Done and Done

Ok so I was trying to hold off and make my next post the one with the link to voting for the cardbox but... well, I have no idea when the voting is going to start! Apparently Amanda at RuffledBlog received so many submissions (:() that she extended the entry deadline to the 27th and now is uploading each submission on her site one by one. When she's finished uploading them all (as of this afternoon she's only up to entry #16 and I have no idea how many entries she received!), voting will begin. So for now I'll keep visiting her blog every 10 minutes until mine comes up (JK... or am I?). But I did finish and submit my cardbox for the contest! Even though the deadline had been extended so I didn't really have to rush and finish it like I did. Oh well, it's done and I wouldn't change a thing about it! Thanks for all the input on the design and decorating of my project (emails as well as comments). I love finding out someone new is reading my blog! And that keeps happening since I've been posting on twitter and facebook about it. It makes me a little bit giddy when people say they read my blog and yet they're not a follower so I wonder how many people out there read it and don't follow! In my head, it's A LOT. In real life, I'm sure it's like 10, but I'll stick to my fantasy world thanks.

I refer to all my non-followers that read my blog (lovingly) as my stalkers. It's cool, I was a blog stalker (blalker?) before I had my own blog and realized how exciting it is to get a new follower! So I'd be a complete hypocrite (which I sometimes am, but not in this case, I swear) if I didn't also have love for those who "unofficially follow" me. I love everyone who reads my blog! It's been really great to have a sounding board for all my ridiculous ideas, and finding out that apparently I'm funny. Who knew? Well, I suppose this post isn't funny. I'll try to be twice as funny next time to make up for it. Or not because maybe it's when I don't try and people just find humor in how... cool I am.

Anyway, here are some pics of the finished cardbox. I know you've all been anxiously awaiting them (because they look soooo different than the pics from the almost finished cardbox - not). Voting instructions coming soon! I hope you'll vote for me and not someone else after I send you there... I am kind of worried because everyone so far seems to be a person with an etsy shop or something. Not fair!
-C
xxx

Wednesday = Cardbox Completion Day

Well, not every Wednesday, but this week it does! It has to, really, since the contest ends tomorrow. Sorry if I'm boring you guys with all the cardbox deets. I promise when it's done I'll move on!

So, here's what the pearls will look like once I figure out a way to sever the necklace they're on without the pearls going everywhere (don't worry, they're fake pearls I've had since like 7th grade). Keeping them on the string is key, I just need to stare at it a bit more to figure out how to cut it. Or maybe if I just stare at it long enough, the problem will solve itself. That works sometimes, right?

I like - you? Tonight it will be finalized, so speak now or forever hold your peace!

As you know, FH was visiting last weekend. What you might not know is that we had shirts made for 8 of us and took him out to celebrate St Pat's... 3 days late. The awesome Bonnie of un de six strikes again! She made the shirts (and drank with us of course). Ch ch ch ch ch ch check 'em out.

(dave dave davedave dave dave dave dave davedave dave dave dave davedave dave)

(bridesmaid Amanda)

Pretty sweet hangin around with someone who can do stuff like this, eh*? (The bottom of the shirts say "Drinking until we all have accents." lol) She's also making shirts for bridesmaid Amanda's FH's bachelor party in Vegas. Can't wait to see what those look like!

Boy is this my holiday! I wore green from Tuesday - Saturday last week. Including green eye shadow. It's the one week I could do it that many days in a row and not look like a freak! St Pat's is also MOB's bday so wish her a happy birthday ya'll! Yeah, it was a week ago, so what? I didn't miss it... but you did :)

-C

xxx

*this eh's for you Lela

Cardbox Update

What has two thumbs and decides it's a good idea to start crafting at 11:30pm on a work night? This girl. This is what I've been trying to avoid aaaall along. I have this problem where I get really motivated to do everything at ridiculous hours of the night, which is why on Friday and Saturday nights I usually end up staying up later when I don't go out than when I do. So I try to keep it limited to just those two nights otherwise I'll be a zombie at work... well last night I came home from work, had some din din, went to volleyball, then came home and tried to fight off the crafting bug that came over me for like an hour. I tried to pretend like I could just go to sleep and wait until tomorrow (tonight) when I would stay up until 4am cleaning my house like a madwoman (see footage below) because FH is coming Saturday, and also somehow manage to work on my cardbox. Riiiight. So I realized that wasn't going to happen and/or I was going to drive myself insane and broke out the glue gun, lace, and glue dots. Sounds like an interesting night, doesn't it?

