Thursday, August 19, 2010

Faye's Birthday Cake

Hello,
I had some extra flowers left so I decided to make Faye a birthday cake.



  For this cake, I created my own template.   Here is how.

13 - 2" x 11" score @ 4 1/4, 6 1/4, 10 1/2

Fold it like this.  I used paper clip because I didn't glue the piece together.


Then I placed the triangle on a piece of paper and traced around it.  Then I cut an extra inch on each side and an extra 1/2" on the bottom.  I used this as my template for the cake top and bottom.

Here is the side view of the cake.  I used 1/2 of the oval scallop for the outside icing. It fit perfectly.

Cake open at the top.

Thanks for looking.

Helen

This is my last post for August. I will return to posting again September 1st.

Thanks for stopping by.

Helen

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Cuttlebug quilling daisy

Hello,
I finally made time to play with the Cuttlebug quilling daisy that I got from the convention.

The kit contain all these pieces.

I cut out a bunch of the strips and made these.

Now I have to think of something to use them for.

Thanks for visiting.  Have a wonderful day.

Helen

Monday, August 16, 2010

My First Hand Embrodiery Card

Hello,
I finally made a card using one of the goodies that I bought from the convention a few weeks ago. I love flourish.  I can't never have enough of them.  Here is my first card.

After stitching the four corners, I didn't know what to do with the card and I didn't want to finish the card LATER so I quickly put this card together. The flower was from my stash that I made a while ago.  The flower vase from the ornament punch.  The rose stamp was from an old retired set called Hand Painted Petites (1999).  I bought it from ebay a long time ago but I had never use it.  I also noticed the wooden blocks.  The old wooden block from Stampin' Up! was painted/stained with a protected coat and the rubber that was used for the stamp was a lot nicer (quality) than the current rubber. Any way that was just my thought.


Have a wonderful day!


Helen

Friday, August 13, 2010

Congrate Quilling Card

Hello,
This card will be the last card that was related to the wedding invitations that I recently made.  
A few weeks ago when I was making the wedding invitations, Joan had asked me to go to her daughter bridal shower but I told her no.  She had asked a few more times after that and again I declined.  
Then last Friday,  Joan called and asked me was it possible to make her a special invitation to put in the new photo frame that she bought for her daughter bridal shower.  I told her "Sure, it was possible".  An hour later I called Joan back and told her that her special invitation was done.  Joan didn't question me.  Although, she thought that I was insane.  I took it as a compliment. :)
The new invitation that Joan asked for wasn't any special from the other.  It was just smaller 4" x 6".  Joan had asked for four 5" x 7" special invitations that looked like post cards. She was going to frame them so she didn't need the front of  the invitation.  Then she bought a smaller frame for her daughter.  The frame hold two  4 x 6 photos.  Joan thought it would be nice to have the invitation on one side of the frame and a wedding photo on the other side.  She cut one of the 5 x 7 invitations, of course that didn't fit in the 4 x 6 frame. Joan told me that it took her sometime to call me to make her that invitation. I just didn't understand why would she hesitated.  I told her I was glad she decided to call me to make her that smaller invitation.  The new invitation fit perfectly in the crystal photo frame and I forgot to take the picture.
Joan called me later Friday evening and told me that I HAD to go to the bridal shower.  She wanted to introduce me to a few of her good friends.  I couldn't declined her this time.  Joan was so excited. So I told her O.k I will go to the bridal shower.  I couldn't go empty handed.  I had to make her (the bride to be) something special. I didn't have time to make something elaborated. I was thinking of a mini album or a guest signing book but I didn't have time.  So I made her this card.  This card was inspired from a card that I saw on google.  If you google "quilling cards", you would fine tons and tons of beautiful quilling cards.


I didn't know Desirae well.  I met her once before this so I thought a congrats card would be appropriate.

Here is the inside.

I knew she was going to frame this card so I didn't elaborate the inside.  I like this short and sweet stamp from Whimsical Word (SAB).

It was my first time attending the bridal shower.  Joan was making sure I felt comfortable because I told her I didn't know any body at the shower but it turned out I knew a few people. I told Joan I had a good time and I was glad that she MADE me went.

Thank you for stopping by again.  Have a wonderful weekend!


