Brenda Walton

Mira Marvels

Last weekend, my normally quiet and peaceful studio was transformed into the destination for a gregarious group of ten amazing crafters! We all had so much fun the whole afternoon, creating paper crowns and gifts using products from my colorful Mira Collection designed for K&Company.

We started with a table full of Mira papers, stickers, die cuts and Grand Adhesions, as well as ribbon, rhinestones, sequins, glitter and other colorful goodies. Using the template from a post in March on crowns (and making some creative variations on the shape), we cut, pasted and xyroned our way to some fabulous and regal creations.

We used metallic florist’s wrap to create shimmering medallions, which serve as a lovely focal point on several of the crowns.

Thanks to Doug for taking all these great photos, and thanks Aaron, Kat, Theresa, Tiffany, Lisa, Grace, Wendy and Dottie for a fabulous day of laughter and friendship!!!

ps: To see additional crown projects visit A Midsummer Night's Dream, posted in June 2007.

Bedazzled

If you're looking for a way to spice up your next papercrafting or scrapbooking project, you might just want to check out the Mira Collection. Since its release earlier this year, we'€™ve heard lots of feedback from paper crafters who love the happy, brilliant, saturated hues. It is, indeed, the most colorful collection I have ever designed, and quite a departure from my previous work. The shimmery metallic foil printing, rhinestones, glitter and sequin embellishments add to the bling factor.

To celebrate the beginning of summer, we'€™re hosting a giveaway of goodies from the Mira Collection. To enter, simply leave a comment between May 11 and May 24 on any post. The winner will be announced on May 26. Good luck to everyone!

The following projects were created by the talented design team at K&Co. It'€™s a thrill to see what they have created with this collection!

This lovely little book combines several different papers with jeweled Grand Adhesions and glittered stickers. The colorful, oversized diecut cardstock titles make a big statement!

The sparkly Grand Adhesions shimmer with sequins and rhinestones.

You can use all your scrap papers to create a small accordian book, an easy project that will go together quickly, using Mira Grand Adhesions and Speciality Papers.

This sweet accordian book combines glittered word stickers, glittered alphabet stickers and beaded flowers.

Here'€™s a great little project: create a small scrapbook prior to your summer trip, and fill it with photos and stories when you return. The colorful flowers on the cover were made from a variety of Speciality and flat papers, many of which are already glittered.

With its detailed patterning and rich textures, Mira provides a lovely backdrop for photos. Check out the die cut edges on the citrus paper!

A sweet mini album using patterned papers, diecuts, Grand Adhesions and bejeweled beaded flowers.

These stunning cards were created with Mira'€™s glittered papers, Grand Adhesions, glittered stickers, Tag Pad, and Stitched Tags (with real stitching, sequins and ribbon!).

It'€™s easy to transform a plain cork bulletin board into something sensational. Using the Mira patterned papers, run them through a xyron to get a strong, smooth adhesive bond on the wood frame. Embellish with fabric flowers, ribbon and mementos. Voila...a stunning addition to your studio or kitchen!

A Coronation

Since the new Mira Collection was released, I’ve been busy playing with all of the colorful papers, stickers and assorted sparkley embellishments. My studio worktable is filled with the elements of several projects which are being constructed simultaneously (which is how I like to work). Everyone who visits the studio soon finds themselves drawn to this table, and inevitably involved in some kind of papercrafting project.

Recently, we had a visit from a delightful pair of eight-year-old crafters…our niece Emma (right) and her friend Sofia (left). We spent a sunny afternoon making paper crowns based on a fabric crown pattern created by my dear friend Paulee. The individual crowns are first cut out and then stitched together on a sewing machine. We lined our crowns with contrasting decorative paper, adhered using a Xyron.

The Mira Golden Swirl paper's elaborate die cut shape makes it a perfect focal point for the crown. The girls personalized their works of art with their names and initials, using the clear dome alphabet from the Mini Book Kit. They added final touches using metallic paper trims and exuberantly colored feathers from a box of odds and ends in my storage room. I think we were all amazed at how quickly this project could be completed. In just a couple of happy hours, the crowns were complete, and the girls were eagerly looking forward to their next birthday party or coronation!

