Getting ready for a "Silver Tray Book" class

I went to an art retreat a few weeks ago called Spellbound.  It was so inspiring how everything was put together from the name tags to the class kits.  I thought I would borrow some of their amazing ideas for my own class I am teaching that's coming up.

 

 

This class is for my "Silver Tray Books".  Each kit comes with a pre cut tray for the front of the book and sheet metal for the back.  Two brass hinges, all the hardware and watercolor paper for the inside.  I made these bags to put everything in.  Most of the time I think I do this stuff to amuse myself but I know the ladies will appreciate it like I do.

 

 

Then I made these name tags for each of the ladies.  They look like I soldered them but I saved time by just using silver tape instead of the copper and didn't even need to add solder.  Everything is glued together and a pin was added to the back to wear the day of class so I can remember everyone's names.

 

 

One of the ladies at Spellbound used these trays in her class.  She got them at the .99 cent store.  I hunted them down and had to have them.  They work perfectly with the class theme don't you think.  After I put everything together on the trays I tied it with old seam binding ribbon and added the name tags.  I love how they turned out.

 

 

By the end of Saturday everyone should have a finished book that looks something like this one. 

 

 

 

   

Lanie's 1st Birthday Carnival Invitations

You know it's been a while since your last blog when you can't figure out how to start a new page.  A few tries later and I think I got it.

My sister-in-law it having a Birthday part for her daughter who is turning 1 and asked me to make the invitations.  I had seen this vintage carnival paper in pinks, yellow and greens and loved it so we decided to go with that as our theme.

 

I wanted the front to be a carnival booth that would open up in the middle.  I started by cutting out all the shapes for the booth.

 

Then I added brown around all the edges to add some depth otherwise it was just to flat.

Glue all the pieces to a sheet of paper then cut away the extra so when you cut it down the middle it will all stay together.

Cut out all the cotton candy, three per card and add glitter to them.

I tried the booth on different shades of pink card stock to see what I liked best.  In the end I went with white and a hot pink envelope.

For the inside my sister-in-law Molly came up with the wording and found these great fonts on line to download for free.  I printed it on velum then added the pink cardstock behind it.

So fun.  They took a little longer then I would have liked but I enjoyed making them.  Now I want to make a life size carnival booth out of wood and paint it to match the invitations.  Thought it would be fun as the entrance to the party and to use as a photo booth.

Have to add a picture of Dozer sleeping. 

You got to love that face.



Over the top "Alice in Wonderland" Birthday Party

 I just got back from Sacramento where my sister in law Molly and I threw a Birthday party for her 10 year old niece. The theme was "Alice in Wonderland" and we had so much fun.

It had rained in Sacramento all week so we ended up having to rent a tent but it worked out great.

Molly loves to do Candy Bars for her parties and all the colors in the glass jars are so much fun!

Each girl had her own place setting with fancy china, party hat, Drink Me bottles, candy and the list goes on.  We have a hard time editing because everything is so cute.

Molly found old tea cups and glued then together all topsy tervy.  Loved it.

I decorated Mad Hatter cookies and put the Birthday Girl's birth date on them.

The Birthday Girl with her cousin Lilly.  We had such a great time I can't wait to do it again.

Brooch Bouquet

I am making a silver tray guest book for a lady who I met at Glitterfest last year. She is getting married this February and has been collecting vintage brooches to make a brooch bouquet but didn't have anyone to put it together for her. I have seen them on Etsy but have never made one so when she asked me to make it for her I thought it sounded like fun.

I started by spreading out all the brooches and making two piles, ones for the bottom layer and the better ones for the top.

I used floral wire and tape to make stems.

First I had to start by cutting off all the pin backs.

After about two days and very sore fingers I had about 60 plus brooches ready to assemble into a bouquet.

I started off with a small bundle and kept adding to it.  I would check it in the mirror to see how it would look when being held by the bride.

I finished the handle by wrapping it with fabric from the bride.

 The bride had many pins with special meaning, like the "mother" pin and her new initials L and B.

I could not have been happier at how it turned out.