Wednesday, May 30, 2012

May Arts DT Call Round 1


Here I am, throwing my name into the hat for the May Arts DT call. I've been lucky enough to be chosen for quite a few of the May Arts monthly challenges and love working with such beautiful high quality ribbons.

Here is my tutorial format project (in written format): 

Gather supplies: a gorgeous super wide dark brown burlap ribbon by May Arts, Basically Bare canvas fleur de lis, Distress Stain in Pumice Stone, a medium color burlap, muslin, dark brown quilting thread (it’s thicker than normal every day thread), vintage buttons and pillow fluff! (don't forget the sewing machine!)
I splattered some distress stain on my teflon mat, gave it a bit of a spritz with water and dipped my fleur de lis in it. I then set it out in the sun to dry… I did try heating it with a heat gun and for whatever reason it kept getting a purple tint. Mr. Natural Heat to the rescue :)
After he was dry I sewed a piece of burlap to a piece of muslin.. I knew I wanted the burlap to be the main texture of the pillow.. but didn’t want the fluff to poke through the open texture, so I created the base of the pillow from a nice tightly woven muslin. After the burlap was sewn to the muslin and my fleur de lis was dry I placed the Basically Bare canvas piece on top of the muslin and stitched a couple of times with the dark brown quilting thread.. not only to hold it in place but to pull together some of the darker browns I wanted to introduce into the pillow.
Then I sewed my May Arts ribbon on at the top and bottom.. Keep in mind there’s no back on my pillow yet.. At this point in time I’m basically building what I want the front to look like! After the ribbon is in place I pulled a couple of burlap strings from a scrap of the ribbon and sewed my vintage buttons into place.
Then I sewed my two sides of the pillow (my front piece and the back piece) together WRONG SIDES touching.. but I left a small section unsewn so I could pull my pillow right side out! This makes a very crisp clean sew line all the way around. Stuff pillow.. sew shut the tiny spot.. and DONE!


Here is a video I did on making Washi tape (not ribbon based, but a video none the less!)


 

 

And here are some general projects that utilize ribbon:


A mini album made of journaling cards. Ribbon is wound through the binding as well as used for tabs to open the book.



A Christmas tag using gorgeous May Arts ribbon to hold together all the beautiful layers.


A Mother's day card using white seam binding hand dyed and burlap string.



A wall hanging using four different May Arts ribbons, three to make a Prima inspired flower and one as stitching on the stocking. 



  

An altered tray using tinsel/ribbon and a sheer ribbon as a layer in the title banner. 



A Christmas tag/card using four different May Arts ribbons to really make it a "keeper"

On @ VLVS!

Over on the Viva Las Vegastamps! blog today :


the image is a little dark, I may have to redo it before I send it out. 

Sneak Peek - Nikki Sivils and Basically Bare


Here's a peek of the project I have up on the BB blog today :)
and they're giving away PRIZES!! :) 

Saturday, May 26, 2012

MVL Link Up - Get Inked

I'm a fan of tats.. and a fan of color.. I've got 25 stars on my arm, 6 of which are bright colored with a gradient of the rainbow. The other 19 are just black outlines. 

I feel like Mary Vogel Lozinak's Images are just the perfect "stick it to the man" type of characters. 


I used 
and I put him in the


for this bad boy!! 

be sure to link up your own project using Mary Vogel Lozinak's images from Viva Las Vegastamps! -- you have until tomorrow night, check out the VLVS! Blog for any specifics on giveaways :) LOTS up for grabs!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

A Basically Bare Pillow

I love burlap. and muslin. and canvas.


I also love distressing and old vintage buttons... 


this pillow has all :)

Basically bare fleur de lis in canvas, may arts ribbon, vintage buttons, burlap, muslin, dark brown quilting thread, pillow fluff. 

Friday, May 18, 2012

Basically Bare Reveal

Here's the piece I had up on the BB Blog yesterday in case you missed it :)

Using: Basically bare wings, BB Dress form, BB pennants small, and BB gears. Glitz Designs Vintage Blue paper, Clearsnap sunflower ink and fools gold glitter, vintage buttons, wooden spools, and baker's twine.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Altered dress forms..

Here's a sneak peek of the post I have up on the Basically Bare blog today!

What do you think of the new watermark? I'm trying to work on branding all social medias the same.. and I think pictures should definitely be included.. especially with pinterest being so popular! 

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Blog Hop coming up! + News

Not sure if I've mentioned it on my own blog or not, but I've recently taken up post as the Viva Las Vegastamps! Design Team Coordinator!! How exciting! 


and we've got a great blog hop planned for the 26th and 27th of this month!! 

it's a Mary Vogel Lozinak blog hop where we all use a VLVS! Image of Mary's to create a project!!



