Digital Valentines Go Hybrid

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY….

Back when I was feeling low and in bed, I went nuts playing with Photoshop creating digital Valentines.  Those little cards didn't just stay in my computer…oh no, they came out…

Add some embellishments….

and all of these…..

Became …

 I didn't get close ups but I added a small amount of glitter to the cards and ran it through my sewing machine to connect them.  I hung it all with another garland like the one on my mantle.   

I made these crayon-and-waxed paper hearts probably 15 years ago.  I simply store them in an envelope. They are such a pain to make- at least I found grating the crayons really difficult.  The directions for these were in Martha Stewart Magazine all those years ago- I see Martha's floating around Pinterest a lot.  These are hanging in the doorway between rooms.

Laters...

Valentine Lollies

Remember the fun prize ribbons I glued on to pink seam binding to make the coolest garland of my life?  Since I couldn't stop making those darned things I had a few left over so I turned them into lollies.  Relax, it is easy- just hot glue wooden skewers on the back.  I actually forgot I had them and then couldn't figure out what to do with them- the vase I wanted to put them in looked ridiculous.  While partaking in some MUCH needed grocery shopping today I came up my answers….Brach's Ice Cream Conversation Hearts.  They are exactly my CRAZY-PINK-&-PEACH-VALENTINE COLORS.  Seriously.  I grabbed 4 bags, poured them into two el cheapo vases ($1 store) that I always seem to find a use for.  Super cute.  If you chose to accept this assignment, I must WARN you…they smell H.I.D.I.O.U.S.  Like super gross…like don't buy these if you actually plan to eat them.

Laters….

Valentine Garland and More

Today the sun was shining in all it's glory.  That means I was able to get some pictures of my Valentine decorations on my mantle.  The overall decorating scheme is still a work in progress- yes, I am aware Valentine's day is next Tuesday- but I wanted to share the CAUSE of my happy dance.

****PHOTOS WERE REMOVED FROM THIS POST FOR PUBLICATION.****
I took a ton of pictures…of each little prize ribbon…indulge me please….Happy Dance…..

The prize ribbons were made using Tim Holtz Alterations Paper Rosette and Mini Paper Rosette Sizzlit dies and paper from Kiss Me Printable Background Papers  by Rhonna Farrer and My Mind's Eye Lost and Found.  The "ribbon" streamer were hand cut from the same papers as well as vintage lace and the flags from Kiss ME Printables. The ribbons were decorated with ribbons, lace, book paper, rhinestones, glitter, and pearls.  As you probably have noted, I own a used a lot of the Kiss Me products.  I bought them in the bundle available here.

Gilded Stash Box

Originally, I planned to do the pink/red/white color scheme as I always do, but Rhonna threw a wrench in that plan by releasing Kiss Me in a peachy color.  After consideration, and because she taught me how to change the color scheme of .png and jpeg files) I decided to stay pink and changed every single element in the bundle to pink.  Then I dutifully printed everything out.  Thankfully, I saved the pink color schemes with it's peach counterpart because my decision would be soon tested again.  You see,  I received my monthly box from The Gilded Girls Stash Society and it was full of these peach items including some amazing tulle (hard to see but is in the top center of the picture), mesh ribbon and pompon trim.  Seriously?  The universe was conspiring against me and my pink.  Ok, Ok, I will go peach because I knew I HAD to use the peach tulle and probably the ribbon and trim.  I printed

Gilded Valentine Project

everything out in peach.  THEN I was thrown a curve ball AGAIN as I learned that Christy Tomlinson and those Gilded Girls (Shea and her mom Debbie) are teaching A Gilded Valentine (for more info or to sign up here) which is free to those of us in the Stash Society.  There will be three projects- you can see them here- one of them is this stunning heart…which means I better save all my supplies from the box.

Coffee Filter Flowers

All this back-and-forth brought me to a big decision:  to use it all.. yes indeed…to go with BOTH pink AND peach.  I think it looks great.
I loved the coffee-filter flowers with glitter I made at Christmas and had great dreams of them in 3 tones of pink for Valentines.  Then I had the great idea to flock them all.  Yeah…. problem?  The flocking is a pain to apply- it does't shake or sprinkle from the jar.  It comes out in big chunks meaning you have to take small amounts and rub them between your fingers, gently sprinkling it over the item.   This takes a lot of time especially to flock an item with as many edges as the flowers.  But the biggest problem it the flocking is so sheer that it would take layers…many many layers if I wanted to actually SEE the effect.  That is far too too much work for a holiday decoration that won't store well.  So I went with my friend Glitter.  Have you met her?  I'm in love…..

I used white, pink, and the darker one is actually an orange that closely matches the peach- a darker peach…it might be too dark…I'm not sure.. I don't love it…It defiantly didn't make me do the happy dance.   In the end I must say that I loved the silver glitter/tan filters at Christmas…I love the white filters/white glitter here.  The others….meh.  They may come down.

I made a second garland from the peach and pink Kiss Me papers using images cut using my Vagabond and Tim Holtz Alterations Mini Hearts, Tattered Florals, Mini Love Struck and Mini Tattered Florals as well as some music paper hearts from a Martha Stewart Punch.  That garland was draped along with the string of clear beaded lights and a pink-mylar heart garland I bought from Target a few years ago.

The image with the two birds is part of Rhonna's Kiss ME and I just love it.  I added sweet little blossoms made from gathering seam binding and adding a flat-back pearl center, glitter, ribbon and pearls.

 This is my final Valentine bottle.  I used one of the rosettes, an old lace label, and a tiny heart.   I wrapped the neck with small faux pearls.



More to come….

Laters…..