2020 Stash Party #58 - A Split Panel Sympathy Card

 Hello, Crafty Peeps!

We lost a friend!  

We lost a friend to COVID-19.  Yesterday we learned that the fiancé of a friend has passed away.  They were to get married next year!  Every week his fiancée would bring my husband up to speed on the plans for her impending nuptials.  My husband and the groom-to-be would crack jokes about "brides on the edge" and the "posh pitfalls of married life!"   Our shopping trips to Aldi's, where they both worked, will never be the same.

They said they wanted to be married as long as we have been married (52 years.) They wanted to be as much in love as we are (on our good days!)  Now, he is gone!  We don't know what to say to her.  

We can't fathom that kind of loss.  It was only last year, at the urging of our daughter, that we sat down and had our wills drawn up.  The very thought of not being on this earth together is anathema to our souls.  What can we say to someone who has had their dreams ended so brutally and so abruptly?   I don't think I know how to comfort someone who is facing my greatest fear, being without the man you love!  The man who makes your heart sing!  I saw their love,  now I just see her pain, and it is so unfair!

I will repeat what I wrote in an earlier post:

I wish the creation of this card had not been necessary!  I pray that more people become serious about COVID!  It is sad when people who are taking every precaution to protect themselves and their families become the victims of those who believe they have a constitutional right to kill others through their indifference, hatred, and ignorance.

Sleep on, dear friend, and take your rest.

They'll miss you most, who loved you best.

In silence you suffered, with patience, you bore,

Until G-d took you home to suffer no more.

Hugz,

Chana Malkah

Shopping Our Stash Challenge #290 - Heartless

®Hello, Crafty Peeples!

SOS Challenge "Heartless"

Create a Romantic Project without using Hearts.

The word Heart (s) can be used but no heart shaped die cuts or rubber stamps, etc.

I am hosting this week at Shopping Our Stash and so I must take responsibility for the challenge theme!  Oddly enough, I struggled with my own theme.  I know I had something else in mind for my project but cannot, for the life of me, remember what!  Anymahoo, here is my Romantic Valentine Card!  I made it for my son-in-law to give to my daughter and then forgot to give it to him when they were here yesterday!  He can give it to her on another special day!

VINTAGE ROMANCE

I really this beautiful LemonCraftraft™ "Anna Zaprzelska†" House of Roses Time Flies paper.  They were in one of the "Your Passion, Your Art" Main Kits from The Flying Unicorn™ (sadly, they are out of business.  I have held on to these papers for almost two years but, staying true to my resolve to actually craft with my supplies, I took a deep breath and CUT!

To add more interest, I used a scrap strip of card stock as my closer.

I secured back end of the closer with a decorative stamped image. I did not want to cut beautiful.  The pretty paper on the corner is the end of the paper I used to create my interior pocket.  

I created my interior tag pocket by fussy cutting the rose pattern at the bottom of one of my 12"x12" sheets.  I created a tag using the green base cs and the gingham pattern.  The gingham design is the reverse side of the rose printed paper.   The smaller greetings journal card is from the Graphic 45® Nature's Sketchbook Journaling & Ephemera Collection.

I used my 2"circle punch to cut out a small rose pattern.  The edges were distressed (Walnut Stain) and I attached it to the tag using clear 3D Zots™

This embossed Floral pattern in on the inside of the top flap.  Although is does not show in the photos, it works well and adds both depth and texture to the interior.

Close up of the Fussy cut interior tag pocket!  

"House of Roses-Time Flies"

Thanks for stopping by!  I would so love to see your projects in our challenge this week!   My teammates created some wonderful inspiration projects!  Take a look!  https://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com

HUGZ!

CHANA MALKAH

Jewelry Box Makeover - Altered Eclectics - December

Hello, Crafty Peeps!

So happy to be crafting again.  This is my December project for the challenge over at Altered Eclectics.  

Mixed Media projects only(Altered Art, Upcycling, Recycling.) 

Cards, ATCs, etc., will  be Deleted!

Upcycled Jewelry Cabinet

Recovering this Jewelry Cabinet was great fun and just the right project to get me back into the rhythm of crafting!

 The Cabinet is another Hubster Goodwill Store find.

I do so appreciate his faith in my restorative abilities!

He decided that I could alter it and use it for storage in my studio.  I may just do that!  It also works as a great accent piece for a dressing table or a bathroom vanity!   I thought the ring holder was a nice touch!

Products Used
DecoArts - Chalk Paint - Yesteryear
Earth Safe Finishes - Chalk Paint - Snickerdoodle
Rub n' Buff - Metallic Wax (Handles and Decorative Door insert)
Prima Papers - Epiphany
Ranger Distress Ink - Vintage Photo

Thanks for stopping by!  Check out your local Goodwill Store!
HUGZ
Chana Malkah Harris

Shopping Our Stash #203 - Play Misty For Me

Hello, Crafty Peeples!

Welcome to another fun challenge at Shopping Our Stash!  Leslie and the ladies always come up with such wonderful theme and I just love "PLAY MISTY FOR ME!"   Here is your opportunity to get messy and use some of your old spray inks on some old papers and embellishments.

My oldest grandson is starting his first journal. 

This fall, he is transferring to a new school which requires all students to keep journals, so we thought we would use this summer to help him form the habit of recording his daily thoughts.  

Joshua just got his first big, fancy bike, so I wanted to make it a focal on the front of his new journal.

I tried to find ephemera that represented all the things that he loves.  I am saving soccer, basketball, computers, and robots for his next journal.

 It is hard to see in the photo, but the journal has a metallic sheen.  Joshua, loves it!

