Framed Fun

This post should have been published earlier this week, but I'm a bit behind.

I love photos, so we have framed photos all over our house. There is a wall devoted to photos. Eventually the entire wall will be covered with photos. So making some frames as Valentine's just seemed like the right thing for me to do.

Using a Sizzix Scoreboard Frame, Easel, die by Eileen Hull and a variety of materials I created three small gifts.  This one used a white chipboard that is slightly thinner then matboard.  A piece of pink velvet paper was adhered and then the entire piece was cut using the die and Big Shot.  For embellishments, a patterned paper was used along with  Sizzilit strip die, "flower & stems, finishing the frame with tiny buttons, a bow and some iridescent trim.

This frame was made with two coordinating fabrics, adhered to an iron-on batting. It was then die-cut.  Tiny white rick-rack trims the frame, along with red heart buttons and a red cord.

The third frame is made from quilting vinyl that was inked with Ranger's Adirondack Alcohol Inks. For added support, another frame was cut from a white board. It was finished by edging the frame with a Krylon Gold Metallic pen, gold metal tape, charms and adding a gold wired ribbon and  bow.

*****Just adding two other projects here *****
Again these are made with other Scoreboard dies and various materials other then matboard.  It's meant to show you that it's always fun to experiment with what you have in the way of tools and materials.

Scoreboard Box with Scallop Flap, Iron-on batting
covered with fabrics, buttons and decorative trim. 

Scoreboard Notebook Pocket die, Groovy Girl
Alphabet die, double-sided adhesive matboard ,
 and various embellishments.

My Valentine, Forever & Always

"Love is the best medicine, and there is more than enough to go around once you open your heart."    -  Julie Marie

All I am going to say today is - I love him today, as well as every other day we have been together, and everyday to come that we spend together.  We have traveled down a long road so far and managed to maneuver  "bumps, detours and some road blocks" that we have found in our way.  The "bump in the road" we face now, we will work through.

Those vows we made ... "in sickness and health" ... are testing us again.  We've been a lucky couple.  You are my "guy" forever and always!

Something New Coming Our Way

If you like crafts and enjoy getting ideas and inspiration, then get ready for a something new that will give you just those things.

If any of you have been checking out my blog from time to time, you will know that I have taken part of "blog hops".  Both times they have been to help promote and support very creative designers that I know.  Of course they design for Sizzix, which is a company whose products I absolutely love.  If you haven't seen the projects that were designed using specific dies designed by Eileen Hull, Karen Burniston and Brenda Pinnick, you can still go to the "Triple Play Blog Hop" button that is on my blog.  You can also see my designs in the "archives" from November '10 to December '10.  Other designs from an earlier "hop" can be viewed in the archives from March'10 to May '10.

So what up next is a group and a site called "365 Days of Crafts".  You can go to the Facebook page and "Like" it.  You can check out the website to see other ideas.  You can hop through the webring of designers that will be sharing ideas with you.  There are a variety of things planned for the group and site.  There will be challenges from time to time.  You will find out about new ideas, products, techniques and other creative information.

I hope you will all come and "like" us, "follow" and "hop" along with all of us. There will be forty-something designers sharing their talents with everyone.  The above image is what you will see on each blog and we will be all linked together, connecting each one to the next.  NOTE: Everything should be finalized by next week and connected and ready to go!

Hug'em, Kiss'em and Love'em

Not just in February or on Valentine's Day, but everyday of the year it's great having grandkids to hug and kiss and love!

Today's post is all about them - four great, sweet kids, how lucky can a "Grammie" be?
Yes that is what they call me and it's sweet and I love it.

Joseph (3-8-99) is the oldest and only grandson (right now anyway).  In Junior High this year, he plays baseball and football, an excellent student, loves to build things and has a heart of gold!

Madeline (6-22-01) is next (sister to Joseph) the oldest granddaughter and my namesake.  I feel very humbled that she was given my name.  Very athletic, daring (like her mom), creative (great attribute) and quite a social lady.

Tess (4-11-08) is next in line, the big sister in her family.  She is funny, sweet, keeps me laughing and amazed.  She too, already loves to draw, paint and make stuff.

Zoe (7-28-10) is the baby of the bunch.  I can tell already that she is going to be a girl on the go, in constant motion and aware of everything.

