Serendipity Vintage Studio

Locker O" Love {A Real Life Romance}

2012-02-12T20:07:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time {way back in the 1980's} a girl met a guy and fell in love. She loved his laugh, his generous heart, and the smile he kept only for her. They were high school sweethearts, so they shared a locker and met between classes everyday to exchange longing glances and wistful sighs. After 3 years of courtship they were married and lived happily together{with some bumps in the road here and there} for nearly 30 years. As you can imagine, after so many years together, the girl sometimes felt that romance was a thing of the past. The guy was thoughtful of course, and showed his love in practical ways, like keeping the car filled with gas and cooking her favorite dishes. Sometimes he even bought flowers and chocolates. But the girl longed to be swept off her feet by some unexpected surprise.

Then one day it happened! Out of the blue the guy whisked her away for a special day together filled with all her favorite things. They went to an antique show, browsed in a bookstore, and had a cozy dinner for two at a lovely restaurant. {The girl has very simple tastes} At the antique show, the girl fell in love with a rusty metal locker, and even though the guy doesn't share her adoration of vintage junk and peeling paint, he bought the locker for her without hesitation. The girl sighed with bliss, and fell in love with the guy all over again. And that is the true story of a girl, a guy, and a rusty metal locker.

{Explore} Beeswax Collage

2012-02-10T17:50:00.001-06:00

Have you chosen your word for 2012? If you're not familiar with the concept, the idea is to select a word to inspire and motivate you all year long. Last year I chose the word bloom, because I wanted to grow and blossom as an artist. This year I'm feeling adventurous and I want to expand my horizons by trying new techniques, discovering new materials, and being open to new ideas. So EXPLORE is the perfect choice for me!

My journey begins with a foray into the world of beeswax collage. I've been intrigued by this process for a long time, but felt hesitant to try it. I feared it would be too messy, too hot, and too difficult. I was wrong! All it required was a block of natural beeswax from the craft store, a metal tin for melting, a natural bristle brush, and an inexpensive griddle. I love the smell of the melting wax, and the dreamy quality it lends to my collage on canvas.

For this collage, I used encaustic wax, which is basically beeswax with resin added to it. This type of wax has a more durable finish and comes in a variety of colors. I have to admit that I probably wouldn't have ventured into this new territory without my trusty traveling companion and very dear friend Michelle! We had so much fun exploring this new medium together, and now I am hooked! I especially love the natural beeswax. The yellow tint lends a vintage patina and instantly ages your art. And as I mentioned, the smell is divine! The encaustic wax is not as pleasant, and definitely requires a well ventilated room. But it has its advantages too. If you're interested in learning more about beeswax and encaustic collage I recommend the books Encaustic Workshop and Encaustic Mixed Media by Patricia B. Seggebruch. Or check out this free e-book at Cloth Paper Scissors. I also enjoyed the Encaustic Collage video by Amy Stoner available for purchase as a DVD or a download at Cloth Paper Scissors.

My first exploration of 2012 was a huge success and I can't wait to embark on my next creative adventure! In the meantime, I hope you'll try something new and set off on your own artful journey. Bon voyage to all!

Round the Clock Embossed Tag

2012-01-27T09:28:00.001-06:00

It's been another fun week of inspiration, tutorials, and prizes with May Arts & Hero Arts! I made a fun embossed circle tag embellished with pretty ribbons. Visit the May Arts blog for the full tutorial or click here for a download. Happy crafting!

Ribbon Winner!

2012-01-27T08:09:00.000-06:00

Wow! So exciting to see so many entries for the May Arts ribbon giveaway! I wish I had a spool for each and everyone of you! Thanks to everyone for your comments. The happy winner of the ribbon spool is:

Chris D!

Ooooh! This ribbon is 'GAW-JUS'!!! Thanks for the chance!

Congratulations Chris! I will email you for your address and send your ribbon right away!

May Arts Ribbon Giveaway!

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

Have you seen the fresh and fabulous blog redesign at May Arts ribbon? It's amazing! Bethney, the ribbon lady, works hard to make it an inspiring place to visit, and now it's better than ever! To celebrate the new blog I'm giving away a FULL SPOOL of one my very favorite May Arts ribbons - a gorgeous roll of sheer pink flowers just in time for Spring! Here's how to win:

*Leave a comment on THIS post before midnight CST on Thursday, January 26th
*Your entry must include your email address to be eligible to win
*The winner will be announced Friday, January 27th

Best wishes to everyone!

{May Arts} New Year + New Look!

2012-01-17T10:45:00.000-06:00

May Arts went live with a new blog yesterday, and it looks fantastic! The new layout is easier to navigate and features links to the blogs of each design team member in the left sidebar. You can also get the lastest May Arts news, links to craft partners, and easily search the categories and archives. Be sure to visit the new site to check out the editor's picks for ribbons, and sign up to receive new posts by email. You don't want to miss the incredible inspiration, free tutorials, and amazing prizes and giveaways. Congratulations May Arts, and best wishes for a fabulous 2012!

Burlap Ribbon Ruffled Tote & Penholder

2012-01-11T11:20:00.001-06:00

It's Helmar week at the May Arts blog and I had so much fun creating a collaged tote for my art journal and a penholder for my favorite journaling pen! Visit the May Arts blog for the tutorial, and be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win some fun prizes on both the May Arts and Helmar blogs. For a dowload of the project visit this link. Happy crafting!

{Workshop} Bookbinding Basics

2012-01-02T19:42:00.003-06:00

January is an exciting month! Yes, it's wintry and cold in my little corner of the world, but it's also a time for new beginnings and new ventures! I'm delighted to announce that, starting this month, I will be teaching workshops at Blick Art Materials in Evansville, Indiana. My first class is all about creating handmade books using the fun and easy pamphlet stitch. If you've always wanted to learn how to make your own journals, memory books, notebooks, and more, this is the class for you! The class is scheduled for Saturday, January 21st at 2 pm, and you can visit my workshop page for all the details! Hope to see you there!

French Grammar Coptic Sketchbook

2011-12-20T16:58:00.000-06:00

On a recent whirlwind excursion to Glendale, KY, I discovered a dusty bookcase lined with french grammars and textbooks! I loved the cobalt blue covers, so I scooped up several and brought them home to be upcycled into handmade journals.

I removed the inner pages, and filled this journal with sketch paper as a gift for my daughter. She loves to draw and make lists, so this will be a fun book for her to tuck in her messenger bag and grab when she's ready to make art on the go!

I used a coptic binding stitch for this sketchbook, so it will lay flat and stay open. A bit of washi tape over some black cardstock provides a finished edge for the tattered covers.

I like to put pretty endpapers inside my handmade journals, but I was so charmed by the bookplate and scribbled notes on the inside of this book that I decided to leave it as is. Coptic binding is a bit tricky until you get the hang of it! I watched many videos, and read many books, and this video was extremly helpful. Are you as obsessed with bookmaking as I am? If so, I would love to see your creations!

Graphic 45 & May Arts ABC Primer Book {Tutorial}

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to day 5 of the May Arts and Graphic 45 Blog Hop! I'm happy to be participating along with these talented bloggers:

May Arts

Peggy Cain

Vera Yates

Graphic 45

Tara Orr

Nicole Eccles

Nancy Wethington

Upcyling old books is an absolute passion of mine! The ABC Primer collection from G45 was a perfect match for a tattered junior dictionary I found at a library sale. This book would be a wonderful gift for a special teacher, a great scrapbook for school time memories, or for an art journal. Here's how you can make your own:

Remove the book block {all the inner pages} from an old book.
Use a brush to add glue {I used Collage Pauge} to the inside covers.
Add 2 lengths of 1.25" May Arts black silk ribbon {12" each}
{To determine the placement of the ribbon, center it on where the knob will be on the front cover of your book} Scroll down this page to see the knob on the front cover.

Measure the height and width of your book, and cut paper about 1/4" less all around.
The ABC Primer Paper is 12 x 12, so I had to cut an additional piece to cover the entire inside. To cover the resulting seam, I added a piece of Cavallini washi tape.

Use the ABC Primer paper to create 4 signatures for your book with 4 sheets each. The pages will be 12" wide, and should be the same height as the paper you used to cover the inside of the book. Fold each sheet in half, and stack 4 sheets together for one signature. The outer pages should be the full height and width, but some of the inner pages can be shorter in height.

Grid paper helps you create an easy sewing jig for your book! Simply cut it the same height as the book and the same width as the spine. Measure 1" from the top, 1" from the bottom, and in the center. Mark 4 evenly spaced holes as shown. Paper clips will hold the sewing jig in place. Use an awl or a paper piercer to punch each hole. If you don't have either, a large push pin works great!

Create a sewing jig for your signatures as you did for the spine, marking 1" from the top, 1" from the bottom, and in the center. This signature includes a shorter piece of paper in the center. Just make sure your shorter pieces don't interfere with any of the holes for sewing. Paper clip the pages and then punch the holes.

Sew each signature to the spine of the book, making sure to line up the holes. I used 1/4" black silk ribbon from May Arts to bind the book. Wrap the ribbon around the height of the book about 3-4 times to determine the length needed. Use a large eye needle {a size 22 tapestry needle works well} for the sewing. Begin stitching in the center hole on the inside of the signature. Leave a 3" tail {hold it in place with washi tape or masking tape} and then go through the top hole to the outside of the spine. Skip down to the bottom hole, then back inside through the center hole. Make sure the ribbon ends are on opposite sides of the center ribbon. Tie a square knot and snip off the extra ribbon. Phew! So easy to do, but tricky to describe! This is a basic 3-hole pamplet stitch. For a great visual diagram of the method visit this link at booklyn.org, a wonderful resource for anyone interested in bookbinding!

Embellish the spine by punching out some of the ABC Primer chipboard. Tie them together with silk ribbon and then tie on to the middle two binding ribbons on the spine.

Decorate the front cover with paper, washi tape, and a metal doorplate and knob from Graphic 45. The doorplate has a brad to attach it to the cover. The hole for the brad shows through on the inside cover, so I covered it with some 1.5" May Arts black velvet ribbon, and topped that with a ruler cut out from one of the papers. Embellish the signatures as you wish, and the book is ready to use!
I hope you've enjoyed the Graphic 45 & May Arts blog hop as much as I have! Don't forget to visit the other participating blogs, and be sure to leave comments at May Arts and Graphic 45 for a chance to win some amazing prizes! Thanks to both these wonderful companies for sponsoring a week of creative fun!

