Well, it's that time! I have known about and been anticipating this trip for eleven months now and it is finally here. I still can't believe it! My mom flies in today and then it will seem more real. I have a to-do list as long as my arm, but the first thing on it was to check in here and let you all know I will have plenty of inspiration for you while I'm gone.
For today, here's some more fun things from the Workshop of A Lifetime.
Karen left a box of chocolates at the front desk of the hotel to be given to me when we checked in. Wasn't that sweet? Shelli told me she had done the same at the bed and breakfast they stayed at. Karen is so thoughtful! I don't know how she managed to find time to make those little extra touches, but she did! LOVE the flower. And no, I don't know how she did it. Karen, when you read this, take a minute and leave a comment, because I am sure I am not the only one who wants to know!
I'd never been to Karen's house, but she told me her kitchen had dark green countertops. Now, greens are hard to match, but I went out on a limb and made Handsome Hunter and Certainly Celery nametags and paper goods. When they were all finished, they were fairly boring–so I added little embossed butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Embosslit, in Pumpkin Pie. One of the things that got bumped when I added the regionals presentation to my April was the strings of butterflies I had planned to make to decorate, and a matching welcome banner. Oh well–can't do it all–and there was precious little time to set up anyway.
And then because I can't leave well enough alone–
I embossed the paper plates with the Statement of the Heart, stamped the paper cups to coordinate (with a butterfly attached with a mini glue dot, which kept people's hands away from the stamping so it didn't bleed onto their fingers) and made favors with the Bitty Box & Envelope die on the Big Shot. Yep, it's a true addiction. I can't help myself. I stamp EVERYTHING!!! : )
I tell ya, I sure have gotten my money's worth out of that Bitty Box die–I have literally die cut hundreds of those so far for showers, church banquets, anniversary receptions, etc. it's just mesmerizing to be able to cut out precisely as many as you need, in exactly the right color, and know that if you screw one up, you can make another. After years of cheap, pre-cut, limited color choice favor boxes and hundreds of tired tulle circles–it's like heaven to this decorator!
Ok–off to set up a bunch of posts for you to enjoy while I'm gone. I am going to be on a true vacation–totally unplugged–for the first time in forever. I know you'll all be dying for cruise news, but you will just have to wait! I'm going to enjoy every second of this vacation. And then I'll throw you all an enormous, free, fantastic Island Adventure party on Saturday, May 22nd at 1:30 p.m. See you there!
I wondered what those little green boxes were. I never got one, and there was probably chocolate in them!!
The base of the flower was made from pretty in pink cardstock with our new large flower punch. The petals were made using the specialty paper in our mini catalog that ends next week! I punched 10 scalloped circles and wadded them up to crinkle the paper. Then I opened them back up and stacked them. Not neatly, a little offset sometimes. I used my paper piercing tool to poke through the center of all of them at once. Then I put a brad through the center of all circles, including the large flower. One at a time, I started with the top circle and folded it up around the brad, scrunching each layer as I went. Very simple!
Lyssa,
Have a very well deserved vacation! Enjoy the time with your Mom and the chance to unplug and unwind!
Karen, thanks for sharing the directions for the flower! It really adds a “pop” to the box!
You are one over the top gal! I love how you had everything coordinate! No detail was missed!