Sweater Weather

When Valentine's Day approaches, you can very well count on me to make greeting cards in my signature blah to TADA! style. As in past years, I'll be participating in Etsy's "Special Delivery" project. Together with City Meals on Wheels, the good folks at Etsy will be delivering nutritious meals, handmade cards and companionship to elderly New Yorkers. Awesome, right?

Here are some of the cards I made:

 blah: pages from an old J. Crew catalog 

{I fell in love with these sweaters!}

blah: cardboard boxes 

Glue these together to form postcards, add a few mini hearts made from felt remnants, and write a message on the back. Slip each one inside an envelope and prepare to make someone smile. TADA!

It will sure make the recipient all fuzzy and warm. 

And you, as the maker/giver, are guaranteed

a happy feeling for your generosity.

Candy Love

If you think wreaths are just for the holidays, maybe I can convince you otherwise? It's a simple decor that can be put up for any occasion like a birthday {instead of balloons and buntings} or upcoming events like Valentine's. And they're a pinch to make with easy to find materials. Let me show you how.

 blah: empty cardboard box

 Cut out two identical hearts using the box.

Glue these together {with hot glue} to form 

a super sturdy single heart.

Got a bag of candy on hand? 

Attach these to the cardboard with double-sided tape.

Loop on a piece of ribbon as a hanging device.

This doubles as a sweet gift and decoration

for those that you hold dear.

TADA!

Thoughts of February

Oh my! February already? Instead of getting frazzled over the things I didn't accomplish in January, I will welcome this new month with some decorations, the blah to TADA! way. 

 blah: plastic shopping bags

 Cut them up and turn them into carnations {tutorial here}.

Glue the flowers onto cardboard and add a bow. Match the colors of the plastic bags and ribbon to whatever it is you're celebrating: Chinese New Year {red and gold} or Valentine's {red, pink and white}. Hang this on your front door or office space for a festive touch. TADA!

Printed Balloons

Instead of plain balloons, why not try printed ones?

That's exactly what I'm using my craft punch for. I tore off printed pages from a holiday catalog and punched out these balloons. Sexy, no? Then, I turned them into birthday cards for my besties. All I used were card stock, a paper trimmer, glue, a pen {to draw the tails}, and double-sided tape so the balloons look like they're really floating. With these simple materials, I've turned blah into TADA!:

Black, white and yellow.

Balloons peeking out from the flap.

Open to see more balloons and a surprise message!

Here's one for another fabulous lady:

Some pink and animal print won't hurt anyone.

Open the card for another set of a balloons and

an area where you can tell your friend 

everything you love about her.

Wasn't that fun?

I put each card I made into these glassine envelopes, and I'm ready for all my friends' birthdays this year. I wish you all a wonderful weekend! 

Mixed Media

I'm showing off my new craft punch this week.

It's a balloon design that turns old magazine or catalog pages from blah to TADA!  Scraps of gift wrap or decorative paper are other alternatives so we don't put pretty paper to waste, right?

Today, I'm using mixed media {collage and watercolor} to create unique birthday cards.

Here's what I've come up with:

Balloon cut-outs and a watercolor drawing. Perfect for a little girl's birthday! Match the number of balloons with her age.

The balloons here are a mix of watercolor and punched-out shapes. Using double-sided mounting tape on the back of the balloon cutouts will give these an elevated effect, adding some dimension. The blank space, now shaded in watercolor, is where I'll write my message.

On the cover of this card is a sign being lifted by a bunch of balloons. Personalize the sign any which way you want. Inside, a few stray balloons are added.  Just add a note around the balloons. Have a great day!

Balloon Bouquets

I mentioned last week that I've had birthdays on my mind. It's that time of the year when I think about the birthday cards I'll be sending out this year. Oh yes, I still do snail mail.

With my new craft punch, I made a bazillion balloons out of pages from a holiday magazine...blah to TADA! indeed. Add the balloons to some card stock and here's what you'll get:

Handmade birthday cards!

I can't wait to write on them and send them on their merry way. And if you're celebrating your birthday today {or anytime soon}...happy birthday! 

Beautiful Balloons

Howdy folks! So yesterday, I told you about my newest craft punch. I love craft punches! They're such fun tools that I've used to make this, this, this, this and this.

I thought a balloon craft punch deserved a place in my collection. I went ahead and bought one, then punched some plain and printed balloons out of an old shopping catalog.

I took out some card stock that I got on sale. 

I used a paper cutter to make blank cards.

Then, I dressed up the blah cards with my balloons! I used a glue stick to attach them, and some thick double-sided tape for some to achieve a raised or two-dimensional effect. You can't see it from here, but the stripey balloon has a metallic finish. The string was drawn with a white pen and the ribbon with a marker. TADA!

I added a few more balloons inside, a small inscription and lots of space for more personal words. I also found some translucent envelopes that give a hint on the surprise inside. 

Whatever the reason for celebration, I think this card delivers the message!