Pink Tree

~ second post for the day ~

Whew, I think I am on a roll!  I need to get a few more holiday crafts complete for another upcoming arts and craft fair.  So, I have visited a few of my favorite craft challenge blog sites and here is what I have been inspired by!
Festive Friday. has a wonderful nontraditional holiday inspirational photo:

Just look at this!  How great is that?  pinks, kraft, gold, silver, green, glass, warm wood, and a tree!
Now, I need a sketch, so I headed over to Mojo Monday.  Let's face it, I need a sketch, and this is one of my favorite go to places.  here is their sketch this week:

And for good measure, lets swing by a favorite shabby challenge site, and see what they have.  Sugar Creek Hollow.  They want a vintage/shabby Christmas card with a twist: non traditional colors.

Here is what I created:

Here is the recipe:  The card base is made from Kraft card stock by Paper Trey Ink.  The pink polka dot pattern paper is actually from a baby girl collection.  The text paper is 'twas the night before christmas' by Amuse Studio.  The blue and pink floral paper is from Maja Road spring collection I believe.  I matted the text and floral papers onto kraft card stock by Recollections.  

I wrapped a piece of cream satin ribbon by Paper Trey Ink around the floral paper.  I then added a piece of white silk ribbon by Paper Trey Ink.  I tied a multi-loop bow with the silk ribbon.  I tied a clear button to the center of the multi-loop bow with thin silver twine.  

I added three pinkish pebbles and three half faux pearls to the card front.

My focal piece is made with a glitter paper die cut snowflake and a 'painted' bottle brush tree.  I spritz a 'white' bottle brush tree with ink and then painted white arcrylic paint on the tips of the branches.

I stamped the sentiment and matted it with kraft paper.  I adhered and stapled the sentiment to the card front.

due to the bulk of the tree, I decorated a glassine bag to use as an envelope:

thank you for stopping by!  I hope you have been inspired to craft something beautiful and non traditional!  

Blessings

The holidays are quickly approaching! and I have been a little busy getting some crafts complete.  To be efficient, I have combined some challenges.  I know, I could probably make more stuff if I separated the challenges, but I am in a pinch for time.

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year.  And, well, I always do more than I have to, and I really like everything to 'belong'.  So, I do a place setting, a Thanksgiving trivia card, and of course a little 'party' favor.  So, I sent out to find some inspiration to get my decorations in order.

I went to some favorite challenge sites, and found some great inspiration!  First stop:  the Shabby Tea Room.  They have a great fall inspired photo to help get those creative juices flowing! oh, and a requirement: burlap and/or twine.  How country/shabby is that?  Awesome!

Here is their inspiration photo:

and then I headed over to Word Art Wednesday.  Their challenge this week is: Anything Goes!  They always include a wonderful scripture, and this week, it fits perfectly with the above inspiration photo.

here is what I made:

I needed to make 5 cards,  and well, the only 'thanksgiving' pattern paper I had, that had colors in it like the inspirational photo, were only scraps (Authentique).  So, that is what dictated the card layout.  I used Scarlet card stock for the card base, by Paper Trey Ink.  I matted the two pattern papers onto Linen card stock, by Paper Trey Ink.  [it is very close to River Rock card stock by Stampin' Up!]

I machine stitched a purposeful 'sloppy' border stitch around the card twice.  I just love how random, and home-y it looks. {smile}

I cut a large scallop trim piece from kraft card stock, by Recollections.  I used this piece to hide the seam where the two pattern papers meet.  

I wrapped a piece of Scarlet satin ribbon, by Paper Trey Ink around the scallop trim.  Then I wrapped kraft twine by Paper Trey Ink, around the ribbon and tied on a wooden button.  (I used glue dots to hold the button in place, so it wouldn't flop around.)

I printed the scripture onto very vanilla card stock, by Stampin' Up!.  Then I did a double matt: scarlet and kraft.

Easy peasy, and pretty plain for me.  But, I do love it!  

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you have been inspired to play along with both of these fabulous challenge sites!

Next Holiday Craft Fair

Howdy!  I hope this post finds you well.  

I am getting ready for another holiday arts and craft fair.  This one is at a local high school:  La Cueva High School, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  It is on the first Saturday of December, so please mark your calendars and I hope to see you there!  

The craft fair is on Saturday, December 6th, 2014.  From 8a - 5p.  and I will be located @ B-34.

Light Bubbles: bokeh

Howdy!  I hope you are well.  Me, yes.  Thank you.  I had another arts and craft fair this past weekend (Friday and Saturday) at one of my favorite places:  Tramway Community Church.  The folks there are so nice, helpful, and just a joy to be with.  {smile}

Anyways, my mom came up to spend some time with me, and help me sell my paper crafts.  And let me just say, that it was pure joy!  We talked, and sold, and talked some more.  It was really wonderful to spend some time with her, and just hang out!  I made a little money, which is always sweet, especially during this time of year.  So, pluses all around!

