Opening Day Fun

     
This spring my niece, Jennifer & her husband, Matt and I attended Opening Day for the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.  We left early so we would arrive in time for the Opening Day Ceremonies.  Ha!  It took us over an hour to find parking, and 20 minutes to walk to the field after parking the car.  The lines to get into the stadium wrapped around the building from all directions.  Luckily we were directed to the south east gate where we got through the gates  fast and easy, grabbed our hotdogs and our seats with 3 minutes to spare for the start of the game. Missing Opening Ceremonies!  This was the 2nd time I've attended Opening Day and I still haven't seen any of the Opening Day Ceremonies. I think next time I go to Opening Day  I'm taking the train.  Maybe then I'll get to see the Ceremonies. 

                                         

 Even though we missed the Opening Ceremony, we had a fantastic time and a win!  I took lots of pictures with my new camera and got some fun pictures considering we were sitting in the right field stands where if we were lucky enough, we might catch a home run or might have if we'd remember to bring a mitt with us.

Wanting to use as many pics as possible, I decided to play with my  new Spellbinder die Contemporary Squares.  As Mariner's colors are some of my favorite, I knew I had to use their colors in the layout and had so much fun coming up with this design. 

After looking at stack of die cuts on the teal colored paper,  I realized they could be easily linked together to form a border around the  paper and the small squares were just the right size to put pictures in of different events throughout the game such as the Welcome sign, Kings Court, different players, Cruz hitting the ball and of course pictures of us.  


Thanks to my trusty Xyron 2.5 and 5" Create a Sticker stations, it was easy to apply adhesive to each die cut and then attach it to the papers creating a border on the outside edge.  Then using the1.5" Create a Sticker I adhered adhesive to the backs of 1" punched squares of different scenes  from the game.

 

I added pictures in the center along with some baseball stickers that have been in my stash for several years along with Teresa Collins white enamel dots to create the illusion of baseballs around the outside of the design.  I cut the team logo off the  packaging that held an Opening Day Pin and used that as the capital O in the title.  Notice in these invidual pages that even the 1" pictures show lots of details while being highlighted in each square. 
                                                                             

I had so much fun with this design that I used it again for the baseball pictures from our Mother's day trip to the game with another double layout with reversed colors  (Teal on Navy) and a single layout using a totally different design. But that's for another blog  day.  

Love how this layout came together  showcasing our day at the ball park. 

Till we craft again!
                Crafty Aunt Dee







Supplies:  Spellbinders Contemporary Square Die, Xyron 1.5, 2.5 and 5" Create a station,  Xyron Mega Runner, Teresa Collins Enamel Dots, Recollections Navy & Teal Papers and unknown baseball stickers.                                        

Creating Recycled Pen Storage

      Ever find that you save things because you know that you can "re-use" or "re-purpose" it.  I do that all the time.  From  juice containers to cardboard boxes.   As I was cleaning my craft room  (actually, trying to find not only the top of the desk, but the floor), I found all these wonderful  empty powdered juice containers so I decided it was time to use them.

      As I've been unemployed for the last 8 months and buying pen storage was out of the question, I wanted to see if I could create storage (from my stash of crafting goodies) for my alcohol pens out of these containers and a cardboard box.  Time to expand my horizons and see if I could come up with fun storage that looks good on my desk.

  

 I started with a plain cardboard shipping box  about 6 X 12. Slightly askew, but in good shape and 10 juice containers that I cut  down about 1" so the pens would stick out of the container.

 

         The tubes were than added to a cardboard box with spacers glued between each tube  which I raised at a very slight angle so the pens won't fall out when you pull them out.  As you can see, I forgot to straighten and level the box, but as it was for  me and  I was playing and trying something new, it didn't matter if it was a bit crooked.

 

 Then I ran my favorite Graphic 45 paper "Typography" through the 5" Xyron Creative Station  to attach the papers to the box.  1/2" trims were created for the edges of the box using chip-board, the reverse side of the Typography Papers and  my Xyron 1.50 Create a Sticker and I added a set of Tim Holtz's metal feet to the bottom of the box.

After the glue dried on the feet, I created a facing for in between the containers.  Using a piece of plain white typing paper, I impressed the front of the box to determine placement of the containers. I then laid the outline on my G-45 papers and cutout the ovals and added that paper to the front of the box.

  

I cut out several of the designs from the  different Typography pages.  A coloring box, pens, inks, calligraphy nibs,  quotes and more. I ran
 the cuts through the  Xyron 2.5  and 150 so they could be attached as embellishments on the box.   Both sides of the box were decorated with one side full of quotes and the other side with writing utensils.   To finish it off, I  attached a #2 pencil to the top of the box.
 
                     


I also recycled several metal spice containers that I sprayed with gold paint and covered with  more Typography papers to make them look like books similar to those shown on this Graphic 45 Tutorial.  These became  holders for my Calligraphy, Journaling and Gel pens  and I am in the process of making several  more holders for tools, scissors, and whatever else I my need on the desk. 










I am very happy with how this recycling  project went and how great it looks sitting  on my desk and how much fun it was to create. Such a great way to start out the year with a clean craftroom and desk.

 Until we craft again!

 

Crafty Aunt Dee

 



Products used: Xyron 5" Creative Station, 2.5 Sticker Maker and 150 Sticker Maker, Graphic 45 Typography papers, Petaloo Flowers, Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Pens,  and Glossy Accents.