French General Workshop Photos

I remember the first time I walked into French General. The first thing you notice when you walk in is the entire length of a wall stacked with apothecary jars filled with vintage beads, buttons and charms. Then you look around and see all of the things that surround you from vintage paper and ephemera, to Moda fabrics designed by French Generals owner and curator Kaari Meng. Simply being in her space just feels warm and welcoming. That was a few years back and since then I have attended some of Kaaris Art of Craft events and a few others. I really couldn't imagine that someday I too would be standing at the helm of French General teaching a class! It went great and I am so glad to say I will be back in August for another one! Email me if you want advance notice of when it goes on sale! In the meantime here are some pictures from my Sew Romantic Lariat Necklace Class- PS I made an Amazing one with Graphic 45 paper that will be featured on their blog in June.

{ahhh I could just hang here all day}

{Thats Kaari on the left in blue}

{This attendee was so sweet, she actually just signed up for the class to get in to Frech General, as the shop is only open Mondays! She ended up having an amazing time and I could tell she was totally bitten by the craft bug!}

{ as I always hope for, everyones project came out a little different}



Bathroom Remodel Before

Yes, we finally decided to do it. Me and hubby live in a very cute 2 bedroom 1 bath home that was built in 1939. Coved ceilings, hardwood floors all of those charming details one loves in a "vintage" home. But with that comes lathe and plaster walls, bad plumbing and even worse electrical. Luckily for me my husband does construction and is a jack of all trades. He has already redone our kitchen and I love every other room, but our bathroom is... hideous! Let me start by saying that I do find the salmon pink tub and the matching green and salmon tile charming, and I could probably make it work, but the cabinet is falling apart, and the shower doors are a wreck and lets face it, the plumbing just needs updating. Suprisingly things have gone fairly smoothly, we don't really argue too much about design ideas. I actually appreciate he has an opinion. The arguments come from the process. If you could see that disaster in my house right now, you would scream. Tyler has brought half the garage into my kitchen, dining room and hallway. I mean I KNOW I am a messy person, so I have no place to be critical of his process, but this is going to grate on me as I am pretty sure this will take like 6 weeks to get done. Here is are my before pictures, and hopefully unlike my craft room before pics, this one WILL get done.

{I love how he just dove in with the grinder without giving me any chance to get my stuff out! argghhhh}

{this is the potty alcove-note the prior unfinished walls from repairs. Note that we tore off the cabinet doors because the were falling off!}

{I didnt get to get a shot of the ugly shower doors, but you can imagine! The tile is a lovel teal speckeled with white}

{again, Tyler move the shampoo out before you start working! I will be bathing in this in a few short hours}

{the falling apart corner vanity. Part of the project is to remove that corner angle and making it just a straight wall}

{June Bug always has to be in the center of everything! But this pic is to show you the LOVELY green faux marble tile-this floor has GO TO GO!}

{our window with 73 years of paint glommed on it- this will be replaced}

{hmmm what doesn't belong here? Yes! the grinder and the plaster dust-yes that is my flat iron, my curling iron, my hairbrush, and out of the shot my toothbrush!- Now you know what I mean about arguing about the process!}

{A parting shot}

Goodbye ugly bathroom. Hello new bathroom, Here is the plan so far: White subway tile in shower, white and black octagon tile floor, dark cherry wood vanity with white marble top, cool vintage vanity mirror, sconces, new over the toilet cabinet, recessed lighting on dimmers, dark bronze finish faucets, new extra deep tub, pale blue walls, more outlets. I will post some progression pics and you can join in on the fun!



Robins Nest Altered Box

Read all about the inspiration for this little box on the Clearsnap blog! I am so honored to be a guest designer this month. Clearsnap will have the youtube video up soon!



Audrey Paper Dolls and Table Gifts

Even though I vowed not to overwhelm myself with swaps for the upcoming Affaire at Tiffanys event, I still ended up doing 4! Some of the ladies are in like 8-9 and that's just plain crazy! I know how easy it is to get wrapped up in all of the excitement, then you are sitting there going I have to make 15 what???  I remember when I saw my first swap at the first event I attended. All I know was that there were a lot of oohhhhs and ahhhs, squeals of joy and palpable excitement! Over what? Well someone from the event hosts a swap and sets parameters and matches up people together to create a piece of art that will be swapped with another attendee. Some swaps are on on one, others you make multiples and get multiples back, others are group participating where you send your item to the hostess and she assembles everyones pieces into something amazing! Another little sweet thing that happens at these events, is you give and get table gifts for all of the girls at your table. Now if you are going.....these little gifts are not mandatory so don't feel obligated!
       So I reallly want to keep my swaps a surprise (especially since I have not made ONE of them!) but since my friend Holly shared her Audrey paper doll swap on her blog, I thought I'd put mine up too! I joined this swap not because of the project, but because I love the hostess Sherry Williams, such a kind and sweet hearted lady I can't wait to hang around her amazing energy soon!

