The new year, a new word and new teaching opportunities!

Embrace

I know we have a few more days to embrace 2015...to enjoy our family and friends..to reflect on the good, the bad, the in-between..to eat a little more than we should, to create our new year's resolutions, to then once again embrace a new year, a new hope, a new (and yet unseen), future...I absolutely love Abraham Lincoln's thoughts on the future...

The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at time.

So when our minds drift into the "what if's" and the unknown, I am reminded that indeed the future is something we can not control..we can only anticipate it one day at time.  Making the most of each opportunity, embracing each moment, the good, the bad, the in between times.  Through faith, we can take each day with a hopeful, eager anticipation.  No, not all moments will be sunshine, there will be a little or a lot of rain.  We will need our family and our friends to get us through those moments.  And Lincoln's perspective combined with what the writer of Psalms reminds us that 

This is the day the Lord has made;

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

When there seems nothing to rejoice in,  think that this is a moment, not the future, not the final destination.  Each day, there are new embraceable moments of learning, teaching, gratitude, love and  kindness (just to mention a few)...that can be shared with you or that you can share with others.  It's all about taking the future one day at time.  Being present for today and all of it's moments.    So, with 2016 just days away, what are we to do with the future...Embrace it one day at time.  

My new word for the year is......Embrace- to hold (someone) closely; to entwine closely around: to clasp;  to encircle; to accept or support willingly and enthusiastically.  

This word- Embrace/Embraceable- sums up my love for the Lord, my family and friends; my life long love of learning, creating and teaching; my artistic endeavors; My Willow Hearts' girls and their moms and more aspects of daily living ---- to entwine love, kindness and creativity; to share in the blessings and to sit with those who can teach me to embrace all of life's moments and to encircle those that need that helping, encouraging hand of friendship and support. 

Until next time, I hope that you'll take a few moments and embrace the tomorrows - one day at a time....

Teaching Opportunities at a glance 

Classes being held at My Art Studio- for details email chantal515@verizon.net

January 16 - Saturday in the Studio- Creating Wire-wrapped beaded jewelry

wire wrapped and beaded bracelet

wire wrapped and patina necklace and bracelet

wire wrapped beaded dangles with charms
and sari ribbon

January 26 - Tag Art Tuesday

Februray 13 Saturday in the Studio -  for the love of He{art}

February 23 - Tag Art Tuesday

March 19 - Saturday in the Studio - Playing with Patinas

March 22 -Tag Art Tuesday 

Classes being held at Sparks Studio

February 27- Join me for an afternoon of creating with ICE Resin®

Some of my favorite Bezels- inspiration pieces for our class

March 15-  Metal Magic with ICED Enamels

LOVE ICED Enamels--inspiration pieces for our class

Merry Christmas!!

This brings to mind a most wonderful time of the year...all of our shopping is done, the hustle and bustle have quieted now...So from my home to yours...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


Until next time, May this season of Love carry you through and permeate in all that you do!!

Gift Card wrapping with Ribbon, Paper and Sizzix

A beautiful way to give a Gift Gard

For me, I usually like to give gifts that reflect the intended recipient and present the gift in a festive and beautiful way where the wrapping is almost as great as the gift.   When the Holiday season is here, Gift cards can be the safest, quickest and best choice for some on your list but not very fun to wrap.  So with a little paper, ribbon and a great Sizzix die, you can present the gift card in a handmade pocket that also becomes part of the gift.  You are able to put a little "you" in the present.
Here's what you'll need....

Gather

Paper -double sided card stock works great
Ribbon - I used seam binding here but any soft ribbon would work
Ink - color of your choice
Sizzix die - BIGZ notecard by Brenda Walton 
Eyelet, Eyelet setter
Stamped sentiment
Vintage sticker, optional
Glue gun, glue sticks
tape runner or glue stick
Embellishments such as charms, flowers,..

Sizzix die -by Brenda Walton

If you need to make several, die cut 2 layers at a time

Make

1.  Using the sizzix die, die cut the paper for the notecard, the pocket and the tag.  Ink edges if desired.

2.  Using a glue stick, adhere the sides by folding on the scored lines.

3.  Cut a long piece of ribbon, Wrap around the front and tie once.  Thread on charm and then tie one more time to create a knot.

4.  Tie the ribbon 2 times to create four bow loops.

5.  Using a glue gun, adhere the holly underneath the ribbon and secure the ribbon also.  Now add flowers to the center of the bow.

