Bridal Gown Card from Old Veil & Wedding Invitation + Keepsake

Using the wedding invitation, I cut out the center, leaving only the green line surrounding the center of the card, as well as the outside floral border. Then I took tear tape from Amazon link:https://tinyurl.com/yc2ycc3k and added it to the back four sides of the invitation. After removing the backing papers, I took the striped paper that was the backing paper for the envelope of the invitation and laid it behind the invitation, then added tear tape to the four sides of the back of the invitation and glued it to a 5 x 7″ card base from Michael’s heavyweight white cardstock link: https://tinyurl.com/4bucu7jd

I had seen an image of our great niece’s gown and found one that looked similar online, and printed it out to use as a template. Her gown was strapless with lace over the gown and a mermaid bottom with a gathered waist and a skirt to add to it or remove for dancing. I found a poem I liked that I modified to fit the way I see marriages. I printed it out online and cut it to fit inside the 5 x 7″ card. I cut some of the floral paper from her invitation and glued it to the top and bottom of the inside of the card, then took the scraps of the striped paper from inside the invitation envelope and cut it to go on the left and right sides of the poem, then glued the poem to the center.

Then to make the dress, I used the template I’d cut out and glued some satin fabric over it. Then I took a large piece off my veil from 1982, and glued it over the satin fabric to make it look like embroidery. Then I added it to the back on either side of the dress to look like the skirt and sprayed it with Glitter Dust in Silver link: https://tinyurl.com/3x5htfrk and completely turned it silver by accident, then put a silver thread around the waist to look like a belt and hot glued it to the center of the card. I had old Stampin’ Up rub ons for sentiments and used two of them for the front of the card.

For the keepsake, I took a small piece of my wedding dress, there were two layers, plus a piece of veil and tied them together and placed them inside a silver locket I bought on Etsy link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/658416167/heart-shape-silver-filigree-diffuser?ref=yr_purchases (I can’t recommend this charm more highly.) It came in a velvet blue bag and I had told the seller I was running out of time, so she sent it the next day and it arrived two days later. I put the charm in the bag and into a small box that I wrapped with tissue and put it in the same bag as the wedding card and a second card specifically made for the bride. Since Rich and I couldn’t make it to her wedding in Virginia, we wanted her to know our thoughts were with her. Her mom told me she put the charm in her bouquet. I wanted her to have a little bit of the luck Rich and I have had in our 44 year marriage.

Crafty Temu Fall Haul

Below are links to products I purchased from Temu. I’m not affiliated with them in any way, but do buy a lot of crafty things from them.

Each of the links below are for a full order, so if you click on them, you should be able to find the items I shared in this video. If you can’t find an item, leave me a comment and I’ll find it for you.
https://share.temu.com/X6toNFRuaiC
https://share.temu.com/ht3ffTmGB0C
https://share.temu.com/VlVUbTlw3dC
https://share.temu.com/DEwYmqlaCBC

Below you’ll find complete instructions as well as products used in making this video. I don’t have much fabric on hand so we went to Hobby Lobby and bought 1/4 yard of four materials and 1/2 yard of another, all having similar colors.

The foam pumpkin I bought from Temu and it is 5″ tall, but found similar ones on Amazon. Link: https://tinyurl.com/3yenzzaz Here’s the one I bought on Temu. Link: https://tinyurl.com/2ak877vs

Take a sharp knife and cut into the divots of the pumpkin from the top center of the pumpkin to close to the bottom center. Don’t cut all the way through the foam, just deep enough to push the fabric and have the fabric stay. Once all of the slits are made, take your first piece of fabric about 3″ wide and 8″ tall and put a small amount of hot glue in the center of one of the pumpkin raised areas to hold the fabric in place, then take a butter knife and using the back of it, start in the center of the pumpkin, pressing the fabric into the slits alternating from the right side to the left side, back and forth, making sure there are no bumps or creases on your fabric. If you have a little too much fabric on the sides, you can turn the fabric under like a hem, and then press it into the cut working your way from the middle to the top and then the bottom. If you have way too much fabric, cut off until you feel it will work better for you.

