Before I get to challenge #12, I’d like to thank everyone who played along with the last challenge. There were 77 beautiful entries!! Thank you so much!!

I had the difficult task of trying to pick the 3 Favorite Peeps! You guys made it very difficult to pick just three so I went rogue and picked FOUR this time!! There was no way I could take one more from my list….

And here are my Favorite Peeps (in no particular order):

• Twisted Witch
• Faye
• lis-m
• Cely

Congratulations! Feel free to grab our badge for your blog:

Now on to Challenge #12 – use ribbon! I have to admit I’m not much of a ribbon user but there is nothing as beautiful as seeing ribbon used creatively on a card or project. I’m talking those double/triple loop bows, those beautiful knots that are just the right finishing touch or ribbon turned into a beautiful flower.

Let’s see what the team has come up with for this challenge….

Melissa created this bright and cheery card that makes long for Spring. She used Sarah J’s The Good Life: February Mini Kit

Cathy created this fantastic card using XOXO by ForeverJoy Designs and Valentine Sentiments Digital Stamps by Arty Pants Digital Stamps

and this beauty was created by Julie using Bohemian Rhapsody by Quirky Twerp

Welcome to the Card Template challenge – a new monthly challenge here at The Hybrid Chick.

Each month, a new card template will be posted here on The Hybrid Chick (it’s also posted in our Challenge forum at The Digichick). Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to create a card using the template provided. As with any template, we want you to be inspired so feel free to improvise on the template a little to your liking.

For those of you who keep saying “I don’t do Hybrid” or “I can’t do Hybrid”, I say give the card template a try. Think of it as a mini layout – simply add your papers, elements and a few shadows. print, cut and fold. There you go… a digital card.

Next time, try cutting out one or more “parts” of the card and using some glue dots or 3D foam to adhere it to your card for real dimension. Maybe tie some ribbon around your card. And guess what? You’ve just created your first Hybrid project!

Are you ready for our first Card template? Here it is – a very simple template to get you started.

You can get the template (which includes a psd file, png files and a sketch copy) HERE

Here is my card that I created from the template – I used Sherwood Studio Together at Last patterned papers and Arty Pants Card Sentiments digital stamps:

How about some fantastic samples of what can be done with the template from the team?

Melissa created this beautiful card using Dani and Mari’s Bee Happy kit:

Cathrine, of Paper Garden Projects, created this sweet, sweet card using her own Folk Art Love kit:

Sharon created this wonderful baby card (that I want to steal from her!) using the kit Brady’s Room from Wishing Well Creations:

Cathy created this stunning card using Vanilla Noir by Quirky Twerp:

and finally, Joana’s beautiful card using the Feb. boutique collab A Love Story and Arty Pants Valentine Sentiments both of which are new releases today!

So, what are you waiting for??? You CAN do it, I know it!

The only requirement to being a Hybrid Chick is one blog post/tutorial a month BUT you are free to be as active in the community as you’d like.

Some Hybrid chicks are very active (like a site Creative Team member) and others pop in to the forum to pick their blog post date and that’s it. Both are totally acceptable!

As a Hybrid Chick, you are welcome to anything in the store that you want to create or scrap with provided that you use it in a reasonable time. Scrap a page, create a Hybrid project, join in a challenge, complete a layout ahead of time for a challenge, host a CT challenge, scrap with new releases for the newsletter, tweet/post of facebook – any or all of the above to whatever degree you want.

Going Hybrid is a great way to combine Digital Scrapbooking with your traditional supplies such as rubber stamps, copics, die cutters, etc.

You just have to do one monthly tutorial/project on THC blog to remain a member of THC team.

Requirements:
1 blog post (project photos and tutorial) per month
{Additional projects are welcome, but not required}

Perks:
Opportunity to create layouts/projects with new products
for The Digichick weekly new release newsletter

To apply:
Please send the following information to
luann at thedigichick dot com

your name & username
why you want to be a Hybrid Chick
link to your gallery and/or blog
a list of your current teams
and
a little about yourself

Call ends February 3, 2012
Announcement of new Hybrid Chicks February 8, 2012.

I look forward to hearing from you and seeing who will join the team!

PS…a huge THANK YOU to Michelle Batton for creating that gorgeous ad you see above!!!

I’d like to take a moment, on behalf of the entire Card Caravan team, to thank you all for playing along with our last challenge which was to include some sparkle on your card/projects. With each and every challenge, you continue to inspire and amaze us with your creativity!