May Arts & Graphic 45 Blog Hop

2011-12-12T11:05:00.000-06:00

If you love ribbon and vintage inspired paper goods as much as I do, you'll be excited to know that May Arts and Graphic 45 are teaming up this week for an amazing blog hop! All week long both companies will be featuring prizes, tutorials, and incredible inspiration. The picture above is a sneak peek of the products I used to create the tutorial I'll be posting on Friday, 12/16, but if you're ready for some fun right now be sure to visit the links below for Day 1 of this inspired week! Be sure to stop by the May Arts and Graphic 45 blogs each day for your chance to win beautiful prize packages from both companies! Here are the links:

{Day 1}

Ribbon Revelry

2011-11-15T09:32:00.001-06:00

Thanks to everyone who attended the Art of Ribbon Flowers workshop at Make Time to Create in Newburgh, Indiana last Thursday! Spending an evening playing with ribbon is always a joy! We made several beautiful blooms, and had a wonderful time exploring new techniques with May Arts ribbon. Many thanks also to the gracious hosts for the evening, shop owners Dolly LaBelle & Mary Shepherd. If you are local, or just passing through, Make Time to Create is a wonderful place to find inspiration and supplies for your crafty creations!

The Art of Ribbon Flowers Workshop {Sneak Peek!}

2011-11-04T18:34:00.002-05:00

These pretty little flowers are a sneak peek of some of the techniques I'll be sharing at The Art of Ribbon Flowers workshop at Make Time to Create in Newburgh, IN next Thursday! We'll be making the 4 blossoms pictured here plus 2 more for a total of 6. Please call {812} 490-4790 to register. Here are the details for the workshop:

{The Art of Ribbon Flowers}

Join instructor Kimberly Jones and learn how to create a bevy of beautiful blooms using gorgeous May Arts ribbon! You'll make 6 varieties of flowers with endless possibilities. Once you’ve mastered these techniques, you’ll be adding flowers to cards, scrapbook pages, packages, jewelry, and so much more. All supplies will be provided. This workshop is limited to 10 students, so be sure to register soon!

*Please bring your favorite pair of ribbon-cutting scissor to class.

Date: November 10th, 2011 6 p.m. {Thursday}

Class Fee: $18

Call {812} 490-4790 to register

Hope to see you there!

Twinkle It! Art Journal

2011-10-31T10:13:00.001-05:00

Twinkling H2Os and May Arts Ribbon are a perfect duo! Check out the art journal I created using these sparkly watercolors and lots of ribbons, papers, and more. A complete step-by-step tutorial is available on the May Arts blog, and you can get a download of the entire project by clicking this link.

I bought a few pots of Twinkling H2Os several years ago, but I didn't quite know how to use them. I dipped my paintbrush in water and then tried to pick up the paint in the pot. The result was a barely visible, tinted wash with a tiny bit of sheen. So when I received this set for the blog week at May Arts, I was determined to find the correct method for using them. I discovered this video by Marah Johnson that provided the perfect introduction to using Twinkling H2Os .

The secret to success is: plenty of H2O! Water that is! As Marah recommends, prepare the pots by spritzing them generously with water, and allow them to sit for 15-20 minutes while you work on something else. The pigment is laced with mica flakes, and the water will release those sparkly flakes. A crater will form with the mica flakes at the bottom, and there's where the most concentrated color and shine can be found. This time around, I couldn't believe the rich depth of the watercolors and the intensity of the sparkle! Best of all, no splotches and spatters, just pure sparkly coverage! Can you tell I'm a bit smitten with this product? So much so, that I'm adding a limited weekly series called Twinkle It! Tuesday! Each week, I'll share something new from my explorations with the magic of Twinkling H2Os ! I hope you'll join me for the journey!

Mood Boards, A Sneak Peek, & Blogging Inspiration

2011-10-28T11:55:00.002-05:00

Good morning everyone! You may be wondering where I've been. My family and I took a magical trip to Portland and Seattle, and I've been in frantic catch-up mode ever since! I have so much I want to share about our experiences there, but in the meantime I want to tell you about some of my other doings in the past few weeks. I made the mood board that see you here for a May Arts
project that will be posting next week. I'll show how to take many of these lovely objects and transform them with Twinkling H2Os: my new-found love! This is the first mood board I've ever created with one specific project in mind, and it proved to be a very valuable tool. As I've mentioned before, I am easily distracted, and sometimes I lose focus when I'm working on a project. This mood board helped me remember what materials I wanted to use, and kept me on track. And it's pretty to look at too! Here's a little sneak peek of what I did with some of the materials on my mood board and the sparkly little pots of joy called Twinkling H2Os!

Creating a mood board is sort of like putting together your outfit for the day, or decorating your house. You gather a variety of elements and unite them with a theme, a a color scheme, or some other common thread. Designers and artists have a long history of using mood boards to collect their thoughts and ideas, and often use mood board for presentations to their clients. I've made mood boards in the past as a way to showcase some of my favorite images and art/craft supplies like this one or this one. But I didn't realize the full potential of these useful and beautiful tools until I started reading 2 amazing blogs: Decor8 by Holly Becker and A Creative Mint by Leslie Shewring. Leslie writes the Color Me Pretty column on the Decor8 blog, and she has perfected the art of the mood board!

Just look at the gorgeous board she shared on her blog yesterday! I love all the bits and pieces, the composition, and the color story. Leslie uses her mood boards as a starting point for creative photos and projects. The results are so inspiring!

Holly's blog, Decor8, is chock-full of beautiful images, inspiring design ideas, and lovely homes, as well as links to artists, designers, shops, and many other resources. Her new book Decorate is a wonderful read filled with over 500 visually inspiring photographs and lots of practical advice for making your living space both functional and beautiful. Her blog is always dynamic and interesting. I feel so energized and connected with the latest trends, design concepts, and creative people when I read her posts!

For the past 3 weeks, I've been happily absorbed in learning the secrets to creating amazing mood boards, how to improve my photography, ways to make my blog a better and more inspiring place to visit, and so much more from both Holly & Leslie via the Blogging Your Way e-course. Along with Holly's husband Thorsten Becker, they have put together one of the most informative, inspiring, and enjoyable online courses I've ever taken! All my burning questions about blogging etiquette, the best resources for bloggers, photography and photo editing, beautifying a blog, connecting with other bloggers: in short just about everything I've ever wondered about, are being answered! And the community and forum are nothing short of amazing! I want to express a heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this journey. I am over the moon with with the creative energy this course has been unleashed in me, and I hope all the new-found knowledge I've gained will be reflected here on my own blog. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to stop by and see what I'm rambling on about, and I hope you all have an inspired day!

Shiny Object: Pugly Pixel

2011-10-07T09:16:00.000-05:00

A shiny object is anything that catches my eye and makes me smile. I thought it only fitting that the first shiny object I share with you is the Pugly Pixel. What a cute name! But the Pugly Pixel is so much more than that! This dynamic and inspiring site is the weblog of the talented Katrina Tan, and it is packed with shiny goodness!

Pugly Pixel features free resources for web graphics like clip art, photo frames, bling for your blog, or photoshop brushes and textures. Don't ya just love these colorful tape strips? Fabulous!

In the marketplace even more fun and fabulous downloads are available for purchase at a great price. I love the Stationery Textures shown here!

While you're visiting Pugly Pixel, don't miss the tutorials page! You can learn how to remove backgrounds with Photoshop, make your own digital staples, and how to create unique Photoshop brushes like these pinking shears.

I chose Pugly Pixel as my very first shiny object to share because I fell in love with the site when I recently redesigned my blog! I used this incredible {and free!} blog stock photo of vintage sequins to create the buttons for my sidebar. I wish I had this collection in real life!

The Pugly Pixel has a very generous Terms of Use policy, so be sure to read it when you pop over to check out all the goodies on the site. Thanks Katrina for so generously sharing your creative talents! Your blog has provided me with many hours of happy distraction!

Handmade & Bound Highlights

2011-10-06T14:30:00.000-05:00

I'm still thinking about the Handmade & Bound event in Nashville, TN last Saturday! The vendor booths, exhibits, workshops, and especially the talented artists I met made it a truly memorable experience.

The day began with the my Findings & Bindings workshop. We only had an hour for the class, so my husband Randy helped me get the kits ready, and precut 15 papers for each one! He makes a great studio assistant, and even brought me water, and took photos of the class. Everyone seemed to have a great time putting their books together!

When the class was finished, we explored the event venue at the Watkins College of Art, Design, & Film. What an inspiring place!

We saw huge signs made from cardboard...

Incredible art made from recycled materials...

and amazing handcrafted books at the Encoded Structures exhibition.

We browsed and shopped and met lots of wonderful people at the vendor booths...

and topped off our day with scrumptious mongolian tacos from the Happy Eating {Happy Japan} food truck. Yum! I'm already dreaming about attending again next year!

Workshop Wow!

2011-10-03T18:26:00.000-05:00

"Picnik Show"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

The Designing with May Arts Ribbon workshop at Make Time to Create was so much fun! Dolly {one of the owners} kindly sent me these pictures of the class, including one of me with my hands over my ears! Dolly said she thought it looked as if I was saying "I've had enough!" Actually, I was thinking "Please don't take my picture!" A big thanks to everyone who attended the workshop, and to Dolly & Mary at MTTC for hosting it!

Aunt {iques}

2011-09-26T18:46:00.001-05:00

In my mind, a rainy Saturday lends itself best to either snuggling up with a good book or hunting for vintage treasures at an antique store. I had plans for the former, but when my sweet Aunt Marie asked me to go antiquing with her this past Saturday, I happily tossed my book aside and we hit the road! Our destination was the Princeton Antique Mall in Princeton, Indiana: 3 floors of fabulous finds.

I didn't buy this amazing herb cabinet...

or these cameras...

or this store display case...but I really, really wanted to bring them home with me!

I was intrigued and a bit mystified by this piece. There were lots of little glass lenses in the top drawer. Is it an optician's cabinet perhaps? If you know...please tell me!

I deeply regret leaving this beauty behind...

and I want to turn this floor of the antique mall into a loft apartment and live there basking in the incredible light spilling from that wall of windows. Bliss!

Ode to Autumn

2011-09-23T07:37:00.000-05:00

Autumn...I love ye.
Ok, so I'm not a poet, but I really do love the fall! I love the brisk feel of cool breezes, the colorful leaves, and the scent of pumpkin bread baking in the oven. It's such a warm and cozy, yet inspiring season. A few mornings ago, I opened my front door and found these beautiful mums on my porch! My sweet husband had snuck them home the night before because he heard me say I wanted some yellow mums this year! We are celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary next Friday, and that's another reason I love the fall! So I just wanted to wish everyone a happy first day of autumn and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

This mum was ready for its close-up! So pretty!

