Get Ready for Valentine's Day!

Here's an adorable vintage inspired collage card I just listed on Etsy. It measures 5" x 7" and is mounted on heavy off white cardstock. The phote is a computer generated copy of a vintage postcard. The front of the card is embellished with scrapbook paper, ribbon, brads, and a die cut. The inside is lined with blank parchment paper.

A Different Type of Origami

I've seen these wonderful towel sculptures while visiting first class hotels on the Travel Channel! But this is the first I've ever seen directions for them! Just may have to try them when I get the chance.

Postcards

Enjoy these vintage images that I found as postcards at a local flea market. I picked up 15 different postcards which are themselves copyrighted 1990. What a great look into the past! I already have plans for them in some upcoming projects. Stay tuned....

Bee Happy!

I just wanted to share with you a very simple journal I just finished. I covered chipboard with scrapbook paper for the front and back covers and used an off white paper for the pages. The bees are diecuts from O Scrap, and I stamped the quote on plain cardstock, then mounted it on textured cardstock. The binding was done with my new favorite tool - the Zutter Bind-it-All. I'm very pleased with the result and I'll be doing lots more because it was a quick and easy project.

Thrift Store FINDings

Sometimes you just get lucky. Here is just a sample of the bag of jewelry pieces I recently found at my favorite thrift store. They are all vintage pieces of pins and earrings. The great thing is that the backs have already been removed so I don't have to struggle with removing unwanted clips, pins, etc.

I've already been playing.. Here's a couple of magnets I made from 1 1/2" earrings. The vintage images are enclosed in a rollabind disk and sealed with Diamond glaze. The added rhinestone finish them off nicely. I'm very happy with the way they turned out...

Love That Handmade Paper!

About three years ago I dabbled in making paper from old sewing patterns. It turned out ok, but I knew I could do better if I ever got around to making it again. Well, I was shopping at Michael's a few weeks ago and they were having a clearance sale on all Arnold Grummer's paper making supplies. I couldn't believe the sale prices on the $49 and $69 kits - only $10! Especially since I had just purchase one two weeks prior with a 40% off coupon! I snatched up 2 more of both kits, mainly because if I purchased some of the supplies included, it would cost me more than buying the whole kit! So I've been making paper from my leftover scraps and junk mail, and loving it! So far it's been pretty basic, but soon I'm going to start adding botanicals and embossing. Making paper is easy and fun, and it's always a suprise as to how it turns out. So far I've been using it for journals and cards. Here are some of the results...

The dark background on this card is a piece of my original sewing pattern paper. I stamped the fern on a light green sheet, added a dried fern leaf, and mounted everything on a card made of white paper.

And finally, inside a journal...

Recycled Playing Cards

One of my latest finds in my thrift store excursions was a deck of Coca-Cola playing cards, used but still in perfect condition. I put them to good use by repurposing them into cute retro notepads. This first example is meant to be used as a keyring - never be without paper in your purse again! There are also lots of other uses. Hang it by your phone with phone numbers..... Or on the kid's backpack.... Or anywhere you need information fast. I have one hanging on my desk with my website passwords!


The next is a notepad bound with Rollabind disks. A perfect little pad to carry with you anywhere. The nice thing about both these items is more paper can be added at any time. Never discard the covers - only the used paper sheets inside!



For more information on making recycled notepads, visit my Squido lens, Re-Creative Crafting.

Recycled Calendars

Yearly calendars, given away free as advertising, are filled with beautiful images and photos. I've been saving mine for years, but have never really done anything with them. Well, I've finally gotten around to using them for envelopes and matching cards. Here's what I came up with.

For the envelope, I used a template from Green Sneakers, but you can easily make your own template by unfolding an envelope, tracing, and cutting it out from cardboard or plastic sheets. I mounted the photo page on a white paper sheet prior to cutting, as it was slightly smaller than the template. The extra lining also makes the envelope a little stronger if you are sending it throught the mail. The resulting white border on the envelope came out great. Since I had leftovers from the calendar page, I used the same picture to create a matching card. Don't worry about writing an address, just use a white label stuck on the front.

I tried using Lick and Stick glue for the flap, but it didn't stick to the glossy paper. So I'm using clear 1" stickies that I made from a clear plastic sheet and my Xyron.

I love the look of these envelopes and cards. They're fast, easy, and best of all - FUN!

Happy Mother's Day

Recycled Computer Disks

I've finally figured out what to do with those obsolete 3 1/2" floppies. They make great little desk calendars. I printed a year's worth of calendars on cardstock and used two metal eyelets to hold them between two disks. The calendars can be used freestanding on a desktop or closed like a book. This is just a basic calendar, but you could stamp images or decorate the pages in any way you'd like. And it's a great way to make use of something that would just be thrown out.

Recycled Postcard Notepad

Just though I'd share with you another of my recycled items. The cover of this notepad is made from a recycled postcard mounted on chipboard. I used 24lb 50% recycled paper for the pages.

