LizzyJDesigns

DIY City Mag

2008-10-08T10:04:00.007-04:00

The Washington, D.C. issue of DIY City Mag is finally out! LizzyJDesigns is featured along with many other great artists in the city and surrounding area.

This issue is very timely as election season is in full swing in the nation's Capitol. The issue contains many creative (and crafty, of course) ways to show your support for presidential candidates, no matter which way you plan to vote!

The digital magazine also includes great local resources for artists, whether it's your full time gig or a hobby, there's something for everyone.

Check it out here.

Who Loves Giveaways??

2008-10-06T10:30:00.000-04:00

We do, we do!
LizzyJDesigns is featured on a blog giveaway at
Subu today!

LizzyJDesigns is pleased to send one lucky winner this custom handmade frame.

I call it "Vintage Delight." So, go to
Subu and enter the giveaway....ASAP! The contest ends tonight at midnight.

And if you are not the lucky winner (I sympathise, I never win anything either) you can snag one of your very own in the shop :)

Happy Monday, everyone!

Love for Amy Butler

2008-09-24T15:24:00.011-04:00

I'm please to share with you that Amy's designs have jumped on your dining room table with this delish dinnerware collection!

It almost doesn't matter what you put on these precious settings. Your food and drink will taste good just because the whole set is sooo pretty to look at!

Those of you who have visited my shop may Amy Butler designs as a common thread in some of the stationery I offer. I just love the fresh look Amy Butler has to offer in her fabric and paper designs.

At the moment I have been a fan of fusing the two concepts and creating note cards with Amy Butler fabrics!

I will have these available at my upcoming Craft Show in Crofton this Saturday. Hope others find them as cute as I do!

Craft Show Prep

2008-09-22T09:36:00.003-04:00

This Saturday I will be at the Crofton Town Club Craft Fair. This is my first show and preparations are in the final stages! My checklist:

Confirm booth--check
Determine inventory--check
Design packaging--check
Order packaging--check
Purchase tent--check
Purchase supplies--check
Brainstorn display ideas--check
Set up Propay account--check
Order extra business cards--check
Purchase knuckle buster--today
Gather displays--tonight
Mock set-up display--Thursday
Fill inventory--on-going

I'm grateful to have a booth mate--ThirdEyeDesigns from Etsy that will be joining me that day! It is also her first show and I think it will be a good experience for us both. I don't think the fair will be too overwhelming that we need a ton of inventory and it's right before halloween and gives shoppers an early start for Christmas.

I've decided to stock a big part of this show with note sets since the prices are not too low and not too high. I'm trying to offer bits of my shop at different price points. To hit lower price points, I'm offering handmade tags, note covers with designs not yet offered on the Etsy shop. The higher priced items from my shop are decoupage frames. I'm bringing about 7 frames. If they sell like hotcakes, that would be great! I wanted to bring more, but they take so long to make and I need to be realistic about my committment to this. I will also have my business cards ready to take custom orders on-site.

I had some unexpected travel last week for my "real" job and it cut into my crafting time (how dare they?!). So hopefully the note sets I have will do well. Hey, if I sell out, that would be a great problem to have!

Now back to scoring and trimming, scroring and trimming.....

Just another manic Monday

2008-09-15T09:02:00.001-04:00

Mondays at work always require "recovering" from a relaxing/busy weekend. The coffee and tea station in my new office is a blessing...

The Flavia Creation 400 in my office is more than a coffee machine. It is coffee paradise. I look forward everyday when I come to work. Each morning, this fabulous machine gives me all the options of coffee, tea, cuppucinno and chocolate drinks I never even knew existed.

All you do is choose your drink and insert the corresponding packs from this display of caffeinated heaven.

One cup is brewed (very quickly) just for me, and just the way I like it. I think later I will try something from "Indulgence." Then later, a cup of something with the foam topping pack. It's so easy to make and no more worrying about those office mates who feel they are too good to make coffee when the take the last cup!

And I can always rely on its great customer service!

Mondays may be manic, but at least I have coffee to get me through!

Simply Cuteable

2008-09-09T12:32:00.008-04:00

LizzyJDesigns was featured in Cuteable!

Cuteable is a great daily blog with posts on cute apparel, jewelry, toys, home decor and more. My cute note covers were featured:

These have yellow sticky notes inside and are great for on-the-go notes. Perfect example -- I'm at a conference right now and have been carring one around to jot down things I need to do and people's names I need to remember. Fits right in my badge holder.

If you are planning a wedding or party, consider these for favors. They can be personalized to your heart's desire.

Go to the LizzyJDesigns shop and get one for you and a few for a friend right now!

Yippee!

Indie Coupons!

2008-09-04T10:02:00.001-04:00

I've received my shipment of indie coupons from Totally Indie. What are indie coupons you ask? It is a collective of indie designers and businesses set out to give some great deals fabulous handmande stuff.