{Workshop} Designing with May Arts Ribbon

2011-09-22T16:57:00.000-05:00

Make Time to Create in Newburgh, IN is celebrating its one-year anniversary next weekend, and I'm teaching a workshop to kick off the festivities! Here are the details:

Designing with May Arts Ribbon at Make Time to Create
Thursday, September 29th, 2011 6 p.m.
Class Fee: $18

In this technique-packed workshop we'll create a variety of blooms with luxurious May Arts Ribbon, create 2 types of faux polaroids for a scrapbook layout, transform a plain canvas mini tote into a stylish accessory, and make a versatile mini book using a simple binding method with silk ribbon. Please call Make Time to Create at (812) 490-4790 to register. Hope to see you there! Happy anniversary MTTC!

Blooming Twinkle Garland Tutorial

2011-09-20T11:46:00.000-05:00

Sparkly is my middle name, so I loved this week's blog swap between May Arts and Tattered Angels! I added lots of glimmer and glam to handcrafted ribbon flowers and then attached them to a set of lights to create a blooming twinkle garland. Visit the May Arts blog for a step-by-step tutorial, or click this link to download and/or print instructions for this project. Don't forget to visit the May Arts and Tattered Angels blogs all week for fabulous prizes and projects!

Handmade & Bound

2011-09-09T13:43:00.000-05:00

If you love handmade books, letterpress, zines, or book arts of any kind, you don't want to miss Handmade & Bound Nashville! Workshops, demonstrations, vendors, and even food trucks will make it a fun day for people of all ages. This is the first year for this event which is to be held at Watkins College of Art, Design, and Film in Nashville, TN. You can get all the details about the festival on the website. The event will kick off on Friday, September 30th with a juried gallery show of artist's book and zines and a screening of the award winning documentary $100 and T-Shirt.

I am so excited to announce that I will be teaching a workshop at Handmade & Bound! The workshop is called Findings & Bindings. Here's the class description:

Our world is awash with papers of all sorts: tattered books with missing pages, junk mail, old maps, brochures, magazines, and so much more. Why not take the flotsam and jetsam of everyday life and turn it into something useful? In the Findings & Bindings workshop we’ll use a discarded book, found papers both old and new, and a simple no-sew binding technique to create a one-of-a-kind handmade journal to house your creative notions. {Ages 8 and up}

All workshops at the event are FREE and all supplies will be provided. The Findings & Bindings workshop will be held at 10 a.m. at the Watkins College of Art, Design, & Film. Hope to see you there!

Easily Distracted by Shiny Objects

2011-09-05T23:39:00.002-05:00

That's my motto! A shiny object can be anything that interests me, catches my eye, or inspires me. I'm always on the hunt for pretty things, beautiful blogs, great reads, fun products, and sparkly bits and pieces! I love to share the shiny objects that I discover, and I will randomly post my finds as they come along. Something new is coming to Serendipity Vintage Studio on Fridays {stayed tuned for updates!} so Shiny Objects will replace Friday Findings as a regular feature. Here's a hint for the new Friday feature:
kraft...

Can you guess what it is?

Wonderful Washi Tape

2011-08-30T18:45:00.005-05:00

I recently blew my crafty budget on washi tape, fabric tape, and washi tape idea books from Cute Tape. It was a bit spendy, but so worth it! For one thing, the MT Kamoi Masking Tape Book has one of the coolest bindings I've ever seen! The book consists of folded pages that are held together with a loose kraft paper spine, and 2 binder clips. It's in English {a rarity among Japanese craft books} and instead of using photos of washi tape, the book includes actual samples of the tape! The set of tape shown in the photo is the pack of 10 brights: a perfect mix of ice-cream-colored pastels.

The second book I purchased is titled Collage with Japanese Washi Masking Tape. It's written in Japanese, but the detailed photos of the projects make it easy to figure out the steps, even if you don't know the language! The tape pictured with this book is decorative fabric tape. So pretty! The tape at the top is the mini mums floral brown and the set of 3 tapes at the bottom are mini mums floral.

This photo shows the washi tape I used in my Ribbon Bound Travel Journal project. I bought this tape from one of my other favorite vendors: Happy Tape. The neutral colored tapes are from the Natural 5-pak, and the birds are from the Gathering Birds 3-pak. The larger tapes are from the Venice paper tape collection by 7 Gypsies. These tapes are thicker and wider, and come in several varieties with a vintage vibe!

Wondering what to do with all that wonderful tape? I rounded up a bevy of beautiful ideas and created the collage shown above. Just click the links below for tape-y inspiration!

Cute Tape Blog
Happy Tape Blog
7 Gypsies Blog
POPPYTALK {a round up of ideas featuring a mood board from A Creative Mint}
ohdeedoh {ways to use washi tape including covered bookshelves by supergail}
How About Orange {Washi Tape Magnets}

Sparkly Fluff Dress

2011-08-29T11:16:00.003-05:00

Sparkly Fluff from Our Craft Lounge & gorgeous Sheer/Pull Flower Bow ribbon from May Arts make this little black dress shine! You can check out the complete tutorial at May Arts or click here for a printable PDF.

5 & Dime Party Favors Tutorial

2011-08-02T10:49:00.001-05:00

I've loved participating in all the blog weeks at May Arts, but the October Afternoon week is definitely one of my favorites so far! I got a box filled with kitschy-vintage goodies from the 5 & Dime collection, and I am so smitten with it! When I received the box, I just had purchased some cotton drawstring bags from Kraft Outlet, so I decided to make some fun party favors with the bags and some of the papers and trinkets from October Afternoon, and of course May Arts ribbons! You can see the tutorial on the May Arts blog, or click here for a printable PDF. Hope you love it as much as I do!

Friday Findings: The Creative Connection Event Giveaway!

2011-07-29T11:53:00.001-05:00

Have you heard the news? The Creative Connection Event and BlogHer Handmade are giving away TWO FREE PASSES + HOTEL for two for their incredible event in Minnesota this September! Visit The Creative Connection blog for all the details.
Attending this event would be a dream come true for me {or any creative person!} The Creative Connection features 3 days filled to the brim with workshops, seminars, incredible speakers, and enough creative energy to fuel a rocket ship! I'm wishing with all my might to win the two free passes!

Embossed Roses Collage Tutorial at May Arts!

2011-07-15T15:02:00.001-05:00

Embossing always seems like magic to me! I had so much fun creating this 12 X 12 collage for the May Arts & Stampendous blog week. The embossed roses are so quick and easy to make. You can get the step-by-step tutorial at the May Arts blog, or click here for a printable PDF of the entire project. I'm hooked on the collage background technique I used in this project, and I think you will be too!

Friday Findings: Online Magazines, Workshop Bliss, & a Real Book!

2011-07-08T13:00:00.001-05:00

{Covet Garden * Inspired Ideas * The Best Wedding Sites}

As if I weren't distracted enough by all my reading materials, enter another source of fodder: online magazines! I will always prefer holding an actual book or magazine in my hands. I love the glossy sheen of a periodical, the heft of a real book, and the slightly rough texture of paper pages. But online magazines offer their own special delights. They are usually free or very inexpensive. Zoom tools allow you to enlarge the pages for close-ups of tiny details, convenient links to products and other websites are often included, and the magazines are generally accompanied by a blog that offers even more inspiration along the same themes. {Oh no! Don't even let me get started on blogs!}

This post was prompted by a visit to one of my very favorite blogs Dispatch from LA. The blog's author Mary Ann Moss shared a link to the online magazine Covet Garden, and I am so smitten by it! Covet Garden features the kind of casual, eclectic style that I love, and I'm sure I'll be a faithful reader from now on! Thanks Mary Ann!

And speaking of inspiration, I've already posted about the online workshop I am taking with Mary Ann called Full Tilt Boogie, but I have to gush about it some more! The vintage photo album and tattered books shown above are the ones I'm using for the workshop. This is the final week for the class, but it will be available in its entirety for a long time to come. The workshop itself is amazing! It's packed with videos, PDFs, bonus posts, and more. But the absolute cherry on top is the amazing Yahoo group affiliated with the class! So many talented, creative, and generous members all sharing loads of encouragement, ideas, links to wonderful resources, solutions to problems, and just general goodwill. This workshop has been an absolutely blissful addition to my summer, and I'm sure you would enjoy it just as much as I have!

One last finding for this Friday is a book a wonderful book that I ordered from amazon.com titled Non-Adhesive Bindings without Paste or Glue. Nearly every blog, website, or book that I have read on the topic of bookbinding recommends this publication as a must-have resource. I have coveted it for months, and finally ordered it a few days ago. It's every bit as good as I had hoped and more! And even more exciting, the author Keith A. Smith gave Mary Ann permission to teach two of the bookbinding stitches he created as part of the Full Tilt Boogie class, and he wants to see the books the students create during the class! Guess I'd better quit reading and start binding! Hope you enjoy this Friday's findings!

Book*Sponge

2011-07-05T19:49:00.000-05:00

Projects in various stages of completion are spilling off my work table right now, but nothing is ready to share. Probably because I can't seem to get my nose out of a good book this summer! I've lugged home stacks of fiction and non-fiction from the library, spent all my pocket money at Barnes and Noble, and depleted the rest of my funds at Amazon.com: books about bookbinding, sewing, drawing, collage, embroidery...the list is endless! Add to that the works of fiction that I must read at night so I can fall asleep, and the glossy magazines tottering in piles on my night stand, and you'll understand why I am so happily distracted from my work.

My ever-deepening obsession with bookbinding and my new-found love of stitching are the main culprits. I realized the other day that I am a "sponge" when it comes to learning something new. I like to immerse myself in a topic, read all about it, research it on the internet, and watch endless YouTube videos. I let all that lovely, juicy information steep in my brain till it becomes a brew imbued with my particular flavor of creativity. My daughter always tells me "Mom, you don't have to read a book to do something. Just do it!" But I simply smile because I know all that information is essential to my process. She doesn't understand because she is a "paint brush." She just dips right in to whatever medium she wants to try and happily splashes away! I envy her courageous spirit and sense of freedom, but I cherish my ability to anticipate and savor. A sponge or a paintbrush: which one are you?

Petaloo Blooming Collage

2011-06-22T10:00:00.001-05:00

Playing with vintage dictionary paper, pretty May Arts ribbons, and fun embellishments like these flowers from Petaloo is my idea of the perfect day! I created a tutorial for this fun collage on canvas that you'll find on the May Arts blog. Or click here for a printable PDF. Be sure to check out the great prizes and inspiring ideas posted all week long at both May Arts & Petaloo!

Friday Findings: Full Tilt Boogie!

