Vintage Paris

I made this a couple weeks back and put it into my Etsy shop, but have never posted here. This was a project that was so much fun ~ I thoroughly enjoyed every step of the process.

I wanted to make a gift pocket of tags ~ but I did not want it to look like so many I see out there. They’re beautiful, but not exactly what I wanted. My sister-in-law gave me a ton (quite literally) of envelopes of varying sizes, and I needed a way to use them. So here’s what I did…

I simply took an envelope near to the size I wanted, trimmed off some on both sides to get the exact size I wanted, cut off the flap, covered what was left o the envelope with a variety of papers, then sewed the sides and bottom together for stability. I used my own hand-dyed and crinkled vintage seam binding, a vintage if not antique button I found in an antique store a couple of years back, and a small tag distressed, stamped, and accented with a little pearl. The beautiful image of the Eiffel Tower is from Trisha at FrenchKissed. I also used some of my vintage trim found at a flea market many years ago – this is not the new stuff you see now – it really is vintage.

Then the tags…

I started with small shipping tags, soaked them in a mix of tea, coffee, my own homemade vanilla and cloves, crinkled them up, straightened them out, put them on a cookie pan, sprayed them with glimmer mist and baked them just to the point of toasty. They smelled (and still do) delicious. After I applied the images, I glittered them just enough for a little sparkle, and tied on some more of my seam binding.

Take care friends,

Dru

Beautiful Black Ravens

We have them  here in South Lake Tahoe and they ARE beautiful and really BIG! Of course I love them – they all seem to come at the same time and take over our street or front yard in big groups – very majestic. Gingersnap Creations is challenging us to make a project featuring ravens it GC123 - Random Redhead Challenge – Ravens. The challenge closes Nov. 13th, so there’s still plenty of time to play. I chose to do another composition book – working through the many I have in my closet and still working to use up some of my older papers so that I actually have room to store it all sanely.

This one is for Chelsea for Christmas…

Inside, I made a pocket for a bookmark and the bookmark to go into it, and inside the back cover I made a place to slide notes etc. into.

The image is from Vintage Stampers, but I seem to have lost track of the site and can’t seem to find it in a search – sorry. If anyone knows where they are now, I would appreciate knowing also – thanks. The glittered black flourish is from Michael’s a couple of years back, and the black lace is from Creating is Fun ~ another great shop on Etsy.

Their next challenge is to use black and grey and you should stop over to see some of the spooky creations the DT has put together. Go HERE

Take care friends and Happy Halloween~

Dru

Coffee & Cream with a Hint of Dark Chocolate

I have a new love ~ a challenge site that’s a little more me ~ or another side of me anyway. Fashionable Stamping Challenges is challenging us to use the colors: coffee, cream, and dark chocolate along with stamping. I’ve been working on Thanksgiving items and one of my newer cards I found happily fit this challenge. It’s a great site so stop by and take part, there’s still time.

The card stock is vintage cream from Papertrey, as is the sentiment from the “Daily Designs” set, and the large stamped leaf flourished image in the background is from Inkadinkado’s “Fall Season” set. I believe the small leaf I stamped under the sentiment is also from Papertrey, the “Fall Elegance” collection (I can’t find it at the moment as my work space looks like a bomb went off in it). The book paper is from an antique book I found at the thrift store, the vintage trim is a flea market find from a few years back, crinkled seam binding is my own.

Take care friends.

Dru

It’s time for Pink Saturday…

I’m always looking for something pink so that I can play along and usually I have to make something. This week is no exception. I’ve had some composition books sitting in my closet for a long while now and I decided that this year I’m actually going to put some together for Christmas presents for my granddaughters and niece. I’m still going through and trying to use up older paper (and I will be for a long time I’m sure) so this is perfect. And what young girl doesn’t like pink. So here’s my first one….

Inside the front cover (of which I failed to take a photo) there’s a little pocket with a bookmark in it and inside the back cover is a place to slide in items. I’m pleased with how it turned out,I had a great time making this ~ I hope she likes it.

And some new tags for my shop ~ beautiful pink roses…

And, Christmas in Paris…

Each one has a different image…

These beautiful collaged tags are from digital images by Seneca Pond.

Pop on over to Beverly’s at How Sweet the Sound for a most enjoyable time perusing through all the amazing blogs of such talented people. There’s always something unique ~ and, you can always join in the fun.

Take care friends,

Dru

A Boo-tiful Color Challenge

City Crafter Challenge Blog this week is challenging us to use primarily the colors black and cream. Perfect for the last few days before Halloween, but your project does not have to be Halloween. I love the challenges these ladies put together ~ and I caught it early enough ~ there really is time left to play along. I’m also linking up to Paper Issues 31 Days of Halloween – this is a fun challenge too ~ drop by and take a look at both of them.

The background DP is digital from the “Rosewater” collection by Pink Pearl Studio on Etsy, the Polka Dot I believe is from one of the My Mind’s Eye paper I found on close-out last year at Michael’s (sorry). The adorable little image is from Bety’s shop on Etsy, the “halloween” is a stamp from the “Phantom” set by Pink Paislee.

Take care friends,

Dru

CASE-ing Julie Koerber

Most of you are probably familiar with Julie as the DT Coordinator for Flourishes stamps, etc. She has been chosen as the Featured Stamper on SplitcoastStampers HERE and so a challenge has been issued to case one of her cards from her gallery HERE and upload it to SCS. All the instructions can be found HERE.

I’ve admired Julie’s work for many years as I’m sure you have also, and thought I would like to play along. Our anniversary is this Wednesday, and so I needed to make a card for my sweet husband of course ~ and I’m always looking for simple layouts thinking I’m going to get through it quickly ~ usually however, that does not happen and this was no exception. I chose this card of Julie’s for the layout ~ I love it when the layout gives you a good look at beautiful DPs ~ and this one does. I’ve been going through my older paper and trying to use some of it up and I love this piece for masculine cards. I also recently purchased from Flourishes, the “What a Catch” stamp set found HERE. My husband, father-in-law, and son-in-law all love to fish so I knew the moment I saw it that it would get a lot of use and it has.

I wanted to use corrugated cardboard as I love the earthy organic manly feel and look to it. Peeled off the top layer in places to show the wonderful texture underneath, simply stamped the image and adhered it, tied on some rustic button twine, stamped the image of the creel, colored it, cut it out and adhered it. I can’t tell you how much I LOVE this set ~ and I’m pleased with the card as well.

Congratulations Julie!!!!

Take care friends

Dru

CR84FUN Color Challenge

The awesome colors of Autumn are to be used for the current challenge at CR84FUN…

Scroll down to see our weather for today, but here are my projects…

And this is our weather today… Well actually, yesterday. Our first snow of the season. The sun is just momentary – it snowed all day. Beautiful!

Come join the fun, there’s still a little time.

Take care friends,

Dru