Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop - Projects I Love

What other project could I create in the month of February but something that simply says - LOVE.

This little project came about when I was asked to share an idea with the Ladies Group in  the community where I live.  This first photo is the sample "LOVE" banner that I made to let them know what we would be making.  On Wednesday evening of this week I will lead those that are participating in making this banner below.

The pennant shapes, for the base of each banner flag, are made by ironing two fabrics together with a fusible batting in between.  This sweet vintage print is on one side and the other is a red fabric with white hearts.  The fabrics were chosen to give the ladies a choice.  The pennants start with a 4" x 6" rectangle, then the bottom edge is has a "V" cut into it.  From card stock, 3" squares were cut and then the four sides are cut with a decorative scallop scissor. Use a fine point pen to draw "stitch" lines around the four sides to replicate stitching. The letters to spell out LOVE were cut from a black card stock using a digital die-cutting system. NOTE: Letters can be hand-cut, die-cut with any other system, stenciled onto the squares or purchased letter stickers could be used.  The thin strip was punched with a border punch out of white card stock.  The flower embellishment is also made from fabrics fused together with batting in between and coordinating card stock.  The flowers are held together with a small paper brad.  Leaves are cut from green cardstock. Glue all the elements onto the fabric pennants. NOTE: Refer to the photo for placement of components.  The four pennants are then clipped onto a length of jute cording with tiny wooden clothespins.  NOTE: Two smalls holes can be punched into the tops of each or tiny slits cut and then thread cording or ribbon through to hang the banner.  

Another note: To create the pennants, two fabrics can be fused together with a simple iron-on fusible (not batting).  Two coordinating card stocks can be fused together or combine fabric and paper together to make the pennants.  

Create simple short banners to hang around the house for various occasions following this simple idea.

So now go "hop" through the other blogs to see what projects the others love to share with you.

Seasons, Home & Holidays

"The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other."  - Arthur Rubenstein

The summer season is upon us once again.  We had a little tease a few months back which caused so much of nature to be fooled into plants blooming much earlier then usual.  The weather sure can be fickle!

Now we are approaching the first "holiday" of the summer season.  We celebrate Memorial Day on the last week-end of May, instead of it's true date of May 30th, and it will be here in a few days.  Where or where do these days go?  Didn't we just celebrate Easter?

With the beautiful weather this past week-end I decided to do a little annual summer planting.  The plan this season is to keep it easy to take care of.  I do enjoy visiting Garden Centers and Nurseries to see all the wonderful plants and look for the unusual or interesting.  I may ask the family to help me dig up a small area near the garage to plant a hydrangea.  I have come to love the new varieties there are.  Some favorites I planted are a new very vibrant petunia, Superbells (love the colors these come in), Sweet Potato Vine and African Daisies (love the shades of these too).

        "Be like a flower and turn your face to the sun."  -  Kahlil Gibran

With all three summer holidays being very "American"  I put together a quick banner to hang from the porch railing.  Took several flags off sticks and glued them to a cotton cord and then added gold foil stars for a homemade "All-American" easy decoration. 

Had to come up with another idea for a banner to hang above the fireplace.  Again I pulled out my trusty Sizzix Big Shot and dies, some paper punches and a bunch of scraps to create a banner for my 

"Home Sweet Home"!

Materials:
Variety of paper scraps
Sizzix Big Shot
Sizzix Dies: Original Pocket, Rectangles, Round A Bout Alphabet, Over the edge "On the Fence", Mini Paper Rosettes, Tiny Tabs & Tags
McGill Paper Punch, Mini Flowers
EK Success Leaf Punch
EK Heart Punch
Mini Rick-Rack
Beacon Adhesive Zip Dry Glue
Ranger Stickles
Ranger Distress Paint-Picket Fence

Here is a link to the post from last summer with another banner idea:
http://madelinesthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/06/junes-designer-craft-connection-red.html
This will be going back up for the summer to replace the "butterfly & flower" garland in another spot.

