Vintage Clip Art Gift Boxes

It's that time of the month again ... craft club projects! (what did you think I meant?) This month, we were to use vintage clip art in some form or fashion in our projects. My my my my my --- let's just see how this turned out!I purchased one sheet of vintage clip art pictures for $3 while I was at the Heirloom Stamp Show, and then I made a trip to my local JoAnn's for the cardboard boxes ($1 each) and some clear crackle paint. Easy enough. I painted the boxes with acrylic paint and then applied the clear crackle. Boo on crackle paint! Mine didn't crackle. I guess I am not a good crackler. So I went to Plan B, because my momma always taught me that it's good to have a Plan B for times such as this! Essentially, Plan B means that you distress the box with paint daubers and add a fair amount of glitter (because when in doubt, glitter it), and then add cute sayings. I dolled up the boxes with ribbon and big honking buttons too because, after all, once a project goes wrong then you might as well go wrong big, yes?!

I finally gave up on trying to crackle and just went with stamping backgrounds with Staz-On ink which, in my opinion, looks waaay better anyways! Down with crackle! Up with stamps? LOL

Now rather than end this blog post on a Debbie Downer note, let's be Patty Positive for a minute and take a look at them there "feet" on the bottom of the boxes! Now that's darn cute if ya ask me (and I know you didn't but I'm feeling generous with my wisdom today). Those "feet" were nothing but marbled rocks that are normally used in candle jars but I like them better as "feet". Once I added "feet" to this crackle failure mess, I got all happy again - yay "feet"!

Altered Art - Got Green Bean Cans?

Inspired by this tutorial, look what I came up with ... More altered cans ... more fun ...

It was so much fun to embellish each one in a different way, using all manner of goods from my stash ...

Chipboard pieces and buttons and flowers ... oh my!

Seam binding and pearls - be still my heart!

Notice the matching Little Book of Big Ideas for each altered tin can? $1 each from Hobby Lobby. I found them in the area with brown cardboard type items ready to be altered, such as big letters and cute sizes of boxes, etc. Next up, some fun with pleated crepe paper ...Some nifty flower topped pens to add to the mix ...

And now some close-up's of the little books ...

I used lots of modge podge on this project ... I even applied another layer on TOP of the embellishments (buttons, pearls, etc).

First I painted the books with acrylic paints and modge podged. Then stamped with staz-on inks. The words were computer generated and cut into pieces, glued, then outlined with black or gold Krylon Pen.

Do you know how much fun I had doing these? There are no words!

Mini Scripture Book

A month's worth of my heart & soul went into this little book ... I actually made two of them identical (my theory has always been if you're going to make one, might as well make two while you're at it!). It all started with inspiration from my bind-it-all, distrezz-it-all, and a compulsion to make my own papers using Glimmer Mist! After my Glimmer Misted papers were dry, I stamped various images (mostly with Tim Holz and Prima stamps) using Smokey Shadow Ink (Papertrey). Such a nice soft ink color, works so well with the imperfections of vintage style! A quick buzz on every edge with my Diztresser tool, then bound it with the bind-it-all, and the fun part of filling the pages began!
All scripture verses are from Our Daily Bread designs. It was fun to mix & match them with Spellbinders Dies! Note the lacey scallop punch from Stampin Up -- it melts me! And you will also note throughout a new double edge scallop punch from Stampin Up!

TRUST is my 2010 word! Last year my word was GRACE. Do you have words?

A close up of the scrunched flower ... the middle is made from sprayed and scrunched seam binding. I love how it turned out!

This might be my favorite page ...I love the curved detail on the stamped verse. I put a small paper bracket underneath so it would stay in place. (Shhhh - don't tell anyone that it was simply too wide for the page, and I had to come up with a Plan B! LOL) And I really love the lace and button treatment! Such love!

Okay, perhaps this next page might be my favorite! The tiny rosebuds are handmade, each one has 4 or 5 tiny prima flowers rolled into a bud and layered onto that new Stampin Up double edge scallop punch that I mentioned earlier. I simply hand-wrote the theme words "grow" and "grace" onto the big flower stem and leaves.

I centered the stamped verse in a Walzingmouse Stamp that coordinates with a Nestie Die -- many of their stamps coordinate with the Nesties. You should check 'em out!

Some vintage sheet music was the basis for building a layered focal image, and the pretty ruffled brown velvet ribbon was a find from the Michael's ribbon bin.

