You hold the key....

This is a wall hanging I made the other day, expanding on my new found decoupage technique. =D I covered a 12x13 piece of lightweight chipboard and finished the edges with wide Prima tape. Turns out I really like how that works! I used a full page from the book to mat the photo, just curling, tearing, and inking the edges as needed. Then I added the flourish around the corner of the photo, which is a combination of several things: Stamping, painting with alcohol inks (another dabble into a "new" technique), Prima crystal swirls, and Prima flowers with vintage button centers. What I like best about this corner is that it has such dimension and texture. In the picture it looks pretty one dimensional, but in reality you can see the text through the painted flowers, the Prima flowers pop up, and the painted swirls stem off the crystal swirls. I just like how they all build off one another and meld together to create a single multi-dimensional element. It's fun!

Because the bottom of the page seemed sort of blank, I sewed a strip of bunched tulle across the bottom of the page, creating a sort of ruffle. It's gold, shimmery tulle, and I like it! I also raided my chipboard stash for this project, and used chipboard letters (painted with Radiant Rain mica daubers) and a chipboard heart (painted with black crackle paint). I cut the words "to my heart" right out of the book I'd used for for the rest of the project and just pressed them into the crackle paint while it was still wet. Add a few button ellipses, and voila! the corner embellishment is finished! Very simple, really....

The other element I added to this project is an antique skeleton key. My mom gave me a whole bunch of these to use on projects (she gave me the book I used, too) and I had yet to use one, the fact of which she reminded me often. ;D So, Mom, this one is for you! (And actually, I did make the wall hanging for her. =D Whether she'll want it or not, we'll have to see, but she was the one I had in mind when I made it, and the picture is of her and Eliana this summer.)

So this is it... the first "real" project I've done in MONTHS! I'm so happy to be back crafting and scrapping! I've even made a couple layouts since doing this, so the crafty has continued! Hooray!

The curtains are up...

... and here's what they look like! Now, before anyone gets too critical, let me lay out my theory on sewing. I DON'T sew. My brother sews. He made my wedding dress when he was 17 years old. You just don't compete with genius like that. So most of my sewing is done on paper - you know, scrapbook layouts and cards. That kind of stuff. It's rare that I actually sew fabric, so when I do it has to be a project that:

1. Has no pattern. I don't believe in following patterns. Not for sewing, not for knitting, not for crocheting. Call me a free spirit, but I don't follow patterns.

2. Doesn't require measuring. I'm an eye-baller. I don't measure things, I just give it a good looking over and hope it fits. The curtain fits!

3. Can be sewn without pinning first. I think pinning things is a waste of time, for the most part. So when I sew I just want to line up the fabric and feed it through the machine. If I can't do that with the project at hand, chances are the project at hand will end up under foot and unfinished in a corner somewhere.

And this is why I don't sew very often. But I wanted a valance for Ellie's room, so here it is. I have a grand scheme for enhancing the window dressings, but you'll just have to wait until later to see if I actually get it done. One thing at a time....