wedding weekend - December 17, 2011

Flowers flowers everywhere.

One of my big sisters was married this past weekend and it was so good.



















My awesome sisters did a whole spread of home-made goodies and the wedding cake along with the buffet meal. And my amazing Mama did the flowers. I just puddled around helping abit here and there with the deco and such.



'





These pictures are........ not the best. I grabbed them out of the camera and ran a couple actions. And it didn't turn out as I -- envisioned. But I'm not in a mood to edit :) and i just wanted to share. Thanks for putting up with my absence. I hope you'll stick around a while more as I want to share more fun projects and crafty stuff in the days ahead.

hugs to you.

Vio

~ Crafty Secrets *NEW* CD! ~

Some exciting news from Crafty Secrets! A brand-new CD full of lovely designs you're sure to enjoy.



It's G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S my dears........ you are going to LOVE IT!! It's full of beautiful patterned papers and images, overlays, and designs... suitable for printing on any kind of paper you like. For myself, I can't wait to try printing on vellum. It would make awesome-lovely cards, don't you think?

For today, I have two digital layouts to share with you. I used everything (except the photos of course) from the CD.



That's me and my sisters in person :) ... (I'm the one on the far left if you are interested to know ;)

~ To explain the title, one of them is getting married next month, and I just made this layout to remind myself that even as the years pass and we grow up and have our own families we're all going to be sisters always ... (as if I would forget) ...



... and this layout has a photo of me and the sister who is getting married in three weeks. (Ann is on the left and I'm on the right). I CAN'T BELIEVE IT - MY SISTER IS GETTING MARRIED?

(photos taken last month during our family holiday in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia)

Ok, moving on.......... here is some --> NEWS <--from the Crafty Secrets blog! Go there to read more, and you can start shopping HERE. 

The new CD is all set for release next week, but is available for pre-order, along with the big sale Crafty Secrets is having right now.


Have a happy November and Thanksgiving!!
~Vi

~ November Release ~ The Craft's Meow

HAPPY NOVEMBER! :) here is my card for The Craft's Meow november release! you will LOVE all the stamp sets Lisa and her creative team have worked so hard to design. This card uses Vintage Greetings... lots of cute snowflakes in the set (two of which you can see in the photo above), and the "love, joy, peace" sentiment is so pretty.



Tsk me. I've been using the same colors for all the cards this release, and i know, i'm so boooooooring. I guess i just am too lazy to get new colored inks and patterns out once i get started.

Visit the TCM BLOG to comment and you might WIN all the beautiful sets released today. Also, there are a bunch of other lovely ladies to visit. They've made their own amazing stuff with the stamps.

Alice Wertz
Amy Tsuruta
Debbie Pamment
Ivana Camdzic
Iwona Palamountain
Jean Martin
Jenny Suchin
Jessica Fick
Julie Ranae Murray
Lindsay Amrhein
Lynn Miller
Michelle Bertuzzi
Nina Brackett
Sarah Martina Parker
Sparkle Smith

hope you have a lovely november.

~Vi

~ Vintage Ornaments and Vintage Greetings ~ The Craft's Meow

Vintage Ornaments: a new stamp set to be released November 1st at The Craft's Meow. Full of lovely vintage-style stamps with sentiments for the holidays. I picked out the "For you" sentiment and circular ornament stamp to create a scalloped border on this card.






can't get a minute to upload the photos of my Vintage Greetings so I will share that tomorrow if you'll drop by again. thanks for visiting!

~Vi

~ Season's Greetings ~ The Craft's Meow

Previewing "Season's Greetings" for The Craft's Meow November release... this set is FULL of sentiments in the loveliest fonts. I used the large frame to stamp on the background (Webster's Pages patterned paper) in green, and added a banner strip with some lace, ribbon, a sparkly gem, and pearls.

Also, some info from the TCM blog:

The Craft's Meow is taking a new direction in its product offerings, so just about everything (except stamps) is now on sale for 15% to 50% off!!! No coupon at checkout is needed... the prices have already been marked down. And you still get free shipping in the US for purchases of $65 or more and discounted shipping for international orders of $65 US or more!!! Quantities are limited so shop early for the best selection. These items will not be restocked. Be sure to check what's been newly added to the store by clicking the New Items link on the right side bar of the storefront.

Maya Road - 15% off

Pink Paislee and My Mind's Eye - 25% off

Fly Free and Soiree Card Kits - 35% off

Crate Paper, Echo Park and Graphic 45 - 40% off

Maya Road Shadowbox Kit - 50% off

Some Embossing Items - 25 - 50% off

We are also having a competition on our Facebook page. If we reach 1000 fans by November 1st, we'll give away a set of the SEVEN new stamp sets to one lucky FB fan, so please be sure to join us there and share with a friend!!!

