May Arts Guest Designer Nicole Martel

Posted byAndrea Walford 76 Comments on May Arts Guest Designer Nicole Martel

May Arts Logo

We have a special treat today!  After our successful May Arts week back in May, we asked them to come back with another Guest Designer for you today.  So, we’re so excited to have Nicole Martel from May Arts with us today.  

Here at Paper Crafter’s Library we’re ribbon lovers – you’ll find ribbon on almost all of our projects – which is why we’re so thrilled to have Nicole bring you another fabulous project.  You haven’t seen ribbon until you’ve seen May Arts Ribbon – they offer a multitude of different colors and styles of ribbon to suit any preference and taste – and all of it, top quality!

And, we also have a give-a-way today!!  Two lucky winners will receive a special select pack of Ribbon from May Arts. One winner will be drawn from all the comments left here on the Paper Crafter’s Library blog to win the following Ribbon pack: 

May Arts PCL giveaway 817

AND one winner will be drawn from all the comments left on the May Arts Blog to win the following Ribbon pack:

may arts giveaway 817 

Remember, each comment you leave is one entry, so be sure to visit today not only for the great project idea, but also to enter your name into our give-aways.

About May Arts

May Arts Ribbon was founded in the early 1980’s in Riverside, Connecticut. The original products were high-end silk flowers imported from Taiwan, which were decorated using quality ribbons. The decorative ribbons proved so popular among customers that the business gradually evolved into a dedicated ribbon wholesaler.

As a family-owned and operated business, May Arts began a long-standing tradition of quality, affordability and exceptional customer service. We are dedicated to carrying on this same tradition by offering high quality products at competitive prices. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff is always happy to answer your questions or to assist you in placing your order.

May Arts carries a wide selection of quality ribbons to choose from; such as grosgrain, silk, satin, burlap and a variety of prints and patterns. All inventory is held in stock, so we can ship orders out right away—typically the same day.

Where to Buy May Arts Ribbons

The May Arts website is their wholesale site for online and brink and mortar retailers. We’ve linked to it so that you can easily view their entire product line in one place. There are numerous places where you can purchase May Arts Ribbons including many local scrapbook stores as well as online stores. Two of the online stores that carry the biggest selections that we are aware of include Amazon, who carry the complete May Arts Ribbon Line (plus you can qualify for free shipping). Click on the link we provided and it will take you to our May Arts Ribbon Search Results. To find a particular ribbon, go to the May Arts website, find the name of the ribbon and color and then enter that into your Amazon search results. Please note that through Amazon you’re buying by the roll. Most other online and local scrapbook stores sell May Arts Ribbon by the yard. One of the online stores that carries a great selection is Ribbon Carousel.

May Arts Design Team Project

Today we have with us May Arts Designer Nicole Martel.  You will find her project below, but first here is a little bit about Nicole:

Nicole 817My name is Nicole Martel.  Currently, I live in Crownsville, MD with my husband of 8 years. We have been together for 13 years! We have a beautiful son named Edward Zane who we love to pieces. We have a dog named Daisy, 2 crabbies and some fishies. We love to spend time as a family at the beach or hiking; we love being outdoors J

I began scrapping in January 2002, but I didn’t get really serious or discover the online scrapping forums until August 2006. I remember when mom asked me to go to a Creative Memories party with her. I laughed telling her no way, I’m not creative enough! By the time I left that party, I had my first album, cardstock, pens, trimmer, scissors and lots of stickers and templates. Little did I know that I’d be addicted! I totally love this hobby. It makes me happy to create layouts for my friends and family and to inspire others to scrap. My friends call me the Paparazzi. (laughs) My camera is always with me! I love taking photos and when my friends get annoyed with me, I tell them that one day, we will be old and we’ll appreciate the goofy photos that we took. After all, scrapping is all about keeping the “Memories alive!” I may be a simple scrapper but I’m far from being a boring scrapper.

My main style is simple and journalistic with a bit of an eclectic feel to my work. Not only do I enjoy creating layouts but I also enjoy creating mini albums. I love using paint and ink on my layouts to make them stand out. I do not like cluttered pages because I believe that with the right photos, design and fewer embellishments, one can still create a beautiful piece of art.

Some tips for when you’ve lost your mojo:

  1. Stop scrapping for a few days. I find that when I take a break from scrapping, I have fresh ideas when I return to the scrap table.
  2. Lift yourself! Every now and then, I will create a layout that I love based on the design and I will lift myself over and over again.
  3. Scrap the pictures that inspire you the most! Don’t worry about scrapping in order. Just focus on the special moments that you hold dear to your heart.
  4. I often find that keeping things simple, and applying the principle “less is more” saves me from lots of headache and time.
  5. Try not to let other scrappers discourage you. Do what you love, and have fun!

A Day at the Lake Scrapbook Layout

Just recently, my family and I spent a day at the lake. We had such a great time. While Edward and I were in the water playing, my mother snapped a photo of us that I just love! I wanted to create something fun, so I decided to try using my heart epoxy stickers by Epiphany Crafts to see if I could come up with an embellishment of my own and I must say I love how my little heart embellishment turned out. When I look at this layout, I can totally feel the love.

