TBS DT: Travelin' Teddy

Hi there crafty friends! Happy Monday to you. Before I chat up this week's project, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Guest Designer Brenda, who posted her last project this past Saturday. Sweetie, thank you so much for bringing such fun projects to our challenges. You and I have very different styles yet I learned something new from you almost every week over the last 3 months. It's been amazing to see what you design, and I am completely honest when I say you've taught me to think differently. Thanks Brenda!

This week the design team is continuing with our DIY embellishments to go along with our Do It Yourself Embellishment challenge. Seeing all the different embellishments by the design team last week was very inspiring to me!

For today's project I decided to make a mulberry paper "Tear Bear" as my DIY. It's been a looong time for me - at least a year! You may not know this, but Tear Bears are what brought me to The Beary Scrap in the first place. I was a novice bear maker and our very own Kimm was incredibly patient while I learned. I peppered her with a million questions and she answered every one of them with kindness. These days the Beary Sweet Designs acrylic patterns make it *so easy* to whip up a Tear Bear, and the written instructions HERE are brilliant.

I used the Tattered Teddy pattern on this card. Since Tattered Teddy came out, I've been playing around with the idea of making him slouch against a dress form die cut on a very shabby chic styled card. It turned out that my dress form die is too small for Teddy, so I went in a different direction with this project. (One day I will do it, but with the Baby Bear pattern instead.)

Here's Travelin' Teddy, working his way around the globe!

Card Recipe

• Paper: Prima 6x6 pad - Botanical; Mulberry paper in "Caramel" and "White"; Bazzill Basics; suitcase printed on textured Canson Mi-Tiente paper
• Medium: Ranger Distress Ink in Vintage Photo
• Embellishments: Beary Sweet Designs Tattered Teddy acrylic pattern; Mulberry Paper 16mm white roses and rose buds; Tim Holtz Filmstrip Ribbon; Kaisercraft pearls; lace, pink flower, charms, ribbon from stash
• Tools: Complete Tear Bear Making Kit; Honey Bee scissors; Scor-Pal; sewing machine
• Adhesives: 1/4" Scor-Tape; Fabri-Tac; 1/8" and 1/16" 3D Dots

Thanks for visiting today! Our DIY Embellishment challenge goes on through Thursday night - come play with us! You could win a $20 gift voucher to The Beary Scrap! Thursday is also the last day for Guest Designer Debbie. *sob* It's been a thrill to have both Debbie and Brenda with us for the last 3 months. I can't believe it's almost over. Ladies, thanks for all your wonderfully inspiring projects!

Cheers,
Susan

eBay Halloween Scrapbook Layout

Hellooo! So I got down to business and finished my Halloween "tear bear" layout. Phew! This one took a long time and I'm glad it's complete. It's not a particularly complicated layout, but I was stumped over and over when I looked at the house on the original background paper. It was dark, gloomy and uninviting to work on. (It was a dark gray paper with subtle lighter gray flourishes.) I just happened to lay this orange paper near the house and the house popped! After that I *wanted* to work on it, and it all came together in a few days.

I tried a new technique on the bears and found it easier, with better results. Instead of wet-tearing the bear parts, I "drew" bear parts on the back of the paper with an embossing tool (which is not new for me) and then tore the parts from dry paper. I then used the softer brush in my brush set to fluff and stuff, with better results that my wet-tearing efforts. It was faster, too.

Anyway, here are photos of the layout:








Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers,

Susan

On eBay Right Now!

Hello dear readers! I have this scrapbook layout and a matching card on eBay - I'd be forever grateful if you took a minute to check them out! Thanks!

And here's the card:

Cheers, and thanks so much for stopping by!
Susan

Playing in Leaves Card

Here's a sneak at my next card *and* next layout. I wanted to show a boy bear playing in a pile of leaves whilst mom/dad is raking. I remember doing that as a child! The card inside isn't completed yet, but it will be layers and leaves and such. The layout probably won't be up for two weeks due to a long weekend away.

I'll add another leaf or two near his left paw, I think. How do *you* like it?

New Layout - On Ebay Tomorrow!

Here's my newest layout. I wanted to create a backyard feel, and I think I succeeded! Everything except the birdhouse and leaves on flowers are hand made. The fence is shadowed with Prismacolor pencils and OMS. The tree is layered and edges are inked. I shaded in the tree trunk with Prismacolor, too.

The birdhouse is from the Cricut "Stretch Your Imagination" cartridge, and the leaves are a Martha Stewart punch and another cartridge (I can't remember at the moment). The bird is hand cut, but is inspired by a Cricut cartridge I don't have... yet. :)

The auction goes "live" tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Birthday Card for Courtney

My dear sister-in-law had a birthday last week. Here is the card I sent:

My First Bear Layout

Hello! This is a 2-page 12x12 scrapbook layout I agonized over for longer than I'd like to admit. I've never done one before and I am really happy with the end result. It's girly and flowery and lovely, if I do say so myself! I've used Prima flowers, lace, ribbons, and Swarovski crystals throughout. The photo mats and tags are machine sewn.

The full layout

The left page - includes 2 photo mats for your images (will slip right under the lace adornment). The left peek-a-boo bear (the eyes are reflecting the Ott Light above so there isn't a white slash across the eye)

The left bear

The right full page - includes three photo mats and two removable tags for images and journaling on the back

The peek-a-boo bear on the right page - photo will slide under bear's paws and lace and butterfly at the bottom

Here's a closer look at the right bear

I put it up on Ebay and have had many browsers but had zero bids by the end. I know I'm not a "known seller" of this product type - I get that. However, my photos are large and detailed and hide nothing. I'm going to ask for constructive criticism from a few respected people who have been there and are successful. If this doesn't sell I'll relist it in the next week or two. Maybe everyone is on vacation? I'm not discouraged, though. I loved making this and have tons of ideas swirling around in my head.

Thanks for reading. See you next time! ~Susan