Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Be My Valentine!


Hello and welcome!! January is almost behind us. I say that with a thankful sigh of relief. I'm already counting the days until Daylight Savings Time begins and we get that extra hour of light.

We're spreading the word of our brand new challenge at the Frilly and Funkie Blog! Pamellia is our host, and her theme is Be My Valen-Twine. Romance is in the air for this challenge. It's time to share your wedding, anniversary, or Valentine projects with us. Make a card, layout, 3d project...whatever you like, but be sure to use twine, string, cord or jute somewhere on your creation. Simply follow the link above to check out the rest of the entry details.

I'm getting a head start on my Valentine cards. Every year I create embellished hearts for my friends and loved ones. The papers are from Maja's Vintage Fall Basics collection.


Hand painted rose flourishes are a must for my altered hearts. Everyone deserves a rose on Valentine's Day!


Other embellishments are kept simple; a sentiment and scattering of tiny pearls.


I thank you for visiting with me! I also extend my heartfelt thanks for the kind comments you left on my recent post. I feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful and inspiring group of people. I send out wishes for a wonderful day!

Hugs,




Other Supplies: Spellbinders hearts and scalloped heart dies.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Craft Hoarders Anonymous January Challenge!



Hello and happy day! We're reminding all of our friends that you still have time to get in on the challenge at Craft Hoarders Anonymous! Be sure to pay a visit to the blog for additional entry details, amazing inspiration from my teammates, and to admire the lovely projects that have already been submitted.  

Our January challenge theme is Choose your OWN Challenge! You'll choose elements from the chart below, using at least one element from each column, then create any type or style of project you wish. You may choose more than one item from each category, but you must include AT LEAST ONE from each. Pull out all those hoarded products, have fun, and welcome to a NEW YEAR at Craft Hoarders Anonymous! Be sure to list the elements you have chosen from each column in your blog post and LINK your project up using the Link Tool at the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog.  


May your day be filled with laughter and joy! 

Hugs,

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Winter Wishes Card


Welcome friends! I hope you're staying warm and cozy. Winter in Charleston is usually sunny and mild with the occasional chilly day, though I easily empathize with those in colder climates. I grew up in the Midwest and Northwest so I'm no stranger to snow and freezing temperatures.

We're introducing a new challenge at the Frilly and Funkie Blog! Our theme is Winter Wishes. You may create any type of project, card, or layout that shares what you love about winter. Further details can be accessed by clicking on the link above. 

Playing in the snow is among my most beloved childhood memories. We made snow angels, snow forts, and snowmen. I remember sledding expeditions and epic snowball fights. I drew inspiration for my card from these recollections of frosty fun. We just returned from a week at Disney World, so I also gave a little nod to my favorite Disney film, Frozen.



I layered, distressed, and stitched the base of my card with papers from Maja's Vintage Frost Basics collection.
Unfortunately this is one of those cards that looks better in person. I'm posting quite a few photos because I've had a difficult time capturing the details.

I added clumps of glitter glass to achieve the look of ice crystals, though it's a bit hard to see because they're clear. The whole thing absolutely sparkles and shines like tree branches after an ice storm. I also applied Snowtex for a frosted, snowy appearance.    





Here are a couple close ups of the layered snowflakes. I created them using a Tim Holtz die. 



Below is a little peek inside. I crafted a pocket to hold a mat for the greeting, plus there is plenty of space leftover to tuck in a gift card. 



Thank you for sharing your time with me today. I treasure each of my crafty friends. Your creativity inspires me, and your words of encouragement warm my heart. 

Hugs,


Other Supplies: Snowtex, Glitter Glass, miniature branches from my local craft store, Memory Box Frozen border die.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Craft Hoarders Anonymous January Challenge!


Hello and welcome! We've ushered in the New Year since my last post. I don't know about you, but I've established a couple of resolutions I'm determined to work on this year. 

I also have some news I'm excited to share with you. I've been invited by Gloria Stengel to be a part of her design team at Craft Hoarders Anonymous! I'm absolutely thrilled! I'm a long time fan of Gloria's work, and I am honored to be a part of her fabulous team.

Our January challenge theme is Choose your OWN Challenge! You'll choose elements from the chart below, using at least one element from each column, then create any type or style of project you wish. You may choose more than one item from each category, but you must include AT LEAST ONE from each. Pull out all those hoarded products, have fun, and welcome to a NEW YEAR at Craft Hoarders Anonymous! Be sure to list the elements you have chosen from each column in your blog post and LINK your project up using the Link Tool at the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog.  


My project is a bit outside of my usual style. I dug deep into my supply hoard to create this 'woodland fairy' themed mini album for my grand-girl. It's her autograph book and memory album for our trip to Disney World.  


I created the album using chipboard and a Tim Holtz three ring binder, then painted it inside and out in a vintage gold color. I layered, stitched, and distressed some beautiful papers from Heartfelt Creations. I've been hoarding them a long time and they were perfect for the album. The spine cover is grunge paper embossed with a Tim Holtz embossing folder then painted in vintage gold. 


I did a lot of fussy cutting and layering to create a miniature enchanted garden, centering everything around a frame and computer generated verse. I cut the chipboard frame with a Spellbinder's die and used a punch for the little flowers and dragonflies. I pulled out the vintage gold paint again to add some sparkle to the frame and dragonflies. The chipboard flower fairy is the keeper of this garden. I found her hiding in one of my hoarded Prima collections.    





I crafted quite a few pockets for this album, dressing up the edges with a Martha Stewart punch. I filled the front and back pockets with flower fairy postcards from collage sheets I purchased on Etsy. The rest of the pockets are empty and ready to hold mementos from the trip.The pages between each pocket are blank cardstock in pastel shades. These will provide plenty of space for character signatures and photo mats.    






I added two handmade stickpins and a tiny Prima nest. I also added some woodsy floral wire, a flourish of Prima pearls, and metal filigree pieces to a couple of the corners, The finishing touches were a generous sprinkling of fairy dust glitter and a bit of cheesecloth string.   


My chosen elements from the chart were paint, thread, die cutting, folding, scoring, punching, chipboard, metal, flowers, and bling. 

Thank you for stopping by and sharing in the crafty fun. I hope you'll be able to play along with us this month! Don't forget to check out the amazing inspiration from the rest of the design team!!   


Hugs,

Supplies: Chipboard, Tim Holtz Grunge Paper, Damask embossing folder, and large 3 ring binder, Vintage Gold paint. Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret design papers. Prima chipboard element, pearls, and nest. Spellbinders Teardrop Circles die. Marvy dragonfly and small flower punch. Martha Stewart Fairy Dust, Gold Glitter and Eyelet Lace punch. Seven Gypsies book binder punch. Flower Fairy and Postcard collage sheets from Etsy. Cheesecloth, filigree metal corners, and floral wire, Scotch ATG tape, red line tape, hot glue gun, adhesive pop up dots.