Recycled tissue box

Saturday morning and I am blog hopping. It is truly overwhelming what's out there. Something that I keep seeing is how much we all want to connect and share our stories, talents, pain, our lives. But if we're all locked on to our computers, how will we meet the actual flesh and blood people and interact in real life? I worry about this for future generations... but it's probably one of those circle of life things. In 30 years, meeting real people will be the exciting new trend!

Gave in and bought another EK Success punch yesterday- a one inch scalloped circle. Today is going to be a fun playing around day- rainy and yucky- maybe I will even clean up here a little.

Now it's Sunday night and I am sick. Cold, runny nose, feverish...

But luckily I have a cool thrift store find to show you. It was a plain wooden tissue box that I spray painted with Krylon Ballet Slipper pink. After the base coat had dried, I stuck a bunch of self-adhesive foam flowers over the whole box and then sprayed them pink also. It took hardly any time and could be tailored to fit the character of any room. This will go in the room that Trinity will be staying in when she comes for a month in May. Before I take it upstairs, I also plan to give a final coat of sealer.

Masculine birthday card

You are looking at a five minute card- six at the most.

Hayward and I agreed to meet some good friends to celebrate Bill's birthday. Realized I had no masculine birthday cards on hand.... or a present. I came down to the studio, took out my trusty Cuttlebug and found the numbers embossing folder. Matted the numbers on a brown card and then printed on the computer, "It's only a number..." and matted it on a scrap of brown over the numbers. Inside reads, "...a big big number" I figured that was not insulting because he is the youngest of the four of us.

And that was it. We went to the ABC store to get a quick present for him, and the guy at the register told us there was a gift box with a bottle of Mint Chocolate Bailey's bottle plus two candles. Perfect!We had pizza, a lovely dinner, and continued on to choir practice. Fun day...

New punches!

Stopped by Michael's today for magnet tape. I am getting ready to send some boxes off to the military posts I supply with magnets and matted artwork.

While I was wandering the aisles, I came across an endcap full of beautiful new border punches by EK Success.

There were quite a few that I intend to purchase as coupons allow... it lines up great and has a locking feature that keeps the punch flat and easy to store.

I punched the bottom of the coral card and then a strip of aqua and punched it also. Lined them up and glued the aqua down. Punched 2 more aqua strips and placed them opposing each other about half way up the card leaving room in between for a strip of ribbon. Punched a coral flower and a circle around that, then a larger aqua scalloped circle. I inked the scallop edges for dimension and adhered over a loop of ribbon with foam squares to the card. I had some clear reinforcement circles (found in bargains at Staples for $.25!) which I inked around and then peeled off to fill in the top. And there you go!

And now... back to the never ending horrible taxes. Maybe it won't be as bad if I take them out on the front porch?

Recycled Dove Soap Box

Happy Easter! Here's a little chick to brighten your day.

Lately, I have been looking at all of the beautiful packaging that companies spend big bucks to research and develop. And we open our box of cereal, juice boxes, whatever... and promptly throw them away, or at least recycle! I was replacing a bar of soap in the shower and the soft purple of the Dove box caught my eye, reminding me of Easter soon to arrive. I came down to my studio and was playing around (I'm supposed to be doing my taxes) and came up with this little box.
You will need:

• soap box (I used Dove)
• I used a page from an old book to print one of my Illustrator experiments on
• Martha Stewart fence border
• ribbon
• eyelets
• silk or fabric flower
• yellow pompoms or premade chick

1. Fold flaps inside- cut them off if they bug you. I think they add extra support and shape.
2. Add decor- patterned paper. Punch 4 holes for handle.
3. Add eyelets.
4. Thread ribbon through eyelets.
5. Tie a spring flower on the handle- I wrapped wire around the stem of the flower and then around the two strands of ribbon
6. Glue 2 yellow pompoms together and add an tiny orange triangle for the beak for your chick/duck.
7. Add paper grass and jelly beans or whatever you want :-)

Have a great weekend!

Diet Coke can goes all crafty

Today did not begin well. I discovered a hole in my favorite socks. I knew I should let them go but hesitated with my hand over the garbage can... surely there was something that could be done to save them... I brought them downstairs to my studio and grabbed a Diet Coke on the way. Wait a minute... can- sock-slipcover...

If you are following this train of thought you should get yourself checked out. But isn't it cute? It's not hot out now but in a couple of months those cans will be dripping and sweating all over the place. This little baby will keep your hands nice and dry.

Here's how:

wash socks

cut foot part off with scalloped rotary cutter blade

slip tube over can and cuff top of sock

add ribbon

and corny message attached by giant jump ring (puchased because of great colors)

And that's it!

In other news... had a call from my son in Iraq and he's doing OK so I'm a happy mom.

A new friend!

A huge thank you to Jennifer Ellefson for walking me through this blog upgrade process. You are so generous for sharing your time with me... and your workroom is amazing. When are you going to enter a contest for most beautiful studio?

Green Gallery Cake- Part 5

Ta-da! The final pieces...

The lace is was originally the bottom of the top- are you following me here??? and coated with a huge amount of spray adhesive- those beads are heavy! Once again I used buttons and trim to add color and texture. I love that cute little pink pompom trim- just had enough to make it around.

On the top, a sweet pink flowered demitasse cup and saucer hold a pin cushion. I wrapped a 2 1/2" FloraCraft styrofoam ball with vintage green seam binding and wrapped mini-rickrack around it. I used pearls and beads to decorate the pins that are stuck in there.

So now you know how it was done. Bet you'll be running out to get yourself the stuff to make one today! Honestly it was a big project but I think it came out really nice.

I actually have been very busy creating the last few days so will post that stuff soon. Can't wait to show you the latest thing I figured out to do with my Logan mat cutter!

Green Gallery Cake- Part 4

Isn't this paper beautiful? I love pink... and Melissa Frances does it so well.

The beading is the neckline of the thrift store top I cut up. It just made it around the base of this layer. I also used zippers from a box lot at the auction. I unzipped them, cut them apart at the bottom and got double duty using both sides. I hot glued the zippers and trim around the sides but had to work quickly because that glue sets up so fast! I also seem to burn myself more often when I am working with anything metal- guess the heat is transferred and OWWW! The pain that I endure for my art.. :-)

The pin was $2.50 (fifty cents more than I usually will pay for a pin, but I really liked this one). There is a different one on each side. I just stuck them into the foamboard with the pin back and added a few glue dots to secure. Loved the trim and soft colors.

Had all my girls here this weekend- so nice to see them having fun together and reminiscing (many of the stories involving how mean their mother was and how she never let them stay home from school, blah blah blah) Love you Pam, Jess and Mary :-)

Layer 3- only a few more to go. I think that was my favorite one to do- this piece was from a sleeve, I think. Love the new Melissa Frances paper underneath. All I had to do was lay this on top and it just fell nicely in place. I hot glued the buttons in position and it was so much fun going through them and wondering where they came from and who wore the clothes they were part of.

I think about that too when I am addressing wedding envelopes for clients. Some people have such interesting names- you wonder what they would be like to meet them.

Since we have not heard otherwise, we assume Chris arrived safely. I asked him before he left what Trinity thought about the whole deployment thing. He said he sat her down (she's 2) and said, "Now Trinity, Daddy is going to leave soon and he will be gone a very long time. So I won't see you for a while." To which she replied cheerfully, "OK!" and went off to play. Wish I could do that...