Kate's Paper Creations

I saw a picture when I was surfing the internet of a heart shaped guitar and couldn't resist making one from paper for a Valentine card idea.

Simply made using the guitar image 4907 by Rivka Wilkins.  I liked this one because the neck of the guitar was separate so it made it easy to un-group and use the neck with a heart shape.

I drew the strings on with the Silver Pen from Stampin' Up! and then used the Silver glitter glue to make the tuners.  I did a print and cut to make the "You Rock" circle that will go on the back.

The card stock used was Basic Black, Real Red, Strawberry Crush and Whisper White.

I'm entering this in the DLArt Thursday Challenge

Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you.

Hey, check out the new look!  Isn't it great?  I am lovin' it and finally feel like I have a complete look.

Now I want to share my blog with as many as possible so I am hosting a BLOG FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY.   Once I reach 100 followers I will use rafflecopter to pick THREE winners.  

You get one entry for each thing you do from the list below for up to 4 chances to win!

• Follow my blog - either through Networked Blogs or Email (Both options can be found on my side bar or on the navigation bar at the top of this page) If you are already following you will be entered.   me when you follow please.
  
• Leave a comment on this post telling me if you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator or NOT  (this is a must do!) It won't affect your chances to win I just want to know who is following.
• Send me an and tell me what you want to see here.  What kinds of things are you looking for that will keep you coming back.
• Share this with your friends and followers through facebook  When I get 100 followers everyone will get another chance to win!  So, the more you share the more exposure I will get and the quicker I will reach my goal of 100 followers! 

What am I giving away?

• An array of Stampin' Up! goodies.  Each of the three prizes will include a minimum of $50.00 worth of CURRENT Stampin' Up! merchandise.    Not every prize contains the same items and items will be chosen randomly and could include embellishments, stamps, adhesives, embossing folders, framelits,

You do not have to be local to win, I will ship your prize to you.

Winners will be announced on the blog once I reach my goal of 100 followers and you will have one week to reply with your shipping information.

So, there you have it.  Help me reach my goal.  Ilove what I do and share what I love and I need your help to get the word out.

Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from all of you.

Kate

Hello Everyone,

I'm back and ready to get moving on some regular workshops and classes.  I just held the first class of 2014 with a Valentine theme we made a card, a gift box and decorating item.  Everyone had a great time.  There will be another coming up the last Monday of February which is the 24th.   Stay tuned for the theme for that class.

The first workshop of the year will be February 6th at 3 pm.  See the attached flyer for more information.

CLASSES:

• Classes will be held the last Monday of every month  so you can mark your calendars ahead of time and keep the day and time open. (Next class February 24th)
• There will always be a 1 pm and 7 pm time offered
• These will typically follow a theme of some kind and there will be projects to make and take home to give to family and friends.... if you can bear to part with them!
• All supplies for these classes will be provided you don't have to bring anything.
• Sometimes take-n-go kits will be available to order if you want to make more than just one on your own (you have to provide your own adhesives for take-n-go kits) Orders for kits have to be pre-paid.
• Cost for the classes will vary depending on the projects being done but they will typically be $15.00

WORKSHOPS:

• Dates and times will vary so watch for announcements
• Cost will be $5.00 to cover the cost of materials - if you place an order of $25.00 or more the workshop is FREE
• Everything will be provided to make at least 2 cards

See my new logo?  I just love it!  I have business cards and labels with this design and soon my blog will be updated to reflect it as well.  Stay tuned and pass the word there will be an unveiling raffle for everyone who is already subscribed or who subscribes during my promotion.  More details coming but don't wait sign up for my blog NOW.

I LOVE making things to share with others and have been asked to make some centerpieces for an upcoming Valentine gathering for the women at my church.  I really like the Valentine Trees centerpiece by Marji Roy of Ashbee Designs so when I saw this other design she had made I had to give it a try.

This one is 3D Valentine Luminaire - Tall image #53984.  She also provides on in medium image #53983, and small image # 53982.  Mine is the tall one and it measures 9.5" tall when completed.  Marji really has an eye for detail and this luminaire has a holder in the top to hold the tea light in place and hide the sides so it looks nice.  She has a tutorial so you can see how to put it together.  It is really quite easy.

