Would You Like to Buy a Vowel?

Finally! I think I’ve waited long enough for my packages to reach their destinations. Here’s my little project for this year’s paper swap with a school theme:

Ta da! I made a  letter set highlighting vowels for all of my lovely swap partners. I thought a little outside the box on the theme and I’m happy with how it turned out! Each set comes with 4 sheets (2 designs of each) and 4 envelopes. I wanted to make a set for everyone who participated, but I just didn’t have the time! All the envelopes are hand-stamped by yours truly:

It was quite an undertaking. This is only half the stack:

I used my VERY modest design skills to make the stationery. 26 letters=2 sheets 6” x 7”:

If you look closely, you’ll notice that the lines are actually made up of the letters themselves. Those are some tiny a’s!

I also hand stamped the packaging (made out of a grocery bag). One of my fav parts of the project!

I even stamped the addresses!

It was so fun! Thank you to everyone who participated. My packages are starting to trickle in and so far I’m very impressed with what I’ve gotten. Great job guys!

A Very Crafty Saturday

I took these weeks ago, but I’ve gotten so behind with everything that’s going on right now that I’m just glad I get to post these at all.

Saturday’s when both my sister and I can get together and craft are rare, so a few weeks ago we took the opportunity to embark on two projects that had been waiting in the wings.

My love for calligraphy is well documented, (here, here, and right here) but I can barely write in a straight line. So my trusty scribe took a shot at it:

It’s hard. (Or so I’m told).

But produces gorgeous results!

And that was only the beginning! Martha Project number two was printing cards using bits of lace. Neither of us had ever printed in any way shape or form so it was a learning process.

Inking the lace:

We used some very architectural lace. This one reminds me of cathedral windows:

The hardest part of this project was applying enough pressure (and paint) to the lace without moving it while it was on the paper. (I actually did help even though it looks like I just took pictures).

This lace was my favorite:

Not too bad for a first try!

Some excellent spring/Easter cards:

Check out the tutorial here. Thanks Martha!

Valentines From the Vault

It always makes me sad when my favorite holiday is over.:( As I went to put away my stellar valentine, I found some Castle In the Air valentines of yore…

My sister tried to duplicate one of my favorites, the tulip heart card:

Not too shabby!

I also found this brochure among the mounds of stuff I brought home from London:

A promotional brochure for Selfridges department store circa 2006.

All images cross posted to flickr.

More DIY Valentine Ideas

I’ve been pillaging my new favorite British blog Tea for Joy and discovering lots of wonderful things like this:

Simple, hilarious, adorable. Check out the tutorial at Jordan Ferney.

Making Valentines

I loooove Valentines day! I’ve been making valentines every year since I was a kid and no matter how old I get it never ceases to be fun. However, this year I might have gone a little overboard when I went to get supplies at Daiso:

It’s easy to get carried away at that store. Everything is so cheap and cute!

Strawberry and apple candy are my favorites!

I’m obssesssed with glassine envelopes, especially tiny ones like these:

The rest of the supplies:

I think this is some sort of flash card game? I’m not sure, but I thought the cards were cute!

The most adorable post cards:

I love giving people stationery! I hope it inspires them to write a letter:)

Things got pretty messy:

Remember these? Add some hearts and they’re mini valentines!:)

A mini valentine sealed up with some confetti and little heart buttons:

I like to mix it up:

The glassine envelope goes in the little grocery bags along with some candy and gets sealed with these mini heart clothes pins:

They’re all ready to go! (I had to label them temporarily to keep track of whose was whose)

My boxes are a motley crew:

It’s not too late to send valentines! If you’re stumped as to what to make, here are some great ideas to get you started.

Valentine’s Day Cards

My favorite holiday is approaching! I’ve been seeing some beautiful things drifting around the web. Here are some of my favorites:

I absolutely ADORE Rifle paper! And I’m not alone, via Paper Crave

Something beautiful followed by something snarky. You know just what I like Spark!

Oh man, I wish I could do calligraphy. Leafie Calligraphy

This is more like my handwriting. Only neater. Ice Cream Social Paper

A new fav Bread of Many

I saw these silhouette valentines from Owly Shadow Puppets on the same Paper Crave post and I can’t decide if I love the valentine or the envelope more!

A gorgeous little card within a card! I’m such a sucker. Missive via Oh So Beautiful Paper

It seems everyone is loving the card within a card this year! The inside card is blank for you to write your own message. Sweet Baker

Christmas is in the details

Before everyone opens their presents tomorrow, I wanted to share a few of my favorite decorating ideas. I never have a problem getting inspired, it’s picking one decorating scheme and staying with it that I find difficult! I’m a very lazy DIYer, so I always try and keep it as simple as possible. Last year, I printed out the first letter of everyone’s name in different fonts and glued it to a bit of spare wrapping paper. They make great easy gift tags and add a bit of graphic interest:

This year, I decided to use these gold foil thingies (I’m not sure what their official name is) that I bought at Castle in the Air as extra decoration/adornment:

And that’s a wrap! Happy Holidays everyone!

Santa Silhouette Cards

I originally wanted to make a holiday version of the security stamp postcards I created for the paper swap for the holiday card swap, but my computer is badly in need of a replacement and so I went analog instead.

I turned to my old favorites: silhouettes and office supplies. I can’t wait to send these out!

Envelopes from Envelopes

Two things I’m digging today:

These mini envelope templates from JetPens which Jess from How About Orange made into mini envelopes using security pattern envelopes. Exactly what I would have done! We must be twins.

She’s having a $25 JetPens giveaway right now over at How About Orange and if I don’t hear that I’ve won by Friday, I’m buying them anyway!

I also love these mini envelopes Amy of The Sweets Blog by Amy Atlas picked up at the Martha Stewart Craft Sale. (What I wouldn’t give to go to that sale!)

By Love Teenie

Crafting with Stamps

I can’t resist a sale on stamps. It’s simply impossible. Which is why when I went to Joann’s the other day on an entirely different errand, I had to pick up this guy and put it to work:

But it didn’t stop there. I remembered some old music books for piano that I had saved during our last cleaning purge.

And I’ve never met a pun I didn’t like.

Ta da! Stamp sale + salvaged items from my house = gift tags and stationery!