As part of LizzyJDesigns' marketing plan, my coupons will be one of 40 included in the latest packs of coupons. I've been slicing and packaging these beautiful coupons from awesome indie designers to include in my packaging for an upcoming craft show and online sales from the shop. Scoring a pack of these coupons will get you deals from indie clothing, jewelry, pet toys and of course--paper goods!

Here's the coupon you'd get from my shop.

You will also get 39 more discounts from different fab indie shops!

So get in on the action and get these coupons with any purchase from the LizzyJDesigns shop!

Things I Adore

2008-08-29T08:27:00.000-04:00

It's about time I share some of my favorite embellishments with you. I feel the need to share because I have scoured the internet, craft magazines, Etsy shops, markets, boutiques and various other venues in search of things I love and what inspire me most. These beautiful things deserve credit for always getting my creative juices flowing!

I create so much more than what I post on this blog and what I offer at LizzyJDesigns shop. In the process, I have found what I'm good at doing, what I hate and don't have a knack for, materials that thrill me and colors that make me smile. These are just a few that I have come to love and try to incorporate in my designs and projects.

Many if items I love come from Andrea's charming boutique at One Hundred Wishes.

Shiny dresden foil trims from Germany

Precious petite leaf ribbon

Yummy seam binding

Fun paper posies I got from Caramelos Etsy Shop.

Delicious Amy Butler prints

We all have favorites that we always come back to. I find that I tend to incorporate some of all these elements in my craft. What are some of your favorite embellishments you can't create without?

Go Win Stuff Now!

2008-08-21T16:02:00.005-04:00

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I was featured on Handmade Showcase, a fantasic blog featuring artists and their wares. Nearly everyday you have a chance to win some beautiful handmade creations!

The LizzyJDesigns contest is coming to a close AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT! That's midnight EST. So hurry and go try score some cute paperie from the shop! Hurry...go...

HOT for Gocco Bulbs

2008-08-20T11:45:00.006-04:00

I was instantly in love with my gocco printer and blogged a tutorial on the print process. As with all crafts and things in life, I am learning as I go. As I diversify LizzyJDesigns' product mix, I decided to bust out my good old Gocco printer again this weekend. Alas, what do I find in the box? ONLY TWO BULBS LEFT!

I spent about 15 minutes contemplating whether I should use these bulbs or save it for a rainy day. My Gocco PG5 printer requires two bulbs for each design. Bulbs and supplies are hard to find now. What if I use these up and can never Gocco again?!

I went to www.paper-source.com and they were out and have been for a while. Ok, time to search for more bulbs that will not cost me my first born. After a search on Etsy and other online retailers, I found the best deal at Think Ink. Not only is this the best price, they seem to be in stock of bulbs, inks and screens during a time when Gocco supplies are scarce. I always seem to need supplies when Riso (Gocco's parent company) decides to discontinue their line. Somehow suppliers come up with more and we are all happy but Gocco enthusiasts will share my heartache of uncertainty of available supplies. This time you can be sure that I'm stocking up!

So I'm off to buy some spankin' new Gocco supplies and will share my creations with you. I'm hoping to get a nice mix of products for an upcoming craft fair. More on that later!

Any Gocco users out there have a good, reliable source for affordable supplies? Please share!

How to Make a Frame Pretty--Decoupage

2008-08-12T21:15:00.009-04:00

Paper crafting has been a passion of mine for quite sometime but decoupage is one of my newest ventures. I love the idea of preserving the pretty patterns of paper on decorated boxes or frames. Creating pretty things is wonderful, but if the "thing" has some functionality, that's even better! I have fallen in love with creating decoupage frames and wanted to share what I've learned with you today.

Materials:
Naked wooden frame
Assorted papers
Decoupage glue
Scissors
Small crafting knife
Bone folder
Vintage seam binding or other ribbon
Your favorite embellishments

The first thing to do when starting a decoupage project is to pick out the papers you want to use for your art. I find scraps from other projects work best because they are all different shapes and colors. Another perk is not wasting paper! What a great way to recycle scrap paper.

I like to place the papers on the frame before I do any gluing. Just to make sure everything fits.

The trickiest part of this project is making sure the edges of the paper and frame line up. I place the paper on the edges of the frame and trim to make sure no paper is sticking out. I repeat all around the frame, rounding corners and snipping excess paper.

Once all the paper is laid out, I begin to glue the pieces to the wood frame starting with the bottom layers.

I find that Martha Stewart's decoupage glue and sealer works best. Each bottle comes with an applicator brush. You can find these at craft stores like Michael's for $3.99. They go a long way. I can make about 6-7 frames with one bottle.

Apply a thin layer of glue on your scrap paper. The glue and sealer has a thick consistency so make sure you apply a very thin later to keep the glue from soaking through the paper. You can also you a strpong bonding glue stick or your favorite adhesive to glue the papers down. I like using this glue only because I am also using it as the sealer.

Use a bone folder to gently scrape across the glued paper to make sure no air bubbles are trapped. You want to get a nice, flat surface when you are finished.