{I started with a nekkid vintage paper doll. I totally screwed up though. Sherry told us to make our dolls between 4-8 inches, but I made my body 8 inches! After I photoshopped her head on, she is now 10 inches! Eeek the Audrey that ate Manhatten Beach! Oh well!}

{here they are dressed in all their glory! complete with a tiny Tiffany & Co bag!}

{This tiny bag was no joke to make! I did it by printing the logo super tiny, then putting it around a domino and wrapped it like a half present. Then punched holes and ran cotton string through it, just like the real bag. Thank god we only had to make 3!}

{to top her off I cut out a bodice of glitter cardstock then layered black lace over the top. Strung some tiny pearls, glued on a hip rhinestone belt,  and added her scarf made from wired ribbon}

{the dress was made by layering polka dot crepe paper and lace onto a black cardstock base. I then used Smootch Glitz from clearsnap on the edges for extra sparkle!}

{for my Table Mate gifts I glammed up a little Tiara comb with a vintage millinery flower and the girls names}

{I then wrapped them in a replica Tiffany box with their trademark white satin ribbon. I just took my real live Tiffany box down to the craft store and found this Coredinations Foundations cardstock in Citrus Teal to be extremely close to the actual color. I then used a score board to make the 3x3 boxes.}

This has been such a fun week of creating. Sometimes we can get into slumps and having a swap to guide and inspire you is all you need to get your crafty mojo going! After the event I will post my other swaps i want there to be a little surprise!



Class kits done!

I accomplished ONE thing today! I made up all of my Kits for my French General class. And by request from Amy Jepsom (and since another attendee is celebrating her Birthday!) I am going to bring some extra goodies to make one of my wrap bracelets from my crafty day at my Moms. One of the things I could not wait to do was to use my new Close to My Heart My Acrilyx stamps. My girl Andrea is selling them so check out her online shop and pick some up! Of course I had to dip into my Graphic 45 cardstock too!

{I dressed up your good ole' organza bag by stamping on it and adding a cute tag made with Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante}

{I stamped this pair of scissors and measuring tape right to the bag, believe me when the picture is NOT totally overexposed like this you can see it!}

{The tag is just my G45 cardstock, with a piece of vintage ledger paper. After I stamped and adhered it, I punched two holes around the waist so I could run this shiney wired ribbon through....)

{...and on the back used it to hold my little moo card}

I am very excited because after I had the fear NO one was going to sign up for my class (considering all of my best supporters are out of town at another event that weekend) I have almost sold it out! There are one, maybe two spots left and the kits are made, so I wont be adding anymore on! you must go to French General s website to register here.

Oh- PS taught myself two things today-how to watermark my pictures and how to make this cool little signature below- see I got more done than I thought!



Clearsnap Guest Designer for April

Funny how things work out sometimes. First my friend Andrea encourages me to audition for the Graphic 45 Design team, then she hosts a Valentine Craft day at her home where I have the opportunity to get to know one of the other instructors that day, Jennifer Priest from Hydrangea Hippo. I told Jennifer about my audition for Graphic 45 and she was so encouraging and just filled with information about being on design teams and working as an educator. I sent Jennifer the link to my audition blog post and not too much later she invited me to be the April guest designer for Clearsnap. When I got the Clearsnap catalogue I was not only excited to find out that they are the producers of Cats Eyes chalk inks- one of my all time favorite go to supplies, but a huge array of diverse products from the smootch line to moldable foam stamps. I have had so much fun using these products I am hooked. I am also excited at thr thought of using many of them in my upcoming design work for G45. Here is one of my projects, you can see the Tutorial here at Clearsnaps Blog!

{the canvas was sprayed with smootch spritz in "Splash" then I used a cloth to rub it in}

{I used their Design Adhesives "Shopping Trip"  for the embossing on the left}

-Denise

Crafty Round Robin Day at Mom's

I have this great group of creative girlfriends. Most of the time when we get to see each other it is at an art event and we are always whining about all of the unfinished projects we have at home (as we sit and create new ones!).  I am not sure who came up with the idea but it was decided we would have a once a month get together to work on some of those unfinished projects! So our crafty Round Robin was born. We do everything from sit and gab, to go on local shopping trips, to work on mini-projects the hostess creates, oh yeah, and every once in a while we actually work on unfinished projects! March was my month, and just my luck the one mandatory Sunday I have to work every month! Oh well I have a very understanding boss and even if he didn't know what crafty round robin day was...he relented! Here are a few pics from the day.

{the hostess usually gives a little gift to everyone for coming. This is a dollar store scented candle, with a label made with Graphics from The Graphics Fairy, glitter tape from Michaels, ribbon and lace hot glued to the top, and little punched out personalized tag}

{arghh my daffodils didn't open all the way, but by the end of the day they were fully bloomed. I love daffodils they remind me of when Gene Wilder bites the candy daffodil teacup in Willy Wonka}

{These are the CUTEST mini doughnuts from Winchells. Almost too cute to eat. ALMOST}

{Moms house. My house is too small, and Pippi and Juno can be quite a handful to new friends}

{I just love Moms house, I grew up here, it will always be HOME}

{this was the mini project I taught. Just some wire, trim and beads. So quick and fun to create. I got the idea from Lori Dillard who saw my work in Jewelry Affaire  and we just got to chatting over etsy convo one night. Check her etsy out here.

{You can see how everyones reflected their style}

{chatting and creating away....till next month girls}

-Denise