Sofia is modeling a paper crown made by my eighty-something-crafting-marvel-friend Paulee Gomke. Paulee made this crown using only the Mini Book Kit, the Paper Lanterns Grand Adhesions and the Butterfly Grand Adhesions, some vintage trim, and her sewing machine.

Paulee’s elaborate fabric crowns have amazed and delighted friends for many years. They were featured on a previous post, A Mid Summer Night's Dream,

If you are interested in this great project, please download a template of Paulee's crown. Feel free to use it, to make your crown project easier. I would love to see the results!

The Eye That Sees Beauty

It all began with a fascination for Asian art, and a talent for finding fabulous items at yard sales. My inspiring friend Paulee Gomke is the ultimate treasure hunter. She has taught me everything I know about yard sales, antiquing and how to find a diamond in the rough: choose your destinations carefully; start early in the morning; only buy things you really love; and always ask politely for the “best price”. Paulee began combing yard sales in the 1960’s, before it became fashionable. Her standards for collecting have always been very high; the piece must be in tip-top shape in order to be seriously considered.

Over the years, Paulee has filled her beautiful home with museum-quality furniture, artwork, pottery and textiles, all with an Asian influence. Her workshop reflects her passion for collecting: shelves filled with an array of luxurious silks, satins, suedes, handmade laces, antique buttons, hand-dyed silk ribbons, and Victorian-era ornaments.

Living with all of these fabulous pieces compelled Paulee to start creating things herself. In her words, “I just had to do it!” Nearly 50 years ago, she started fashioning elaborate Christmas stockings and birthday crowns as gifts for close friends. Beginning with a foundation of vintage textiles, she lovingly stitched layer upon layer of beads, pearls, and buttons, making magical gifts that seem to have been woven by fairies in an enchanted forest.

Sometimes Paulee finds a beautifully embellished vintage textile piece and removes portions of it to add to her creations. For the teal stocking (left). for example, she cropped the embroidered chenille vine and satin flowers from a lovely Victorian curtain valance, and found it was the perfect shape. Gold metallic ribbon and silk beads add a playful touch. She stitched tiny sparkling beads, so small that she had to use special Japanese needles. Paulee experimented with marbling fabric (right) to create a butterfly shape embellished with beads, and carefully machine-stitched the organza circles of fabric. “That was the hardest part!” she said.

A finely detailed Chinese embroidered element became the focal point for this tiny slipper (left). Inspired by Chinese bound foot shoes, she created this lovely shape and embellished the border and foot (right) with metallic gold laces and floral trim.

The antique boot buttons bordering the red silk velvet stocking (left) were manufactured in 1908. The Chinese embroidered ribbon squares (right) are perfectly complimented by the contemporary ribbon border and antique petit point floral accents.

I am continually amazed by Paulee’s marvelous imagination and her ability to bring together so many elements into one magical creation. It’s as if she can clearly visualize the final piece even before she begins sewing. The Italians call it “bell’occhio”, or “the eye that sees beauty”. In her work and in her life, Paulee brings timelessness and beauty to everything she touches.

(Paulee's birthday crowns were the subject of a post in July.)

Kindred Spirits

My dear friend Vicki recently hosted a delightful luncheon at her warm and welcoming home. She invited a small handful of special friends for a memorable afternoon of non-stop laughter, fabulous food and camaraderie. As a special thank you to Vicki, I’ve made her a little keepsake album, filled with photos and handwritten quotes on the joys of friendship.

“To know someone close in spirit...this makes the earth an inhabited garden.” ~ Goethe

Beginning with my Dollhouse Minibook Kit, I added layers of decorative papers, stickers, transfers, swatches of fabric, ribbons and personal ephemera.

http://brendawalton.typepad.com/photos/dollhouse_collection/minibookkit.html

Vicki created a lovely, summery-themed table, with a row of fragrant, pastel-colored Sweet Williams, and placecards in the shape of little chairs!

It was a breeze filling this book with photos, paper and embellishments, and it makes a pretty special thank you card!