Keep gluing the papers you laid out until each piece is placed the way you like it. You can always add more scraps and layer papers if you get some "naked" spots where the wood shows.

For this frame, I'm using an image and I want to put a pink dresden foil wing behind it. I went ahead and did this because the foil wing is flat enough to decoupage over. If you have embellishments that are on the 3-dimensional side, you want to wait and add it after you decoupage.

Once you make sure there are no air bubbles, you are ready to decoupage. Apply the decoupage sealer over your frame. This top coat will hold all your paper together and provide a nice glossy finish over your frame, so make sure you apply generously.

Hold your frame up to the light to see if brush strokes are visible or if you have empty spots. If so, go over with another coat of glue and make sure the entire surface is covered. Lay the frame on a flat surface to allow frame to dry. DO NOT leave the frame uprigtht as the sealer will droop. I always leave it to dry overnight.

When the glue is dry, it should have a nice finish to it. The colors of the paper will now be preserved! Only when your frame is completely dry, you can repeat to the back.

Cut and layout your paper and glue...

The only difference with the back of the frame is to make sure you leave the hole for the dowel. This is why I prefer to use thinner paper rather than cardstock for the back. This way, I can use a little blade and poke through the paper so the hole is exposed. I kind of scrape around the edges of the hole so the edges are nice and clean.

Now it's time to decoupage the back....

When the back of your frame dries, it is ready to be embellished! I like to use dresden foil trims...
or vintage paper posies....

wings....
....leaf trims, ribbon, lace, baubles, pearly pins and and endless other things. You can also leave the frame as it is. The only limit is your imagination!
For the sides of this frame, I find vintage seam binding is perfect. I lightly glue a strip or ribbon around the entire frame. Make sure you only apply a think layer as seam binding is thin and you will get wet spots of glue showing through.

And now you have your own beautiful creation on your hands.

I never know how a frame will turn out when I begin one, but always love the result. I plan on doing some themed frames for little girls, boys, or bridal showers. Once you do enough of these and find your own little techniques, there's so much you can do with them. They make great gifts for anyone. This one is off for a few more embellishments and then it's off to the LizzyJDesigns Etsy shop!

Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial and attempt to try this project. If you do, please let me know how it goes. If you have other tips and technique ideas, do share!

Featured Giveway on Handmade Showcase!

2008-08-07T09:30:00.001-04:00

Today, I am featured in a giveaway at Handmade Showcase blog! I have decided to give the lucky winner a bundle of matching paper goods.

Handmade Showcase is run by Lynde at Cozy Sister Jewelry and features giveaways from shops that offer handmade items. I am featured in one starting today thru August 21st.

The lucky winner will receive a Birdie Note Set and a matching Birdie Note Cover. Each birdie is hand cut by me from delicious Amy Butler fabric and adorned with tiny rhinestone for eyes. Super cute!

Each note card measures 3 1/2-inches by 4 7/8-inches folded and includes coordinating kraft envelopes. They are blank inside for your own message. I love have these on hand because you can use them for anything!

The same birdie design is featured on the cover of this sticky note book. Perfect for jotting down shopping lists, to-dos, and anything else you need to remember. They're the pefect size for you purse.

Win this bundle! All you have to do is go to the LizzyJDesigns shop and pick out your favorite item, leave a comment with the item link on my featured post at Handmade Showcase and wait until the winner is announced. Contest starts today and goes until midnight on Aug 21, 2008. The winner will be selected on Aug 22nd.
GOOD LUCK!!!

New notes

2008-08-06T07:00:00.004-04:00

My mom is a big inspriation and since she was in town this weekend, she helped me design some new cards. These are available at the LizzyJDesigns shop. Hope you like them!

The first is inspired by the design on the Betty Invitation. It features a scalloped window with the message "Thinking of you" peeking through. I can personalize these with any short message.

The card opens to the same beautiful design printed on the left hand side. I offer these in sets of 6 with coordinating white envelopes for $12.

The next set features the same boroque design on a pink and brown scallop and finished off with some bling in the center. This set includes 6 notes with coordinating envelopes for $10.

Each note card is printed and decorated on fine white cardstock with a nice silky finish.

These are perfect for "Just because" notes. Remember you don't need a special occasion to send a note to a friend!

We Love Custom!

2008-08-04T10:30:00.007-04:00

One of the things I enjoy most since LizzyJDesigns opened is customizing products for my clients. Whether is it's a truely special wedding invitation or a simple everyday stationery set, it's been such a pleasure working with creative minds to create customized paper goodies.

This is custom wish card set I did for a great customer. She wanted cards for a wish tree in place of a guest book at her wedding. The original cards are 5-inches x 4-inches, printed with my gocco and not customized with the bride and groom's names. The bride wanted hers to be a bit smaller (4-inches x 3-inches)and include her and her fiance's name. We printed these using black and metallic gold ink on fine ivory paper.

I also stung some ribbon in her wedding color so they are ready for her to hang at the reception. I like knowing I helped her check one task off her list before her big day!

