Fabulous Frames

Instagram...
how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways.

1... 2... 3... 4...

I used to be one of those people who thought iphone people were a little overly obsessive.

And then I got an iphone.
And THEN I got instagram.
And then I understood :)

And now my fridge likes instagram, too :)

Because it got a nice, shiny makeover this week when I cleared all the random pics, announcements, party invites, etc. stuff off and replaced it with some fun new instagram magnet frames.

My fridge is currently very thankful to PTI and the new Fabulous Frames collection for its sweet new outfit :)
{It's release time at Papertrey Ink and the new Fabulous Frames stamp set and die collection will be available at www.papertreyink.com beginning June 15.}


This project is suuuuuper simple.

The key here is the thin magnet sheet that makes the base of each frame.

I picked up a package of magnetic vent covers from Home Depot - they came in a set of 3 for about $5 and are quite large... I used about one third of one cover for all four frames.  Plenty left over for all the folks who are going to be asking for some of their own instagram frames when they're hanging out in my kitchen... yup, talkin' about you, Mom ;)

The magnet sheets I used were definitely thin enough to cut with PTI's dies.  I ran the new Fabulous Frames frame die through my Big Shot using PTI's metal shim and it cut well with only one pass.  Since I was going for full size magnets I just left the frame insets in the die cuts, although they would make sweet little decorated magnets as well. 
 
Next I cut four frames using PTI's white cardstock...
 

To make sure that everything adhered together well I went ahead and ran those through my Xyron.  Before I took the die cuts off the backing sheets I went around the cut edges of each one with a little burnishing tool.  That just insures that none of the adhesive ends up on the pretty instagrams.

Speaking of the instagrams... there are lots of instagram printing services out there but I took the simple route and just opened each one up in Photoshop Elements.  I opened a new blank file (sized to 4x6"), then dragged one of the pictures onto it.  I sized the first pic down to 2.5" square, then repeated the process by dragging a second pic onto the same canvas and resizing it as well.  I was able to fit 2 pictures onto one 4x6" print that way.  A little trimming once the pictures were printed and I was good to go.

After that it was just a matter of layering the magnet die cut, then the picture, then the cardstock die cut... super simple. 

I love the sentiments that are included in the Fabulous Frames set so I added one to each of my frames for a finishing touch.  The picture above is my 8 year old doing one of his favorite things... sketching at the Dallas Museum of Art (yup, he's a pretty cool kiddo). 

Then there's the epic day after Easter that I caught Noelle behind the couch with the chocolate bunnies...

Actual conversation:
Me: Noelle... what are you doing?
Noelle: NOT something!
Me: Noelle... where are you?
Noelle: NOT behind the couch!
Me: Noelle... what do you have?
Noelle: NOT chocolate bunnies!

And there's the day that Eli declared it Brian's "unbirthday," (Eli's words: to show him how much we love him and thank him for all he does for us!) complete with watermelon "cake..."

And the first picture there is Zeke straight out of the pool... his second home.
I swear that kid spends half his life underwater :)

Love thinking of these things every time I pass by the fridge :)


But wait.
There's more ;)

I figured since my first project focused on using white I'd go in a completely opposite direction on this one.  Lots and lots of color and contrast :)

I started by die cutting the frame out of PTI's Smokey Shadow striped patterned paper.  I stamped the frame image in black and added a different patterned paper (MME) to the inside area (behind the butterfly) and more for the card base and "fabulous" tab (Crate Paper). 

I repeated a few black accents (the frame image, the butterfly, the frame around the "fabulous" tag, and the seam binding at the bottom) to bring some consistency to this suepr vibrent card.

This one kind of has a modern-day botanical print feeling to it that I love... lots of fun.  And speaking of lots of fun... there's lots more to be had with the rest of the design team...

Nichole Heady

Betsy Veldman

Maile Belles

Dawn McVey

Heather Nichols

Melissa Phillilps

Danielle Flanders

Cristina Kowalczyk

Good times, good times. 

Any thoughts on today's release?  I have to say... Fabulous Frames is creeping up into the "must have basics" list for me.  Be sure to look for it tomorrow in another one of my release projects :)

See ya then...



{Fabulous} fridge magnets

Supplies not available now but available 6/15: 

Stamps - Fabulous Frames
Die - Fabulous Frames
Supplies available now:
Stamps - Desktop File: Inspiration
CS - White
PP - Crate Paper
Ink - Smokey Shadow, Spring Rain
Other - magnet sheet (vent cover from Home Depot)
{Fabulous} card

Supplies not available now but available 6/15: 

Stamps - Fabulous Frames
Die - Fabulous Frames
Supplies available now:
CS - White
PP - Smokey Shadow stripes; Crate Paper (Random Collection)
Ink - True Black, VersaMark
Die - Library Card Tag
Other - black seam binding ribbon, Crate Paper chipboard (Random collection)