Anyhoo... I'm very proud to say that I finally stopped thinking about it and just did something with my cardbox. I got a lot of good comments and emails about what I should do, but ended up doing this:

I know, more green lace wasn't even one of the options! Sorry. I can't fight what the creative juices tell me what to do. I was attempting to do a lace frame for the Cards card, got frustrated, and was like hey what if I... ok yeah I like this let's stick with this. Then after that I opted for lace cascading down the sides because the sides needed something. The side lace isn't on permanently (glue dots, what) yet because I need to iron it and as much as I wanted to craft last night, I did not feel like turning the iron back after I shut it off thinking I was done after adding the lace to the middle. But once it's ironed I envision it beautifully cascading down the sides and onto the table. BUT I'm still thinking of adding pearls. Thoughts?? Again, please ignore the binder clips. I had to string the pearls together so they wouldn't fall all over the place and the clips are holding them onto the string for now. I think I want to add them to both layers, to the front three sides.


And hey, anyone care to see what wedding crafting has done to my room? Oh, just taken it over, that's what:

This is what happens when you live with roommates, feel bad about taking over any room in the house other than your own, and have a small room. I don't even want to show you the other "this is what happens to the other stuff BECAUSE of the wedding stuff" areas.

-C
xxx

Holy Craft Contest Batman!

I don't know why I'm so excited about this. I've already told you all that I never win anything. But, alas, this one isn't so much based on luck as it is skillz (that's right, with a "z"). Plus it'll make me finish a project. That's really why I want to do it. I mean, the $500 prize doesn't hurt either, but I think I'd... well, there are so many phrases for what one might do if something they never expected in a million years to happen then happened to them, so you pick one, and I'd do that if I won.

Soooo I'm thinking I'm going to finish my cardbox as my entry. I already asked Ruffled Blog's Amanda if I could use that even though I already started it and she gave me the thumbs up. Now I need to finalize my design! I also need to find time to actually do it! Along with finding time to clean my bedroom and make some space for my fiance and his suitcases that will be here for a week... and I'm going to sunny California for work for three days next week... sooo I need to find time... but I also need to finalize my design! Let's work on that now, worry about the time issue later. Deal? I need your help my lovely followers (both official and unofficial!)! I've got lots of options...

There's doubled-up lime ribbonpearls: straight acrossswag style (please ignore the binder clips)and/or on the different part of the "cake"lime green buttons strung across (probably swag style)or there's always faux flowersfabric flowersantique gold buttonsor even feathers (wouldn't use them like this, just wanted a picture with them in it).

I'm also thinking about putting a "sign" that says "cards" in some lover-ly font on the big empty front section - what do you think about that? I could do it in ribbon, or on a card I make a fabric holder for and stamp the word on (I also have a letterpress I've never actually tried out!). I am also open to suggestions!

Sorry the pictures are so bad. Good thing is, it makes the cardbox look really vintage. It's MUCH greener in person, though, but for some reason my camera doesn't like to let other people know that. Right, and I probably should have thought about how horrendous my room looks when I was taking these pictures. Sorry, I was blinded by the cardbox's sheer awesomeness and didn't notice all the clutter until I uploaded the pics*. Lol. Thoughts? I need your help!

-C
xxx

*Yes, that is a green wig in the background. I swear it's only for St. Patty's Day.

Proud Mama

In the beginning, they were just boxes from (necessary, of course) purchases...

they slowly started to morph together...

until they were as one.

And then I made them pretty :) wait for it...

wait for it...
Voila! I present to you my fabulous, completely hand crafted, so very GREEN cardbox!
(Yes, the lace is also green!)

I will be embellishing it, but haven't decided exactly how I want it yet. So this is my partially finished, but at least covered, made out of Amazon boxes and thrifty find fabrics, cardbox.

I love it! Just, uh... don't get me too big of a card (the slot's 5 1/2 inches long - should fit most vertically)! lol

And in case you're wondering...

The bottom box is a "tuck top" so I can just pull it out and out come the cards!
You like??

-C

xxx