Another custom order I'm working on is a colorful personalized note set.

At the shop, you can customize to say "From the cubicle of" or "From the desk of" with your name printed on lower right hand corner.

A client contacted me and asked if she can purchase a set that said "From the mother of" Why, of course!

What a wonderful idea. Wouldn't these notes be great to write to your child's teacher, coach, or family friend?! I adore it. It's so wonderful to receive inspiration from clients for new ideas in the shop. Its a wonderful circle that keeps all our creative juices flowing.

A big THANK YOU to all my clients for their inspiration!

Craft Fair Dilemma

2008-07-30T09:13:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned in my last post, as LizzyJDesigns expands, I have been looking into participaing in local craft fairs. I need your help!

When you visit craft fairs, are you more likely to buy note sets or individual cards? I am thinking of having my note covers available since the price is low enough for people to pick up with some cash on hand.

I would like to include some of my frames as well, but not sure how many to make.

What sort of items should I include and how many should I make? Most craft fairs are for general crafts and there will likely be other card makers there. I need something that makes me stand out. If anyone has experience or ideas, I appreciate the help.

Thank you!

Brand New

2008-07-27T01:32:00.010-04:00

I've so enjoyed adding to my shop this past week. I wished I had more time in the day! I just love the contrast of a fabric texture on paper. My new items feature this wonderful material mix.

As my signature, the owl doesn't get enough respect in the shop. So this is a tribute to my owl friends. A new set of note cards with envelopes.

These cute little note cards are 3 1/2in x 4 7/8in and perfect for any ocassion, kids or grown-ups. The owl figure is cut by me from Amy Butler fabric and embelished with pearly eyes. I always find I need a fun place to jot down a nice note to someone and these have been perfect.

Scallop gift tags. I think I will use these cutie pies as price tags for craft shows.

YES, I said craft shows. I have never done one but feeel that I'm ready for that next ste as I expand the shop. Anyone have experience in this? Either as a seller or a shopper? Would you buy little stationery items like the ones available at my shop at a craft fair?

Christmas in July SALE!

2008-07-22T11:13:00.001-04:00

I'm joining the talented artists on Etsy in the next two weeks for the Christmas in July SALE at the LizzyJDesigns Etsy shop!!!! Get a jump start on your holiday shopping with great sales!

These fresh and new Birdie note sets make great gifts. Great to have on hand for any occasion.

Just $12 for a set of six with matching envelopes. Aren't they cute?

*****Pruchase these or any item in my shop and get a FREE note cover!*****

These make GREAT stocking stuffers and a gift that can be used all year.

OR

********Buy 3 note covers, get one FREE!***********

The decoupage frames in my shop also make unique gifts for someone special.

*****FOR BRIDES-TO-BE*****
I'm offering FREE samples of all wedding invitations in my shop so you can see the goodness for yourself! Just leave a message here with me or convo me on Etsy and your sample will be on its way!

Now until July 31, so HURRY! Just type in the tag "christmasinjuly" on Etsy and off you go to some great sales!

Enjoy summer!

Sneak Peak

2008-07-21T08:03:00.003-04:00

This month has been flying by and I know I promised to post a tutorial on decoupage frames, but I haven't been home with enough sunlight to take some good pictures for you. I even designed some new stationery but again, no good pics to list on the shop. So, I've decided to offer you a sneak preview of some designs that I WILL list very soon!

Can't decide if I should offer these as flat cards or folded notes. What do you think?
Here's a rehearsal dinner invitation that I designed for a client.

Even though I don't have as much time to keep up with taking pictures and blogging as often as I'd like, I've met some great people on Etsy from the shop and forums. Between those guys and gals and meeting all my new blog friends, I fee like a virtual prom queen! Thanks all!

Packaging makes perfect

2008-07-18T11:26:00.006-04:00

I have been filling orders from the LizzyJDesigns Etsy shop like mad! That is a good thing, of course. I am very happy that the shop is starting to take off because I enjoy working with people to create the custom invitations and stationery they will fall in love with!

Since the shop started taking off, I have been finding creative ways to package items to mail out. I think that packaging is really important. I love receiving goodies in the mail and a big part of the excitment is how items are packaged. Do you find this true for yourself? I came up with these mailers over the weekend...

I mailed out note covers as a Mad Tea Party favor to some blog friends with these.

I thought the envelopes were a nice way to present them without putting them in a huge envelope. To make the mailers, I cut some bubble mailers in half and sealed the end with the adhesive. Then with some simple tape, I lined the opening with some Amy Butler scrap paper I had from another project. It was just sitting in my scrap box anyways. Then I put my items inside, taped it up and ta-da! Pretty package ready for mailing. What's great is that I get two envelopes from one! It's ecological AND economical!

For those of you that received these packages, I hope you like them :) Did you like seeing the burst of color in your mailbox? If so, I will use this method to mail note covers to customers. I wanted them protected in transit, but didn't want to keep a bunch of tiny USPS boxes laying around. I find these to be so much prettier, don't you?

