Prettifying Your Paper Stationery

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I am sucker for pretty stationery, and I couldn't resist this pattern when I saw it in Paper Source. So I decided to incorporate more heat embossing, while adding another prettifying technique.

For a full lesson on heat embossing, you can visit my last post that highlights the ingredients.

For the first step of this prettifying project, I used the following:

• Thank You Stamp
• Love Stamp
• Watermark Stamp Pad
• Heat Tool
• Princess Gold Embossing Powder
• White Embossing Powder

As you can see from the links above, and the pictures below I used Paper Source products. However, your local craft store should have heat embossing products. For example, Hobby Lobby, JO-ANN, and Michaels carry their own lines of heat embossing products. 

Before I sealed and delivered these thank you cards to the recipients, I was inspired by the pretty papers in Paper Source and decided to add an envelope liner.

For this second prettifying project, you will need: 

• Pretty Paper
• Double-Sided Tape
• Envelope Liner Template Kit. I purchased a template kit, but you can wing it and try to make your own envelope liner templates.  

Follow these very simple steps to create a dramatic look. I measured my envelope liner template on the paper, and then cut accordingly. Then I used the double-sided tape to adhere the paper to the inside of the envelope liner. It is important to use tape and not glue, because glue will ruin the paper. And voila! As simple as that!

How do you prettify your stationery?

How To: Embossing Powder

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As a girl I loved giving/receiving handwritten letters. As an adult I love receiving handwritten letters even more, because they are a nice departure from the routine bills that hit my mailbox. When I write letters I try to personalize them so the receiver knows how much I care. 

To thank the attendees of my son's first birthday party, I wanted to try something different with the thank you letters. I visited Paper Source and fell in love with many of their products, especially their embossing powder tools. I decided to purchase some embossing powder essentials, and I am thrilled that I did. 

For this project, you will need:

• Stationery. I purchased my woodland-themed cards from Paper Source. 
• VersaMarker Pen
• Rubber Stamp
• Embossing Powder
• Stamp Pad
• Embossing Heat Tool
• Piece of Paper to collect the powder

As you can see from the links above, and the pictures below I used Paper Source products. However, your local craft store should have heat embossing products. For example, Hobby Lobby, JO-ANN, and Michaels carry their own lines of heat embossing products. 

To personalize the stationery I used the VersaMarker pen to write out "thank you". This pen allows for a lot of flexibility in your design. 

With the paper underneath I dusted the embossing powder onto the inked surface of the stationery. 

Without touching the "thank you" on the card, I removed the excess powder. 

From here I set the card aside and rolled the paper up while keeping all of the powder inside of the rolled paper. Then I placed the excess powder back into the container for later use. 

This is where it gets fun! I turned the heat gun on. I let it get hot (about 15 seconds) and then I slowly grazed the gun over the powdered "thank you". Right before my eyes the powder turned into a beautiful, shiny, textured, permanent message. It was like magic! I was hooked!

I had so much fun adding the "thank you" note to the front of the card I wanted to add something special to the envelope seal. This time I used the stamp and stamp pad. 

I absolutely love the effect that heated embossing powder brings to paper. The finished product is determinant on where the powder falls, and this makes for a very special and unique product every time. 

DIY Magnolia Heart Wreath

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With Valentine's Day around the corner, I wanted to add some subtle decorations around my house that could take me into Valentine's Day and stay for a while longer. This wreath allows for just that. The heart is a nice nod to Valentine's Day without being too "themey", and allowing it to continue its appeal into spring. 

For this project, you will need:

• Dried Magnolia Leaves (I plucked mine from our backyard tree, but you can purchase them online)
• Heart Shaped Wreath Wire Frame (I purchased mine from Hobby Lobby)
• Hot Glue Gun with Glue
• Paint Brush (optional)
• Gold Paint (optional)
• Wet Towel

I originally used the magnolia leaves as decoration for my son's woodland-themed first birthday party. The leaves air dried in my house for a couple of weeks, and I decided to re-purpose them for this project. I removed the leaves from their branches with gardening scissors so I could get a nice, clean cut. Then I cleaned them with a wet towel, and allowed them to dry completely. 

For my next step, I decided on the placement of the leaves. I knew I wanted to feature the rich green color, and also highlight the beautiful, velvet texture of the backside of the leaf. So I decided to alternate sides. I also wanted to follow the natural curve of the leaf with the heart. After I confirmed the placement, I glued each leaf to the wire base of the wreath frame and glued each leaf to one another for added stability. 

Once I completed one side of the heart, I copied the same direction on the other side. You can stop here, but I decided to add a little glamour! I took the gold paint and highlighted the veins and velvety texture of the backside of the leaves by brushing the gold paint onto the back of the leaf. I love how it brought some great detail and flair to the project. 

I knew I wanted this wreath to hang on the door of my son's room, so I went with 12 inches for the wreath frame. But you can use a wreath frame that is larger for the outside of your house. 

After purchasing the products and drying the leaves, this project took me a little over an hour to complete. I hope you enjoy this project and add your own little twist that makes your own heart happy!

DIY Magnolia Heart Wreath

My First Project with Annie Sloan

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Hello everyone. I am sorry for my yearlong hiatus. I was am busy soaking up every moment with my little son. However, I am incredibly excited to be back in creative action!

I have been dying to try Annie Sloan's chalk paint for years. As the pioneer of the chalk paint world, her paint did not disappoint!

