Altered Muffin Pan & Imaginisce Animal Crackers Release Party

By now you probably know I was selected to serve on the 2011 Imaginisce design team.  I got the news at like 12:30 a.m. about a week before Christmas.  I was dealing with insomnia and checking my email when I saw a subject line that said "A Great Big Gift from Imaginisce". I opened it up and read it probably 100 times before it sank in.  I really couldn't sleep after that and no one was awake to share the news with. Bummer.

Lori wasn't exaggerating when she said it was a great big box. Check this out:

I've been dying to post this picture but I couldn't until today's Animal Crackers Collection release.  I'm not even sure you can see everything because some of it just ended up piled on top of each other, there was so much.  Anyway, while waiting for the release, I've been just getting to know all the other AWESOME, incredibly TALENTED gals and creating projects.  Let me tell you, there are some really great ideas for what you can do with this new line.  Check out one of mine below and then head over to the Imaginisce blog to see even more ideas and to enter to win some of the incredible prizes they are giving away ALL.WEEK.LONG.

Altered Art: Wall Hanging / Organizer
I recently replaced my old muffin pan with a silicon one but I just couldn't throw the old one away. So, I had this idea to make it into an embellishment organizer for my new craft room.  While I was altering it I realized it could also serve another purpose, as a piece of art. I painted it, punched out circles and sealed it. Here's what the front looks like with nothing in it.

I decided it could be used to hold numerous things, like change, jewelry, i-top accessories, brads, i-rocks, buttons and so much more. My daughter even wants to make one to plant flowers in. I chose to sort my collection of buttons in it.

Even then, I still couldn't decide whether to use it or hang it, so I took the buttons out and made this on the flip side. I am so glad I did! 

I have to say that it looks 100 million times better in person. While I was making it I recorded a how-to video tutorial thingy so I will post that video ASAP. 

Let me tell you a little bit about my magnets - I got out my i-top and Magnet Daddies and made some adorable little magnets that "spoke" to me. Here's how each one played out:

• I cut an "h" out for my name and made a butterfly that I added some i-rocks to. The butterfly is perched in a medium sized magnet daddy. 
• I took a banners border strip and added some twine to it. It hangs on by two small magnet daddies cut from the matching banner paper (Pixie Sticks) and twine bows. 
• To make the flower I used my petal roller.  I really wanted to make it out of the tickets paper (Step Right Up) so I used a pre-cut flower made for the petal roller and used it as a template to cut this one out. It required a little bit of fussy cutting but it worked out marvelously.
• The koala bear was punched from the Step Right Up tickets paper as well. I added some black bling for his eyes using the i-rock, topped him over a magnet daddy and then I placed it over a green mesh fashion flower and a smaller punched flower. I love this little koala! Just look at that little top hat and 'stache.
• Last but not least I cut out two of the same butterflies from 2 different papers.  I used the green as the background because I wanted it to look like an extension of the green circle he is perched upon.  I glued the top butterfly down, added some crystal i-rocks and then used pop dots to give it dimension, like he is flying away.  It's hard to see but I used a small magnet daddy in the same green paper to hold it to the pan. I didn't want it to be noticeable.

I hope you have enjoyed my little artsy fartsy project here that I have hanging right above my desk now. Check back again this week to see more of my projects I created using this FUN, new collection. Now hop over to the Imaginisce blog to see some of the other AMAZING projects made with this collection and be sure to enter their giveaway!