My Little Purple Box

2008-07-14T10:28:00.005-04:00

I am delighted to be part of My Little Purple Box in July! The site is a great way to test different Etsy paper shops in an inexpensive way. It's like getting a present in the mail, and who doesn't love that?

Each month, Angi scours talented Etsy Shops for paper products to be included in these lovely boxes. This month's theme is the "Simply Stationery" Purple Prestige Box. Boxes contain yummy paper products from 18 Etsians valued at $75. The boxes are going for only $11!!

This month, I am contributing my note covers. Other items include fun stationery, notecards, oragami and so much more--all hand made by Etsy artists!

So if you love Etsy, handmade or new to the Etsy scene, this is a great way to get product samplings. There are only 30 boxes available per month, so hurry and get your paper goodness today!!

Have a great week everyone!

Please welcome my new friends...

2008-07-11T14:49:00.000-04:00

I am happy to intorduce a brand new product line at the LizzyJDesigns Etsy shop...

Altered frames!

These wooden frames were decoupaged by hand with georgeous papers, vintage-ness, glass glitter, dresen trimmings, leaflet ribbons and anything else I have in my little box of fun stuff! I made these and gave them out as bridesmaid presents and they were a huge hit! I think they make great gifts for any occassion--or to keep for yourself :) Please let me know what you think. Or, check them out at the shop along with other fun gifts for summer.

This weekend I'm going to get to work on some new invitations and stationery sets. I feel my creative juices flowing, so stay tuned for fresh designs.

Next week, I will post a tutorial on how I made these decoupage frames--a new crafting project I've grown to love! Lots of things in motion in our little studio...

Happy crafting everyone :)

Introducing Camille and Betty

2008-07-07T18:49:00.007-04:00

Please welcome the newest additions to the LizzyJDesigns Etsy Shop.

Oh, what fun I had designing these beauties. Camille is inspired by all the destination weddings we've been invited to next year!

You can easily use these for summer weddings in your hometown as well. All my invitations are customizable to suit any bride's wedding colors. I'm thinking a muted brown and some reds would make this piece nice for a fall wedding as well. Here is Camille with her reply card.

And here's Betty!

Doesn't she remind you of yummy wallpaper?

Hope you like these as much as I liked coming up with the design! Stay tuned later this week for a brand new line of items in the shop. Oh yes, Lizzy's been creating away!
What projects have you all been up to?

Something Old

2008-07-01T11:30:00.002-04:00

I can't resist sharing a wedding detail with you that I will cherish forever. For "something old" on my wedding day my mother gave me this baby's bonnet. The story behind it is the most sentimental part.

At the hospital the day I was born, nurses came around to sell these little bonnets with a great vintage card.

It reads:
"THE MAGIC HANKY
I'm just a little hanky,
as square as can be.
but with a stitch or two
they made a bonnet out of me.
I'll be worn from the hospital
or on the christening day.
Then I'll be carefully pressed
and packed away.

For her wedding day,
so we've been told,
Every well-dressed bride
must have that something old.
So what could be more fitting
than to find little me.
A few stitches snipped,
and a wedding day hanky I'll be.

And if perchance, it is a boy,
someday he'll surely wed.
So to his bride,
he can present the hanky
Once worn upon his head."

I just teared up when my mother presented this to me the night before my wedding. Isn't this the sweetest thing you've ever read? I can't believe my mother kept all these years. She actually forgot about it until she went through some old things of mine a few weeks before the wedding and discovered it. What a find! It still has little stain on it from my earliest days...

Don't you just adore finding something special. Flea market finds give me such a high, but something historic about my own past is just so extra special!

Now I wonder if they still do that at hospitals? Anyone heard of a similar tradition? I have never heard of it before and I hope they still do. Well, if they don't, I will surely cherish this one for my future daughter or son.

Post-party Clean Up & Exciting News!!

2008-06-30T11:47:00.013-04:00

Thanks to all those who stopped by the tea party this weekend! I love how it has lasted for days! That's the great thing about blog parties, I suppose. The party lasts for as long as we like! And thank you for the kind comments. It's great to make new friends!

I hope you enjoyed all the parties and come back to visit here often. We have very exciting things happening in the studio.

I made my first Etsy sale!
I'm so glad to break into this exciting platform for handmade items. I've sold a sample set of invitations to a lovely buyer. This is "The Jennifer" set from my Etsy Shop.

Boy, am I busy these days. I will be crafting the party favors for all my delightful guests from the tea party this week. Also, I've listed them at the shop. They are note covers available in two different styles.

2-D embellishments:

and 3-D embellishments featuring vintage beauties like the ones from my party favors. If you didn't have a chance to stop by this weekend, you can have one of your very own!

They are all made with yummy papers and crafted with care by me. They are already selling as I write this post! When it rains it pours, doesn't it?

I also have some new wedding additions available.

