~ Beautiful Burlap ~ handmade burlap gift bags and a giveaway

Oops -- I shouldn't have gone off a whole week without anything to share, but today, I'm back, for a little burlap love.

On to the fun things! I trailed after my mum and sisters to "arab street" (a cute, old, antique-y place here in Singapore) to find material for our choir girls' dresses for our next season  and I found a big roll of burlap in one of the stores! .exactly.what.I.wanted.

 
 So I asked the "auntie" to cut half-a-meter for me, and I took it home and snipped it up and made these little gift-pockets.



trimmed with real, crocheted lace and fairy wings, tea-dyed buds and a felt rose. And the most beautiful chandelier drops I found in a beads-and-trinkets store.



little lockets and key trinkets I found somewhere on "arab street". these stores are nameless and I'm not sure I can find them again next time. *frowny face*




And I made a card with a little burlap too.. here 'tis..



 

   .. see the cute wall-panels behind my card? I picked it up for just a few dollars at the wonderful beads-and-trinkets store ... the old fashioned kind of place with lots of cute things to pick over -- and I just love that little panel! here's a full photo -- darling isn't it?

 Last of all... today is...

 

 ~ give away day ~

... here are some of my very favorite goodies that I used in the creations shared today... and I would love to give a bundle of them away to you as a "thank you" for all the times you've come to visit. whether you come often, or this is your first time popping in, just say so.. I love to get to know my readers too :) 

only one rule: if you don't leave a comment, you don't get to be picked. Easy? you can say anything you please in your comments. Niceness not enforced here :)

*sometimes, just sometimes, I feel cranky and don't participate in giveaways... if that's you today, please do still leave a comment because I'm just aching all over to know just who reads my silly blog... will you? you're a dear!*

Next weekend, I will be back and draw a name. And if we go more than 50 comments, I will pick two winners. each will get this goodie bundle...

~ my favorite mulberry roses ~ chandelier drops ~ locket-trinket ~ key-trinkets ~ tea-dyed buds ~ my favorite, favorite tea-dyed lace trim ~ all tucked up into your very own burlap baggie, ready for you to dress up for yourself.

Ok --- see you then. Next week!

Happy weekend!
~ vi 

 

~ Spring Colors ~ laundry line card

I hear spring is coming in America.
And I kind of wish we had our spring here too -- instead of our year-round monsoons and blazing heat.

I do know what spring is, and I love the flowers and everything new that comes with it. And the colors are my favorite.

Something made for my best friend...




... the clothesline and sentiment seem unrelated... most of all for teenagers like me and my bestie, but believe me, they are totally relevant to us and somewhat symbolic :D ... it's a long story so I won't go there.

And then. Well, I love flowers, all kinds and all colors... but roses are my favorite, and any kind in pink. So I love to browse bouquet-photos and save them for color inspiration. And...

I made a card to go with it.... with my very own rose. Rolled from tea-dyed lace trim and tucked with pearls.

And then. One more...




 Something simple, with burlap and a cherub too...

I'm so tired now that I'm almost incoherent. Pardon me and let me skip off to bed..

~Vi

~ Blossom Boxes ~ sweet lemon potpourri

I'm just going to squash a whole lot into this post... time is so short for me these days, and I don't think I'll be able to be back till the weekend.

These are the blossom boxes!! using the apple pie box template .. stuffed full of sweet lemon potpourri and ready for gifts for some special friends.






Sorry for the picture overload.

A card for Miss Mona's challenge here. I rarely have the time to sit and let a color challenge work me out, but this time I did, and I loved it.





and lastly, exciting news... :) PaperCrafts new issue is released today (Feb 15)! Clear and Simple Stamps has a special feature...
... flip to page 33 as soon as you lay hands on your copy, and there will be a barcode for you to view exclusive CSS designs on the website. Get your barcode reader here and have fun learning to read barcodes.

Happy day!
~ Vi

~ Sky-Blue Melody ~ Handmade Birthday Card

I must  be quick today. there is homework and practice to be done even thought it's the weekend :(


Just to leave you with a little project for the weekend --- here is a card for a dear friend. Her birthday is almost ten days past (yes, ten days) but then, my pals all know that I can't be trusted to remember birthdays till it's more than a week late. Ha.


Just this week, on one of my runs I managed to squeeze a trip to the local LSS and I found Prima's new Madeline line... so pretty, fresh, and spring-y. Bunched together with sky-blue melody scrunchy ribbon, mulberry roses, tea-dyed trimmings, and a frosty-silver-berry trinket pin...




And a little neighborhood, with more sky-blue melody love... 


 ... shabby bits and bobs, scraps and more -- so much fun. I hope I can do more of them soon.



Need to run.

hugs,
~ Vi

~ Apple Pie Boxes ~ two stamped designs

I love apple pies... especially those that come in a special-shaped-box (MacDonalds) =)


 So... I found a cute little template for a "pillow box," as it's called, and created my own apple pie boxes. The perfect size, and an awesome shape for all kinds of little gifts. trinkets, jewellery, potpourri, and anything you please.


 well, I actually made the card first. Then the apple pie box. But I think I'm more in love with the box! Both made with shabby paper from K and Co... and Masculine Motif stamps. Scrunchy ribbon from MemrieMare and some old, old trim.


 This is the guy version.

-- here's the girly one...


faded, beautiful raindrops from this stamp set... from one of my favorite companies. layers of vellum butterflies, tea-dyed trim, a tiny tag, and silky ribbon, with buttons.





Apple-pie hugs! I'm dreaming of tasting one now.

Thank you for visiting me today!
~ vi

p/s... if you would like to create your own apple pie boxes, find the template here.

~ Clear and Simple Stamps Group Challenge ~ Spring Ensemble

***there is something wrong with me. I posted on the seventh, when the hop was only due on the eighth, so check the other ladies' blogs tomorrow*** 



Today we are having a happy hop among the CSS design team, showing gift ensemble ideas with the set-of-the-month, Spring ... and I thought, while I'm at it, I'll toss in a special method of gift-giving.

First, I have my goodies... in this case, my favorite, Bueno :)


Bundled together with some twill ribbon, then slipped into a glassine bag, and wrapped with twine...

  
A little tag made with Webster's Pages scraps, and darling stamps from Spring ... this is just the first layer of wrapping (or second, if you count the twill ribbon as the first :) ...

Next:


Stamp a paper sack using the eeek-cute raindrop border! I love that little thing so much...

The "stack" of animals were trimmed from the patterned papers used on the tag earlier... and that sentiment is also from Spring; finished off with scrunchy ribbon, baker's twine, a doily, and a on-the-catwalk-cream button.

And while I'm at it, here is another CSS project, for this week. Another bag all dressed up with a tag, using Spring.





Now... to carry on the hop... make a visit to these other lovely ladies for more Spring treats!

Dana Grothaus

Cristina Kowalczyk

Kim Howard

Ryann Salamon

Lori Tecler

Tracy Schultz

--> Clear and Simple Stamps


Thanks for visiting!
~ vi