Last Valentines....

It's vacation time!!!




Hi!!

I'm always planning to write more often. This time I have been ill, still am actually. Last week I couldn't bring a thing to a good end. Only talking on the phone and little trips with friends went well ;-). According to my husband I was suffering from de-swaptitus, and he might be right. But in the end it seemed like a prelude to the flu (or something like that). Last Friday all my muscles hurt, I coughed like someone who is smoking two packages of heavy 'Van Nelle' a day and I had a terrible headache. This was too much, I just had to stay in bed, cancel the appointments for this weekend and see if I can get better as soon as possible as we are going to Germany for a little winter break tomorrow. That's why I'm writing now, writing about Valentine presents next week...come on...it will be March then!

Next time I will write about tags. I'm going to think about it in Germany (no I don't take the laptop with me, it should be a family vacation, you know).

As I have told you in a previous post, I was hosting a Valentine swap between 92 women. This is what I have received from my partner Maayke:



That beautiful heart was already in my Valentines' day post.



I love this doll! And so does my daughter, but she is definitely mine!



This heart shaped box filled with goodies mmmmmmm.


And last but not least, this very lovely tea-cosy. I didn't have one, and it looks so good in my kitchen. Thanks Maayke!!

And this is what I made her:

A little children's sewing box. I have found the lovely picture here. It was my intention to make one that could have belonged to one of us back in the sixties. A kind of replica, only there is no original.

It was filled with all kind of pink little treasures, as pink is Maayke's favourite color.



As I was hosting this swap, I felt more than responsible that everybody was having a good time. For someone who was going to hospital and couldn't join I made this hospital surviving package:



the box was filled with soap, shampoo and that kind of things:


For another lady who was without a partner due to circumstances I have made a portfolio;


The little packages with angels are (Belgium) chocolates.
Of course some blank letters and envelopes inside:
And a very thin heart, filled with lavender, to give its aroma to the letters, but I guess you can imagine that.


For Elizabeth who was having a harsh time I made a heart to keep her little brooches:

And some other little goodies.
It seems now that I was hobbying all week, and that was true! I had the time of my life! And on top of this, it didn't go unrewarded.



Look what Elizabeth send me back, though it really wasn't necessary, I was so happy with this package, the beautiful art-journal, the pink glitter with E stamped in wax on top. The so over the top that's me clasp! Need I go on? Actually I cannot, I'm feeling terrible...cough, cough!!

I have showed you the heart Natasha made me in my Valentines post, well here is the content:


I cannot mention each and every goodie! It's far too much; fabric, ribbons, tea, candy, scraps, antique cards with violets...it really is too much!

And this is what I received from Carla, who has just started her internet shop 'Buttons and Bows:



It doesn't only look good, it smells good too, it is filled with lavender and it's so sweet!
Sorry, but I'm too tired to post pictures of the lovely soap I received from Gepke (you can visit her webshop too) and the violet table napkins I received from Leni, just for hosting the swap.
It was the best Valentines'day of my life!
See you in March! Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the February give away!

Happy Valentine's day to you all

As I wrote before I never liked Valentine's day, too commercial to me.
But this year is different.
There was the 'One world one heart' event. You can read about it in my previous post.
All about giving, sharing en getting to know each other.
First I'm giving:
My giveaway is a self made portfolio filled with vintage and vintage like paper.
The winner is:

number 67 Chris Cunningham of Enchanted Hearts Studio. Congratulations Chris. I will contact you rightaway!
And more giving: my January giveaway was won by

Wil!! Wil is no blogger but a regular and highly appreciated visitor over here. Wil you deserve it! Wait a few days (mmm weeks) and your hairpincard -everything you always wanted and more- will arrive at your home in Belgium, I need your adress!!
But I'm receiving too; I have virtually met Will at an internet forum about homedecorating; the Picasa girls forum. Today we had a Valentine swap day with over 90 women. I will pay more attention to the presents that were made by these very creative women in the future. The first photo in my post is a heart that I received from Maayke, who was my partner, she made so much more beautiful things for me. The last picture is a heart box I received from Natasha Ioppi, for hosting the swap. Thanks to all Picasa ladies, you have made my Valentinesday!

This was such a nice day and the party is still going on at the Picasa forum. I will join the girls there. I will report about it later...and tell you who has tagged me, which award I was given and of course the cliff hangers I have mentioned to you last time ;-(
Hoping you are having just as much fun, enjoy your Valentinesday!

One world one heart

Just a post between other posts. This is too good to pass.

This world of bloggers is such a nice world, you get to know people, people are sending each other packages and little cards. It almost seems if people are happy to give and to share. Last week I was a winner of such a giveaway which was organized by Heather Bullard and I was thrilled.
That's why Lisa Oceandreamer hosts a blogger giveaway event. And I'm one of the more than 242 participants. The drawing is next Thursday on Valentinesday.
Actually I was a bit of an opponant of that February 14th. Here in the Netherlands there was no such thing as Valentines day, but since globalisation the shops are filled with merely very ugly and useless stuff. Too commercial for me. But this is something else, its about sharing and getting to know each other. So welcome every one and join the fun!