Menu tent cards

Advice to the Bride and Groom cards

Hope these do well, I so enjoyed making them for my own wedding! I listed a bunch of other fun paper items as well, including thank you's and cards for bridesmaids, so I hope you visit the shop and let me know what you think.

Have a happy week!

It's High Tea Time!

2008-06-28T18:44:00.011-04:00

We've had a fab time here hosting and visiting all sorts of tea parties in blogsphere! It's time for high tea, which in British tradition is served in the late afternoon or evening with some heavier snacks.
And earlier when I showed you all the goodies for the party prep, I can't believe I left out the invitations! So here they are!

Now on to high tea...

We made some yummy treats today.

Look like ice cream cones? They're better. I love cupcakes and I love ice cream cones, so for high tea we are having cupcake cones!

These are much less messier for the kiddies and nothing to toss when you're mingling about at a party!

And no tea party would be complete for me without welsh cakes...

My it's hot out today!

As we wrap up the party, we'll have some snacks, tea but perhaps you would like something more refreshing?

How about limeaid with some mint leaves? And just enjoy being outside in the garden.

Oh, and don't forget your favors before you go!

These post-it note covers are simply devine. I love them. They have become my GPS system in the car for writing down directions.

I also use them to jot down inspriational ideas, shopping lists and my fav blogs to visit (so I don't forget you lovelies).

These will be in listed in my Etsy Shop soon, but I love them so much I can't wait to pass them along to you---my guests! Please leave a comment below and I will visit your blog and send you your very own note cover and pad!! An original creation just to say "thank you" for stopping by.

Hope you enjoyed the party!

Welcome to the Party!

2008-06-28T11:34:00.005-04:00

Bust out your best pearls and baubles, ladies, it's party time! Today we are participating in a blog Tea Party and many have been very busy preparing.

I showed you some little snippets from the LizzyJDesigns studio that will be used at the party and you will see the rest here today! Lets see who's stopping by today.

Oh, how very kind of you ladies to to get so gussied up!

And moi?

I have arrived as a peacock for the occassion. (This is from halloween a couple years ago. I assure you, this is not my usual Saturday morning garb! I WISH!)

And our gorgeous centerpiece arrived yesterday! Bunches and bunches of paper forget-me-nots. They are on display today but I will surely be using them in many creations in the upcoming days.

I've already used a few in this altered frame. Look, the queen herself is here today! The queen never misses tea time, you know.

And the snippet of the peacock I showed you earlier this week turned out to be...
my first party crown! I'm loving how this turned out. The double-sided paper came in very handy for this project!

High Tea (usually served in the late afternoon) will bring more creations! So stop by in a few hours and we will serve up some delicious treats and the best part....

Your party favors! I will be send each one of you wonderful bloggers a special party favor for stopping by and sharing your thoughts at our tea party. Come by for high tea in a few hours and find out what you'll be getting!

Ok, off to visit the other parties! You can find the entire list of party-goers and planners at Vanessa's blog.
Enjoy and see you for high tea!

Exciting Things are Brewing

2008-06-25T20:47:00.019-04:00

We are preparing for the grand Tea Party here hosted by the talented Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist coming up this Saturday June 28. There's sure to be tons of pretties, sparklies and yummy goodness on many blogs that day, including here! Here's a peek at the delights the LizzyJDesigns studio has been brewing...

First, here's a snippet of one of the pretties...

And there will be sparkly appearances, of course....

A tea party would not be complete without yummy goodies...

Didn't think I'd forget about you, did you? No party would be complete without favors for guests...

Come back and find out what these little snippets turn out to be at the blog Tea Party this Saturday. Leave a thought or inspiration and you'll receive a special party favor sent to you from LizzyJDesigns!

Happy creating!

A Very, Very Happy Un-Birthday to You!

2008-06-20T10:22:00.014-04:00

I am very excited about this discovery--a virtual Tea Party!

Venessa's precious and fun blog, A Fanciful Twist is hosting a virtual tea/costume party on June 28. There will be dress-up, favors, glitter, food and fun! Here's how it works:

*Dress up in your crazy garb or costume
*Decorate your space
*Share your party treats on your blog on the 28th!

You don't have to be a blogger to join in, she will share your treats and creations on hers. Go now and make a comment at A Fanciful Twist to join the fun!

And if you can join, comment here to let me know. I'd love to watch for your creations at the party. I will be crafting party favors and goodies all week and would be delighted to get your opinion on some creations. Hope to see you there!

As Promised...

2008-06-19T21:36:00.007-04:00

I'd like to share with you some of my finds while treasure hunting in Northern Virginia a few weeks ago. There's a great shop near my office that sells what some may call junk, but I call treasure! It was my first visit and if I didn't have anything else to do that day, I could have spent hours and hours going through all the history captured in that place!

The power was out because of a storm the night before, but the kind owners marched on. In fact, I though it made the whole experience more enriching. Like going through my grandmother's attic for vintage goodies.

First, some original photographs. These are funny and I used the wedding photos for cards for my bridesmaids and hubby.