At this time, I’d like to announce Julie’s Favorite Peeps from the last challenge. In no particular order, they are:

• Sasha
• Maria B
• Micki

Feel free to grab our badge to display on your blog!

Now, on to our new challenge – get out those dies and punches! I want you to use them in a new, unique way! Get creative with them. For example, you could create a flower using your scallop border die.

How about some Design Team inspiration?

Julie created this beautiful card using Read all Over by Elise’s Pieces and On This Day by Quirky Twerp. She used a Cheery Lyn doily die and a MS deep edge punch:

Next, we have Melissa’s oh-so-sweet card using Elise’s Pieces Affirmation, a Mat Stack 4 Die from Papertrey Ink and sentiment stamps from Waltzingmouse Stamps:

Cathy created this super sweet treat bag using the brand new Smitten kit by Sarah Jones:

I created my card using Elise’s Young Love {Mini kit} and a Fiskars scallop edge punch to create a void in my patterned paper to stamp my sentiment:

The Card Caravan Design Team would like to welcome all of you returning participants and, also, those of you joining us for the first time!

Our challenges are relatively simple and allow you, the challenge chicks , to interpret our challenge to your creative style. We just want you to get creative with us! We love seeing what you all come up with for our challenges!

Let’s start with our winners from our last challenge where Julie challenged you to make your own flowers. The team was simply amazed by the beautiful flowers that were created for our challenge! A HUGE thank you to all of the participants!

In no particular order, Julie’s winners are:

• E.T
• Margreet
• Szalonaisa

Congratulations! Please feel free to grab our badge for your blog!

Now, on to our new challenge!

Tomorrow marks a milestone birthday – my oldest child’s 21st birthday! Happy 21st Birthday, Justin!

It’s his birthday that inspires this challenge – we want you to create a card/project that has something birthday themed on it.

Let the theme inspire – create a birthday themed card, include a balloon or birthday sentiment on your card/project, create a birthday banner, create a party theme, etc.

How about some inspiration from the Team?

Cathy created this beautiful card using Every Day of the Year by Sugarplum Paperie.

Julie created this fantastic set using the Grateful Heart Paper Pack by Lisa Sisneros (a guest designer) and Cake Box by The Cutting Files.

This next gorgeous card is by Melissa using the Digichick Boutique Collab. My digital Obsession.

Sylvia created this stunning card using The Sun Will Come Out by Sugarplum Paperie.

And here’s my card for the challenge using Dawn by Design’s Family Meals paper pack.

How’s that for some inspiration?

Here’s how our challenges will work – Every other Sunday, members of The Card Caravan will host a challenge right here on The Hybrid Chick blog. Our challenges will be fairly simple like “use ribbon”, “use glitter” or “use the color blue”. We just want you to get creative with us!

Here are the rules for our challenges:

• Entries must use the challenge item to be considered for the winners badge or any prizes that are offered.
• Entries must be a newly created card/project for our challenge – no back-linking
• You can use any stamps/papers/supplies/etc. – you do not have to use something from the Digichick to enter.
• We will accept cards and paper craft projects in our challenges
• You may combine our challenges with as many other challenges as you want
• All skill levels are welcome.
• You can enter as many times as you like
• If posting to an online gallery, please use the keyword THCCC1
• Add a link back to The Hybrid Chick in your blog post
• Each challenge will close at 11:59PM EST the Friday before the next challenge starts – winners will be announced with the next challenge post.

Let’s get things started… Today’s challenge is to use twine on your card/project.

How about some inspiration from the Card Caravan team?

Melissa created this beautiful card using the Sew Cute Collaboration by Sugarplum Paperie, Danielle Engebretson and Mari Koegelenberg.

Love the twine around the spool element! Nice touch Melissa!

Cathy created this card that is sure to earn her an A+ using the A is for Apple Digichick collab kit.

I’m so jealous of Cathy’s ability to use patterned papers!!

Sylvia created this dreamy card using using Sunshiny Day kit by Karen Lewis and Card Sentiments 2 by Arty Pants Digital Stamps

Totally LOVE how she used the twine on her card!!

And last, but not least is Julie’s sweet card using Girlfriends by Sugarplum Paperie and Mari Koegelenberg Creations. I just adore the border punch she used on her card!

In celebration of our very first challenge, one participant will be randomly chosen to receive an Ultimate Sampler pack from The Twinery – thank you Nicole for your generosity!

Aren’t all of those colors yummy?!?

I always keep a little notebook with me to jot down ideas and sketches so there I stood…. in Target …. notebook in hand … sketching out how the alphabet letters were positioned so that my “I”, my “♥” and my “U” would line up correctly!!!