I removed the stem until I was done, and pushed my fabrics under the stem so there’s no unfinished area. On the bottom, I hot glued the fabric down so the bottom was covered with fabric but not leaving so much fabric that the pumpkin wouldn’t sit flat.

#fall decor #crafting for almost everyone #diy fabric covered pumpkin #pumpkin crafts

Adding Floral Fun to a Plain Canvas Bag

Below are links to the bag and sunflower, both came from Temu. I am not affiliated with Temu and do not get paid for making this video.

Bag: https://bit.ly/3U9Dee9
Sunflowers–the company I bought mine through no longer sells them, but here’s a link to ones that appear to be identical to the ones I used. https://bit.ly/4rL56Sl

The bag is large, it’s 12″ tall, 13 1/2″ wide, and 5 1/2″ bottom width. The flowers vary in size and are almost 3″ tall. You need to put glue on the felt part of the back of the flowers and held them in place until the glue set up. I glued four to the front and four to the back and called it good. I really think it’s cute.

How to Save Money on Craft Tools for the Beginning Crafter

Below you’ll find complete instructions as well as tools used in making this video.

Tools:

plastic card of some kind

sturdy scissors

marker

ruler

To make a tag: cut plastic card on one corner at an angle cut same card on opposite corner with a smaller or bigger angle so you can make different sized tags. If your tag is larger, use the larger angle on the right side of your paper. Line the plastic card up so it’s even with the right side of your paper, and the top of the plastic card even with the top of your paper, then cut the paper off over the cut angle on your card. Then flip the plastic card over so it’s on the left side of your paper, line it up with the top of the paper and top of the card are even, and left side of paper, left side of card are even, then cut the angle on your paper.

To make the circle in the proper place on your tag, and if you have a small plastic card with a circle cut in it, place the open circle on the plastic card where you want the circle cut on your tag. Then take your circle punch and place it over the mark you made and punch. This will help ensure the circle is exactly where you want it on your tag.

To make rounded corners: Using the same plastic card, use the two corners that haven’t been cut, line a button or quarter or nickel or anything with a larger round than your corner and put the piece over the corner of your card then using a marker trace the circular piece then cut it out. On the opposite corner make a bigger or smaller mark to make it so your corner rounds can be different sizes, then cut it out. Depending on the size of corner round you are making, put the card up to the corner and cut with your scissors then go to the next corner you want to round, and flip over the card so you are using the same corner round size, then cut it out.

Bone Folder: You can use this side of the plastic card to crease a fold. Use the side edge of the card and starting at the center of the paper fold, first pull toward you to the bottom of the fold, then going back to the center, push to the top of the crease to ensure it’s well flattened. You can also use the finger hole of your scissors for stiffer material, or a metal ruler, or a clothespin or the back of a butter knife, any will work. If you are folding something thick, you should crease the length of the fold, then turn the paper inside out and crease the length of the inside to ensure a good clean fold.

Here is my contact information: Email: saundralparker@yahoo.com

Using Iron-Ons on Posterboard, Cardboard or Cardstock

I know I promised no more shaking camera, but unfortunately, I’d done this project first and then immediately lost the camera with the memory card inside, so I thought it was probably lost forever. Yesterday, trying to clean a little bit of my craft room, my camera turned up in a box that I normally would never have looked inside. So sadly, that gives us one more shaky video…so now I really mean it when I say I won’t put up any more shaky videos.

Below you’ll find a link to the Iron On I purchased, as well as how to attach an iron on to thick paper or poster board.

Link to iron-on from Temu: https://tinyurl.com/ycy9m83e

Before using your iron-on, place it where you want it on your posterboard/cardboard or cardstock. I made sure my posterboard was the right size to place inside the glass door of a vintage spice cabinet I’d bought at an estate sale. Then I centered the fish so when placed inside the cabinet, they would be centered top to bottom and side to side. Take your iron-on and place it face down on the surface you are ironing it to. Put a piece of parchment paper over the image making sure the entire image is covered by it. Put your iron on a high setting, without using steam, and make sure it is hot before going further. You’ll want to rub the iron over each fish in turn, making sure to cover each fish. Keep the iron moving, as it will burn the parchment paper and may also scorch the paper/poster board beneath. Once you think the fish are all well adhered, SLOWLY remove the parchment and the paper beneath, making sure to check that each fish has successfully transferred to surface you’d like it to attach to. While removing the paper, if you see part of the design hasn’t transferred, stop and put the paper layers back down and iron again, making sure to only iron the areas that didn’t transfer. Then remove the papers again, slowly, to ensure the rest has transferred.