This is my give away:

I have changed this stationary map a little and filled it with:

Mmm what is this???

Two cards I have made

Some scraps and some self-made heart shaped notes

This picture didn't want to load, what a shame, some surprises for those who have given their comments already...
Two old bingo cards and 4 new dutch Christmas cards with old pictures though...


Some ephemera. It's a word I have recently learned since my frequent visits to blogland. But those old papers were me all the way.
Here are some french pages, a sheet of music paper, two playing cards. And two pages of a dutch 1918 magazine with those beautiful adds.

Last but not least; some old and new but vintage-like wallpaper.
I'm addicted to wallpaper for about 10 years or so. I keep going to Laura Ashley's for pieces to try on my wall. Even play little acts with friends who need some wallpaper there too (shhht).
I never knew there were so many wallpaper addicts. Now I have discovered the vintage american wallpaper, mmm I wil not rest until I have ordered some of those sweet pastel colored pieces.

Well I have closed the file.
I hope your crafting imagination has been tempted!
Want to be a winner? Being here can be only one step from that goal.
The next step is giving a comment on this post. This post only!!!
You don't have to be a blogger but make yourself traceable. So leave an email adress if necessary.
I will draw a winner on February 14th, local time, which is CET.
Good luck to you all! So nice to meet you!

Sorry!! Its now Valentine's day here in Western Europe (CET).
I'm closing at a 158 comments (ooops).
You cannot enter anymore, but I wish you a happy Valentine's day!!!

Victorian Card making; a LiLi-like tutorial

Hi all!

I have been busy!
First this cupboard was changed

into this one:

I thought it would take me two days or something but actually I was busy a whole week! This cupboard is LARGE!
Then we build another cupboard in our basement, with three sliding doors, so I can save a lot of things

This box only took about a day and a half to explain to hubby (but why that MUCH Lili??)
And I have cleaned all our linen closets. The thrift store is going to pick up a lot!! Usually I like what I buy, but sometimes...I have decided now that it is better to part with those 'mal-buyings' as soon as possible, in stead of keeping them year after year, feeling guilty every time you clean your closet. Nope. That crimson red cloak/coat in which I visually double size has to go now! Phffew what a relief!
And of course I was cruising the internet looking at all those valentine creativeness and things to buy.

Somewhere I saw those Victorian three dimensional cards. I have bought some replicas in the early nineties in London.
when you look sideways to such a card you see this:

and they inspired me last year to make this birthday card for my aunt.

Ooo I liked those Victorian Valentine cards, so why shouldn't I make those myself? I started Saturday and couldn't stop! You really should click on the picture. It was too sunny yesterday in our living room, but I definitely wanted to take to pics before the first cards would be send today! And I think that the 3D effect isn't as stunning in the picture as in real life, to tell you in all modesty.


Please do try this at your home;
All you need is some german scraps.(I have tons of them. Using them all the time.) Some card board which is used for making cards. Some glue and scissors. And when you are very uncertain you will need a measurement instrument, like a ruler.

This is how it works:

You bend the card the way it can stand and then

This is of course just an example, you cut a heart shape of music paper, which you glue directly on the card.

Now you cut a small strap. Fold it into some kind of rectangle. If you are uncertain use your ruler, but you can just do it when you have a good eye. Be sure to check: when you fold a right rectangle you can fold it into a diamond square as well. Mmm you learn some maths while reading my blog!

Glue this rectangle onto your scrap (in this case a rose) and the other side of the rectangle onto your card:


Oops, I'm holding the card upside down now, but I do hope that you know what I mean...

The next stage is almost the same, but I forgot to take a picture hahaha!
Fold a rectangle, glue that on the little guy (in this case) and glue the bottom of the rectangle on the bottom of the card and the upside back onto the rose that has already been attached in a previous stage.
Now your card is three dimensional, can stand on it's own and can be folded in an envelope!
Of course you can cut the bottom into a nice shape and glue some additional scraps as well.

You can put your message on the bottom of the card, even put some nice stamp Happy Valentine or some cupid on it!
I do hope you understand my tutorial! Actually when making pictures and making a card it didn't work out, it was the first card which couldn't stand on his own and couldn't be folded neither! So I did another card and mixed up the pictures.
If you don't understand, please don't hesitate to ask, I will explain better.
Next time I will show you the Victorian Waving Card, an invention of yours truly! And I will announce the winner of the January give away.
Speaking of which; one of these (kind of) cards will be given to someone who gives a comment in February!
Could well be this one:

Or this:

Or this one:

See you all next time when I'm going to show you how to make those waving hands!
Take care, xoxo LiLi.