sew lovely...

I am all thumbs when it comes to sewing. I only recently learned how to properly thread the sewing machine. My mom has tried to teach me for years and years. One day while browsing my favourite blogs, I noticed trends of snazzy stitching added to layouts and cards and thought "you have to bite the bullet and master the sewing machine." Well, master I have not, but I can get by(barely). I often dread changing thread  colours and messing up the bobbin. There are days when I fight with the old Singer, but most of the time we work through our differences and produce zigzag stitching along a card edge. Maybe one day I will produce gorgeous quilts and graduate from making pillow cases and curtains....

There is something I adore about sewing patterns. Perhaps it's the vision of the end product; making something fabulous from a piece of fabric...Its yet to happen. So in the meantime I use them to produce fun embellishments. Definitely not used for its intended purpose...I'm sure the sewing pattern inventors are mortified by my creative destruction of the pattern paper.

I adore this dress form as well. I've seen them scattered about here and there, and decided to whip up my own template and adorn as I please. Odd ends of trim and ribbons.. a little something special to dress up the neckline... it's love...pure and simple.

This 'sew lovely' number is for my cousin Bibianne. She has requested some cards and, as always; I am more than happy to oblige in any request to share my creations. She always has a sweet, encouraging comment about my cards...they sure brighten up my day!
I had fun using some new P.T.I. goodies...Tin type impression plate( I just love their impression plates) and my new favourite vintage cream cardstock. My favourite blank canvas for cards; just the perfect hue of  cream-the best weight of cardstock. This satisfies my creamy card stock lovin' crafty soul...
I promise to post more regularly..now that I am over my illness. I have been itching to get back in the studio and finish up some projects.
Stay tuned.. lots of fun cards and projects are on the way
Thanks for visiting,
G'night friends!
~Becks

two hearts...

Who doesn't love, love? It seems like this is the year for love in my circle of friends..engagements, weddings, babies.. We are all growing up too fast.. seems like only yesterday we were all graduating high school. While we all live in different countries, we all keep in touch. I just love social networking.. it makes life alot easier...

All that aside, one of my closest friends recently got engaged. I am so happy for him; we go way back-our parents knew each other before we came along; we even dated once. D is one of my best friends, an extended family member of our clan...I don't know what I would have done without our long chats, his advice through the years...he's one of those friends you keep in your corner for life...

I decided to take a different take on a congrats card; figured that everyone would give 'traditional' cards, and that I had to be different... of course this gave me an excuse to whip up a new template and have fun with different patterns, stamps and embellies... I enjoy watching cake shows on t.v. The work that goes into them is amazing.. This card is an ode to those fab cakes and bakers...

I know his fiance will get a kick out of it.. I do realize it is a bit on the feminine side.. but hope it's one of the cards they keep to mark such a joyous time in their lives.. The sentiment says it all... take time to enjoy the moment.. relish in the attention and excitement of planning, and starting a life together.
How exciting..
Congrats D, and welcome to the (extended) family R..
Best of luck
~Becks

mini me...

 I love creating something special just for me. It's been awhile since I've done anything..actually I think this is the first album I've made for myself! It's a work in progress, but I thought I'd share what I've got so far...I'm pretty happy with the results.. and have left lots of space to add more to each page. I've yet to create some envelopes to tuck inside as well, full of memento's and memories...but, this way I can add to it as my heart pleases and use it as an escape when feeling mojo-less...

I always enjoy looking at the pages all together. I often look at them individually and think they are not going to 'fit' with the others, as they are all unique, but then I put them all together and my heart sings.. I love how bits of trim poke out, each layer is different from the next... it's why I always take a picture of the album like the one above... it's pure paper lovin'...

 The inside cover.. this album shape has to be one of my favourite.. with its curves and points, it makes it very easy to make it girly, shabby and vintage...

 A special treatment to each page is the addition of its own corner.. a crocheted base with added embellishments..all different, none the same as the other...

 Muted colour schemes, a favourite new library card stamp all add to the charm of the different layouts. I haven't gotten into layouts for scrap booking, I prefer smaller scaled projects that I can leave about on a coffee or side table, for people to pick up and enjoy..

 A library pocket holds a journal tag memory... it takes me back to the days of being a kid and checking out library books.. how I loved that...

 A hidden pocket behind a photo.. one of my favourite ways of incorporating a memory...

 Buttons are such an easy embellishment.. I love 'em.. have them in tons of colours..they inspire my creativity just by looking at the colours together.Took a different approach on mounting the photo.. a softer feel using scraps of fabric and pinking shears...

 A handmade kraft envelope prettied up with my fave stamps holds small notes from my guy...it's always fun to read them and think back to days long gone by...
As I add to my mini album I will share the pages with you.
Until then, thanks for visiting..
~Becks

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postage stamps and pen-pals...

I love getting mail...old fashioned mail.. handwritten messages jotted in cards, long letters full of daily comings and goings; events and celebrations; day to day life simplified into a few moments spent writing a note to a friend. There's nothing better than seeing a letter or card amongst the dreary bills sitting in the post box.

I  remember the days of writing to pen-pals; impatiently anticipating a return letter in the post box, writing about anything and everything. Those envelopes adorned with postage stamps of another country...what happened to those days?It seems that now-a-days we are all too busy to take the time to write a little note, tuck in an envelope and send it out to brighten someones day.

                                                               {click images to enlarge}
Part of the reason I love making cards is to revitalize those days of old, to make someone's day with a card and a handwritten gem tucked inside. I know how much it makes me happy to find one in my post box.. a little ray of sunshine..

I just love this frame from Making Memories. My Slice machine has found a new life...it was sitting pretty neglected by me for the longest while.

The second I saw the frame it reminded me of the postage stamps found on those pen-pal letters...and immediately I set about shimmering and distressing.. getting it to look just right before settling in place on the card...

Very versatile, it can add that much needed embellishment without being too overpowering... I promise these frames have a delicious shimmer to them in person.. They have left the comfort of my studio and have been sent out with thoughts of birthday celebrations, and an uplifting message to a friend going through hard times..hopefully bringing a little joy into their day...
Thinking of a simpler time,
~Becks