Thursday, January 31, 2013

Silhouette Obsession

As you know, I have had a great time creating a few home decor and cardmaking projects using SU's Timeless Portrait patterned paper.  If you missed out on that, check out this post and this post.
 
Now...for my confession!  I think I am obsessed with silhouettes at the moment!  Here are my kids' profiles which hang in our great room.  These were actually my Disney World souvenir last March!  I had them made on Main Street at Magic Kingdom--such a special memory :)
 
 


One of my most treasured Christmas presents that I received this year were these silhouette charms of our three children.  They have their names and birthdays engraved on them--so precious!  They really complete my charm bracelet--thank you to my hubby for this special gift!!
 

 
Check out Timeless Portrait in the clearance section of Stampin Up
You won't regret it :)


Monday, January 28, 2013

Whoooo's Your Valentine Treats

 
I made these little goodie boxes a few days ago and they turned out so cute!  I used the CTMH's promotional kit, Whooo's Your Valentine, which came with the diecut box forms, the treat tubes, glitter paper, cardstock, and stamp set.  This little stamp set comes with a CHEVRON stamp--which I LOVE--and all sorts of cute hearts and sentiments.

 
I'll admit--I was sort of expecting detailed instructions with this kit.  But instead, they just pictured a dozen of these made up for inspiration.  I did use the pictures for just that--inspiration--and didn't really copy any particular one to the letter.  I used Blush, Hollyhock, and Riding Hood Red (SU) inks, a 1 1/4 inch circle punch, a 1 1/2 inch scallop circle punch, and a heart punch (green Marvy).  I also added my own ribbon--pink pleated ribbon (SU) and red velvet ribbon (CTMH, retired).


 
I also used a few silver heart brads from my stash, and then filled each treat tube with either conversation hearts or Valentine M&M candies.


 
Lastly, I popped some glitter paper circles on top of each treat tube lid for a little bit of bling :)
 


 
These pretties will probably go to my Bible study small group ladies, my MOPS small group ladies, or perhaps to a few neighbors.  They are just too cute for the kids' classmates--sorry, but I have dibs!!
 
 Hope you have a very creative day and thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Avonlea Workshop Cards

 
Hi there!  Wanted to share with you these gorgeous cards I made using the Avonlea Workshop on the Go cardmaking kit from CTMH!  I made up FIVE of each of these THREE designs in ONE sitting!!  Wowsers--15 all occasion cards in a sitting that are gorgeous--gotta LOVE that!!  What I love about these WOTG kits is that you get an amazing full-color tutorial with a cutting guide, stamping guide, etc, so that those of us without a demonstrator nearby can still feel like we've gone to a class and been taught some new techniques (and there is no class fee)!  Plus, when your supplies are used up, you still have the stamp set to make more or to use on different projects--win, win, win :)
 
Here is an upclose shot of each of the card styles.  I pretty much followed the enclosed kit instructions.  Love the tone-on-tone stamping I did on the chocolate cardstock with the enclosed text background stamp--so subtle but pretty and very classy :)  This is actually a card I will teach my MOPS group later this month as it is a gorgeous design but super easy to piece together--I will use different patterened papers and inks, but the stamp design and the same stamps.  Oh, and I love that gray organza ribbon!!


 
 
Another card style...
 


And here is another card--love the sentiment, but also love how this can be for the guys--it is elegant, but also masculine--a look that can be hard to achieve!
 



I recently sent out the above two cards to my dear Aunt and Uncle who were in a horrible car accident around New Year's.  We have been lifting them up in prayer and the Lord has been faithful to help them through surgery and heal and restore them!  We will continue to pray for them!
I love how the artform of cardmaking can not only be fun and creative, but can also serve to encourage and minister to others.  Have you sent a handwritten card to someone you love recently?  If not...today is the perfect day!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Florentine Frame

A HUGE shout out goes to Kelly and Christine  for this gorgeous project!! 
I had some extra Florentine paper (CTMH) hanging around and I did my best to recreate this frame of theirs using my own supplies.
 
The most FABULOUS part about this project is the price tag, I might add!  It is an 8x8 wooden $1 frame from Michaels, but you'd never know it once you cover it with paper, ink up the edges, and paint the back (I used dark brown paint, not shown)!
 
What was also fun about this project is that it stretched me--I confess, I am not a "blue" person when it comes to home decor--I will go with the warm tones every time! But I honestly love how it turned out and it has a permanent home in our living room and looks great!
 
 
 
A rosette is the focal point--I used my Fiskars border punch, some Alene's Tacky craft glue, and topped it with a Florentine Stickease flower sticker and then a round durable stud (CTMH). These studs are used for some bling to the right of the picture opening, too.  Flourishes are from two retired stamp sets, Follow your dreams (CTMH) and a Stampin Up stamp set (can't recall the name)--stamped in Cocoa ink.
 

 
Sentiment is another Florentine Stickease sticker, embellished with some mocha adhesive pearls.  Brown grosgrain ribbon and the paper pack "zip strip" with the lace edge trimmed out, embellish the bottom of the frame.



Went with a black and white picture for this project--glad I did as it has a timeless quality to it! Hope you like this project, too!  Super easy and beautiful!
 
Thanks for stopping by--have a creative day!!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Timeless Portrait Cards

Back again with the gorgeous paper pack, Timeless Portrait from Stampin Up! 
 
I decided to make elegant thank you cards with a black, white, and cream color scheme and my new blossom punch from SU. 
 
