Swap That Cheered Me Up

I know I've been MIA.

While I was taking care of my dad things did better. I had a little more time, and even tried to get back into the swing of things and making my cards. Work had also been keeping me busy so I was always distracted but tired at the same time. But good tired not a stressed tired :)

My dad was a diabetic and had a stroke November last year. It was really tough on me being the only child...it still is. You probably have noticed so far that I'm talking about him in past tense.

A small infection increased to full blown Pneumonia. The doctors gave me the worst news and then terrifying news about what I would have to face and the decision I myself had to make. He lasted a week and I held his hand to the very end...He passed November 22.

I am still grieving pretty hard however, I did manage to finish a swap. I was really behind in just about everything, even paying my bills. The swap, which was the 12 days of Xmas Secret Sister Elf swap, made me smile and even feel something other than sadness.

My Elf sent me a package with goodies that put a big smile on my face. Here are some pictures that I took of her gifts. I only opened this this morning. We all were to open them yesterday but my SS didn't get hers yet and I refused to open mine until she gets hers.

This is card she sent with my SS package. Blue is my favorite color and this picture does not do it justice!!! It's so pretty with touches of glitter.. Sweet

This is the inside of the box before I started ripping into it :)

They are all numbered for each day of Xmas. I'm a charm hog and I love them all..but look at the tiny little bucket !!! it's stinkin cute! And Teas with the most adorable names.. Night Owl and Unicorn Tears :) Love it

My SS fulfilled my next photo Big Grin!!

Comfy cozies sockies...*sigh* I just had to put them on :)

In this pic are handmade tea cups with teas inside them So creative and love this idea. Vellum paper that I wanted and Sparkle stamps that I adore and can't wait to use. This snowman tag is adorable. Snow men and penguins are the cutest for cards.

What more can I ask for.

I smiled, genuinely for the first time in weeks.

Michelle

Hi everyone. I have a swap share :)

I finally decided to do a swap that interested me. It was a 3D swap and I did struggle with it because I had so many ideas going on in my head I couldn't make up my mind. I forgot to take pictures of the box but I did get my swap partner to send me one... I'm really glad she liked because I myself was a little unsure about it. But seeing it in an actual photo made it seem prettier than I gave myself credit for

This project consisted of two wooded trays the I attached together to incorporate a box. I gessoed to prime the box and then used (believe it or not)athletic tape a would use gymnast. It was flexible enough to hold the two tray together. I then chose some vintage paper to seal the box. All the embellishments were mostly made by me, except for some of the funky metal charms. I laced the edges with black lace and attached to metal corners to hold a draped chain in the front. I aged it with some distressed ink. the Inside I felted with some patterned felt in a deep red. She also got a little surprise inside. She loved it and I'm happy :)Hope you all like it.

My 1st Altered Project

Hi everyone :)

In my spare time I've been working on a couple of projects that I haven't tried before. With so many things going on in my life it was hard to concentrate to work on anything including making my cards. So I decided I needed a change. I had a Tim Holtz configuration box I bought awhile ago and have been wanting to do one for a long time. So I went for it. I made it for a friend of mine who got married awhile ago, and I have been MIA since before that. I will tell you a little of each picture. Description is under each photo. Click to enlarge each picture. I may have to make a video to see the full box.

Here it is :) Front view.

Many of the little pieces I made myself.

Angle View

Other Angle View

Top Left Corner.

The Angel hanging are made from beads. Even though you can't see it well there are wedding favors wrapped in organza.

Middle Left Side

The little presents were wrapped in floral wrap and ribbon. I used gold ribbon tape and silver Inkssentials Foil Tape by Ranger

Bottom Left Corner.

This is one of my favorites :) Suitcases for her honeymoon. Although they do look like bridal jewelry boxes :) I used bead caps a pearl and wire for the handle.

Bottom Middle

The Invitations, RSVP, the ring pillow and the rings were made by me. The rings were actually from a pair of old gold earrings and sewed on to the pillow. Pretty cool :)

Close up Front View

Center Of The Box

The bible I made card stock and printer paper. I attached a ribbon on the inside and had it flowing out of it. In the back there is a bouquet of flowers sitting upon a couple of pillows that are actually fabric buttons. Now and forever words were distressed and glittered.

Another View

Bottom Right Corner.

This is another one I liked while making it. The bucket, Champagne glasses and the Champagne bottle were all made and put together by me. The ice bucket is made from a cap from a spray bottle. The beads inside are ice cubes. The bottle is made from a pipette dropper colored with green alcohol ink. The cap is a wooden dowel. The glasses are tips of mechanical pencils with a bamboo stick for stems wrapped in foil tape to match the bottle.

Hanging in the corner is a bird cage with a bird.

Middle Right

The letters were from charms attached to beads and rhinestones. Also distressed for a shabby chic look. Clothes pin attached to the heart in the back.

Top Right Corner

The mini glass bottle has a little bit of sand and a fern leaf inside. Love letters also made. Made a tassel chain. The mirror in the back is a charm. How cute :)

Top Middle

I made the perfume bottle out of beads. Attached hearts and flower all throughout the middle.

Close Up View Of The Top Middle

You can't see it very well but there is a garter belt in the right corner with a blue bow. :))

Side View From Right Side

On the sides has rhinestones attached to the flowing organza ribbon. Roses were attached to the inside corners with white thin ribbon.

Side View From The Left Side

Same as the right side.

Last full Frontal View.

There are other details but you'll be able to see them more clearly when you enlarge the photos. Flowers were distressed and tinted. Fine glitter was also applied to many of the flowers. Butterflies, doves and wedding ribbon wrapped all around.

Well that's it for now.

Hope you all like it :)

Michelle

Coming back soon :)

Hi everyone,

I have a few things that have been taking up a lot of my time, especially my dad. He is doing well but he has lost his independence of living on his own. Its been tough on him and watching it has made it hard to keep strong in front of him. Soon I will have to finalize his affairs and I'm not looking forward to it at all.

I hope everyone is having a great summer so far cuz up here in Canada with our crazy weather it seems ours is gunna be short. The rain, floods, just insane weather changes makes it hard to enjoy what little we have. In any case...

In my spare time which has been very minimal since my dads stroke, I have been working on a project that I've never tried before. A configuration box. I actually made it for a friend who got married, which was months ago, and I finally finished it LOL. I may do a YouTube video so people can actually see all the details but I will still post pictures when my camera decides to work.

However it is this awesome lady that inspired me to really try to do this project by always saying in her videos "you can do it, just try, it isn't hard at all" Well if it wasn't for her YouTube videos that I watch religiously over and over again, I would not have bothered.

Jennings644 Just click here to check out not only her competition but her videos :) Thanks to Fionna I got my groove back :)

My dad and his stroke journey

Hi everyone! I'm back from a long and tiring journey.  Like most, life comes first but blogging was always something I always turned too for a world far away from mine.

Even though my hectic life is still going..I need to let you all know a little of what's been happening.

I've had epilepsy since I was two and life for me was always limited to what I wanted most. I tried new medication until I found one that worked without horrible side effects. I'm feeling great and much more at ease. Then...my dad had a stroke. So there has been a lot of things I've had to learn. I still am. I'm fighting a battle with Dr,s and hospitals that don't want to help. They just want to put him in a home when he hasn't been given the choice to rehabilitate to decide if that is the case. He is very aware about everything. So...with that said, my dad and I make a team to be reckoned with. I won't give up and neither will he.

That is all I'm going to say for now until I know more.

Thanks for reading and I will update soon

Michelle