2011-06-17T10:45:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a workshop comes along that's exactly what you need at a particular moment in time. I'm talking about Full Tilt Boogie! This online workshop is the latest offering from Mary Ann Moss creator of the charming blog Dispatch from LA. The workshop opened today and I just finished watching 13 captivating and highly informative videos about creating a visual journal from an old photo album or book. I recently took one of Mary Ann's other workshops, Remains of the Day and was so inspired by it that I overcame my fear of my sewing machine and stitched on paper for the first time! I highly recommend both these workshops and I can't wait to get started making my journal.

Ribbon Bound Travel Journal

2011-06-14T13:56:00.003-05:00

Yard sales, summer, and road trips are a perfect mix! Earlier this month, I hit the road along with my daughter and my aunt on a freewheeling jaunt across Kentucky. We were following the trail of the annual 400 mile yard sale that spanned the entire state. We had a wonderful time and found lots of treasures we just had to bring back home! I posted a tutorial for this easy to make journal on the May Arts blog last week. Click here to visit the blog, or here for a printable PDF of the tutorial.

Just a few simple supplies were all I needed to fill up the pages of my journal! I used paper tape from 7 Gypsies, Happy Tape, a few shipping tags, and my favorite jounaling pen - a Permaball Pilot Pen.

Shipping tags are the ideal journaling spot. They fit perfectly in the library pockets included throughout the book, and keep your thoughts {and handwriting} under wraps yet easily accessible.

Happy Tape {a.k.a. washi tape} is so versatile. I used it along with the 7 Gypsies paper tape to add business cards and vellum envelopes for receipts...

as journaling strips...

and to create a little accordion book out of some photos!

Creating this fun little accordion book couldn't be easier! Just print out some wallet size photos and use paper tape to bind the edges together. You could easily substitute clear packing tape or even regular masking tape. Add as many photos as you wish.

We took a little side trip to Glendale, KY on the last day of our trip. Bennie's Barn is home to one of the best antique booths I've ever seen - Time Worn Interiors! Unbeknownst to me, I even met the talented designer behind the magic: Theresa! She had just rearranged the booth and posted pictures of it on her blog. Her displays are simply gorgeous!

Next time I'll post some of the treasures we found on our journey. Until then, enjoy the summer!

Prima Ribbonista Giveaway Winner!

2011-06-13T09:39:00.000-05:00

Time to announce the winner of the Black & Cream Greetings Kit! The randomly chosen winner is comment #10:

bhavana said...
What a vintage looking flower!! love the use of book pages with trims of lace!! Very classic!

Congratulations bhavana! Please send an email to serendpityvk@yahoo.com with your contact details and I will send your prize to you! Thanks to everyone for your very kind comments!

Prima Ribbonista Giveaway!

2011-06-06T17:53:00.002-05:00

If you heard a high pitched squeal earlier, don't worry! It was just me shrieking with delight when I saw the results for the May Arts Design Team challenge. I am so thrilled to be continuing on the DT as a Prima Ribbonista. I adore May Arts ribbon, and I've had so much fun participating in the blog weeks and challenges and creating tutorials. A huge congratulations to everyone on the Prima team and the Cameo team. I can't wait to see what everyone creates and I look forward to working with everyone! To celebrate the new design team, I'm giving away the Black & Cream Greetings Kit I created for the challenge! For your chance to win simply leave a comment on this post before midnight CST on Sunday, June 12th. I'll announce the winner on Monday, June 13th. Best wishes to everyone and many thanks to May Arts!

May Arts Design Team Challenge

2011-05-27T11:35:00.001-05:00

I’m smitten with the simple elegance of black and cream. And since I love creating artful kits for inspiration or to share with my crafty friends, I decided to combine these two passions for the May Arts Design Team challenge! For this classic ensemble, I gathered some of my favorite black and cream elements along with a bit of bling and some old book paper to add vintage flair. Artsy kits like these are fun to make because they’re so versatile. Choose your favorite color palette and create a collection of ribbons, papers, and embellishments in those hues. Assemble them together in clear boxes, in a vintage sewing box or tin, or even just a simple gift bag. These kits are a wonderful way to use up your stash of crafty supplies and might even inspire you to use your old supplies in unexpected ways!

To create your own kit, start by gathering 1 yard lengths of 6 or 7 different ribbons in your color palette. Cut a piece of cardstock to 4” x 5” and wrap the ribbons around it securing them in the back with tape. I used several of my very favorite May Arts Ribbons:

Black Satin/Pleats {1.5”}
Black Silk {1.25”}
Ivory Satin/Pleats {5/8”}
Ivory Sheer/Looped
Black Sheer/Looped
Cream Crochet
Beads/Wired

You’ll also need 2 clear boxes, some of your favorite papers and embellishments, and… hmm… this a rather lengthy list, so click here for a printable PDF of all the materials used or here for the complete project. That way we can get right to the fun part: the tutorial!

Tuck the ribbon wrapped cardstock into one of the clear boxes. Fill the other box with your favorite embellishments like buttons, flowers, glitter…the possibilities are endless! I used Maya Road tins and a little zip bag to hold my elements, but anything that will fit in your chosen container will work – even empty Tic Tac or Altoid boxes can be repurposed for this project. I also added some DCWV La Crème Cards and envelopes to this box.

To create a band to hold the boxes together cut a piece of cardstock into one 3 x 12” strip and one 3 x 3” square. Hold the two clear boxes together and wrap the 3 x 12” strip around the box ending in the front. This strip will not be quite long enough, so use the 3” square to secure the ends together in the center of the top box. Make sure the band has a snug fit but is still loose enough to slip off and on the boxes. Use Scor-Tape to layer on some black and ivory satin/pleats being sure the seams where the ribbon ends meet are in the front of the box. Add some bling to the band if you wish. {If you’re like me at all you can never have enough bling!}

To create the layered blossom you’ll need several 3” circles. Shown above are:

3 circles cut from canvas about 3” in diameter each. Fray the edges of the circles by pulling out some of the threads.

2 cardstock circles {Black & Cream Flowers and Sheet Music from GCD Studios Paris Nights collection}

10 vintage book paper circles {divided into 2 piles of 5 each}

{2} 4” lengths of crochet ribbon

{2} 4” lengths of ivory sheer/looped ribbon

{3} 5” lengths of beaded/wired ribbon

Attach the layers together using staples and/or glue, ending with a stack of 5 stapled vintage book paper circles on top. {Use Fabri-Tac to glue the ribbon snippets on top of a canvas circle as shown}

Glue a sparkly button layered on a cream button to the center of the vintage book papers on top of the stack.

Scrunch up all the layers around the button center, trimming off any excess ribbon, and creating loops with the beaded/wired ribbon. Use Fabri-Tac or other strong adhesive to glue the flower to the band around the boxes. Then sigh with happiness over all those lovely crumpled layers!

I made this card...

and this card...

And this card. And I still have tons of black and cream gorgeousness left over for future projects! If you create any artful kits of your own, I would love to see them! Please send a link or a picture to me at serendipityvk@yahoo.com

Happy crafting everyone!

Vintage Collage Parcels

2011-05-13T17:29:00.001-05:00

For years my sewing machine languished in my craft closet. I wanted to stitch on paper, but I was a bit afraid to try. But thanks to two inspiring instructors, Mary Ann Moss and Roben-Marie, I finally mustered up the courage to give it a go. Now I'm hooked! I couldn't believe how easy and fun it was to sew papers together to create paper parcels embellished with ribbons. I even whipped up a huge and fluffy sewing pattern tissue flower in no time flat! I have to admit, the seams of my parcels are a bit crooked, and the stitching on the ribbon is a little off center, but I figure that will improve with practice. If you would like to know how I created these parcels using the Vintage Collage stack from DCWV and my very favorite ribbons from May Arts just click this link. Or click here for a printable PDF.

While you're visiting May Arts, be sure to leave a comment on my post for a chance to win your own parcel brimming with artsy goodies. Be sure to enter the giveaways sponsored by May Arts and Die Cuts with a View as well. You'll want to check both blogs daily for great inspiration, projects, and prizes all this week! Happy stitching! {If I can do it, anyone can!}

Lavender & Roses

2011-05-09T17:11:00.001-05:00

Say hello to the newest addition to our garden: a pink Scepter'd Isle David Austin rose! Isn't she gorgeous?

This is my idea of the perfect rose. Deliciously fragrant, lots of ruffly petals, and brimming with old fashioned charm.

We've never grown roses before, but these lovely blooms were simply irresistible!

We were actually just in the market for some herbs at the annual Newburgh Country Store Herb Festival & Plant Sale. We attend every year and purchase culinary herbs for the clay pots on our patio and these {along with 2 hanging baskets of annuals} comprise our entire garden!

For a couple of seasons now we've included lavender in our mini garden. I love the color and most of all the spicy fragrance! I like to clip off a sprig, let it dry a bit and then tuck it into my tote bag or even in a book for an unexpected whiff of perfume.

This is definintely gardening on a micro scale, but it fits with our busy lives, and the fresh herbs add amazing flavor to all our dishes. We grow rosemary, cilantro, sage, tarragon, thyme, and 2 kinds of basil. Yum!

How does your garden grow?

Fabric Frames Accordion Book Tutorial

2011-04-29T18:58:00.002-05:00

Blog week alert! May Arts and Little Yellow Bicycle are sharing products and designers for a week of great inspiration and fun giveaways! I used Elizabeth Park fabric frames and some of my favorite ribbons from May Arts to create a colorful accordion book with a vintage twist. Visit the May Arts Blog to see the step by step tutorial or click here for a printable PDF. I used some beautiful images from the Graphics Fairy to complete the book, and the new Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Antique Linen.
*I just added this project to Brag Monday on the Graphics Fairy Blog. Be sure to visit the site for tons of inspirational projects using the 1,000s of free vintage images available for download!

May Arts & Little Yellow Bicycle Week!

2011-04-25T11:31:00.001-05:00

May Arts and Little Yellow Bicycle are teaming up for a fun week together! You can win the pretty pastel ribbons and spring-inspired goodies from LYB pictured above by leaving a comment on any May Arts blog post this week! Little Yellow Bicycle is hosting a giveaway too, so visit this link for the details. Be sure to visit both blogs all week long for tons of great inspiration and prizes! I'll be posting a fun tutorial on the May Arts blog later this week, so stop by again for all the details!

Friday Findings: Macaron Stamps

2011-04-22T10:28:00.000-05:00

I have to admit that I'm a little bit obsessed with macarons. I never even knew they existed until I discovered them on Paris Breakfasts, but now I can't get enough! They're a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds. So I was incredibly excited to find this adorable macaron stamp set on Memi the Rainbow's Etsy shop.

They landed on my doorstep the other day wrapped with kraft paper and washi tape.

Aren't they just adorable?

I felt compelled to go to Vecchio's Italian's Market and purchase some actual macarons to ~~gobble down~~ round out the photo shoot! And of course I had to include that cute pink fridge just because I love it. The macaron flavors were Meyer lemon and berry with blackberry jam...yum!