Helen

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Kids Creations

Good Morning Everyone,
If you are my regular blog visitor, you knew I love 3 D. I have a few 3 D creations to share today.  However, I didn't make them.  My older son made them.  He printed them from PaperCraft.com.


He arranged this scene, the two police cars are chasing the two convertibles.
He loves airplanes, especially the fighter jets.


Space Shuttle, there were 7 astronauts but I didn't feel like arranging the other six.
My favorite is this fire truck.  The ladder could turn and it could also extended.  So cute!





Thanks for stopping by today. 


Helen

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Baroque Motifs Thank You Notes

Good Morning,


So glad to have you here today.  After making the wedding invitations and the bridal shower favors, Joan's friend from work, Kathy, thought it would be nice to have coordinated thank you notes for Desirae also.  Joan wanted something simple so I made these


I CAS this first card from Simplicity.

Then the rest of the cards came along smoothly.





I needed quick purses. I made these two purses to hold the cards.  CAS them from Creation by Patti.  I used 12 x 12 card stock and it was perfect! Each purse hold 10 cards and 10 envelops.  Joan didn't expect the purses so when she saw the purses she just loved them.



Thank you Joan and Desirae for allowing me to be part of your special day.  I absolutely enjoyed every moment of it.

Thanks for taking a peek!


Helen

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Sunshine Award & Summer Garden Share

Hello,
No craft today.  But I do have a few things to share.  I'd like to thanks Barbara at
Barbara's World of Whimcees for this Sunshine Award.



 Barbara is very creative and talented in many ways. I couldn't sew a straight line and Barbara sewed one doll after another.  And lately, Barbara added  written stories to her creations.  So creative!  Thank you again Barbara for sharing this award with me.

Next, I wanted to share my mother-in-law's  garden.  From late Spring to mid Fall, this is what my mother-in-law back yard looks like.

She grew two rows ( 25 feet long each row) of SUPER LONG string beans.


Each string beans grew up to over 24 inches long.  That was my kitchen floor tiles.  Each tiles measure 12" x 12" and that string bean was longer than two tiles.  I showed it to my neighbors and they suggested that I should send it to the Guiness World Book of record.  May be I should consider sending it.


Two rows (at least 15 feet) of bitter melons.

Here is a picture of the bitter melon fruit.  We cooked them when they were still green.  Yes, they were  bitter but we love them. I ate them both raw or cooked.


More vegetable, the empty spot was for different Greens.  Her favorite was Bok choy.

Two apple trees.  This one is my favorite.

There were more: different kinds of tomatoes and winter melon.  All Summer long and into Fall, they would just eat vegetables from their back yard.    Everything that she grew was organic.  Enviromentally friendly and amazingly healthy to have!

Thanks for taking a peak!

Helen

Monday, August 9, 2010

Pat's Birthday gift

Good Morning,


I loved the box that I made for Patti Lee so I made another one.  This one is in purple because my friend Pat's favorite color is purple.  This is for Pat's birthday.



I always made six petals flower because it is easier to do a six petals flower then a five petals flower at least for me.  So for this box I made the flower with only 5 petals.  The box is smaller than the last one I made for Patti Lee.  I  used only two match boxes and I glued them the long way.

Here are the inside.  A pair of quilling earring and a  matching necklace.

Here is a closer look at the quilling jewelry.

The circles that I used are called eccentric.  It is a lot prettier than the lose coil. Here is how I made them.
I used two pins for each coil.  One pin to hold the coil in place and the other pin was to move the center to the side and add a tiny bit of glue and pin it in place.  Wait until the glue dry about 15-20 or less. 


Then take them out and pinched them on one side to make tear drop shape.  I didn't need grid paper when I made the six petals flower.  I learned this trick from quillingMagic.   Using the punch for the flower was a great help!


 


 

I hope you've enjoyed today post.  
Have a lovely day!

Helen

 

Friday, August 6, 2010

My First CKC Convention

Hello,
Today I'd like to share a few new toys that I got from last week Valley Forge convention.   I have heard about this convention a few years ago but I never gave it a second thought.  Then I met Rachel and she convinced me that I should go just once to see how it was.  I needed a break from all the crazier things around me so I decided to go to this CKC (Creating Keepsake scrap book Convention) convention.   I called my other friend, Maritza, she had never been to this convention either and  she also would like to go.