Let’s get started with our supplies:

• Dotty Gels: Black alphabet by Mari Koegelenberg
• Dotty Gels: Red alphabet by Mari Koegelenberg
• picture frame
• Red River 60lb. Paper Canvas

First, measure the opening of the frame you are going to use.
Tip: Even if I know what size a frame is, I still measure it. I’ve had to re-print too many projects in the past because it didn’t fit into the frame correctly.

The opening of my frame is 8.5 inches x 8.5 inches so I opened my program and created a new blank canvas using those measurements.

After opening all of the black Dotty Gel alphabet letters and the red Dotty Gel “I” and “U”, begin positioning the letters on the blank canvas in the following manner:

• A through E on the 1st line
• F through K on the 2nd line
• L through P on the 3rd line
• Q through U on the 4th line
• V through Z on the 5th line

Use the grid tool to help you space the letters evenly. Note that I left a border around the edges of my letters.

Replace the “O” with a cute heart from your stash – the heart I used is NOT included in either of the alphabet packs. Mari created the gel heart esp. for this project. Thanks Mari!!

Once you have all of the letters spaced to your liking, merge all of the letter layers and the heart layer together – but do not merge them with your background layer.

Increase the saturation on your alphabet and heart layer before printing for a nice strong color. Add a shadow to the alphabet letters. Merge visible.

Copy and paste your merged layer onto a blank 8.5 x 11 inch blank canvas for easier printing.

Print using your printer’s best print option – I printed on Red River’s Paper Canvas because of the rich, luxurious texture. It’s hard to see in the photo because of the glass.

tip: When photographing projects with glass, remove the glass for the pictures for a perfect photo with no glare!!!
(Unfortunately, I was unable to do this with this particular frame )

Next, trim the printed piece.

Insert your art into the frame and you’re done!

Tip: Save your ready-to-print file to use as a template for any other “I *heart* U” wall art that you may want to create.

If you decide to create your own “I *heart* U” wall art, I’d LOVE to see it so please come back and link me up so I can leave you some luv!!!

LuAnn

Your party centerpiece doesn’t need to take a lot of time or expensive materials. You can impress your guests without breaking the bank.

I’m going to show you how to create this fairly easy hot air balloon centerpiece for under $3.

Supplies:

• Stacy Molter Designs’ Flower Pot Templates & Cutting Files
• Americana Celebration Digital Kit by Etc. by Danyale
• Epson Matte Presentation Paper
• adhesive tape runner
• ink – for edges and stamping
• 12 inch wooden skewers – painted white
• 9 inch wooden embroidery hoop – I used the inside hoop, painted white
• low temp. hot glue gun
• 12 inch Royal blue balloon
• Supplies to decorate your hot air balloon – I used 3D foam dots, white curling ribbon, button die from Stampin’ Up!, Banner die and alphabet stamp from My Favorite Things, white string or twine, shredded paper

Let’s get started….

1. Open Stacy’s flower pot template in your photo editing program (Stacy also includes cutting files in .dxf, .jpg, .png and .svg format).

2. Choose the paper for the “basket” of your hot air balloon – I used the striped paper from Danyale’s Americana Celebration Kit. I rotated and resized the paper to fit each side of her template. I recolored the cutting lines to a red a few shades darker than the stripes in the paper.

3. Print the finished template on Epson Matte Presentation paper using your printer’s best print option. I also printed a few squares/strips of the dark red and dark blue papers as well as a few stars to use to decorate my hot air balloon.

4. Score and crease the folds of the template. Ink all of the edges before assembling the template.

5. Using an adhesive of choice, assemble the flower pot. Fold the top edges of template to the inside to create a finished look around the inside edges.

6. Apply hot glue to the bottom of the painted wooden skewers one at a time and quickly position in the inside corner of the flower pot.

7. Now comes the tricky part – positioning the wood embroidery hoop on top of the skewers. Hold the hoop above the four skewers to get an idea of how it needs to be to be centered. Apply a small blob (good technical word there huh? LOL) to the top of one of the skewers and position the hoop horizontally – hold in place about 5-10 seconds to allow hot glue to cool. Be careful not to burn your fingers!!!

8. Hot glue the hoop to the skewer in the opposite corner and then the remaining corners. Hoop not centered over the skewers to your satisfaction? Hold a skewer in one hand and gently pull at hoop to remove from skewer. Gently pull off cooled hot glue. Re-hot glue.

Remove all hot glue boogies from your project!