Memi has several other whimsical hand-carved stamp sets in her shop like this fun ice cream ensemble! You can visit her Etsy shop by clicking this link. Happy crafting!

Bella Blooms Headband Holder

2011-04-08T19:09:00.000-05:00

Bella Blvd and May Arts are teaming up this week share inspiration, giveaways, and a ton of fun ideas! I created a frilly headband holder using a tin lunch pail, lots of gorgeous May Arts ribbons, and pretty papers and blooms from Bella Blvd. Click here for a step by step tutorial of this colorful project or here for a printable PDF.

Friday Findings: Pink Fridge!

2011-03-25T14:18:00.007-05:00

They're becoming a bit of an obsession...pink fridges that is! We hit the road last Saturday for our first springtime junk jaunt and headed straight for Springfield, TN . I was overjoyed to find the larger pink fridge pictured on the left at my favorite antique store there. It's a perfect companion to the petite pink fridge I found there on my last visit! The weather was gorgeous, the Bradford Pears were dressed in their finest blooms, and we were ready for adventure!

Our first stop was Burdett's Tea Shop, a favorite lunch destination. Megan and I shared shared a scrumptious tea for two, while Randy sipped his cuppa like a proper ~~lady~~ gentleman! {I made him let me take this picture! What a sweet husband!} In the meantime, I was so excited about the adorable little sandwiches that I forgot to snap a picture before devouring them! Hence the pile of crumbs on the second tier. Why does food on a 3-tiered tray taste so much better? I don't know...it just does.
After a delicious lunch and copious amounts of tea, we headed for one of our favorite antique stores, the Springfield Antique Barn. I never leave this treasure trove empty handed and this day was no exception! I found the pink fridge I've already gushed over...

... a dishy pile of vintage game markers...

...a grungy spool of pale aqua thread, and a vintage tart tin. Bliss! A day well spent!

p.s. I linked this post to Vintage Inspiration Friday #30 over at Common Ground. I was link #102 and counting, so be sure to visit this gorgeous blog for tons of fabulous vintage vavoom!
Just joined the fun at Pink Saturday over at How Sweet the Sound! Don't miss the swoon-worthy pink prettiness!

Watercolor Silk Ribbon Wands Tutorial

2011-03-21T10:12:00.000-05:00

Spring has finally arrived! The sun is shining and the birds are singing, so I hope it's here to stay! I watercolored some May Arts white silk ribbon and made some fluttery, shimmery rainbow wands to celebrate the season. Visit the May Arts blog for the tutorial or click here for a printable PDF.

I tucked one of the watercolor ribbon wands into a "Happy Spring" gift package for my daughter. I tied on some curly ribbons and a watercolored shipping tag with a message on the back and filled it with some fun reminders of our springtime traditions.

On the first warmish day, we always blow bubbles, so I had to include a bottle of those. {I hope I'm never too old to blow bubbles!} Sidewalk chalk and mini M&Ms are other favorite treats.

I tucked in a fun notebook with a cover to color in and some 80s glam Sharpies as a grown up nod to coloring book days! Happy spring everyone!

DIY Weddings Giveaway: May Arts Ribbons!

2011-03-14T00:45:00.001-05:00

{UPDATE} The winner has been selected! Please visit DIY Weddings for details.

March is National Craft Month, and I'm so excited to announce a giveaway at my DIY Weddings blog sponsored by May Arts! One person will be randomly chosen to win the 5 full spools of ribbon shown above. That's 150 yards of ribbony gorgeousness! For your chance to win simply visit the givewaway post on DIY Weddings and leave a comment before midnight CST on Sunday, March 20th. For all the details click here. Best wishes to all the entrants and many thanks to May Arts for their generosity!
Happy National Craft Month to all!

P.S. Don't forget to check out all the other great giveaways going on during the entire month of March at Craft Gossip!

A Box O' Happy: May Arts Ribbon!

2011-03-09T12:27:00.003-06:00

Look what landed on my doorstep this morning! A box full of ruffly May Arts ribbons in bright, happy colors. These beauties are destined for a design team project I'm working on for the May Arts/Bella BLVD blog week, but I just couldn't resist sharing them with you today. I'll be posting all about the tutorial when it's ready and I'm planning a fun giveaway to go along with it so be sure to stop by the first week of April!

In the meantime, don't miss this fun ribbon scraps giveaway over at the May Arts Blog! It ends Friday, March 11th, so click here for all the details.

The Good Stuff

2011-03-02T19:18:00.000-06:00

Do you use your "good stuff" for your artsy/crafty projects, or are you like me and stash it away for someday? Ever since I read this post at Karla's Cottage, I've been feeling so inspired to use all those pretty little things I've been collecting for years, like the vintage game pieces pictured above. I've been hoarding those for at least two years! I finally used a few of them in my Fashionista Magnet Board project, and it felt wonderful to see them incorporated into my artwork instead of hidden away in a drawer!

Karla is hosting a Good Stuff Challenge on her blog March 6th - 7th with a link party to show off all the wonderful things everyone made with their best treasures! Click on the link in the sidebar, or visit the blog here for all the details. She's also giving away a package of her "good stuff" so don't forget to leave a comment on one or more of her posts between now and then. You can enter as often as you like, or if you can't wait purchase some fabulous goodies in her newly designed boutique!

Vintage Gluebook Pages

2011-02-27T13:49:00.004-06:00

Week one of Artful Pages is now complete and my head is spinning with ideas and information about gluebooks, collage, and the fundamentals of good design! This is one of the pages I created using the gorgeous background image shared by Mary Green in this post. {Don't forget the 20% discount ends February 28th!}

Once again, I tossed my supplies in a tote bag and headed for Barnes and Noble where I set up shop at a table and got to work! That's the beauty of the vintage gluebook. You only need gluestick, sharp scissors, pretty papers, and a book of some sort to start creating! I chose a blank Moleskine as the foundation for my gluebook.

A serendipitous mistake led to the creation of these lovely stickers. I wanted to print out some of Mary's vintage images to use in my gluebook, and I accidentally grabbed a sheet of labels instead of cardstock!

I loved the stickers so much that I made more and they were perfect for creating page backgrounds, picture mats, and as little accents here and there. So easy to use too - just peel and stick!

I used a couple of discarded book jackets for the main elements of both my pages. I loved the artwork, and I thought it would be fun to include the book summary and a picture of the author. I'll be searching for more of these at the library sale table, used book stores, and rummage sales!

Quick Tip: If you want to tear the edges of your paper but still keep a fairly straight edge, simply fold the paper first then tear it. You'll have much more control over the end result.

The second part of the 4 week online class began today. Hope Wallace Karney is sharing Musings on Paper, an art journaling workshop. The photo above is a montage of some the class preparations she shared on her blog Besottment by Paper Relics.

Today was all about facing the blank page, definitely a common challenge for everyone.
I'll share my pages from this class when they are finished. If you want to join the fun just click on the Artful Pages image in the sidebar or visit here for more information. Have a very artful day!

Fashionista Magnetic Board Tutorial

2011-02-22T13:55:00.000-06:00

Need some vintage inspiration? Don't miss the May Arts/Graphic 45 blog week happening right now! I created a magnetic board using a rusty metal tabletop, ribbons from May Arts, and lots of goodies from the Fashionista collection by Graphic 45. Visit the May Arts blog for the full tutorial! Click here for a printable PDF.

Glilttery Giveaway Winner!

2011-02-21T05:55:00.001-06:00

It's time to announce the winner of the Glittery Giveaway! I used a random number generator to select one of the comments and the winner is:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:
60
Timestamp: 2011-02-21 11:45:00 UTC
Comment #60 Charlene: Congrats, Kimberly...will spread the news!

Congratulations Charlene!

Your fabulous glitter is on the way! Thanks so much to everyone who entered for all your lovely comments. Please stop by again soon!

Project Boxes

2011-02-20T09:12:00.002-06:00

I'm an extremely messy crafter. When I'm in creative mode the paper scraps fly, the piles grow bigger and bigger, and tools and materials disappear before my very eyes. I've tried many different ways to get organized but nothing worked until... PROJECT BOXES!

I actually read about the idea of project boxes several months ago in one of my favorite books The Creative Habit, by renowned choreographer Twyla Tharp. She shared her method of creating a box dedicated to each project she was working on, and tossing in everything that pertained to that project. The boxes serve not only as a reference tool and storage for materials, but also as an archive when the project is complete.

The reason this tool works for me is because it's contained chaos! Yes, the box is a central location for all materials related to a particular project, but the contents don't have to be in any order. I can just toss in all the bits and pieces I need and grab the box when I'm ready to start working.

Project boxes can be any shape, size, or material. The boxes I chose were simple paper boxes with silver labels. I found them on sale at Michael's. They are large enough to hold 12 X 12 papers, but not so deep that I can overfill them!

I spent several hours yesterday working on a project for the Graphic 45/May Arts blog week {little sneak peek above} that starts tomorrow and the box was invaluable! When I needed magnets - in the box, pipe cleaners - in the box, ribbon -in the box. It was magical! I didn't have to waste time excavating the piles of materials that accumulate on my worktable. Project boxes are now a permanent fixture in my world!

Free Image & Discount from Green Paper

2011-02-19T16:54:00.002-06:00

The gorgeous vintage image above is part of the French Dictionary Collection offered by Mary of Green Paper Packages. The collection includes over 100 images of art deco alphabet, full color maps, and full page illustrations like this one for a mere $18! Mary graciously offered this image for you to enjoy, and created a discount code exclusively for my readers! Just click on the Green Paper Packages button in the in the side bar and type in serendipity in the discount code area and you'll save 20% on everything in the store! You'll find amazing image collections, online classes, and even a monthly collage club. The discount ends Feburary 28th, so start shopping now! Thanks Mary!

To download the French Dictionary image:

Click on image to enlarge

Right click image

Click on "Save Picture As" to save to your computer

Friday Findings: Artful Pages Workshop

2011-02-18T07:55:00.002-06:00

It's a dream come true! An online workshop about collage, art journaling, altered books, and fabric books all in one! I just signed up for Artful Pages 4 Artists 4 Ways. It starts Sunday, and I just can't wait! I've taken a couple of classes from Mary Green before: Your Vintage Gluebook, and Collage Basics, and I learned so much from both of them. For more information click on the picture in the sidebar. I'll be posting about my projects over the next few weeks and I'm off to the craft store right now to pick up my supplies!

Posh Parcels: Presentation Pouch

2011-02-15T07:47:00.001-06:00

Pretty Packaging can turn even the simplest of gifts into a posh present! A simple canvas pouch from the craft store gets a makeover and becomes a luxe way to present a lovely necklace! Check out the step by step tutorial and learn how to create a wired ribbon rose on the May Arts blog. Or visit here for a printable PDF of the entire tutorial!

