Some Goodies for my Envelope

~ photo heavy post ~

Howdy! and welcome.  I have completed some items that were stuffed in my over stuffed envelope.  Just a quick heads-up, I used papers from the Linen Closet collection by DCWV.  Grab that cup of Joe, and settle in.  The eye candy is gorgeous!

I will start at the top left, and move to the right and down.

So, at the top left, I have two decorated paper clips.  I used the bow punch by Stampin' Up! to create both.  The blue one is a double bow.  I used a pale blue brad to hold all the pieces together, and attaching to the paper clip with hot glue.  The yellow one is a single bow.  I tied a small vintage button to the center of the bow, and applied hot glue to hold the paper bow to the paper clip.   Both can be used with your office supplies, your planner, or to hold a tag to a gift.   I think they came out super sweet!

Next up is a gold mini envelope.  I added a rhinestone clip to it.  The clip can be used in your office supplies, or planner, or as a book mark, or anywhere you want to add some sparkle {smile}.  The envelope is just large enough to hold a gift card, cash, a note, a tag, or any other small treasure.

The glassine envelope is holding a kraft tag wrapped with two different colors of satin ribbon: blue and gold.  I included 2 years of each color of ribbon.  To decorate the glassine envelope, I simply wrapped a scrap piece of pattern paper around the bag, and adhered together.  I added a blue glass clip to the bag.  You can use the clip on any paper craft (card, project, scrapbook page, etc) in your office supplies, as a book mark, in your planner, etc.  The glassine bag is small enough to hold a gift card, cash, or any other small treasure.  

The next item is a stack (4) of four different tags.  These tags can be added to gifts, cards, scrapbook pages, paper projects, etc.  The backs of the tags remain blank.  So, you can either add your own hand-written note, or adhesive, etc.

The next item on the far right is a covered notepad.  The notepad is a long and narrow pad.  The perfect size for those folks who love to make lists, or to write down a quick note.  I layered pattern papers, and a long word: Notes, to the cover.  I punched a 'ribbon slide' hole in the right upper corner, and strung the blue gingham ribbon through.  I tied it in a simple bow.  I love the blues and gold, so I added a tiny tag punched from the gold pattern paper.  I tied a gold twine into a simple bow, around the ribbon.  I cut off the legs of a butterfly brad, and used hot glue to adhere it the center of the bow.  I added a trio of vintage buttons tied with scrap pieces of the gold twine, to the cover, to help give the notepad a homespun look.  

The covered notepad opens like a book.

I added two blank greeting cards to the loaded envelope.  I wanted to make the cards easy to use, and something generic, to ensure that they would be used {smile}

I cut the pattern paper to fit the front of each card.  I added a long word block that was simple, and generic.  I added two different ribbons: satin, and seam binding.  I wanted something a bit rustic and something a bit fancy.  

The last item (so, far) is my first-ever Lolly.  I have a whole board dedicated to them.  I just love them.  They look so pretty, and can easily be added to a gift bag, clipped to a package, or simply added to a vase.  But, I haven't made one before.  I just admired them from afar.  Until today!  I actually sat down and made one.  I used pretty pattern paper, a few paper doilies, and a tag from the paper pack for focal piece.  I added gold satin ribbon, blue seam binding, and gold sequin trim.  All of this pretty paper pieces sit on top of a light blue paper straw.  I did hot glue a gold and pearl brad to a double-bow tied with the blue seam binding.  I am pretty happy with how my first Lolly turned out.  So, look for these beauties at my local craft fairs!

Thank you for stopping by.  I do have a few more items that I want to make for my loaded envelope.  

the simple LIFE card

Howdy.  thank you for stopping by.  I know that I have been absent, so I truly appreciate your patience, and willingness to stick around.  I was getting some craft supplies in order, when I found this pretty pattern paper that I had had stashed for almost a year.

I wanted to create something shabby, vintage, and country.  But, I also needed a little direction.  So I stopped by the Paper Players blog, to see their current sketch, and wow!  Very work-able!

See what I mean?  Beauty in simplicity!

I stopped by one of my all time favorite blogs, Word Art Wednesday, because they are always inspirational!  Their challenges are Anything Goes, and they will inspire you with both their crafting, and their scripture.

And finally, I went to Really Reasonable Ribbon blog to get some more inspiration!  Their theme is Anything Goes, just use trim, lace, and/or ribbon on your hand-crafted piece.  Easy-peasy!

and here is what I created:

The card is the typical A2 size (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").  The pattern papers is actually one sheet of two-sided pattern paper.  This vintage beautiful pattern paper is from Adrienne Looman, called Dream Big.  I love the soft tender aqua color, with a sweet, deep pink, and pops of red.  Simply pretty!  The white doilies, flowers, and kites give this pattern paper a vintage nostalgic feel.