This cream flower (below) was fun to make.  The bottom layer is the blossom punch (SU), but the top petals are actually the modern label punch (SU), punched three times and layered at different angles on top!  It makes for a nice full (but not bulky) flower embellishement!  A button tops it off.  Thanks sentiment stamped in black from CTMH's Card Chatter--Sympathy stamp set
 (one of my all time favs).  Card base is the die cut cards from CTMH--thought I could live with just one pack of these, but I had to go back for more!
 
 
 
Same idea--this time with a scalloped circle punch on top of the blossom punched out shape, with a pop of red and some black baker's twine (red flower button from CTMH)



This card is basically just horizontal layers.  Most of the layers are patterned paper, but I did do a row of white ribbon rosettes (Tim Holtz, Michaels) and then used my Fiskars border punch for the bottom stripe--love the blue featured and the little pop of red!
 

 
Same idea, just swapped out the rosette ribbon for this satin ribbon--this is my first attempt to pleat ribbon!  Turned out great--thanks to glue dots under each fold!! 



And lastly, these sillouettes just had to be turned into a mother's day project of some sort!  Here is the card I came up with--very simple.  Sentiment is from Say It in Style stamp set (CTMH)--another favorite of mine!
 
 



Stay tuned for more sillouettes coming soon!  I may be just a bit obsessed :)

Friday, January 18, 2013

Timeless Portrait Display Tray

Wow, I have had the crafting bug lately!  Can't wait to share with you some new projects and cards I have made recently!
 
I was so super stoked when I found this display tray at Hobby Lobby over the holidays for $7--score!  I immediately set it aside for MYSELF--I usually gift so many of the things I make these days--but I knew the exact paper I wanted to use for this tray--another great steal!  I have stalked this paper collection from Stampin Up, Timeless Portrait, which features these amazing sillouette faces, but then, totally missed out on them before they retired!  I contacted my SU consultant Heather Howe who assured me that, in time, I MIGHT find it in the clearance section of her website one day.  Well...to my delight...it DID appear in the clearance section over the holidays for $4--yippee!!
 
I used most of the patterned papers featured in this paper pack for each little box of the display tray.  Here is a full shot of the display tray--it is roughly 12x12 in size.
 
 


Check out that rosette!  Lisa Stenz has a great video tutorial on how to make these beauties here.  I used the Fiskars border punch, Martha Stewart scoring board, a circle punch or two, and a button and red baker's twine.
 



Stamped sentiment is from the Michaels $1 bin--love it!  I matted it with black cardstock and popped it up on foam dots for some dimension.  Hard to tell in the picture, but I trimmed out the sillouttes and then popped them up on foam squares to add some extra dimension, as well.  I plan to add some CTMH bitty sparkles on the butterflies at a later date (when I replenish my stash next order)
 

 
Black skeleton keys are from Michaels (Recollections) and stamped words popped up on foam squares are from the Love Blooms stamp set (CTMH) stamped in black ink

 
Monarch double punch from Martha Stewart (black), Martha Stewarrt butterfly punch (red and blue)

 
 
Frame cut out from the patterned paper--got the idea from my Avonlea Display tray here.
 

 
Black striped grosgrain ribbon from CTMH finishes off the handle--thanks for the advance, Lisa!! And finally a row of white rosette ribbon from the Tim Holtz collection (Michaels).


 
There you have it---busy, yes...but it was a blast to create and makes for a very interesting, multidimentional, textural, and timeless work of art.  Such sweet memories and faces--what a treasure!  Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Sweetheart Hubby

A huge shout out goes to my wonderful husband!!  He had these beautiful flowers delivered yesterday with an even more amazing note, encouraging me as a wife and a mother.
 
Aren't they gorgeous??
 
 
Such a wonderful lift in my week!  I love you sweetheart!

I am one blessed lady :)

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Chevron Obsession

I have to confess--I have been totally addicted to chevron lately!  I am SO stinking excited that CTMH is coming out with MULTIPLE chevron patterened papers in their new catalog, which goes live February 1st!  But until then...I have been playing with chevron in other ways at home! 
 
 I found this amazing dark brown and white urn at Target in the Nate Berkus collection.  Score!  It is in a prominant place in our living room entertainment cabinet so I get to enjoy it everyday!
 
 


My next find was in the clearance section at Kirklands.  I found this monogrammed photo album and KNEW I had to have it!  But...I didn't want to use it as a photo album, so instead, I ripped out the 4x6 sleeves and put in my travel Bible--a perfect fit!  It now sits snuggly inside thanks to craft-sized glue dots :)


 
Stay tuned for more chevron inspiration and crafty projects in the weeks ahead!! 


Friday, January 11, 2013

Retro Layout


I am back today and eager to share a few more projects with you!  Thanks to my hubby for his help figuring out what the problem was with uploading pictures--turns out, my blog pictures have been WAY too big and I am running out of space! 

I wanted to show you a recent layout I did of an old picture--from the 80's to be exact--of me and my sister and our family car.  Yes, it was red with a white roof--very easy to spot!  I used a torn notebook patterned paper from the Scholastic paper pack (CTMH)--I LOVE the masking tape accents on the edges--some red cardstock, red and black paint, and some red baker's twine.  I used a number stamp from an old CK kit of the month, and painted just the "8" and the "0" in black to highlight the date.  I also inked CTMH's Oxford sticky letters with red ink for the "BIG" part of the title, then used tiny Making Memories letters for the rest of the title.  It is a super simple layout, but really features the most important part--the photo and the story!

Stay tuned for upcoming changes to the blog...will keep you posted.  Until then, thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Happy New Year!

I am back from vacation and the kids just went back to school today...so I am back to blogging!  Just a little glitch--can't figure out how to upload pictures at the moment.  For some reason, it isn't working.  At any rate, stay tuned for some great home decor projects, cards, and Valentine goodies soon!!  Thanks for stopping by :)