Vintage Altered Journal

Wow! It was a great weekend...spent quite a bit of time creating! I needed a new small journal for some goal setting so I created this! It features some metal filigree corners that I "aged" using guilder's paste along with two fancy vintage buttons, an antique lace applique with a beautiful floral cabochon, some vintage viennese lace in a beautiful deep cocoa, some mauve flower trim, and a gorgeous brown ribbon for a bookmark. It turned out fabulous! I love it! Why is it more fun to create the journal and write down my goals than to actually take the action concerning the goals.  ;-)

Altered Cricut Cartridge Box

I created this altered Cricut Cartridge Box using a few Tim Holtz techniques. (Click on the photos to enlarge them to really see the detail such as the bird image in the stamped image). The flower is a distressed flower using the Tattered Florals Die...these are labor intensive but really beautiful when finished. The tag showcases the Distress Resist Technique...simple to do and doesn't take too long...I like using the paint dabbers for this. I added a little vintage lace and some tulle. The box has a magnetic closure so I didn't add my usual doorknob or lock and key closure. I adhered a vintage shabby chic white button on the side where an actual closure most likely would be found. I covered the magnets with paper but they still work...yes, I tested first before creating the entire box...I've learned from past mishaps.  ;-)  This was created for a person on Swap-bot...the swap consisted of creating an altered box in the Tim Holtz Style. I hope my swap partner likes it! I plan to put some altered art supplies in the box for my partner to enjoy creating with. I converted all my cricut cartridges into a plastic organizer so I have a lot of these empty boxes...I kept them because I figured I could create something with them. I think I'll go create one now for myself to use for bits of vintage lace and trinkets.

Paris Shabby Chic Vintage Lace Tag & Treasure Swap

I created a Trim & Treasure Tag Swap for a friend from Canada who I met on Swap-bot. Swap-bot is a website that connects you with other creative people to swap handmade items and/or craft supplies. Our task for this swap was to first create a tag and then wrap it up with loads of ribbon and lace and tuck into it numerous baubles. I created a Paris themed tag and included some antique finds such as an ornate turn key, vintage buttons, cabochons, some bling, antique keys, a strip of vintage pins, charms, beads, a vintage card of buttons, a small flower applique, and a tiny antique locket. I totally wrapped it all up in a huge amount of vintage laces (only a small sampling is shown here), tulle, and vintage eyelet linen pieces. I had such a great time creating this little inspiration kit on a tag! I sure hope my swap-bot partner likes it!

Shabby Chic Toile and Lace Canvas Display

My mom and I spent two lovely hours together the other weekend exploring a craft store. As I was waiting in line to have several laces cut, I spotted a bolt of beautiful blue/cream/white toile on the counter. I noticed some of the laces would look fabulous with the toile and I imaged several layers of lace with the toile background as a spring canvas art home decor piece. I had envisioned using a vintage spring bunny graphic as the focal point until I was inspired this morning by a lovely stamp that reads "rest a minute" that I received the other month from a Swap-bot swap partner. I found a beautiful blue corner flower bouquet swag from my stash (found at an etsy store called KatiesKreations4U). I truly believe that the "key" to life is to frequently "rest a minute" with a good book...my mom would totally agree.  

Vintage Soda Caps Altered Picture Frame

I came across this picture today of an altered picture frame I did several years ago for a gift. I love the old vintage soda caps on it and the happy, bright, cheerful colors. Oh how I wish I had made myself one to keep! Has that ever happened to you?

Vintage Lace from England

I love finding treasures while antiquing! Yesterday my husband, mom, and I went antiquing at a show right here in town at our local historical society's old historical home. We had a wonderful time and I came across a charming lady who was selling her grandma's old vintage lace since she had no need for it. Well, I scooped up the entire lot! It is gorgeous! I told the woman I certainly had a use for the lace and I certainly needed it...wanted it...same thing right?  ;-) The vintage lace from England now has a new home with me!

Coloring Seam Binding

Well, I needed some seam binding in a particular color for a card I am teaching at a rubber stamping/card making class in two weeks...of course I didn't have the needed color...I know, hard to believe considering my craft room looks like a craft store...so, I decided to dye my own. I had seen several crafting blogs and YouTube videos showing how to do this so the other month I bought myself some HugSnug white seambinding with the intention of coloring it as needed. It was so easy! Just be sure to use your plastic craft mat and rubber gloves! Just mix a few drops of ink reinker and quite a few spritzes of water on your mat and then just smush your seambinding around in it...adjust the ink and water ratio to suite your desired color...that simple! I dried mine a minute or two with the heat gun and then let it set out overnight to dry. I had so much fun, I made more in three other colors...I must have spring on my mind!