Life – Helmar’s June Challenge

13 Jun 2011 11 Comments

by dlwidder in Scrapbook Layouts Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Helmar posted their first monthly challenge on their blog and I was really excited to see it! It’s a gorgeous sketch by DT member Lydell Quin! Well, I was a bit intimidated considering I wanted to make sure my project was Helmar-worthy for one, but also because when I think of Helmar’s fabulous adhesives, I think of Tracy Weinzapfel (who I didn’t find out until later that she’s the president of Helmar?!!) and when I think of Tracy, I think artsy artsy artsy! Pretty and artsy. Not exactly my comfort zone kinda stuff? Anyway, if you know Tracy, you know she’s a high-energy, you gotta try it, very inspirational, very motivational type of positive person, so I just HAD to do something that was outside of my norm.

When I looked at the sketch, I first thought of a photo of Christian I’ve been wanting to sketch, but the idea that formed wasn’t really do-able w/o being about the resize the photo, so I scratched that idea. Then I remembered that I’ve been wanting to scrap one of the last ultrasound photos of Christian…it was from a series that came out exceptionally clear and you could see his profile perfectly. The rest came to me immediately after, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it look the way I’d like. In order to create my layout, I had to flip and rotate the sketch. I replaced some of the floral details with Larry’s and my sketched hands, but still included a few close to the central image. I combined this challenge with one hosted by Becky (fellow DT member) on Sketches4All. Her challenge is to journal around your page and add one other technique she uses in the sample posted in the thread. Here’s what I came up with:

Here’s a close up of my sketching. I haven’t sketched a thing in years and have never taken a single class, so please excuse the amateur quality to it:

This is the fabulous Helmar sketch I got to work with:

This is how I flipped it to make it work for me:

Materials:

Lily Bee (Helmar Prefered Partner) This & That patterned paper (“pretty fabric”)
Core’dinations (Helmar Prefered Partner) G45 Core Impressions cardstock
American Crafts white cardstock
Prima flowers
Webster’s Pages Vintage Inspired Netting (original version)
Webster’s Pages Sparklers
Pink Paislee Cushies foam alphas
Pink Paislee (Helmar Prefered Partner) Artisan elements circle
Queen & Co. Rhinestones
Tattered Angels Shimmer mist (used to “paint” the bg paper, circle and alphas)
Distress Inks

Adhesives:

Helmar 450 Quick Dry
Helmar Gemstone Glue
Helmar Craft Glue

TFL!

Paper Secrets June Challenges Have Been Posted

01 Jun 2011 4 Comments

by dlwidder in Cards and Projects, Scrapbook Layouts Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Wow! May just flew by and there were so many gorgeous entries in our monthly challenges as well as the SYAO contest! If you haven’t seen them, be sure to stop by the gallery and check them out! 😀 With a whole new month comes another round of fabulous challenges! The Paper Secrets June challenges are up and ready for all you eager scrappers out there! 😀 The 4 challenges this month are a color challenge with a twist (add fabric or felt), a Pagemaps layout sketch, a manufacturer challenge (Bo Bunny) and a card sketch w/a twist (must use a stamped image). For the Pagemaps sketch, Kristi let me use my Pumpkin layout that I made for a sketches4all challenge in May since I’d also already used the sketch for the You Shine a Light layout that month too! The Bo Bunny layout I made is in my previous post using the Creative Scrappers sketch#154. Here’s my take on the color challenge (for the twist I used a fabric ribbon):

Materials:

Blank sketch book
Echo Park For the Record 12×12 papers
EP For the Record diecut stickers
Pro Art Gesso
Yellow ribbon from my stash

Adhesives:

Helmar 450 Quick Dry
Helmar Acid Free Glue
Helmar Zapdots

Here’s my take on the card sketch with a twist (the hearts and sentiment are stamped):

Materials:

Webster’s Pages 6×6 papers
WP Ladies and Gents diecut stickers
Kanban stamp for the sentiment
Fiskars stamps for the hearts
Archival Ink

Adhesives:

Helmar 450 Scrapdots to give the hearts and sentiment dimension
Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro PermaTac

Tools:

Making Memories circle punch
EK Success scalloped circle punch

TFL!

I {Heart} Helmar

26 Apr 2011 6 Comments

by dlwidder in product reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

A couple of days ago, I received the most incredible news!!! Keeping my mouth shut about it was really, REALLY hard! Who am I kidding? I blabbed about it to my bff and a couple of others that I knew would not tell a soul. I couldn’t believe the email I received and had to read it a few times before it really sank in. Tracy from HELMAR, you know, the company that makes the most incredible crafting adhesives imaginable, contacted me and let me know that I was being the opportunity to be a Guest DT for their blog!!! I STILL can’t believe it, but sure enough the GDT list that was posted this morning has me on the list! {still giddy over the news!}

In case you are not familiar with Helmar’s products, here’s a pic that shows a lot, but not all, of what they make:

They make high quality, scrapbook-friendly adhesives that really do what you would want/expect an adhesive to do…STICK! Some of their products are incredibly innovative and I haven’t come across anything I could possibly replace them with. I have no idea how I ever crafted with my Helmar!

Some of my favorite products made by Helmar:

450 Quick Dry – This is a thicker, clear liquid adhesive that works fabulously on ribbons and trims. Handmade flowers are a snap with this wonder! It also works with just about anything! You can use it on acryllic, metal, wood, paper, chipboard, cardboard, canvas and the list goes on and on!