The beauty of chalk paint is in its simplicity. Chalk paint requires very little prep work (no sanding, no primer) and it dries very quickly. It also can be used on most surfaces. I was able to complete this makeover in one afternoon. I will only touch the surface of chalk paint with this project. But I did invest in this beautiful book which has me thinking about many more ways to use this magic paint. 

For this project, you will need: 

• Item to Paint (I used a hand-me-down mirror that wasn't fitting in with my light decor)
• Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (I used Louis Blue)
• Annie Sloan Soft Wax - Clear (Optional, for sealing the project)
• Annie Sloan Soft Wax - Dark (Optional, for adding depth and texture to the project)
• Natural Bristle Paint Brush 
• Rag (Optional, for applying the wax)
• Protective Materials (I used gloves, cardboard to protect the workstation from paint, paint tape and recycled newspaper to protect the mirror)

Tools 

Before: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Before I started painting, I cleaned the mirror frame with a wet towel and then allowed it to dry completely. I didn't sand or prime the wood finish of the mirror frame.

I used the natural bristle brush to apply one coat of Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Louis Blue. The paint dried very quickly, and soon turned into a chalky-milky texture. As you can see from the picture below, I needed to add one more coat after the first coat. 

One Coat of Chalk Paint

After about 15 minutes, the entire frame was dry. I applied a second coat. 

Second Coat of Chalk Paint

After the second coat was dry, I used my rag to apply Annie Sloan's clear wax. The clear wax applied very easily. The wax isn't necessary, but it does help cure your paint job. It takes several weeks to dry completely. 

After the clear wax settled in, I decided to add some texture and depth to the project. I took the same rag and applied Annie Sloan's dark wax to the inner layer and outer layer of the mirror frame. You can achieve different looks with this wax. I wanted a very subtle look, so I didn't apply too much wax. But, this is a great way to bring out any texture you have in your project. I like the faux patina the wax created for my mirror frame. 

*Sidenote: I would like to take some time to thank my little helper, Baby A. 

You can see the finished product below. I am happy with my first attempt, and excited for more projects with Annie Sloan. 

After: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Fall Coffee Filter Wreath

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Like life, it is important for me not to TRY to take my craft projects too seriously. I always have an idea in my head what my future projects will look like, and most of the time the idea doesn't come to fruition. And, I am trying to be okay with that :). The process of creating something is almost as important to me as the finished product, and if I am not having a good time with it, than I feel I am wasting my time. That is why when I get discouraged with a project I am working on, I walk away from it. After a few hours, days, or weeks I re-visit it with a different approach. So if you tend to be a perfectionist, than this approach may help you.

I felt the above paragraph was a good introduction to this blog post, because that is exactly how this project started for me. Martha Stewart featured this beautiful coffee filter wreath as one of her holiday projects last year. I watched the video, and thought it was pure genius, and that it would be so easy to make. Well my intentions were good, but my abilities weren't. It was not turning out the way that I wanted it to (as you can see in the picture below). So, I became discouraged, and it sat on my craft table for over a week. I continued with other projects, and kept it in the back of my mind and peripheral view. 

I was recently doing some research on wreaths, when I spotted this beauty by Design, Dining, and Diapers. Not only was her final product beautiful, but her approach sounded like fun.

So I used Taryn's wreath as an inspiration. Instead of staining the coffee filters with tea (which is a brilliant idea by the way), I used unbleached coffee filters. I knew they would add the fullness I wanted, and the color was there without the extra prep work. 

I tore off the coffee filters I had previously adhered to the Martha Stewart wreath, and got to work. Taryn's screwdriver method worked very well, and it was a great arm workout. I also wanted my wreath to be very full, so I placed my coffee filters about an inch from each other. As Taryn recommended I added extra jabs to each filter, which gave my wreath varying layers and heights. The extra jabs also better secured the coffee filters into place. I continued the method around the entire wreath until it was completely covered.

In its entirety, this project took me about two hours, and I used one bag of 200 coffee filters. One thing I will mention ahead of time is that the hay from the wreath is very messy, so be prepared to clean up afterward.

After I added the coffee filters to the base, I wanted to add some fall inspiration. So I picked up some cute knick-knacks from Hobby Lobby and adhered them to the wreath with wire and hot glue. I then added a ribbon to the top and placed it above one of our great room windows (the first window you see when you enter the house).



I am very happy with how the wreath turned out. It is not only a wonderful indicator of fall, but it also reminds me of how to not take life or crafting too seriously. Yes, it isn't perfect, but it works very well for me and I am happy I didn't give up on this project. Because, it was a very fun one. Hope you enjoy!

Today I am linking up for Show & Tell on SNAP! with this fall wreath. 

Strawberry Scones

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As a nod to the start of fall and colder weather, I made scones this weekend. I recently enjoyed scones on a summer trip to Colorado, and first encountered fresh English scones when I visited the UK a couple of years ago. Even though, our part of the country is still experiencing warm weather, this recipe lovingly reminded me of colder climates in hopes that fall's cold weather will visit us soon.

One of my favorite bloggers, Cupcakes and Cashmere, inspired me to follow this recipe from Tartine via Breadtastic. You won't be disappointed as the smells of strawberries and butter indulge your senses while you wait for these goodies to bake. The final product is a sweet yet tart, substantial breakfast/brunch option perfect for your China and fancy napkins. Hope you enjoy!