9. Decorate your hot air balloon to your liking.

For the top of mine, I hot glued some curling ribbon to the hoop just above where the skewer is glued to the hoop. I used a button die in my Big Shot to create buttons using the dark red paper I printed. I tied some white embroidery floss in the center of my buttons before positioning the buttons on the hoop over top of the ribbon.

I decorated the “basket” of my hot air balloon by using a banner die on the dark blue paper strip I printed and also on some of the scrap white presentation paper remaining from cutting out the template.

I stamped a “U”, a “S” and an “A” on each of the stars I printed and then cut out the small stars. I adhered the stars to the banner with 3D foam squares. After tying some of the white embroidery floss between two skewers, I positioned each of the banner pennants so that they look like they are hanging from the white floss.

10. Finally, just before the start of your party, blow up the balloon as big as you can get it. Tie a knot and position the balloon in hoop. Fill the basket with shredded paper, candy, etc.

So, let’s see some other ways you can use a hot air balloon centerpiece….

How about as a centerpiece at the next baby shower you host? Simply by changing the papers I used and a few of the decorative elements, I came up with this:

Here’s a better photo of the basket:

I think this looks so dreamy and just perfect for a baby shower! Think how beautiful your baby shower tables would be with pink ones on half of the shower tables and blue ones on the other half. The pink and white striped paper was made for my by Donna of Quirky Twerp.

Or how about just for a fun centerpiece for a birthday party (or even a non-traditional baby shower)?

I was inspired to create this one by that fun orange argyle paper made by Laura of Wishing Well Creations.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and, if you are inspired to create your own hot air balloon, I’d love to see it!

LuAnn

Today, I’m going to show you FIVE quick and fun ways to bring the napkins and utensils into the heart of the shower by showing you ways to dress them up. Once dressed up and laid out on the tables, the napkins and utensils will not only become one less thing for people to carry as they go through the food line, but they also become a part of your table decor.

There are several things I did for every one of my examples below:

• I printed on regular computer paper using my printer’s best print option
• I used scissors or a paper cutter
• I used an adhesive tape runner to secure everything

Let’s get started!

First, we have a simple band of patterned paper wrapped around the napkin with the utensils tucked into the band.

Print full sheets of paper. I used a paper from Wishing Well Creations’ And Many More..Paper pack. Use scissors or a paper cutter to cut strips. Wrap a strip of the patterned paper around the napkin and overlap in the back. Leave a little slack in the paper wrap so the plastic utensils slip beneath it.

Our second example is a little variation on the first. For this one, I printed full sheets of patterned papers from Quirky Twerp’s Vita Fortunata paper pack.

Folding a square napkin in half and crease it. Open the fold you just created so that the napkin is square again. Fold the left edge of the napkin in to the center fold mark. Repeat on the right side. Fold this in half on the center fold.

Wrap the bands of paper around napkin – be sure to keep the squared off look. Secure where band overlaps. The overlap is on the front. You can leave this as is or add a button for a special touch.

I used a Stampin’ Up! button die to create coordinating paper buttons for my sample. A little floss or thread in the center of each makes it more realistic.

Having an animal themed baby shower? Then this one is for you!!! For this one, I used Wild Child: Animal Prints paper pack by Elise’s Pieces Designs.

To create these fun napkins rings, print full sheets of each paper. You can use scissors or a paper cutter to cut the strips. Roll the utensils in the napkin, wrap with a strip of animal print paper and secure.

Purchase a skein of light tan/sand colored fun fur. Cut an 8 inch length. Wrap this around the animal print band and tie in the front.

I’m going to say right now that I think the next example is my favorite! I used Danielle Engebretson’s Memoir: The Papers. Doesn’t this make for a fun non-traditional color theme???

Again, print full sheets of the papers – I printed sheets of the floral paper and the solid blue and orange papers. Use scissors or a paper cutter to cut the strips. Roll the utensils in the napkin, wrap with a strip of the floral paper and secure.

Use a die (or punch!) to create decorative flowers. Add a gem or flat back pearl to the center of each of the flowers. Secure to the band of floral paper.

And last, but not least, is an example that takes a little more time but it’s still fairly easy to do! Start off with Kelleigh Ratzlaff’s Pillow Box Template Set and Cutting Files.

Design what will be the front – I used the following from The Digichick shop:

• a paper from Amanda Heimann’s Spring Fling kit
• the baby carriage from TK Whimsy’s Doodle Stamps Part 6
• TK Whimsy’s TKSmiley Font

I did not print the top flaps of the pillow box template.