I was really happy with the spice rack once I inserted the posterboard and pinned it in place and will definitely use this technique in the future, as it was SO simple.

2026 Cards for Cubs

This year Cards for Cubs was not something I was looking forward to doing. In past years, I have really enjoyed making cards, but this year, I didn’t feel like making them. So I invited my good friend Cora to make them with me. We each made 20 cards in one evening. I had purchased a lot of things to make it as easy as possible, including postcards that needed to be cut down from 6″ long to 5 1/4″ and luckily the width was already 4″ so once we cut the length, they were ready to be added to card bases. I’m still trying to use the pre-made card bases I bought at Michaels many many years ago and we made a dent in those, so eventually I won’t have any more to use, and that will be amazing.

Photo Craft Gift and What’s Going on with Me

Below is how I made the coasters..the “coasters” I got from Walgreens can be used for ornaments on your tree, inside your cards as gifts, on the front of your Christmas cards, as well as for coasters. I thought this would be a great idea for this year’s Christmas photos so next year you can do this with those photos. It’s inexpensive and easy to do. Here’s how: Go to Chatgpt.com write a sentence in the box that is something like “please turn this photo into a watercolor” then attach the photo to your request. It will take maybe 2 minutes for the watercolor to appear. If you like the image proceed. If you don’t, tell chapgpt what you’d like fixed, and if you like it, proceed. You save that image as a download on your device.. Go to Walgreens.com and find their regular coasters in their photo site. Upload the chatgpt image to their photos then choose the coaster and add your image to the coaster, and it should take less then a day for you to pick up the coasters in store. If you want a nicer coaster that requires no work for you past this step, they do offer stone coaster that you can add your image to, but it takes a while to get them. You can also upload your image to cvs.com photo and choose their stone coasters, and again, I don’t know how long it takes to be able to pick them up. Since I had 24 coasters to work with, I added cork to the back of 6 of then You want to check online to see if there are bargains in photo sites, as I got my coasters for under $20 and ended up with 24 of them. I added cork to six of them, here’s a link to the cork they sell at Dollar Tree, https://tinyurl.com/5fxhfb97, I glued them on with Beacon’s 3 in 1 glue. I laid parchment paper on top of a hardback book, then laid the coaster on top, added Beacons generously all over the coaster, then laid cork on top, then another piece of parchment paper, then another book. I was able to put two coasters on one sheet of cork, and you might be able to add more to your cork. The rest of the process is the same. I left them overnight and if they were well attached, I cut them out then put them in a stack and put organza cream ribbon https://tinyurl.com/5n8u3t6f around the set. Then using the same cream organza ribbon (mine was retired from Stampin Up), I cut around a 24″ length then folded the ribbon in half, tied a knot about 4-6″ from the top, then trimmed the bottom on an angle. I glued with Beacons 3 in 1, one of the coasters near the top, and the second coaster about 2″ below the first one. If you only have one coaster image, you can shorten your ribbon to 18″. I used 8 of my coasters for these. I made these so both grandpas have their own plus one for mom and one for dad. They can hang these on a wall, over a door knob, over their car’s rearview mirror, etc. You can also turn these into Christmas ornaments by cutting your ribbon into an 18″ long piece and fold it in half, make a knot about 2 inches from the top and glue the coaster right below the knot. These coasters are so thin, you can glue them on the front of your Christmas cards next year or put them inside as a gift.

2025 Cards for Cubs Encouragement Cards

If you are interested in donating birthday or encouragement cards, please join me in making Cards for Cubs. You’ll be donating cards to foster kids who deserve to be encouraged, and receiving birthday cards.

