Saturday, October 29, 2016

Finished Frames

Howdy.  I wanted to share the altered frames that I finished and just forgot to post the images.   {frown}  Sometimes I think I have too many items on my 'plate'.  Or maybe I just need to get organized.  Either way, here are the finished frames. (original post HERE)

wedding or baby boy

baby girl or shabby kitchen

I picked up these frames from a discount store.  They measure roughly 6" x 6".  The photo opening measures 4" x 4".   I just loved the overall look of the frames: the cluster of roses in each corner, the scalloped edge, the beaded trim around the opening.  Just pretty.  
I made two different looks.  The first frame, I used a kraft colored linen as the fabric piece.  I thought the contrast between the white of the frame and the color of the linen was pretty.  
I machine stitched three different cotton trims to the middle of the piece.  I added a ticket, a paper blossom, a key, and button to the cluster of objects for the focal piece.  I tied a piece of pale blue seam binding around the key.  I was thinking 'wedding' for this framed piece.  But, it really doesn't have a specific piece.
The second frame I wanted to make a bit more feminine.  So I used a white and rose print cotton fabric.  I machine stitched two pieces of cotton trim.  I added another ticket and button to my cluster.  But this time I added a spoon, tied with pale pink seam binding.  I was thinking baby girl or shabby kitchen for this framed art.  But really, there isn't a specific theme.  
Thank you for stopping by.  I just wanted to share with you what I have created.  {smile}  These two framed pieces will be for sale at my Craft Fairs.  Remember, shop early for the best selection.  {smile}

Friday, October 28, 2016

Shabby Peppermint Christmas Card

Howdy!  Wow, I've posted a few times already this week.  You would think that I have a better 'understanding' of my new photo editing software.  Well, before we start to celebrate, I still can't figure out how to add text to my photos.  {ugh.  deep breathes.  One step at a time.}
Anyways, I am still playing with this beautiful pattern paper from Prima; Sweet Peppermint.  It is simply beautiful!  
I am entering a few challenges with a card I made this morning.  I used some scraps and added a bit of machine stitching, and viola!
The first challenge I am entering is a new challenge for me.  It's the Paper Play Sketch Challenge.  They have a straight forward sketch.  But, you know me.  I love layers!  here is their sketch:


The second challenge I am entering is a theme challenge: Get Ready for Christmas @ Crafting by Designs.  And at this time of year, that is pretty much all I do during my waking hours.  Craft, craft, and a bit more crafting.  Almost all Christmas themed.  I'm getting ready for holiday craft fairs.
The third, and last (for today) is a challenge site that is near and dear to my heart:  Word Art Wednesday.  Their theme is typically Anything Goes.  But they have a 'family friendly' site, so super friendly and easy to look at.  They always provide a scripture that is NOT required, but very inspirational!
and here is what I created:



The blank-inside greeting card is the typical A2 size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").  It will be for sale at my holiday craft show.  I just loved it next to the little shabby house I made with the same digital Bingo card.  {smile}
Recipe:  The card base is made from cream heavy weight card stock from Paper Trey Ink. (notice how the card stands on it's own, even with the layers.)


I used two match-y pattern papers from the Sweet Peppermint holiday collection by Prima - the mint polka dots, and the white snowflakes on a mint background.  (there are polka dots on the snowflake pattern paper, to help repeat the polka dots on the initial pattern paper.)
I adhered these two patterns together and ran it through my sewing machine.  I just love how the stitching adds such a warmth and homespun look to my paper crafts.  I wrapped a scrap piece of this beautiful black houndstooth pattern paper from the Christmas Delivery collection by Carta Bella.  I just love the contrast between the black and cream and the mint and white patterns.
I wrapped a scrap piece of Mint Macaron ribbon by Stampin' Up! around the middle of the card.  I just love the color and the added texture.  I also wrapped another new ribbon from Stampin' Up! it's their silver stripe ribbon.  The metallic really adds some elegance to the card.
I added a shabby Bingo card, as my focal piece.  (foam tape helps elevate this piece off the front of the card.)  I printed my digital Bingo card onto linen card stock by Paper Trey Ink, to help give it some texture and keep it from looking 'flat'.  I thought that the pink and green color scheme of the Bingo card really added a feminine touch.  
I wanted a sentiment but just couldn't figure out where to stamp it!  So, I made a quick tag from a scrap piece of the initial matt pattern paper.  (repeating the pattern and design.)  I stamped my sentiment on the tag and tied a simple bow with the silver stripe ribbon.  (repeat, is my middle name! ya'll)  I used a new-to-me stamp for the sentiment.  I just love the font.  It's so pretty, and elegant, and flow-y.  And I didn't have to purchase a $17/$22 stamp set to get it.  It is the Mini Christmas Holiday polymer stamp from CTMH, and it was under $3.  Perfect.  Right?
My final 'touch' was the pair of dual rhinestones at opposite corners of the Bingo card.  Yep, silver rhinestones to repeat the metallic in the silver stripe ribbon.
I used the edge of my scissors to 'rough' the edges of all of the papers.  I then sponged all the edges with Crumb Cake classic ink by Stampin' Up!.  
Well, thank you so much for stopping by my little piece of Blog-Land.  I appreciate the company.  I hope you have been inspired to play along with any or all of these challenges. {smile}


Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Shabby Houses

Howdy.  Welcome.  I purchased these tiny wooden blocks, shaped like houses.  They were plain, and irregular.  Probably not too inspiring.  But look past the blah, the blank, the irregular sides, the tinniness.  Just add some paint, paper, and embellishments, and viola!  Sounds pretty simple.  And fun!  You get to use all those pretty scraps and bits & pieces to create something pretty.  Easy.  Right?

a tall, wide house:


a short, wide house:


a tall, narrow house:

Recipe:  I painted all the houses with white chalk paint.  Left it dry (and that's the hardest part)!  Use a sanding block, and distress the paint on the edges and smooth all of the flat areas.
Use the 'house' as your template: trace the shape onto pattern paper.  I cut my paper too small.  I wanted the block edges to be seen.  I also sponged crumb cake classic ink on the edges of the pattern papers.  I used Paper It to adhere the paper.  I like it better than Mod Podge.  
The tall, wide house: I adhered a digital Bingo card to the front.  I wrapped a pale mint green seam binding ribbon around the house and tied it in a simple bow.  I adhered a white, resin, large key hole by Melissa Frances to the house.
The short, wide house:  I adhered a scrap piece of pattern paper from Prima Sweet Peppermint.  I adhered a silver and rhinestone crown to the front.  I tied a natural and silver stripe ribbon into a simple bow and adhered it to the top of the crown.
The tall, narrow house:  I adhered book print pattern paper.  I wrapped a piece of pale pink seam binding ribbon around the house and tied it in a simple bow.  I adhered a white resin architect piece, long ways to the front of the house.
I will have these for sale at my holiday craft fairs.  I haven't decided if I am going to sell this trio as a set, or individually.  Please use the 'comment' to let me know your thoughts!


Monday, October 24, 2016

Shabby Chic Vignette House

Howdy!  I was surfing the web, and came across some new releases from Tim Holtz, for the holidays.  Let me say, that I love his work.  I know its not girly, shabby chic.  But it is vintage, and retro, and quite gorgeous!  Anyways, I saw that he has these vignette house shadow boxes in his new holiday  release.  Along with some fabulous flash cards, some deer trophy heads, and some new smaller bottle brush trees, and so much more. 
I want to share with you what I did with this new house-shaped shadow box.  It's sweetly shabby!


I am happy with how my very first shadow box came out.  And I hope that you like it too!  And here is how I did it. 
Recipe:  I painted my vignette house with 2 coats of white chalk paint.  Once dry, I used a sanding block all over the 'house'.  I sealed the distressed paint with a matte finishing cream (sealant).  I cut two patterns of Prima's Sweet Pepperment paper collection.  I cut the polka dot & snowflake pattern paper to fit on the back wall and the two side walls.  I purposefully cut them too short and too narrow.  I wanted the distressed paint to be seen.  I also added a tear at the top and at the right side of the pattern paper on the back wall.  I wanted my pattern paper to look like worn wallpaper. I didn't paper the floor or ceiling.  I liked the 'worn' look.
I purchased these sweet bingo cards as a digital download, and printed them onto white linen card stock, by Paper Trey Ink.  I just love the look of shabby digitals printed on a white textured card stock.  It adds an element of texture and luxury to your printed projects.  I sponged crumb cake classic ink on the edges of all the papers.

