Memory Box – Artful Musings

Tag: Memory Box

13
Feb
2016

Pretty Pink Posh: Valentine Challenge (Sending Love)

categories: Artful Pursuits, Creative Challenges

Hello, friends! I’m on the blog today with my third and final entry for the Pretty Pink Posh Valentine Challenge. Learn more about this challenge by clicking the image below.

As I said in my first post, I have been in love with PPP for a while now. Her sequin mixes are beautiful and unique. I love using them in all sorts of projects from shaker cards to plush creations. My favorites are the exclusive sets: Ocean Spray, Peacock Feathers, Strawberry Burst, Sunshine Glow, and the new mini confetti hearts and stars. I also love her new stamps! My favorite is the exclusive set created for Simon Says Stamp’s “Stamptember” event last fall. This amazing set is still available. Typically, these exclusive sets sell out right away (as this one did), but it was so popular SSS restocked it so it is still available.

For my final entry into the challenge I decided to create a card using this wonderful stamp set. Again, I take my inspiration from Liz who used the winter version of the “half animals” in a PPP stamp set. As an extra little something I also created a plush heart gift using one of the new Memory Box plush dies, Pocket Heart and filled the pocket with some stick figure pals.

I fell in love with the new line of plush dies from Memory Box last fall. There are several dies covering Christmas (stockings, snowmen, and mittens), Valentine’s (hearts), and Easter (bunnies, birds, and eggs). I die cut up a bunch and watch tv while I sew them together — it’s a fun and relaxing way to spend a few hours.

The base is a “sunshine” A2 card. I stamped the hot air balloon, bunny (2), puppy, and of course, the kitty on Copic blending paper using Memento Tuxedo Black ink (see this post for a note about Copic blending paper). I also stamped the big and small clouds from the Pixie Dust set by Avery Elle. I die cut all the pieces and began coloring them with my Copic markers. Balloon: RV10, E08, E35, BG34, BG13, BG10, & BG000. Clouds: BG000 & B000. Bunny: RV10, T2, & T0. Kitty: RV10, E08, E11, & E35. Puppy: W5 & W0. I also used the Copic colorless blending pen.

Once everything was dry I die cut the large Scallop Frame (a PPP exclusive) out of white cardstock and glued it to the sunshine card. I began laying out and gluing down the clouds and balloon. Finally, I added the bunny and stamped the “sending you love” sentiment using Memento ink.

For the plush heart I die cut two of the large heart out of grey wool felt, the pocket out of hot pink felt, the bits and pieces out of various colors of felt. Using embroidery floss I sewed the bits and pieces (along with a few PPP sequins) on and then began sewing the pocket and two large hearts together, stopping short of completing it so I could add some polyfil and then stitch it closed. Using a bamboo skewer I attached the puppy, bunny, and kitty using thin washi tape and inserted them into the pocket.

I had so much fun creating for this Valentine’s Challenge. I have loved looking at everyone’s entries and I know Pauline will have a difficult time choosing a winner — all the entries are amazing. Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

20
Jan
2016

Fun with Felt

categories: Artful Pursuits, Christmas Inspiration, Felt Creations, Gift Ideas

I’ve long enjoyed the tactile feeling of mixing different mediums in my work and one of my favorites is felt. It is scratchy and soft all at once and comes in a variety of rich and wonderful colors.

Die cutting felt is pretty simple provided you have the right material. I find that the best cuts come from felt that has at least some portion of wool. I try to stay away from polyester and other “fake” felts, opting instead to spend a bit more for felt that is at least some portion wool. I purchase my felt locally. You can also get it online.

Back in the fall, Memory Box came out with a line of dies specifically designed to cut felt and be sewn together. I was intrigued. I bought the stocking and the large snowman and then they sat, untouched, in my die storage. Sigh…

Early in December I had the opportunity to take a class working with these dies – I promised myself if I didn’t enjoy it I was going to return the dies no matter how cute they were. Class was designed to allow the completion one, possibly two, of the 6 options, which included a stocking, a large snowman, a tiny snowman (named Sheldon), a heart, a star, and a mitten. I ended up completing the heart, the large snowman, and getting a good start on the stocking. Needless to say, I was hooked … and thus began my plush obsession.

I ended up making stocking ornaments (like the above right) for the intern team at SAMBICA and after making 10, I became somewhat of an expert and found it very relaxing, particularly while watching TV or listening to music. TIP: I like to use dental floss threaders to assist me in getting the needle threaded and for beads that have smaller holes.

Memory Box has expanded the plush line to include some additional spring offerings including: a pocket egg, a folk heart, a heart border, a songbird, a small bunny, and Liam Bunny. There are also several add-on’s that can be added to the above including: flower buttons, small & large poinsettias, small & large snowflakes, holly & berries, and a baby heart. They are so much fun that I have planned another post once I’ve had a chance to finish all the hearts, eggs, and bunnies!

Here is a picture of the winter ornaments I made. I gave the little Sheldon snowman as a gift to several friends. I turned him into a pin by adding a pin back before I sewed him together. He is so precious!

Until next time, remember, creativity and imperfection live together in all we do. “Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection.”

~xoxo
Beanie

Supplies Used
Wool Felt & Poly-Fil
Memory Box Plush Dies
Glass Seed Beads 6/0 (various colors)
DMC Embroidery Floss (various colors)
Tapestry Needle & Floss Threader

03
May
2014

It’s National Scrapbook Day

categories: Artful Pursuits

To be honest, with the exception of a few paperbag albums and some Smash journals I have never made a scrapbook. Even the paperbag albums I’ve made never had photos added to them. They sit, safely packed away in a box. What can I say, I’m not a scrapbooker.

Why then, you might ask am I entering challenges and giveaways on this, National Scrapbook Day? The answer is simple, really. Scrabookers have the best goodies … goodies that I can use in my mixed media adventures.

Take Washi tape. A scrapbook staple, adding texture, color and interest to any layout. For me it’s wallpaper, tape, a way to turn plain cardstock interesting, and so much more. I have a Washi tape addiction … it is genetically impossible for me to pass up a cool roll of Washi tape. Before you ask, yes, all Washi tape is cool! Is there a Washi tape 12-step program? Truth be told, I probably need that.

Washi tape is just the tip of the iceberg (the Titanic-sinking sized iceberg). There are Wink of Stella pens, Copic markers, Distress stains/paints/inks/markers/embossing powders, Colorbloom sprays, stencils, and Ideology findings (mirrored stars, metal numbers, ribbon slides, and more).

I could go on for days … I have a studio to prove that. Bottom line: scrapbookers have the best goodies.

I love the creative journey and the fact that when I step into the studio I never know what is going to happen. I don’t step into the studio as often as I would like but after my move to Bellevue is complete, I hope to settle into a better routine in my creative space.

What “rolls your socks up”? If you can’t answer, I say it’s high time you figure it out! Get in touch with what gives you joy and energy and try to “get in your creative space” as often as you can!

Here are a few of my favorite spots for inspiration…

A few shopping crafty staples…

And finally, since shopping locally is important:

Urban Scrapbooker (Shoreline)
Impress (Tukwila & University Village)