TOPPED IT OFF WITH A BIRD

As I looked at the chalkboard that I decorated for Valentine's, I kept thinking that it needed a little something.  A bird on the branch!

I had a little goof by his tail feathers but, still . . . it looks complete now, don't you think?  The bird image is one of the transfers that comes with Bless Our Nest.

A CHALKY VALENTINE DECOR PROJECT

Today I played with Chalkology Paste to create a Valentine decoration for my home.  My surface is the Aiden chalkboard from Chalk Couture, and I absolutely love that I was able to wash off this Christmas design and re-use the chalkboard:

Aiden Chalkboard decorated for Christmas

Aiden Chalkboard decorated for Valentine's

Notice the ombre technique on the hearts border along the bottom?  That was created by blending the red Chalkology Paste with the white (obvious, huh?).  I have a video of this project HERE.  Be sure to Like, Follow, and Share my Facebook page and the post featuring this project!  :-)

Chalk Couture products featured on the Valentine project include:
Bless Our Nest Chalk Transfer (re-useable)
Cut Apart Hearts Chalk Transfer (re-useable)
Red Chalkology Paste
Bubble Gum Chalkology Paste
Peachy Chalkology Paste
White Chalkology Paste
Mocha Chalkology Paste
Small Squeegee

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURA!!!

Yesterday was my sweet stampin' friend's birthday, which means that I can now share the card that I made for her.  

Making a card for Laura isn't an easy task.  She's a very talented stamper and is always coming up with or finding fun folds/designs, and I was feeling a wee bit stressed over what to make for her.  For this card, I cut off the top half of the front and added an embossed strip of white cardstock to the interior (so it would be present behind the front focal point).  The stamped images are from Stampin' Up!'s Perennial Birthday stamp set, and I think they are so fun to color!  I almost didn't purchase this stamp set because it seems so similar to another set that I have, but I have no regrets.  I love that the large flower with leaves can be used alone as a focal point or combined with other images as I did for Laura's card.  The images are also a wonderful size for decorating a coordinating envelope!  Finishing touches to this card were the purple sequins.  

Laura, I hope your birthday was filled with much happiness . . . enough to last until this time next year!

SNOW GLOBE SHAPED CARDS

If I'm not mistaken, all of my blog posts featuring shaped cards are prefaced with a statement that goes something like this . . . I love love love shaped cards!  I used to really enjoy designing shaped cards on my handheld Gypsy (by Cricut), which seems so very primitive in comparison to the ease of designing projects via Cricut's online Design Space.  I also remember when my Gypsy crashed and had to be reset, which resulted in the loss of ALL of my design files, and I thought that I would never get over that.  I did, of course.

While it snowed yesterday, I enjoyed designing and assembling these cute snow globe cards:

I could have gone to the extra trouble of creating a framed acetate layer--and I did consider that--but I thought the cards had enough layers and looked really sweet without the fuss.  It's difficult to tell, but the cardinals were cut from shiny red foil paper, and the large blue background (and Frosty's hat, too) is cut from thick glittery and sparkly cardstock.  The "thank you" card that's front and center is the one that I put in the mail to cousin Mildred (see THIS related post), and the others were mailed to some special people who will enjoy the mail.

A TREASURE + MY WOOLY HEARTS TAG

Has it really been almost a month since I last posted?  I don't think I have ever gone that long without posting something since I started this blog, and I hope I won't let that happen again.  I offer no big excuse . . . I've just been focusing some energy on purging in my craft room and moving some things around.  I still have TONS of stuff that needs to find a new home, so if you're looking for, wanting, or can use anything in particular, let me know because I'd sure love to make a deal with you.

I have a real treasure to show you today.  This past Sunday, my mother, sister, and I visited cousin Mildred (my second cousin, actually), and she asked if I'd like to have this photo:

Say what?!?!  I'm sure she noticed my excitement because I love (and I mean l-o-v-e) old photos whether or not I know the people in them.  I found this picture even more endearing when I learned that my eyes were "meeting" my great-great-grandparents for the first time.  Let me say that another way . . . I now know what my grandmother's (favorite) grandparents looked like!  The fact that this jewel was already framed and in great condition is a bonus!

Of course, I will be making a special thank you card for Mildred, but I decided to also whip up this 5" x 6"  wooly hearts tag (my own design) that she can hang in her sewing/quilting room.

During our visit, we thoroughly enjoyed seeing many of Mildred's quilts--not just the ones that she has made, but some that are antique treasures made by her mother, mother-in-law, and other special loved ones.  

I hope to have a stamped project to share soon--it might just be my thank you card to Mildred.  :-)

OMBRE TECHNIQUE WITH CHALK PASTE + VIDEO!!!