Altered Postcard Notepad

A while back I was working on altered vintage postcards. I was toying with the idea of making some mini notebooks or journals when it dawned on me I still had a bunch of my postcards. Why not use them for the covers of my journals? Well, here's the result:

The cover is from a computer generated copy of my original altered postcard. It is laminated for protection and mounted on chipboard. The back cover is also chipboard. The binding eyelets allow the book to be folded back on itself for easy writing. The notebook measures approximately 3 1/2" X 5 1/2" and contains 35 pages of parchment paper. I'm really pleased with the way this came out and will surely be using some more of my previous projects for more journals.

A Card for You

Re-Use, Re-Cycle, Re-Purpose

Everywhere I go these days I am looking at things in a new perspective. I'm trying to see things not as they are, but as they could be. I'm transforming vintage buttons into pendants. I'm creating magnets from game pieces and vintage findings. I'm saving junk. I'm looking for odd hardware and breaking thrift store china. Why? I want to save unique treasures from the past by crafting them into new usable items. My present project is vintage inspired magnets, using bottle caps, Rollabind disks, and any small piece of interesting recycled treasure. I'm also breaking up china to use in mosaics. And I have plans for old silverware, used Christmas cards, cups and saucers, and more! This mosaic tray is a work in progress made from a wooden thrift store purchased base and broken dinner plates. Once it's grouted and the wood is finished off with a sealer, it will make a great presentation tray.

If you'd like to see some of my newest magnets, read my post about them on All Vintage All the Time. I'd also love to hear about your recycled projects.

Happy St Patrick' s Day

Glazes

I've been experimenting with various types of sealers and protectants for my pendants and magnets. I love the look of resin, but I won't use it due to its toxicity and the precise measurements involved. Two products that I have used with acceptable results are UTEE and Diamond Glaze.


I love the shine of UTEE (Ultra thick embossing enamel) and it's quick hardening. Bubbles are easily removed and the resulting surface is very smooth and glass like. It can be reheated and melted again if you're not satisfied with the results. On the downside, it isn't very scratch resistant. There's also a product called UTEE Flex, a resin, which is supposed to be added to melted UTEE to give it more durability. Some of the pendants in which I used this product showed cracking if they were not gently handled. I don't know if this was due to excessive reheating, not enough flex added, or just a brittler product over time.




Diamond Glaze, takes 24 hours to set properly, and continues hardening for days. Tiny bubbles can be a problem if you're a perfectionist like me! Pendants sealed with this product became quite scratch resistant over time. It's not quite as clear as UTEE. They did not have a crystal clear glass like finish.

I tried using UTEE to set the picture in place with a nice glassy coating, then applied a thin layer of Diamond Glaze for it's hardness. I wasn't completely satisfied because of the few tiny bubbles I always ended up with in the Diamond Glaze layer. (I did say I was a perfectionist!) For the present time, I'm just sticking with the UTEE. Any one have any suggestions?

Senior Crafters - This is for You!

Just in case you're not aware of it - that 1950's profile pic of the cute little kid with the fashionable hat is really me! That being said, I'd like all you senior crafters to take a peak at my brand new blog, Years Don't Count. Writing this blog helps to keep me focused on what I have to do to stay young. Perhaps it will also inspire you to join me in my commitment of living life to the fullest in the next half-century.

New Blue Retro Housewife

I just love this card....

The inside is color coordinated....

I forgot how cool quikcutz letters look!

More Alice in Wonderland

Here's another bookmark in my Alice in Wonderland series. The vintage page quote and illustration is mounted on two layers of textured cardstock. The flying pig is rubber stamped and cut out, and the clock is computer generated. I've attached fiber and two beads to complete the piece. This is a favorite of mine - I just love the Walrus's philosophy - click on the photo to get a better read.

Alice Through the Looking Glass

These are the first two tags in my series of Alice in Wonderland bookmarks. Well, I originally made them as bookmarks, but I think they would also make wonderful tags for scrapbooking. I found a vintage book that was a MacMillan classic, in poor condition for almost nothing, and I'm using it to make these tags. The addition of some printed quotes and chalk ink complete the look. These are quick and fun and there will be lots more on the way.

Flickr Photostream

I've just joined FLICKR and would love to have you come and see my photostream. As I develop new cards I'll be adding them to my album, so please stop by often!

Organize Your Junk!

I am definately a saver. I hate to throw away anything that I might be able to use at a later time. This is especially true with all those great patterned papers I've accumulated. So I pulled out my punches and started using all those bits and pieces. It's so much easier to be inspired and create a project when you have your supplies all ready to go! So far I'm into squares, but I will progress on to circles and other shapes. You can pay a ridiculous amount of cash for pre-cut paper and cardstock, but with a few punches and all your scraps they won't cost you a thing. You just need to set aside some time and focus on making your own.

Hand made Vs. Store bought.

Which would you prefer?

Back to Business

It's been quite some time since I've made any new cards, and I think it's time to get back to business! Here's a new set of cards I just finished. They're all assembled on gold pearlescent cardstock and the greeting is stamped on vellum, then layered over the patterned retro scrapbook paper. While working on these cards, I decided I need some new retro punches or dies, so it looks like I'll be doing more shopping in the near future!