Hosts Gina and Vicki bid the last guest adieu! (The glassine envelope on the right holds additional photos).

'Tis (almost) the Season

Many thanks to all who made my recent QVC appearance such a success! It’s always fun to be able to share the latest and newest designs, fresh from our studio.

One of the featured collections, Peppermint Twist, has been in development for several months. It’s been challenging to think of snow and reindeer in the summer when it’s nearly 100 degrees outside! To get into the holiday spirit, we played all our holiday cds, turned on the twinkley lights, lowered the thermostat on the air conditoner and filled the studio with the scent of candy canes!

Since I only have time to briefly share sample layouts and products during the hour-long QVC shows, here are some of the highlights you'll find in Peppermint Twist.

Peppermint Twist was inspired by my childhood memories of many happy Christmases in the 1950s. This collection is fun, whimsical and light-hearted, with a tiny touch of sophistication, just like Christmas ought to be! I spent so many happy hours by the fireside with my brother Bill and sisters Tracy and Robin, playing cards, Candyland, and checkers. I have vivid memories of all the many wonderments of the season, such as a pink glass compote right by the front door, filled with hard ribbon candy for visitors; felt stockings made by my mother, personalized with our names stitched in sequins and beads, the scent of oranges and cedar incense; the house glowing with strings of multicolored lights; the happy sounds of carols beautifully played by my father on the piano; and of course the tree, the magnificent tree, decorated with a thousand ornaments, or so it seemed. We children would sit and gaze up at the branches, which were so magical and fragrant, persuading our parents to let us sleep under the tree, so we wouldn’t miss out on one moment of the magic.

I hope this collection inspires many happy memories for you, as well!

One can never have too many tags at holiday time. . . perfect for gift-giving, tree decorating and journaling for layouts. We designed a cutesy little acrylic box and filled it with a colorful assortment of Holiday Cardstock Die-cuts, in every imaginable shape and size!

Please visit our gallery of Peppermint Twist layouts, and our Shop to see the entire Collection.

Love in Every Stitch

On a recent crafting retreat, my friend Tina Higgins taught our group to do embroidery. But this was to be no ordinary embroidery lesson!

After reviewing the basic stitches, we learned how to use a variety of techniques, beginning with silk ribbon embroidery, which makes the stitches dimensional. Next, Tina showed us how to do reverse appliqué, combining embroidery with a cut-out technique which reveals a layer of fabric below. The six of us had enormous fun, spending the entire day creating gifts for our children and friends. Here are some of the amazing results:

Project One - The Amazing Personalized T-Shirt
Tina made a uniquely personalized tshirt for her daughter Katie, using a reverse appliqué technique for the initial. Using white transfer paper and a photocopy of the letter, she transferred the “K” to the tshirt. Then she pinned a layer of patterned fabric on the inside of the tshirt (right side facing out), and then placed this area of the shirt securely into an embroidery hoop. Using 3 strands of embroidery thread, Tina carefully stitched just outside of her white transfer lines. Using a pair of small sewing scissors, she cut right on the white transfer lines, revealing the patterned fabric layer below. She explained that jersey fabric is perfect for this project, because it naturally rolls in when it’s cut, so there is no need to turn the raw edges under…making it very quick and easy to get great results!

To make the bird, Tina cut a shape out of patterned fabric. Leaving the edges raw, she pinned it down and then hand-stitched just inside the perimeter. She added embroidered legs and branch, and a rhinestone eye.

For a final creative touch, Tina replaced all of the buttons on the tshirt with colored ones that coordinated with her patterned fabric. Way to go, Tina!

Project Two - The Stunning Denim Jumper
For her next magnificent project, Tina started with a plain denim jumper, and added some real whimsy and character to it. She stitched white rick rack on to the straps, and then machine-stitched cotton fabric on the bodice. Using the reverse appliqué technique, she added a fabulous bird, adding a rhinestone eye and vintage earring for a little hat. The branch was created using frayed white seam binding. She also clipped and frayed the bottom of the dress, which will be further accentuated as it is washed repeatedly.

