CHA Winter - Collection #2: Glamour & Grunge

From the Melissa Frances Blog-   " The collection Glamour & Grunge is about a bouquet of yellow roses, freshly ironed linen, ivory brocades and laces on burlap table runners, cappuccino with cinnamon and warm whipped milk, with golden stains of coffee on some parchment papers, it's about faded rose blossoms and textured papers, ink  bottles and pearls turned yellow, treasury boxes with kitschy gems and  cut-outs from old newspapers with news long forgotten. Objects with souls whisper and are witnesses of times gone by. When crafting with Glamour & Grunge, these designs share your passion and have moments of joy -- so love, and tell it with your most wonderful crafts!"

This collection comes with matching tags, treat bags, washi stickers and mini album.

Here is a beautiful layout that my friend and creative director for Melissa Frances,  Carolyn Peeler, designed using photos I took of my sweet daughter, Averi. 

Here is more of the line in action. Isn't it just stunning?!

If you will be at CHA, come by to see this gorgeous collection in person at booth #1220. 
Have a wonderful day!

CHA Winter- Collection #1: "The Sweet Life"

CHA (The Craft and Hobby Association) has been well underway for the past couple days in Anaheim, California.  This is when companies share their latest collections with buyers from all around the world.  If you haven't heard the awesome news, Melissa Frances has teamed up with Jenny and Aaron from Everyday is a Holiday to design this beautiful new collection "The Sweet Life".  If you will be at CHA, come by to say hi and see this gorgeous collection in person at booth #1220.  It's absolutely scrumptious!

                                 Here are the 3"x4" Journaling cards:

And here are the adorable chipboard accents:

Here is the new collection in action! 

There are more coordinating accents for this collection that are equally adorable. Please be sure to come by the Melissa Frances booth at CHA (#1220) to check out the line in person.

Have a sweet day!

Gift Wrapping Ideas

 Christmas is less than a week away and I'd like to show you a couple ideas to wrap up those holiday gifts. 

I started with basic kraft paper from the dollar store and wrapped up my gifts. I brushed a few light strokes of cream paint across the paper and let dry.  Using spray adhesive, I sprayed the wrapped gift and sprinkled white mica across it.  I then wrapped bakers twine around the gift several times and secured a knot in the back of the gift. I stamped 25 on a little doily and tucked it underneath the bakers twine.  

Using a small piece of bakers twine, I wrapped it around the base of the bottle brush tree and secured it to the gift.  Finally, I simply tucked a vintage Christmas photo underneath the bakers twine. 

                 
  For this next gift, I used the toothbrush paint technique and splattered a bit of cream paint over the entire package.  I wrapped  ribbon around the package and tucked  floppy blossom ribbon underneath the cream ribbon. I then placed a photo from the adopted ancestors paper to a resin frame and tied both frames to the center of the package.  This wrapping won first place in the Stampington Creative Christmas Packaging Instagram Challenge!  Woohoo!

 Embellish the gift by tying a pink bottle brush tree to the center, tucking a resin angel wing behind the ribbon and gluing a few silver sequins to the package.

Merry Christmas Table Top Decoration

 Up until Christmas, the Melissa Frances blog is showcasing some beautiful projects from the design team members. 

My project  is up on the blog today and I thought I'd  share it with you here as well.

 As much as I love the traditional reds and greens of Christmas, it's always fun to mix it up a bit. I love that this project kind of has that "Sugar Plum Fairy" feel to it. Melissa Frances embellishments make it so easy to create something lovely for the holidays. 

Supply List: 
Pink Bottle Brush Trees
Pink Mica Flakes
Pink Floppy Blossom Ribbon 
Pleated Satin Cream Ribbon
Fancy Filigree Brooch,
Cream Organza Ribbon 

Non-Melissa Frances supplies- mini plastic deer, silver glitter, candle stick, mini round paper mache box

Instructions-

1. Spray top of mini round paper mache box with adhesive and sprinkle pink mica to the lid of the box. 

2. Spray plastic deer with spray adhesive and sprinkle silver glitter on it until covered completely.

3.Attach three pink bottle brush trees and silver deer to top of box using glue.

4. Attach cream organza ribbon around top of the box using glue. Add pleated satin cream ribbon on top of the organza ribbon.

5. Print out the sentiment "Merry Christmas", cut out and attach to top of box. 

6. Using glue, attach the finished box to the candle stick and let dry.

7. Tie floppy blossom ribbon around the middle of the candle stick. Attach brooch to ribbon.

Black Friday Has Come Early!

It's that time of year - time for Black Friday sales from Melissa Frances! Melissa is launching early, so get them before they're sold out!

Melissa Frances has the following three product groupings available for sale in her ETSY SHOP (click here to view/purchase):

Happy Halloween! Are You The Winner?!

                                        Happy Halloween!
 Thanks so much to everyone that left a comment, you sure have some great costume ideas! The winner for the $25.00 gift certificate to Wood Connection is..............................

MarileiOctober 30, 2013 at 5:00 PM

This is sooo incredibly cute!!!! I love it. I will definitely be doing this :)
My 10 year old daughter is dressing up as Leela from Futurama and my 2 year old son is going to be a little vampire :)

Congratulations, Marilei! 

Bewitching Halloween Decor and a Giveaway!

I'm so excited to be guest posting for the  The Wood Connection again, it's always such a pleasure.   Today I have a bewitching project to share with you! Halloween is only a few days away but you still have time to create some fun Halloween decor.  Let's begin! 

Supplies used:

One 4x6 wood block

One 5x7 wood  block

Two candlesticks (one small, one large)

Paper mache witch hat

Pattern Paper- Happy Haunting- Carta Bella

Paint- Charcoal and Terra Cotta

Wood Glue

Mod Podge

Foam brushes

Black tulle and ribbon

- all these supplies are from The Wood Connection

Embellishments:

Brooch, black button- Melissa Frances

Witch images- Lisa's Altered Art

Mini glitter pumpkin- Dollar Tree

For your first step, you're going to trace your wood blocks onto the pattern paper and cut them out. You can ink around the edges of the paper to give it that vintage look.  Next paint your wood blocks and candlesticks. I painted one set charcoal and one set terra cotta.   After the paint has dried, glue your squares of paper to each wood block. Cut out the witch images and Halloween sentiments  and glue them to the wood blocks. 

Sand the candlesticks for a distressed look and tie tulle, polka dot and orange ribbon around the middle of the candlestick. Cut out pattern paper to make a tag, punch hole and thread ribbon through it. Attach black button using  ribbon and secure it with a knot.

Attach the wood blocks to the candlesticks using wood glue and let dry. 

The Wood Connection has these darling paper mache witch hats that are so fun to decorate! For the hat, I cut out a small triangle of paper and wrapped it around the cone part of the hat and secured it with mod podge. I then traced the base of the hat, cut a hole through the center and slide the cone through the paper hole. Add a few brushes of mod podge to secure the paper to the hat. Tie a strand of tulle and ribbon around the base of the hat and embellish with a sparkly brooch. 

For the last step, attach your witch hat and mini pumpkin to the top of each block using glue. 

Easy, right?!

Won't these look  festive sitting on your table or mantle surrounded by jack-o-lanterns and flickering candles?  I think so! 

The Wood Connection has generously given me a $25.00 gift certificate to their AMAZING store to give to one lucky reader! This is open to everyone since they now offer shipping! Woohoo! 

 Simply leave a comment telling me what you or your kids are dressing up as for Halloween!
 Here's our lil punkin dressed as  Red Riding Hood.  :-)

Check back on October 31st to see if you're the winner.

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a Happy Halloween!