DArE TO dReAm

I told ya! Here is my wall hanging I made during Creative Cafe at Vintage Plum! Stace did such an awesome job coming up with this project! The instructions were easy! It was like taking a FREE class in the comfort of your own home!

So, what you do is go to VintagePlum.com every Tuesday at 6 pm CST and find the "chit chat" tab at the top. The word "forum" will light up on the tab when you point to it. Click in and find "Creative Cafe" and click on it. Find the date and/or topic and click on it. You should soon be provided with a link to the live chat session you can click into the current CC (Creative Cafe). The designated design team member for that week will post step-by-step instructions with photos! Click into the chat if you like. It's fun! I don't do a lot of chatting because my kids are usually there as well and I've already got to work on the project while keeping an eye on them! I mean, they've got to be in the craft room with me....they won't leave....I guess my craft room is just as fun to them as it is to me!!!

When you're done you can post your creation in the Creative Cafe gallery to share!

What's really cool is that everyone designs their own thing! I had a lot of fun. I mean, I don't have to beg anymore for my family to come over and do crafty stuff with me....cuz I got the VP to hang out at! Yippeeee!

Here is my creation! Wow...bright bright bright! I just kinda went with the flow.....and ended up using a ton of stuff that I didn't think I'd ever use! The blue ribbon is something I had laying around. I knew I wanted to put it in my room....and it needed to match somehow but still added some zing to the room. Not only is it "ZING"....it's "ZINGY ZANG ZANG!"....you NEED to check out the other creations! They are awesome...and more should be coming as people get to the project on their own time.

Wanna make one? You still can! CLICK HERE for directions on the VP site and CLICK HERE for the Creative Cafe gallery if ya wanna peek at the other wall hangings!




Wowza! That's bright! I don't think I need my coffee this morning. I'm FULLY awake!

I chose the phrase "dare to dream" for inspiration. Everyday I look at it, I will be reminded of all my crafting goals! Now, all I have to do is write them down! Then, I'll be accountable for them!

Here's what I did with my wall hanging:

You take a long cardboard piece which you will split in 3 even pieces. Peel of the top layer of cardboard. You don't have to peel the whole top layer off...let some stick around here and there.

I used pieces of chipboard letters I have to spell out my phrase. I glued them on with some tacky glue. Don't be shy about gobbing that stuff on cuz otherwise your letter will pop right off your project.

Oh! STORAGE IDEA! I bought one of those clear plastic shoebox storage boxes and I have of them. I take a ziploc sandwich baggie and place each collection of chipboard letters in them....A to Z! Just drop em in alphabetically and store where you like. I put mine right under my desk so I can see them cuz with me "out of sight, out of mind"....I have to be reminded to use things!
For my 3 pieces of cardboard, I first painted on the light blue acrylic paint with a foam brush. Then, spritzed on some Java Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution (by Tsukineko) on the outer edges of each piece. Tip: Before you spritz, place your piece in a cardboard box, then spritz! The mess will be contained in the box and not dispersed on your furniture and clothes (I learned the hard way!).

I wanted some sparkle, so then I sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds stamping glitter by Stampin' Up!

I needed to set the glitter on the project, so I just took some Krylon Low Odor Clear Finish and sprayed it on! It says "suitable for indoors"...but...cough cough.....better to spray outdoors...cough cough gag!

I used this super light acrylic paint and painted the outer edges of each cardboard piece. I also ran it down the front of the cardboard so that the top of the ridges and flat spots picked up the yellow. This highlights the dimension of the cardboard piece.

I used my heating tool to speed up the drying process...cuz I am quite impatient!

Punch holes with your Crop-A-Dile! 2 holes on the top and bottom of the top and middle cardboard pieces and only 2 holes at the top of the 3rd piece (really, do yourself a favor and CLICK HERE for Stace's easy directions). Add your ribbon pieces through the holes (four 5 in long pieces and one 8 inch piece for the top).

I used some of my favorite (but retired) Designer Series Paper by Stampin' Up! called "Bali Breeze". I ripped long 12 inch pieces and gathered them at the edges of the cardboard and stapled them in place, creating pleats. I got this VERY COOL idea from Kristina Werner's Finally Friday video for Two Peas In a Bucket.

Here's lemme paste it here:

Isn't she amazing?

Anyway, do remember to put this trim on first before your chipboard letters. I had to do some working around with the trim because my letters were already glued on.

Embellish as you see fit!

I used some old Making Memories brads. I love black and white and so, of course, you see it in this project. I also picked through my button jar and pulled out the gigantic ones I don't EVER use! I glued them on with......guess what???.....ZOTS adhesive dots!

I used some paper flowers by Prima which comes in this "Calypso Tin - Trini Bright". CLICK HERE for product info.

That's my share for today! Hope you enjoyed! Hungry for more ideas today? Check out the blogs I'm following on the side bar. I can't seem to get all the VP gals there...but you can still blog hop their sites on Vintage Plum.

