Friday, July 27, 2012

It's here! the cropchocolate.com design team banner blog hop!

And just so my FWF peeps know they are in the right place, I'm including some Unity here, too.  I am so excited to be designing for one of my favorite companies, cropchocolate.com.  I have been happily buying scrappy supplies from them for a few years now, and enjoying the great prices they offer, so what could be better than designing for them?  Just about nothing!  I am so honored to be here.  If you arrived here from Brenna's blog, you are in the right place.  I know you were wow'ed by her talents, so I'll see what I can do.  I have 3 projects to share with you, but first, I have some blog candy to give away. To win, please follow my blog, leave a comment, including how to contact you, and you will be eligible to win.  I will choose a winner Monday, July 30th, using random.org.

On to the artwork. We are planning on having a "banner" term as a design team, so that is the theme for this hop. When the new design team was announced in June, there was talk of us having very big shoes to fill, and that is very true.  That's where I came up with the idea for this first project -- filling those shoes any way I can.  Here's a card I made just for this occasion:


And, the sentiment says it perfectly, I'll put my best foot forward the 6 months I am representing cropchocolate.com, bringing you the best projects and ideas I am capable of. I used Echo Park card stock for the base, EP Victoria Gardens for the banner.  The banner is cut using the Cricut Pretty Pennants cartridge.  The shoes are from the Cricut Forever Young cartridge, using Bazzill coal cardstock, American Crafts glitter paper -- mulberry, and EP Victorian Gardens, plus some stickles on the flowers.  The Sentiment is stamped using a Close To My Heart Halloween stamp set -- Wicked.

My second project, is a hanging banner.  It hangs on a small wall in our bedroom, on the way to the master bathroom.  I display many seasonal projects in this small space.


We've been showing Ombre techniques this month on the cropchocolate.com blog, and this is another example of ombre. I used cereal boxes to cut the cardboard shapes first using various Spellbinders and a Grand Calibur.  Then, using the same shapes, I cut them again with the delightful papers found in Echo Park's Hello Summer 6x6 pad.  I purchase many 6x6 pads from cropchocolate.com.  I love the smaller prints on these pads, especially for cards and projects like this one.  I cut the letters out using the Cricut American Alphabet cartridge, both the shadow and regular layers.  I used mostly Bazzill card stock, plus 2 Echo Park card stocks, shading them from darkest blue to lightest blue to get the Ombre effect.  Then, after assembling all my cuts, I had the fun of embellishing the wall hanging.  I used mostly American Crafts and Pebbles felt shapes, some Dilly Dally brads and embellishments, and a few buttons, all purchased from cropchocolate.com.  The ricrac tying the squares together and ricrac used to hang it are from Close To My Heart.

My third project was created for my Unity peeps, with Friends With Flair in mind.  Every Friday, I submit a project with many talented gals and participate in the Unity hop.  Here's a card with a Unity stamp I used as a banner.


Doesn't this stamp just make you think of summer?  I had to include this sentiment.  It seemed perfect for the card.  I used Copics to color the banner images.  A Spellbinder romantic rectangle was used to cut the white cardstock.  All other cardstock is Echo Park (purchased from CC, of course!)  The baker's twine -- can you guess where I bought that?  Ah, such a wise audience I have!

I love the many ways banners can be used.  You'll see many uses as you hop through the blogs of the talented new design team.  I know you won't be disappointed.  When you are through, return to cropchocolate.com and leave a comment.  Rumor has it there is a prize to be won on their blog as well!  Now, hop on over the the oh-so-talented Nina's blog  Tell her Julie sent ya)

68 comments:

  1. I love your cards and love the laundry on the line:-)

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  2. Love the cards and projects! Congrats on DT!!

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  3. Oh I just love your projects!I really love the shoes...

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  4. Love these cards! My favorite is the "Sending Sunny Summer Smiles", though - love your laundry banner there! Very clever!

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  5. That laundry banner is so cute, but all your projects are great! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Love these projects! Thanks for the inspirations!!

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  7. Love all the projects!!! Such great talent to fill those shoes!!! Can't wait to see more from you.

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  8. Awesome job! I love the clothesline!

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  9. Love all your cards , , , but I think I love the laundry line the best. I think both of us must have been thinking "laundry" this time round. lol But I just love that stamp!!! So glad to be on the DT with you . . . you are so inspiring and I can't wait to see more from you.

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  10. Love the clothes line! You did a great job with the coloring and the design is perfect!

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  11. Those shoes are to die for! Do they make them in my size?? ;) These projects are all fabulous!!

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  12. Love all your work but really like the unity card. ydixon57@cox.net I am a newfollower

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  13. Love the colors! Bright and Summery!

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  14. Loving all the projects- that shoes card really stands out! Thanks for the chance I'm a follower- floresfour@aol.com

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  15. Love the shoes on the first card! they are great and love the great colors that you have used on everything.

