Getting back to It....

So I have been trying to get back into the swing of things. Having been commissioned to make some gifts for the baby shower of my niece, it gave me the motivation I needed. Still it will be a while until I reach the same state of comfort I had in my previous house. Doesn't feel "right" yet. Like I am visiting, rather than "this is home" feel I had. I miss that feeling of comfort that comes from living in a house 15 years. Which by the way was our longest period in a house since I left home at 18.  It was the home all our children "left" from, which also adds to the feeling of loss, and nostalgia I have for it. Changes, big ones like moving while having some excitement, are very hard for me. I think this was the hardest move so far.  Still we are here now and working each day to make it ours. So I decided, once done with the shower gifts to make a small banner. Something with a Valentine feel. Seeing the decorations at the local shops, and online put me in the mood for something shabby, pink, and (of course) glittery sweet.

 So I cracked open the dies and cut some shapes out. Love the paper soft pinks, peaches, and greens, a creamy scalloped backing, glittered letters and trim...but not really loving the plain. So I made these crepe rosettes, hmmm not sure I like them with these letters. Maybe another font?

 Here the version with nothing behind the letters. Sweet, but just too "plain". I want simple but this way doesn't give me that shabby feel I want. I am going to have to think about this a bit.

 All the shower gifts ready. I die cut the boxes from the cardboard waste they throw away at work. Yep, our condiments come layered between these nice Kraft colored chipboard sheets. I thought I can use that. They turned out so nice, all I had to do was glue pretty bows on them.

 Inside some shredded paper and a necklace with one of my handmade charms. In the previous picture the boxes with the white bows are special. They contain pins, one for each of the Great Aunts, the boxes with the cream bows contain a pin for each of the soon to be Grandmothers. You cannot see them but the boxes with the green bows have pins for the two Great Grandmothers. My niece will be giving them out at the shower.

I also made two soldered and hinged bottles. One will have a chain on it eventually (the smaller, it has the loops on the sides). These were fun to do, although cutting them is a bit of a challenge. I was actually thinking I could put some pretty beads, or even calling cards in the larger one.

So that's it for now. Steve loaded all the pictures of the work we are doing on the house to his computer. Hopefully I can sort it all out and post a few. We have made some nice changes. The carpet is out (yuck! the owner had a large dog, nuff said), and Steve has painted. Cannot wait to show you the before and after.