More Wedding Purple

So, to go along with the card box...I decided to make a wall banner to match. I decided that maybe we needed to "explain the box"! I challenged myself to using supplies that I already had! I pulled some printable fabric, used the ribbon that I used on the box and garters, made a couple more flowers.....and my printer! Oh my, side bar here....I love my printer!

Anyhow, I didn't get a very good pic of the banner as I don't have any bare wall to hang it on....you get the idea though!

Close up of the lettering and flower, I covered the attachments with the flowers....

Baby flowers used on the three center letters...

I tied the ends of the ribbon (3 for layering) and attached the letters to it...

I like how the banner turned out! Was going to make a "Mr. & Mrs." but I don't have enough printable fabric. Will ask the Bride if she wants me to do so....we'll see....

Wedding Purple

So, I was able to finish the garters and card box this week....for my son and his future bride! My wonderful Mom-in-Law sewed the two garters (one to keep and one to throw) for the bride....I can't sew a straight line, let alone try to gather both lace and ribbon! I called upon my Mom-in-Law to help me by sewing the garters...she did such a beautiful job! Thank you Mom! I searched all over for the perfect dark purple flowers to attach to the garters, they were not to be found! So, I went to JoAnn's to buy flowers that I could take apart and make my own. I got them home, took them apart and they were SO wrong, they had huge gaps between the petals, would not layer correctly! Took me 15 minutes to put one flower back together so I could return the darned things. So, I went to Michael's, they usually have a great selection of flowers. I found one stem of 3 flowers that were perfect! I stood right there and took a flower apart to see if it would work....it would, perfectly! HOWEVER, I could only find one stem. I was pretty depressed so I walked around the store looking for something else that would work! Guess what I found....I found 3 more stems that someone had put back by the frames....now, was that fate or what? I was so excited....grabbed a roll of matching chiffon style ribbon and raced home to make the flowers! Uh oh....I had not clue how to....I just assumed I could take them apart and layer them and they would look gorgeous! Uh, no! they just looked like flat, boring flowers. SO, I got the idea to burn the edges...I love to burn stuff! I burn paper, transparencies, ribbon, fabric....all in the name of art! This was no different....right?! So, I pulled out a tea light, lit it and proceeded in burning the edges of the petals. After decimating one (it went up in flames), I learned to manage the burn! The flower petals curled up at the edges and looked perfect! I layered the flowers, gathered the chiffon ribbon into a circle and layered them....add a velvet flower and pearls for the centers and I was a happy girl!

This flower looks a bit fuchsia in the pic but it's really the same dark purple as the ribbon! 

The center of the flower on each garter is a bit different! I wonder which one the bride will choose to keep! Hope she likes them! 

So, I had such a great time with the flowers for the garters that I put together some extras! What shall I use them on? 

Well, I was asked to make a card box....I couldn't wait to start! I searched all over this town for a box that would work (something that wasn't big enough to hold a body), impossible! I tried to order something but the shipping was ridiculous! I mentioned to my Mom-in-Law that I needed a box and again she came through for me! She had just the perfect size box but it needed to be repainted. So, I went to work....it took about 12 coats of dark purple paint to cover the Modge Podged decor.....finally, it was ready to do the crackle technique the bride had liked! The box didn't have feet so I added little, round, wooden doll heads (they have a flat bottom so I could attach them to the box) to the bottom and painted them purple too! Add the crackle medium, let dry, paint the box white and wait for the cool crackle to start! Wow, it was looking great but needed some decor! So, I pulled out the box of purple and white ribbons I picked up for the garters and other fun stuffs.....added them in layers to the box....attached two of the cool flowers I made and wow.....the box looks awesome!

You can't see the feet, they are hiding in the background but here is the front of the card box! 

Again, the flowers appear lighter than they really are due to the lighting but you get the picture! 

I hope the bride likes the box.....I can't wait for her to come over next weekend to pick them up! 

Shhhhh, don't tell her where to look for the pics, she may want them to be a surprise! 

Just a reminder....I painted Tom's shoes for the wedding as well.....everything is purple, white and black. If you didn't see the shoes....here's a couple pics: 

It's all coming together! I am having so much fun....what else can I make? 

I had THE most fun....

For the Bride to Be....I created custom "Tom" shoes for her to wear beneath her wedding dress. I have to admit, I was TERRIFIED to begin! I just had the feeling I would screw up, if I did, I would have to order another pair of Tom's to try again....that could get spendy! So....I worked very slowly, read the words aloud (I printed their song on her shoes) as I wrote them, crossed them off the lyrics sheet as I wrote them....it took me a lot more time to work on them than other projects....just because I was TERRIFIED I would screw up. I didn't! 

I did it, I decorated both shoes, without any crossing out of words, without any smears of paint, without an "redo's"! LOL I showed them to my friends at work, my In-Law's and our best friends...everyone loved them....makes the heart feel good! I have to admit....I would love to make some for me....not wedding themed, of course! Wanna take a look....I'm willing to show them off....would love your feedback! 

The big letters and numbers are done in dark purple with black trim, the song in black and each flower is purple with colored rhinestones for the centers! Oh my, I had such a great time with them! I'm not sure if they are what the Bride wants, or if she likes them...but that's okay! If she doesn't....at least I had the experience of doing something I had not done before. AND.....I know that I want to make some for myself! 

He's a Mean One....

So, every year, Leslie, Renee' and I have been decorating the foyer for our office! This year (2012) was no different! I should tell you...we started planning this immediately following the 2011 Christmas! Or shortly thereafter! So anyhow, we chose....The Grinch! I have to say...this was the most fun to create for, but then it's one of my fave Christmas flicks! I watch the Jim Carrey version at least three times each season! So, I put together some Grinch Ornaments: glass and tin...we grabbed some ribbon, ball ornaments, a cute little tree, my son's adorable dog (called Max for the Holidays) and of course, the man himself....The Grinch! Oh, the compliments we received for this tree stealing green man! It was absolutely adorable! These pictures do not do him justice:

Look at that guy....he has buried himself in the tree....we were sure that one morning we would arrive to work and the tree would be gone! Little Bugger! 

Okay, so we are done with Christmas for this year. But hey, we have 2013 already planned for. There is a pile of decorations under my desk, just waiting to bring smiles to faces. A hint for 2013 Christmas.....Yummy! 

Happy two months after Christmas! 

The Grinch! 

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch

You really are a heel, 

You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a bad banana with greasy black peel! 

You're a monster, Mr. Grinch, 

Your heart's an empty hole, 

Your brain is full of spiders, you have garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch, 

I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole! 

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch, 

You have termites in your smile, 

You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch, 

Given a choice between the two of you, I'd take the seasick crocodile! 

You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch, 

You're the king of sinful sots, 

Your heart's a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a three decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce!

You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch, 

With a nauseous super "naus"!, 

You're a crooked dirty jockey and you drive a crooked hoss, Mr. Grinch, 

Your soul is an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful 

Assortment of rubbish imaginable mangled up in tangled up knots!

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a nasty wasty skunk, 

Your heart is full of unwashed socks, your soul is full of gunk, Mr. Grinch, 

The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote, 

"Stink, Stank, Stunk"!