Girl Cards

 Just a few sweet girl cards I made. 

Coffee Coasters

I had some ceramic tiles left from a few projects so I thought I would make a few coffee coasters with them using my Donna Downey stamps and some Archival Ink.  I really like them!

A Texas Wedding

I was tasked with place cards for a Texas wedding rehearsal dinner.  I bought some state die cuts and got to work.  It was fun and everyone loved their little reminders of a good time in Texas.  I also made a cute banner to go along with the Texas theme but tried to make it more cute than western.

I used my sizzix to cut and create the flowers and letters for the names.  I used my Cameo Silhouette to cut out the Texas shape. 

I hand cut the burlap and used little grommets to keep the punched circles for the ribbon from fraying.

I probably should have had the restaurant hang the banner behind them so it wouldn't be covered up by people at the bar. 

Bakers Rack Makeover

An old green bakers rack from the 70's. The goal is to repainted it, add a few new shelf inserts and maybe do something with the bottom shelf so I can use it as an ice container for drinks. Got a little start but the rain has slowed the progress. Hopefully, I'll get it finished when there are two weekends without rain.

Polished Stone Technique

Here is one of the cards I made with a favorite technique called Polished Stone.   You will need some glossy cardstock, alcohol reinkers, metallic pigment reinkers, alcohol, cotton balls, and rubber gloves if you don't like getting messy.

Valentine's Day Crafting

Got together with a few friends to do a little card making and heart boxes.  I used some free tags from Kelli Murray's blog.  I also used my sizzix die cutter to make some cute little boxes.  On the boxes I added some punched hearts.  The box size was perfect to include two Giradeli chocolate squares.   The cute little girl on the card is from Artful Play that I purchased on Etsy.  Too cute!

Craftcation 2018

April in Ventura is one big craft fest. I volunteered in the business classes and was able to get in a few craft classes.

These are the terrariums we made.  Mine is the top photo and my friend Kathi's is the one with the pretty blue glass rocks.

Goals

This year is just about halfway over and I need to focus on what it is I want to do with my art.  I definitely would like to keep up this blog, however Instagram is so much quicker and easier to share what I am making.  I would also like to open my etsy shop which to date only has my name. First I will have to make labels for the back of my cards, package them and sort them, and then of course list them.

New Year!! New Goals

It's official, I'm an empty nester!!!   Time to work on myself and not have anymore excuses.  I found this great post which I hope to use to jump start new habits for the year:  https://zenhabits.net/start/

Wash-Wear Bags for Traveling

I started out making a scarf for a friend but did not like the way it turned out - not enough fabric, perhaps?  Instead, I made these wash-wear bags for traveling and keeping clean items separate from those that needed washing.

Wash-Wear Bags

Favorite Blogs with Free Downloads

I have so many likes that it difficult to keep things in one place.  I love blogs that have free downloads, My current favorite is Emily Jones, here is her welcome page Jones Design Company, Make sure to sign up for her newsletter, you'll also have access to her free downloads, printables, templates, Christmas, Valentines, Clip Art & Fonts   Emily Jones Archive of Free Downloads
 - lots of fun things and DIY.

Oh my goodness!! Today I came across one paper-flowers tutorial, which led me to another and then another, all from Lia at  Lia Griffith.  So many beautiful bouquets and colors.  Amazing.  Please visit her website.  You can also join her membership club for access to all her fun ideas but I don't have time for so many.  She also has some SVG files for anyone who owns a Cricut (can these be used on my Sihlhouette?).

Make Your Own Digital Stamps

I thought this would be of interest to everyone.  Sometimes you need to add just a little something special and this has some great tips and info.  http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/stampps.html  and yes there are two "p's"in the web address - stampps.  I don't know why but just be aware.  The info is from Gillian Allen.  Here is a little before and after of her work.
   

https://www.pinterest.com/jilljoersz/create-iv/  Cute cards, tutorials and interesting technigues

Vintage Images - Free

I have so many random pieces of paper with various links for free images that I thought I would finally take a moment and create a post so I would have them all in one spot.  The first one and very well known is  The Graphics Fairy .  Karen has DIYs, projects, images for transferring and instructions for transferring images to a myriad of objects, 12 methods for transferring images.  Some topics in her gallery:  Ads & Labels, Birds, Children, Coca Cola Ads, Couples, Ephemera, Holidays, Flowers, Fairies & Angels, and a few more. Make sure to visit her blog.

