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Thursday, February 18, 2010

UDI Inspiration Challenge #83

When I first opened the inspiration photo file from our challenge Mom, Maria, the children's song "Teddy Bear Picnic" started running through my head. And I wanted to run screaming out of the room! :) You see, when Emma was a baby, we had one of those musical red/black/white toys strung across her stroller to 'entertain' her while she sat waiting patiently for us to finish whatever we were doing. Well, the center toy was a teddy bear head and when she pressed the nose, it played that song. Let's just say that she pressed that button a lot!
Well, she's still pressing our buttons, but we love her anyway! And, I didn't run from the song or the photo this week and REALLY had fun creating my project!

Here is the inspiration photo:

And here is my interpretation of it:


It was so cool to see this idea in my head really come together - as I got closer to finishing, I was doing the happy dance that it was all coming together! :)

I started with the basket because if I couldn't get that to work, then I knew I'd need to punt! It's created with two pieces of 8 1/2" x 11" Creamy Caramel cardstock plus three strips cut from a 12" x 12" piece. I did weave this flat, but I'm already planning to try another one but round this time. I used to sell baskets for another company (13 years!) and I tried to create this one similar to what I remember the weavers doing at that company. The top bands and handle are secured with Silver Brads.


The Daisies were all cut with my Big Shot and the Daisies Die. I just layered all three pieces and used my Bone Folder to curl the tips. The Summer Sun Corduroy Brad completes the center.

I used Garden Green strips of cardstock for the flower stems 1" wide and folded to 1/2" for strength. I used Sticky Strip for all the adhesive on this project.


I've always had a thing for jointed teddy bears - there is quite the collection of Boyd's Bears in my home - so I thought it would be fun to take our wonderful Build-A-Bear Big Shot dies and see if I could make them work as jointed bears.
I used Close to Cocoa cardstock and sponged all the pieces with the same ink color.
More Silver Brads and some Real Red Gingham Ribbon with a little black cardstock behind the faces completed them. It was actually pretty easy to create these! Hey, I actually "built-a-bear"! :)
For the finishing touch, I cut a piece of 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" Whisper White cardstock and using a template made of cardstock, sponged Real Red ink on it to make the picnic cloth.
So, no stamping on this project at all, but tons of fun! Start to finish, it took me about 3 hours, but now that I know what I'm doing, it would be a lot faster to recreate.

I'd love to know what you think of this little project - and be sure to check out the other inspiration projects over at the UDI Blog. I know they will be fabulous!
Have a great day everyone!
~~Robin

46 comments:

  1. OMG - I am totally loving this!! What a great bunch of ideas all in one challenge! WOW! Thank you so much for sharing this!

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  2. These are fantastic Robin! {SMILES}

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  3. Robin...I already sent you an email telling you how wonderful these projects are but I felt I needed to post a message here too. These projects are absolutely incredible!!! I love everything, the basket, the flowers, the jointed bears, even the picnic blanket!!! Thank you so much for sharing with us.

    Just wondering if you have a tutorial on how to make the basket? If not, do you know where we can find one? Can't wait to CASE you!!!

    Thanks again!!
    Lorraine Castellon-Rowe
    www.lorrainerowe.blogspot.com
    www.lorraine.stampinup.net
    ltrain26@comcast.net

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  4. Isn't this the cat' meow! This is a great combination of ideas and will be a wonderful complete project for my stamp club. Will you be sharing instruction/dimensions? Love, love, love this taste of summer! Sue

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  5. Robin...you hit this one right out of the park! DARLING!!! I love it!

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  6. Too cute! Love how you incorporated the blanket and bears with your basket. Perfect idea for a class. Thank you for sharing your beautiful artwork.

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  7. What a cute project! I have thought about trying to make the jointed bears too but haven't gotten around to trying. Yours look great! Thanks for Sharing.
    Monika Davis

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  8. oh my Robin this is beyon adorable
    I just sooooooooooo love your project here
    you took the photo and you ran with it in a great direction
    SUPER wonderful
    how inspiring you are thank you for that

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  9. I want to learn...this is fabulous!!! Will there be a tutorial? I love, love , love this!

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  10. Oh my gosh, that is so danged cute. I love those dasies and your bears are so cute with the brads for the moveable parts. Love your weaved basket, just and adorable ensamble.

