DIY Vintage Photograph Bag Tutorial by Connie Mercer

Vintage Photograph Bag Tutorial
Curtsey Boutique Designer
Connie Mercer

One of the absolute best parts of my morning routine is checking out my inbox to see what lovely creations my designers have sent me. I truly am amazed by their creative and this project by Connie is perhaps one of my most favorite.

Today she shares a lovely tutorial for making photograph bags to house lovely vintage snapshots. I hope you enjoy following along.

       1. Take the muslin bags and soak them in strong tea.

2

2. Let them set for about 30 min.  Then take them out and dry them.  (I let mine drip dry outside)

13.    Cut out your leaves using the Spring Greenery by Tim Holtz/Sizzix.

44.   Hot glue a cluster to center of the muslin bag.

55.  Hot glue the burlap butterfly over the leaves.

66. Take the seam Binding and spray it with water and scrunch it up in a ball.

77. Apply the Distress stain to it ~ random places and dry with a heat tool.
  8. Make a messy bow and adhere it to the center of the butterfly.

19. Stamp the white tag with your message and adhere under the wing of the Butterfly.

110. Gather some photographs and wrap twine around.
11.  Insert in bag for gift giving.

Other Supplies:

Buttons

Darkroom Door Stamp

Ranger ink

Tim Holtz/Sizzix die

Tea bags (for dyeing Muslin bags)

Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress ink (Antique Linen)

Hot glue

Curtsey Boutique Supplies

Valentine's Assortment Seambinding	Muslin Bags - Curtsey Boutique	Small White Shipping Tags - Curtsey Boutique
Burlap Butterflies - Curtsey Boutique

InLinkz.com

     

To see more of Connie's lovely work be sure to visit her blog by clicking on her image below.

Crafty Goodies

DIY Fabric Flower headbands with Jenifer Cowles

Fabric Flower Headbands
Curtsey Boutique Designer
Jenifer Cowles

You know the expression "April Showers bring May flowers," here in Georgia we are have been getting loads of rain - we are even under a flood watch today and tomorrow. So I hope this means when it stops we will be surrounding in beautiful Spring blossoms.

Though I dislike the awful weather, I do love this time of year as many of my customers are preparing for weddings and other special occasions. It is the season for our fabric flowers. Jenifer shares with us today a quick and easy way to incorporate them in your hair. These headbands would be lovely for new baby photos, flower girls, and big birthday bashes. Our fancy blooms use no glue so sewing them on as embellishments is easy peasy.

Here are her easy 1-2-3 instructions:

1. Pick your elastic - it comes in tons of colors now a days
2. Measure your wearers head, cut elastic and tie a know 1" from the ends.
3. Sew on a Curtsey Boutique fabric flower with a few hand stitches.

Curtsey Boutique Supplies

Yellow Fabric Flower - Curtsey Boutique	Tulle Ruffle Flower - Curtsey Boutique	Orange Fabric Flowers - Small
Yellow Shabby Chic Flower	Small Red Fabric Cabbage Rose

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To see more of Jenifer's lovely artwork just click on her image below:

Scrapbooking-N-More

Welcome Kat Benjamin & Her Week 12 Pocket Scrapbooking Layout

Week 12 Project Life Layout
Curtsey Boutique Designer
Kat Benjamin

Do you love pocket scrapbooking? I am complettly smitten with this method of recording memories and absolutely delighted to have Kat Benjamin as a new member of our design team. Her layouts are a fantastic mix of color and style. I know you will enjoy her artwork as much as I do.

In Kat's own words: "I intentionally saved Week 12, which included the first day of Spring, to make with Curtsey Boutique products. So many of the products in the shop are perfect for this time of year.  I love the bright, fun-colored doilies and shipping tags, as well as the sparkly butterflies!

Curtsey Boutique Supplies

Assorted Dyed Doilies - Curtsey Boutique	Shipping Tag Assortment	Butterfly Stick Pin - Curtsey Boutique
Pearlized Heart Straight Pins - Curtsey Boutique	Medium Glitter Butterfly - Curtsey Boutique

InLinkz.com

To see more of Kat's picture perfect pocket scrapbooking click on her image below:

                                                                         Krafty Kat

Everyday Life Project Life Layout by Alyssa McGrew

Everyday Life Project Life Layout
Curtsey Boutique Designer
Alyssa McGrew

When I created this page, I knew that I was starting with lots of imperfect photos.  Sometimes I tend to shy away from using blurry photos, but in Project Life, I just go with it and use them anyway.  