Next up is Vintage Images, such a variety of images, I'm sure you'll find exactly what you need or something very similar!

Infinity Scarves

I made a few infinity scarves a few months ago and just recently two others.  You can make a lot from one yard of fabric.  I really like the first one I made, very springlike and I love the flirty fabric.
I used this free download from Simplicity for some general measurements.  How to Sew an Infinity Scarf

Lavender Pink Infinity Scarf

This red fiber plaid scarf was made because I had this very small piece of fabric which I loved but it was just too small to make anything to wear from it.  It's a little stiff and the fibers are a little bit delicate but I think it's a great accent piece for the holiday season and one which I will use year after year during the holidays.

Here is a close up so you can see the fibers.

This last one is a pretty floral but I just might take out the joining seam and use it as a regular scarf as it seems just too stiff.  It is pretty though and if I add a pin or something shiny, it will be very dressy.  (pictures coming soon).  Update, I made a set of Wash/Wear bags for my friend GinaMarie.  I think the fabric was much better suited for this project.

Sewing Scarves Tonight

I don't know what has taken me so long to finally sew these up but at long last here they are.

The cream/red/black/red plaid fabric is something I purchased from Emma One Sock and I could not decide if I should cut it in half and make a longer, thinner scarf or cut it in half and add a different fabric to the back. But, in the end I just sewed it up! Now if I could have just done that a year and a half ago, I probably would have been able to wear it through two holiday seasons.  It's nice to know I am ahead of my holiday sewing!


This next scarf is the second (and third) one I've made from from stretch knit I found at Joann's this past winter and my plan then was to sew some up for holiday gifts.  I didn't quite get them done in time for Christmas but one was ready for a Spring gift.  One is going to a friend at work and the other I haven't decided whether to keep or give away.  Maybe my daughter will spy it this summer and take it home with her.  I'll keep you posted!

Cards and Such

I have been creating a lot of different things lately and have not really had time to post so I thought I would start with a heading and upload a few pictures here and there.  I probably will have to upload in reverse order but it's a start.  Finally jumping back in to the blog!

BEHIND THE PICKET FENCE - in Costa Mesa with GinaMarie

A couple of weeks ago my good friend GinaMarie and I took a ride down to Costa Mesa to visit a vintage market.  I was very good about not buying too much but oh, the cute things I left behind!  I did buy a couple of tiny clutch sewing kits made from leather which I plan to add some metal paint to as well as decorating the leather portion.  The inside still contained all the needed sewing needles, thread and small buttons.

I thought I'd include the links to some of the shop owners' cute displays I came across.

www.threespeckledhens.com Located at the Paso Robles Event Center and having a sale on October 4 and 5 of this year and May 2 and 3, 2015.  Mark it on your calendar!
 www.frenchatheart.com French at Heart.  Very cute french jewelry items, including french patriot saints incorporated into her jewelry.
www,fancyfeatherdesigns.com  Handmade pillows, tote bags and wine bottle bags using some fresh designs.
      
www.marylisatreats.blogspot.com      Lisa Rainey Marois selss silver place setting she picks up at estate sales.



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Shrink Plastic Pins

I made a few tie pins for co-workers a few years ago and never took photos or posted.  That is now on my list of things to do!  I have some extra pins at work that I need to photograph and upload.  In the meantime here's a link to some really fun projects as well as detailed directions.

Shrink Plastic Photo Jewelry

Little Girl Tags - aka Girl of the Moment

I had a little fun stamping these cute little girl images on some handmade tags I made when I had some leftover heavy cardstock.  The girl with the cape is a Unity Stamp and the party girl is from Stampendous.  

This first tag is just stamped and colored with markers.  I used some bold funky colors for my supergirl image.  I think they show the awesomeness of girl power!  

Unity Stamp - Girl of the Moment

I wanted to try a little something different and used some shimmerpaint and tried to patiently wait for it to dry before I could stamp the girl. 

Unity Stamp - SuperGirl!

For my party girl I painted a little white gesso on the tag and punched a border.  The gesso really made the colors stand out against the white manilla cardstock.  So cute!  

Birthday Girl Close-Up

Party Girl Tag