small piece of chipboard.
2. Using your cropadile (or hole punch), punch one big hole in the chipboard, then one smaller hole below.
3. Using your craft knife, cut 2 slits joining the big hole to the little hole to try and make a keyhole shape
4. Emboss chipboard piece with metallic embossing powder and distress with ink - voila!

Just thought you'd like to know....the original chipboard covers I was assigned had pink and white polka dots on them....bleagh! So I covered them all up with cardstock and used the inside of the cover (which had nice woodgrain on it) instead - haha!

And before I go, here's a cute joke my son told me which seems to fit today's theme:

Knock Knock.
Who's there?
Peas
Peas who?
Peas to meet you!
(trust me, its very cute when he says it)

My Mind is Officially Blown

This is so so cool....just had to share it.Paper Forest did a feature on Yulia Brodskaya.....this woman's work just blows my mind I tell you.... Check out her brilliant artwork! - I am a big fan of typography and paper - so....*drool*....*envy*....*sigh*....dream on Sharon.

Who knew quilling could be so cool?

Kraft Singles

Two kraft coloured single page layouts for Purple Onion - I am thinking I like kraft coloured cardstock almost as much as white.
Layout Title: "Bowtie Buddies"
Purple Onion Stamps: Broken15alpha, Circle Set I (smile)

Thought you might like to know...
1. I was inspired by Ronda's layout - she so great with background textures and unique photo combinations.
2. I couldn't (still can't) bear to cut the alpha stamps up (they came in one giant almost A4 sized sheet) because it was really fun inking it in different colours to create the background. Feel like doing a rainbow version next...
3. The big "B" was made from scratch - I put a my sheet of red 10 Seconds Studio metal sheet through the corrugator - nice texture...
4. The "smile" + crepe paper is supposed to look like a bowtie (hmm...but somehow ended up looking like a sweet...)
5. The colours in these photos were quite yucky but I luurve their expressions, so I did some photoshopping and made them black and white with only the bow tie red, then printed them out on transparency - quite like the result.

The best bit: The fact that my hubby's wearing his bowtie too - gotta love a Papa who's game for a bit of clowning around.


Layout Title: "Blossoming"
1. Purple Onion Stamps: Ornamentals Set, Brocante Set (butterfly),

No discoveries....no accidents - I just like how this turned out

Happy weekend everyone! I'll be doing a little 'experimenting' in the kitchen this weekend - let's hope there are no 'accidents' - I somehow don't think cooking 'accidents' are quite so happy...not when you have to eat it....haha

Experiments and Explosions!

Layout Title: "With You, Everyday is an Adventure"
I certainly had an adventure with this one...

Experiment: (a.k.a. Happy on-purpose accident)
Sharon's (twisted?) thought process:
1. Hmm....now what can you mix with acrylic paint to make it more rough, more lumpy, more bumpy? How about:
- glitter powder - check
- UTEE - check
- Wax pellets - check
2. Now let's try painting it all over the background.... mmmmm, nice and sandy.....
3. Taking too long to dry....let's heat it......
4. Oooh....now the UTEE is melting and making little brown dots in the paint..... and now the wax is melting, leaving nice 'burst' pimples on the surface.
5. Mmmm.....good....
6. Note to self.... next time maybe I'll mix in some real dirt....or rice....or sesame seeds....or....Bwahhahahaha (evil scientist laugh)

Favourite Bits:
1. The exploded 'holes' with twill and rope in them
2. The ice cream sticks behind the word 'every'

Was actually thinking that this would have made a very cool pirate-themed page....

Happy Mother's Day everybody! Don't forget to hug the ones who made it possible!

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved by You

Layout Title: "Sweet"
This entire layout was designed around the stamps (super cute baking theme ones from Crafty Secrets)
Sharon was being Super Corny because she...
1. put doilies in the background
2. made a 'Menu' for the journaling
3. tried to find red checkered paper for the background ( like a picnic blanket) but had to settle for this one cos it had enough sheets to use for class
4. found a picture of daughter eating
5. found cake / chocolate pictures to cut out
6. Put the word "sweetie" below her daughter's picture because that's also her nickname
7. Contemplated making brown chocolate stain's on the paper for authenticity but decided against it for hygiene reasons. (actually on hindsight, a little brown paint wouldn't have been a bad idea...haha)

And speaking of sweet....

Sharon's family is very sweet because....
1. Her husband kept the kids from bothering her and let her go to bed early because she was super sleepy.
2. Her kids kids drew pictures and made lovely cards for her which they left under her pillow while she was sleeping.

Ah......soooooo sweet.

Also Sweet is....
1. The Make & Takes going on this weekend at Laine's (starts today, ends Sunday)
2. The Great Scrapbooking Sale VIP event going on at the end of the month (29 - 31 May)

You guys coming over?

Teal Appeal

Something about this colour (teal) just appeals to me.... Layout Title: "Beth @ 7"
You might like to try:

1. Making your own 'metallic embellishments (see the metallic looking strips with 'flowers'): Its fun to use up your old chipboard shapes by gluing them onto thin chipboard sheets and then wrapping the whole thing with aluminium foil (or in my case foil tape stolen from hubby's workshop). Work it gently into the creases to get clear shapes, then decorate metallic strips with ink, paint, glitter etc.) Bet this works with die cuts too - but maybe not so 'pop'.

2. Making glittery glossy accents: For the Number 7, I covered a chipboard number with glossy accents, then while it was still wet, sprinkled glitter on it. Left it to dry then shook off the access - quite nice. Same could be achieved with Stickles / glitter glue I suppose....but you know me....gotta find the harder way to do things - haha.

'Teal' next time....! Have a great week ahead

National Scrapbook Day Sale and giveaway!

Hey hey, check out the National Scrapbook Day Sale at Purple Onion! This is your chance to pick up some of those lovely purple onion stamps you've been eyeing - especially those Alphas!
And Michele, being the wonderful lovely generous soul that she is, is also having a giveaway too!

Check it out here.

Happy Scrappy Day!