I made one exactly how Marji designed it and then I decided to get a little creative on my own.  I thought it would be fun to have the hearts up the side of the tower be illuminated too.  

To do this I took the White hearts piece and centered it on the tower side pieces.  You can select both pieces by clicking on each one while holding down the shift key.  Then go to the alignment tool and choose "align center" and it will align the hearts perfectly from side to side.

 

Next I  ungrouped the hearts piece and took away the frame.  Save this shape.  You will cut it out of vellum and glue it to the inside of the tower piece you cut the hearts out of.

When cut your tower piece will look like this.

Then cut the complete small hearts frame out of white and glue it to the outside of the tower pieces.

I may just have to go back and make the other two sizes.  It will make a nice grouping for a center piece.  

Let me know what you think.  I'll be entering this into the Silhouette Challenges "Anything Goes".  You should jump over there and take a look there are some awesome designs going up over there.  They are not all Valentine either so if you're in the mood for something else check it out.

 

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The Beauty of The Written Word

Our world is consumed with all things high tech.  Ipads, Smart Phones, computers, email and internet.  Social Networking sites like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook are used to keep us up to date on the latest goings on with family, friends, business contacts and more.  But with all this “connectedness” are we sacrificing the personal? 

Think about this.  Your birthday is coming and you receive greetings in the mail.  There is one there from your dentist or optometrist.  They are obviously store bought, printed greetings and amongst the stack is an envelope with your address hand written.  I’ll bet that all those store bought greetings get lain aside and the one with the handwritten address gets opened first.  Just looking at the envelope you linger for a moment, probably smiling at the name of the person who sent it.  Then, you open the envelope, usually with care because you instinctively know it is special.  You pull out the card and a sense of peacefulness and relaxation flows over you as you read the words.  The words inside are handwritten too and you are touched by them even if there are only a few because you know it took time to write that note, address that envelope and mail that card, to you.

Oh, I understand the convenience of technological communication but I believe we have lost something.  Texts and email exchanges won’t ever be treasured like a hand written note will be.  Once read they are categorized , filed or deleted to clear the way for the next batch to come through.  Hand written notes can be kept, savored and treasured for a life time or beyond.

I believe people enjoy receiving handmade greeting cards and when you handwrite  something inside as well it becomes even more special.  I get told all the time by those I send cards to that they keep every one of them because they are so beautiful and special.  I have kept many of the cards I have received and sometimes pull them out and re-read them.  It is an encouragement to me to be reminded of the extra effort that was made on my behalf. 

Handmade cards convey to those receiving them that they are valued and special.  You can make your own hand made cards or purchase them from someone else who makes them.  That way you are supporting  a craft, giving something more personal and thoughtful and saving money.

January 23^rd is National Handwriting Day.  Take the opportunity to pick up a pen, pencil, crayon or whatever is handy and write someone a note or a letter.  Don’t worry about it being perfect, just make it personal.  I guarantee it will be well received.

Want to know more about making handmade cards?  Subscribe to my blog and watch for upcoming workshops where you can make some of your own.   I have a Valentine Class coming up on Monday, January 27th.  You can go here to find out more, but hurry the class is filling up!

 

just uploaded some really cool files for making Valentine's Day centerpieces.  I used images 53791 3D Valentine Tree - Open Hearts and 53792 3D Valentine Tree - Solid Hearts to make a fun centerpiece.

As always materials are 100% Stampin' Up!.  

• Whisper White
• Real Red
• Red Glimmer Paper

And, with the help of my trusty Silhouette Cameo I layered the cutout on top of the white to get the beautiful red heart centers and then I layered the red glimmer paper open hearts onto the white solid heart.  

**TIP:  The open heart and solid heart pieces do not line up perfectly unless you tweak them a bit.  Not hard to do just layer one over the other and adjust until the lines all come together then separate one form the other and cut.

I saved the glimmer paper hearts from the center of the cutout and used them as confetti and placed it all on a mirror.  You could probably put some battery powered tea lights under the trees for a romantic dinner.  

Here is a close up of the glimmer paper tree.  This is the only way this would work as you would have a very difficult time getting anything to stick to the glittery side of the glimmer paper.

I'm entering this in the Silhouette Challenges Anything Goes challenge.  I invite you to check them out, there are some really talented people posting thier creations there and it's a great way to find blogs to follow and to gain inspiration.