LollyChops

Back in the saddle again...

Howdee Pards!  I am feeling loads better and had myself a super duper FUN crafty weekend!  I have a tiny flower felt project, a wrap skirt share and a crafty download and print freebie that will get you so organized you won't know what to do with yourselves!

Hang on cowgirls cause this cattle drive is about to get underway!

We are going to start with the download and print freebie firstly... cause Lolly loves her some organization stuff (it's the OCD in me...  a.k.a ARD (amazingly retentive disorder...  it's a disease I made up to help me cope with my overly organized all the time issues)).  You guys have those issues too right???

Ok I fibbed... duck, duck, GOOSE...
Actually... before we get started with crafts I wanted to share some DogChops adventures from last week...

When I came home from work on Thursday evening I was not greeted by my beloved and faithful doggies...  oh heck no!  They were too busy visiting with Duck Chops' girlfriend in the back yard.  It seems she's taken up residence in our pool (again) and was having herself a nice little Thursday afternoon swim.

At first the dogs were circling the pool (licking their chops) and watching her like she was a plateful of BBQ ribs.  They kept looking at me like "hey lady...  it's great that you are home and all... but we have MUCH more pressing matters to attend to out here...  we'll get back to you in a bit..."  My feelins' were hurt!!

After a time she wore them out and they had to take a breather...

Duck watching evidently requires breaks.
Who knew!?!

Gettin' Organized is FUN!
I came up with some download and print freebie templates to help me get my Sizzix dies organized.  I think I have just about every single flower die Sizzix makes and every time I want to create flowers (which is almost every time I do something crafty) I have to paw through the stacks of dies to figure out what's what (it's lame potatoes).

I figured it would help to make up some templates we could ALL use to help not only organize die cut shapes...  but other stuff as well!  Think stickles, glitter, pens, paints, inks, punched shapes, embossing powders, etc...

I think it's easier to see colors, shapes, etc...  if you have them right there in front of you.  That way you can hold up the items from the project you are working on to see what will work best together.

 Sew... these little PDF templates will help you do just that!

I made them so you could label what you are sharing under each space.  You can change the text to whatever font, size and even color you want (teal text being my favorite text color of course).

I have included a little instruction sheet about how it all works as the first page.  If you have any problems with it, just let me know.  We'll figure it out together!

The pages are broken up so you can accommodate different numbers of of items on each page.  I created 6 different pages with space for 1 - 24 items (the boxes get smaller and smaller as the number of spaces increase)!

I placed 3 - 3/16th hole guides up at the top of each page (if you have a Crop-A-Dile - it's the larger hole punch size).  My plan is to use rings to bind the pages together (with a snazzy decorated cover).

I pretty much spent the entire day Sunday working on these templates (printing them out and testing my shapes and misc products on them so see how everything will work together) so I only got to place a few of my die shapes on the pages.

Here's how I started putting things together...

I die cut my shapes using random scraps of paper and paper I knew I would probably never use.

I then ran the shapes through my Xyron to get them all nice and sticky!
The smaller shapes I just added rolled adhesive to.
(did you know that Xyron evidently comes with dog legs too?)

I edited the templates and added the name of each die in the "type label here" space.

I printed them out and started adhering my shapes to the spaces.

For my Sizzix dies I mostly used the 2 space template.

Remember...  if you follow the directions on the first page, you can change the font face, size, and even color to anything you want (that seriously makes me happy)!

As I get the rest of my shapes and products added to these templates, I'll be sharing them with you.  My goal is to get them ALL organized by next Monday.  Ahem...  lofty goals are good right?

Here are pics of the products I am going to try to get organized:

Distress Inks, Viva Decor Pearl Pens and Glimmer Mist!
(I know Glimmer Mist has color swatches on the back of each bottle... but I want to see them all together cause I think they are so darn pretty)!!!

Embossing powders...
I am going to stamp a bird shape in each box and then heat emboss it with all of my different colors...
I think it's going to look sooo neat!!!!

My glitters, Stickles, Smooch inks, and alcohol inks.
Those alone could take me a goat load of time to get through!

You can get the PDF template below by clicking on the "Download & Print PDF HERE" button!

So now I gotta share a little peep of the skirt MomChops made me Sunday afternoon!  I don't have many pics as it was getting dark outside...  but that one WAY up at the top is basically the gist of it.

We went to a FABULOUS fancy schmancy fabric store on Saturday and I picked out 4 fabrics for her to make me wrap skirts!  I got designs from Moda and Kaffe Fassett that literally take my breath away (I am way over the top excited!!!)!  She's going to finish up the rest of the skirts this week, so I'll share the other 3 next Monday!

