Sunday, January 8, 2012

Valentine's Day: Love Is All You Need Printables

I haven’t done too much creatively in the New Year but one thing I have enjoyed doing is playing around with my digital scrapbooking software, My Memories Suite.

So , I thought I’d make and share some Valentine’s printables. Here are four colors to choose from. Click to bring to full res; right click to “Save As”.

Would love to see if you use these!
Mocha
Love Mocha-001
Charcoal
Love Charcoal-001
Khaki
Love Khaki-001
Ruby
Love Ruby-001

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Thursday, January 5, 2012

BFF Open House Link Party #35 and BFF The Messy Roost!

Welcome to the 35th BFF Open House Link Party and the first one of 2012!

I’m looking forward to another fun year seeing what everyone’s up to and being creatively inspired by you all. I had some much fun meeting new bloggers in 2011 and am looking forward to making many new “BFFs” in 2012.

To start the year off right, let me introduce you to the first Blog Feature Friday guest of 2012, Rhonda from The Messy Roost!

I love how she describes her blog so I’ll let her do it:
I believe people are born organized. I, however, was not. Please join me in my quest to turn my Messy Roost into a Tidy Coop.
Rhonda has shared some great projects at previous parties. Here are just a few of her creations. You can get a jump start on Christmas cookie gifts / exchanges by saving cans throughout the year and then dressing them up like Rhonda did:
I’d be thrilled just getting an empty can!

I love this Christmas tree idea she did and it’s all from hole punched holes! I could see doing this idea in other shapes and on cards etc.
Beyond Christmas, I just can’t get enough of topiaries and Rhonda has a wonderful tutorial for how she made these:

And I love how she did this coffee filter wreath and mounted it on a board:

I really don’t believe her roost is messy at all! I hope you’ll go by and visit and say hi to Rhonda!


Now, let’s see what everyone’s been up to in the new year. Just a few rules. Not too many! If you made it , link it. Please no advertising or promotions. And please link to your specific post page. That’s it. Well besides going and visiting other party goers but that goes w/out saying! Party On!



Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Restoration HW Inspired Mantle Clock Project

I’m definitely going through a timepiece phase right now. Everywhere I look I see clocks and clock ideas. I am in absolute LOVE with the oversized railway station and vintage clocks at places like Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn. I’m not in love with the prices.

$995 and $1545 um NO!

Still I like the look so I got one of those ideas that you aren’t really sure how or where you’re going to end up?
Mantle Railway Clock

Come with me on my little journey!

Elmer's Foam Board

I started out with Elmer’s Foam Board and the lid to a cookie tin. Traced the cookie tin on the foam board, cut out a circle and them smooshed the circle inside the tin. You want a snug fit.

Railway Clock 1

That little gouge doesn’t matter because I cut another circle from some textured cardstock which I glued on top.

Clock Face with Resin

The clock face is black vinyl cut using the Tim Holtz Weathered Clock die. I put that on top of the cardstock layer and then mixed up some Envirotex Lite resin which is super easy to use but you need to use it immediately. You can read more about Envirotex here.

Painted the back and sides of the lid with black acrylic paint and painted a furniture leg I picked up at my favorite architectural salvage place for $1. I added a silver bottlecap and wooden ball to the top.
Envirotex Resin Clock

Once the resin was set ( several hours…not patient!), I glued the “clock” onto the “stand”. I added the hands of the clock afterwards on top of the hardened resin for no particular reason. Just did.

Railway Clock Face


Railway Clock Face (2)
It doesn’t tell time but I think it tells a story. I can look at it on my mantle and imagine I’m somewhere on a trip, waiting  in an old railway station on my way to sight see. My imagi-cation is about as close as I’m going to get right now!

I also got to play with my new portable / collapsible light box that Mr. C got me for Christmas! I think it will be a so much fun I won't even miss not going anywhere :)

PS...if you are trying to win a Silhouette Cameo, peek over at my sidebar.  Expressions Vinyl is giving one away!! GO . ENTER. NOW!  Ends 1/25.

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Tickled Pink at 504 Main

A Crafty Soiree 

Monday, January 2, 2012

Pottery Barn Inspired Prints Made Super Simple by The Graphics Fairy

This was the laziest project ever but it’s because The Graphics Fairy makes things so darned easy!

I was flipping through my latest Pottery Barn catalog looking for things to knock off ( it’s what we do right?!) and came across this page:
PB Inspiration
Mr. C is crazy for time pieces and I’m going though a clock phase myself as you could see from my New Year’s Eve party hats. I decided to continue that theme into the New Year and when I saw this display in the PB Catalog, knew I could adapt it. These will go on my mantle but we haven’t put away all of our holiday stuff yet.
PB Knockoff Clock Print
12x12 frame from Aaron Brothers Art and Frame which is a very dangerous place right now because they’re having their semi-annual $.01 sale. Buy one frame for regular price and get the second of equal or lesser value for a penny. It’s easy to go a little crazy. 

