Shabby Heart

Welcome.  I had a good time yesterday selling my hand-made paper crafts at the Spring Craft Fair, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I met many nice ladies who liked my crafts and bought a few items.  Thank you for your support and words of encouragement {smile}.  I am working on getting things lined up for two more craft fairs in May.  So stay tuned for those announcements!

I hope your weekend is enjoyable and that you get to do the things that make you happy.  For me, that's playing in my craft room {smile}.  

If you are like me, you have your favorite web places to visit.  Stop, look, be inspired, but generally don't 'play along' for whatever reason.  Today, I did stop, look, get inspired, and then did 'play along' {smile}.  I think I should have some bonus points, somewhere.  Right?

One of the blog challenge sites that I like to stalk visit is Sugar Creek Hollow.  They are a vintage and shabby chic challenge blog.  I think I should live there.  Anyways, they have a photo inspiration challenge this time (2 weeks).  Here is their inspiration photo:

use the colors or theme or both

Ok, how gorgeous is this photo?  Pinks, cream, white washed, green, vintage lace, a crystal chandelier, soft fabrics - oh my!

I made a covered notepad!  

The narrow pad of paper is from Paper Trey Ink.  It's a narrow pad of 25 pages of lined-paper.  The perfect little pad for jotting down grocery lists,  to-do lists, shopping lists, chores, any list!

I covered the note pad with blushing bride card stock (retired from Stampin' Up!).  Then I matted the pattern papers onto a piece of very vanilla card stock.  For the pattern papers I used a scrap piece of Lost & Found 2 pink and white criss cross-pattern paper, and a digital pattern paper for the bottom half.  I machine stitched both pattern papers together.  I thought it really added a home-made touch.  I covered the seam with a scallop trimmed piece of silver glitter paper from Stampin' Up! and a scrap piece of this beautifully gathered cream ribbon (retired Stampin' Up!).

For the 'label' I stamped the polka dot frame in Pear Pizzaz classic ink, and the used the Four Frames stamp set, both are from Stampin' Up!.  I have to say that I just love this label-style stamp set.  It is very versatile and the open oval is a nice size for most sentiments to fit.

I stamped the inside of the framed label with another Stampin' Up! stamp set: Water-Color Trio.  But this one is retired.  I just love the font used in this sentiment: FROM THE Heart.  Beautiful.  I 'lifted'  the label off the cover with foam adhesive.

I punched both the heart and the flower pieces from hand punches: Trio of hearts, and Boho Blossom (both retired punches from Stampin' Up!)  The heart shape is from silver glitter paper.  I wanted to repeat the same elements so it looks like these pieces belong.  The flower shape is cut from a text paper.  I added a pink vintage button and tied it with some cream twine.

I wanted to add a little more shabby-ness.  So I added a trio of half pearls to the bottom right corner.  I just love how delicate and sweet these little half pearls look {smile}.

I also wanted the notepad to be versatile.  So, I decorated a simple paper clap with a scrap piece of the pink and white criss cross pattern paper from Lost & Found 2, that I used on the top portion of the pad.  I tied a piece of crochet trim to the clap.

The clap holds the notepad closed if I need to throw the pad in a bag/tote.  And it also allows me to hang the pad from a message board, if I move the clamp to the top of the pad.  Very functional, and very sweet!

Thank you for looking.  I hope you get a chance to play along with the ladies over @ Sugar Creek Hollow .  I'm sure that they would love to see what you create!

Shabby Christmas

My last Arts & Crafts Fair for the holiday season is on 

Saturday, December 8, 2012.

It will be at the North Valley Academy from 10a to 3p.

Hope to see you there!

One of the fellows that I work with, asked me to make his girlfriend a Christmas card.  He said that she would like the shabby vintage style cards that I typically make.  So, I used scraps of different papers, a vintage holiday tag, some already dyed seam binding, and viola!  Have a look:

The card base is crumb cake card stock.  (you aren't really surprised by that, are you?).  The pink is the lightest pink I have, Blush card stock.  The grey polka dot pattern paper is from Glitz.  The pale blue pattern paper is from Pink Paisley.  The floral pattern paper is from Lost & Found.  The vintage tag is a digital download that I purchased.  I used foam tape to adhere the tag to the card front.  I used a pearl brad from Reflections to attach the multi-loop bow to the card front.  I also used the last bit of the white eyelet trim.  I altered the tiny clothes pin with some silver fine glitter from Martha Stewart.