Doesn't this kid look like he's having a ball?! I imagine this taken at his birthday party and all his friends are jealous of his shiny new red wagon. Thought it would look good for a birthday card.

Risque! I'm sure I'll find a good occassion to use this on a card!

Surprisingly, most of the photographs had writing on the back that was pretty well-preserved, detailing the people in the picture and the date it was taken. I love how it chornicles what the owners were thinking at that time.

They had dozens of old books. I also got this calculus book and thought it would be good to use the pages for some decoupage projects. I like the graphs and tables in this one.

As a bonus, when I got home I found an envelope with some old handwritten calculus homework tucked inside! Looks like Miss Helen James was a good student!

You'd never get a surprise like that bringing home some thing you buy from the mall! I want to keep these, so I think I'll make a collage out of them.

And last but not least, a blank old school register for keeping records or recording new ideas for the shop.

Overall I was very pleased with my treasure hunt. Can't wait to start crafting with my finds and explore some more when I get a free weekend. Don't you just love finding vintageness in the most charming places?

Wedding Nostalgia

2008-06-16T10:59:00.030-04:00

We have returned from a magical wedding weekend in Wales! It was a spectacular day with friends and family and Mr. J and I could not have asked for better company. The weather cooperated and everything went smoothly. See how happy we are?

I am sharing some photos from our photographer since some of you requested it. Can you believe none of this was retouched? The castle and welsh countryside were even more beautiful in person!

Once I gather photos from family and friends, I will post some detail pics of DIY projects from the reception. For now, hope you enjoy a piece of beautiful Wales!

Now that the wedding is over, I MUST concentrate on some crafty creations I have been putting off! So many ideas floating in my head that I want to make a reality. If only I can add a few more hours to the day--know what I mean?

In a few days I should have:

*Updated items in my Etsy shop

*Fab finds from antique shopping!

I'm off!

2008-06-03T11:13:00.004-04:00

I'm off to Wales for a week for wedding festivities! I have so much to show you when I get back--I've been treasure hunting! This is just a glimpse of what I've been digging up around town.

I will catch you up with wedding photos and goodies I've been working on. Also, get ready for new items in the Etsy shop!

Have a wonderful beginning of June everyone! In the mean time, happy creating!

9 Days

2008-05-30T09:57:00.011-04:00

Holy cow, only nine days until we get hitched! I am up to my eyeballs in DIY projects, but the reward of doing all the paper items on my own will be priceless. I already received so many kind words from guests for our handmade invitaitons.

We are getting married in my hubby-to-be's hometown in Wales, UK. Our venue is at the breathtaking Caerphilly Castle. Yes, I wrote CASTLE. I mean, who would have thought I'd be getting married in a castle?! I am a lucky gal. Not just for the castle part, but my man is wonderful too :)

The venue has been booked for over a year but I can still hardly believe it. There is a moat and everything!

This is the Great Hall where the ceremony and reception will be held.

But since the hubby-to-be has already departed for Europe, I'm left for a week to finish trimming placecards, rounding corners on the programs and make out-of-town packets. Well, the week has melted into a mere few days to get it all done. I have been pleasantly surprised at my own efficiency.

Once I arrive home from the wedding, I'm going to really pursue my dream of having my own shop. After handmaking all my wedding projects, I'm confident that I can handle a business and make beautiful invitaitons for other future brides!

Stay tuned for results from my labors and wedding pics!

Thank you, thank you

2008-05-28T11:38:00.020-04:00

My wedding day is quickly approaching and I'm getting nervous. No, not about BEING married, but GETTING married is the tricky part. Of course I'm scurrying around to get all my paper wedding items ready to go. Oh, not to mention all the non-paper stuff (like the dress, must not forget to pack that!)

What do I do when I'm nervous? Craft of course! So it works out perfectly that I should try to relax while getting wedding stuff done at the same time.

And of course, I turned to my new Gocco machine for comfort.

I printed these thank you notes using my Gocco machine in gold ink and printed off the "Thank You" on my printer. I was able to use the same design for 30 5 x7 cards and 30 A2 cards. It was a great way to test out what the gold ink looked like on different colors of cardstock.

Since we are getting married in Wales, I decided to do thank you notes now so we can give it to famliy before we leave. They have done a lot in helping us plan. We'll send some in the mail as well after the wedding to thank them for gifts.

Soon enough I will post new items in my Etsy shop. I think I'll do an 8-set of these.

Yummy Treats

2008-05-21T13:01:00.017-04:00

Do you snack when you craft? I do. It gets my creative juices going and a great excuse to treat myself to some chocolate!

My Mom brought me a few boxes of these home made beauties. Aren't they pretty to look at? They taste better and inspired many a LizzyJDesigns creations this week:

Post-It Notes covers

Finally mounting my menus to tent cards!

(Ok, that's not that fun but lots of snacking was involved in the process)

Thank You card

Wooden Frame--My first paper decoupage project!

And a graduation card

Aren't these FAB?!

