Feb Challenge #1

As a member of the Design Team for "A Charming Place"

we participate and create challenges each month.

I totally recommend checking out the site,

getting involved on the forums,

and using the challenges as inspiration.

I will post tutorials for each of the challenges I create or participate in.

Our first challenge of this year was:

*Create a Valentine card using hot glue as an accent, NOT as an adhesive

*and of course "charm" it up.

So here is my journey to "You Make My Hear Soar"

1. A number of the other girls had success

with squirting hot glue into molds and using

that as an accent. I'm not one of them :/

I tried hot glue.

I tried not so hot glue.

I tried freezing the glue.

I pleaded with the glue.

I put the glue in the corner to think about

the stress it was causing me and moved on.

2. Can I say how freakin' impressed I am with Making Memories paint?!?

It has been ignored and in cabinet forever!

Still works fab!!

(I even found it this morning with the cap off.. thanks hubs.. and it still works!)

I bow down to MM paint..

Anywho I painted a microscope slide card sides & insides buttercup yellow.

Luckily that went as planned..

3. I don't have pictures of everything that happened next and for good reason.

I took the glue out of the corner and decided to try a new way of reasoning with it.

This time I freehanded hearts on to a nonstick craft surface and let it dry.

I then slightly reheated the tops with an embossing gun and

poured silver embossing powder on top.

**Note, don't have the gun on while sprinkling the powder.. um yeah it makes a mess.

I absolutely adore the gunmetal appearance it created!

Here is the cover with my "gunmetal" hot glue heart accents

and the inside is "charmed" up!

I am waiting for my new shipment of charms, so I was left to use my angel wings.

But for Valentine's Day I think angels are quite appropriate!

***Side Note***

We found out last night that we are 1 month pregnant!

We were "supposed" to get preggers in a couple weeks in Vegas during our

5 year anniversary trip.. turns out the joke is on us!

It's gotta be a little boy

So Much News..

I apologize for the lapse, I was blessed with non stop activity.

Had a fabulous time in Park City for Sundance

and then we were off to Disneyland.

Right before I left for Disneyland, I found out that I made

it on the Design Team for A Charming Place.

I'm so excited!

I have a bunch of ideas on how to incorporate these

super fun charms into my products on Etsy.

And lastly I didn't do even close to 1/4 of the projects for Etsy

that I wanted to for Valentine's Day.

I guess it's time to start on St. Patty's Day.

Everyone loves an Irish girl..

But I am happy to announce that there are a few new listings.

Check out these super posh furry cocoons!

Cupid's Kiss

Faux Fur trimmed Oatmeal

And.. here's a deal

$50 on any stork pouch!

Just mention "Cupid" and I'll refund the money via Paypal.

Local Etsy - Friday Favorites

My bad..

I thought I could get a day of snowboarding in at Park City

and be up for blogging.

At 31 I'm either too old or too out of shape to snowboard..

I feel like a rusty version of the Tin Man.

A day late, but here are my local Etsy favorites!!

ruffle pillow pdf file (by V and Co) by uptownjane

BIBITTY SPANISH ALPHABET SET of 26 LETTERS-NOW IN LARGER 5X7 SIZE

by bibitty

Caterpillar Handspun Novelty Beaded Art Yarn by GreenwoodFiberworks

This Much--ONE POSTCARD with envelope by sarahjanestudios

M.I.A.

I'll be back to blogging tomorrow.

It is Sundance Film Festival week here in Utah.

That means snowboarding, films, gawking, and partying.

(and usually in that order!)

Come back tomorrow for some local Etsy favorites!

Bring it on!

I have *always* wanted to be on a Design Team!

*ALWAYS*

Maybe it's the desire to be validated, to be acknowledged, or something else.

But to be quite frank, I've never really put my heart into an entry call.

So I did this time..

Here is my "Angels in the Garden" entry.

The Design Team is for a company that sells charms.

It is my first bib necklace and I'm in L-O-V-E.

Not sure if I'd make these for Etsy since the market is quite saturated,

but who knows maybe you'll see more in the shop..

Hope you love it!

And send me some of the positive vibes,

it would make my 2010 to be on a Design Team!

Local Etsy - Friday Favorites

I can't begin to tell you how sad I was to read that one

of our local Utah blogs is closing down.

I love "Your Heart Out"

Each week I would eagerly check to see if they

would feature my shop in their local Etsy favorites.

And I'm proud to say I made it there twice.

Now while I don't believe my tiny itty bitty blog

will ever be as popular as YHO,

I want to carry on one of their traditions.

Each Friday I will each feature some of

my personal Etsy favorites from my fellow Utahans!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Skunk N' Pickle - Print by falldowntree

Rusted Romance heart necklace by freerangeart

Lollipop Shoes - 8x10 fine photographic print by provincijalka

Banana Split Felt Play Food Dessert Set by bugbitesplayfood

*Picture copyrights are retained by their respective Etsy Shop Owners

XOXO Giveaway!

Let's start the Valentine love early!

I will giveaway one of my Raspberry Cocoons

on January 14th.

How do you enter?

* Follow my blog (there is a button on the side for you)

* And leave me one of your favorite love related quotes in the comments.

Good luck!!