The Odd Whimsy

For this year I have been challenging to use up my scraps of paper.  I have a HUGE collection of Graphic 45, which I keep all my scraps organized by collection. For this card I used some of my Gilded Lily scraps. The great thing is I was also able to use up some of my small jewel scraps. The butterfly is cut and embossed from a Tim Holtz die.  After I placed the "Thank You" on the card, I couldn't figure out how to place the butterfly without it looking like it was just thrown on there. So I cut a small tag from the collection to give it a mat. It really made this piece stand out! Thanks for stopping by! -Altina

So it's that awesome time of the year when Graphic 45 has their design team auditions! So my name is Altina Robinson, and I am 24 years old from Springfield, MO. I was introduced to Graphic 45 when I was I believe 16, and the Steampunk Debutante collection was phasing out (I have both the 12x12 and the 8x8 in my stash.) I have been into arts and crafts since I was a little kid, and was introduced to paper crafting when I was about 15. It started out with scrapbooking, which turned into card making, which turned into art journaling, and well, you get the point. So for my first project I found a Tim Holtz mini clipboard at Michaels and knew I HAD to do something with it. So for this project I used the new Voyage Beneath the Sea collection. I love this collection ( I LOVE steampunk) and I love all the bright colors. For my second project I made a birthday card with Botanical Tea for a friend. I am a bit obsessive about my scraps, so I have them all organized by c...

So I recently gotten into jewelry making. I have discovered I really love making pendants with resin using the graphic 45 paper.  I love just making quick and simple necklaces. I tend to save all my paper scraps, so this is a great project for all those pieces that you might normally throw away. Thanks for stopping by! -Altina

 So I have a great love of flea markets, and thrift shops. They are my favorite places to find things to alter. But my favorite thing to go scouring for is old bottles. I have quite the collection of old bottles, that I have collected over the years. About a month ago I added four small bottles that I found on historic C-Street in Springfield. I have had these bottles sitting on my computer desk since I got them. I got to thinking about how I altered a bottle for an altered bottle swap a few years ago, and it made me want to do a little something with these. I decided to use a mix of the Graphic 45 collections Rare Oddities, Olde Curiosity Shoppe, and Steampunk Spells. I used a 7 Gypsies library drawer that I had in my stash, and some Tim Holtz drawer feet. I used some paper from the rare oddities paper to cover the box, and then I painted the inside black.   I used some chipboard for the front of the box from olde curiosity shoppe, and I fussy cu...

So I have been attempting to use my scraps, and also get of my my anxiety issues when it comes to using my discontinued Graphic 45 collections. I have two of the small 6x6 Ladies Diary pads that were available for a short time at Michaels craft stores. I really adore the image from the title page in the pad, in fact I used it a couple of years ago for an altered canvas. I made an A2 sized card using some scraps from the 12x12 pad and the image from the 6x6 pad for this lovely card. I like simple cards that showcase one or two things. In my mind the image speaks for itself. I also added some scrap jewels and a fabric flower that I had in my stash. I love making cards because it helps me use up some of my smaller scraps. For more cards you can check out my Etsy shop, Redcroft. Thanks for stopping by! -Altina R.

 Welcome to my blog, The Paper Lover! I am a self proclaimed paper addict, my favorite paper line being Graphic 45. I love how versatile all their papers are, and how I can use them for anything at all. I started out scrapbooking at the age of sixteen. I am now twenty-three, and I have since discovered tag making, cards, canvas, and fixing up old things I find at thrift stores. Thanks for stopping by! -Altina This box was one I found at a local goodwill for $3.00. It begged to be updated with the gorgeous Birdsong paper. I also made a paper fan to go inside. This card I made using some scraps I had from the Once Upon a Springtime line. I made this canvas as a going away gift for a friend.    This tag was made using Botanical Tea, and I custom hat pin that I made. This was pinned to Graphic 45's Pinterest board. This layout was one I did as a featured designer for Sketchnscrap.com This memo board was another thrift store find. I had to completely redo th...

Hello all! So I decided to  try something a little different today. I have been fascinated by wax seals, but I never been able to find one I liked. So I decided to make my own!! I found several stamps from Graphic 45 that I liked, and thought would work well. I carefully pressed the stamps into the clay, and then made a handle for the large one (the whole image was used on purpose, but I only used a section of it to show the finished product) and rolled the excess clay into a shape I could hold with the other. I baked the clay according to the directions  (I used the Sculpey brand in white from Hobby Lobby).  I let them cool, and used them with sealing wax. Thanks for stopping by! - Altina