I love them all so much!

(I also love their parents very much too! And Matt will look forward to more if and when.)

A Rose Is A Rose

"There may be many flowers in  one's life, but there is only one rose."  
Who doesn't like flowers?  They seem to always have a way to make a person happy.  Flowers can say... "I love you!",  "I care", "You are special", "Feel Better", "Happy Anniversary", "Happy Birthday" or numerous other intentions.

I have been experimenting with making flowers, using punches made by McGill.  They have a line of punches, called Paper Blossoms, that are used to create various flowers from paper.  Being someone who just has to see if there is another way to use a product, I had to try something a little different.

Using a thin gauge metal, I painted it on both sides using Ranger Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers (Red Pepper) and Adirondack Dimensional Pearls (Cranberry).  The shapes were punched from the metal.  Basically the same instructions can be followed for working with the metal pieces as with paper.

I printed a color copy of one of my many vintage postcards.  Cut a piece of heavy card stock for backing and adhered the copy.  Of course the edges needed some Distress Inks and added a little touch of Stickles along the top and bottom edges.  After gluing the large rose, a rose bud and several leaves onto the image, a organza ribbon finishes the card.

Another example of a flower made with the punches.

Hearts In Hand

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."   -   Helen Keller

The weather is forcing me to stay inside and not venture out the past couple of days.  Listening to weather updates and watching the snow blowing gets a bit boring.  Kids of all ages are loving every minute of this "blizzard" and the curmudgeons ... not so much!  

Still hoping to share some photos and maybe a short video soon of the "Blizzard of 2011"!  Sounds ominous doesn't it, but being someone who lived through the one in '67, the winter of '79 and the storm of '99, this was a "biggie", but honestly think too much is being made of the whole thing.  I should say the media is trying to make more of it then needs to be.  That's something I could write pages about but there are more creative and fun things to get on to.

Here is a pattern that I bought a year ago at Spring Quilt Festival. Actually found two different patterns, along with handles to make "changeable" purses.  

This particular pattern has been sitting on my sewing table for months just waiting to be made.  When I decided to make the blog posts this month about hearts and love and such, it gave me one of those "lightbulb" moments.  So I took the pattern and made up a purse cover for the month of February.  With this one finished, I think I'll feature a new one each month with you.  I love the handle!  Here is the website of the company for you to check out:  www.quiltplus.net.  I'm sure that I will do a couple of quilted versions, but it will be more fun to experiment with the pattern, using various materials and changing the size.

I used scraps left from a recycled, felted wool sweater.  Using my trusty, always "go to" Sizzix dies and Big Shot, I cut out a variety of primitive heart shapes.  They were then felted onto a piece of cream colored felt, cut to the size of the pattern.  It was then embellished with "strings of pearls", a few heart shaped sequins and tiny Swarovski crystals for just a touch of bling!

Let February Begin

"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart."    -    Confucius

It looks like the next couple of days will give me the opportunity to do many things.  The blizzard of 2011 has arrived!  Here in the Chicago area this is nothing that we have not dealt with before.  Some years are worse than others.  Everyone has been talking about the Blizzard of '67 and waiting to make comparisons.  In '67, as in most years, we had the "January thaw" during our midterm break while a Senior in high school.  Three days before the record breaking blizzard brought Chicago to a halt, we had temperatures in the 60's.  Forecasts for snow were posted ... well it began snowing and it seemed to never stop.  Got another week off from school so back then that was a pretty big deal.


Here is a news story about that event if you would like to get more facts: Blizzard of 1967 .  Hopefully I will be able to share some photos at some point.  It's certainly a good day to stay in.  


With all this time on my hands, my hope is to share some fun stuff with everyone this month.  Everything will, in some way, relate to love, hearts, Valentine's and February.  


There have been several wonderful ideas emailed to me from Martha Stewart.com.  She definitely has a great team working on ideas for crafts and more.  Two that I'm thinking of trying are a recipe for Mocha Brownies and  Cobweb Valentine's. To find a numerous ideas for cards, decorations, gifts and more use the link and click yourself through the ideas and get inspired!


Another cute project I came across is a crocheted heart garland.  I just might start one of these to hang from our mantle.  Check it out here.