Create one from the heart and two for fun...

I'm creating Valentines big and small with my Linnie Blooms canvas shapes today.  I have not ventured my mixed media onto canvas before, so I started with an 8"x 8" size so I wouldn't feel too overwhelmed.  I knew that I wanted my embellishments and textures (along with the quote) to be my focus, so I wanted a more subtle background.

I spritzed some Distress Stain (worn lipstick) with water and just splattered, brushed, and dripped it onto the canvas and then let it dry overnight so that the splotches and bubbles dried just as they were when wet.  I wrapped the canvas with some metallic yarn and added the sentiment with a Sharpie marker.

I used Copic markers to color the house/arrow and heart.

I stamped (with gray ink) the background of the canvas with some Close to My Heart stitched hearts, wrote my sentiment  (wherever you go-go with all your HEART), and then layered, layered, layered.  You can spy some punches, button, stamps, burlap, tulle, twine, stickers, and a bingo card. 

One Valentine present done.

When I looked at my Linnie Blooms canvas pocket one day, for some reason I saw a beak.  So this became...

THIS! (with the help of my daughter). 

 With oil pastels, she colored the pocket and I colored the wings (a Linnie Blooms canvas sunflower cut in half).  We added some eyes and some punched half circles for layered feathers and she is going to stick a small treat in here for her teacher.  WHOOOOOO wouldn't want to get this cute owl?

And one last Valentine--a silly one!  Using up patterned scraps with these painted Linnie Blooms canvas hearts and LOTS of googly eyes--inside the card it says "EYE" love you lots!

Three Valentines done  (more to do).  Whether your Valentines are layered, from the heart, cute, or silly...they are OH so special when they are hand-made.

~Kelly

Create some love...

I'm thrilled to be sharing my next long canvas blank with you in my vellum mason jar series. If you missed my other canvases (fall and spring) you can see a peek at the bottom of this post. This week I'm playing with hearts!

I decided to go with a different background this time, even though I did love painting the chevrons with Scotch blue painters tape before. I randomly stamped small hearts in different shades of red and pink (it was a good way to test which of my ink pads were drying out). I used acrylic paint to create a black/pink border which really seems to help it look complete--like a frame.

I cut out my vellum jar, inked the edges, and added some Stickles (rock candy) for some bling. After I painted my Linnie Blooms canvas hearts metallic red, I used a Papertrey Ink gingham background stamp with white ink to add even more texture. I used some decorative paper straws as my "stems" and added a few felt hearts in with the canvas ones. I also twisted some knots in some Linnie Blooms textures and I love the way they add one more unexpected element to the bouquet.

One of my new favorite finds is this "burlap paper" from DCWV. It's still able to fray like traditional burlap, but it provides a stable background for my LOVE stamp. When it comes to a sentiment, you can't go wrong with the Beatles! I love to use song titles and lyrics in my designs.

Valentine's Day will be here soon! Time to add some hearts all around the house!

~Kelly

www.kellystarsallthingscrafty.blogspot.com

Be my Valentine...

 

All that time I have spent "Pinteresting" has finally paid off!  I saw this one here, (Iheartnaptime).  My daughter helped me make these for her class, and my son liked them so much, he wanted them for his class too. 

 

Very simple...

We cut out blue circles for the "water" and trimmed the top with scalloped scissors to look like wavy water. 

 

We printed labels that say...

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I am so happy

we are in the same “school”!

 

 

We threw some Swedish fish in a plastic sandwich bag and tied the bag with a twine bow.

 

Do you make your own Valentines? 

 I still have to finish the ones for my family.  I'll show those tomorrow (hopefully).

~Kelly

whatever is simple...

While some may think that this Valentine isn't so simple, I must say it's the easiest one we've done in recent years.  A cute photo of the girl with her arm up, punch a couple of holes, add some sentiments, glue on patterned paper, stick in a sweet treat... simply cute!  Got the photo idea from Pinterest (oh good, I finally made something from Pinterest and didn't just waste time surfing). 

Wishing you a simply sweet Valentine's Day!

Whatever is loved...

Banners are one of my favorite things to make, but one of my least favorite things to take a photo of. At home, I hang banners between the dining room and kitchen. When it is hanging, it is not a great photo opportunity because you get the distracting background of the windows and the curtains or the front door. If I put it on the floor, you see all of the dust bunnies and muddy dog and kid footprints. On the dining room table (which is what I did), I have to stand on a chair and try to avoid the overhead light (which was needed since it is cloudy and snowing right now). Ugh! The things we all go through to get a decent photo.

But onto the banner...
I pulled out everything pink, red, and Valentiney.  The background paper is from We R Memory Keepers (Love Struck).  The, stickers, material, paper doilies, and ribbon are a mix of old and new. I used some old, unwanted CD's as the circle base for the letters, and then covered them in patterned paper. I embossed the letters and then Stickled along the pattern for a little more pizazz. I tied on the strips of ribbon and material (this is the time-consuming part) during some TV time. Multi-tasking...I love it.

Love You...for taking the time to visit.
Enjoy your Valentine's Day with your loved ones.

~Kelly

Whatever is a valntin...

The title above isn't a spelling mistake. Well, actually it is, but it is really an everyday moment captured.  It's these moments where my daughter wants to write messages on her easel chalkboard all of the time.  ALL of the time.   This picture is from last year, but right now, she's practicing her cursive on that same chalkboard.  Everyday.  I know this won't last forever.  I know that these moments where she still wants to sit on my lap, still wants to get love notes in her lunch, still wants me to do her hair, and still wants to make her valentines with me won't last.  So, it's these everyday moments that are "scrap-worthy". 

One day when she is much older, she may ask,
"What did I like to do when I was little?", and I can say,
"Write on the chalkboard. Everyday. And I have a scrapbook page to show you."

Here is your challenge today...scrap something that you really don't want to forget.  Capture an everyday moment. 


~Kelly

whatever is in your heart

Today is the last day of the CHA On-line Crop over on Fiskateers.  While some lucky ducks are at CHA in California basking in the sun and warmth in between make-and-takes, those of us who are "left-behind" are trying to be creative.    I've been doing some "happy dances" while I've been ooohing and aaaahing over the new paper designs, embellishments, and tools that are being highlighted at CHA, so my Challenge (#14) is "Playing Your Song"--use a song title or lyrics in your creation.   Fiskateer PattyB and I have been talking 80's  music lately...I'm waiting to see her Depeche Mode creation, but in the meantime...here is mine.  Can you guess the song/artist?

This is  my Valentine's Card for my hubby...I feel pretty confident that he won't see it here on my blog before he gets it.

Creations for this challenge need to be in before 11:59pm CST ton ight (Tuesday).  Let me see what you are dancing to over on Fiskateers!

~Kelly