My Latest News . . . Crop Chocolate June Challenge

I have submitted 4 things to magazines in the past and one to CTMH, 2 were picked up by Stampers Sampler and published. I think those are pretty good odds. It has always been my desire to participate in some of the challenges out there and submit some more entries.

There is a company that I have been buying from for some time now and I really like them: Crop Chocolate. The have great prices and excellent customer service. When they advertised for a Design Team, I saw the notice with just a few days before the deadline. I rushed to submit something (and will post my submissions later), but didn't make it. Unfortunately, I don't think they photographed well and I didn't take my time enough on the projects. Plus, our projects had to be 50% Crop Chocolate product and I really couldn't find enough of their products at the last minute to make myself happy.

So now I have organized my products all into one corner, bought some more, and surprise, surprise, they put out a call for a Focus Group. I had a few different options to go with, but the one I selected had to be a technique I never did before, and the project had to use patterned paper, buttons, and stamps. Again, it had to contain 50% CC (Crop Chocolate) product.

This was my entry and I was selected to be part of the group through the end of the year!!!

I think it is going to be fun as we already have our first challenge; and

you'll be seeing more artwork posted here.

I'm loving the challenges as they're making me think.

Those of you who know me--quit laughting. I know this could be a challenge in itself!

The Echo Park Theme kit focuses on "Mother," but I used it for my parent's wedding. What you can't see so well is on the lower right corner of the left page are two flags. These are stickers. They both had other words on them. On the top one, I just cut out some of the dotted paper, slightly smaller to leave a little border and turned it into a mini journaling box. On the next flag, I think it originally said "hello" and I covered it with a sticker that says "Missing you." I put really pretty carved buttons on each flag. On the next page, I used an actual journaling box for journaling.  Then there were 3 doily stickers onto which I put tiny, see-thru, pink buttons in the center of each.

The stamping is a thin blue scallop on the left page and next to that is a yellow border. Both were super easy to stamp and I was thrilled at how well the colors went with the layout.

My new techniuqe was that I used an Echo Park Mini Kit for the first time.

It's a different look for me, but I was pleased with the results.

Crop Chocolate Products Used:
Echo Park My Dearest Mini Theme Pack, it comes with patterned papers, journaling boxes, and
    stickers. It's a mother's day kit, but I used it for my mom and dad's wedding photos.)
Letters: Making Memories Paperrie Greenhouse Shimmier Alpha,
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Mustard Seed & Tumbled Glass.

Other products Used:
CTMH Layout pattern from "Magic"
CTMH Colonial White cardstock
CTMH D1332 Boutique Borders Stamps,
Doily and Vintage Buttons sources unknown (Thanks Candice for the Doily!)