Glitz Paper

When I saw the new Glitz line French Kiss and Pretty in Pink, I just couldn't stop myself. I love this stuff.  So I made a couple of cards yesterday.

This is some of the Glitz paper and one of the Whatnot bird images. I added some fine silver glitter around the image. Ribbon, sentiments and rhinestones are from Stampin' Up.

The little fleur-de-lis trinket is from Urban Scrapbook and the lace is just from my pile.

I loved the French Kiss stamp set. This crown stamp was the finishing touch for the inside and envelope.

The next is using the Glitz paper and stamp set as well.

A little bit of fussy cutting.  The sentiment stamps and vanilla rosettes are from Stampin' Up. I daubed them with Chocolate Chip and Pink Pirouette Stampin' Up inks. Love the Eiffel Tower stamp.

On to more things tomorrow. Have a happy day.

Almost Easter

Easter is only 4 days away and I am busy preparing for it.  Family dinner on Sunday, preparing all the kidlets Easter surprises, everything fresh and light. Mind you, it's not green outside yet, we are in fact expecting a spring snow storm later today and through tomorrow. It should be nice and sloppy on Friday for our neighborhood egg hunt!

Just a few things created that I would like to share.

I made this Easter card for my Mother-in-Law. I was inspired by a card I saw on Splitccoaststampers. I can't find it now, but if the person that inspired were to stumble on it and say "Hey, that's my card darn you!" I will give credit where credit is due.

I used the Stampin' Up Apothecary Art stamp set and the new framelits dies that are in the current Occasions Mini. So soft and spring like. I made another one for my Mom.

Next was spring wreath for my front door. I used some flowers I had laying around. The pink "peonies" are actually made with coffee filters sprayed with colored water. Super easy tutorial I found on Little Birdie Secrets. I bought some jute when I went on my linen buying spree and used that for a bow.  The inspiration I used was from the Domestic Fashionista . Hers is much nicer, but I used what I had on hand.

I loved the coffee filter flowers so much I made a small bouquet of them to sit on my little curio table.

Going to go and do some ironing before the kiddies get home. Need to clean up the laundry/sewing area to take some pics of the new curtains I made for in there. I don't know why I went so long without. Till then, have an inspiring day!

Two blogs in one day???

I needed to make a new cushion for the old chair that I have for my old desk.  This chair has been in my family for as long as I can remember.

I was inspired by a pattern for this chair cushion at FreeSewing.com.

Seeing how I just went crazy last month and bought meters and meters of linen for $1.25 - 2.50 per, I decided to use some of that and this is how it turned out.

I like it so much that now I would like to make some more for my dining room chairs. Love the pleats. It only took a couple of hours to make and was very simple. It's a great pattern. And it was for free!!!

Making

I finally got around to making my versions of Petite Michelle Louise's beautiful door knob ephemera holders.  Her blog is so inspiring.  It was a challenge to learn how to get the wire into the required shape and is still a work in progress.  Most of the embellishment came from vintage jewelery trinkets I found at Michaels, but some is just from my stash. I was quite pleased with the results, they were a joy to make finally and I love having them placed around the house to gaze at.

I used pictures of my Mother and her cousins that I have had for ages. I adore the one of her laying in the grass reading. The post card was a vintage find from an antique store on Bowen Island that I found about 16 years ago. (That wasn't yesterday! Obviously vintage has been a part of me for a very long time)

Thanks again and credit to Petite Michelle Louise. Love, love, love her!

I have a camera again!!!!!

After an ill-fated Girl Guide journey to West Edmonton Mall, for the camera, not the Girl Guides, I once again have a camera. I have also seemed to have recovered from a creative slump and am once again back in the saddle of adaptive plagiarism.  I shouldn't short change myself, I did this out of the tickle trunk of my brain.

I had found these pretty little cloches at Homesense at Christmas and decided to bling them up. Using a paper flower tutorial from Pinterest (OMG! Addictive thing, now a part of my daily existence) that I found and pages from an old book, spray with a little log cabin Smooch Spritz and voila! I also added stamped images using Stampin' Up stamps, kraft seam binding, leaf ribbon from Papertrey Ink, vintage key from Tim Holtz and a key hole from Melissa Francis.

I tried to make it look appealing from the rear as well.

I am not very camera capable, so there is quite a bit of reflection in these pictures, it's hard to see the detail.  I took the cloche off to get a bit less reflection.

Have a pleasant and creative day!

Just for Fun

These little paper shoes are just for fun. They are a good way to use up a lot of the little bits and pieces that we all hoard in little jars and tins, or at least I do.

I think that they will be good to stuff with little gifts to give.

I used one of the crystal pendants from an old chandelier that was in my dining room at one time.

The top of the shoe is a little bright to see the detail well, but it gives you a better look at the vintage paper I used to make the shoe lining.

You can find the template for the shoes and inspiration at Chocolate Baroque.