100th Post Glittery Giveaway!

2011-02-14T05:38:00.002-06:00

I love blogs! I love reading them, looking at all the wonderful pictures on them, commenting on them, and best of all writing on my own blog. I'm very excited to have reached my 100th post, so I'm hosting a giveaway of one my favorite products: Vintage Glass Glitter! If you would like to have the 2.5 oz jar of glittery silver goodness pictured above all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. One comment per person please. The giveaway will close at midnight {central time} on Sunday, February 20th, and I'll announce the winner on Monday, February 21st. Please be sure to include your email address with your entry. Best wishes to all the entrants, and a huge thanks to everyone who reads and comments on my blog!

Vintage Glass Glitter

2011-02-11T10:28:00.000-06:00

Sparkle is my middle name {in my mind anyway!} so I love working with vintage glass glitter! I've posted several projects featuring it here on the blog, and it's one of the first supplies I reach for when I'm crafting. The intense sparkle, the way it oxides over time lending a lovely vintage patina, and the silvery shimmer make it simply irresistible!
Here are some tips for working with this magical product:

Adhesives:

Just about any adhesive will work with glass glitter but here are my favorites:
Glass-Tac Clear
Glossy Accents
UHU Glue Stick
Scor-Tape
Glue Arts Extreme Adhesive Squares

Glass-Tac is specifically formulated to work with glitter. It has a thin, glaze like consistency that's easy to spread, and because it's white it's easy to make sure that you have covered all surfaces. The end result is more opaque than if you use a clear glue.

Glossy Accents is another good choice for glitter. Because it's clear, the finish will be a bit more transparent. Be sure to spread a thin, even coat for the best results.

UHU is my favorite brand of glue stick because it's fairly dry and won't cause paper or chipboard to buckle. Be careful to avoid clumps and make sure you've covered the entire surface. UHU comes in a purple color that dries to a clear finish and is a bit easier to see. It's great for running around the edges of cardstock or paper and then dipping in glitter to create a sparkly border.

Scor-Tape is perfect if you want to create crisp straight lines. It's a super sticky double sided tape available in four sizes as well as 6 x 6 or 8 1/2 x 11 sheets that can be die cut and then glittered.

Glittered items can be a bit heavy, so a super strong adhesive is a good idea. I love Glue Arts Exteme Adhesive Squares Minis for attaching small things like chipboard letters, and the larger half inch squares for bigger pieces.

Storage:
The easiest way to store glass glitter is in a plastic container with a snap on lid or in a zip top bag. Both of these options allow you to simply drop the item to be glittered in the container, shake it until thoroughly covered, and then tap off the excess. You may want to use a small soft paintbrush to dust off any stray particles of glitter.

Small salt shakers, sugar shakers, or clear jars are great ways to store and display glitter and they look pretty too! A little shaker of glass glitter with a ribbon and a tag makes a wonderful gift for a crafty friend.

Useful Tips:

Dusting your hands with baby powder before using glass glitter helps keep it from sticking to your hands.

Wax paper is a great surface to work on when glittering. It allows you to add adhesive to items and spread glittered pieces out to dry without sticking. Clean up is easy too! Just crumple up the used waxed paper and toss in the trash.

Even ultrafine glass glitter is sharp and can cause tiny cuts. Use caution when working with the glitter and don't allow young children to use it.

A pair of tweezers comes in handy for holding pieces while you glitter them or placing them on your project.

Glass glitter comes in a tremendous range of colors and grits. The ultrafine{100 grit} is my favorite for most projects, but the 90 grit is a little chunkier and adds more texture and maybe even a little more sparkle.

Be sure to stop by the blog on Monday for a glittery giveaway!

Love Birds Banner/Album

2011-02-11T10:26:00.000-06:00

May Arts Ribbon and Glue Arts teamed up this week for a crafting extravaganza! Check out the tutorial for my Love Birds Banner/Album over on the May Arts blog.

To create the banner/album I used my very favorite tape runner in the whole world - the Glue Glider Pro! In my fifteen plus years of papercrafting I think I've used just about every tape runner made, and I can sincerely recommend this one as my favorite. It's so easy to change out the cartridges, there are a variety of refill options, and it never jams up or breaks!

And of course I had to use my Ivory Satin/Pleats ribbon from May Arts! I can't seem to make anything without it these days. This ribbon is so beautiful. It has a luscious, silky sheen and is very versatile. The same goes for my other favorite - silk ribbon. I'm slowly collecting this incredible ribbon in every size and color available. For this project I used the 1.25" Ivory. Gorgeous!

The project also features parts of a wonderful chipboard birdcage book from Maya Road.

Vintage Glass Glitter adds incredible sparkle and a lovely vintage patina as it tarnishes over time.

I used a dreamy palette of creamy ivory, soft blue, and a dash of brown, all accented with silver and aqua glitter. But it's easy to customize this project to any occasion simply by changing the patterned papers used!

Be sure to visit May Arts and Glue Arts today for great inspiration, projects, and giveaways!

Upcycled Book Vase Tutorial

2011-02-03T15:32:00.000-06:00

As promised, here is a mini tutorial for making the upcycled book vase. The technique I used to create this project is one of my favorites! It's quick, easy, only requires a few elements, and can be created with a variety of materials. I've used library card pockets, coin envelopes, and of course these 3 x 3 vellum envelopes I found at Joann's. I've dubbed it the "honeycomb" because the finished product reminds me of the cells of a honeycomb when opened. Although this particular set looks a bit more like a flower because of the v shaped cuts.

All you need to create your own vase is a sharp pair of scissors, Scor-Tape or other double sided tape, and 7 vellum envelopes. {I used 3 x 3 but any size that fits within your book will work} Oh! And a book of course!

For a different look, you can just trim the flap off straight across. But cutting a curve on the back of the envelope creates the flower effect.

Be sure to tape around the edges of 2 of the envelopes so that the ends will be completely secured to your book pages.

Almost finished!

Center the envelopes in the middle of your book and press firmly on each side to make sure they are secure. Pop in the posies of your choice and watch them bloom!

Quick Tip: You may notice in this picture that I have placed a small binder clip to hold a section of pages together on each side of the opened book. This is necessary to make sure the book will remain open. You could substitute vintage clip on earrings, tiny clothespins, anything that will bind the pages together.

Creative Therapy

2011-02-02T15:12:00.002-06:00

I don't know about you, but the winter blues have had me in some definite need of creative therapy! Piles of ribbon, stacks of paper, and enough craft supplies to stock a store are tumbling off the table in my studio, but my make-it mojo seemed to have fled out the window! Until I stumbled across this post on Julie Balzer's amazingly colorful blog.{thanks Michelle!}
I decided to join Julie's Art Journal Every Day project and yesterday I created the upcycled book vase/art journal shown above. I'm not sure if it's funky or just junky, but I had so much fun putting it together!

I started with a tattered book that I found called The Countryside Companion. It's filled with lots of great pictures of birds and trees, and other countryside findings.

I used 7 vellum envelopes for the vase. {mini tutorial on this tomorrow!}

Paper flower made from old book page, vintage glass glitter, a scrap of tulle, and a pipe cleaner. Oh! And a very sparkly button!

I decided to make some tags to fill the pockets {when they're not on vase duty!} I grabbed some shipping tags, materials from my ribbon pocket mood board, and my latest obsession: Happy Tape!

Happy Tape is sticky strips of Japanese washi paper and so fun and easy to use! I ordered the Gathering Birds 3 pack on the left, and the Natural 5 pack pictured on the right. My new mission in life is to collect every pattern and color!

Four happy little tags...

Three happy little tags...

and one last glimpse of a very happy art journal!

Now I'm off to play with paint and paper! I wish you lots of happy crafting every day!

Vintage Wedding Sneak Peek!

2011-01-13T22:22:00.001-06:00

I found a gorgeous real wedding that I'll be posting about tomorrow on DIY Weddings. It's brimming over with gorgeous vintage details like the suitcase turned card box above. Although it's a wedding post, it's a feast for the eyes for anyone who loves beautiful vignettes with a vintage twist! I love this suitcase so much I just couldn't wait to share it with everyone! Be sure to check out my DIY Wedding blog tomorrow for a link to the complete post!

May Arts Ribbon Scraps Giveaway!

2011-01-10T19:30:00.000-06:00

May Arts is giving away a gorgeous pile of ribbon scraps! Just leave a comment on their blog or on the May Arts Facebook page. The winner will be chosen on Friday, January 14th, so leave a comment soon!

Ribbon Essentials Kit Tutorial on May Arts

2011-01-03T09:58:00.001-06:00

Ribbons are an essential element in just about every project I create so it's important for me to keep my ribbon stash and other supplies organized and easy to find. I have certain essentials that I always reach for when I'm working with ribbon, so I decided to make a grab and go kit to house my favorite supplies and a swatch book to help me keep track of my ever-growing collection of gorgeous ribbons. You can check out the full tutorial on the May Arts blog.

This rolled rose made from cream satin pleated ribbon is my favorite part of the tutorial! It's surprisingly quick and easy to create!

Click here for a printable PDF of the entire project including the ribbon rose. Happy crafting!

Craft Gossip

2011-01-01T02:26:00.000-06:00

Craft Gossip is an amazing website that features daily doses of inspiration for a wide variety of creative activites. Stamping, sewing, home and garden, scrapbooking, and indie crafts are just a few of the many categories brimming with ideas, inspiration, and fabulous photos. I'm thrilled to announce that starting today I'm the newest editor for Craft Gossip and its latest addition DIY Weddings! I'll be posting nearly every day about all the fabulous wedding related ideas that I find and I can't wait to share them with you!
I'm always scouring the internet to find inspiration for my blog, for my booth at the Owensboro Antique Mall, for papercrafts, party planning, home decor, color schemes, and so much more. I've discovered that wedding blogs have some of the best ideas around that can be adapted for any occasion, and the photography is absolutely gorgeous! It's been a long time since my own wedding, but I still love the sparkle and magic that weddings embody. I am astounded by the imagination and vision of DIY brides who create beautiful and personal events without breaking the bank! I hope you will join me on my new journey and find inspiration not just for weddings but for making every day a special day to remember.
If you have any fabulous wedding related ideas or links to share please email me at weddings@craftgossip.com
Sign up for the Craft Gossip newsletter here and make sure you don't miss any of the creative goodness!

