Sunflower Card in Orange and Green

One of the reasons I like making cards so much is because they’re a  way to show someone you’re thinking about them. I feel like I can send some of myself along with the card and hopefully the recipient feels that.

We have a family friend who’s going through some health issues so I thought this card might brighten her day. I started with a Magenta brand Sunflower stamp which I stamped on white cardstock using black pigment ink.

I filled in the flowers with colored pencils and then went over lightly with a complementary alcohol ink pen. I used Spectrum Noir alcohol ink pens.

I chose an orange damask print paper and a green script paper, (both Recollections from Michaels) and covered the front of my 5x7 card as shown. I guess tearing paper is my “signature” card style.  Mounted my sunflower panel to scraps of the same papers, and finished with pieces of self adhesive scrapbook borders, coordinating ribbon, and a piece of washi tape.

Since I hate wasting pretty paper, I usually add some of it to the envelope. No reason the envelope can’t look nice too right?

The Unintended Urban Warrior Trilogy: Chain and Pearl Bracelet

OK so what became part deux of my metal and pearl “industrial chic” Urban Warrior necklace has now become a trilogy! Part 1 is here. Part deux is here .

I still had a lot of pierced ear wires left over so I made more eye pins out of them, strung pearls on them, and made double loop bead sections.

I connected these together with jump rings, making a bracelet out of them and attaching to a Blue Moon Beads hammered metal toggle clasp.

I could have stopped there but I like chunky funky stuff so I added two strands of Blue Moon Bead chain and twisted them around the pearl strand. I had one metal pendant left from the previous two projects so I mad a focal from it and some of the pearl “drops”.

Attached this to the middle of the chain and then randomly attached some of the pearl loops to the chain with more jump rings  to fill out the bracelet.

Sharing At:

WHIPPERBERRY

Industrial Meets Pearls Part Deux : Urban Warrior Earrings

This is an unplanned part two to the necklace I shared on Friday using materials from Blue Moon Beads Urban Warrior line. But first a little share. As much as I love making jewelry, I hate self promotion. I know…”you have a blog where tons (hopefully) of strangers can see your work and you say you don’t like self promotion?”

I didn’t say I was without contradictions. Anyhoo….I’ve gotten better when receiving complements on pieces I’ve made and comfortably saying “Thank you, I made it”. Anyone else struggle w/ that? Fess up! I wore the necklace on Saturday and got several compliments and pulled up my big girl panties and said “Thank you, I made it”.

I already have some earrings that I can wear with it but I had some of the pieces left over and then spotted some large charms in my supplies that would make perfect earring pieces. I don’t have pierced ears and wear clips which are hard to find so I'm always looking at things for their possible use as earrings.

I grabbed some clip earring backs, the charms and my leftover pieces and went to work. First I straightened some more pierced ear wires to use as eyepins and added pearls to them.

They don’t have to be perfectly straight…just enough to thread a bead. Then I glued my earring backs to the charms. I generally use Loctite’s Gel Super Glue. Low odor good strength for small pieces.

The one on the right isn’t glued on yet…just laying there so you can get the idea. Important to make sure you line up the bottom of the backing with the hole in the bottom of your charm. I’m not speaking from experience of having super glued these on upside down before or anything.

I attached the leftover dangly things to my pearl “eyepins” with a jump ring and added a couple of leftover connector pieces. Used another jump ring to attach these to my earring base.

I love that this hammered metal looks heavy but is very light.

Sharing At: 

BFF Open House Link Party #92 Wrap Up and Features

Thanks to everyone who linked up at Friday’s BFF Open House. Each week is a visual and creative feast! Let’s get right to some of the items that caught my eye.

I am in total love with this grey and yellow paisley chair makeover from 24 Cottonwood Lane. So bright and fresh don’t you think?

This stenciled pallet clock from Bev at Flamingo Toes would go really well with it:

Even though Valentine’s Day has come and gone, love is eternal. Check out this adorable Love Bird themed art piece from Bethany at Pitter and Glink:

And this week’s chocolate feature is just the right size for two love birds to share:

YUM. Chocolate cream cheese “baby” cake from Erika, The Hopeless Housewife.
Again, thanks to everyone who linked up and hope to see you all back again “Friday Eve” . Make it a creative week!

Blue Moon Beads Urban Warrior Chain and Pearl Necklace

Blue Moon Beads has a line that was made just for me! It’s called “Urban Warrior” and while I’m a suburbanite and definitely not warrior like, the pieces this line includes are 100% me. Bold metals in antiqued gold, silver, and copper. Chunky chains and funky elements. Very Industrial Chic. Just stole my heart. I’m sharing my latest design team project made using this line.

These are some of the supplies I used. You can find the Urban Warrior line and other BMB supplies at JoAnn's.

I don’t have pierced ears but when I looked at the ear wires I decided I could easily straighten them out and use them as eye pins. So I did. As much in love as I am with the metal pieces, I used light bronze glass pearls to contrast the industrial look with a completely opposite effect.

I used my straightened ear wires turned eye pins to string the pearls, and attached gold and metal pendant pieces  to heavy gold chain with silver jump rings.

I attached the chain to a multi strand waxed cotton thread necklace with large connector rings.

PS This week's BFF Open House link party is still going strong here

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BFF Open House Link Party #92: Happy Heart Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope your day has been filled with love and of course chocolate! Any chocolate ( or other favorite treat) calories consumed today of course don't count.

Seems like we were just here for a party doesn't it? I know I've seen some amazing projects out there in the blogosphere this week so hopefully many of them will get linked up here for all to see. Let's get to it shall we?

Love and Chocolate Chalkboard Printable

First, did you know that Michele at The Scrap Shoppe is a mind reader?! She must be because just as I went to look for a red chalkboard background, up she popped in my reader offering not only red, by 7 other colors of chalkboard backgrounds on her blog FREE for you and me to download. She had to have read my mind.  Thank you Michele.

I like to think that Charles Schultz wrote this just for me but I’m not that vain. Still, it is one of my faves. 

So in preparation for International Chocoholics Day , er I mean Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d make a printable to share. Click to bring to full resolution (it's sized to 8x10) then right click to save as. 

You should also check out Michele’s collection of chalkboard fonts!

Happy Heart Day!