Get inspired and have fun!

Another New Year & Another Attempt

Well, the holidays are over, the tree is put away, the kids go back to school tomorrow and then everything can get back to normal.

I haven't posted anything FOR A VERY LONG TIME, so let's take another kick at the cat, shall we?

I had some fabulous neighbors across the street from me that moved to Qualicum Beach, B.C. during the summer. The husband (Dave) is an extremely creative person. I felt very privileged to have been given so many wonderful artful objects made by him, pieces of furniture and unfinished projects.

I felt extremely fortunate to have been given this wonderful old desk. He had refinished it himself and put a new top on it.  It is a little large and grand for my little house, but I love it's heavy warmth, with the emphasis on "heavy".

Now that this desk has become the place where I spend a majority of my time, I have been making a selection of cards to have on hand and hope to send out more. (Really, what is the point of making them, if I don't send them out?)


Here are a few that have made it to their new handy location.

The first two I give credit to creative gals from Splitcoaststampers.

Credit for this card is due to a card found here.

Credit for this one goes to the stamper found here.

Thank you ladies.

The third is a simple masculine thank you card.

 Thanks for looking.

Part of my daily routine.......

I LOVE BLOGLAND!

After getting the kids off to school, cleaning the kitchen up and putting away all the hat/mitten bins, it's time to make a coffee and sit my but down for my daily doses of inspiration.

It's very easy to get lost in some of these blogs with people's "favorite places" and linky parties, and it's a wonderful lost.

By the time I am done my coffee, I am inspired and can't wait to get through all the "must-dos" for the day and put some of this creativity into use. Whether it is making something new, organizing a part of the house or just arranging something to look pretty it's a small sense of accomplishment for me everyday.

I do have some of my favorite places listed, but I just wanted to add a few new ones.

I have had Lindy at Cottage Hill bookmarked only since February when I was looking for pretty pillows to be inspired to make, I ran on to her Master Bedroom Redo.  Check it out it's beautiful.

Another site that give's me goosebumps when I look it is The Horchow Collection.  Isn't this stuff absolutely sumptuous?

 One of the most beautiful stamping blogs that I have discovered hands down is Jeri Kay from A Touch of Grace. Jeri creates lovely paper flowers and uses them so elegantly.

Thanks to all you ladies who help me make my day inspiring and beautiful!

Printer tray and a purse, but first.........

I can not start this blog without mentioning the terrible events that the people of Japan have faced and are facing.  As much though as my heart breaks and my mind tries to comprehend the fear and pain I am seeing relayed to me over the networks , my spirit soars for the control, dignity and sense of community that they have shown. They are certainly setting a very high standard for the rest of the planet in how humanity should represent itself in times of disaster and tragedy.

 

Here is a link I found to a site that has patiently collected many amazing examples of this country and it's people and their kindness and aid to one another. 

http://yatiechomeyl.blogspot.com/2011/03/lesson-learnt-from-japanese-people.html

Bless them all and all who are helping. 

I just love these printer trays from 7 Gypsies. They are such a cool way to display trinkets, treasures and photos. It's also a good way to use up some of the myriads of supplies under my stairs. It was nice to finally have a use for frames from my Stampin' Up hodge podge kits.



The stickpin and compass are from some of my father's keepsakes.  The buttons and key are from my Grandmother's button box. (My mini treasure trunk)

The next one I'm going to do is a sewing themed one.

On to the sewing portion.........

This is a Matilda bag made from a pattern from Indygo Junction. I made it for my trip next week. (Finally taking the kidlets to Disneyland). It goes with my cream raincoat (yep, it's supposed to rain) better than my black winter coat and snow that's for sure!

Do you recognize the fabric?


I have lined it with a brown taffeta. I bought it at a very good price (cheap, I'm so cheap) and so I got quite a bit. You will probably see a few projects made with this.

There are two inside pockets. One divided with a flap and a velcro closure.


One that is just a plain pocket.


I like the pleating at the bottom. (Kind of hard to see)


and the pleats on the handles

This purse is really easy to make. The more you make the easier and quicker they are.  This is the second one of this style I have made.  The first was for a women's event that my friend Erin held last fall. It was a donation to the door prize portion of the event. Maybe she'll let me make another one for this year.

I did make a few modifications. The pattern calls for the front and back to be in four pieces with a center seam, which is good if you want to use two contrasting fabrics. I did not want to break up the pattern so I cut the back and front on the fold resulting in only two pieces.

As good as my machine (the old doll) is on thick fabrics, it still wouldn't stitch through all the layers for the handle cover. So I ended up hand stitching the cover on.


I did use interfacing to stiffen the bottom up a bit, but I think the next one I make I will use a piece of foam core and have a solid bottom and see how I like it.  I would also like to try using a layer of fusible fleece in between the layers of fabric and give a bit more substance.


That's all for now.

Peace.