This is a sponsored post. I was compensated and given free supplies in exchange for my work, but all opinions are 100% my own.
Heidi Swapp has a whole new line of memory keeping products available exclusively at most JoAnn stores and on their website and I got to take a first look at some of them! I have to admit that when I began going through the items I was given, I was a little intimidated. I am not a scrapbooker, and I have no experience with layouts or layering or any of the other fantastic memory keeping skills that Heidi Swapp has in spades.
After playing around with the products and having a lot of fun, I created a two-sided calendar for my mom to display on her desk at work. The techniques I used can generously be called “scrapping lite,” but I can’t be the only one who is slightly intimidated by scrapbook-style crafting. If you, like me, have ever been captivated by the gorgeous memory keeping supplies at the craft store but have been too apprehensive to buy any, read on. You don’t have to be a scrapping master to turn out a cute final product! 
Clockwise from top left: Enamel Confetti Stickers, Color Magic Banners, Color Shine Spray, Paper Pad, and Glitter Alpha Stickers
The products include basics that have been designed to be the building blocks of great display pieces for the home or to give as gifts. These basic pieces are coordinated so you can easily mix and match elements without worrying whether individual elements will actually work together.
Whether you are a skilled scrapper or not, the line has elements that anyone can use, including these ready-to-use die cut tags. The products are available in an array of finishes and price points, so you don’t have to bust your budget to find adorable pieces.
I was especially intrigued by the Color Magic Resist Papers. Not only are they pretty cute just as white die cut papers, they have an extra fun feature. Each paper is printed with a clear coating in different designs.
When you spray the papers with the Heidi Swapp Color Shine Spray, the paper accepts the color and the coated portion does not. Just wipe the paper with paper towel or a damp Q-tip to reveal the hidden pattern!
I used both the pink and coral sprays to make the ombre effect on this sheet of resist paper. You can just barely tell from this photo, but the dried spray color has a lovely metallic sheen to it. I could have spent all day playing around with this stuff!
As you might have already guessed, the die cut papers also make excellent stencils. When I sprayed the LOVE you paper, I placed a sheet of paper from the 6×8 paper pad beneath it. The green spray coated the paper and made a cute heart pattern on the teal paper below. Two for one crafting!
I was given this fun acrylic stand to use for my project along with the other Heidi Swapp elements. The clear acrylic stand functions similarly to an acrylic photo frame, with the addition of two binder style rings at the top. When it is set up, you can display items on both the front and the back of the stand.
It was time to put these pretty pieces together to make something functional. I used my stenciled paper, a die cut tag, another piece of patterned paper torn to size, and the glitter alpha stickers to lay out this design. My mom works as the secretary for our church, and this is one of her favorite Bible verses.
After laying out the pieces, I placed the stand down over the paper to mark where I should punch out the two hanging holes.
I attached the Bible verse with two small pieces of washi tape and hung the papers on the rings. I have super limited scrapbooking skills, but Heidi Swapp’s supplies made it easy to put together.
I alternated paper from the 6×8 pad with calendar pages from Heidi Swapp’s Make Pretty Stuff line, just so each month had a little bit of a coordinating border.
Now when the calendar sits on my mom’s desk, she will be able to use the calendar and anyone who visits her will see the Bible verse.
The design is very simple, but because the elements work together so well, it looks polished.
I had my mom give me a list of her favorite Bible verses, so I can make her new layered displays to hang throughout the year.
I hope seeing my Heidi Swapp desk calendar inspired you to make something pretty of your own. If you do use her new line available at Joann Fabric and Craft Stores, be sure to instagram it with the tag #makeprettystuff.
Did you like this post? Think it’s worth sharing? Please share with your friends using the social media share buttons at the bottom of the page!
Thanks, Jessica
Leave a Reply