No Sew Button Be-Dazzled Valentine

 This no sew, button be-dazzled Valentine is a breeze to make and adds just the right amount of nostalgic whimsy to your Valentine décor!

Ribbon Stitched Valentine Pocket

 This Valentine pocket is so easy to make and customize using your favorite Gwen Studios ribbons! 

Decorated Valentines Day Gift Bag

 Jazz up a store bought gift bag with Dew Drops fun! 

Valentine Garland

With Valentines Day just around the corner, you can easily jazz up a store bought (or handmade) garland with Gwen Studios Ribbons! 

DIY Easy Valentines Day Craft

 Here's a easy Valentines Day craft that not only fun to make but makes for a great gift too!

Valentines Day Felt Craft

Here's a lovely craft to make for the one you adore using Joy® embroidered letters!

You will need:

• Joy® iron-on, embroidered letter sheet: 1" white
• Die cut felt hearts
• Wide lace
• Sewing thread and needle
• Steam iron
• ironing board 
• Pressing cloth
• Marker - red

 1. Begin by hand stitching the lace all around the bottom heart, pleating it as you sew.

2 Following manufacturer's directions on the packaging, use an iron to fuse the letters in place on the top heart.

 3. Use simple stitches to attach the two hearts together.  Leave an opening at the top to create a "pouch". 

 4. Color the letters with permanent markers to match the letters to your lace if desired.

You can find a wide selection of Joy® embroidered iron-on letters and alphabet sheets in different sizes at your local craft stores!

Valentine Heart Ornaments

Joy,  ½" Classic Monograms are the perfect size to make conversation heart ornaments! 

A perfect gift idea for the Valentine in your life!

You will need:

Joy® Classic Monograms Iron-On letter sheet - 1/2"

Small plastic heart ornaments.

Clear drying adhesive.

Tweezers

See the full tutorial here!

Valentines Day Owls - Fan Art

Here's a simple card you can make, just in time for Valentines Day! 

Supplies Used:

•   Owls, Nothing but Owls stamp set
•  Assorted card stock
•  Embellishments
•  Die cut tag
• Alcohol markers

See the full tutorial here!

Owl Love You - Fan Art

I'm loving how cute my Owl stamp looks on this card!

Supplies Used:

• Owls, Nothing but Owls stamp set
•   craft paper
•   card stock
•   paper doily
•   embellishments
•   gold thread
•   alcohol markers
•   die for background
•   ink
•   white embossing powder

See the full tutorial here! 

Coloring Hearts

 This months theme for the Designer Crafts Connection group is Valentine Day Projects.
 I'm not so much into hearts as some people, but I do love hearts in Art.

I recently received "Art of Coloring Patterns"  from Leisure Arts.
When the trend for "adult" coloring books started...I was reluctant to join in on the fun.
As a Artist and illustrator myself, it felt weird to color in the designs created by someone other than myself.
 But I was intrigued.
 The designs were captivating, mesmerizing and inviting.
Leisure Arts coloring book papers are thicker than most, so your colors do not bleed through to the next design.  Plus the pages are perforated at the binding so you can easily remove them to frame your "Art". 
Even better? The cost.  All of their coloring books are $5 to $10!


For this design, I used the following:
Art of Coloring Patterns 
 8"x11" paper
Scissors
A colored pencil.
Assorted markers and pens, thick to thin tips.

Fold your paper in half and draw half a heart.
 Cut out and unfold.
Trim heart to desired shape.
Place heart onto coloring book page and trace with the colored pencil.

 Everyone has their own way of coloring, but for me, I start with one color.
Keeping within the traced heart design,  I colored this and that with the lightest shade first switching up to the darker shades as I worked.
Then onto the next color, and other designs.

Saving the glitter pens for last. :)

See more Valentines Day projects here!

Valentine Table Top Decoration with Smoothfoam!

Looking for a romantic table top decoration?
Visit the Smoothfoam blog to see how I made this dazzling decoration!

Owl Always Love You Tag-Mini book

 Hi Everyone!
I wanted to share my latest creation playing with my new rubber stamp line, and with Valentines Day coming up, I thought I'd make a cute tag mini-book!

 

 I used these Flexible Pouches from Deflecto Craft Solutions. The pouches measure 3"x5" and have so many other uses! Luggage tags, Banners, Pattern swatches, Photo protectors and ATC holders!
 

 I cut the assorted craft paper to just under 3"x5".

 I stamped some of my "Owls" directly onto the tags.
For the background,  I stamped both "Medallions" and  "Petals".

 Some of the owls, I stamped onto patterned paper, cut them out and attached them with foam tape.
I colored everything in with assorted markers and embellished with Valentine themed decorations/ribbon and border punched paper. 

 I really love how  this tag book turned out.
 The Owls make everything so Happy!
Don't you agree?

My 41st Birthday & Valentines Day Week in Photos

 This past week I celebrated my 41st Birthday. It's always the day before Valentines Day.

In the above vintage Kewpi-cupid vase, I have some Birthday flowers.
I only bring him out once a year. Isn't he a cute?
He was a hand me down from my late Mother-in-law.

 Dyllan and I went to a dollar tree store looking for party favors. He was memorized by all the balloons they had, Tons! Next year, you should go there for $1 balloons. Same with greeting cards if you don't make your own. All Hallmark quality for $1 each. The lady in front of us at the check out, bought 30 cards. Maybe for co-workers. Either way...any where else. those cards would have been $5 a piece!

 On the 2nd Monday of every month, I get together with a wonderful group of card making friends.
We always have a themed swap, plus Birthday cards for the people celebrating that month and we take turns hosting a demo.
Here are some of the Birthday cards my friends made for me. 

 The Granny is a riot! Below is the inside of the card. :)

 

 Here we are at my kitchen table. I'm sorry I don't have a photo of the demo.
It was super fun to make.

 Here are the cards the ladies swapped at tonight's meeting.

I had my husband snap a photos because it's rare that we are all at a meeting. Some travel, or work gets in the way.  Most of the meetings are at my home because I have the table space. Sometimes a few other ladies host, which I appreciate. I really like the friendship and fun!
Here's our group on Meet-up if you are interested in joining.
Mixed Media Arts & Crafting Club
We now do other events beside card making...jewelry, painting, sewing and more!

Here are some cards I received from other crafty friends for my Birthday. 
So creative! Don't you agree?

Some  favorite "Valentines" for Dyllan from his classmates...