Everyday life is sometimes imperfect, and the point of PL is to record that everyday life.  Next time you create an everyday life layout of PL spread, consider including a few imperfect photos.  Someday, you'll look back and be glad you included them.

Curtsey Boutique Supplies

4 Inch Paper Doilies - Curtsey Boutique

Polkadot Embossed Shipping Tags - Curtsey Boutique

Chalkboard Cardstock Tags - Curtsey Boutique

Sea Green Hand Painted Wood Buttons

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To see more of Alyssa's lovely creations click on her image below to visit her blog.

Spring Release Sneak Peek and a Thank You Card by Rebekah Faries

Thank You Kite Card
Curtsey Boutique Designer
Rebekah Faries

This Spring we are adding lots of blue to the shop - blue sequins, blue seam binding, and blue baker's twine.  All of these lovelies will be available in the shop by the end of the week - aren't they pretty?

I love Rebekah's card - the perfect theme for a spring thank you. The loops in her kite's bakers twine tail remind me of the closing scenes of Mary Poppins, I think I know what I'll be doing with my kids this afternoon.

To see more of Rebekah's work be sure to click on her image below and visit her blog, Midnite Lullabies.

"You Made my Day" Thank you Card by Andrea Amu

You Made my Day Card
Curtsey Boutique Designer
Andrea Amu

Outside my window this morning dozens of butterflies are flitting about and quite literally making my day. The wonders of nature never fail to bring a smile to my face.

  Andrea's card most assuredly did the same for the sweet friend it was intended to thank.  I love her monochromatic blue palette with just a pop of orange. 

Other supplies:
Core'dinations embossed cardstock and Thank You sentiment sticker

Canvas Resist flowers and butterfly shapes by Prima

Sei glitter dots

Glimmer Mist 

Sentiment stamps by For the Luv of Art.com

Curtsey Boutique Supplies

Blue Library Card

Medium Glitter Butterfly - Curtsey Boutique	Pearlized Heart Straight Pins - Curtsey Boutique	Vintage Blue Painted 1 inch Button
Blue and White Baker's Twine - Curtsey Boutique	Blue Library Cards - Curtsey Boutique

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To check out more of Andrea's creations, click on her photo below.

Wherever You Go Bring Your Own Sunshine Layout by Lisa Spiegel

Wherever You Go Bring Your Own Sunshine Layout
Curtsey Boutique Designer
Lisa Spiegel

Layering is one of the best ways to create interest on a page, and I like to use not just paper but several types of products to create that fun layered look. I love how many there are to choose from with Curtsey Boutique!

My process goes like this...I select my photo or photos and then I usually pull all my embellishments first, trying to find some that match my photo.  Then I'll select a background paper. 

In this case, I chose a retired Sassafras Lass paper because I loved the clouds which I felt help tell the story of my photo of my daughter and her friends on a rainy day.  Then I started layering.  

First, I choose papers.  In this case, I chose a vellum and tape measure paper.  I started tucking things in like the sunshine, a Glassine bag (I cut it in half and tucked in top and bottom for the illusion of a larger bag), a doily (also cut in half and tucked top and bottom), and some tulle ribbon.  

I decided to embellish the corner of the flower girl with a Garland Flag, a doily and a Round Tag. (I thought she was so cute with her daisy umbrella and sunny disposition.  She totally echo'd my daughter's and her friend's faces while they ran to class in the rain.)   

I used my Silhouette to create my title and backed it with the polka dot paper.   I created a custom sunshine with my trusty zig zag scissors and my sewing machine and used it to highlight the word Sunshine for the title.  A few dew drops, some vellum circles and a clothespin all add even more dimension.  

The last little touch is some random thread, I love how thread softens the look of papers.  As always I added some journaling to tell my story...I just don't think a page is finished without journaling!  

I hope you've enjoyed this little look into my layering process and would love to see your take on layering..be sure to stop by our Facebook Fan page and share your pages with us!!

Curtsey Boutique Supplies

Vintage Gold Mini Clothes Pin

Medium Glassine Bags

French Pattern - 5 Inch Doily

InLinkz.com

To see more of Lisa's work, click on her photo below.