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  16. Love the big banner for the background on your first card (Dorothy would kill for those shoes!) Never thought of a clothesline as a banner, but it works so well. And of course the wall hanging is awesome!

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  17. Great projects. Love the shoes image.

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  18. Beautiful projects! Love that unity stamp!

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  19. Very cute and fun stuff to look at!!
    Especially the clothesline card with
    the nice coloring!! Thanks!

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  20. I went to a fundraising event last weekend and wore silver glittered shoes. Your card inspired me to put my shoes on the layout. Thank you, thank you!

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  21. oh my word. I love that shoe and the awsome colors. So pretty! Ilove it!

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  22. Cute projects! This is fun seeing all the different ways to use banners. Thanks

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  23. great card thx for sharing your creativity with us : )

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  24. This DT is really doing a good job filling those shoes with this blog hop. I like all you works buy the clothesline card steals the show.

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  25. We aren't in Kansas anymore ...... love the ruby shoes! Your projects are all so cute. So lucky to have you share them with us all. Adore the clothesline card! Thank you!

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  26. Love the red shoes! Very nice cards.

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  27. Im a follower! Love the banner and the cards are so cute!! Thanks for sharing!! You know where to find me, at crop chocolate of course!!! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  28. I am a new follower Your projects are great and I love that stamp on the last one.

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  29. I am a follower! Love the bannner these hops are so much fun!

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  30. I am a follower and love your banner projects! Congrats on making the DT team I look forward to seeing all your great projects!

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  31. Especially love the cheery Unity card, love the colorful layers!

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  32. Love those shoes (although I have a bad toe and can't wear shoes like that anymore)! Great projects! Thanks for sharing your ideas :)

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  33. Congrats on making the design team. Your projects are fabulous!

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  34. Great projects...I want those shoes!

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  35. I am a follower and you can find me at my cc or onceuponadelight.blogspot.com
    Let me just say i LOOOVE the shoes. That is such a cute card. Congratulation on being on the DT, but I see why you were chosenL:)

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  36. Love those shoes, I love AC glitter paper and you did a great job on all the projects

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  37. love the scalloped edge to the banner mat. the summer banner is so fun too! great job on all the projects. You can find me on CC...all the time!! :)

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  38. Oh man! I love these shoes!!! Great job!

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  39. I love that last card with the Unity Stamps! So stinking cute! Thanks for sharing Julie!

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  40. love the colors, especially thelast card; shoes are awesome - scrapped and otherwise, lol!

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  41. Such a cute card with the glitter shoes. I also really like the clothes line banner. I hope to use that idea on a card in the future. Thanks.

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  42. Oh my gosh ! That last card is so super cute! I thought the shoes wre great, but that last card made me smile. Love the projects! (Am a follower, 4myk9s)

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  43. Love the "Best Foot Forward" card. That is excellent. Now following and can be found DMcD3786@gmail.com

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  44. The shoes! The glitter! Magnificent!

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  45. I always look at the pictures first, and was thinking how did she make those shoes. Of course then i went back and read. Very cute ideas. And your unity stamp makes me think of Wonder Woman, idk why? Maybe the red white and blue top.

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  46. Wonderful projects! Congratulations on being on your design team. ;)

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  47. fun projects. I really like the card with the Unity stamp. I love their stamps!! I Wish I could buy them all!! LOL You can always contact me a CC. ; )

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  48. Very nice projects.. I really like the swim suits banner
    New followers thanks for the blog hop

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  49. New follower there. I love the hanging banner (and especially that you used cereal boxes)!

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  50. Wonderful job on ALL three projects,Julie! Am already a follower and you can PM me on CC :)

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  51. Great projects Julie! Besides loving those fabulous shoes, I also love the banner on that card made with Victoria Gardens paper! Like everyone else, I think the laundry line banner is adorable!! The Spellbinder romantic rectangle was a perfect choice to use on the white cardstock! I can be found most anytime on crop chcolate (mostly I am known there as Juliet) and am now a follower!

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  52. Fabulous projects! You are so creative....

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  53. Happily following now! Great projects! You can pm me on CC if I should happen to win!

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  54. Julie, very nice projects, I am already a follower! Just pm me on CC if I happen to be lucky! Thanks again for sharing your creativity :)

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  55. Already a follower...

    GREAT projects -- those shoes are GREAT! :D Congrats on being on the CC DT! :)

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  56. Love your FwF entry! Cute clothesline!

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  57. Such cool projects! Thanks for sharing!

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  58. cute cards and banner. I'm following you!

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  59. Love the shoe banner.. very clever of you!!! All three projects are great. You are off to a great start on the DT. Congrats.

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  60. Great projects! Love them!! Already a follower! :o)

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  61. Wonderful projects! Love the clothes line!

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  62. Cute projects. I really like the clothesline! I'm already a follower.

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