Christmas Season in Chicago

The holiday season has been a busy one for me this year.  My family has made sure that I am not alone much and having fun. It began with a day with the two little ones having Santa and Mrs. Claus visit them at home.  It was a wonderful moment to share with them.

A couple of weeks ago we took a trip into the city to make a visit to the annual Chriskindalmarket that is held every year in Daley Plaza in Chicago.  After a frigid couple of days the crowds came out in droves to enjoy the city.  Next year hopefully we will go again at a time a little less crowded.  There's nothing like the German potato pancakes or a cup of hot mulled wine!  After tackling the crowds we wandered over to State Street to stop by to see the big tree in the Walnut Room.  It sure was big and glitzy, but it's not the same since Marshall Field's was sold to Macy's.

Another outing took me to the Mercury Theater to see a performance of the musical "The Christmas Schooner".  What a wonderful story, both bittersweet and heartwarming, to inspire the Christmas spirit.  The performance was even more meaningful with having someone you happen to personally know as a cast member.

Wednesday night I was part of a group that again traveled into the city once more.  This trip took us to the Music Box Theater to see "It's a Wonderful Life" on the "big screen".  You would really have to be a "Scrooge" not to enjoy this experience.  Seeing the movie in this setting was truly amazing.  The audience got into it in a big way.  Every time Mr. Potter appeared on the screen everyone would "hiss".  When Mary and George get married, rice is thrown. When little Tommy is dressing his dad's head with tinsel, you could find someone placing tinsel on heads.  The story is just so sweet and never gets old and is so meaningful.

The holidays will surely be different and difficult this year, but I feel there is someone special watching and seeing that we are continuing with celebrating the season like we usually do.

Good Things Come In Small Packages

Been busy with many different things lately.  My family has been keeping me on the go and occupied.  I'm having a difficult time keeping my schedule in order.

This past Saturday I shared a very enjoyable experience with our two youngest grandchildren.  Santa & Mrs. Claus made a special visit to their house to see them and a few other friends.  Mrs. Claus read two stories for us with the help of Tess.  We sang some Christmas songs before each child got to talk with Santa.  The looks on their faces was truly priceless.  The innocence of children is just so sweet to see.

Last week I spent two days baking some Christmas cookies.  Because of recent situations and schedules, we had to forgo the "baking marathon" we had been doing the past few years.  Hopefully we will return to enjoy the craziness of that next year.

The baking brought me to the reason for this post today.  As I have said in the past - I love Sizzix stuff. To give a sample of my baking to friends, I wanted something handmade to pack them in. Using a recent purchased die, Bigz™ Box #3, I will be making my own gift boxes.  This box holds one and a half dozen cookies.  

I lined the box with a decorative tissue paper that had the edges cut with pinking scissors.  After filling with the cookies, mittens (Original Mittens-38-0240) hold close the tissue.

A wide, gold mesh ribbon was cut to fit around the box and secured with double-faced tape.  A small scraps of light green burlap was brushed with Tim Holtz Forest Moss Distress Stain before die cutting with Holly & Berries #2.  The holly leaves were then glued on a medium size oval die-cut (Ovals #3).  Berries were die cut from a scrap of red painted metal, then glued to the center of the leaves.  A small scrap of glossy cardstock was embossed, using the verse from the Winter Set by Rachael Bright.  The raised lettering was carefully wiped over with Ranger Ice Stickles, using my finger, then put in place using a glue dot.

What a sweet way to give a very "sweet" and completely handmade gift this season.

Back to the Big Shot!

PS - Happy Birthday to my brother Jim today!  Also all the other December birthdays in the family - Bill, Rachel, Amy M., Mary Kate, Rosalia, Alexandra, Colleen, Mary & myself. 

NOTE:  Please check out the "Sock Monkey" challenge on the Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop.  Start with this link and hop on through the others to seeing some creative "monkeying around".  There is another give away this month.  So many clever ideas again from the group that participated this month.