 May Arts Nicole 817

 Instructions:

  1. Place three ¾” pieces of ribbon below one another in an even line.
  2. Cover ribbon with an Epoxy heart.
  3. Carefully use your scissors to cut away the unwanted ribbon hanging from the sides.
  4. Place another epoxy heart on the other side.
  5. Place a few glue dots on the edges of the heart, to ensure that everything holds strong.
  6. Gently tie a bow using Baker’s Twine around the heart.

 may arts nicole 817

Supplies:
Patterned paper: G.C.D. Studios, Jillibean Soup, Echo Park
Transparancy: Hambly
Heart epoxy stickers: Epiphany Crafts
Baker’s Twine: May Arts
Ribbon: May Arts
Sticker alphas: Creative Memories
Corner rounder: Creative Memories
Adhesives: Tombow, Glue Dots

 

We hope you have enjoyed today’s layout.  To enter to win one of the great ribbon give-a-ways from May Arts, please leave your comment below. Also, be sure to stop by the May Arts Blog when you see the Paper Crafter’s Library post published for another chance to win, and tell them Paper Crafter’s Library sent you! Winner will be announced next week!

76 replies on “May Arts Guest Designer Nicole Martel”

  6. What a lovely page layout, I am always looking for more ideas on scrapbooking. Thank you.

  11. Ribbon is my favorite because it adds that little extra something to make my projects pop! Thanks for the chance! 🙂

  14. What a neat idea with the heart & the ribbon! I love the new ribbons – they are so cute!

  21. I really like this layout! It is such a clean look and the sentiment says it all! Awesome!

  26. Great ideas and fabulous layout! And you live in a great place- enjoy the MD Renaissance Festival for me this year! 🙂 (I’m a MD native and lived in Crofton/worked in Annapolis for a year and change.)

  27. I love what you made for your son, how precious! I am getting married next year to my soul mate and we hope one day in the future to start a family, I hope I am able to make scrapbook pages for my family like you did for yours! You did an amazing job! Thank you for sharing this with us!

  29. I love May Arts ribbons! They are working perfectly on my projects. Couldn’t get enough! I like the way you used ribbons for your scrapbook page. I must try your way some time to make my own embellishments. Thanks for sharing a great tip!

  31. i love using ribbon on art. your story is like so many of us. not creative………….yikes, i love this hobby (obsession!

  32. I just love putting ribbon on my pages and my cards. It always seems to add that little extra something to each project.

  34. These ribbons are always so stunning. I love all of the projects I have seen this far made with them. I was not familiar with May Arts until they were featured here at Paper Crafters Library back in May. Keep up all the fabulous feature guests. I love seeing new projects, techniques, and supplies. 😉

  41. Great layout with a sweet picture! Love the layers and color combo, and that touch of ribbon adds a great texture!
    May Arts has the fabulous ribbons! Thanks for the chance to win! 🙂
    DeniseB

  43. You can’t beat May Arts ribbon for design and quality. I don’t scrapbook, but this is the kind of layout that appeals to me. The focus is one the picture and the titling — not on a bunch of superfluous embellishments. I use lots of ribbon on my cards, too. Thanks for letting us play along.

  45. I love all the varieties of ribbons May Arts provide – I am newly in love with the cotton ribbon – with or without patterns…….can stamp on plain cotton ribbon with any pattern – make it uniquely yours………would love to win any thing from May Arts!!!! Amy D.

  49. What a fabulous picture! Love your use of ribbon to create the heart embellishment and the clean layout. The use of layers of paper to create depth and dimension is brilliant.

  54. It’s great to have May Arts back. I love Nicole’s scrapbook page. One could not create without ribbon and it is stunning. Thanks for getting this back up and running Andrea and staff.

  55. Love May Arts ribbon and just found your blog and site. Great idea and can’t wait for more!

  56. Nicole, thanks for the mojo tips. the photo is such a memoriable one and you created a layout the complements the happiness of the photo. lovely

  60. May Arts Ribbon Sent me and I am glad they did. I love Nicole and her layout! but also a ton of your other sponsors can’t wait to roam around and see what your all about 🙂 Have a wonderful weekends and thanks for a chance at the giveaway.

  61. Wow… love the new ribbon. Just found the May Arts site / blog… Thanks for sharing.

  62. Really pretty layout and love how you did epoxy ribbon heart! I don’t scrapbook but your page could inspire me to! LOVE May Arts ribbon thanks for the chance to win

  63. Thanks for the great advice, Nicole! I used to scrap in order and find that I just have tons more inspiration scrapping pictures or stories that inspire me the most (even if it means those school pics are a couple years old – oops!).
    Love your layout too – so sweet! Even better that you got yourself in the photo. 🙂
    Thanks so much for sharing with us!

  65. I love the ribbon I love to add it to most of my projects to add texture I never seem to have enough.:-)

  69. Love your colour palette used on your LO. The Maya Arts ribbon you have used matches the colours you used above your photos perfectly. 🙂

  73. I try to use ribbon in most of my projects and this new ribbon by May Arts will certainly jazz up a page or a card. I love the colours and the variety . Great ideas on the scrapbook page.

  75. I just love May Arts twine and ribbons. That’s just about all I use. I like how you made such a cute, casual layout. Perfect for summer.

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