Origami Flowers Oh My

I decided to play around with some paper folding this weekend. I saw some really cute flowers made out of folded circles so decided I would give it a go...I got a going and just couldn't stop. These flowers are just SO much fun to make!

The first project was a card...using the folded flowers. I took the blue cardstock and sponged around the edges using Palette Starry Night ink, then I took a scrap of green cardstock and cut down the 1/2" strip to make grass (I wish our lawn looked this good). The flower was actually pretty easy to make, but of course folding all the little circles was time consuming and then I decided I didn't like the white edges against the pink polka dot paper...so I sponged Palette Belle Rose on each exposed edge to add depth. The pink polka dot paper is from DCWV Stack 5. Then came the fun assembly...I gathered 3 petals and glued them together using a third green petal (made out of a slightly smaller plain circle). I then glued the whole shebang onto the blue cardstock and handstamped "Happy Mother's Day" with Palette Noir ink using my trusty TAC Trendy Greetings. Then I made another one!



Now I couldn't stop right there...I needed a pretty gift to GIVE along with my card. So I whipped up some nuggets in DCWV grass paper and the same polka dot paper. The belly band was made out of the same pastel blue but the flower was made using smaller plain (cuz I don't have a smaller scallop circle punch) to fit on the belly band.

Now all I need to do is gather up all the scraps and make a paper bracelet, earrings or a necklace! Yay!

Mother's Day Weekend

I am soo completely proud of myself. Like always...a holiday is creeping up and I have NOTHING done. But I saw some really inspiring things this week...and well thanks to them was SUPER productive.


The first thing that inspired me is Wanda over at My Creative Corner she is just super talented...and tends to do REALLY fun projects. So run over there check her out...and then perhaps come back. I do have a lot to show you...


Well Wanda had these Weekend Project Tutorials...I couldn't help but try them out. The first one I tried was the Nugget Ladies Luncheon Hat. It is completely adorable. A lot of punching but well that is TV time busy work...

I did an okay job with my CM punch (1.25") and the 1/2" punch I had...but looking a little closer at Wanda's if I try this again...I will punch more circles and definitely add the paper strip band around the base. I do like my little paper flower with 1/8" punched circle in the middle though.

I hope to make a few more of these to surprise my mom with for a Tea I am going to have here in the Near future! I think it would make the perfect little place setting...perhaps with the name printed on the top.

What else did I accomplish?

Graduation Nuggets

Dahlia Fold Mother's Day Card and Matching Nugget Tin

Coaster Sticky Note Pad and Clip
...and the weekend isn't quite finished...who knows what I might get to tonight!

Congrats Grad!!

Here are a couple of classic elegant graduation cards...monochromatic, ready to grad to send out when all those kids start graduating. I always seem to be caught out with no cards for this particular occasion so I'm happy I'm ahead of the game this year!

You probaby won't believe it but...these adorable images are from the All Night Media $1 stamps bin! I didn't have an grad stamps so I bought these...and they work reasonably well...as long as you don't over ink or press down too hard!

The sentiment is from the TAC Tag Tidbits and is a very versative set of 36 sayings for get this...$10.95!!

Paper Bead Necklaces!!!

Well like all good things they started out as something else and evolved into the final product. As you know, I was down in Florida surrounded by grandmother's and grandfather's...including my parents. I brought a variety of things to do...and pretty much made bracelets the whole time...well my mom spotted the Little Bit of Luck Bracelet and loved it...except she wanted it as an eyeglass holder. So I bought some eyeglass holder ends (not from my normal store...it was hard to find craft stores where we were)...and they turned out to be useless!!! I mean what is the point if they LET the glasses fall on the floor. I was steamed...but then looked at the long length of beads and was like...duh necklace.

The only change I made was to use shorter paper beads (like the bracelet size) around the base and a larger 6mm bicone bead in the center to act like an accent. Tip to anyone making jewelry...USE easy to open findings...this one is a large lobster claw type...recommended by my mom as plenty of ladies have to put these things on themselves...even if they DO have husbands!

Another thing I did while I was there was walk on the beach...where we were it is famous for shells and prehistoric sharks teeth. Every morning you see the 'regulars' combing the beach (literally) for these sharks teeth and shells. The past few years we have collected several. My son is a bit like St. Anthony or something in that he can find anything...once we showed him what we were looking for he found them every few feet. Although the largest tooth he found he gave to a lady we met one day while walking. She was so frustrated because she had been looking for a week and hadn't found any and was leaving the next day (I think like many of the 60+ crowd they have a little trouble seeing them). I was really proud of how thoughtful he was (he is only 4) when he handed over cache of the day.

The best day was when he almost killed my mother...she wasn't feeling too well so decided she would take a slow walk on the beach with my son...figuring he wouldn't go fast (a slug could beat him walking) or far (big mistake)...he walks slow but can walk all day long...and so he took her on a 2 mile trek in deep sand to see the painted houses! Quote of the day "Just a bit more nana"

Oh where, oh where am I?

Just in cast you are wondering...most of your probably didn't even notice...but I am on vaction! I am being a VERY young snowbird! Since my son was born we have spent some time in FL with his grandparents...now it has become quite the tradition. That and well, he hates the cold...he was ready to leave a week ahead of when we had our apartment!!!

Anyway, I have been working hard...have been making jewelry (the most portable craft...although I never seem to have the right beads...and of course need to go buy more!!!)...and collecting shells. I would like to incoporate a few shells into the work but haven't quite figured that out yet.

I do plan to post quite a bit when I get home! I miss blogging...and reading them most of all...here I am limited to 30 minutes on the library computer...but thankful for that!!!