{BANNERS} away and my 100th post!

Today begins the first day of the {new} CropChocolate.com blog hop!  Each of my girls are going to have a Banner project to inspire you and get your creative juices flowing!  I am actually the beginning of the hop so you've come to the right place!  

I honestly REALLY struggled with this project.  I thought about doing a banner shaped mini album.  Then I was going to do this, and that - I couldn't settle on something that I liked.  I started looking around at room ideas for my baby's 2nd birthday "big girl" room, and I decided I wanted to make something to go on her door with her new colors.  This is what I came up with.

1.  I started off with a raw-wood "N", some chipboard banners from Maya Road, white paint, So Happy Together by Echo Park, mod podge, Black Soot distress ink, random letter stickers, Black embossing powder, random stamp and embossing ink, and Charcoal Twine from The Twinery.

2.  I started off by painting 5 banner pieces white.  While those dried, I traced the "N" out of the paper, glued down, inked the edges, and mod podged the paper down onto the piece of wood.

3.  After the white paint had dried, I took my Crop-a-Dile Big Bite and punched 2 holes in each banner piece, randomly inked them, and then threaded the black twine through them.  I draped the banner across the "N" until I was happy with where it fell, then tied it off on both ends.  I took the stickers and stuck them down on each banner and then put a light coat of MP over them for extra sticking power.

4.  I wanted more of a black "pop" so I heat embossed 2 flowers onto the "N".

At this point, I wanted to do more to it.  I wanted to add flowers or glitter or something - because that's what I do.  I went against the "norm" and left it alone.  Gotta say - it's one of my favorite projects and I can't wait to get it hung on her door!!  

Now, to the fun stuff. :)

I have this goodie bag of trims for a random drawing for those that eave a comment and follow my blog. :)

Then, I will be drawing for a {SURPRISE} piece of blog candy as a gift to you for my 100th post. :)

I'll draw them both on 7/31. :)

Now, if you're here to play along with the blog hop here's where you need to go next:

Christina

I've seen her projects for this hop (and everything else she does, too!!) and they're SO dang cute!

Once you get to the end, there'll be instructions where to go for the "main" prize.  

The blog hop ends Monday, 7/30 @ 8am MST so make sure you get to steppin' by then!

Happy Hopping!!

Amber