Assemble the pillow box. Slip the napkin and utensils in the box.

And there you go – a few quick and easy ways to dress up your napkins, utensils and shower tables!

You know that old saying “April Showers bring May Flowers”? Well, for me, April Showers bring many baby showers!!! This time of the year my mailbox starts to fill with invitations to baby showers! I don’t know the last time I received a baby shower invitation in the middle of winter?!?

Keeping with Spring feel of new life, The Hybrid Chick will be hosting a Baby Shower Bash the last two weeks in April.

Be sure to stop back daily during the Baby Shower Bash as The Hybrid Chick team will be creating baby shower themed projects featuring the gorgeous designs of The Digichick Designers.

Quirky Twerp’s newest kit in the shop, Welcome Baby Scrapbook kit, immediately put me in the mood to create a baby themed project!

I ADORE the elephant which inspired my project:

My Supply List:

• Welcome Baby Scrapbook kit by Quirky Twerp
• chipboard letters
• thin matte presentation paper
• Tombow adhesive tape runner (or adhesive of choice)
• Tombow mono aqua liquid glue (or adhesive of choice)
• exacto knife
• a sanding block
• ink for edges
• scissors
• hole punch
• string/ribbon/cording
• piece of chipboard (backing from a tablet or cereal box)

The above supply list is a guideline for you – use what you have! Don’t own an adhesive tape runner? Then use mod podge or a glue stick or your favorite white glue.

Ready to get started? Let’s go!

1. Open your program of choice. Choose a paper that you want to use on the letters. All of mine use the same paper but you could use a different paper for each letter.

2. My chipboard letters are about 3 inches so I resized the paper to 4 inch x 4 inch squares. Zoom in so that you are looking at the paper at 100%. Size and resize the papers until the pattern is a size of your liking – one that you think will work on your chipboard letters.

3. Print the squares on thin presentation paper. I always use my printer’s best print option. Cut apart the squares.

4. I didn’t want the gray sides of the chipboard letters showing in my project so I inked the edges of my letters with black Ink. I used Q-tips for the hard to reach spots on the letters – like on the inner edge of the “a”

5. Apply adhesive to the front of each letter and placed one face down on each of the backs of the printed squares of patterned paper.

6. Using an exacto knife, carefully cut around each letter and in the center of the letters.

This is what all of the letters looked like covered with the papers:

My letters are very rough looking from being cut out with the exacto knife, but we’re going to correct that next.

7. Using a sanding block (or a piece of fine grit sandpaper, a flat nail file or metal nail file), sand all the edges of the letters. This will not only remove the excess paper from the edges of the letters but it will also smooth and distress the edges.

tip: always sand in a downward motion. If you sand up and down, you’ll pull the paper up from the letter.

8. Use ink and a small piece of sponge to ink all of the edges of the letters and then set them off to the side to dry.

9. Punch 2 small holes in the top of each letter. You can further embellish the letters by adding bows like I did, you can add flowers, or you can leave the letters as is. These are your letters – embellish them how you want!!!

10. Thread string or ribbon through holes in letters – leave enough string at each end for hanging.

11. Space the letters on the string/ribbon to your liking. I used a piece of transparent tape over the string on the back of the letters to keep letters in place when hanging.

Here’s how I created the elephants holding the string of letters:

Donna (Quirky Twerp) included two larger sized elephants in her kit (one pink and one blue) – they measure approx. 7 inches x 5 inches. PERFECT for larger sized baby shower and/or nursery decorations!!

1. Print one large blue and one large pink elephant. Flip the blue elephant horizontally before printing – you want the elephants “facing each other” to hold the letters.

2. Cut out the elephants. Apply adhesive to the back of your elephants and glue to a piece of chipboard. (I used a piece of old cereal box – you could also use the chipboard from the back of a tablet). The chipboard will help your elephants be stronger and more durable. I used Tombow mono aqua liquid glue for this. It has a dauber tip applicator which is great for covering large areas.

3. Place a thick book or heavy object on top of the elephants so that the edges don’t curl up. Allow to dry.

4. Cut out around the elephants.

5. Wrap ends of the strung letters around the elephants trunks (again, I used a piece of transparent tape to secure the string on the back of the elephants).

This was a very easy project to do! Covering chipboard letters with paper wasn’t as hard I as I thought it would be. The sanding and inking of the edges allowed for some forgiveness of mis-cuts. So give it a try!

I hope you are inspired by my project and I hope to see you back here at the end of the month for more baby themed projects!