You’ll need to register and send your cards by the end of March, 2025.

You do need to register before mailing your cards so they know how many to expect from you. The minimum cards you can donate in either birthday or encouraging cards is 10. And you’ll need to donate in increments of 10 cards. So you can donate 10 birthday and 20 encouraging, or like me, donate 20 encouragement cards.

If you have a big stash of birthday cards, they don’t need to be identical, please consider donating them, I know the kids will be happy.

Website is Cardsforcubs.org

How I made my cards. I used premade card bases I got years ago at Michaels that were 5 1/2″ tall by 4 1/4″ wide. I used color matched designer paper cut to 4″ by 5 1/4″ then took 20 of the card bases and glued the designer papers on top. I bought Angie Girl stamps from Unity Stamps link: https://tinyurl.com/46spmfff and stamped them on white cardstock then colored them with alcohol markers and copied them on my copier on white cardstock so I wouldn’t have to stamp and color them again. It makes it so much easier for me each year, as now I only have to cut them out and glue them to my cards.

I use slim foam strips https://tinyurl.com/4nn8ws9z to glue to the back of the girl images, chose where I wanted to place the girls, attached them, then glued the sentiments on the front as well. I also opened the card and ran a thin row of washi tape link: https://tinyurl.com/54e9zbpd down the right side of the card and added an encouraging sentiment sticker from a roll I bought on Temu, here’s the link:https://tinyurl.com/y2h7cubv

I hope you’ll join me in donating cards to Cards for Cubs.

Dutch Door Journal Spread & Prescription Journal

Prescription Journal:

I have decided I need a medication journal in alphabetical order to keep track of all the medications I’ve taken in the past as well as ones I’m currently taking. I’m keeping track of side effects and allergies, so that going forward, if a doctor asks me if I’ve taken a medication, I know that I’ve taken them as well as side effects so I don’t take them if I can’t tolerate them.

I had an old, kind of beat up journal in my stash. It should be comparable to these from Dollar Tree. https://tinyurl.com/yx26j6e4 . My journal had more pages than this, so I’m modifying my design to accommodate 120 pages like the DT journal. You’ll want to glue a piece of colored cardstock cut to 8 1/4″ tall by 6″ wide. You’ll need to trim the 6″ side so you have a 1/2″ tall tab by punching your tab first, then cutting the rest of the paper down to the bottom of your tab. Your first tab should be on the left top edge 6″ of the paper, your second tab should be however far to the right of your first tab that you want it, and so on. If you have a tab punch, you can make each of your punches with this. You’ll want to stamp an A, B, C on your tabs. You’ll glue your first page over the first page in the journal, then leave one page for the A, then paste your B tab over the third page in your journal and so on.

Journal with Dutch Doors:

The other journal I’m using to prepare for the femur surgery March 18th. I bought a journal on Temu link: https://tinyurl.com/3rnymjw7. I made dutch doors for six pages, by starting on the left side of the first pages using book PET tape link: https://tinyurl.com/5n7f7rfb. I ran the book tape on the left edge of the first page from top to bottom then went to the right side of page 2. I ran yellow washi tape https://tinyurl.com/3jvsvx5k matching the dresses about halfway in the page from top to bottom, then added three ladies stickers https://tinyurl.com/4r8kvwrz from top to bottom with the ladies being laid on the left side of the washi tape and having their skirts cover the tape. The center sticker’s skirt was too wide and I had to cut it out and find a matching sticker for the back of the page. I recommend you not going past the washi tape as it’s not easy finding a sticker whose skirt is the same but on the left side of the dress. To finish this page, cut the right side of the yellow washi from top to bottom, making sure to cut out the outline of the center dress.

You’ll add washi tape to page 3 of the spread from top to bottom on the left edge of the paper, then add matching ladies over the washi and then page 4 you’ll start your washi tape so it shows when the first page is laid over it. I think I cut an inch or so off the right side of this paper. This time although I did the same as before, I made sure not to have any skirts to the right of the washi so I could cut a straight line on the right edge of the colored washi. Do page 5 matching page 3 then lay a line of the book washi on the right side of pg 6 from top to bottom.