For those who don't know, I live in the east mountains of Albuquerque, New Mexico.  And well, we are just below 7500 feet.  Sunday it snowed like crazy.  So my husband got a chance to use his snow plow for the first time this winter season.  And the weather created a delay in my mom getting back on the road to head home.  It did give us a little more time together, but just not the same.  It's kinda like be held hostage at the airport.  You have food, a bathroom, and the people you are traveling with, but all you really want to do is leave.  [No hard feelings mom {smile}]

I wanted to make my mom a card, to say 'thank you' for her help, and let her know that I really enjoyed the time we spent together.  So, I went looking on the internet, and wanted to see if anything out there inspired me.  Well, of course I found something!  

I ran across this photography technique called: bokeh.  It's when parts of the image and/or light are out of the field of focus.  So, when you are photographing something and there is light in the background or side portion, and this part of the image just isn't in focus.  Looks pretty.  And so I ran with it!  

gold, is the accent color

silver, is the accent color

So, both cards are made with soft suede card stock as the base.  The 'blue' piece is aqua mist card stock.  I cut 3-4 branches from a Memory Box die.  I punched 1", 3/4", and 1/2" circles and a trio of snowflakes from vellum card stock.  I added several clear faceted sequins, and then added gold/silver sequins.  

I die cut the letters for 'JOY' out of gold glitter paper.  For the silver version, I heat embossed 'noel' in silver and then stamped 'JOYEUX' in soft suede classic ink.  

The final touch, was a spritz or two with iridescent spray.

But now, that I am writing this post, I think, why did I make my mom a holiday card to say 'Thank You'???  Ugh, sometimes my mind just gets stuck.  As I am preparing for yet another holiday craft show, my mind is stuck in holiday mode.  Sorry mom.  Let me get back into my craft room, and make something a little more appropriate. 

Anyways, I hope you like these, and I hope I have inspired you to create something unique and wonderful!

Red & Green Christmas

Oh my goodness.  I forgot to photograph my red and green Christmas card today.  Sorry, I had to take a few photo real quick, and edit.  I'm super proud of myself for creating a red and green card.  I don't typically make holiday cards with these colors.  Not that they aren't pretty.  It's just not my comfort zone, and so it takes a bit of time.

The pattern paper is from Yellow Bicycle.  And probably about 2 years old.  So, I don't know if you can still find this pattern paper at your local scrap book store.  The tree was purchased from a big box craft store about 3years ago.  The red ribbon is actually new!  Its the current real red ribbon from Stampin' Up!.  The sentiment is heat embossed in early espresso powder by Stampin' Up!.  The stamp set used is Love Lives Here Holiday, by Paper Trey Ink.

Thank you for stopping by!  I am finishing a few more items for the craft fair tomorrow.  If you are in the area (Albuquerque, New Mexico) please stop by Tramway Community Church on Manitoba & Montgomery, from 10a to 4p.  

Love Pink

Howdy.  Yeah, busy crafting.  {smile} I have to admit it, I really love it!  I enjoy the whole creative process.  But, I did want to take a break and share with you what I made.  It's small, and very sweet.  It is a magnetic wallet-size photo holder.  Before you say anything, let me explain.  You know those very unique and memorable school photos you have of your children?   You probably have a hundred.  You order enough for grandparents, neighbors, friends, and your children's friends.  But some how you always have extras.  Right?  Well, why not display them with pizzazz!  Either on your locker at work, or your frig, or how about providing a way for your child to 'frame' her BBF's pic?

And look!  I made a few.  And the others I made,  aren't so shabby chic, feminine, girly.  But, I really love this one {smile}.

I used Camilla pattern paper by Anna Griffin.  I just love how beautiful and elegant this paper collection is.  I cut a scallop trim piece from Silver glitter paper.  (Love the sparkles.)  And I took some pale pink scrunched seam binding and machine stitched them together (seam binding and glitter paper).  I also made a multi-loop bow from the seam binding.  

I made a blossom out of white sparkle clay, and distressed it with white paint and dazzling diamond glitter.  I also did the same distressing on the two white pearl vintage buttons.  

I added a little hand-stamped sentiment piece.  I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap piece of digital pattern paper in basic black classic ink.  Matted the sentiment circle with the same pale pink cardstock as the photo matt.  The sentiment is sweet, and fancy {smile} 'Absolutely Fabulous'.  Basically to 'match' the design and feel of the pattern paper.

Oh, I almost forgot.  The finished size of these little gems is 4" x 4".  Small and very sweet.

Thank you for looking.  Just a heads up, tomorrow I will post a few photos of a few crafts I created using red and green.  Yep, no kidding.  Traditional Christmas colors.  Real red and garden green.  See you tomorrow.