Monday, January 21, 2013

A Rainbow of Thanks


I am obsessed with fonts and color--as you can probably tell, looking at these cards! Designing this card was so fun, I couldn't stop with one color!

So whether you resolved to be more thoughtful (what better way than a thank you note?), or you need a pretty present (wrap them in cellophane and tie with a ribbon--LOVE!), or you haven't quite finished thanking everyone for the fabulous gifts you received at Christmas time, it's your lucky day!  I'm sharing all eight colors with you.  When combined with different paper color, you have a bajillion combination options!

They are super easy too-- click this link to download the folder, and choose Save.  Open the folder, and "Extract all files."  Choose your color and print it on a pretty paper.  If your printer doesn't print borderless, you may need to trim the edges of your paper. You will have two cards--cut the paper "hamburger style" and then fold each piece in half.  That way the words wrap all the way around onto the back of the card.  See?  Here is what the back looks like:
 

These babies look great dressed down and dressed up!  I traced some of the "thanks" with my embossing ink marker, added some clear embossing powder, and heated them up.  Chic elegance.  Imagine glitter, or ribbon, baker's twine, buttons, brads...  excuse me, I've got to go and dress up some cards!


Monday, January 14, 2013

Time is Ticking!


I have to admit, I still geek out a little whenever I see this fabulosity on my wall!  It makes me soooo happy.

It was very easy (the hardest thing was waiting for the paint to dry long enough!), but has a huge impact.  It's nearly 2 feet in diameter!

Back in April, 2010, Real Simple Magazine had an issue with multiple covers, and one of them had this clock on it:
IMG_0810
Isn't it GORGEOUS?!?  I love the way it flows, I love the way it sits on your desk all 3D-esque.  The designer, Scott Henderson said, “The effect is a non-stop – and somewhat chaotic – interpretation of time.”  Which describes my life and sense of time so perfectly! I kept thinking about it and thinking about it.  If I could have, I would have bought it--to heck with the price tag.  But alas, I could not find it anywhere.

Next best thing?  Make my own, of course!

I decided on a wall clock. I've been wanting a nice, huge, gorgeous clock for my kitchen, but there was always something higher on the budget's priority list.
I bought the hands from Amazon.  There are a few options for clocks like this, so browse around!

I traced the clock on my computer and cut out the vinyl on my Silhouette.  Being so big, the clock is in several pieces, but I matched them as carefully as I could.  When you are at my house, feel free to look close and find all the seams.

I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love.  But I do need your advice.  I'm very VERY tempted to paint the hands of my clock a bright orange-y yellow, like in my inspiration. 

Roughly Photoshopped, I'm thinking like this:
See? It makes the hands pop and easier to tell what time it is! Do you like it better with just the hands painted?  Or the whole clock part? I await your advice on this very serious dilemma!

If you (like my husband--sorry dearie) don't like that it is a bit difficult to read, imagine doing a similar clock with different sizes and fonts for the numbers!  I think I'll have to do another one somewhere else because this project was SO FUN!

I am linking up at Be Different Act Normal's Show and Tell Saturday!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

On the Last Day of Christmas My Parents Gave To Me...

...A million hours of sa-ah-anding. I know, "sanding" does not have enough syllables to work with that song, but you are just going to have to live with it. I have too much sawdust in my brain to think of anything better!

We made blocks for our kids for Christmas! Inspired by block sets at The Land of Nod,  my husband and I set out to see if we could make our own set for a "fun project" (my priority) and "less money" (his priority).

It turned out to be waaay less money, and in retrospect, was pretty fun.  Though my husband still hasn't recovered from all those nights sanding these suckers!  Someday, he will look back with fondness.  Maybe.