Visit THE CRAFT'S MEOW today for some fabulous shopping! And if you want to win the stamp set I've shared in my preview today, comment on the TCM blog post today and you stand a chance to have it for free!

Hope your weekend is going lovely.
~Vi

~ The Merry Best ~ The Craft's Meow

Previewing a new stamp set for The Craft's Meow's November release, a fun and cute set called "The Merry Best" --



I picked two of the baby snowflake stamps in the set and stamped away to create a patterned background as you can see in the photo above.



and a lovely, meaningful sentiment from the set too. I plan to send this card out with the scripture verse from John 6:29.





other supplies I used: vintage dinner menu collage, lace trim, scrunchy ribbon, a trimmed chiffon fabric rose, and some pearls.

that's it from me today. Have a good week!
~ vi

~ Crafty Secrets Design Team Challenge ~ Gift Bag/Envelope

Welcome to the October challenge for the Crafty Secrets' DT!
This project was SO FUN!!! Let me show you ....



Each of the DT members used a tutorial that you can find HERE to create a paper sack from an envelope. And we each got to pick a theme, so I chose "Thank you" and then made this sack using a brown envelope, burlap, satin wings, cameo setting, lace trims, and these goodies from Crafty Secrets:

- Love Mail creative scraps

- Mini Frames stamp set (chain stamp)

- Grand Greetings stamp set (sentiment stamp)



and as part of the assignment, I made a card to go with the gift bag.





Another cute sentiment from Grand Greetings, and a cameo setting with an image from Mini Vintage creative scraps. the background pattern is from Love Mail. I used some bits of trim and a burlap scrap salvaged from the bin ;) ...



Take a minute and see the great stuff the rest of the DT has come up with:

• Vicki Chrisman Team Leader


• Pam Hooten


• Heidi Blankenship


• Linda Duke


• Michele Kovack


• Julie Campbell


• Amy Teets


• Debbie Marcinkiewicz


• Fauve van Maanen


• Gini Cagle


• Jan Hennings


• Tammy Roberts


• Victoria Warren Mears

CRAFTY SECRETS

HEARTWARMING VINTAGE BLOG


And I just totally shocked myself by looking back at the archives........... I've been blogging for a YEAR already? how amazing is that. I've gotten bad at updating recently. I'mso busy with classes, practice, work, and so many other things. As time permits, I will keep this blog updated if anyone wants to read still (raise your hand if you do).

Last week my family took a vacation up in Cameron Highlands (Malaysia).Here's a few I have handy to show you.

We saw loads of pretty flowers...



Gorgeous scenery...



STRAWBERRIES!! at the strawberry farm! ...





Ok that's all for now...

~ Vi

p/s ... For those of you who asked, the little felt flower on the card in my last post was sent to me by my friend Annette. I bet she made them on her own, so if you want some of your own, go and bug her :D (sorry Annette) ....... I think she used to sell them in her etsy shop.

~ October Release ~ The Craft's Meow blog hop

I'm SORRY my post is up late!! Why do I always do things like this!



I used some of the cutest-ever leaves from Fruity for You ..........



.......... the most cunning little fence from Fall Fun ............



....... and this wonderful little sentiment from As We Gather Together.



Some flowers, lace trim, and pearls.



I was sooo sad that I missed the last few days of amazing previews with the TCM design team. It was thrilling to get my stamps just two days ago in the mailbox!! yay! So I made this card for today's blog hop.

Take a look at what the other designers have for you, and leave a comment to win all five new sets at the TCM blog!

Alice Wertz

Amy Tsuruta

Danni Bindel

Debbie Pamment

Ivana Camdzic

Iwona Palamountain

Jean Martin

Jenny Suchin

Jessica Fick

Julie Ranae Murray

Lindsay Amrhein

Lynn Miller

Michelle Bertuzzi

Nina Brackett

Sarah Martina Parker

In recognitionof World Card Making Day, all of our card kits... and our Maya Road shadowbox kit...are on sale for 35% off!!! That's right!!! No coupon is necessary... the prices shown in the store are the discounted prices. There are VERY limited quantities and they will not be re-stocked, so be sure to order quickly! You will LOVE creating cards in the style of Sarah Martina Parker, Jessica Fick and Alice Wertz!

have a super weekend!

~vi

~ Brads and Burlap ~ Pixie Dust Paperie

Hello my friends, today I have my last September card for Pixie Dust Paperie. If you have not taken a look at September's kit, Tecolote, go check it out now. And my post for this brad-y-licious card is here on the blog. Hasn't this been a fun month using this kit? and the great news is, I still have SO MUCH goodies from this kit, I'll keep making more and more fun things. Oh by the way, the sentiment stamp on this card is from Crafty Secrets. I have lots of new stamps from them that I need to play with! will share some projects with them soon.

I'll end off here tonight as this girl is tired.

hugs,
~vi