Kitchen Refresh

Karen who hosts The Graphics Fairy is looking to update her kitchen. Mine could sure use some help as well. She has a giveaway --- $1,000 gift card to Home Depot. That would certainly make a dent in a kitchen project!

Valentine Boxes Part II

 I wanted to share the box I made and sent to Laurie my partner in the Valentine Box Swap. She told me that she liked soft colors, very vintage and I knew she loves buttons.  

I chose some vintage style papers along with some flowers in soft colors and a cupid cut from the cover of a book. I also tucked in some little pieces of lace.

This is a shot of the side. I painted all the edges and then layered on some punched paper and some lace. I can't remember exactly where I got it....I don't think it's vintage by definition, but it is older. I didn't take interior shots of the box because I was not happy with how they turned out. At least it is on the inside. 

We were to make something to put inside our box. I decorated a spool and then it wouldn't fit in the box! This is the first "spoolie" I've made. I saw some pretty examples at Lynn's blog and wanted to try my hand at one. I chose a birdcage die cut and attempted to make it 3D. 

I also altered a spoon for Laurie with a piece of silverplate from my collection. 

It's really difficult to see, but the handle in monogrammed. I can't make it all out, but the first letter I'm pretty sure is an L.  

I packaged each of these separately in a kraft bag that I decorated on the outside but forgot to take pictures of them. 

This is the box all packed up. 

I included some of my favorite laces and little bits of flowers and such for decorating items. The pink velvet ribbon is off a vintage roll and tucked underneath is a really pretty vintage look napkin that I just love. I also included some of the brown crepe paper that I used on the spoolie.

I picked up a monogram stamp that I thought Laurie could use on artwork that she sells in her etsy shop along with an old bottle to alter and a pretty vintage dish. I was saddened to hear that it didn't arrive in one piece. I also found a pretty vintage postcard and included a modern bookmark with a vintage look.

Laurie is a Button Floozie so I included 2 packs of buttons in her box. These pretties were sealed up in a little organza bag. Some of my favorite buttons are in this set: the pink plastic pierced one, the cream with the rhinestone center and the big square pink one. It has a bit of sparkle in it. I don't know if it's very old, but I think it's pretty fun! The charm attached to the ribbon is an extra I had from another swap about a year and a half ago. In the center is a very shabby button. It's not in great shape, but I think it's so pretty. I hope Laurie likes it to either admire or use in a project. The chain on the left is a zipper pull; it has the logo of a local department store here that was the place to shop for many years. It closed in the 90s finally and many years after that I found a full box of these at an estate sale. They must have been some sort of promotional item.

I added a bit of book page and a vintage style ticket (you can get the free printable here) to this bag full of buttons and other assorted items.

A mix of vintage buttons and modern embellishments. I always like to order a few things at swap times and then spread them out over several swaps. I picked out some vintage french sequins, a plastic heart button with a rhinestone and some carved buttons  . The thick pink ones I found locally in a little button jar; they have a shape I don't see very often that I really liked. There were also two angel wings in this pack but they are very translucent and hard to see.

This was a little bag I made to hold some ephemera and vintage inspired images. The main focal piece is from one of the decorative napkins that I mentioned earlier. 

I included some printable images and a few of my favorite ephemera pieces: a game card, some tea packets and a royal mail stamp. 

A printed vintage valentine and a carved antique button. You can also see a silverplate spoon I included in case Laurie wanted to alter one. 

Another napkin, some printed banner pieces, and a Valentine from the 1930s. I found it and the carved button at my favorite antique store here. I can't remember the exact year she told me - but it was mid to late 30s. She had several beautiful pieces for sale! The rolled up paper is some paintable wallpaper I picked up back when I first started stamping at a hardware store that was going out of business.

I hope Laurie enjoyed opening up each item and that she has a few new treasures to enjoy and create with. 

Valentine Boxes

Remember being in school and creating something to hold valentines? When I was growing up, we did it in class, from a big piece of construction paper and made a pocket that we glued cut out hearts onto. Simple and perfect.

I recently participated in a Valentine Box swap. My partner, Laurie from Indulge Your Shelf,  spoiled me with what she sent. I cannot tell you how perfect the  items she picked out for me are! 

Here is a quick picture of what I pulled out of the box. Laurie even put a huge heart shaped doily on the box but I didn't take a photo of that. Lots of attention to the little things is one of her strengths!

Here is a close-up. I wish you could see the detail on this. Laurie created a box in a style that I really love but have a hard time personally pulling off. Lots of text and DTP (direct-to-paper). And see that gorgeous heart crochet trim? And that pretty tin? It's very sparkly in real life. Look close and you'll see another favorite - Laurie used some sort of netting - I'm thinking it might have been off a vintage hat? 

This is what I saw when I first opened up the box. Swoon, right? A pretty vintage doily - love it! And in the corner - do you see? Laurie had posted on her blog some little fabric hearts she had been sewing - I was beyond excited to see one in my box!! 

Here is a close-up shot. It is very romantic with the lace and the tiny ribbon holding a "love" charm! 

And the back of the heart - just as lovely! 

Laurie had packaged all these elements in those cool cellophane bags but I took out quickly and spent time with each one. Lots of ephemera (stuff that I don't see around these parts) - she has an etsy shop where you can pick up pieces just as wonderful.

I wish I'd gotten a better shot of this photo as there are so many wonderful treasures in this shot! In the upper right is a lovely ceramic? plaster? piece with roses. Swoon. And then there was a tin inside for me to alter, filled with goodies like a frozen charlotte, cabachons, and then a really cool paper spool. It's definitely vintage, very soft colors, and has an embossed design. I don't know what it is exactly, but I know that I love it! If you look carefully you'll see the pink bottom layer. It has lily of the valley flowers on it. I had mentioned that I loved roses and lily of the valley and Laurie sent so many items with those images. It is a small table runner size and I can't honestly decide if I want to leave it as is to enjoy or make it into a Pretty Pocket to enjoy. 

Laurie also sent this lovely little sack with another treasure inside. It held a tin that she had altered a little into a pincushion and then it has the prettiest doily gathered up  around the bottom. It looks so pretty sitting on the table! And check out the stick pin!

Here is an inside shot of the tin. Oh my, full of the prettiest items. Laurie heads up the Button Floozies blog and she sent a terrific selection. I can't get over how sweet that big red button is! I'd like to say that I will use it in a project, but I have a feeling that I'll just keep it and always think of Laurie when I see it. 

Here are just a few of the favorites from the tin. My little man (who is not so little anymore) loved the charm the best. He picked it up right away and mimed out "I love you" to me. That boy melts my heart every day! 

Laurie, Thank you so much for sending me such a pretty box, full of sweet treasures. I know that I will be enjoying them for years to come!