Fun With Paper

 I had some FUN with paper yesterday and today: Paper, glue, washi tape, ink, texture folders, punch, stamps...who could ask for more.  Wait, glitter, too, though I didn't use it here.  My dear husband has a birthday tomorrow, meaning I needed to get a card together.  I've made lots of bookmarks but not one for my husband, who reads more than I do.  'Bout time to make one for him.  I tucked a love letter inside the pocket.  The papers are from Graphic 45 and the texture folder is I think from Tim Holtz. 

It is also time to send a note to my friend Josef who still believes in handwritten notes and has never touched a computer.  Camels, zebra, yak, parrots, emu, donkeys, ponies are all part of his family, but a computer, never.  I made another one of those envelope cards into which I will tuck a note. Here I used the shell theme cocktail napkin to cover the envelope (color knocked down with a smear of cream paint), and these fab nautical stamps I just got from Sin City Stamps on eBay.  I used colored pencil on the octopus stamp then fussy cut it and dabbed on some Perfect Pearls. 

I Can't Do White

 I challenged myself to create something in low-color, specifically in shades of white.  I see it done!  I like it!!! Surely I can do it myself if I put my mind to it?  Well, I can't.  I failed. I looked for interesting papers, but, really, what is interesting about white papers?  So I whitewashed the papers I chose, using a smear of cream acrylic paint.  I added texture with a Spellbinders strip die and a border punch, a cute circle sticker in the middle of a crepe paper medallion. 

 I followed along with a design from Alpha Stamps using a note card envelope as the base.  I used a shell themed cocktail napkin I've had for years as the background paper, then mostly papers from Graphic 45 for the images.   

It's cute and it was fun to make.  I want to make a French themed one, too, as Caroline Ouzts-Hay did for Alpha Stamps. 

Fini with Mom's Needle Case

 This post is a total do-over for my Mom's birthday needle case.  First is the presentation in this sewn cotton bag and library card with envelope.  Getting the measurements right for that little paper envelope was, as always, perplexing to me. 

 The front and back cover of the case is made from a early 1900s French barkcloth.  Really wonderful.  That gold trim at the bottom is from The Gilded Life's website. Dyed seam binding, flowers made from old velvet and felt. 

 Inside lots of fun goodies.  The images are from Graphic Fairy and Alpha Stamps printed on inkjet printer fabric. 

 I made a couple stick pins using my stash; a little yo-yo and bits of coffee dyed lace.  The wool felt is also coffee dyed. 

 The middle of the case has the wonderful old buttons from Beth Leintz's etsy shop.  She mailed them to me whilst in the middle of departure to Kim Caldwell's Downton Abbey.

 The bee is from Graphics Fairy accented with vintage flowers and velvet.  That funny shaped orange thing on the right is an old needle threader.

The last page shows part of the antique silk and lace hanky I used as a base for the felt.  Here I used some Charlotte Lyons fabric, some old lace and part of a needle book I also bought from Beth.  Happy Birthday Mom. 

A Most Important Birthday

 My great nephew, who lives with me and my husband, turned 16 today.  Wow, 16, and totally awesome.  I remember those days.  I followed along with the design I used for his sister's cash envelope.  These images are from Steam Dust Studios on Etsy  I requested a PDF file instead of JPEG, because that most creative and generous Laura from Artfully Musing gave some great tips on using Adobe.  Now I can print only selected images off of a collage sheet, which helps when I print on expensive inkjet fabric sheets.  Or just want to save printer ink. 

What do teenagers do best?  Sit around being fabulous, yes?