I am going to be making embellishments for the bottom corner of the skirts (the side that hangs down in the front)...  I think it's going to add something extra special to each skirt!!!

Using my NEW organization method I BUSTED out my die cut flower shape papers and compared them to the flower that was in the skirt...
(I actually changed the felt colors from this picture...  the two yellow/gold colors seemed to work better together) 

Once I found shapes and colors that worked well with the pattern in the skirt...

I made up this flower in nothing flat, beaded the center and POOF!

Matching flower for bottom edge of my new fabulous skirt!!!!
YAY!!!!!

I have not figured out how I am gonna get this puppy on there yet (since I cannot wash the flower I have to make it removable).  If anyone has any ideas how I can accomplish this, I am all ears!

Last to lastly...  here are some of the amazing projects and other neat stuff you guys have been sharing with me (YAY for crafts!!!).  I totally love it when you send me your creations!  It's the coolest thing ever!

Manu from Italy made up the crocheted flower pic from my last day of Wall Flowers Week (you can see it HERE).

Manu also made up a TON of butterflies...  here are just a few of them (in teal no less).
I heart teal.
(you can learn how to make these butterflies in this post HERE)

Sedna from Spain also made up some of the flowers from Wall Flowers Week (you can see the post HERE)...

...and she sewed them to these fabulous shoes!!!!
I totally love this idea!

...and last to lastly (for real this time)

This share is totally COOL and random!

Jessie is a Raptor Coordinator at a wildlife center and she was wrapping poor baby Cooper The Hawk's" feet!
(here on out known as "Cooper The HawkChops")
...and it just so happened that the wrapping was TEAL!

GIMME A "T" !!!!!!

GIMME AN "E" !!!!!!

GIMME AN "A" !!!!!!

GIMME AN "L" !!!!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!  You gotta marvel when someone is handling a HAWK and notices that the wrapping for said Hawk's talons (mighty SPOOKY talons if you ask me) is TEAL and then thinks to themselves...  "selves... that wack job LollyChops loves teal...  I think I'll snap a pic of Cooper the HawkChops tealey talons and send it to her!!!"

I mean seriously.  Is that cool or what you guys?!?!?!?!?!

Tealey talon hugs,

P.S.  If you have any issues with the PDF, let me know...  AND if you get your organization on you gotta send me pics ok!!!!  You know how I gobble that stuff up right?!?!?!?!

P.S.S.T.  More hugs than you can stand (with 3 tealey talons on the side).

Tealings... nothing more than tealings...

I don't even know where to begin...  You guys are simply amazing!!!  I cannot get over the well wishes everyone sent/left me last week!! (!!!!)

THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!

If I could come to your house and give each and every single one of you a personal HUG (a.k.a. teal squeezers) I would!  You just blew me away with all of your love and support!  Seriously!!!  I feel pretty special and humbled to have such an amazing group of friends out there! (I am sitting here like a goofball grinning from ear to ear just thinking about it)

Real quick (so as not to bore you to bears)...  no word back on the spinal tap.  Evidently I have a dry spinal cord and it took 8 tries before they could get something out (don't worry... it did not hurt at all cause I was numbed up real real gud).  I was on strict orders to lay down until Saturday morning... so like a good Lolly I followed the doctors orders!  I still have a headache but I am learning to live with it (my motto in life is that you just gotta keep on truckin')!

Worlds greatest MomChops...
MomChops came over yesterday (she spoiled me rotten last week by dropping by regularly to check in to see how I was feeling).  She made me pancakes and a mega batch of my favorite granola and then she proceeded to create a pattern for a wrap skirt (my very most favorite kind of skirt ever)! 

We were going to make a headband with felt but I pooped out, so I sat around and watched her do crafts instead (I totally scored with homemade granola AND a wrap skirt AND pancakes all in one day).  She made up the pattern using some extra 1970's yellow and green fabric she had picked up for a dollar a yard (think Little House on the Prairie meets KC and Sunshine Band).

Now that she has the pattern figured out, I am going to shop with her next weekend for real material!  I'll totally be sharing pics of my new wrap skirt(s) with embellishments SOON! YAY for MomChops!

Since I don't really have any crafty updates I wanted to share another round of amazing cards and gifts that you guys have sent me for my dear friend Crystal (in case you are new here you can read about my Cards-n-Crafts for Crystal Card Drive HERE!!!!!

psst... stick around till the end for a wacky teal sing-a-long ok!

Cards for Crystal :: Part II

Cute birdie necklace!!!

This card was made for Crystal to give to one of her caregivers!
(that's such a cool idea!!)