Thank you for looking.  I hope you have found some inspiration to craft something today for someone special!

Happy Crafting!  hugs, Sharon W.

Thanks Tag

Thank you, for taking the time to check back with me.  If I were to say, that this weekend was a challenge, I think I would be sugar coating it.  I created a tag for the challenge over @ Our Creative Corner.  Susan, wants you to create your own background on your paper craft, and absolutely NO pattern paper.  And don't cover up your background.  Sounds like a fun challenge, huh?  Well, I have been making paper crafts for the Arts & Crafts Fairs that I am selling at, and well, my focus has been on Holiday themed items.  I needed a little inspiration, so I headed over to Tim Holtz blog, to see what he has done for the November Tag.  And so, I basically did what he did.  I did a stamp resist technique and a color wash for my background color.  I used minimal embellishments, which was a struggle for me.  So, here is the tag that I created.  It is not my typically style, but I do like it.

Let me first apologize for the photo quality.  I took the photo of this tag earlier with my camera.  But then I lost my camera.  I know that sounds odd, but, I can't' find it anywhere.  So, I had to use my cell phone.  Then I had to email the photo to myself.  Then our modem crashed.  Replaced the modem.  (yes, we had to drive into town to do that.)  Then our internet went out.  Not sure if it is from the snow (yes, we got snow), or our mountain location (elevation 7500ft), or my luck.  Either way, I really had to work at this post.

Here is how I created this tag:

I cut a tag from Shimmer white card stock, 4 1/4" x 2 1/4".  I stamped the two leaves from the French Foliage stamp set, in Versa Mark, sprinkled on some ultra detail clear embossing powder, and then heat set it.  I sprayed the tag with water, and used my aqua painter to 'water-color' the tag with So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, and Old Olive re-inkers.  I did spray the tag with a spritz or two of more water, to help blend the colors.  I used my heat gun to speed up the drying time.  I stamped the sentiment in Jet Black Staz-On.  The stamp is a little off set.  I did that on purpose.  I used some crumb cake seam binding to tie the bow at the top of the tag.  I stamped the small thanks onto a vintage tag in soft suede, and used a tiny clothes pin to attach the vintage tag to the seam binding.  For the butterfly, I used a die to cut the shape from some beautiful pattern paper (city sidewalk from Pink Paislee).  I used picket fence distressed paint to edge the butterfly, and then dunked the painted butterfly into my tub of dazzling diamond glitter.  I had a beautiful black crystal brad left over from my MME lost and found 2 collection.  And viola!

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope that you have a chance to play along with us this week @ Our Creative Corner.  I know you will have fun!  And if nothing else, it gives you an excuse to 'play' in your craft space {smile}.

Frame It!

Sue Butler, over @ Our Creative Corner, has a fun challenge this week.  Entitled 'Embellished Frame' .  Sue has asked us to make the frame the primary focus.  The frame is to be the first thing you see before the image/text!

So, I took a chip board frame from Tattered Angels and applied a spray adhesive and then sprinkled dazzling diamond glitter and a pinch or two of gold super fine glitter.  Here is a close up:

You know me, I have a weakness of text paper: First Edition DSP.  Oh, and a multi-loop bow!  I purchased some hand-dyed seam binding from a closing Etsy shop.  I just love this color! Aqua.  Its just so pretty to me.  Kinda blue, kinda green, soft and very feminine.  Thats why I embossed the heart in that color: Aqua Mist/Bermuda.

Here is the whole card:

The pattern papers are left overs; scraps.  The aqua grosgrain is actually the back of a beautiful yellow and kraft pattern paper.  The rose pattern paper is one of my new favorites.  I just love the pinks, reds, and aquas on a cream background.  Very shabby!  The polka dot pattern paper is in the collection of the floral paper.  I believe these papers are Lost and Found 2.

The sentiment was stamped in basic black classic ink.  The stamp was actually a thank-you 'gift'.  I had ordered some stamps from Verve.  Verve have some stamps with beautiful fonts and some wonderfully worded sentiments.  Well, the 'thank you' stamp, was added to my order as a 'gift'.  

