Fabric covered hearts ... for very special people

Welcome back. I'm so glad you are here. Today I've got a darling fabric covered heart box to share with you. Truthfully, I'm addicted to these little boxes. They are just so much fun to make. The next one you'll see here is a lace-shaped heirloom confection. Stay tuned for that, you won't want to miss that one either.

Step one would be to cover the top of the box with fabric adhering the fabric with double sided tape. Be sure to clip the curves so that you have nice finish.

Used a #16 wide gathering foot for my machine to gather two sides of a strip of fabric. Folded the fabric on the gathered line and then edge-stitched that in place. Hides those raw edges so well.
Then attach the strip to the side of the box lid overlapping the edges and folding the ends under for a clean finish.
Then it's time to find all those things you didn't remember you had and attach them to the top with glue dots, hot glue or adhesive of your choice.
Buttons and ribbons add such a nice touch.
The silver cupid started out as textured paper, embossed with silver embossing powder and then inked to give it an antique look.
Tuck in a few lace leaves in between the velvet leaves. Thank you my dear friends Gail and Charlotte for these.. I can't seem to have enough of them these days!

Check out the craft section of the craft store. Some of the flowers are so much more detailed than the silk flowers in the floral department.


I simply painted the bottom with an off white spray paint.
And because enough isn't enough, I added two more rows of little lace around the gathered fabric side. and covered the top with another mini rose.

The bottom has a fabric heart tucked inside to make it look more finished. You could stamp or embroider something delectable on this!

And if the recipient is very lucky, the box will still contain some chocolate. But if not, you could fill it with other goodies.. Have fun, thanks for dropping in. Cya soon!

CHA Sneak Peeks... make sure you have plenty of time

It's that time of the year when all attention is focused on the Craft and Hobby Association's Winter Show (CHA-Winter). Having been blessed to have attended once, having been blessed to have attended the Houston Quilt Festival (the sewing extravaganza counterpart) and many more shows and festivals in between, I'm saying it's the place to be! This is where all the companies attend, set up booths so that the crowd (mainly store owners and teachers) can purchase merchandise wholesale only. It's the time for store owners to see new product, to restock merchandise, take advantage of show-only specials, take classes, attend seminars and otherwise get re-energized to come back to their stores bringing renewed energy, excitement and product with them.

I have for you a link to the sneak peeks available of the product that will be making it's debut at the show. Be sure to go get a drink, take your potty break now because you will get involved and spend the next several hours oogling the new stuff! I promise.

CHA Winter Sneak Peeks

Us Highway 180 - you should try it sometime

Coming home from Dallas today, we took a bit of a different route.. US Highway 180. If you haven't been on that road lately, give it a try! (You know that Ranger hill on I-20 is under construction in both directions and the delays can be harrowing!). We are planning a trip back so that I can stop and take my own photos instead of borrowing pictures off the web and for some delightful shopping.

I love Weatherford, Texas. Make sure you click and see the pictures of the lovely downtown area filled with quaint shops and delightful scenery. I am coming back your way!

And then the road wound through Mineral Wells, Texas. This hotel is now for sale. How about we get a conglomerate together, buy it, tear it down for all the goodies inside and outside and then sell the land???
And then on to the Palo Pinto Mountains (well that might be a bit of an exaggeration but truly that is their name). Palo Pinto county courthouse.
Breckenridge is the county seat of Stephens County. Have you noticed how elaborate the buildings used to be built? Back when craftsmanship and aesthetics were equally as important as function.
Albany County Courthouse in Albany, Texas.
Anson, Texas is the county seat in Jones County.
Roby, Texas. From here we joined US Highway 84 in Snyder back to Lubbock. Shaved 1 hour off our trip and saw some beauty along the way. Best part, I want to go back. Don't you know these little towns have some awesome antiques??!!

Covered heart tutorial....