But first let me share this.

My 35.5 oz. coffee-mate piggy bank! I should dress this can up a little.  Every year I would put most of my changes in this can.  A year later when it filled up, I would cash it and treated my children to something.  But this year I told them it's for "mom" and they understood mom's needs.  I took the can to the bank to cash it before I went to the convention.  I knew the total would at least be $200.  It took awhile to count. When it was finished counting, the lady behind me gasped and she asked me how long did I save it for.  I told her a little over a year.  The coins in the can worth $254.

I was thinking of spending at least $200 at the convention but I was a very good gal.  I spent less then that.  I was in awe of the things that I saw there.  The vendor displays were very pretty.  So many scrap book vendors.  I didn't buy any scrap book papers or anything that I would get from the local craft store.  My goal at the convention was to find something that I couldn't get from the local craft store.  I know I could get these items on line but who wants to pay shipping on these items.


Here was my first found. 


Flat back pearls! The smallest measure 3/16" and the biggest measure 1/4".  There were 72 pearls in a pack for just $1.  I bought 20 packs on the way in.  I got all the same color because I can paint them with different color markers if I needed a different color.

After the pearls booth, I found this 1 1/4" bind it all wires.  I had been looking for these for quite some time.


Then I found this unique punch.

This is a 8 punches in 1.  The yellow top can be removed and this punch can be used as a corner punch, straight border punch, large circle punch, smaller circle punch and oval punch.  My friend and I bought one each and we were thinking of swapping the punch for more designs.  What a great idea!


Then I found this.

Cuttlebug quilling kit.  I watched a video about this a while ago and was wondering when it was going to come out in the market.  They had three different kits at the convention.  I only bought one.  I will wait for the other two kits.

After I bought the flat back pearls, I saw the stencils booth.  There were so many varieties of brass stencils.  The lady there demonstrated a beautiful scallop flower.  I wanted it and so did a few other people who watched her but the seller just didn't know how to do business.  Both husband and wife didn't know much of the products that they were selling.  So every one moved on.  Then when we decided to come home I told Maritza that I'd liked to check that stencils booth again and that she should find a place to sit because I was going to take my time there to look for something.  I had a feeling that the booth had something that I was looking for.  Sure enough I found it.  The embroidery templates!   I got a handful of  the stencils.  Then when I asked the guy there, he didn't know what to do with them and the wife didn't bother to get up and help me.  She was too busy talking on the phone.   So I put most of them back and just got these three.






 I thought with these three templates, I will have plenty to play with.

We were at the convention for only two hours and we were done.   Maritza was just like me.  She was looking for something unique.  She bought a very good Martha Stewart scoring board for half the price I paid for my Scor-Pal!  We didn't look at the scrap book vendors at all.
 Then it was time to come home.  We went to the car and I still thought about the $1 flat back pearls.  I told Maritza that I spent less then I thought I would spend, so I wanted some more pearls.  I told Maritza the pearls won't be rotten sitting in my craft room, right! so I wanted a few more packs.

So we went back in and I got these:

Six packs of the purple color


and just 3 packs of these


and 3 packs of these.  I should have gotten more of these.  They would look so good on scrap book pages.

and 3 packs of these black pearls.  I had forgotten all about my La Cream gate fold album that was why I bought only 3 packs. 

Maritza and I had a good time at the convention.  Thank you Rachel for convincing me to go to the convention.  I am looking forward to another convention already. :)

Thank you everyone for stopping by today.

Helen

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Match Boxes and Purses Bridal Shower Favors

Hello,


Today I'd like to share these favors that Joan wanted for her daughter bridal shower this Sunday.  Desirae doesn't know about these favors.  It's o.k.  I can post these favors now.  Desirae doesn't check out my blog.

Joan wanted 30 match boxes and 30 purses.  I changed the purse size a little.  I forgot to take the picture of the measurement and had forgotten the measurement.  I will be making more of these.  I will share the measurement then. In the meantime, you can find the purse tutorial at Creations by Patti.


Here is the inside.


I thought the blue card stocks were too dark to wrap the chocolate so after half way through I used the scrap from the invitations to wrap the nuggets instead.  For the purses, I filled them with Hershey Kisses.




Thanks again for stopping by.


Helen