Happy Anniversary Gift Set

2010-12-21T15:24:00.006-06:00

Aren't those two love birds adorable? I think so because they are my sweet parents-in-law Dorothy & Shelby Jones! Tomorrow they'll be celebrating 49 years of wedded bliss. We're having a family dinner tonight to mark the occasion, and I thought it would be fun to create a special gift set just for them. My mother-in-law LOVES chocolate covered pecans, so some yummy double dipped chocolates from Stephen Libs will be the perfect treat! Chocolate covered peanuts are a favorite of the groom, so I got a bag of each.

I decided to create a custom gift bag using one of their wedding photos. I simply uploaded the photo to picnik to add the text, printed it out on A Muse shimmer cardstock, matted the trimmed photo with black shimmer cardstock and adhered it to the center of a red gift bag. Gorgeous metallic gold mesh and gold elastic fringed ribbon from May Arts add a touch of glitz!

I'm sure they'll share the candy, but just in case I printed out a little individual photo of each of them, matted them in shimmery red cardstock, and used double sided tape to attach them to the fronts of the candy bags. Do you know how hard it is not to tear into those yummy chocolates? VERY! But since I really love them both, and think they are the best parents ever I will resist the siren call of candy and let them enjoy!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM & DAD!

Friday Findings: Doodle Stitching

2010-12-17T15:22:00.000-06:00

I'm so smitten with this recent addition to my artsy/crafty bookshelf: Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection by Aimee Ray! It's brimming over with adorable little patterns to stitch and includes a CD so that the patterns can be resized to suit your project. My daughter and I have taken up embroidery recently, and I think this will be a fun resource for us to share! I have tons of ideas swirling around in my head, so I'll be sharing those in future posts. Check out Aimee's blog little dear tracks for embroidery tutorials, free patterns and projects, and lots more! You'll also enjoy Sublime Stitching and Feeling Stitchy for more whimsical embroidery inspiration!

Kettle Corn Day

2010-12-14T20:11:00.000-06:00

All I did today was make a batch of kettle corn in my beloved red Whirley Pop stovetop popcorn maker. Wait! I also ate the entire batch! It was scrumptious and so easy to do. Just fill the Whirley Pop (or whatever pan you use for stovetop popcorn) with 1/3 cup of unpopped kernels, 2 tbsp. of oil ( I prefer peanut oil) and 1/4 cup of sugar. Place on medium heat and stir constantly for about 3 minutes or so until most of the kernels have popped. Pour into a bowl, allow to cool for about a minute, then sprinkle with kosher salt. Yum! This was my only accomplishment today, so I felt compelled to share it. Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive, but if not I have more popcorn just waiting to be popped and devoured!

Vintage Vignettes

2010-12-07T16:58:00.000-06:00

Laundry is calling, stacks of paperwork are tottering on my desk, dust bunnies are multiplying as we speak, so naturally I decided to forget all that and do a mini photo shoot instead! I love to incorporate vintage finds into my home, and this metal recipe box is my latest treasure.

Look! Each little book opens up and swivels forward revealing a hidden cache for recipes!

I found this during a late-night-couldn't-sleep-couldn't-read-but-must-be-distracted ebay frenzy! Just type in a search for vintage metal and see what irresistible goodies pop up for you.

Like these vintage flower frogs...

and of course there are books...

lots of books!

A green glass cake plate and a lovely tray...

and milk glass everywhere!

There's lots more to share, but even a professional procrastinator like me has to get to work sooner or later!

Hmm..maybe later would be best...

May Arts Monday

2010-12-06T09:16:00.001-06:00

Want some of this sparkly ribbon for your stash? Just click on this link and leave a comment for your chance to win a set of silver and gold gorgeousness! It's part of May Arts Winter 2011 sneak peek now through Friday, December 10, 2010.

Dreaming of Spring? I love this new collection of pastel plaids!

Lovely lace adds the perfect delicate accent!

I love all these ribbons, but the snowflakes are my favorite right now! I have them in the white shown above.

And this glitzy silver!

Snowflakes always make me think of hot cocoa and marshmallow cream. Since the flurries are flying on this chilly December day I'm off to stir up a warm mug of chocolate to sip while I dream away the day. Warm winter wishes to you!

May Arts/Jenni Bowlin Week!

2010-11-30T07:05:00.002-06:00

Two of my very favorite companies are teaming up this week for inspiration and lots of great prizes! May Arts and Jenni Bowlin are the perfect match! I love Jenni Bowlin's fresh vintage style and of course May Arts is my go to place for the most luxurious yet affordable ribbons. Visit the May Arts blog and the Jenni Bowlin blog all week long for your chance to win some great giveaways, and for some amazing projects and ideas. Happy crafting!

Where Women Cook Winner!

2010-11-27T08:44:00.001-06:00

It's time to choose the winner for the premiere issue of Where Women Cook

Thanks to everyone who left a comment for this giveaway! The winning comment according to random.org is #7 Dolly LaBelle!

Congratulations Dolly! Enjoy your new copy of this great magazine!

Friday Findings: Where Women Cook

2010-11-19T06:14:00.000-06:00

Where Women Cook, the newest magazine from Stampington & Company, landed on my doorstep yesterday afternoon! I've been anxiously awaiting this new publication for months now and I was so happy to receive the premier issue. That's Ree Drummond of Pioneer Woman fame gracing the cover with her trademark sassy style. If you haven't checked out her blog you're missing on out on tons of amazing recipes, gorgeous step by step photos, giveaways, and so much more! You'll also want to stop by her other site Tasty Kitchen, a cooking community featuring recipes from real kitchens everywhere - as the tagline states!
My husband, a.k.a. Chef Jones, does just about all the cooking around here, but I love the magazine for the same reason that I love its sister publication Where Women Create, because I'm ~~nosy~~ curious! I love to see the places where people follow their dreams, read about their creative journeys and inspirational stories, and just get a glimpse of their real lives.
I actually have two copies of Where Women Cook so...

I'm giving one away!

Just leave a comment on this post before midnight central time on Friday, 11/26/10.

The winner will be announced Saturday, 11/27/10

Best wishes to all the entrants!

Vintage Tin Nest Garland Tutorial

2010-11-17T10:40:00.000-06:00

Do you love vintage glass glitter, old tin molds, gorgeous ribbon, and garlands as much as I do? If so, don't miss the Vintage Tin Nest Garland tutorial I created for the May Arts Ribbon blog! Click here to visit the blog, or here for a printable PDF of the project. Have a glittery day!

The one that got away...

2010-11-15T22:11:00.000-06:00

If you're a junker like me, you know there's always that one find that you can't believe you left behind. For me it's this rusty hunk of green metal goodness I saw at the Country Living Fair in Columbus, OH. The moment our eyes {or rather my eyes and its gorgeous green patina} met across the crowded fields of the fair, I knew we were destined to be together...but alas my pocketbook thought otherwise and we were torn apart forever.

But we'll always have the fair...

Friday Findings: Free Vintage Images!

2010-11-12T07:13:00.000-06:00

I've already proclaimed my love for the Graphics Fairy many times on this blog! With over 1,500 images to choose from, it's a goldmine for anyone seeking graphics to use for projects of all sorts. I love the Brag Monday feature on this blog: a linky party where you can share the creations you've made with the Graphics Fairy images. It's a great source of inspiration! I thought it would be fun to share some of the other wonderful sites I've discovered for vintage images for this week's Friday Findings.

Green Paper is another favorite source of images both free and for purchase. There are also wonderful online classes offered this site that teach the basics and more of collage art. The classes are jam packed with free images, tons of great instructions, and a flickr group to share your classwork. I've taken two classes that are offered on this site, Your Vintage Gluebook, and Collage Coterie and learned so much from both. Your Vintage Gluebook class is still available online, and a new class Collage Basics begins this week.

Karen's Whimsy offers a huge selection of public domain images ranging from vintage fashions to science clipart, paper dolls, coloring sheets, and more! Karen also creates gorgeous altered books and collage art.

Here are a few more sites you may wish to explore:
The Vintage Moth
Antique Images
Altered Bits
Old Photo Album

Please note that every site has varying terms of use for their images, so it's important to read the fine print before you use them! A big thanks to all the generous owners of these sites for sharing their amazing graphics with us!
What can you do with all these fabulous images? Cards, journals, collage, home decor, decoupage...the list is endless! I hope you enjoyed today's finding, and wish you a creative and happy day!

Artful Transfers Tutorial

2010-11-11T14:34:00.000-06:00

I am hooked on sticky back canvas transfers! This technique is so fun and easy, and it allows you create fabric from your favorite patterened paper or printed clip art. I downloaded this scrolly french chair from the Graphics Fairy website and tossed in some May Arts silver chain cord and vintage glass glitter to make my own little wall art using the transfer method. Ribbon Adhesive from GlueArts made it so simple to add the ribbon and glitter. Want to make some artful transfers of your own? Check the complete tutorial on the May Arts blog! Happy crafting!

Ladies who lunch...and stamp...and eat macarons...

2010-11-09T09:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a day filled with many good things! My sweet friend Michelle and I took a class from Dolly LaBelle at Make Time to Create. We made this set of 4 pretty cards using Poppy stamps from Flourishes. Crafting with a friend adds an extra dollop of sweetness to an already fun activity. It's like the cherry on top of a hot fudge sundae!

After the class Michelle and I had a yummy lunch at new-to-us cafe in Newburgh, IN called Cafe Arazu. Scrumptious! The cafe bills itself as "world cuisine with a neighborhood feel" and it lives up to its claim! We shared our entrees and gabbed in between bites. (Okay, maybe sometimes we talked DURING bites, but that's what happens when two old friends get together!)

We finished our gab and grub fest and then we strolled around downtown Newburgh, peeked in shop windows, rummaged through an antique store, and then topped off our day with macarons at Vecchio's Italian Market. Just the thought of those macarons makes me swoon! Pistaschio, lemon, and strawberry...bliss! I have to admit I also munched on chocolate ganache sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies! I intended to share that cookie with my daughter, but nary a crumb survived. Through sheer strength of will I did manage to bring her three delectable macarons, and she made short work of them! Like mother like daughter!
It was a lovely day filled with fun and friendship, and the memory will linger on even if the macarons didn't!

Glitz, Glitter, Glue, & Giveaways!

2010-11-08T15:44:00.002-06:00

May Arts and GlueArts are teaming up this week for lots of inspiration and giveaways! Check out the May Arts Blog or the GlueArts Blog for details on how to win the sparkly ribbon pictured above, or the GlueArts goodies pictured below!

Studio Calico Documentary Folio

2010-11-03T16:13:00.002-05:00

I love to travel, and when I do I like to document the places I visit by collecting brochures, business cards, maps, tickets, and other mementos. I decided to plan ahead and create a travel folio to take with me on my next trip to corral the piles of memorabilia that usually end up in a crumpled heap in the bottom of my purse!

