Birthday Crafting

My twin daughters, Valerie and Dawn, turned 29 this month, so I've been crafting like crazy for them. It's been fun to craft with such a purpose. I made quite a few things, cards, journals, rosettes, shrinky-dinks cut from dies, a fairy jar and these elephants. I'll share a couple at a time so my posts won't be a mile long.

Valerie collects elephants (as did my mother), which gave me a great starting point. I made the little white elephant a while back by layering tissue paper and water into a mold, letting it dry then coating it with Glossy Accents. I used one of the dollar frames I found at Michael's a long time ago, backed it with fabric adhesive and glued the little fella to that. (Later I added some grey highlights, but I should have let it be. Ya live and ya learn.) I added an umbrella embellishment and dubbed it "I've got it covered."

Another gift I made her was a little felted elephant. I've played around with needle felting, but I never really made anything, so this was quite a fete for me. (I drew blood 3 times and broke 2 felting needles, something I'm sure a lot of newbies can relate to.) But it was fun trying to figure out what was what, like the tiny brads I used for the eyes. When I finished I decorated a little square plastic container with cork that looks like brown pebbles or a bumpy road, moss and flowers and put it inside that, just so there was a safe place he wouldn't get damaged.

My favorite part of the elephant is the back end, like there's a swagger to the walk. I'll post more as I get my photos uploaded.

I've Been Crafting

My daughter Dawn likes me to cut stuff with my Vagabond from unusual packaging. The above photo shows a few things I cut from the boxes of some McDonald's Disney glasses she had packed away. The flowers are my favorite. I've also made quite a few rosettes from cereal boxes, Coke can containers and a variety of candy boxes. It's a challenge to see what I can come up with for the centers. I don't know why I didn't take photos and post them here.

My sister Martha and her husband visited today. After we scarfed down the turkey crescent sandwiches, cucumber crack (chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and Feta cheese; I put it on everything!), and watermelon I served up, Larry watched TV in the living room and Martha and I retreated to my room where I guided her while she made a card for one of her closest friends. She doesn't craft much but was determined to do everything herself.

She layered card stock, stamped sentiments on watercolor paper, glued everything down using a tape snail thingie, which she isn't familiar with, a real challenge, but she met it! She also wielded a craft knife so she could slip a piece of pink ribbon through the top of the card, a big deal if you know my sister. She even inked the edges of the purple oval then used the corner chomper to round the edges of another stamped sentiment. It turned out lovely. Her crafty friend will love it, and when she finds out Marty did it herself she'll cherish it that much more.

What a great day with great people.

Mother's Day, Happy Birthday & Get Well Cards

 

Although my mother is no longer of this world there are still many important women in my life. This year I let them know how much they mean to me.

I picked up a giant art book at Savers with the most beautiful images specifically for the purpose of using them for cards and scrapbooking. As soon as I saw this image I knew it would be for my sister. It reminds me of her and her daughter when she was about this age as well as our love of the ocean. I cut out the image, ran it through my die cutting machine, attached it to a piece of card stock after punching the corners with a frilly corner punch, and added a bow tied from vintage ribbon.

For the inside I cut 2 more pieces from the image (it was quite large), put strips of matching card stock at the center and stamped “Happy Mother’s Day.” I cut out the description of the painting located along the sidebar of the book and enclosed it with the card because sister likes stuff like that.

This is for my best friend. She's a do-it-yourselfer, so I chose this image of a woman doing some plumbing. It's cut from some wrapping paper I've had tucked away for eons.

I used an oval die, ran it through my Vagabond and stamped "Happy Mother's Day" at the center.

 

For my best friend's mother. She's like a second mom to me.

 

This one is for my awesome mother-in-law. I recently made her a birthday card and she was so thrilled with it she said she was going to frame it. For now on I need to live up to that expectation. No pressure. haha! I cut the ladies from a post card that came with a scrapbook order, used the lady button (one of several packages my daughter gifted me) and threaded it with twine. The polka-dotted paper was cut using my die cutting machine and then layered it with other papers.

I used the polka-dotted pieces left over from cutting the piece on the front to border the inside. I find it difficult to throw pieces like this away, so I'm always trying to use them up to justify the paper hoarder in me.

 

 

This is for my mother's best friend who is now in her mid-90s. My mom is gone now and so are her best friend's children. She's lost most of her family and friends, so I'm happy I can send this to her.

She'll love the buttons.

For my sister-in-law. I fussy-cut the edges of the card stock then applied it to the plaid. I used scraps from the 2-sided plaid card stock for added interest, fabric flowers attached with a pearl brad, and stamped the greeting.

She called me when she got it. One of her son's dogs got a hold of it when it was delivered through her front door and chewed a corner. I told her next time I'll hand-deliver it.

 

I made a couple more after I took the group photo. This was made for my sister's mother-in-law who used to sew up a storm. She's in her 80's now so she doesn't sew as much as she used to. The button portion of the card was cut from my daughter's Silhouette.

She's one of the sweetest women I have ever known.

 

This card was a challenge because it's going to someone who has lost both of her children. Mother's Day is bittersweet for her and I just wanted her to know I was thinking of her.

I also made a birthday card for one of my closest friends (I am blessed to have what I consider several life-long best friends!). I used one of my Sizzix alphabets for the first time. I cut her name out of a shimmery blue sticker-backed card stock.

