Happy Moments of Spring

Hello.  Welcome.  I want to share an altered notebook I hand-crafted.  I started with an ugly notebook I found in a $1 bin, and decorated it, to give it a new look! and I am super happy with how it turned out!  I am entering my altered/decorated notebook in three different challenges (one in the US, and 2 overseas).

My first stop was the Tic Tac Toe Challenge.  They use a tic tac board, and you choose which row you are working with.  Super fun, and it gives you options {smile}.

I went diagonal with Floral, Gold/Silver, & Sequins

My next stop is a new favorite challenge site from Russia.  They also have a translate button, so it really makes it easier to play along: Paper Story.  They have given us an inspiration board, and you pick what inspires you.  You gotta love that!  Their theme:  sweet inspiration

inspired by the colors, and blossoms

and finally, my last stop is at SaratovScrap.  They have given us an inspiration board as well.  Their theme is:  March banner, freshness of the spring day, tenderness of the first flowers, letters about love.

inspired by the softness, the colors, the blossoms, and the notecard

and here is what I made:

Recipe:  I used a pink and cream pattern paper from Bazzil.  I loved how the random pattern was vague and pretty at the same time.  I had a scrap piece of a digital floral pattern paper, that was just the right size to matt with kraft card stock.  I added cut pieces of different 'tickets', and layered them. 

At the top, I added a scrap piece of cream cotton trim.  I wanted to bring out the pale aqua color in one of the tickets, so I added a scrap piece of an aqua and cream pattern paper and layered a cream text pattern paper on top.  I also added a 'notebook tab' piece of aqua and cream polka dot pattern paper to the top left of the notebook.

I loved the floral pattern from the cream cotton trim, so I added a cream button with the same design to the top of a double bow of pale pink seam binding.  I tied the button to the bow with kraft twine, to help add a little contrast, softly.

The fabric blossom is actually a warm taupe shade, to help help blend it into the background, and not take center stage.  I added a pair of champagne glitter leaves to the blossom, to help add some sparkle.

I added a pair of flat buttons tied with the same kraft twine.  I also added 5 pale pink sequins, to help add a little more pink (my favorite color).  I wanted more sparkle, and found a short piece of rhinestone trim, and so I added it to the  bottom of the top 'ticket'.  

I added a 'hair tie' to the bottom of the notebook, to hold it close.  I just love the pale taupe color and the sparkles is just a bonus.  I did some machine stitching to help hold the pieces together, and to give it a homespun feeling.

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you get a chance to play along with any/all of these challenge sites!  

Desktop Calendar

~ large photos ~

Welcome.  I have been a bit busy making some last minute special orders.  A very sweet, dear friend has asked me to make her a desktop calendar in my traditional shabby chic, vintage style.  And well, I couldn't say 'no', so I set out into my craft room, and started crafting.

I wanted to make her something 'one of a kind' and something very special.  So, I located some beautiful digital papers I had recently purchased, printed them, and then started crafting.

I am happy with how it turned out, so I wanted to share a few photos with you.  This first one is of the cover.  And the next two are of my favorite pages. {smile}

This is the cover.  These desk top calendars measure 4" x 4".  I use a 1" spiral ring for the binding. I love the large spiral, and the color of the metal {smile}

I used one sheet of this digital paper.  I love the mix of text, floral images, polka dots, calendar numbers, and ledger writing.  I added a spool label to the year.  I thought the colors and images looked perfect with the cover collage.  [My struggle with these pages is to keep them flat, and not too bulky.]

These are my two favorite months {smile}

February is my birth month, and so I believe that, that connection, helps my creative side craft something pretty, and St. Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday, so  there is a special place in my heart for this whole affair.  {smile} 

I used another collage digital paper for the main image.  Yeah, love the white text, the polka dots, the floral images, and the hand-writing.  I used another spool label behind the glitter trim.  I used a scallop trim border punch on a thin piece of gold glitter paper.  I machine stitched a piece of cream crochet trim to help add some softness.  I cut a tiny tag from a pink checkered digital paper.  I added a digital scrabble word across the tag.  I distressed a pink button with white paint and glitter.  I tied the button to the tiny tag with strawberry bakers twine.  I just love this month!

And here is my other favorite month: September.  Not necessarily the month, but rather the page.  I used another digital collage paper.  Again, a mix of polka dots, florals, text, and hand-written ledgers. I stamped the mason jar onto a different digital pattern paper and fussy cut it out.  I added a scallop trim piece of a different digital polka dot pattern paper.  I added a simple knot of a cream crochet trim.

All of the months have a simple machine stitch border.  Each month is matted with kraft card stock.  I hope my friend Cathy (MB) really loves her desk top calendar.  And I hope that you enjoyed my little share.  {smile}