If you visit my blog often, then I know that you have an interest in stamps, ink, and paper crafts.  You may also enjoy creating handmade gifts, and I want to share something that I made this week that (IMHO) would qualify as a great gift--or a nice addition to your home decor.  While the surface for my project is an awesome framed chalkboard, the products that I used for my project could be applied to a variety of surfaces.  You can see a video of the process to make this project HERE.  Please be sure to Like, Follow, and Share my Facebook Page!

I used Mint chalk paste for the cake stand, and it looks so vintage!  The colors that I used for the ombre effect on the cake are Orchid and Lilac.  

The products used to create this project can be found by clicking the following links:

You're the Sweetest Chalk Transfer

Bee Humble & Kind Chalk Transfer

Mint Green Chalkology Paste

Orchid Chalkology Paste

Lilac Chalkology Paste

Squeegee

Aiden 9x12 Framed Chalkboard

MASON JAR GIFT CARD HOLDERS

One of my favorite crafts this holiday season was creating a few mason jar gift card holders because they were so easy!  One of the most fun things about this project is that any size jar works (as long as it's tall enough to hold the gift card), and the jar can be right-side-up or upside-down. This one was the quickest:

A binder clip was clipped to one end of the gift card, and then I used hot glue to adhere the base of the clip to the lid.  Glitter tape was placed around the lid, but washi tape or ribbon would work beautifully, too.  I'm drawing a blank at the moment, but the stuffing (whatever it is called) was placed inside the pint-size jar, followed by the lid and ring.  On top of the jar, I adhered one of Stampin' Up!'s tree-shaped Stitched Felt Embellishments to a designer paper circle and then used hot glue to adhere one half of a ball ornament.  I wasn't sure how this was going to work but, after I was finished, I realized that I could have added so much more (such as shaker elements) inside the dome.  Hindsight is pretty sharp, you know?

I decided to get a little fancy with the next jar, which was quart-size, and began by adhering a sparkly tree-shaped ornament (complete with glimmer and gems) close to the edge of the lid.  A binder clip was adhered with hot glue beside the ornament, and then the gift card was placed in the clip.  I carefully placed stuffing to cover the lid, and then closed the jar onto the lid and ring.  A jute twine bow was tied around the jar (just above the lid).  A strip of burlap trim was adhered to the jar and embellished with the holly and berries Stitched Felt Embellishments.  The "top" was decorated with a gold foil doily and a star-shaped Stitched Felt Embellishment.

All of my mason jar gift card holders were placed inside a buffalo plaid gift bag that I decorated with Chalk Couture products (read all about them HERE).

THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING

I've shared a little about my Chalk Couture business on this blog, and today I have a project video that shows a really quick framed chalkboard that I made for the mountain house.  The project features the following products:

Mountains are Calling Chalk Transfer

White Chalkology Paste

4" Handled Squeegee

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page . . . please LIKE, FOLLOW, and SHARE it!

If you have any questions about Chalk Couture products, email me or leave a comment.  As well, if you would like for me to share chalk/chalkboard projects more often and/or give more details about the product line on this blog, let me know.  :-)  I have started a blog that is dedicated to Chalk Couture products and projects . . . Decor Creations with Regina.  Visit me there--subscribe to that blog if you'd like!

"TUSCAN VINEYARD" THANK YOU CARDS

I recently needed a few thank you cards, and I couldn't resist using the new-to-me stamp set, Tuscan Vineyard.  I love that the images in this set look like they were taken directly from the sketchbook of an artist.

For my cards, I kept the design really simple and just gave the front a few sharp cuts--nothing planned--just snip, snip.  After completing the first card and realizing that it wouldn't stand on its own, I placed the circle-punched focal point for the next two cards flush with the bottom.  The ribbon added the perfect finishing touch, and I'm sure that I will borrow this simple design again!  

Shop with me!

Click to purchase:  TUSCAN VINEYARD

NOVEMBER CLASS SWAPS + WINNER OF THE FREE CRAFT PROJECT CENTRAL SUBSCRIPTION

The swap theme for my November class was a Christmas card, and I'm so happy to share these awesome creations!

Can you believe that Tracy hand cut the fun shape for the cocoa holder?  And look at that adorable mini bow.  Tracy even gave us a pretty coaster in this cute pocket!

And this is the card that I created for the swap:

It's hard to tell from the photo, but the white tree was die-cut from glimmer paper.  The trees that were die-cut from the designer paper were turned over (to the black and white side) and adhered to the inside of the card.

Last, but not least . . . the winner of the November tutorials at Craft Project Central is . . . DEBRA LAIL.  Just email me at randari at Hotmail dot com, and we'll get your November subscription started!