I used Basic Grey’s “Little Black Dress” collection for the background paper, and printed out the clock from The Graphics Fairy.

The Graphics Fairy also has this wonderful graphic with times from all around the world that I’ve been wanting to use:
And since I had another frame that I’d bought for $.01…..
Clocks Print
I have a couple of other clock projects in my head so I’ll post those (assuming they come out of my head and into reality the way I want them to!) soon.
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BFF Open House Link Party #34 Wrap Up and Features

Welcome 2012! I hope everyone had a safe and Happy New Year’s. Ours was a quiet evening at home trying hard to stay awake until the countdown but we did it!

The last BFF Open House of 2011 was, as always, a fun one with lots of creativity shared. Here are just a few highlights:

New Year’s may be over but there’s always a need for creative party ideas. Homespun With Love shared these great New Year’s horns that could easily be adapted to birthday parties or other celebrations in 2012:

I’ve seen some great tea staining ideas but Lynette from Casa de Luna offers a new twist by tea staining lampshades for a fantastic chandy makeover.

This is the time of year where my thoughts ( THOUGHTS not always actions!) turn to organizing.
Donna at loopyloopcreations has a bright and simple idea that makes storage pretty and practical.

And finally, Katie from Creatively Living, shows how to take two wall sconces and turn them into one piece of fabulous:
You really have to see how this started out!

Thanks as always to everyone who linked up and look forward to seeing your creativity at this week’s BFF Open House.

PS The winner of the My Memories Suite digital software is :

Marilyn from The Artsy Girl Connection! 

Saturday, December 31, 2011

My Word For 2012: FOCUS

Starting last year, I decided that rather than make a list of resolutions, I’d have a word that would be my theme for the year and I’d try to apply it to all the things I wanted to do.

For 2011  it was “DISCOVER" and I think it worked well. It was a year of lots of new things…son’s graduation from HS and starting college ( and discovering how to let go!) ; changing jobs ( discovering new skills); all kinds of blogging discoveries like new bloggy friends, ideas,technical how-tos etc. You get the idea.
I decided I’d stick with this idea for 2012 and pick a new word.

2012’s word for me is FOCUS:
2012-002
This word just fit into all the things I keep thinking about for the year ahead. I want to FOCUS  on me. Not in a selfish way, but in a healthy way. Taking better care of my physical and mental health. Ensuring that I’m in good shape so I can be there for those I love.

I made this printable to frame and hang outside my office door as a daily reminder.

I also want to FOCUS on things I want to do in blogging. Continue to grow but stay authentic. FOCUS on why I started blogging and have it be part of my creativity but not dictate my creativity. FOCUS on expanding realationships while maintaining the ones I already value and treasure.

You know I can't resist an opportunity to make a pun so I also want to FOCUS on taking better pictures. I'm excited to play with a portable light box I got for Christmas!!

FOCUS on the US in my relationship with hubs. We celebrated our 20th Anniversary this year and yet it seems like just yesterday that we got married. We’re still adjusting to this whole empty nest thing but as hard as it was to adjust to our son being gone for long chunks of time, we re-DISCOVERED what it’s like to be a couple again, just the two of us. In 2012 I want to FOCUS on that some more in 2012. Love you so much Mr. C.

I want to FOCUS on the things that are really important and not dwell on the things that aren't. That's something I know I need to work on...just a little OCD sometimes!

So you get the picture. This just clicked for me as a word that encompassed everything. Do you have a word that describes what you want from 2012?


Thursday, December 29, 2011

BFF Open House Link Party #34: New Year's Eve Edition




I'm late to my own party! Welcome to the "I can't believe it's the last BFF Open House of 2011" link party! I want to kick off the party by expressing my gratitude and appreciation to everyone who has chosen to be a regular part of The Answer Is Chocolate. Blogging has been such a wonderful experience for me in 2011,  and it's because of the friendship, support, humor, creativity, generosity and talents of brilliant talented bloggers. You all enrich my life beyond measure and I can't wait to see what 2012 brings. 

Now, let's see what everyone's been up to. I've seen some wonderful New Year's Eve ideas that even an NYE Grinch like me can love, and I'm starting to get excited about the clean look that usually comes to my house after the holidays ( not the putting away of the decorations part!). If you made it, link it and no advertising or shops please. And what better time to make a new friend than the start of a New Year so won't you go and visit at least one other person? Party On!




PS Don't forget I have a giveaway going for My Memories Suite digital SW...seriously it's FREE and it's fun program to play around with.