I used a thread cutter to distress the edges of the pattern papers.  I then sponged the pattern paper pieces with crumb cake classic ink.  I added some text paper behind the two overly distressed pattern papers.  I thought that it would give the card a vintage feel.

I wanted the embossed heart to show distressing too.  But to sponge with crumb cake classic ink onto that beautiful heart, would make it look old and not shabby.  So, I brushed the edges of the embossed heart with picket fence distress paint.  I also added an aqua-colored half faux pearl.  

I also used some cream twine to the multi-loop bow.  And that is what I used to attach the lone button.

Thank you for looking.  I hope you play along with us @ Our Creative Corner.  We would love to see your 'frame'!

Retro Garden Party

Let me welcome those of you who are new to my blog.  {smile} 'Welcome, have a seat and browse.  I hope you find some inspiration here, to go and create something beautiful!'

Over the weekend, I looked through different blog sites, and wouldn't you know it?  I have created a card!  And I am entering it into two of my 'go-to' challenge blogs.  We truly are creatures of habit.  And habit has it, to create something vintage, a little shabby chic, and feminine.

The creative ladies over @ Retro Sketches have a wonderfully user-friendly sketch: #12.  And the talented ladies over @ the Shabby Tea Room have a wonderfully inspirational board!  So, I combined the two challenges and created a lovely shabby chic card.   Here are their challenges:

Here is what I created:

Beware!  I used products on hand - so everything except the kitchen sink.

I wasn't happy with the above photo, so I have added another:

One of the sponsors @ the Shabby Tea Room, is the Digital PAPER SHOP by Janet.  So, I took a quick detour of her vital shop on Etsy, and found some beautiful papers to work with, for my card: Romantic Paper Roses and Pastel Flower Labels.
Both the card base and the first panel are vintage cream card stock from Paper Trey Ink.  The next panel is aqua mist card stock from Paper Trey Ink.  The gingham pattern paper is from Lost & Found.  It is the back side of this beautiful yellow glitter paper.  For the next panel, I used rose red card stock form Stampin' Up!  The floral paper is actually a digital 'paper' from Janet's shop.  I wrapped a piece of crochet trim from Stampin' Up!, tied it in a simple knot and hot glued a paper flower from Prima.  The floral panel is lifted off the card front with foam tape.  The buttons are a mixture of Paper Trey Ink, and Amuse Studios.  For the tag, that is another digital label from Janet's shop, too.  I stamped the sentiment in Basic Black classic ink from Stampin' Up!, using a sentiment stamp from the stamp set; Dress Form from Paper Trey Ink.  I added a white architecture corner piece from Melissa Frances.   Note: I sponged all the edges with Crumb Cake classic ink from Stampin' Up!.
I really wanted to add some rhinestones, to give this card some sparkle.  But I couldn't find a place to apply them without them looking too odd.  So, no rhinestone bling for this card.  But, I just love how warm and inviting this card turned out.
Thank you for looking.  I hope you have a chance to play along in either, or possible both, challenges.

Sew Loved

I hope that this Saturday finds you well.  Me, I'm doing ok.  My dog, not so much.  For those who don't know, she had both of her knees replaced Thursday, and Friday evening was her first night home.  I know that she is happy to be home, but my heart breaks.  She reptured both ACLs and tore her right menisuc.  Ouch!  And she isn't a little pocket dog that you can carry around.  She is an Old English Mastiff, and weighs in @ 157 lbs.  She's a big girl.   And so, my attention has been on her, and nursing her as well as I can.

Anne Marie over @ Our Creative Corner, is our hostess this week, and she has titled this weeks challenge, 'Recipe for Mom'.  Anne Marie, asks us to, "create a project for Mother's Day using the following "recipe": embossing (wet or dry), ribbon, buttons/brads, and watercoloring.

I have to admit, this weeks challenge was a bit of a struggle for me.

Here is what I created:

I used one of my small canning jars to make the pin cushion.  I used a tutorial from Andy, here.  I filled the jar with pink and red buttons, to match the material on the pin cushion.  I added a scrap piece of the same material and buttons to my card.

The pattern paper I used is actually from the same sheet, I showed both sides.  I ran the top piece of pattern paper thru an embossing folder, showing the negative side.  I stamped 'Home, is where the heart is' on the lower left side of the card with crumb cake classic ink.  I used a Paper Trey Ink stamp set: Love Lives Here.  

