T'art

Valentine rings for you or Pancho Villa

While in the midst of Valentine production, I took a few minutes to make tiny poly-satin hearts, add a scrap of ribbon, and a Maya Road burgundy flower and glue them onto a ring.  Bonnie Bruns at Bonne Noel helped fashion these lovelies and we made some to sell and many to give away. Her well-worn mahogany work table made an interesting backdrop for this photo.

Now, I mentioned that I gave several away and one of my friends told me this ring wouldn't look good on her finger.  So I was pleased to find out that a pawn shop in El Paso, Texas is selling the right index finger of Pancho Villa, one of the leading figures of the Mexican Revolution from 1910-1917, for $9,000.00.  Thus giving her more than one option to display this ring. 

I don't know where I'm going with this...

But they are really cute, festive, and darned easy to make.

DCC-The Best of CHA 2012

CraZy TACKz

       

 

One of the most ingenious, new products at CHA this year was CraZy TACKz.  It's one of those simple ideas that makes you think, "why hasn't someone done that before". CraZy TACKz is both a tack and a hook.  The beauty of this, is that you get two functions with every tack; you can hold items by tacking them and hang items with the hook.  They are easy to use, inexpensive, and reusable.  There are five different styles to use in just about any project you can think up.

CraZy TACKz Video

Check out their video for information  and down-loadable craft projects using paper, punches, glitter, wood surfaces, styrofoam, foam-core board, stickers, die-cuts, chipboard and more.

Valentine Westies

I rescued a West Highland Terrier, or Westie, named Sunny six years ago.  She was chained in a dark and dank cellar for two years.  I still find it hard to believe that someone could mistreat a dog that has brought so much love and affection to our daily lives.  Westies have to be one of the most cheerful and loyal breeds around.  Their image is used to advertise Milk Bones, Caesar Dog Food, and Target.  Bonnie Bruns( bonniebruns.typepad.com ) gave me a Limited Edition Die for Christmas and we made these Westies this week. We used scrap white paper for the body, taped two pieces together front and back, and laminated them.  All they need is a little velvet ribbon.  We made ten and packaged them in plastic sleeves.  They were donated to the local Westie Rescue Network to be sold to raise money for their organization.  The rest will end up in the Valentine boxes of the people who know her best.

Sunny

Sunny and best bud, Bella, Bonnie's black pug sleeping in Bella's bed.  Sunny and Bella aka Ying and Yang.

 

Hearts-A-Plenty Mini Mobiles

I've been making Valentines for the past couple of days and ended up with scraps too small to make anything with and too pretty to throw away.  I used Karen Burniston's Hearts-a-Plenty, 3-D, Pop-Up die to create these heart mini mobiles.  One of the reasons that the Pop-Up dies are so versatile is that you can make Pop-Up creations that come up off the page and also use the die for one dimensional cutting.  There are two different sizes of hearts on this die making it a great investment for this time of year.

 

Supplies: Hearts-a-Plenty Die by Karen Burniston, scraps of Valentine paper, ribbon.

Valentines Day Kick-Off

Valentines Day is my favorite holiday.  I love (no pun intended) so many of the components; red, pink, hearts, flowers, and candy.  Bonnie Bruns, my longtime creative pal, put together this lovely spread to kick off our 14 day frenzied Valentine making.  Complete with ketchup-she knows me so well.  I intend to post a project a day up to the 14th.