This one is a bit more masculine than the others. but the techniques used are very similar. Decorating your piece will be totally up to you, gather some fun embellishments and just sit and play.
Gather your supplies, I also used Glossy Accents to adhere metal to paper, metal to die cut, a Spellbinders scallop edge heart, some t!m Holtz metal embellishments, mini glue dots, a Crop-a-dile, slate alcohol ink, some ribbon and the orange double sided adhesive, and an embossing tool. Trace the top and bottom heart onto paper of your choice and cut out.
Eat the contents of the hearts. You owe it to yourself. Of course if you are giving the chocolate, then don't take a bite out of them first :). Take the lid off and paint the bottom of the heart (see picture above) on the lip that extends from the heart base and you can see when it's closed, also the side that goes up. easier to keep a nice cohesive look. I used gold, but any color would work. Paint the lip that extends on the box top also. Let dry.
Since this heart box had a metallic cover, I sanded it a bit with a file first. Then use my new love - Liquid Laminate! It's clear so don't go overboard. Squirt some onto the top and then 'paint' the top with a foam brush. I stamped and embossed the cover heart first. Then lay the cover heart you cut out earlier on top. With the laminate you don't have the same window to move items around. Once the paper is down, it's pretty much there. Be careful when you place it. I KNOW you will love this product though, so much easier and less messy than Mod Podge. Also, word of advice, don't get it on your clothes.. it's there if it does!
Cover the side of the top with a 1" strip (or larger/smaller - measure your box) of paper. Add either some lace or some ric-rack to the side with mini glue dots.
Using the orange double sided tape place a piece on the cover. Cover the strip with a piece of ribbon. Repeat for the second piece of ribbon.
Make sure it come down onto the back side.
Die cut a piece of metal with the Spellbinders scallop edged die. Emboss with your favorite embossing plate. Drip slate alcohol ink onto the embossed die cut.
It's okay if it puddles. The dry with your embossing gun. The ink will move around a bit, but the end result is very cool.
I added a t!m Holtz spinner, chain with attachment piece and a brad through the heart which was glued to a same size die cut chipboard piece for added stability.
Attached the piece to the top of the heart with some black pop dots. Added a picture to the attachment piece. You can see i added a metal corner to the heart bottom.

Close up of the heart.
Close up of chain. I just love how the distress embossing powder makes this piece look at the more "rough" and it still conveys valentine's sentiments.

Other options:
Western theme with brown craft paper, cording and appropriate stamps
cut a heart for the bottom inside and write a message or stamp a message on it
I'll be showing you the fabric heart Monday next week. I think you'll be surprised to see the little box covered with fabric. Till then. Thanks for stopping by and...

Quickutz Club January 2010

It's the start of a new year. It's the start of a new album. It's the start of a new theme.
Pick your day (date) take a picture. That's all you have to do other than show up for club with your supplies. At the end of the year you'll have an album of the simple things in life that make it wonderful. Come join us for the fun.
Once again we see the Christmas QuicKutz die set put to use. Add a few embellishments and the first page is ready to go.
Some repeated elements, a few layers snowflakes, some punched snowflakes and another piece of the Christmas gift set - I'd say a winning combination for the new year!

Supplies: (we are making 3 pages!)
QuicKuts: Deck the Halls font
Santa's Workshop Wintergreen folder
Santa's Workshop Sugarplum scalloped/curved page

Pearl embellishments (cover)
Wooden scrolls (January pages)
4- 1/4" brads (these came from my stash)
brown/beige mini check ribbon
two of different sizes- snowflake punches
Chestnut Roan cat's eye ink pad
Brown journaling pen
Frosted lace Stickles
Versamark watermark ink pad
Embossing pen
Distress Powder embossing powder weathered wood
Seafoam White embossing powder
Embossing heat gun
Snowflake stamp (Tim Holtz used in sample)
JustRite rectangular stamper - horizontal
JustRite Time New Roman .50pt font
Tim Holtz mini attacher
paper to match album color
ribbon to match album color
off white paper
Brown paper of choice
Snowflakes, brown scroll both from the Winter Wishes collection - DML
Snowflake dies - I will bring
pencil for tracing
paper cutting scissors
4" Cheetah adhesive runner
various adhesives to fit the job
Basic supplies

See you January 16th; 10:00am at DML!

Are you thinking Valentine's already?

Welcome! If I start now, maybe I can have some special Valentine's ready for those I love. What are the odds? Above, you'll see two revamped Valentine boxes. Covered with paper, adorned with tidbits of lace, wire and flowers, these boxes have taken on the look of an old fashioned Valentine, I think. Later in the week I'll put up a step by step how-to so that you too can create your own. The mini tutorial will be a more masculine box. It can be done!
Gathered lace formed into a flower is the base for a grouping of items. A flower, key and self-made tag are minimal but have lots of impact.
A look at the larger box, shows mini flowers, floral colored "bits", a coiled wire, crinkled tag and a Liquid Pearls spotted Spellbinders die cut heart.
The two roses are antique wire mesh adornments. A glass leaf peaks out between glass flowers and a strand of faux pearls. All this sits on a purchased lace bow.
A gold heart adds the finishing touch to the assemblage that is topped off with a lace dragonfly.
A key peaks out from the grouping.

I love the Basic Grey paper that covers the top of the box!
This little box is a bit smaller and has a cool striped side with a mini lace strip hanging down.
Finish off the backs where the lace overlaps with a bitty flower specimen!


And if the ricrack is too plain, dot it with a pen to give it a bit more interest.

Remember stay tuned for the mini tutorial that will post this week. For the sewers out there, I've got a stitched version too.

The QuicKutz club preview will appear on Wednesday - it's the first of the year!

Be Creative and thanks for dropping by!