Vintage Ring Box

Hi friends! I'm stopping in today with a quick post before I have to get dinner on the table and then hopefully some scrappy time later this evening. The community that we live in in Southeast Portland is pretty awesome! We have a community garden, basketball court, our own laundry facilities and a 'free' donation space near it. We are still living in an apartment but it's much bigger and more renovated than our old place. The best part is the neighborhood and how small it is- only 12 units total. So I was rummaging through the 

free pile the other day and I found a cute little all wood ring box. It was kinda dirty on top, but I decided I could do something with it!

I sanded the top first, then I modge podged some paper to it and some other little things, one of them is a boquet charm I made for my wedding day with a vintage picture of my mom. I wanted to add that so that everytime I put something in or take something out of the box, I could see her face. I sure do miss her, can't believe it has been 18 years. I sure don't feel 18 years older.

Here are some photos:

a close up of the buttons, pearls, and rose I added to the top.

My favorite part is the little saying it has on the front I really like how it turned out and I am keeping it on a side table near where I always sit at the end of the day. It was fun making this into something cute with something I got for free!!

Well, it's time to help hubby finish up dinner, eat good, then maybe some scrap time. I am mid-way through a layout I started a few days ago for the Punky Scraps Challenge. I hope I still have time to finish and submit it!! Here's to a glass of iced tea, some good tunes, and studio time :) hoping you get yours in this week too! until next time yall~ peace VV

Be as a Bird...

Hi friends! Happy Hump-day! I hope you are enjoying your week so far. I just had 2 days off so I was able to get in a little bit of crafty time. I had hoped we would also get to visit the park again one afternoon but it's been really windy here and rainstorms coming thru. Better comparativley to the snow we had about a week ago, but still yucky out. I did enjoy some time in my studio, the more time I spend back there I realize even though its small it's a place that makes me so totally and completly happy, surrounded by all my fun stuff, usually a cup of hot tea or iced coffee depending on the time of day, my pandora blasting away and plenty of inspiration from friends and fellow DT members. Today I wanted to share my 2nd ever art journal page that I did last night. I haven't tackled all of them and the million ideas that I have yet, but I am going to make it a goal to do one layout + one art journal page per week for the rest of the year. I think I can do it. I think it's nice too to go between the two, art journaling loosens up your mind and helps your creativity flow better, which in turn helps you scrap a page faster when you have good ideas!!! So the one I worked on last night was inspired by Sandee's " Out On A Limb" post on the FD blog a while back, like I said I am still catching up, hopping around here and there, I don't have as much free time as some, but this page probably only took me like 2.5 hours. That's about how long it takes me to do a layout too, I'm not sure if that makes me a slow scrapper!

Here is the inspiration photo:

And if you want to read more about how Sandee created her page, you can visit the FD archives here: sundays-with-sandee-is-out-on-limb. She has a great video & pictures.

Here is my page:

I did use the understamping for my page like she did, however I stamped directly on to my art journal then used some tissue paper that I misted with inks & water then dried. I found a great quote that I did on the side after drawing straight lines, then I started coloring in behind it with gelatos. I wanted some texture so I later added the chipboard flowers and washi tape.

The birds in the tree actually came from some old Basic Grey paper, I fussy cut them then decoupaged it onto my page. I went back over it with various pens and markers then stamped my other musical notes and did some doodles around those. I went back in with 3 different colors of stickles: christmas red, fruit punch, and tiara.

I dont know why but I felt like I needed something else at the top of my page, so I stamped this decorative frame and stuck a puffy sticker inside it. It's kind of random but I feel like it gives visual balance to the page, so much for WHITE SPACE, ha!

Thank you so much for stopping by today. i hope to have at least one more layout and art journal page to share this time with you next week! Maybe even some stuff for challenges coming up....who knows. The crafty bug has bit again and I am so glad!! It makes me happy to share and get feedback! I would love it if you followed my fb page here. Also on instagram @khhollister. Peace Yall! ~VV

{an unbreakable bond}

Good evening, friends!I hope everyone enjoyed their Friday the 13th!! Since my last post was SUPER LONG, I have a nice little short one for you this time!! LOL! Tonight I am here to share with you a new LO I did a few nights ago for the sketch challenge over at Frosted Designs. 

It is for Sketch Along Tuesdays #32. This was the original sketch:

And this is my take on the sketch:

  and without a flash...can't see colors as well.

 and a better shot with the flash. This photo is of my Aunt and Cousin, Debbie and Kate. They both are such beautiful women and I'm very grateful to have them in my life, also they remind me alot of my Mom in many many ways and of course our genes and the dark hair...runs in the family!

 and here are some closies:

 for the paper roses I folded some punched circles that I inked in 2 different colors. Then I attached them to strips of Basic Grey paper. I thought it was a cool effect and added some visual interest to the top of the page.

 I used several different sticker hearts and doodled swirls around them in Glitz stickles in sequins.

 some closies of the fussy cutting I did on the flowers I used along with some small red prima flowers.

 I like this shot, it shows all the different textures going on in the background overlapping papers, the quote block, the crochet doily from PP, and the buttons and brads. Very girly colors but I wanted to tone it down so I used just splashes of green and the background paper is dark brown cardstock.

That is all for tonite! Just got to finish watching my new fav show, Grimm because we DVR'd it earlier and now since this post is finished I think I'm gonna VEGG out for the rest of the night... ( as Julia Roberts) would say in  Pretty Women! LOL "lay like broccoli!! Until next time, Peace Y'all! ~V V

Supplies List:

cream& brown cardstock- Recollections Holiday Traditions paperstack

pink heart paper, polka dot paper- Me & My Big Ideas Valentines Kit

fuzzy cut flowers- paper from stash?

pink and brown cheetah print ribbon- Celebrate It 'fit to be tied' ribbon Michael's\

brown sheer polka dot ribbon- Making Memories trims in 'animal crackers' collection

vintage floral paper- Tim Holtz paper stash 'Lost and Found' collection

quote/sentiment- Melody Ross designer inspiration cards 'Homespun Chic'

pink crochet doiley- Purple Pumpkin Crafts

med red fabric covered button- Purple Pumpkin Crafts

Tim Holtz distress ink in 'fired brick'

'Glitz' stickles in 'sequins'

Colorbox chalk ink in dark brown

green flower stems- Basic Grey 'Origins' collection

Smooch Spritz in 'cherry ice'

mini stapler and staples

Glossy Accents liquid glass

Tim Holtz paper distresser tool

tape runner & glue stic

small red flowers- Prima No.9 Essentials collection

pearl brads, vintage buttons, heart stickers, metal heart brads- stash