SisterChops sent this postcard to Crystal with a brownie recipe!
(in case Crystal gets hungry for brownies... one never knows when a brownie craving might strike!!!)

I am dying to know what's in this box!!!
I think it's European chocolates but I am not sure!!!
I'll keep you guys posted!

I loove this little sunshine pin and the weeble family!

I think it's so cool how this spells Crystal's name!

...and lastly...
This is a totally amazing mini book with inspirational phrases...

I know that was a LOT to share but I feel like I cannot NOT share these beautiful and inspirational creations with you all.  So many people have taken the time to make something from their hearts for Crystal, so the least I can do is share everything you have made!

I will say it again and again.  You are all simply amazing people!!!!

I still loves the lot of yas!  Thanks again for everything you guys. 

HUGS,

I actually cannot live without a P.S...  so...

P.S.  When I was hanging out with my headache last week I got to thinking about something kinda goofy (shocking, I know).  I thought it would be fun to start up a song list of real songs with the word "teal" somehow inserted into the titles/lyrics...  I sent my list to MomChops (she thinks I have lost my mind) but I wanted to see what you guys think!  Here is the list I have so far (see if you can figure out what the real songs are):

Tealings...  nothing more than tealings...
Just Teal it...  teal it!
It's a teal, teal summah
Knock Knock Knockin' on Teals Door
Teal was a Rollin' Stone
California Tealin'
Smells like Teal Spirit
I heard it through the teal vine...
In a teal room... with teal curtains (as if there were any other color of curtains out there)
I... I... I... have become, comfortably teal
Teal Rain

...and my personal favorite...

I love teal, teal loves me, we're a happy family!

I know that's a total 3 cheeser but it cracks me up (like way more than I should probably admit).  RonChops and I spent about 30 minutes the other night making up even more teal songs (don't tell RonChops I shared that tiny secret ...  he has a manly reputation to uphold).  Do you guys get it or should RonChops and I move to our own little teal planet for special people????

IF you get it and want to play along, please leave some of your own teal inspired songs in the comments...  we can all be weird friends in teal together right?!?!?!?!?! 

Or maybe not.  hehehehe

P.S.S.T.  XOXOXOXOXO's everyone and thanks again (oh and and I am way behind on email so pretty please bear with me until I ketchup)!

O.M.T.  If you like some other color (various shades of teal for instance) that's ok too.  Lolly still loves you anyway.

Feeling quiet...

I wanted to post real quick today to let you guys know that I have not been feeling well for a few weeks now.  I have been having these massive headaches that are pretty much reducing my craft-abilities down to nill!  Booooo for massive headaches!

I had an MRI last week and it officially confirmed two things 1) my brain is actually teal and 2) it's completely full of peanuts (felt peanuts folks...  not REAL peanuts)!  Fur serious!!

This week I get to have a spinal tap (that supposed to be fun right??)!!!

(right????????)

I did not work on anything this weekend but I have plans...  always plans!!!

Here is a little peep.

 

AND

Got any guesses what I might do those those pretties?????

HUGS you guys!  I'll be back next Monday with something crafty and TEAL (and funner than the funnest fun ever)!

I loves the lot of yas!

P.S.  XOXOXOXOXOXO's

Felt like a little flower bouquet...

Hi everyone!!!!  I hope you all had wonderful weekend!  RonChops and I chilled out a bunch and hung out with MomChops & DadChops Sunday.  We washed some Dog's Chops too and had a generally relaxing weekend!  It was really lovely!

Last year I started a little tradition of making MomChops a little something extra special to wear with her new Easter outfit.  You can see MomChops and DadChops in last years Easter post HERE.  I made her an bead embroidered butterfly pin that she wore with a skirt she made from some drapes that belonged to my Great Aunt!  The skirt is yellow and covered with birds and flowers and twigs...  it totally ROCKS!

This year MomChops has been recovering from knee replacement surgery so she was not able to make her outfit, so she ventured out and picked up something especially pretty in one of her favorite colors ever...  PINK!

After coming off a week of flowers...  I figured we could work up ONE more flower project (there is no such thing as too much teal or too many flowers right?!?!!?).  Sew let's jump right into the project!

Felt Bouquet - Made into a Brooch

To make the base of the bouquet - all you do is sew two - contrasting - 4 inch fabric circles together...
(right sides facing each other)
Leave a little opening (about 1/2 inch)...
...and then right side out your sewn together circles using the opening to do so.
Iron the circle flat and then sew the opening closed!
(it doesn't matter if you can see the seam as you can place this portion in the back behind all of the flowers you are going to add to the bouquet)
Easy cheese right!?!?!?!