So much goodness here! A month's worth of love (yes, I was working at a snail's pace, enjoying every mili-second of detail and love! Isn't that what it's all about?! Enjoy what you love ... love what you enjoy!

At first, I thought that 6 pages was simply not going to be enough! But look at how plump and juicy the pages look after distrezzing, and loving them with so much goodness! My second nature is to second guess, I guess!

I hope my little project spread a little sunshine on your day! Thanks for dropping by!

Cry With Me, Mr. Butterfly

I have a friend, Debbie, who is way more than a friend. A sister, really. We've gone through LIFE together. Ups & downs & all arounds. Not enough room on the ole' blogeroonie, or time in the day if I got started on the travels we've traveled together. The most recent season of life we've traveled together is the death of her husband, George, at the early age of 66. Cancer claimed his body. God claimed his soul. We are claiming His promises and, girlfriend, that alone makes ALL the difference in moving on! Hard as it is. Heart-breaking as it is. One step at a time.

I made these cards for Deb to write special notes to special people who shared their sympathies in so many loving ways. Perfect butterfly, don't you think?

I am l-o-v-i-n-g the hand-dyed crinkled seam binding. Here's a great video that's worth your time. The crinkled effect adds a vintage feel, not to mention how you can paint the rainbow with your choice of colors! And the best part ... in my humble opinion ... is how the bow goes through the mail. It's all nice and crinkly in the first place, and it's a thin material that smooshes into the envelope very well, and since it's already crinkly - it just gets better en route! :)

George Proctor -- enjoying heaven!

Polka Dot Vintage Christmas

How about a little "hip" vintage? You know the song "Just a Little Bit Country .... Just a Little Bit o' Rock-n-Roll!" Well ..... how about "Just a Little Bit Vintage ... and a Little Bit o'Hip!" These two darlings are Pocket Cards that have been customized for the girls who work in Kevin's office. The base card pocket is made from Kraft cardstock, cut in half lengthwise, then scored at 6 1/2 inches. I used PTI's polka dot basics to stamp the background - one of my all time favorite go-to stamp sets! I also used a sheet music stamp (source unknown) on vintage cream cardstock, but you could use actual aged sheet music if available.

The notecard with the personalized sentiment is computer generated, but after I cut it to fit the pocket and rounded the corners, then I ran it through my sizzix to emboss it. I like the way it turned out!

Now for the BEST and most FUNNEST (is that a word?) part of this card -- besides the cute vintage postage stamps which were on a 12x12 piece of DP that I cut out -- is this WAAAY cute and fun crumpled paper flower that I ADORE! Stinkin' adorable!

My favorite tutorial for these scrunched paper flowers is found here (the girl is a HOOT) -- but there are many many many examples on the internet if you google it! I sprayed mine with Gold Glimmer Mist before crumpling which not only added some yummy glimmer glow, it also made it easier to crumple and then the flower dried stiff since it had some ink on it. SO SO SO SO fun to make!

Lastly, I added some bling and a satin-edged olive green ribbon. Only 7 more days till Christmas! My wrapping is not done - I'm SO grateful for the invention of gift bags! Have a great day!

Vintage Journals

Happy is the heart that is busy making journals for the Women's Christmas Tea! (See prior post) Here we have a table full of lovlies for my guests. I learned some tips and tricks this time around ... Rub-on's do their thing better with my fingernail than with a popsicle stick! I must have broken a dozen popsicle sticks before I learned the secret! (yes, I'm blond) Another thing I learned is how much fun it is to mix and match various flowers and chipboards, laced with glitter and stickles!

The vintage feel of old sheet music is a winner! If you don't have a music sheet type of stamp, get thee to your local scrapbook store. It just warms up everything -- paper, chipboard, flowers!

Look at that lovely new K&Company paper mache' flower?! Drool. And another thing is ... A girl can never under-estimate the power of her ribbon stash.

I used PTI's new Take Note stamp set for most of the tags, and the rectangle in the center is stamped first, then hand-stitched with a brown fine tip pen, and then cut with decorative scissors. Lots of subtle backgrounds here, so the glitter and bling would really stand out. I'm planning to put these into simple glassine bags, they are just so pretty all by themselves!

The inside looks stinkin' adorable, all dolled up with clever stamps from Take Note. I am quickly falling in love with that set! Have a great weekend!