Life's a Journey

A Challenge and a chance to win some new Bisous!!

tristanngraves — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:41:18 +0000

I have a challenge for you!! Since I really love the products by Bisous I want to share my love with you. Make something (layout, card, altered item, etc) using any product by Bisous. Leave a comment here with a link to your creation so everyone can see it. On Saturday, March 21st, I will draw a random name from all the entries and the winner will receive some of the new Bisous product from me. You’ll get items from these lines: Grace, Rad, Hot, Crave, Shabby, and Yum!

So let’s see those creations. You have a little over two weeks to post your creations. Multiple entries are welcome!!

Here’s another one of my creations from my A Cherry on Top Reveal as inspiration.

New Me

I can’t wait to see what you create.

I Bisous…so can YOU! – A Cherry on Top Reveal featuring Bisous PDQ

tristanngraves — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:56:15 +0000

Two of the biggest obstacles facing scrapbooks are 1) a lack of time and 2) a lack of money. So often we see beautiful layouts with lots of intricate layers and details. And while we admire these creations most of us don’t have the time to create such detailed designs or the money to buy all the supplies needed.

Well I have the perfect answer for you. Bisous, pronounced (b-zoo), has the product for you. Their PDQ™ lines, with pre finished scrapbook papers will eliminate these obstacles but leave you with pages that have all the intricate details and the look of layers you desire without the cost or time. Attach your photos; add some journaling and your done. From beginner scrapbookers to seasoned veterans, the PDQ™ lines have something for everyone. Weather you just add photos, build on the foundation to create your personal style, or cut the papers into pieces, you’ll find you have endless possibilities with the PDQ™ lines by Bisous.

Go from this paper:

Hot Paper 3

to this completed layout in minutes.

My Place

Here I used Side B of Hot Paper 3. After attaching my photo, I added chipboard for the title and as a few embellishments. I completed my journaling, and added a few rhinestones to the stars surrounding the heart.

Tip: To add some more dimension and make the designs on the paper pop, I traced around some of the designs with coordinating markers and black Sharpie pens.

Click here to see the complete article and more examples using Bisous at A Cherry on Top. You can also watch this site over the next few days for more examples using Bisous.

Capture the Moment with Love Letters – A Cherry on Top Reveal featuring the Love Letters collection from A Little Yellow Bicycle

tristanngraves — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:53:25 +0000

Little Yellow Bicycle has taken the best of what you love with their Love Letters Collection. It’s a lavish collection of saturated pinks, reds, greys (the new go-to neutral) that’s sprinkled with just the right amount of velvet and clear accents. There are vintage inspired details that have a modern sensible approach. Are you looking for a Contemporary or Romantic collection? Well the Love Letters Collection is both. Not only can you document those romantic events, you can showcase everyday moments with this collection. Check out the clear shapes and frames, velvet accents, decorative edged papers, epoxy, stamps and more…It’s all here! You will love every day with Little Yellow Bicycle!!

Here’s just a few of the projects I created with these “lovely” products: Continued at A Cherry On Top.

Here’s a quick, little Valentine’s Day gift I made for my mom. Instead of just sending a photo for her to hang on the refrigerator, I altered a magnetic frame. The reds from the Love Letters Collection added great contrast to our photo that a lot of black in it. As a finishing touch, I added some bling and a flower on the outside of the frame to give it some extra pizzazz.

Can you feel the love?

tristanngraves — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:21:22 +0000

See you there!!

February Photo Hunt

tristanngraves — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:59:13 +0000

Now that I’m back into the groove of things after my trip to CHA and Denver, I’m hosting another Photo Hunt at A Cherry on Top. For all the details and rules, check out this thread on the message board. For each photo that you upload to the ACOT gallery (in the February Photo Hunt folder) and link to February Photo Hunt thread, you’ll earn an entry into a drawing. The winner of the drawing will receive 150 ACOT points. The photo hunt is a fun way to get you to use your camera regularly and be creative. This is a great time to try new techniques with your photos, improve your photography skills, and get some great shots for your layouts.

February Photo List:

1. Romance
2. Cupid or a Cherub
3. Your Favorite Romantic Movie
4. Chocolates
5. Flowers
6. Conversation Hearts
7. Obsession
8. Something Velvet
9. Cuddly
10. Jewelry
11. Cherry Red
12. Boyfriend or girlfriend
13. Candlelight
14. Cake or cupcake
15. Wine glasses
16. Lips
17. A Valentine
18. Something you associate with Friday the 13th
19. Perfume or cologne
20. Love

If you have any questions let me know.