How It Was Done:

Materials:

Canvas Journal

Prima Finnabair Stamp (Brick Wall)

Prima Papers (Almanac, Printery, Life Time)

Ranger Tissue Paper (Postale, Melange)

Ephemera

Dylusion Inks Sprays (Cut Grass, Cherry Pie)

Tattered Angels Mists (Grass, Cozy Yellow, Tropical Pink, Un-Birthday)

Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stain (Mermaid Lagoon, Abandoned Coral)

Ranger Distress Ink (Vintage Photo)

Viva Inka Gold (Oldsilver)

Homemade Sprays (Picket Fence (PF Paint mixed with water), Chana's Gold

Misc.:  Gesso, Mod Podge, Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

EASY TUT

1. Basically, you cover your journal with Gesso. (I used a navy blue journal because I wanted that color to show through.)
2. Arrange your collage pieces and add any stamped or stenciled images.   I distressed the edges of some of my pieces with Vintage Photo DI.
3. Apply a coat of Mod Podge over the collage. The goal is to make edges disappear.
4. GO CRAZY with mists and sprays to achieve your desired color profile.  Add another layer of ephemera (I added the sentiments, bicycle, Joshua, 2015) seal with mod podge or Aleene's Matte Sealer.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

 Step 4

Have Fun!   

Stop by SHOPPING OUR STASH to see the fabulous creations of my teammates.

Hugz,

Chana

Happy Birthday -- So Glad I'm Still Here!

This is not a craft post...well I guess it kinda, sorta is.....

MY BIRTHDAY HAUL - NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Yesterday was a fabulous day for me.  Our family is always low key about birthdays, holidays, anniversaries.  We are NOT known for wrapping anything and one is more likely to get CASH as a gift.  Face it, Cash is Crucial.   

But this birthday was special, because just a few months ago, we were not sure that I would even be here to celebrate this hallmark year.  I was so depressed....not about the thought of dying....everyone has to die at some point and many years ago G-d removed from me the fear of death.  I was depressed because people in my family are extremely long lived.  My sister will be 94 on December 24th.  I could not believe that I would die before I reached 65... REALLY?  My father was 96 when he died, my grandmother 110, my aunt Hatti 120, in my family at 64 your are still a teenager.

Anyway, once everyone figured out that the fabulously brilliant Dr. Greene, working in close association with HaShem, was going to keep me here, choosing birthday gifts for me was easy...money for crafting supplies or crafting supplies.

The gifts and CASH continue to roll in.  When I was ill, family and friends did not call and ask my husband if I were feeling better, instead, they would ask, "Did she craft today?"  From April until August,  I could not craft.  Now that I am at it again, they are making sure that I never run out of supplies.   THANKS FAMILY, YOU GUYS ARE THE VERY BEST!!!!!

From my Son: Storage Bins

Michaels had these on sale and I came across them while on the phone with Tim.  So I asked him if he would get them and he said "Sure, Mom!"  This is four units.  

MASSIVE PICTURES ALERT

Hubby, Daughter, and Grandson: 

Prima Life Time

 Authentique Hope Kit

Prima Finnabair

Wildflower

Mambi Kits

Ancestry.com

Junk, Findings, and Stencils

Thanks for Stopping by!

Hugz,

Chana

Canvas Corp - 2015 Design Team Call

Every once in a great while, I convince myself that I should apply for a commercial design team, not because I think I'm so talented, I know I am not.  I do it because constant rejection is the key to divine humility.  This time I was encouraged by my bud Kathy Clement to apply.  She was thinking of applying.  So, I took the plunge.  We shall see, said the blind man!

PROJECT #1  - The Spindle

Kathy has this awesome thread spindle that she uses to "brand" her project posts.  I thought it was really cool and asked her where she got it.  I didn't want to use it as she does, obviously, but I thought it would be a neat way to display my Prima Fibers (my lastest passion).  The fibers come on these really cool boards, but the spindle had more appeal for me, so....... I made my own.

Inspiration #1-  KATHY'S SPINDLE  - 

Inspiration #2 - Old Paper Towel Core and A Canvas Corp Canvas Sheet Package

We use a ton of paper towels and I wanted to do something with the core...so I cut it into small sections and used as the core of my spindle.

The Project - CHANA'S FIBER SPINDLE

The base of the spindle is an empty ribbon spool.  I cut octaganal and round chipboard pieces, painted them and then covered them using papers from 7 Gypsies'  Paddington 6"x6" variety pack.  An overhead shot of the spindle would have been nice (didn't think of it when I was shooting) to show how the spindle ties in with the other elements.

THE BACK

 Tim Holtz Hitch Post fasteners and a bead are used as stabilizers.  They work great when the spindle is full.  I just tuck the ribbon/fiber behind them and they don't fall out. 

The Inspiration for the Mini Album came from the label on this Canvas Corp. Product.  I wanted to use items from my stash and realized while working on my spindle, that I only had small amounts of the 7 Gypises pads on hand.  I was curious if I could mix three very different paper varities into a cohesive design.  The b/w polka dots with the brown and canvas seemed like the perfect palette.

Project #2 - The Brown Paper Bag Mini Album 

Project #3 - The Journal Card/Note Card Holder

Products used:

7 Gypies: Paddington 6"x6" paper variety pack, 7 Gypies Lille 6"x6" paper variety pack; 7 Gypies Postale Index Cards and Envelopes

Bella Boutique Stack - 12"x12"

Simple Stories: Happy Day 6"x6" Pad

Joann.com: Printed Burlap - Postale

Graphic 45: Large Tags

Prima: Vintage Trinkets

Tim Holtz: Hitch Post Fasteners 

American Crafts: Ribbo

Misc: Paper towel core, chipboard, gesso, acrylic paint, beads, the usual suspects

Challenges Entered: (I'll Be Back!)