Happy Birthday, Charee - Graphic 45

Today is Charee Filimoehala' birthday! Charee is the Graphic 45 Design Team Coordinator and Director of Customer Service. Which means, I am sure, that she does everything from develop product to sweep up the office!

Charee has been an amazing DT Coordinator for the Graphic 45 team. I have nothing but great things to say about her and how she interacts with all of us. She has buckets of patience when I email her ten times in one day! She is positive and encouraging, and is ready to make sure the team has what they need to create.

The folks from the G45 office wanted to surprise Charee today and asked the team if anyone had some extra time to create a project for Charee. I know she likes elephants, so I created this altered journal and card for her, using the Le Cirque and Olde Curiosity Shoppe collections. I mailed it off so she would have a gift to open today!

I really wanted to make a special gift for Charee, but I also wanted it to be useful. I have a stack of composition books here - homeschool has its advantages - and decided to alter one.

I covered the book, inside and out with paper, then went to town decorating.

I love making my own flowers with Spellbinders die templates and Graphic 45 paper. The possibilities are endless!

It's hard to see in the photos, but the flowers have glitter on them. And I added lots of pearls.

To create the closure for the journal, I used a Black Policy Envelope. I sandwiched the envelope between the back cover and the decorative paper, which secured it. Then I used some hook-and-loop tape for a closure. Easy peasy!

I used another envelope to make a pocket on the inside of the journal cover. Charee can place business cards or receipts into the pocket.

Yes, I realize that the harlequin pattern is going sideways, but...I only had one sheet left and it was cut so that this is the only way it would fit! I mean...I wanted it to go that way....honest! {grin}

I did some distressing around the edges, but...yeah that's a lot of elephants!

And a matching card. I decided NOT to color the elephant. All the busy paper just needed a plain elephant. And what more does a girl need, other than a bicycle-riding elephant?!

I have one more project to share. This was layout week on the Graphic 45 Blog, and today they shared this layout of mine.

I found a treasure trove of vintage photos at Magic Moonlight Studio. This one was perfect for use with the Little Darlings collection. (No, that is not me or a member of my family! In my defense, much of what I scrapbook is NOT for my personal albums. The scrapbook work I do is mostly for shows, ads, blogs, and such. I often use others' photos or vintage photos.)

Check out the embossed Core'dinations cardstock. Love that stuff!

I love the metal birdcage ensemble I made. I really enjoy fussing with these bits and pieces. Makes me happy!

Supplies List for Notebook and Card:

Graphic 45 Papers:
Olde Curiosity Shoppe: Olde Curiosity Shoppe, Race for Time, Bazaar of Wonders, Chipboard Tags 1 and 2
Le Cirque: Le Cirque, Bohemian Floral, Circus Parade, Dazzle and Delight, Tags
Graphic 45 Staples: Black Policy Envelop Album
Graphic 45 Stamps: Le Cirque Cling Stamps 3
Clearsnap Colorbox Graphic 45 Decades Photogenic Antiquing Ink
Clearsnap Colorbox Charcoal Fluid Chalk Ink
Clearsnap Colorbox Dragonfly Black Pigment Ink
Spellbinders: Grand Calibur Die Cutting System
Spellbinders: Foliage, Rose Creations, Carnation Creations, Bitty Blossom, Nested Lacey Pennants, Standard Circles LG and SM Die Templates
Copic: B00 Frost Blue Alcohol Marker
Bazzill Basics: Kraft Cardstock
Gina K Designs: Organize It Stamps
Papertrey Ink: Just the Ticket Stamps
Wild Orchid Crafts: Flowers
Prima: Pearls
Ranger: Stickles Diamond Glitter Glue
Martha Stewart: Border Punch
Really Reasonable Ribbon: Black Twill
Adhesive: Scor-pal Scor-Tape, Glue, Scotch 3M Tape Runner
Craft supply: bottle cap, hook and loop tape, brads
Office supply: notebook

Supply List for the Layout:

Graphic 45 Supplies:
Graphic 45 papers:
Little Darlings: New Arrival, Heaven Scent, Baby Borders, Lullaby
Graphic 45 Staples: packaging from Metal Door Plate Staples
Stamps: Little Darlings
Core'dinations: Core Impressions: Graphic 45 Timeless Collection
Clearsnap: Colorbox Graphic 45 Decades Antiquing Ink: Dark Cashmere
Clearsnap: Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink: Yellow Ochre, Peach Pastel
Spellbinders: Edgeabilities Classic Scallop Edger, Classic Petal Decorative Insert, Nestabilities Labels Fourteen
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L: foam squares
American Crafts: yellow cardstock
Bazzill Basics: cream cardstock
Copic: markers
Really Reasonable Ribbon: blue wrinkle ribbon, sheer yellow ribbon, multi-colored sheer check ribbon
Wild Orchid Crafts: paper roses
Martha Stewart: Butterfly punches
Prima: Metal bird cage
Adhesive: hot glue; white glue, Scotch 3M tape runner, foam tape