I made the button card with a Paper Trey Ink stamp set: Button Boutique.  I used a scrap piece of rustic white card stock and garden green ink pad from Close to my Heart. 

To make my happy mother's day tag, I used a retired Stampin' Up! stamp set: You're Loved.  I colored the stamp with watercolor crayons and spritz the stamp with water and then stamped the tag.  The sentiment comes from Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.

I wrapped the card with some Pink Pirouette taffeta ribbon and used a white brad to hold the multi-loop bow together.  I added half faux pearls to two opposite corners and to the tag.  That's my Mother's Day project.  

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you have time to play along with us this week!

S... is for me

Wow, this weekend went by pretty quick, but I did get a lot of chores done.  I spent half of yesterday in my craft room.  

A while ago, I purchased an initial, from a national craft store, made of chipboard.  I had a scrap of a very pretty pattern paper that I just treasure.  The pattern paper is from Lost & Found.  There are pink and red roses with pale blue leaves, on a background of vanilla.  First, i painted the initial a similar shade of pale blue, found in the pattern paper.  Then, I adhered the pattern paper to my initial.  I cut as close to the letter as I could, and then used a paper file to clean up the rough edges.  I used E6000 glue to adhere some magnets to the back.  And then I went on to embellish the front of the initial.   

I cut a butterfly from some coordinating pattern paper.  Then, I layered a paper blossom on top of a different paper blossom.  Then I adhered this layered paper blossom onto a fabric blossom.  I punched out three leaf shapes from aqua mist card stock and crinkled and distressed them with white craft ink.  The completed flower was adhered to the body of the butterfly.  I added a metal note holder tied with a scrap piece of crochet trim. 

I added a mini clothes pin to the upper part of the initial.  I rubbed white craft ink on the top of the clothes pin.  Then I added some vintage white embossing powder and heat embossed it.  I tied a small piece of cream  linen thread thru a tiny pink button and adhered it to the clothes pin.  I added a tiny half faux pearl to the center of the bow.

 I added some half faux pearls to the ends of the initial.  

Here is my magnet!  I made it for my locker at work.  A little piece of craftiness at work {smile}

Thank you for stopping by!  Glad to have the company.  Check back tomorrow, as I am working on another altered spiral notebook to sell in my Etsy shop.  I am using the same pattern paper I used for the spiral notebook I made for my granddaughter.  I hope you have a great week.  

My Friend Sue

I have a friend, her name is Sue F.  Our husbands work together.  (You know how that is.)  We live in different states, but we see each other  4-5 times a year.  Our husbands talk on the phone at least once a week.  And we have gotten together on quite a few different occassions.  And through our joint meetings, we (Sue and I) have become pretty good friends.  She is a very nice person.  I know that I am blessed to have her in my life.  Since we don't live close,  we text more than we talk on the phone.

Anyways, I saw this small trinket the other day that made me think of her.  And we are going to visit them this weekend, so I just had to pick it up.  And well, I'm a paper crafter, so I decorated the box and made her a card.  Her are some photos:

I wrapped the box with a 2" wide strip of pattern paper.  I added some bakers twine.  The flower is from a faux floral stem.  I tied the button with the same bakers twine and added it to the center of the flower.  I stamped the vintage tag with 'friends' and attached it to the box with a tiny clothes pin.  To give the clothes pin some visual interest, I dabbed on some paint and dipped it in some glitter.  Quick, easy, and looks pretty fabulous!

The card was created with pattern paper from the same line.  The scallop trim was created with two of the pattern papers and a die.  I added some of my favorite crochet trim to the cardstock scallops.  I used a steel template to create the small notebook page.  I hand stamped the sentiment.  I wrapped the same bakers twine around the bottom of the 'page' and tied on a small brown button.  The tiny tag was stamped with the same 'friends' sentiment and adhered under the button.  I created the corsage pin with a rhinestone ring and a glass bead.  I stuck the pin behind a fabric flower.

I don't have an envelope template, so I'm not quite sure how to 'line' my envelopes, so I added some pattern paper to the outside of the envelope flap.  Thank you for looking.  I hope my friend Sue likes her little gift.