I am needless to say SO SUPER EXCITED! I love Mary's images.. I love turning them into stamps.. and I love working with them. they're so whimsical and fun. Wait until you see what I've got planned!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

So Charming --

It's my first post over at the Hobby Baby blog today!! Be sure to check it out for all the details on this baby:




I'll also be entering the CropChocolate challenge from NSD "Altering" =D

Made with GlobeCraft Memorie's products, This and That Charming by Echo Park, + coordinating brads, distress ink in vintage photo, black tuxedo memento ink, hot glue, pop dots.

Happy Mama's Day

Love you mama!

Here's the card I made for my mother this year using MME's Lost n Found Madison Avenue 6x6 pad, vintage buttons, walnut stain distress ink sizzix labels die, snug hug, studio G stamps and baker's twine.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

A Dated Journey - REVEAL

Ok - ok - ok! Here it is.. the reveal for a Dated Journey.. I want you to know though.. I will not cave early next month!! You'll have to WAIT through the goodness peeks! !! !!!!!

:) Thank you for so much interest and support good friends. it really means a lot to me to know that there are so many of you backing me and encouraging me to do these types of things.

I'm very excited to share my love of making embellishments with other people and really thought this was the perfect way to do it!! ..

yada yada yada huh? ok! the big picture:


In the May2012 kit A Dated Journey you will receive:
-2 paper feathers; one large, one smal
-a scatter of kraft and old book page shapes for your layering needs
-10 vintage buttons (I scored these at an auction)
-2 bird on a branch silhouettes (designed by me!) one 6inch kraft, one 3.5inch cream (Both cardstock)
-3 red petal and music note leaf paper flowers
-3 brown thick brown cotton crochet flowers
-2 petite cream thread crochet flowers
-3 hat pins; one six inch beauty and 2 complimenting just shy of 2 inches
-an 8-10 inch fence
-and 2 complete old book pages!

$18 + $3 shipping anywhere in the US - $5 to Canada

--RETIRED--

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A Dated Journey - Sneak Peek #3

You've seen these babies before, but they're so gorgeous I had to base our first kit around them:

A deep red petal with music note leaves -- everything has been distressed -- I know I was a little vague on the details and quantity of goods you've seen so far, because I want it to wow you :) -- but yes you WILL receive a full set of these, one large, one medium and one small red flower :)

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

A Dated Journey - Sneak peek #2

I've just learned to crochet these babies and they are SO SUPER CUTE!!


a nice thick chocolately brown yarn and a super elegant ivory/cream crochet thread.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Honeymoon - CC Challenges

This challenge is to make a mini album around a vacation you will or have taken --- We just don't vacations (until this summer!) So I did ours on our "Staycation"



I made the base for the album out of MME's Life Stories journaling cards. Used Imaginisce punch as well. and the Precision pen. all from CC
Not CC : Cosmo cricket black chipboard, baker's twine, lace, kraft paper, dymo label maker, vintage buttons.

Something Blue - CC Challenge

Of course we have the "Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" Challenges...

Here is my blue challenge:





CC Product used: Bazzill Coal paper, Pink Paislee Daily Junque wooden alphas, Prima flowers, Basic Gray overlays, White picket fence distress stain and broken china distress stain.
Non CC : Gesso, white pen, vintage buttons, memento ink, white cardstock, inkadinkadoo harlequin stamp. Viva Las Vegastamps! stamp

May 2012 - A Dated Journey

here it is in all it's glory the inspiration board and title of our May kit... doesn't it just make your mouth water?!

A Dated Journey - full of creams and reds with a hint of chocolately brown! 




I made the collage, but the photos I did not take.
photo source : - | - | - | - | - | - | -

With this Ring - CC Challenge

CropChocolate is having a huge online crop to celebrate both their Merger with OhMyCrafts and National Scrapbook day!! 

Here is my entry for the "With this ring" challenge in which we were required to make a project with an embellishment that makes a shape. 

IE I chose buttons to make a heart.


CC Product used : 6x6 Madison Avenue, walnut stain distress ink, EP brown cardstock base. Non CC : vintage buttons, snug hug (dyed with the distress ink), baker's twine, a spellbinders die, studio G stamps.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

THE BIG REVEAL...

...

I'm starting a Monthly Handmade Embellishment KIT CLUB!!! AHHH!!



Unlike most of the other companies you will not need a "membership" I will start with a set number of kits, and once those have sold I will make more as the orders come in - don't worry.. I've got a handy man to help me ;) He even learned to crochet with me!! 


On the first of the month I'll reveal an Inspiration board and the name of the new kit - in the days following I will reveal bits and pieces of the kit -- then it will be up for sale as a whole piece! The price will always be $18 with $3 shipping in the US and $5 shipping in Canada :) International from there will be figured out if it comes up :)
After the last day of the month.. the kits will be RETIRED. 

think of things like handmade flowers (paper, fabric, felt, cardboard, crocheted, resin),wire wrapped pieces, scatters, banners, pinwheels, 3D embellishments, silhouettes (designed and cut by me!), resin pieces.. the list goes on and on! :) 

Thursday, May 3, 2012

BIG NEWS sneak peek

BIG NEWS and Fulfilled dreams coming to my little blog on National Scrap Day!!!