Monday, January 24, 2011

My Funny Valentine

After having an amazing time for Making Merry in December, Rosemary, Kim and I decided to get together for a day to celebrate Valentine's Day. This time Kim was hostess at her lovely home and she fed us incredible food. Nom, nom, nom. I'm still dreaming about that white lasagna...
Kim had us create 2 beautiful cards. I love that she didn't use a traditional Valentine's Day palette with the lavender card. For the other card, she had us beading which was soooooo fun! I could've kept making little beaded petals all day long. Rosemary used her wicked cool Cricut creativity to cut out matchboxes with acetate windows and brought an awesome stack of vintage images for us to fashion adorable Valentine's decorations. I hung them up right after I got home to show them off! I had bought a stack of chandelier ornaments after Christmas at Target (love Target!)for 50% off. I had a stash of honeycomb wedding bells because I always go to the party supply store for something like napkins and can't help but peruse the wedding & baby aisles for art supplies. Take some Paris slide images, vintage sheet music and a bit of glitter to alter those chandelier ornaments and they become gilded bell ornaments for Valentine's Day.
One of my favorite things to do (it seems), is to create holiday projects with supplies that aren't holiday themed. A few years ago, I bought a stack of Foofala papers from a friend who was having a scrapbook yard sale. 100 sheets of fun. None of them holiday themed, but some of them with a romantic, dusty palette that was ready to be fashioned into a Valentine.
I always sketch card designs or layout designs in my notebook. If you ever see my scribble-scrabble, you will look from sketch to finished project and wonder to yourself, "I don't see the resemblance." It helps me thing and work through the design process. For this card, I sketched (ha!) it out and started to measure, fold, play with different patterned papers, etc. I pulled in the grade school trick of folding paper in half to create a heart and used that as a template to cut a heart from a page torn from a vintage German book. I printed and distressed a love poem to use as the card sentiment. Added some bling, distress inks and vintage crepe paper and hope it fulfills the romance quota. But even more than the projects, it is the decision to take the time away for the purpose of creating, sharing and oh, the laughter that is food for the soul. We really did laugh over some funny Valentines. And I can't wait to come up with an excuse (perfectly good reason) to do it again!
These goodies also go perfectly with the latest Opus Gluei challenge. If you haven't checked them out before, head on over. Low pressure, high-octane creative fun! Come as you are and be embraced by the Poobahs. :)

4 comments:

Jana said...

WOW. All of these are amazing. I really, really love your crystal pendant. Wonderful way to use a Christmas ornament. You are so creative, I never would have thought to do that. One of these days I'll be able to make it up there for a Crafty Love Session. These are all perfect for the OPUS GLUEI challenge this week. Hmmmm, wonder how that happened???? LOL

Rosemary said...

I had such a good time, I'm so glad you liked my valentine matchboxes - yours came out AMAZING! I enjoyed the vintage goodness of yours so much, I wanted you to get props for your cleverness!

I forgot that you had a different image for your other card - it came out so pretty! Wasn't the beading fun? I'm still on the search for more of that easy to use wire! I will share, though, when I locate it!

What a fun day we had!

Susan Says (Stupid Stuff) said...

Wow, your creations are all so fabulous! Beautiful, beautiful work, I love the chandelier danglies, and the matchboxes :D

j said...

The bell decorations are sooo pretty! I love all of the items that you shared but I may have to copy the bells.