I Love You Big Time! Weaving Technique Tutorial

Okay! Here's a special treat! If you haven't already heard my ramble about Vintage Plum......here's more info! They sell scrapbooking kits and have an awesome website where you can shoot the breeze with other passionate crafters! There are weekly challenges and contests! Lots of awesome fun! I've met some amazing women with equally amazing talent over at VintagePlum.com! They have recently chosen their first design team! Cutie Patootie Beth P is one of them! And, of course, I was quite flattered when she asked me to do a tutorial on the Vintage Plum blog! I chose to do it in video format, of course!

So, my April Project of the month is a tutorial introducing a weaving technique. The idea came from a scarf I made a few years ago...and I applied it to cardmaking! Basically, you weave in pieces of ripped cardstock strips and yarn and or some ribbon. A card like this would be best given in person rather than mailed since it's too bulky. Or if sending a present in the mail, tuck it in your package or it may be sent back to you!

I will add the video to the end of this post for your viewing pleasure!

I decided to use VP's March 2009 kit called "Hill Country" to make this card! Having this kit available took the guesswork out of coordinating different cardstocks and fibers. I've since subscribed to the monthly kits at VP and I CANNOT WAIT till the April kit is released! Wooohooo!

Here's a close up of the card:

Look at the nummy yummy papers, fibers and buttons! Normally, I wouldn't think to add that cool yellow color to the card, but once again, thanks to the kit, I've been able to use colors I otherwise would not have chosen!

As you can probably see from the photos....it may take a little time to do...but it's soooooo worth it! You might not even want to give it away after you're done!!! Hahaha!
If you want to peek at the kit contents of Hill Country by Vintage Plum, CLICK HERE to go to VintagePlum.com and look at the kits! They consist of products MADE IN THE USA!




AND tune in to Creative Cafe on tonight at Vintage Plum!!! What is Creative Cafe? It will take place at VintagePlum.com every tuesday night at 6 pm CST and includes a live chat with step-by-step instructions and pictures of the project for the evening.

I am working on ANOTHER post and watch for it tomorrow or over the weekend! My project inspiration.....Carrie Bradshaw! That's the only hint you'll get!

Okee Pokey, as promised, here's the April Project of the Month video!  Enjoy!



For more creating with string inspiration click image below:

Tear it up!

I'm kinda like a pack rat! It has taken years to really change this habit of mine.....or maybe just moving out of my parent's home and realizing I don't have anywhere to put all this stuff! I really try to think "Do I REALLY need to keep this?" and most of the time I think "no" and throw whatever it is away, give it to someone else who could make better use of it, or donate it! And then I forget about it and never look back!

So when I scrap, I've got my recycling bin next to me and I start chucking stuff in there. I keep going with my scrapping and I'll catch a glimpse of a piece of paper in the bin and go...."Oh!" and fish it back out. I find that I usually rescue torn pieces.....like these! I made some cards out of em!

Once again, I used one of my favorite sets "A Beautiful Thing" by Stampin' Up! How sweet? Right? I mean, what would your life really be without certain people in it????? So tell them how thankful you are!

I'm always thankful for the life I have and the love in it. Two very major events in my life have made me more aware that any minute, life can change...any minute you can leave this world. The first was a major car accident where I remember thinking (what I thought was my last thought before dying) "I'm going to die...it's over." I held my breath all the while feeling some power cradling me....keeping me safe. And...I walked away from a roll over accident on the freeway....my car crashed against a barrier. I still don't know how I walked away...I just figured, "There must be something I've yet to do in this world since I'm still in it."

Another one of my worse fears ALSO happened a few years ago. At the age of 2, my daughter fell out of a second story window onto concrete. Not a day goes by that I first cringe at the thought of what my life would be like without her and I say a daily prayer for every day I have with my family. She's 6 now and in good health. She's got a scar right above her right eye from the fall. It's a reminder to me to be thankful. And I am. I still shiver as I think of that day.

Okay, sorry bout that! I just started typing and before you know it, I've gone and told you all that crazy stuff! Well, on to brighter things! Now, I'll continue...with MORE cool photos!

Here's is the image of the rest of the stamp set. Sooooo cute! Love it love it love it!

The patterned paper came from this nummy paper pack by Me and My Big Ideas!

Here's a cool stamp for you Kitty Kat lovers!

I adore this set...probably because of the cheesy humor...that's MY kinda humor!

These cards all were matchy matchy! Simple, quick and all from scraps!

Once again, I used a stamp from the "For a Friend" set by Stampin' Up! which is retired. Like it? Want it? Try searching Ebay!

Okeee Pokey! If you haven't guessed, one of my goals for 2009 is to use up some of my sCRAPs! So break into your stash....if it's been sitting there for awhile, you REALLY need o put some of them to use! Spend a day making a buncha cards and keep them in a box to give when an occasion pops up! Tuck some envelopes in that box as well as stamps.....and a pen! You have no excuse NOT to send your girlfriend that Birthday card!