Color Your World – A Cherry on Top Reveal featuring Rouge de Garance lines from Sandylion

tristanngraves — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:07:05 +0000

“Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?” This is a line from the song Colors of the Wind from the Disney movie Pocahontas. I’ve always loved this line; it makes me think of all the color possibilities in nature and how the eye sees those colors in different light and circumstances. Colors can evoke feelings, soothe the soul, or awaken the body. We all have favorite colors, ones we turn to time and again. We’re also drawn to colors by our moods. From light to dark, vivid to subdued, our world is full of colors, and we each have our own perception of the colors we see.

Of course color is huge in the scrapbooking world. We pick papers to match photos, because they are a favorite color, or they represent a certain theme. But as you’re scrapping, take time to really look at different colors. Don’t always go for your old standbys. Different colors, intensities and styles can add life to your pages and convey feelings or suggest a story without words. From bright to subdued, look for colors that add to the story you’re trying to convey with your scrapbook page. Don’t be afraid to try to new colors and play with them to see how they can instantly change the feel of your page.

As I was looking for different colors to help me tell my stories on my scrapbook pages, I found these wonderfully colorful Rouge de Garance lines from Sandylion. During these past few winter months I’ve found I been yearning for bright, bold colors. I wanted colors that reminded me of spring, gave me a warm feeling, and relaxed me like a day at the beach. I found all of this with papers from Rouge de Garance. Continued at A Cherry On Top.

Happy Holidays Photo Hunt Winner

tristanngraves — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:24:51 +0000

The photos for my Happy Holidays Photo Hunt at A Cherry On Top were simply wonderful! I love Holiday Photos, they truly capture the magic in the air. The love and joy was apparent in so many of these photos. Thank you all for sharing them with us. I hope the hunt sparked your creativity and that you all got some great photos to use on your scrapbook pages. Now for the big announcement…

The lucky winner is:

Gypsymonkey (Diana)!!

Congratulations, you won 300 ACOT points!! Here is one of Diana’s photos:

Favorite Ornament by Gypsymonkey (Diana)

Stay tuned for details on the next Photo Hunt at A Cherry On Top.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Altered Candles using felt ribbon

tristanngraves — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 02:15:12 +0000

I love candles; they’re such a great accent to any decor. With the range in colors, styles, and smells it’s easy to find something that will match any personality and taste. This year I’ve been altering candles with scrapbook / paper craft materials and giving them as gifts. One of my favorite items to use on my candles is either Prima’s Voila! Felt or Queen & Company’s Felt Fusion. Both the felt from Prima and Queen & Company are self-adhesive so they are very easy to use on the candles. With the intricate designs of the felt you can create candles that are simple yet elegant. For the first candle below I used the Swirly Snowflake Viola! Felt from Prima with a few blue rhinestones. I love the look of the black outline of the snowflakes on the icy blue candle.

For the second candle I used Black Scroll Felt Fusion from Queen & Company. Look at all those delicate swirls. For the finishing touch I added a few small pearls from Kaiser Craft.

If you’re looking for a great gift that’s easy to make try altering an candle with felt ribbon. The possibilities are endless.

TOOT!! – My Acrylic Album Design Team

tristanngraves — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:08:17 +0000

I’m extremely honored to be one of the new design members for My Acrylic Album. Check out the announcement here. As you can see the team is full of talented designers. I look forward to designing for such a wonderful company.

Check out their new December 2008 releases:

You can purchase these gorgeous albums here.

Tickled Pink for the Holidays – Featuring the Tinsel Town Collection from Pink Paislee

tristanngraves — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:59:22 +0000

I love the Holidays, there’s such a magical feeling in the air. Everywhere you look things sparkle and shine. Lights blink, tinsel shines and the town glows. The Tinsel Town collection from Pink Paislee has captured that magical feeling of the Holidays. As soon as I received the collection I was immediately inspired to make a Holiday collection of decorations and gift containers. What I especially love about the collection is the vintage and modern look of this collection. The swirls, lettering and prints give the creations a vintage look and feel, while the colors are very modern and hip.

Holiday Collection

Door Hanger

Candle

Gift Bag

Gift Card Tin

Holiday Wish Tin

Check out a summary of my design team reveal on the Cherry Bits Blog (a behind the scenes blog for www.acherryontop.com). You can see my complete article and the materials I used for my Tickled Pink collection at A Cherry On Top here.

May your Holiday Season be Jolly, Bright and Tinsel Town Pink!