Hello Maja fans and friends!  Nancy Hanttula here and I’m back again to share some of my creations using some of the many gorgeous Maja paper collections.  Today I am going to share 2 projects….the 1st created with the Limited Edition, gorgeously sweet, Sofiero Collection (and the 2nd, a mixed media canvas, created using the vibrant Sommartider collection, so keep scrolling.)  I won’t lie….this is a rather long post, so I hope you find the time to kick back, relax, and enjoy. My 1st project is a door hanging, to be used on a nursery door when a wee little princess is sleeping.  I have broken this project down into steps so it can be easily re-created! First:  Using some basic “paper plates” that I had stashed in my kitchen… I cut out several sizes of circles from the paper plates. I traced the paper plate onto the paper, making marks at the paper plate creases.  I then took one of the smaller circular parts I had cut from the paper plate….traced it in the center… & then scalloped the edges. I cut it out from the paper, cut out the individual “petals”, and inked their edges…and then erased all of my errant pencil markings.  Next, I glued down one of the circular pieces that I had cut from one of the paper plates to the back to reinforce it. Below is a backside view of the project. Next, using 2 different sized circles that I had cut from the paper plates as templates, I traced and cut out 2 circles from different papers…punched holes around their edges so that I could stitch borders onto them.

After stitching borders onto the inner circles, I hot glued them down only in the center…being careful to leave space underneath the circle edges for my next step.

I cut some strips of the different patterned  paper to create some paper ribbons.

After cutting out the strips…all approximately 4 inches long, & about 3/4 inch wide….I inked their edges, gently folded them in half and stapled them down at the ends.

I then alternated the patterned strips and tucked them under the middle circle and glued them down.

I did the same basic technique to the smaller top circle…only I cut the strips in half.

I used a Martha Stewart corner punch to create a fanciful little embellishment that I adhered to the outside petal tips from the backside.

Below you can see the basic wall-hanging completed, with the addition of the corner punched details.  I also added some little pastel clothes-pins, that I bought at Walmart, around the inner circle.

Now the fun part.  Embellish the center circle to your hearts content.

I glued a ribbon onto the back so that it could hang either on the wall or from a door knob.

And because I was going for a “prize-ribbon/dream-catcher” type effect, I raided my enormous ribbon stash to embellish the bottom.

Once all the ribbon had been layered and adhered to the back, I secured it by gluing another circle over all of the ribbon.

And without further ado, here is the finished project.

I used a little bit of every piece of the gorgeous Sofiero Limited Edition collection on this project.

Other ingredients used in this project included:  CTMH ink, Bella Blvd feathers, Zva Creative bling, Flowers from Bo Bunny, Petaloo, & Kaisercraft, alphabet stickers from EK Success & the Girls Paperie, Martha Stewart corner punch, little clothes pins from Walmart, dragonflies from Reneabouquets Etsy shop, “My Glittered Life”, & ribbon and paper plates from my stash.

Now…for my 2nd project…..Here is a 14 x 18 canvas mixed media piece that I created with the vibrant Sommartider paper collection.

I started with my canvas….and chose scraps from this paper collection for my background.

After choosing my background papers, I decoupaged them down with matte Mod Podge.

After letting it dry, I added stamps and acrylic paint to the background for added depth and interest, and then I constructed my main image…in this case, my birthday cake.

I really wanted my birthday cake to pop out against the background, so I decided to use some bright inks and stamps on my cake layers.

Then I glued all my of my cake layers down to the canvas.

I added fancy ribbon to embellish my cake, and added more stamps and rub-ons to the background.

I created my birthday candle by rolling up some paper and adhering it to the canvas with hot glue.

I added shading and my saying, a few doodles & extra rub-ons here and there, and voila, I considered the piece done.

All paper used for this project is from the Sommartider collection.  Other ingredients used here included:  alphas from the Girls Paperie, Staz-on ink, Acrylic stamps from CTMH, Prima, Kaisercraft, Rub-ons from Bo Bunny, Basic Grey, CTMH, matte Mod Podge, ribbon from Webster’s pages and from my personal stash, Derwent Inktense blocks and pencils, Faber Castell pens, & Permaball permanent black pen.

Thanks for looking, and I hope I have inspired you to create something amazing (and perhaps, a bit messy) today!