Valentine's Day Card Round Up

So yeah, it's too late to provide inspiration for your card making this year, but thought I would share some of this years' creations from my den of love anyway. Because, after all, you never know when you may want to surprise someone with a heart-inspired message. Rather than focus on paper valentines, I expanded my mediums this year with some new craft tools and techniques...

The two cards below are brought to you by the glorious glue gun that has recently joined my ever-expanding collection of craft tools (thanks, Santa). It has proved it's worth not only for securing buttons and ribbons on paper, but also for repairing furniture in my apartment. Loves it.

On a side note I'm considering launching a glue gun marketing campaign called "Make Crafts Not War," with some iconic hand gun and glue gun imagery...think it has potential? prob not.

The cards below require no glue at all-- they are pure tape. Japanese masking tape of assorted colors is REALLY fun.

For much less neat project, I tried stenciled valentines over at Etsy Craft Night last week. I usually try to avoid using paint in my apt as it will likely end up on my furniture and clothing, so trying it out in Etsy's amazing craft studio was rad. I made this real heart Valentine with a stencil, then I got my thumbs dirty and created this little thumbprint heart bookmark.

Last of all of all I had to create this web-inspired card for the nerdiest of my valentines.

Ok, now time to get over vday and on to the next holiday....my bday is Friday!

First Trip to Michaels

So sorry I have been deliquent. This is NOT how I wanted to start out the year and I promise to make it up to you my loyal readers and friends. Last week was insane at work, and I was also on the Blue Print Cleanse. Basically, no food+ too much work = no blog posts. Sorry.

So the story of last weekend started with a Saturday AM trip to Michaels. I've been dying to make my maiden trip up there since Yasmin tipped me off a couple weeks back. As you can see from above photo, I did not hold back. This store is the best reason I've had to move uptown since the free pool in Central Park.

After purchasing my life savings worth of stickers, paper and punches on Saturday, Sunday night Tory, Steph, Mira and the surprise west coast Tori came over for Valentines day cards. Basically, it looks like love threw up in my apartment.

And yes, I am aware it's a month out, but I am as quick to move on to the next holiday decorations as CVS.....Stay tuned for details on my purchases and creations. And of course, watch your mailbox ;)

Punch Love

I looooove punches. They have always been my favorite crafting tool for making cards. Last weekend I discovered a new paper store in NYC, where I spent my life savings on 3 new punches, champagne flute, christmas tree, ordaments and my favorite, the penguin. I think I've made about 1000 punches this week. Here are some of my christmas card creations:

GChat of the Day

Yasmin: nat, i don't know if you heard...but a michael's craft store is opening up on the upper west side

it's going to be HUGE!

yay for crafts!

10:32 AM me: SHUT UP

OMG

Fall Treats

I again got on quite a craft kick this weekend, which was just in time for the visit of Kate Daly, my former SF roomie turned art teacher. I was inspired by my maple leaf punch to punch out some fall colors and make some cards:

The great thing is all you need is a couple colors of construction paper and this punch. I made the brown leaves by punching through an old paper bag. Possibilities are endless! Maybe they'll be one in your mailbox soon ;)

In preparation for Lara's shower, Kate and I also made a couple wedding shower cards....My concept, Kate's creation:
And after a fabulously exhausting day on Saturday watching Lara ooooo and awww over every kitchen appliance you can imagine, I played bake with whats in your fridge and whipped up some tasty carrot cupcakes. I used this recipe but cut it in half, didn't add nuts and baked for only 25 minutes in cupcake trays. Highly recommend it.