I'm a Craft Warehouse Guest Designer!




Craft Warehouse Design Team


I am so excited about this.   Craft Warehouse is a local family owned craft store,

-smaller than Hobby Lobby - and with less furniture/ decor items (although they do have a really fabulous decor section, just not isles and isles
-better stocked with paper craft supplies but with less fabric than Jo-Ann's
-and with a better mix of scrapbooking companies than Michaels.

It is a fantastic place to take crafty kids.


Dapoppins

My daughter and I have made a tradition out of going to the Holiday open house.  

Craft Warehouse Open House, Dapoppins
Raffle to win gift card.  We didn't win but still had fun. 


Dapoppins.com
Fox that inspired me to create two layout's based on his sweet face. 

Dapoppins.com
Design Team examples that inspire me to spend money. 

Dapoppins.com
I want to make one of these.
When they had their call for new guest designers I decided to give it a go.  Why not?  Hundreds would apply, my chances weren't great, but - WHY NOT?  

I couldn't believe it when I got an Congratulations letter.  Really.  I Could Not.  I almost didn't believe it until I got my box of crafting goodies just after Christmas.

What is a design team?

A company sends product and I get to play with it, take pictures and blog about it.  What can be more fun that that?  Seriously.  I can't imagine anything more fun than that!


I'm not going to tell you everything that Craft Warehouse sent in my box - but i need to gush about one item right now.  I need to gush extensively.





They sent me a Large Dylusions Journal.

I did not have one.  These babies usually retail about $24.00. I thought it was too expensive.  I thought the paper was too thin for paint, I thought it wouldn't lay flat, I thought it wasn't all it is cracked up to be.

Journaler's Everywhere.  Listen to me.  It is CRACKED UP, JACKED UP!  It is AWESOME.

The papers are done in sections - I can't remember what book binders call them, but the sections help the journal lie flat.  It opens to a big, nice page - I like a 12x12 surface.  Using both pages you get about (just guesstimating here,) about that much space to work.

The paper is unique.  It is smooth like manila.  It feels a bit like manila.  I love the way the clean unused journal feels under my hands.

Untreated with gesso or anything the paper can withstand a ton of water.  I've been playing,  trying to figure out my design team layout and seriously.  A lot of water.  Using the Dylusions Ink Sprays and a water spray bottle, to stretch the ink and move it about, I have put these pages through their paces.  And they can take it.  They don't absorb the moisture.  It stays on top.

One drawback - because of the binding the middle of the book is "weaker."  This area will absorb color if you don't sop it up or stop it with tape.  However, the Dylusions Ink Sprays I have been working with are messy, imprecise, and slightly sloppy in that highly popular color-grungy way everyone is loving.  You are suppose to mess this BoOk up!  When I forget to tape, or just don't want to, this interesting, organic thing happens and just adds a streak of "character" to the page later.

Testing Dylusion sprays and stencils.  

Test page, mixing colors adding water -using stencils





Test page, blue and yellow made green, and I had some of this bead gel that I thought I'd try...


I want another one of these books.  Or five.  And guess what?  These Dylusion Journal's are on sale at the Vancouver Craft Warehouse right now!

Do you have a Dylusion Journal?  What do you think of them?  Have you thought about exploring art journaling?  GO GET ONE!


Share:

13 comments

  1. Wow! You are jacked up! Awesome post, makes me want to craft and shop and . . . everything! That looks so fun! Play date!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Nancy, I feel like I need a play week with you. I wish I was going with you to see your sister. Can I hide in one of the suitcases?

      Delete
    2. Ummmm, yes you can!! She would adore you too!! ;)

      Delete
  2. oh my heck! WAY TO GO GIRLIE!!! So proud of you!! I am super happy you got one of these awesome books and I agree with you I was pleasantly surprised when I got mine. I have both sizes and L O V E them both and like you I WANT FIVE MORE!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never thought this journal would lay flat. That was my biggest thing, really. I was so surprised!

      Delete
  3. That is so seriously cool, congratulations!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nanny. It's so fun to be given free stuff to play with. Now if I could get a children's book publisher to send me free books I'd be in a state of total bliss!

      Delete
  4. I am working in my first one now and love it! My pages curled up a bit, but after a night or two closed up they are fine now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vicki my pages curled up a bit too...I think I saw somewhere that warming them up with the heat gun flattens them a bit. I will have to check. - To be honest though, I like the effect. It makes me feel like I'm really using the book.

      Delete
  5. Yes I have this journal er a or two. Lol one of my favorites. Congratulations on being selected.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Or two..! Haha. Some things are way more important in life than shoes or a new purse. If I have to shop, I know what I want to buy and where I need to go. LOL. I'd so rather have a closet full of crafty, art stuff then clothing.

      Delete
  6. Hi Dana, :) I KNOW my daughter A the Artist would Love to play with that stuff. She actually likes the wild and free look :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will be posting about a page my ten year old did in my journal. She has a very unique style all her own and dozens of books for stories and drawing in - I think this journal will be the next one she gets as a gift, however! She has used some of the cheaper ones too, and rubbed holes in them accidently. I know she will love this one - I am SURE your daughter would too!

      Delete

Thoughts and comments always welcome and will be posted after viewing by the moderator.