When Tina’s young daughter wore her dress to school, she got lots of compliments…as you can imagine! She told her admiring teachers that “there is love in every stitch of my dress”! Tina dear, you amaze us all!

Inspired by Tina’s bird creations, I made something similar as a gift for my friend Anna, who recently celebrated her 26th birthday (or something like that!).

The lovely Dena Fishbein made a delightful embellished tshirt for her daughter Lisa (modeled by the always-gorgeous Anne Keenan Higgins). To make her shirt, Dena cut a flower out of quilting fabric and stitched on a sparkley earring center. Using embroidery thread, she stitched a stem, curls, and a fabric pot. As a final touch of sweetness, Dena stitched a fabric edge to the neck and bottom. Too cute for words!!!

All this crafting makes a girl hungry! We were well-nourished with the tantalizing creations made by chefs Kathleen and Tina. Pictured in group photo are embroidery fanatics Anne, Tina, Sheila, Dena and Brenda.

editor's note: To read other posts in this craft project series, click Craftstravaganza, Charmed I'm Sure!, Something Old, Something New, and Blooming Buckets.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

My adopted Fairy Godmother, Paulee Gomke, is a fabric artist extraordinaire.

For the last 36 years, she has created a fantastical array of exquisite fabric crowns out of her collection of fabrics and trims. Reminiscent of something out of a Shakespearean fantasy, Paulee layers precious silks, satins and embroidered dresses, trims, laces, and exquisite beads to create these utterly unique works of art. Each one is a magnificent labor of love, and completely awe-inspiring. (Click on the images to see the crowns enlarged.)

Paulee made her first fabric crown as a birthday gift for a dear friend. Since then, she’s made over 30 of these amazing creations. Perfect for special events and royal coronations, each crown is as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside (just like Paulee). The velcro stitched into the ends makes it easily adjustable for all sizes.

Editor's note: To view more of Paulee's exquisite work visit Birthday Bouquet.

http://www.brendawalton.com/blog/2007/07/untitled.html

Oh, You Beautiful Doll!

The lovely and talented Amy Powers of Inspire Co has created a gift that is beyond lovely! It is a surprise gift for her friend, and what a lucky friend she is.

Beginning with a blank, spiral-bound book, Amy filled each page with a colorful collage of Dollhouse papers, embossed stickers, chipboard and grand adhesions.

I particularly love the way she creatively used the flowers, dresses, tags, and little icons as tabs.

Thanks, Amy, for sharing another darling creation with us!

Be sure to check out Amy's beautiful travel journal, also created using the Dollhouse Collection.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

If you love precious old buttons, sparkle and bling, here’s a wonderful little project for you - courtesy of my dear friend, Dena Fishbein, who miraculously made all of these bracelets in one sitting.

These gorgeous bracelets look complicated, but they are actually quite simple to make, do not require a lot of materials, and are wonderful gifts.

Here’s all you’ll need to get started:
*elastic, 1/2” wide, about 7” long (white or black; whichever color works with your embellishments)
*sewing needle and thread
*buttons, old earrings and pins, charms and other broken jewelry
*other embellishments and doodads in your collection

To begin, gently stretch the elastic and wrap it around your wrist, so it fits comfortably, but not too snugly. Add 1/2” and cut to that length. Overlap the ends so that it fits around your wrist. Take it off your wrist, and hand-stitch the elastic so it will be secure. You will now have a circle of elastic that is just slightly smaller than the circumference of your wrist.

Begin to stitch on your embellishments, starting at one end of the elastic. I like to begin with some of the medium-sized pieces, and then add the largest ones. Lastly, fill in any gaps with small buttons and other embellishments, covering up the elastic completely.

Because these bracelets need to be able to stretch a bit in order to take them on and off, be sure to securely stitch on your buttons.

When Dena made these bracelets, she stayed within a very narrow color range, limiting her colors to ivory, gold and sliver; or red, green and gold. I think that this is one of the reasons her bracelets are so elegant and lovely.  She also created lots of interest by varying the shapes of the embellishments and the textures (solid and clear materials). Dena also created dimension by stacking metal buttons on top of mother-of-pearl.

Thanks, Dena dear, for your fabulous inspiration!