You Have My Heart

Howdy! and welcome to my little piece of blog-land.  Here is where I craft, bake, sew, and share.  I love creating pretty things.  Umm, that sounded a bit odd.  Who wants to create ugly things?  Anyways, I love pink, seam binding, roses, pearls, crystals, distressed wood, and everything shabby chic!  I also love all things country! Barns, tractors, farm animals, aprons, and wooden screen doors.  What can I say, I am girl-y girl at heart and soul!  And that is where I find my inspiration, and put my soul into my creations.  Regardless, if its baking from scratch, or paper crafting.  {smile}

I visited a personal favorite challenge blog last week, and completely fell in love with their inspiration board: Scrap Therapy.  What I love about this challenge site, is their openness to just create!  Sometimes that have mandatory elements, and sometimes that want you to be inspired.  Either way, their boards are gorgeous! The design team is incredibly creative and talented.

from this Inspirational Board, I loved the pink & white color scheme.  The roses, and the tenderness.  

I also stopped by a new-to-me, challenge site:  Viva la Vista.  This challenge site, has some cleaver challenges, and the design team deserves a second look!  Their current challenge is to use a heart(s).

I also stumbled upon another new-to-me challenge site: Candy Floss.  This refreshing challenge site, has a super talented design team, and a beautiful inspiration boards.  Their current challenge is to give a gift: Gifts for beloved.  How sweet, and tender.

Now that I have some inspiration, a required element, and a theme, I set out to get some direction.  So, I stopped by one of my all-time favorite challenge sites: Mojo Monday.  They always have user-friendly sketches.  And this weeks, fits the bill perfectly!

and here is my card:

Recipe:  My card measures 4 3/4" x 4 3/4".  The card base is kraft card stock.  

I used a soft sky card stock for my matt.  I just love how this soft, sweet shade of blue matched the blue in the floral pattern paper.  The pink gingham and the floral pattern paper are the same paper.  The pink gingham is the reverse side.  This pattern paper is from My Mind's Eye.  It's several years old.  I only have one whole sheet left.  I matted the floral pattern paper onto the same soft sky card stock.  

For my circle piece, I used a 4" white paper doily.  I just love this soft, delicate, vintage doily.

Instead of adding two squares to my card front, I simply added a rectangle and tied seam binding around the middle, creating two 'pieces'.  {smile}  I tied a double bow to add a little more softness.

For the heart shape piece, I added a fabric heart ornament.  The pale floral print is a discontinued Rachel Ashwell cotton fabric.  I backed my heart ornament with sweet blush felt.  I machine stitched the two fabrics together, along with the pale pink ribbon.  The pale pink paper blossom is adhered to the middle of the heart with hot glue. 

For my small green 'round' element, I created a paper blossom with another doily, and button.  I wanted my card to still be 'pretty' if the ornament was removed, so I added a swirl of pearls.  My sentiment is simple: love.  And it is done with a charm.

Thank you for looking!  I hope you have been inspired to play along with any or all of these challenge sites.  

Bird House Ornament

~ photo heavy post ~

I have a quick tutorial for you today.  It's a quick, simple project.  However, you can always add more or less embellishments, whatever tickles your fancy {smile}.

I purchased one of those $1 bird houses from a big box crafting store.  I know, it looks rather 'sad' and 'blah'.  The design is clean and simple, but your finished project will be anything but blah!

I did a quick painting job of a white acrylic paint.  I wasn't too worried about being precise or 'clean'. I painted the bird house, to give it a finished look.  You can also just paint the edges, but this was a lot easier.

I used a ruler to measure the sides, and roof, to cut my pattern paper as best as possible.   Also, the angles aren't mirrored exactly.
I sponged all the edges of the paper with a kraft colored ink.
So, I used a piece of copy paper to make a template for the front and back.  That way, I wouldn't waste any pattern paper.
I used a die to create the scallops, and then layered them.  All edges of the scallops are sponged, too.  I used a hole punch, to cut away the notch were the rope hanger exits the house.

For the trim, I used a cream colored crochet trim.  I adhered it to the edge of the roof with scor tape.  Also, I did a miter cut at each point. so there wouldn't be any bulk as the two edges met.