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  11. I love it. I think I am going to try this. I love having flowers in the house. but hate that they die so quickly. This way it will stick around. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Rhonda Stirrat

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  12. This is awesome, I absolutely love it.... thanks for sharing it..

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  13. WOW!!! That's awesome!! I love it! Great job!!! They're incredible!!! Thanks so much for sharing!!

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  14. Robin: This is so adorable and clever! You interpreted the picture beautifully!

    Lucia Kaiser
    West Yarmouth, MA on Cape Cod

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  15. Oh my gosh! You have blown me away! This project is unbelievable! Holy cow! I think I am speechless now! :)

    Hugs!

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  16. Robin, these are fabulous!!!! WOW! Great job! Love how you made the jointed bears! TFS!!

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  17. OMG Robin this is SOOOO awesome!!! Wow...I don't really know what else to say...LOVE it!!!!!

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  18. Robin, I love this project.... your a genius with paper! The teddies are so great. Thinking this would be a great project with a group of 4-h or girlscouts or cubscouts. thanks for sharing your talent with us.
    Debi Pippin
    Florida

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  19. ADORABLE!!!

    Nice to see you in Stampin Success.

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  20. ADORABLE!!!!

    Nice to see you Stampin Success

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  21. What a beautiful job you did! Love all the details. Such a neat basket. Is there a tutorial coming?

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  22. TOTALLY FABULOUS MY FRIEND. I remember we were chatting about the challenges at Leadership and you said how much you loved them! WELL I am so happy you joined our team! It is fabulous! Way to go Robin x

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  23. I agree with the others....we need a tutorial. This is FAB-U-LOUS!!!!

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  24. HOLY COW BATMAN!! My jaw is on the floor!! Your project is just too cute!! You really outdid yourself - I LOVE it all!!!!
    "Picnic time for teddy bears...." hehheee

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  25. WOW!!! This is absolutely adorable...I hope you post a tutorial...I am in love with your project.

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  26. I feel so privledged to get to work with someone SOOO stinkin' talented!!! Oh wow!!!

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  27. Well you KNOW I just love this project since I had to call you as soon as you posted the picture of it!!! I love love love this project!!! You really ROCKED this challenge girlfriend!!!

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  28. WOW! your whole project came out fabulous, right down to your plaid card stock napkin. Your basket doesn't even look like its made from card stock. And I love the idea with the brads and the Build a Bear.

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  29. This is so darn cute, I just have to try it. My mother made teddy bears with moveable arms and the picture looks like one of her bears...... Thanks for sharing your fantastic project.

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  30. Great job on all of it!!! I sell baskets for that company currently (if it's the one in Ohio), and your basket is awesome!! Love it!!

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  31. Absolutely darling Robin! What a work of art!!

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  32. This is so adorable! I will be casing for sure! Wonderful!

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  33. I LOVE this idea... the bears with the brads stole my heart..I MUST case this.... too cute....

    Cookie

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  34. OMG Robin! How stinkin' cute is that? I love it!

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  35. This is great! I totally thought that basket was real wood or wood sheets. The bears are so cute and the table cloth looks like it was bought at the store.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Kristi in Vegas :)

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  36. I like the woven basket and the sunflowers. Would love a tutorial for the basket. I am going to order the die for the sunflower. TFS

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  37. Wow this is fabulous! I love love love it! It turned out fabulous. I don't do a lot of 3-d projects, but you may have inspired me :)

    - missimagination.com

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  38. I am so COMPLETELY IN AWE OF YOU!!! This project is so wonderful. I, too, am a stuffed bear fan. I have the entire Muffy VanderBear family, plus some Boyds bears, and some Build-A-Bears--not to mention ALL the SU! Build-a-bear dies, stamp sets, and accessories!

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  39. Adorable, I think I could hear those little bears screaming all the way to AZ, when you cut them apart to put them back together again.
    Oh well, they turned out so cute.
    I love the basket and the flowers too!

    Hugs,
    Di

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  40. This is fabulous!! I love the little bears' joints! So cute! And the basket ... wow!! can I case? Love it!

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  41. How clever are you?!!! This is terrific. Love how you brought them to life. TFS

    Denise Foor

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