Wrap the circle into this little cone shape...

...and sew the sides together with a few whip stitches...

Because this was a small bouquet (the finished size is 3.5 inches tall by roughly 2 inches wide)...
I knew I needed small flowers...
Thus enters... my Sizzix!
(I heart this fella BIG time)
I used the "Flower, Build a Lilac" die (you can see that die HERE).
It has 4 different sized flower shapes on this one die (with a cool leaf too)!

Once I had a bunch of felt flowers cut out in different colors and sizes...

I grabbed a teeny tiny little pom pom with my handy tweezers...
(we are talking about a 3cm little fella of a pom pom)

I dolloped some hot glue on the pom pom and stuck a wrapped floral wire into the dollop/pom pom base!

QUICKLY before it dried... I slid one of those felt flowers up the stem...
The flowers cut from this die already have a hole punched in the center making this step super easy!

I squeezed the flower petals together smooshing the little pom pom, flower and stem together
(you kinda have to be careful that the pom pom does not come off the end so just hold the whole thing together while pushing the pom pom down onto the floral stem while the whole thing dries)

Once the flower and pom pom are on the stem, the under carriage should look something like this...

...nextly you are gonna want to run a little line of hot glue around that under carriage to keep everything together!

Once the glue is nice and dry, bend the stem just a little so the flower is facing forward instead of straight up!

Once you have made up a BUNCH of flowers with stems...

Take a teeny little piece of floral foam and tuck it into your fabric bouquet...
...and start arranging the flowers you have made!

You might also want to make some felt leaves and add a few beaded accents to them!
(that's MomChops doing some mad leaf beading!!!)
Gooooooooooo MOMCHOPS!!!!!

I took a piece of floral wire and wrapped each felt leaf stem so I could tuck it into the floral foam as well!

Once you have a nice arrangement going it should look something like this from the side view...

...and something like this from the front view!
MomChops and I added a pin back and she was ready to go!

There's my beautiful MomChops sporting her new floral felt bouquet!

Hi MomChops!!!!  I love you!!!

This is a fairly easy project and the results are so cool!  I can see myself making more of these and framing them too (plus I think they would make lovely Mother's Day pins as well)!

It's Winner Time!
It's time to announce the winner of the little teal, flower and HUGS necklace generously donated by Diane from Wise Gal Designs!  Drum rrrrroolllll please!

...and the winner is.... Heather G. from Heather's Crafty Creations!  Congrats Heather...  you should already have an email from me!

Big thanks to Diane for donating such a lovely piece for the giveaway!  If you think you might like a custom "HUGS" necklace of your very own, please drop by Diane's shop (HERE) and let her know!

Last to the last lastly of all...
I wanted to share some of the beautiful creations you guys have been working on since Wall Flowers Week!

Beth sent me this picture of her son Jake!
You might notice that Jake is sporting a Pie Addict t-shirt made from the Mini-Pie Post I posted WAY back when (get your own labels from the pie post HERE).
Beth simply took the labels into PhotoShop, added Jake's name and printed the image on an printable iron-on and POOF...  her totally awesome and addicted to pie kiddo has the coolest shirt ON THE PLANET!

YAY for Jake and YAY for Pie Addicts EVERYWHERE!!!!

Cherylene made the paper version of the tea toters pockets.
You can get the pattern HERE!

Sarah from MaineMummy sent me this picture and said the following (which totally cracked me up)!
"That was so bizarre - it looked so messy and then I got done stitching it up, turned it over and there was a rose! Momchops is a rock star!"

I always suspected MomChops was a rock star...  but this confirms it!
I hope she takes me on tour with her!!!!!

Hester ALSO made her first every crocheted flower and sent me this sweet pic too!
Way to go Hester!!!!

The crocheted rose pattern can be found on this post HERE!

...nextly...
Kristin made the little PomPom flowers from Wall Flowers Week (directions in this post HERE) and framed them ever-so-sweet in this little frame with ribbon stems and leaves!
I totally adore this (and that frog Humidifier is just about the coolest thing ever!!!)

...and lastly...

Paloma (all the way from Slovenia) sent in this picture of the flowers she made and attached to these awesome twigs (complete with beautiful egg ornaments)!!!
You can learn how to make those flowers from this post HERE!

...and finally!
Thanks soooo much for the outpouring of offers, prayers, love and support for my dear friend Crystal!  My mailman has started bringing the packages up to the door now!  I will be doing another sharesy post in a week or two of every single wonderful thing you guys have sent for my Crafts & Cards Drive!  It's gonna be sew much fun to give everything to her!

HUGS everyone!!!

 

P.S.  XOXOXOXOXOXO's