Extreme Makeover: Magnet Edition

Hi everyone! Maggi here to show off some more projects I made using our new Moshi Moshi Kit. Am I the only one that has crappy corporate magnets on their fridge? You know the ones you get for free from restaurants, other businesses and the back of the phone book?

My fridge was tired of being boring and purely functional so I decided to “Gauche” it up by snagging these magnets and giving them a Gauche Alchemy makeover!

I was given a series of Japanese Hello Kitty stamps and decided to incorporate those with my Moshi Moshi kit to revamp the magnets. The fabric and patterned paper in the kit was the perfect background for these babies.

I added various pieces from multiple Mixed Media Color Kits (by far my favorite thing in the shop!).

This last one was the most labor intensive thing I’ve ever done. I cut a flower from the patterned paper, then got the bright idea to individually cut teeny tiny pieces of the sewing book page and glue them in the outside of the petals. Luckily the time consuming cutting was worth it.

So if you have some boring refrigerator magnets screaming for a makeover, why not make them Gauche? If you do, we’d love to see! Make sure to add them to our Flickr Group!

Now go glue something awesome onto some awesome something!

Maggi

Roni’s Art Journal

Hi everyone! Maggi here to share the last project from this month’s guest designer, Roni Johnson using our Moshi Moshi Mixed Media Paper Crafting Kit!

For her last project, Roni made this art journal:

“I was so inspired by the red/orange adhesive backed material (in the kit)…it reminded me of a little outfit that my dad bought for me and sent back to my mom when he was in the service. I knew immediately that I needed to make something similar with this material.”

We’ve been so happy to have Roni Johnson as our guest designer this month! Be sure to visit Roni’s blog for your chance to win this art journal!

Now go glue something awesome onto some awesome something!

Maggi

Stuck on your latest creative project? Go Gauche!

Hello Lovelies!

Michelle here.

Today we have a great video from Cheryl showing her design process and how she incorporates Gauche Alchemy fabulousness into her layouts.

I love looking at Cheryl work- she’s very self assured with her choices. I really like the way she layered her papers for maximum contrast and print variety- check it out!

Cheryl used ephemera from the Purple People Eater Mixed Media kit, papers from the Nearly  Nekkid and Acme Subscription kits as well as napkins for the Paper Napkin Art Kit.

These last few weeks have been a little difficult schedule-wise so instead of worrying about making something new and possibly causing a creative block, I rely on my favorite layout design- large versus small vertical (see below). I believe using Gauche color kit goodies changes the look and theme of each page so much I can get away with using the same layout over and over again.

Corrugated board, kraft grid paper, wood buttons and wood grain pattern punchinella- the Nearly Nekkid Kit really has everything I would ever want in a kit- it's like they opened my brain and looked inside.

If I am really over-thinking a project I will destroy and remake it several times before the items start to gel. I also like to use magazine layouts or covers, online page sketches and when I’m really feeling “inspired”, store windows. I know it sounds random but if you break objects down into basic shapes and  see the rest as negative space you get a layout. Try it next time you swing your favorite shop.

Once I started layering it just came together and I had to FORCE myself to stop. The photo is one of my all-time favorites. Lola is never "lead". She leads. We're usually going the same way anyway.

I used items from the Scarlet Fever Red Mixed Media Color Kit and red punchinella to add some contrast to the layout. My Nearly Nekkid Mixed Media Paper Art kit included a thin 5 x 7 piece of cork, a material I hadn’t used in a layout before. I had fun ripping it up into strips and now that I have a die-cutting machine, I’m also going to try to cut it into shapes for my next project- it’s certainly thin enough.

How about you? How do you kick the no mojo monster?

Thanks for swinging by!

Scrapping With Yvonne

Hi everyone! Maggi here to share a couple of fantastic layouts from Yvonne!

First she created this layout entitled, “Fabulous Sophie” featuring some Punchinella:

She also made this layout, “The Expression Girl” using our Envy, Lady Marmelade and Banana Hammock Mixed Media Color Kits:

Two great layouts of little Sophie!

Now go glue something awesome onto some awesome something!

Maggi

Maggi’s Sewing Box

Hi everyone! Maggi here to show off a project I created using our new kit, Moshi Moshi. One of my favorite parts of this kit are the little sewing bits included, like the vintage sewing pages and the card of thread. I had a small box frame hanging around (got it from a thrift store for 60 cents!) so I decided to grab that and create my own “sewing box”:

I first created the background using some of the sewing paper and then stamped onto that using the included PVC punchinella and blue and bronze paints. The rest came together when I decided that instead of using some of the thread off the card, I’d just glue the whole thing in there. lol I cut the woman out of another piece of sewing paper, drew lines on her dress and attached her using pop dots for some added depth.

I thought the thread card looked a little bare so I added the button from the kit and some crystal pins that I had saved from my wedding bouquet. See, hoarding does have its advantages! A little piece of PVC punchinella and the beaded string that comes with the kit and I was finished! A quick and easy project that’s found the perfect home in my craft room.

Thanks for taking a peek and don’t forget to go glue something awesome onto some awesome something!

Maggi

A very Gauche Before and After

HIYA!

Michelle here!

I’ve never liked those beauty stories where women are shown “before” and “after” because I always felt that the subject’s personal style was lost in the mad dash towards change.