I machine stitched the two pieces of pattern paper onto the white card stock.  I added a scrap piece of white eyelet trim, and wrapped a pale aqua blue seam binding around the card.  How beautiful!  I tied a multi-loop bow with the seam binding.  I tied a red button to the bow with gold and white twine.  Simple, but beautiful!  

I hand-stamped a half circle in real red classic ink.  The stamp set is from the Farm House paper company.  The stamp set is called Country Kitchen.  

The sentiment is hand-stamped in basic black classic ink, right onto the pattern paper.  I used the Country-Born stamp set, by Close To My Heart.

I love how simple but pretty this card is, and I hope you do too!  I am truly happy to be crafting again {smile}.  My mind is at peace, and my heart is full.  Thank you for hanging in there with me, and for everyone's support and words of encouragement!  LOVE you all!!!

Glacier Painted Tin

Howdy!  I want to share a craft I am making for my upcoming Arts & Craft Fair in a few weeks.  For those who follow me, I love vintage country chic.  And I love sharing what I create.  So, this craft fair is the perfect venue just for that {smile}.

Let me warn you now.  This craft takes a few days.  But, I believe it is well worth it {smile}.  I think if it can be crafted in 10 mins or less, it doesn't really have any heart.  [Let me apologize for those of you, who love 10m in challenges.]

To begin, I took a plain, hinged lid tin.  Its the size of an Altoid tin, but without the metal embossing. I used my chalk paints to give this plain tin some dimension.  I first painted Burlap chalk paint.  Let it dry for 8 hours*.  Then I painted Cotton chalk paint over that.  Let it dry 8 hours.  Then I painted Glacier chalk paint.  Let it dry 8hrs.  Then, I let the whole tin cure for 24hours**.  

[*I live in the desert, so my drying time is shorter than those living in another part of the country.  Typically chalk paint needs to dry for up to 24hrs.]  

[**curing time allows to the paint to bond to the surface.]

Now comes the fun part - distressing!  I took a sanding block and sanded the whole tin.  I allowed the sanding block to dictate where I would distress more.  It felt more random and natural for me to do it this way.  For the dry distressing, I used two different grits of sand paper to distress smaller areas.  I also did a wet distressing for finer paint removal.

You will have to look close.  But look close.  The larger patches on the top are NOT sanded down to the metal.  Thats Burlap chalk paint peeking through.  Also, there are some small patches were the (white) Cotton chalk paint is peeking through.  There are a few places were I distressed down to the metal.

Ok, now I need to seal what I did in the distressing.  So, I sponged on the sealant.  Let it sit for  20 mins, and then took a cloth and buffed it.  Now it needs to sit for 24hours to cure.  This project will test your patience.  But all good things take time.  Also, if you start on Friday after work, you should be able to complete one by Sunday evening. {smile}

Because I couldn't wait for my curing time, or to take a photo, the top is not actually complete.  The paper and embellishments are just placed on top of the tin for photographing.  I will actually adhere them later today, after the sealant has cured.

I took a scrap piece of stacked pattern paper, and tore all the way around the piece I wanted.  I sponged the edges with Corduroy distress ink by Ranger.  I added a scrap piece of aqua crochet trim.  Tied a vintage vanilla button with kraft twine.  I love how vintage, aged, and sweet this tin turned out.  It looks like something you would find on your grandma's farm.  Tucked away in the attic, or lost in the barn. {smile}

The inside is a little prettier.  I used Corner Shop pattern paper collection by Tilda.  I love the aqua pattern paper in that collection.  Some of these pattern papers look like vintage wall paper, while others are just sweet and gorgeous!  Let's take a look:

I used my 1/2" corner rounder to make the corners fit a little better.  I left the bottom empty.  So, no matter what you place inside, it will fit {smile}.  I used pattern papers that have this glacier/aqua color in them, to coordinate with the outside color.  

For the inside of the lid, I took a scrap piece of pool party seam binding and some white crochet trim and machine stitched them to the pattern paper stack.  Then I tied a trio of buttons with cream twine.  The buttons are adhered to the lid with hot glue, so they will lay as flat as possible, and hopefully don't get pulled off {fingers crossed}.

Thank you for looking.  So far, I have three Glacier painted tins and two Shell (a pale, soft pink) painted tins.  I haven't quite decided if I am going to paint more, or simply decorate them with pattern paper.  If I paint them, I need to start painting very soon.  Hmmmm.  But I will post a few photos of them once I have them completed. Look for these little cuties for sale at my next craft show @ La Cueva High School, in Albuquerque, NM, on Saturday May 2, 2015.