A close up of the embellishments

6.  Now for the little tag, using an eyelet setter, set a jumbo or large eyelet.

7.  On a vintage sticker, stamp small sentiment

8.  Thread smaller piece of ribbon through eyelet and then loop through the git card.

the little tag with vintage sticker with stamped greeting

I place mine in a self-adhesive cellphone bag.  This die also has a notecard that fits inside.  You may need to trim the  card to fit with the gift card.


Until next time, may you find joy in giving and wrapping, too....Merry Christmas!

All ready to give to that special someone
on your list

 **I am not compensated by Sizzix for this blog post. I just love to share inspiration, techniques and to create everyday!!

A little snow and ICE on the ICE Resin® blog today - a snow-inspired necklace with ICE Resin®

Today on the ICE Resin® blog  I share with you a fun snow- filled necklace that was a sweet treat to make!!  All the details and techniques are written for you ...So no matter where you are, you can find a little snow and ICE for the holidays....


Until next time, Sending you snowball wishes!!

A day at Art on the Prairie - Relic Rings, Rustic Settings, Relaxing with new friends, Renewing my spirit...

It was a fast trip to Round Top at the beginning of November for what was to be an incredible day at Art on the Prairie....I drove down on Monday, as the class on Tuesday started early in the morning.  Since the drive is the same as we do in the spring and fall for the Amazing Antiques week, the treasure stops along the way were a must.

Tuesday Morning, I decided to drive around Carmine, Round Top and Warranton before my class began.  With coffee and THE BEST {Weikel's} Kolache in hand, I drove through the roads that are in the Spring and Fall are laden with antiques, vintage finds and "stuff" were bare, awaiting the next time the roads and fields would be filled with eager anticipation of those who come seeking that perfect something. 

Marburger 

Driving on country roads,wide open spaces, breathing fresh autumn air

instantly the cares of the world vanish in light of the beauty of nature. 

 Time well spent going through country roads, familiar places,  

and then onto a new destination-Art on the Prairie.

I arrived, ready to learn, ready to be inspired, ready to create.

A beautiful mystical morning fog

The beautiful venue, the beautiful directors and teachers of the art week, 

the beautiful way those that attend welcome all to their group,  

the beautifully inspired work that was created-

My new "feels like I've known forever friends - Cindy and Jerry.

Hard at Play ...Work

Our wonderful teacher, Deryn.

Eagerly watching and learning

One I finished at home with ...an ICE Resin® hand poured stone!!

It was a beautiful day!  I eagerly await next November and Art on the Prairie where I'll steal a few more days to learn, laugh and love..

Until next time, finding joy in the journey

Chantal

Happy Thanksgiving

With a grateful heart for each one of you,

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Join me on the ICE RESIN® Blog for the do's and don'ts of sealing paper for this unique Victorious Woman necklace

Victorious Woman necklace

Today on the ICE RESIN blog, I'll be sharing my latest project with tips of the importance of sealing vintage and speciality papers in order to get a great finished piece.  This necklace is made with papers from the early 1900's.  It was fun and challenging....Take a look and see the 3 attempts to get this necklace just right...I became the Victorious woman!!!

Attempts #1, #2 and finally #3!!!

 Until next time,  Happy Tuesday!!


Blessings,
Chantal

Handmade Holiday Blog Hop begins tomorrow, November 6th...Incredible projects, inspirations and prizes to be won!!

 Bonjour Necklace featuring ICE RESIN® and Graphic 45 Papers

Bonjour,  Joyeux Thanksgiving et Joyeux Noel!! 

I am so happy you have joined us on our Handmade Holiday Blog Hop.... I know that Halloween has just passed and Thanksgiving is a few weeks away but in the Handmade world, it's never too early to start planning and creating our one of a kind, truly heartfelt Holiday and Christmas gifts for our family, friends, teachers...everyone on our list!!

For the details of this project (available on the 7th) and many more on this blog hop, visit the ICE RESIN blog.

Take a few moments to visit the blogs that are celebrating Handmade this year with creative projects and inspiration from November 6-8th.  There is even $600 worth of prizes and over 80 projects to get you ready for the holidays and those on your gift giving list- Let's go Handmade this year and take the stress out of finding a place to park, the long lines and the perfect gift.  Giving handmade is also giving a little piece of your heart to those that fill your heart with love. I hope you enjoy this Handmade Holiday....Until next time,


Chantal

Create your own ribbon winders with the new French General dies from Sizzix

Thread winders created with My own speciality papers and the French General Die from Sizzix

  Oh, la, la...I love the new dies from Sizzix created by Kari Meng of French General   With her inspiration drawn from France along with the fabrics, notions and more, these dies help us keep things in order but at the same time are beautiful to create.  Combining my love of paper, sewing, and die-cutting--(Yes, that is a love of mine!), these little thread/ribbon winders as well as the other dies in this line from Sizzix are perfect for all my sewing needs.