The Documentary collection from Studio Calico was just the ticket for a Destinations Travel Folio.

The collection includes 6 travel-themed pieces of 12 X 12 cardstock. I wanted the dimensions of the folio to be 8 1/2 X 11, so I started the project by cutting one inch off the bottom of each piece of cardstock. I wanted to have lots of pockets, so I scored each piece of cardstock at 8 1/2 X 11 on the right side of each piece, except for the cover. That's scored on the left so that the pocket is in on the inside. I also scored each piece at one inch from the left side to make it easier to open the folio once it's bound.

Fold each piece of scored cardstock and add adhesive only on the very top and very bottom edges of the folds to create a pocket. I used the GlueArts Glue Glider Pro, my favorite tape runner, to assure a strong bond.

Next, I used rub ons and some small paper bags to create extra pockets for the folio. Quick tip: I wanted to use several of the phrases in a cluster, so I cut them out together and applied them to the bag as a group. Much easier than trying to place them individually!

I punched a hole in the left side of the paper bag and threaded the binding string through it when I bound all the pages together.

I used May Arts Brown/Copper/Gold satin string (SY73) to bind the folio together. I punched two evenly spaced holes on the left side of each page, and then threaded the sating string through and tied in a double knot on the front.

Quick Tip: I wanted to add a button to the binding string, but it was too thick to go through the shank. So I just added a jump ring to the button shank, threaded the string through it and tied it in a knot to secure.

I jazzed up the cover and the inner pages with the stickers, rub ons, and FabRips (sticky back adhesive fabric strips) that are included in the Documentary collection. The Destinations title was made with the packaging from the rub ons and some letter stickers. I made the flower by punching out 9 circles (2 inch) from paper bags, stacking them together, stapling in the center, and then scrunching all the layers to form a blossom.

I can't wait to hit the road and stuff my new folio full of travel memories!

Two Butterflies Velvet Bracelet

2010-11-02T11:49:00.000-05:00

I received the sweetest email from Jennifer Brasher of Two Butterlies this morning! Jennifer made her own version of the Velvet Ribbon Slide Bracelet based on my tutorial. I was so excited to see Jennifer's creation! You can read the entire post on her blog, and see the other jewelry confections she makes using recycled vintage pieces. Thanks for sharing Jennifer!

May Arts Ribbon Pocket Mood Board Tutorial

2010-10-29T15:10:00.000-05:00

Like a bird feathering its nest, I gather bits and pieces of shiny objects for my artwork wherever I go. It's easy to forget what I've collected along the way, so a mood board is the perfect way to gather items for visual inspiration. A mood board can be based around a theme, a color scheme, a project, or whatever makes your creative juices flow. I created this quick and easy mood board to stash some of my favorite bird, nest, and egg elements. You can read the full tutorial on the May Arts Blog, or click here for a printable PDF of the entire project. Have fun creating your own mood board!

Friday Findings: Inspired Ideas Magazine

2010-10-29T08:13:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed the colorful magazine image fluttering its pages on the left side of my blog. If you clicked on the picture, you will have discovered my latest Friday Finding: Inspired Ideas Magazine. The magazine is a quirky, whimsical, and fun compilation of ideas gathered by Amy Powers of inspire co. Amy's charming blog has been a favorite of mine for many years, and her bright and cheerful perspective always make me smile. So I was thrilled to find her new monthly online magazine chock full of wonderful inspiration! Fabulous projects like rick rack flowers, decorated sugar cubes, embroidered blocks, and a cigar box theater make it hard to believe this publication is free! But it is, and you can read it all for yourself by clicking here or on the fluttering magazine in the sidebar. Enjoy!

Vagabond Vintage

2010-10-28T13:05:00.001-05:00

My booth at the Owensboro Antique Mall has wandered up the aisle to a prime spot by the front desk! I had so much fun yesterday setting up the displays and unpacking forgotten treasures.

Here's a close up of that shabby pink coffee table! Love the handpainted roses!

Everytime I visit the booth, I have to resist taking this French Metal Bed home with me! It would be so sweet in a little girl's room or a cottage chic guest room. But my daughter prefers a modern style of decor, and my guest room is brimming over with my crafty chaos, so I'll have to let it journey to someone else's home.

A pink and green vanity to complete the ensemble.

Need some inspiration? Snag a copy of my favorite home decor magazine for just $2 per issue!

This side of the booth looks a bit empty. Hmm...time to hit the road and find some more vintage treasures to share!

For the Love of Pink

2010-10-25T12:49:00.000-05:00

I love pink! If someone asks me to name my favorite color, pink is invariably the answer. Robin's Egg Blue runs a very close second, but pink reigns supreme!

What prompted this ode to pink? It's this adorable little pink fridge I found on my latest foray to the Springfield Antique Barn!

Here's the so-cute-I can-hardly-stand-it interior of the fridge.

I collect pink buttons.

Pink clocks.

Pink Bowls

I love my kitschy pink ice bucket

And I dream of owning a pink typewriter just like this one.

Pink is the color of the sky in my world!

Friday Findings: Creme Coffee House

2010-10-22T11:32:00.003-05:00

Today's finding is a local gem: the Creme Coffee House in Owensboro KY.

I discovered it by accident when I was googling tea shops in the area. Of course I had to investigate it because I love coffee as much as I love tea, and that's a lot!

The coffee is magically delicious (to steal my daughter's favorite phrase for something yummy!) I slurped down a mocha chiller the first time I stopped in, and on subsequent visits I've had various scrumptious hot drinks festooned with "whip" a thick, creamy, addicting cool whip-like topping. I always ask for extra topping!

The coffee is wonderful, but I'm equally smitten by the funky, colorful interior of the shop!

Love the curvy vintage sofa, the artwork, and especially the walls with exposed brick and layers of plaster.

A fabulous fireplace and chandlier!

The menu includes sandwiches, decadent cookies, cakes, and muffins, and other treats. One item I can't wait to try is frozen hot chocolate a la the famed Serendipity 3 in New York City. Next time I visit Creme, I'll be sure to order one, with extra whip of course!

Friday Findings

2010-10-15T22:18:00.004-05:00

The word findings has lots of intriguing connotations. Findings are discoveries, treasures unearthed in the hidden nooks and crannies of antique shops or junk stores. Findings are the bits and pieces used to create jewelry, or the tools and materials used by artisans. Findings are the unexpected sources of inspiration revealed in a glossy magazine, glimpsed in nature, or posted on a blog stumbled upon by chance. These serendipitous tidbits bring even more delight when shared, so fridays are now Friday Findings Day on Serendipity Vintage Studio! I'm so excited to share with you my favorite discoveries of all sorts.
Today I want to feature juNxtaposition, the creative venture of artist Jeanne Cherry. I discovered her booth at the Country Living Fair in Columbus, OH and immediately fell in love with her artful vintage jewelry.

The booth was filled with delighted shoppers (including me!) oohing and aahing over the fabulous wares.

You can get a close up view of these bubble necklaces on the juNxtaposition website. And don't miss the rings, pendants, and bracelets made from typewriter keys. So adorable!

Hope you enjoyed the first installment of Friday Findings! Tune in next friday for more fabulous discoveries!

Country Living Fair 2010

2010-10-06T21:52:00.002-05:00

We rounded out our Columbus Ohio adventure with a trip to the Country Living Fair 2010. All I can say is WOW! The vendor booths were amazing! I am just astounded by the creative products and displays that we saw!

But for me the highlight of the fair was meeting author Amy Barickman, and having her sign my copy of her new book Vintage Notions.

Amy presented her book at the gorgeous Olive Grace Studios booth.

I was immediately smitten with their colorful displays!

A rainbow of thread in a vintage suitcase!

And especially this tattered chic dress form!

Amy was so friendly and sweet! I can't wait to snuggle down with a cup of hot tea and read every word of her charming new book!

European Papers

2010-09-30T21:09:00.000-05:00

This is the exterior of European Papers, the shop that hosted our soldering class.

If you're ever in Columbus, you'll definitely want to visit this lovely little gallery and shop located in a historic carriage house in the downtown area.

The Gallery features gorgeous mixed media art collections.

The shop is packed to the rafters with artsy goodness.

Artist Trading Card Supplies

Beautiful Handmade Papers

Bookbinding Supplies

Fabulous Findings

Unusual Collage Materials

(Randy was especially taken with these tiny cards! But unlike me, he was able to admire them from afar and leave them in the store!)

He did purchase this awesome bookbinding kit for me though! I can't wait to use it!

Dreaming of Paris

2010-09-29T07:21:00.002-05:00

A weekend in Paris...that's how we celebrated our 28th anniversary last weekend. Okay, not really. But we did spend a wonderful weekend in Columbus, OH learning how to create these dreamy soldered shadow box pendants! Randy and I both love soldering, so when I found about this class at European Papers, we decided to make the class and a weekend excursion to the fair city of Columbus our gift to each other. This is the second workshop we've taken from the amazing instructor Paula Hardesty, and it was worth the trip!

Here's Randy laughing it up with our classmates. He's usually the only guy at these events, but he loves it!

And here we are together! Do we look a little alike after 28 years? Only my hairdresser knows what's under that all that hair color!

Here's my shadow box pendant filled with vintage glass glitter and one of my favorite icons: the Eifell Tower. And it's pink! What more do you need?

This is Randy's shadow box. He had to get fancy and add the decorative dots! But I chose the image of course! How else do you think we've stayed married all these years? Our actual anniversary is Thursday, September 30th, but I just want to say happy anniversary to my sweet husband and thanks to him for being my best friend!

Published!

2010-09-28T06:40:00.001-05:00

It's long been my dream to have an article published in a magazine, so I was absoluely thrilled when Artella contacted me to request permission to reprint my Tattered Lampshade Collage tutorial!

The article can be found on pages 72-75 of of the September 2010 Art Journal Journey online magazine, issue #22. The magazine contains 72 lush pages filled with ideas, inspiration, book reviews and other resources for creative art journals and will be available for purchase individually for $7.00 or as part of a subscription. Artella gave me permission to share the article on my blog, so here's a PDF for you to view! Thanks Artella!

May Arts DT Project: Velvet Ribbon Jewelry!

2010-09-25T07:44:00.000-05:00

My first post as an official design team member is on the May Arts blog today! I took the jumble of elements above, added in some gorgeous May Arts velvet ribbon, and made vintage inspired jewelry with a modern twist. To see the full tutorial and lots of pictures just visit this post on the May Arts blog! Here's a little sneak peek of my Velvet Ribbon Slide Bracelet.

And a fun velvet choker with interchangeable adornments.

And here's this picture just cause I like the sparkly bling!

For a downloadable PDF of this tutorial click here or click the picture on the left sidebar under tutorials.