Premium Craft Glue – This fantastic, clear liquid glue is a lot like the 450 Quick Dry, but it isn’t as thick and takes a bit longer to dry. For ribbons and Trims, I prefer the 450, but for other applications, this is a more cost effective solution. Not recommended for acryllic

Liquid Scrap Dots – I can’t say enough about this amazing product!!! Have you ever had a fussy cut piece that you wanted to give dimension, but couldn’t because it was so intricate you wouldn’t be able to raise it with foam dots/tabs? Liquid Scrap Dots to the rescue! This stuff is amazing! It comes in a tube and you just apply as much as you need, where ever you need it and voila! Incredible levels of dimension! Want even more dimension? Apply a dab, let it dry and add another layer!!! You control the depth…get as much or as little lift as you want! Simply brilliant!

Acid Free Glue – White glue that dries clear. This is the one you want when you’re looking for a flexible hold that does not yellow. You can use it for book binding or even for decoupage!

V2 Vellum Adhesive – An incredible spray adhesive that is perfect for so much more than just vellum! Works great with acryllic, chipboard, cardboard and GLITTER too! On vellum, it simply vanishes…just imagine an adhesive where your vellum doesn’t ripple and you don’t need to try to hide where you’ve applied it, because it doesn’t show through! Works like a dream! Just think of the magic you could create with an adhesive like this…you could even use it to apply vellum to acryllic with no need to hide either side!!! What other adhesive gives you this kind of versatility?

Helmar also makes an adhesive runner, gemstone glue, fabric glue, 2 step crackle medium and Zap Dots (these are like foam dots for dimension and are available in clear, white and black and in various sizes). Be sure to check some of these products out today! If your LSS does not carry them, there are many fabulous online retailers now carry a wide variety of their products. Twopeasinabucket.com now carries Helmar as well as Scrap-tastic.com They also have a link on their site for other retailers. You can even find Helmar on facebook!

***Be sure to check out my fabulous giveaway on the previous post***

Recent Layouts and a Card

05 Apr 2011 3 Comments

by dlwidder in Cards and Projects, giveaways, Scrapbook Layouts Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wow! Now that was a really busy weekend! The Birthday Bash on the Paper Secrets forum is now closed, but you can still enter the challenges until the end of the month. For each completed project, you get an entry into the monthly drawing for the April prize. 😀

Here are a few more projects I completed for the challenges. I combined some of them with challenges on other sites. This first one is for the “Remember When” challenge. The requirement was that your layout had to reference the number 2 in some way. Whether it’s twins, an age (even a number like 11 counts since it has two 1’s in it), 2 friends, 2 days, etc. I used a photo that only included 2 of my children and Matthew was 2 at the time this photo was taken. 😀 When I’m referring to just Madison and Matthew, I tend to call them “My M&M’s,” that’s where I got my title. I combined this challenge with one in a Sketches4All group. Kaori challenged us to create a layout using metal embellishments. Here’s what I came up with:

Materials:

Bo Bunny Gabrielle 12×12 cardstock papers
BB Gabrielle Trinkets
BB Gabrielle Brad
BB Gabrielle diecut stickers and alphas
The cover of the BB Gabrielle Noteworthy journaling pad
American Crafts cardstock
Distress Inks

Adhesives:

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Liquid
Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro Perma Tac

Another Paper Secrets challenge is the “Wonderful BD” (BD being birthday) Technique Challenge. For this one, you need to create a birthday themed layout with the following requirements: hand cut/fussy cut an element from patterned paper and use pop dots to add dimension to the cut element. Use at least 2 different alpha stickers and incorporate either glitter or stickles on your project somewhere. I combined this challenge with Ilene Tell’s on Back Porch Memories. For her challenge, you just need to use kraft cardstock as the base and the background. Here’s what I came up with:

Materials:

Kraft cardstock
Webster’s Pages Garden Gala 12×12 cardstock paper
WP Storytellers Diecut Alpha Stickers
Stickles

Adhesives:

Helmar Scrap Dots
Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro Perma Tac

Next I have a card to share that I created for the Shabby Chic challenge on Paper Secrets. For this challenge you could create a card or layout, but they have different requirements. The layout requires you to use a pre-1950’s vintage photo, which I did not have, so I went with the card. For the card, you just need soft colors, paint, stitching and ribbon. Here’s my take on the challenge:

Materials:

Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime paper pad
American Crafts cardstock
DMC embroidery floss
May Arts Ribbon
Distress Ink
Folk Art acryllic paint

Adhesives:

Helmar 450 liquid (to attach the ribbon)
Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro Perma Tac

The last project I have to share with you today is a simple tag. This one was for a sketch challenge on Sketches4All. The twist was that it had to be just black and white. The challenge is now closed, but to view the sketch, CLICK HERE. This is what I came up with:

Materials:

Echo Part Be Mine 12×12 Paper
American Crafts gingham ribbon
E. Line Prima flower

Adhesives:

Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro Perma Tac

Tools:

Imaginisce I-Top

Don’t forget I’m also offering up some blog candy for comments left on any post between April 3, 2011 and April 9, 2011! One comment per post per day please! Followers of my blog have a chance to win a separate prize! See THIS POST for further details and pictures. TFL!

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