Gauche Alchemy is a place where the meaning of beauty and creativity expands. We like to make room for the slightly shabby, the fabulously vintage and sometimes overlooked object- we accept and appreciate all visual styles- no 250 dollar an hour stylist necessary.

A few of us got together and decided to show you our scrap pages BEFORE and AFTER we Gauched them up. Hope you like what you see!

First up is Maggi:

Here Maggi used some Cosmo Cricket papers and Gauche Alchemy lace panel to make a page commemorating her second pregnancy.

Lace from the lace ribbon variety pack and ephemera from the Purple and Orange color kits give this page some fun texture without eclipsing the overall design.

Maggi used items from the Lady Marmelade Orange Mixed media color kit, Banana Hammock Yellow Mixed Media color kit, Purple People Eater Mixed Media color kit , Pink Parts Mixed Media color kit and lace ribbon variety pack. She also matted the photo with purple punchinella for some extra texture and contrast.

I have to admit I had a hard time with this challenge. I usually design on the fly. Nothing is pre-planned or stays in the same location from start to finish so I had to force myself to be a bit more deliberate and “pre-plan” so that the before page was just as interesting (if a little empty) as the final one.

American Crafts and Basic Grey papers, my favorite 1 dollar alpha stamps and two SUPER cute photos later I have a clean and simple page I wanna Gauchefy!

Using items from my BELOVED Scarlet Fever color kit, I added some bling around the edges of the design and matted the second photo with Kraft Ouchless Cardboard. LOVE that plastic grid on the borders!

I used items from the Scarlet Fever Red Mixed Media color kit, Ouchless Cardboard in original kraft and a plastic grid usually used for needle arts from the Black Out Mixed Media color kit.

Gauche Alchemy’s Japanese affiliate, Yasu, used the Handsome Man kit (now retired) to make 2 versions of a masculine page.

A traditional 12 by 12 scrapbook page with items from a now discontinued kit "Handsome Man"

Here Yasu took the same layout and made it into a vertical format with a frame.

How have you used Gauche Alchemy goodies to punch up the drama in your scrapbook or mixed media projects? Please link them up to our Flickr page or leave a comment here with a link to your blog so we can swing by and check them out!

Have fun creating!

More Projects from Roni Johnson

Hi everyone! Maggi here to share a couple more projects from January’s guest designer, Roni Johnson using our Moshi Moshi Mixed Media Paper Crafting Kit!

First, Roni made these two cards using leftovers from the kit she couldn’t bear to leave unused:

I love using scraps on projects, so much better to find a use for them instead of them hitting the trash! Things like cards and ATCs are perfect for this purpose.

Roni also made this plaque entitled, “Beautiful”

“This plaque was all about the dark orange/copper colored flower fabric. I loved the color, feel, everything about it. I noticed that it was a bit frayed and went from there. I love quotes and knew this was the perfect piece to add one to the clip hanger.”

Great projects Roni! Don’t forget that Roni is giving away all of her Moshi Moshi projects on her blog so check it out and leave a comment for a chance to win her creations!

Now go glue something awesome onto some awesome something!

Maggi

The Gauche Woman

Hi everyone! Maggi here to show off a little project of my own. When the Knick Knack Paddy Whack Project Kit hit the Gauche Alchemy store, I knew I had to have one for myself! I love shadow boxes and one shot project kits and this one is terrific!

Here’s what I made with mine:
I started by painting the box, including the inside, with brown and gold paints, then added a couple layers of Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint (I’m addicted to the stuff!) Then on top of that I rubbed on some Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

I’m proud to say that with the exception of the little vintage photo in the middle square, everything came from the kit.  Y’all know I gotta have my glitter so the butterfly in the bottom left got a dose of Stickles.  (Which, by the way, I had to do multiple times as my three year old kept sticking her finger in it.  D’oh!)

There are so many great components that come with this kit like rusty keys, game cards, cool fabric remnants and of course a piece of Punchinella which I used as a stencil and stamp on some of the backgrounds for my squares. And the little bit of bling that comes with the kit was the perfect finishing touch for part of the outside frame.

The Knick Knack Paddy Whack Project Kit is still available in the Gauche Alchemy store so go get one and then…say it with me…

Go glue something onto some awesome something!

Maggi

Affirmation ATCs from Wendy Morris

Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day!

Michelle here.

We have a great video from design team member Wendy Morris. Wendy doesn’t make New Year’s Resolutions (I SO back her up on this!) they get ignored so often! Instead, Wendy proposes we use visual affirmations to keep us touch with our goals on a daily basis.

Take a look and tell us what you think:

What are your goals for this year? Show us your manifestos! Even better- make them into a project. Link them up to our Flickr page and you just might get published here!

Thanks for sharing!

I hope you have a wonderfully introspective and meaningful day!

Chells out!
 
Check Gauche out on the social net, mi gente!!!

Scrapping Wedded Bliss Part 2

Hi everyone!

Maggi here to share some more wedding layouts created by Yvonne for her cousin’s wedding last weekend. I showed some off on Monday and here are two more!

Yvonne created “Sweetheart” using the Wedding Night Mixed Media Color Kit and the Blue Streak Mixed Media Color Kit.

And she also created “Wow” using the Black Out Mixed Media Color Kit:

Can you imagine how cool these must have looked at the wedding???

Now go glue something awesome onto some awesome something!

Maggi