All Abuzz

I've been playing with the Vintage Bee 

Calm collage sheet from My Artistic Adventures all week. I made a simple card by layering a tea colored doily over kraft card stock, then added two images from the Collage sheet along with some black paper. I added Liquid Pearl drops around the edge of the tag shape and called it done! Not every card has to have half a dozen techniques or layers. 

I was buzzing along having so much fun in my scrap room that I also made a tag...

See the cute bumblebee button? I've been saving this bee ribbon I found at Michael's and it was perfect for these collage sheet projects!

...and then I decorated an envelope to go with the card I made a few days ago. I didn't have enough of the yellow striped paper to line the inside of the envelope, so I wasn't quite sure how I was going to make it coordinate with the card. Then it came to me - what if I ran the envelope flap through the Cuttlebug and embossed it with the honeycomb design? 

I used my oval scallop punch on what little bit of yellow striped paper I had remaining, used a small round punch on a bee image, and voila! Now the envelope flap has the same honeycomb texture as the card.

I usually don't decorate the envelope other than 
to stamp a coordinating image onto the front upper or lower corner. This adds a bit of panache and also helps me to remember what the card's theme/design is when I have them stored and waiting to be mailed out for the right occasion. 

I had so much fun decorating the flap for this
 Bee Happy card that I think I'm going to 
emboss others!

sharing this post with:

Monday Funday
Freedom Fridays
What To Do Weekends

Pockets of Love

Glazed porcelain cup by WAYONE

It's the little things, right? Using a cheery red cup and saucer a few days before Valentine's Day puts a smile on my face. 

So does getting surprises in the mail. My friend Linda  sent me a charming red paper teacup Valentine, Ghirardelli chocolate and a Bigelow White Chocolate teabag. My friend  Patty  sent a bar of dark chocolate, scrapbooking goodies, a package of festive heart napkins, and even a couple of pairs of Mickey & Minnie socks - one for me and one for College Girl!   

“I've always felt there is something sacred in a piece of paper that travels the earth from hand to hand, head to head, heart to heart.”  

R.M.Pyle

 With Valentine's Day in mind I created a couple of paper envelopes based on a Make and Take I made at CHA: their version was a pencil holder. Here is what mine looks like

I ran with this idea and created an envelope for chopsticks and another for knitting needles!

You can alter the length depending on what you are going to put inside. I included an insert of coordinating card stock to which I added a punched-out oval folded in half and glued to the end. This insert slides behind the pencils.

 

I think these would be fun to make ahead for a Chinese Take-Out dinner, especially if you had friends or family joining you!

 These paper pockets, or envelopes, can be as simple or elegant as you like them to be. 

 

On the one for the knitting needles I added vintage lace, a pink satin ruffle, charms, a flower and a button.

 

 What else could you put in these pockets? I'm not a coffee drinker but I've heard Starbucks carries coffee in narrow packages that would fit inside one of these easy-to-make pockets.

I can picture customizing them and including eye liner, candy canes, Pixie Sticks, pens, crochet hooks, and honey straws.

 

sharing this post with:

Martha's Favorites 

Artful Affirmations 

You're Going To Love It 

Clever Chicks 

Share Your Cup 

Time Travel Thursday 

Favorite Things 

entering this challenge:
Craft Hoarders Anonymous 

Blog Hop Winner Announced~

Bella Creations held it's first Blog Hop June 3rd-5th, and the Design Team had great fun using the premier KIT debuting in June. Called 'Heavenly', the kit is now available at Bella Creations. Each Design Team member was challenged to use an envelope and create a decorated tag card to go inside for the Tres Chic Challenge, which incorporates specific embellies along with a 'soft and dainty' theme. The colors of the Challenge are cream, pink, soft green & yellow. We were to use a cherub, feathers, button, doily and Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden paper to make the card, and we will have our cards posted for our members to select their favorite...a little healthy competititon between the design team bellas! What fun!
                                            Here is the envelope tag card I made~

I also used Distress Ink in Vintage Photo and Shabby Shutters, which pairs well with the Pink Paislee cardstock. The sweet white pocket on the front is included in the KIT, and I chose to make a 'peek a boo' feature with it; when you untie the ribbon you see a birdcage and golden branch, along with the words 'Butterfly Garden'. I fussy cut a doily from the Pink Paislee paper, then added a Prima fabric heart, pearl pins and French sentiment to finish off the card. And now, drumroll, please.............

As part of the Heavenly Blog Hop, I am sending my envelope card to one person who left a comment on my Blog between June 3rd and June 5th. I used the Random.org number generator and the number selected was 19. Number 19 is Nancy~

Nancy wrote, ......"GORGEOUS creations with this gorgeous kit!!!! already a follower my friend!

      hopping along! this is FUN! :) " 
Nancy, thank you for participating in Bella Creations first blog hop. I will mail out your envelope card as soon as I get your address. Nancy has a wonderful blog at http://www.justaboutthedetails.com/  where you can see her beautiful work. I also want to THANK everyone who stopped by my blog, became a follower, left a comment and hopped over to see the new Heavenly Kit. In the upcoming weeks, I will post more Design Team Challenge submissions, a tutorial or two, and feature Bella Creations upcoming kits!