To create these little cuties, I took a plain manilla folder (to add stability) and my own speciality papers (use could use any papers that you like), and cut one from the manilla folder and two from the papers. With the die, you actually cut all 4 of the shapes at once and you can cut up to 5 sheets of paper at a time....this is a fast project.  Once all have been cut, use your choice of adhesive to adhere the 3 together.  I chose to use my Xyron as it again was a fast fix and created an assembly line type of project.  It just a short time, I had 40 of these ready to be used...They are beautiful at the same time of functional - as it should be.


Until next time, Take a few moments to turn the ordinary into a thing of beauty....

Velvet Ribbon wound around the winder.  

Silk Ribbon as well as threads wound perfectly. 

*I am not compensated for this post.  This is just something I wanted to share with you*

Treasure Hunting - Part 2 of Our Fall Road Trips

Marburger Farms

One of many fields of hidden treasures

Aprons blowing in the breeze - a simpler time

Doesn't that make you just breathe a little slower? Relax a bit more...Country Life!

We've been back for a week now and I'm still trying to catch up.  Catching up is like shoveling the driveway while it's still snowing. As you are catching up on laundry, emails, calls, putting away and tidying up, there are new emails coming, laundry was waiting for you, other things get taken out and new classes and events to prepare for and the to do list continues...in the midst of the all this, I am so blessed!!! To have been able to teach in Minnesota, meet face to face my Facebook friends, share creativity and laughter, to have been able to spend 5 days antiquing through the Hill Country with my youngest daughter and my sister, to share in a part of history and see things that my grandmother would have used,  ---and of course realizing now, I am part of history as I see things I used to use!!

We truly had an amazing time in Round Top and the surrounding little towns.  This has been a family tradition since 2000 when my mom and I took off for a girl's weekend and left at the time.  Now my youngest daughter and I take off 2 times a year and enjoy the treasures along the way.  This year, I found a myriad of treasures from rusty little bits, old Texas History publications, jewelry (always, jewelry), a little china to add my to collection, a few vintage dressed and some wonderful grain sacks.  And of course ledgers, vintage papers and ribbons...my list is a little longer but I think you get the idea- it's a treasure paradise if you know where to look....

A Chocolate Cream Cheese Kolache- Incredible!!!

The bakery case - "I'll have one of each, please."

We enjoyed Weikel's Bakery every morning with the most amazing kolaches and the best Cafe del Olla coffee!!! The sweet gal behind the Bakery case knew our order before we said it...True small town hospitality. Our first morning we head to La Bahia - some of the greatest treasures are there.  Then on to Carmine where 2 sides of the highway are filled with tents and fields of new, used, vintage and antique everything.  I found French paperbacks from the 1940's for my mom.

Our sweet friend, Traci.  She wears a different vintage outfit each day!! 

We have  treasured friends that have several booths in Cole's antique mall and we spend 2 hours just at there booth catching up and of course shopping! Marburger is a definite stop for us-- it's a great history lesson and we love to find a few of our favorite vendors there. Then it's on to the Texas Rose fields where we find the best Rosemary Chicken Salad and monster Chocolate Chip Cookies.

We spend several days in the fields of Warrenton and visit our favorite vendors, eateries and try out new places as well.  Each evening when we return to our hotel, we lay out the treasures and see what was the theme of the day - sometimes it's old letters and books, rusty bits and baubles to repurpose, vintage clothes, fabric, patterns or just about anything that strikes our fancy.  Here are a few pictures of a few of our treasures from this trip.

Presleigh's great find of the day!!

Have a few ideas for these little bits.  Love the patina on the metal!1

I see ICE RESIN casting in the future for the hardware picture. And what about the thermos??

I'm not sure what these are but they are great!!
Wire and Metal - perhaps the next jewelry inspiration is here!

When our trip is winding down and we head home, we realize that the true treasure was being together and sharing time with family and friends.  Our reservations are made for the Spring and we look forward to more creating more memories that we will treasure for a life time. But for now, we will treasure today and those who are in our lives at this very moment.  And perhaps, find a little time to create with these new 'old' finds.  Until next time, finding joy in the journey...

I hope your cup is filled to overflowing with blessings to give to others.