I borrowed my daughter's banner punch, it's adorable! I used baker's twine to pull it together and a couple of tiny brads to attach the parchment paper sentiment. Another punch was used in the corner to cover up an uneven cutting. Another punch borrowed from my daughter, clouds, punched from silver reflective sticky-backed card stock.

 

The other night my daughter texted me and said one of her friends had surgery and would be off of work for a few days, so she was putting in an "order" for a get-well card. She said she liked purple. I had it finished by the time she got off work. Go me.

Father's Day cards next. My dad has been gone for eons, but there are still special men in my life and I want them to know it. Crafting for men can be challenging, but I'm up for it. I think.

Paper Lace

We have rolls and rolls of this paper lace (don’t ask) and I was playing around with it the other day to see if it could be made into rosettes (my present obsession). The answer is yes, and they’re not only quite lovely, but they’re quick and easy to make.

I folded them back and forth where each circle meets, accordion-style, glued the ends together then hot glued the center to hold them in place. I haven’t attached anything yet, but as the photos show, I did play around with how they could be put together.

I experimented with the super wide purple paper lace, which made HUMONGOUS rosettes (about the size of your hand w/fingers spread wide), perfect to party-up a place. I could see these hanging on the wall or from the ceiling, patio-area or even trees.

They’re big suckers with a fine line between pretty and gaudy. (I’m always having to reel in the gaudy side of my taste, I get it from my mother.) These are on the delicate side, so they would be perfect for gift-wrapping, and with the paper lace used in place of ribbon, would make for a very girlie package

Seven Easter Cards

It took an entire day to make these cards, not even kidding. I work out of plastic 12”x12” storage containers (they’re all labeled, so it’s not total chaos) that are kept in a closet, and, man, they were spread every which way. One of the craft YouTubes I watch suggested sketching out your cards before making them, so I put pencil to pad and kind of did that. I even listed some of the “ingredients” I had to work with and it helped me to focus on the things I’d need to make my cards.

I don’t normally send out Easter cards, but I had it in my mind I wanted to do that for a few people this year. Crafting is like therapy for me, so yesterday was like a good ol’ shot in the arm. Thinking about each person as I created something just for them lifted my spirits and left me feeling very loved.

For descriptions and close-ups my flickr has it all.

Been playing around with the Vagabond again. Also, made another card. Go, me.

My First Smash Book

SMASHING!

I began this *Smash Book back in June 2011 and finally finished it the 1st of March 2012, whew! I very much like the end result. It probably isn't much of anything to anyone else but me, but that's what journaling is all about. I just thought it would be fun to show my version of smashing.

Maybe once you see the mish-mash of things I've stuffed inside the pages you'll be inspired to start one of your own. My next one (Orange) is already waiting in the wings! (For photos of the book in its entirety be sure to visit my Flickr.)

The handy-dandy pockets come 3 to a pack with one built-in on the inside-back. It's a great place to put the things you want to stick inside the pages when you don't have time.

I used the tiny photos that came with my photo orders which are printed on 6"x4" photo paper. They're perfect for Smashing, inserting into a locket or to use with any number of other projects.

Look closely at the center of the right-hand page. I stamped a peacock feather and like the way it turned out. You will see it on another page where it's not so subtle.

 

A lot of people make their own books, which I may tackle some day, but for now I need a starting point. The images on the pages of the Smash Books, as well as other products this company publishes, work as prompts and provide me a great place to start. Even the pen that comes with the book is great, and the glue at the opposite end is the best of this type I've ever tried. Really.

 

This is one of my favorite pages. I played around with some of my stamps and markers, even tied a real ribbon around the bouquet of flowers. My images aren't showing it, but my favorite pen is a sparkly-glittery type pen and I used it every single chance I could get.

 

I love buttons!

  

This was the last page I did. It's especially meaningful because every time I looked at that bicycle page I wanted to do something with it, but I got nuttin'. It all finally came together one day when I got home from doing some errands and spotted a piece of paper on our front lawn. It turned out to be what looks like an ice cream label with "Joy Joy" written on it, it's so perfect!

I added vintage ribbon, cut the ends into tiny strips and glued them on to the ends of the handlebars. I also took my glittery pen to the shiny parts of the bicycle so it sparkles where the light hits it. It's another favorite page of mine.

 

My daughters surprised me with a Vagabond by Sizzix (GAH!), so I played around with some of the dies and shared some here. I also bagged some up to go along with a few Smash Books we are giving as gifts. There are so many dies out there that I tell everyone I know if they ever want to give me a gift (for the rest of my life), dies will make me very  happy.

 

My top ten were in no particular order, of course, I mean, who can do that? Number 3 is books, so I made a miniature book especially for this spot.

Thistle was our old lady baby, we had her for over 15 years. I couldn't leave her out. And that back yard of ours, it's tough to keep up, but when I'm done mowing it's very satisfying to see what I've accomplished. And it smells goo, too! I used the built-in pocket for glue dots, envelopes, journaling paper and whatever else I thought I might need to make it easier to journal.

To see the entire set of photos with close-ups, please visit My Flickr under the set titled Smashing.

*I am not affiliated in any way with the company who publishes Smash Book products, I just think they're nifty.