Spellbinders and Fancy Pants

Many of my friends and family have encouraged me to take my paper crafting to the next level this year, and have suggested that I try out for a design team, sell my items on Etsy, try to get my papercrafting projects in some of the magazines, and of course to blog more so they know what's going on with me.

My Etsy site is up and running (I just need to finish adding all my new creations that I have been working on), my blog has been redesigned thanks to the fabulous work of Stewart Goodwin of Goodwin Media, and I was blessed to have one of my cards published in Ready, Set, Create magazine.

It doesn't get any better than this I thought . . . and then came the call for the Spellbinders 2009 Design Team. Oh my gosh . . . you know how it is when you go blog visiting and you fall in love with the stamp one of your fellow papercrafters used on her card and you just gotta have it . . . well that is how I felt when I saw the notice for the Design Team. I love Spellbinders and especially love all the new fabulous products they are putting out.

So . . . to make a long story short . . . I made four items especially for the competition, and I just found out today that 24 very talened paper crafter extrordinaires were chosen to move on to the finals . . . and I'm one of them! Stacey Caron who is the owner of Spellbinders called us all "Paper Crafter Extrordinaires". Wow . . . I love it!!!!

I want to thank Spellbinders for this most awesome opportunity, and I want to wish the 23 other amazing women who were chosen good luck! The names of the finalists are published on the Spellbinders website and the competition is stiff. There are some fabulous women on that list and I am so honored to be among them.

I have one more design challenge to submit for the final round and then the winners will be announced on February 25th. I want to thank my dear friends Tami and Judy for encouraging me to try out for this most prestigious design team. My final project will be in your honor.

Okay . . . so on to today's featured project . . . my Spellbinders Fancy Pants journal. I've been making journals for the craft shows and boutiques for the past few years, and realized that I've never made one for me. I never make anything for myself . . . so this journal was made especially for me and the goals that I have set for myself for the year.

I used Fancy Pants paper for the entire journal. The fun colorful wording on the front of the journal was part of the paper collection. I love using tabs on things and have always wanted to make tabs on one of my journals. Did you know that those tabs are really the Spellbinders Labels One dies cut in half? I love it. I have seen the Labels One die stamped on a lot, but I loved the versatility of the die by being able to cut it in half and make a label out of it. I then thought of five categories I would like for my journal and hand stamped the words with an alphabet set by Hero Arts. Instead of chalk inking the edges of the journal like I usually do . . . I opted for a more raggedy look and distressed everything with one of those big fat black emery boards for your fingernails. I finished it off with fat red ribbon and used the very best buttons from my button stash to put the finishing touches on. This was one of the projects I submitted to Spellbinders for the design competition.

Thank you again to all my dear friends and family for all your encouragement and support as I continue to grow as a "Paper Crafter Extrordinaire" and big hugs to all my other dear Paper Crafter Extrordinaires who continue to inspire and amaze me.

Big stamping hugs

~ Pegi

Supplies:
Composition Journal from Staples (Grid paper)
Fancy Pants paper from The Daily Grind line ("Chalkboard" for the journal, "Notebook Doodles" for the 2" band, "Cards" for the saying, and an 8 x 8 paper pack for the tabs)
Spellbinders Labels One Dies
Hero Arts Alphabet Stamp Set
Ribbon from Archivers
Buttons by Foo Fa La
Black Ink from Momento