Michaels, North America’s largest arts and crafts specialty retailer, launched its first ever “Handmade Holiday Contest” on November 1, and will be awarding two $100 gift cards awarded every week through December 20. Customers can upload photos of their handmade gifts at Michaels.com, and website visitors can rate their favorite entries online. Two grand prize winners will be selected – one grand prize winner for “Best Creative Project” and one grand prize winner for “Best Creative Project under $20”. Each grand prize winner will get a $250 gift card and a trip for two to New York City to see The Martha Stewart Show. Visit http://www.michaelscontest.com/details for more information.
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12 Scrapbook Layouts with DIY Detailed Backgrounds
Eva transformed chevron pattern paper into diamond shapes for the amazing background she created on this layout. Each shape is decorated with flowers and sentiments. Learn more at the Pinkfresh Studio blog.
I love doing detailed work for my paper crafts, quick and easy is fun but creating and designing something that takes time with intricate layers, techniques or embellishments is really satisfying to me. A detailed scrapbook page background can fill in space (perfect for single photos) as well as add lots of extra interest to a layout. So today let’s take a look at some scrapbook layouts that have wonderful do it yoursedetailed backgrounds.
Below each photo you’ll find a link, click it to learn more like products used, tips and techniques.
Frames cut from different pattern papers add color and pattern and fill up much of the white space on this sweet page. It ties the design together and creates little areas for embellishing. I spotted this idea on the Echo Park paper Instagram page.
Becki created her own large chevron pattern using strips of pattern papers, some of which are cut with faux stitching dies for some extra texture. Using the same pad of pattern paper like she did insures the colors and patterns will easily work together. Take a closer look at the Scrapbook and Cards Today blog.
Nicole’s background has amazing texture and color with loads of paint splatter, layers of pattern paper that have been torn instead of cut, pompom trim anda little flag banner that’s been stapled. Take a closer look on The Cherry on Top blog.
Here’s another take on a chevron, this time Becki almost filled the entire background with this large chevron made from a rainbow of plaid papers. Notice how the colors of the flowers, gems and butterflies coordinate with the paper colors for a cohesive design. Visit Simple Stories for more info.
This super fun Traveler’s Notebook duo page from Jessica has a terrific mixed media background with torn and stitched papers, lots of stamping and textured foiling. She’s sharing a process video over on the Therm O Web blog.
Feel like a kid again by adding some fun finger painting to your scrapbook page background. This beautiful floral page design also has two layers of torn paper and a custom title too. I came across this idea on Vicki Boutin’s Instagram page.
This awesome background has a rainbow of colorful paper with scalloped edges layered behind a large open circle. The photo and stamped butterflies being in black and white really help the colors to pop! Take a closer look at the Spellbinder blog.
Paige designed her background with lots of die cut hearts cut from pretty floral pattern papers and chain stitched around the edges. They’ve been placed on pink paper with lots of paint splatter. Notice how some hearts are “cut off” on the edges, this helps fill the background and add interest. Watch her process video on the Paige Taylor Evans blog.
To add pattern and texture to this adorable dog layout Nathalie used a no-waste die with hearts. She also added white on white layers of frames and a label, adding color with beautiful layering stamped flowers. Learn more at the Altenew blog.
This precious baby layout has gold paint splatter and layers of strips of pastel pattern papers with sewn edges for the background. It’s complemented by tags, twine, sentiments and a custom title. I spotted this idea on Brianna Lepper’s gallery at Scrapbook.com.
And lastly Tarrah created a wonderful rainbow of arches cut from pattern papers and stitched together. She embellished it with chipboard words, clear stickers and fussy cut stars. This color combo makes for a great masculine boys page! Take a closer peek at the Cocoa Vanilla blog.
I hope these ideas have inspired you to spend some extra time and create your own detailed DIY backgrounds for your scrapbook layouts!
-Heather
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Sherry Holland says
I have been rating a friend’s entry in Michaels’ Handmade Holiday Contest. Her Christmas decoration has over 1500 “five star” ratings. The rules encourage entrants to get as many high ratings as they can because the ratings are advertised as significant in the selection of the winners. The two Week Three winners had 700+ and 300+ “four star” ratings. The leading entry has over 13,000 “five star” ratings. I think Michaels is sending a message that ratings are not significant, if considered at all.
My friend wishes she had not entered this contest who now thinks this is a “gotcha” to get entrant’s email addresses. I think the online ratings part of this is a sham and believe this contest should be boycotted.
Michelle Ward says
I agree with Sherry’s comment. Looks to me like Michael’s Handmade Holiday contest is a publicity stunt. Contrary to their scoring rules, the ratings don’t seem to matter at all. I just looked at the newest (week 4) winners: One is a “JOY” plaque with 319 “4 snowmen” ratings, the other is a mistletoe scarf with 13… that’s right … thirteen “four snowmen” ratings!
I found fourteen entries with over a thousand ratings … the leader has 27,000 ratings. The way winners are picked appears very arbitrary to me and I think Michaels should be ashamed. For my part, I promise to never shop Michaels again.
Gloria Church says
It does look like Michaels is picking weekly “winners” at random. Ratings do appear to be ignored. And as far as I can tell, quality, creativity, originality … blah, blah … aren’t getting carefully considered either. After looking at the week 3 and 4 winners, I am convinced my entering this contest has been a waste of time. If other folks who entered this contest are regular Michaels customers like me, I encourage them to voice their disgust about this contest to store managers as I hope to get a chance to do tomorrow.