I did not want a 'hole' for the entrance.  So, I did not make that concession.  I also decorated all four sides, as this little 'gem' is an ornament.  I also wrapped some twine around the perch, and added a half pearl to the end.

Once I start crafting, it is rather difficult to stop and photograph.  Sorry, for the lack of photos.  But, all I really did at this point was add products {smile}.

I will post some more close-ups to help explain what I did.  Those will be posted soon.  Give me a few days to get caught up with my Bunco prizes.  {smile}

Merry Christmas

Now, before we head-off to our third holiday celebration today, I wanted to share with you, an ornament that my oldest granddaughter (H) made for her family.  H, is a caring, compassionate little girl.  She always thinks of others and I believe truly grateful for what she has.  H, saw an ornament that I made, and wanted to make one for her family.  I didn't have any more ball shaped glass globes, so we selected a bell-shaped glass globe.  H, selected the tree, we trimmed it down to fit, and then H, went to select all the embellishments and begin the assembly.  The bottle brush tree was hand-painted with white crackle paint to replicate snow.  The tiny pearls were glued on individually.  There are a few different buttons in front of the tree, as presents {smile}.  H, created her own winter scene.  Finally, we added mica flakes for snow.  We hot glued the tiny pom-pom trim and seam binding bow with clay blossom.  

I think H, did a great job!  I hope you like it too!  Before we head out the door, I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday filled with love, laughter, and those who mean the most to you.  

I know that this holiday can be crazy busy, a bit hectic, and maybe a little overwhelming.  But, take time out to truly enjoy those around you.   Take a moment to talk with an aunt, and really listen to how she is doing.  Find the joy in a little one's smile.  Hold the hand of your grandmother, and truly be present when she speaks to you.  It's these little things that bind us together.  Family.  

We have all traveled miles and endured hardship.  So relish this time together, and  remember the warmth, the laughter, the hugs, and the good cheer in the these times.

Merry Christmas

Glass Globe

Whew, the holidays are upon us!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  Our weekend was spent sharing Christmas with out-of-town family.  Our daughter and her family, hosted both days, Saturday and Sunday.  My mom came up to Albuquerque on Saturday.  My husband cooked a prime rib roast on the smoker, and I made cheesecake.  No holiday flavor of cheesecake, just plain vanilla bean cheesecake.

I took a jar of my home-made Blueberry Spoon Fruit, to add for a topping {smile}.  We had a wonderful meal, opened presents, and played several rounds of tri-ominos.  It was really good to share some time with family, and not be rushing with  stuff.

I also hope that you have all your shopping done.  I have 3 gifts to get today.  And the whole thought of heading out to the shopping center is dreadful.  But, I will make the trek, and have some holiday cheer in my heart.  {smile}  We were invited to share Christmas Eve with my daughters in-laws tonight.  So, I need to get a few things baked and packaged.  But, before I head out the door,  I wanted to share a gift I made.  My daughter asked me to make a glass ornament for her mother-in-law for Christmas.  I just love making these little guys.  Her only request was that it had to have an angel.  That's easy peasy!

I just love making these little scenes.  But I hate photographing them.  I need to figure something out.  Because currently, I hold the ornament with one hand and the camera with another.  So, between the globe swinging, and my hand(s) shaking, it takes several (and I do mean several) clicks of the shutter until I have one decent photo.  

But, I have to say, I am very happy with how it turned out.  My oldest granddaughter loved it!,and she is in my craft room, putting one together for her family.  So, anyways, I used a bottle brush tree from Melissa Frances, I hand glued those tiny faux peals for ornaments, and disassembled a link on a rhinestone bracelet for the tree topper.  I also used an angel punch out, and the glass dome are from Melissa Frances.  I added a Tim Holtz button, in front of the tree, to give the scene some vintage love, and to add a feminine touch.  Finally, I added a bingo piece '25' for the date.  I used mica for the 'snow'.  I tied some crinkled pale aqua blue seam binding to the top, and added a clay rose I made.  I also added some tiny cream pom-pom trim to the bottom of the globe.  I hope she likes it {smile}.  

I'll post a photo of the glass dome my granddaughter is making tomorrow or the next day.  It all depends on how much I need to get done.  Well, until then, have a wonderful day! and carve out sometime for someone special {smile}.