I had an extra (ok, left over) burlap doily, so I cut a section off, and added it to the side of my bingo card (it is behind the tree).  I adhered these two joined pieced to the back wall of my house.  
I purchased some plain white resin mini frames from a big box craft store (M) last year, and decided to use the round one.  (yes, I am a hoarder collector)  I did add some gold paint randomly to the white 'frame'.  I used my hot glue gun to adhere the 'frame' to the back wall.  I adhered the deer trophy head to the center of the 'frame'.
I took a bottle brush tree I had left over from last year, and added a crystal star to the top.  (I bleached a lot of various sized bottle brush trees, and painted the tips with white paint.) I wrapped some gold bakers twine around the tree, as garland.  I thought the simple decoration added enough sparkle, and didn't distract you from the 'room'.  I tied on a narrow strip of fabric to the bottom of the tree.  It needed a 'skirt'.
The three gift boxes, I made.  I cut them from Kraft card stock with a die.  The finished boxes measure 5/8" cubes.  They are pretty tiny.  But oh, so, beautiful!  I wrapped each one with different ribbons: silver, gold, and pink silk.  I adhered the metallic ribbon boxes to the floor and the pink ribbon box to the attic.
I added tiny pink blossom to the floor with the boxes, along with a tiny candy cane.  I love little hidden 'treasures'.
The attic doesn't have too many items, a misplaced pink gift box, and a vintage ice skate.
I used one of the new holiday word labels from Tim Holtz.  I painted the piece with white chalk paint, and then quickly wiped it off, so that the paint would only be in the depressions of the lettering.  I wrapped a piece of green ribbon around my house and through the word label.  Finishing it off with a single, simple bow.
I have a few more of these vignette house boxes to finish for my craft fairs.  I am planning on doing a vintage one, and a retro one.  I'm looking through my pattern papers to find the best ones.  Maybe, I'll need to purchase a few more, so I have a larger selection.
Thank you for looking.  Stay tuned.  I have painted and decorated tiny wooden blocks in the shapes of houses.  Yeah, they will be for sale, too! {smile}


Sunday, October 23, 2016

Traditional Holiday Card

Howdy!  I know that it feels like  f o r e v e r  since I last posted my crafting.   And I apologize for not getting photos uploaded earlier.  But, I am still not completely happy with my upgraded photo editing software.  Maybe I'll get use to it soon, and quite all this belly aching.  {smile}
I am creating some beautiful {to me} holiday paper crafts.  And I actually look some photos.  {smile}.  So, please have patience, and stay tuned.
I created some cards that I want to enter in a Christmas Card Challenge, over @ Merry Monday Christmas Challenge - Dig out your Plaid.  What a fun theme, right!


*at the time of this post, the challenge has already closed.
I used some new pattern paper Christmas Delivery by Carta Bella.  It uses traditional red and green, with some black accents thrown in.  Black?  Black.  They managed to made it very chic and stylish!

here is what I made:


Recipe:  I used Cherry Cobbler card stock by Stampin' Up! to create the card base.  I also used this card stock to matt the journaling piece.  
The pattern paper with presents and white polka dots on green, and the journalling piece are all from this collection.  I found it to be traditional with a bit of uptown style with the black accents.  Very chic and very stylish - I think.  The plaid ribbon is left over from last years holiday crafting.  I purchased it at one of those big box craft stores (M).  
I sponged crumb cake classic ink on all the edges, to help give each piece of softer line.  I don't really like how abrupt and stark card stock looks once its cut.  
I did make an 'adjustment' to my pattern papers.  The journalling cards are 3" x 4".  And that is just too large for my A2 size card.  So, I copied them @ 75% onto white linen card stock.  This reduced their size to 2 1/4" x 3".  Much more 'workable' for tis size of card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").

here are a few more:


I ended up making a total of 8 cards, with the four sheets of 12" x 12" pattern paper of Christmas Delivery by Carta Bella.  I wanted to make several different cards.  I was very observant as to how I cut my pattern papers, because I won't have another opportunity to purchase more.  And I have enough paper left to create a few gift bags and a few gift card holders.  I'll post a photo of them soon.
Thank you for stopping by.  I will be posting some photos of some crafts I have been working on, soon.  Please stay tuned.  I will be sharing my photos with you here, on InstaGram, and on Facebook. But please be aware, these won't be going into my Etsy shop, as I am working on increasing my inventory for holiday craft fairs.


Sunday, October 9, 2016

Craft Fair Prep

Howdy.  I've been a bit busy behind the scenes.  But I haven't forgotten my loyal followers, and fans! I have shared a photo or two on InstaGram.  But, I want to share a special coupon for my Facebook followers.  Simply show or print this coupon, to receive your discount.



Then, I thought, hey, I should do something for my blog flowers.  So, please stay tuned.  I will create something special for you all.  I haven't decided if its a coupon, a special mailer, or a special sneak peak not posted anywhere else.  But let me hear from you!  Use the 'comment' to let me know what you want!




Sunday, October 2, 2016

Designer Series Paper Sale

Load up on Designer Series Pattern Paper.  Buy three packages and receive one package free!



Place your order HERE.