Friday, February 8, 2013

Key To My Heart Wall Art

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Key To My Heart Valentine's

I love it when a plan you didn’t have comes together! But first...if you're looking for the BFF Open House link party, it's still going on right here . Great ideas to check out and link up your own.

So. I had this big antique metal key in my stash and wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it and then I was going through my stamp stash and ba-da-bing.

Key To My Heart Tag

The stamp has the sentiment that brought everything together but more on that later.

I had this fantastic black and white glass heart in my Blue Moon Beads design team materials. LOVED it from moment I saw it but wanted to save it for just the right thing.

Blue Moon Beads Antique Gold

I pulled it out along with some antique gold chain, findings, and this metal tassel pendant. All by Blue Moon.

Blue Moon Metal Tassle

I attached pieces of a toggle clasp from the findings package to two lengths of chain and glued them to the back of my key.

Blue Mean Antique Gold Chain

Metal Key Blue Moon Chain

While that was setting, I worked on my focal point. Using the glass heart, metal pendant, another key from my stash, some ribbons and an antique book ring ( 7 Gypsies) I just kind of played around until I liked the result. This involved more findings from the same package.

Blue Moon Glass Heart

Key To My Heart Focal

I tied my focal to the book ring and then the book ring to the chain and finished up with some strips of leftover drop cloth. And now we’re back to the tag using the stamp that started it all.

Key To My Heart Tag

Small manila tag, dusted and swiped with Distress Ink ( antique linen) with a scrap of leftover paper and a piece of washi tape. I  debated about saving this to give Mr. C. for Valentine’s Day but decided I wanted to look at it now. It’s hanging in our bedroom where we both can see it. From the moment I got this key he’s claimed it as his. Well who knew he was right? ‘Cause he does hold the key to my heart.

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Thursday, February 7, 2013

BFF Open House Link Party #91

Is it Friday eve again already? Indeed it is. Is it also one week from national chocoholic's day I mean Valentine's Day? Indeed that too. Yikes. Let's get right to it and see what everyone's been up to this week.





Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Valentine's Photo Props and Treats

Photo Booth Tin

I knew I wanted to send College Boy some goodies for Valentine’s Day and when I saw these lips and mustache photo props by Amy at Living Locurto , I knew exactly what to do. 

I started by downloading the files for the photo props here. Then cut them out and adhered them to  bamboo skewers. These were great but I thought they needed a holder.

Repurposed Tea Tin

I grabbed an empty tea tin and covered it with scrapbook paper and coordinating washi tape.

Covered Tea Tin

I had some film strip rub-ons in my stash so I applied those and then used up some alphabet stickers I had on hand to spell out “Photo Props”

Photo Props Holder

Finished it up with some metal self adhesive brads.

Lips and Mustache Photo Props

I figured he and his friends could have some fun posing for silly pictures. This is exactly the kind of thing he and his friens like to do and they mostly hang out as a group. But that was only part of the treats for the goodie box .

Mustache Valentine Treats

I picked up some chevron print paper bags and had some heart themed washi tape from when I couldn’t resist a “buy all” option at Pick Your Plum when they had washi tape on special.  In keeping with the mustache theme, I made an image in PicMonkey that I sized to 2.5 x 2.5 and put on each of the bags.

I Mustache You To

If you don’t get my brand of humor, it translates to : “I mustache you to”.... Feel free to use if you like.

Of course the bags are filled with assorted chocolate hearts, Reeses, Nestle Crunch, Butterfinger ( I didn’t even eat any!) Laffy Taffy, and some Valentine’s themed temporary tattoos.

Mustache Valentine Treats

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Monday, February 4, 2013

Valentine's Decor: Easy Vinyl Embellished Charger

Love You and Me

Still in stash busting mode and sharing a project I made last month for the Expressions Vinyl blog.  After Christmas 2011 (yes, that’s right 2011) I picked up a couple of vinyl chargers for next to nothing on clearance at Michaels. I thought I might use them this Christmas. Didn’t. But I did use one to make a quick Valentine’s project.

 I downloaded a few Valentine’s themed images and phrases from the Silhouette online store. I have had my Cameo for a year now and am still learning everything you can do with it. For this project I used the group function to well, group, all the images I used together enabling me to then re-size one thing vs multiple.

Grouping Instructions

It’s the same principle as any graphics or digital scrapbooking software. I positioned and sized each image individually then did “Edit, Select All” and then “Object, Group” from the menu in the Silhouette software.
I sometimes use transfer paper and sometimes don’t. This time I did because I was trying to make sure it was centered. I cut my grouped image using a brushed metallic silver vinyl ( Expressions ) and even added the little center heart cutout.

Love You and Me Closeup

I don’t do a lot of decorating for Valentine’s but this was a quick and easy way to add a little.

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BFF Open House Link Party #90 Wrap Up and Features

Thanks everyone for linking up to Friday's Open House. Since Mr. Groundhog says we're in for an early Spring, I guess that makes me feel less anxious about seeing Easter stuff in the stores before Valentine's Day. OK a little.

So let's see a few of the great ideas that were shared shall we?


I love, love, LOVE , altered bottles and this one from Artsy VaVa doesn't disappoint. Buzz on over to see how she did it. 

And what would go great with this? These adorable treat boxes from Sarah at Alderberry Hill for one. 

Valentine Treat Box 6 thumb Valentine Treat Boxes

If you're looking for a candy alternative to Valentine's treats, then check out this idea from Tasya from My House and Home:


But if you are looking to share some sweet love for Valentine's day, you'll want to check out this week's chocolate feature from Jessica at My World Made by Hand


Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie Bites! Oh yeah. 

Thanks again for choosing to make The Answer Is Chocolate part of your weekly party stop. Make it a creative week and hope to see everyone again on Friday. 



Thursday, January 31, 2013

BFF Open House Link Party #90

Happy Friday Eve everyone and welcome to this week's BFF Open House. Before we get started, the winner of the Elite Blog Design giveaway sponsored by Kelly of Kelly's Avenue Designs is : Tiffany!

Tiffany, I've emailed you directly and let Kelly know. Now let's party:






The Answer Is Chocolate


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Bejeweled and Altered Mini Composition Book



This is one of those projects that was born of necessity. Just because something has a practical use, doesn't mean it can't be pretty right? 

On the personal side, I am supposed to be watching my blood pressure. Haven't been the best at that and with the New Year, I'm trying to be more diligent. I'm sure there's a whiz bang iPhone app that I could use but sometimes you just need to go old school. So I altered a mini comp book to keep right next to my sphygmometer er, blood pressure thingy. It's 4.5 by 3.25 so I can easily drop it in my handbag when I go show my doctor how diligent I've been.  



I pulled a sheet of paper from my stash, traced around my book, cut, glued on w/ Mod Podge .



Of course that wasn't nearly enough stuff. I chose this great wood and metal pendant by Blue Moon Beads as my journal's focal point. Its flowery design went well with the paper: 



Glued it to the center of one of  flower on the front and then added coordinating black and white washi tape from my stash. As a closure for my journal. I slapped some of the washi tape onto a binder clip. See? Practical and pretty! 






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