2008-05-20T17:34:00.010-04:00

I just HAD to share my newest ribbon/trim/whatever container. I grabbed up these two delicious Nicol Sayre nested eggs at One Hundred Wishes. Easter is long over but I still love them.

The larger egg says "Happy Spring" and the smaller says "Happy Easter." They still brighten my day, no matter which season it is!

I put leaf trims and seam binding in these eggs, but some other little things on my craft table have found their way into them. They are so pretty and useful!

Right now I have them perched on top of my paper box. I will find a more prominent place to display them later---maybe next spring!

Andrea at One Hundred Wishes has great stuff. I must wait until the wedding to put in another order. In the mean time, I can dream up all the things I will create with pretty ribbons and trims!

Gettin' My Gocco On

2008-05-19T15:25:00.020-04:00

After a wild goosechase with Fed-Ex, I finally received my Gocco machine from Paper Source! Over the weekend I got busy designing, trimming and printing my reception table cards on my Gocco. Here's what happened.

One thing before we begin. Since Gocco supplies do not come cheap, be prepared for some waste. Although everything was carefully planned out, the best part about crafting for me is being spontaneous and creating something I've never thought of before. With that, came some wasted bulbs and screens, but you just have to move past it. The more prints I did, the more I learned. I put together a price breakdown at the bottom of this post to you get an idea. Ok, now for the fun stuff!

Ta-da! Here's the unassuming Japanese contraption that brought so much joy to my weekend!

I got the small Gocco PG5 machine that prints up to 3.75" by 5.75" images. Of course you can print on larger paper, just the image has to be that size.

The first thing you need to do is create an original image. The key is to use carbon, so photocopies from laser printers work very well. Inkjet printouts do not. Two bulbs wasted. But I'm over it.

You can also use the carbon pen that to Gocco machine comes with to draw the text or image you want to print. I am using a design for my table numbers and menus. I placed the photocopy on the sticky foam surface (your paper will unstick). I was careful line up the corners so I know exacty where to put the sheets for my final prints. This way, I won't have as many mistakes on my final paper.

Since I used a photocopy, I had to put a blue filter (included with machine) behind the master screen. If you use the pen, you do not need the blue filter. Slide these two into the top part of the machine. Sorry I didn't get a good pic of the filter before I flashed the bulbs, just pretend that master screen is blank!

Blue Filter with master screen

Slide both into top of machine with the blue filter away from you and the arrow on the master screen facing you and down.

Now screw in two bulbs in the yellow part of the machine. They are coated with chemical, so be careful and wash your hands after! Line up the arrows and place the yellow part with the bulbs on top of the closed orange machine. It should snap into place. When they are connected, it should look like the picture below when the machine is open.

Next, press down on the bottom corners of the machine with your photocopy in place. It was much easier for me to stand up to do this. It's not hard, I'm just a weakling. Don't look at the machine, the flash this produces is very bright. I've heard people say that there's smoke or that it's very hot, but I did not experience this. Well, the bulb was a bit hot, so don't touch it, but it was not smoking. It was quick and clean. This was the easy part!

Open the machine and you have made your master screen! Remove the screen and blue filter. You can set aside your blue filter. You won't need anymore until your next photocopy print.

Peel back to clear plastic and you are ready to begin inking your master screen.

Now, this is the part I am quite proud of. The design I have is a crown with some flourishes around it. I wanted to make menu cards with just the crown and table numbers with the crown and flourishes, but use only one screen. So I exposed everything but will only begin with the crown to make my menus.

I used ink blocking (also included with machine), little strips of foam that is sticky on one side. I only want to print to crown so to make sure the ink doesn't bleed into the flourish part of the design and print it, I blocked off the design.

Ink blocking strips

Now I'm ready to ink my screen. The Gocco machine includes three tubes of paper inks in black, red and gold. Several more colors are available. There is also ink specifically for printing on fabric.

When you lift the machine up, the paper will stick to the top, unless you have it directly on the sticky pad. In my case, I didn't but I just peeled off the paper and it was fabulous! As you can see, only the crown design printed because I did not ink the rest of the image.

A little ink goes a long way. I printed about 35 menus without re-ink and could have done more. A bunch more.

Now remember I was going to print the rest on my design using the same screen? After I printed off only the crown to my heart's content, I used the ink blocking method so I can print multiple colors.

After I separated each section (different section, different color), I inked away! I was very generous with the ink because if you lift that clear plastic to re-ink, some of the colors might swoosh together making imperfect prints. Might be a cool effect, but not for my purposes today anyway.
I repeated the steps above and inked my second set of prints. This time, I lined up the corners of my paper to the corner of the sticky foam to ensure proper placement of the print.

Here are some other things I tried with Gocco this weekend:

Text works very well with Gocco. I was afraid the text was too small but it came out very crisp, much better than printing on my inkjet.

I love how the gold comes up on black.

It was a busy weekend for me and my Gocco!

All in all, I am very pleased with the Gocco. Of course you can achieve the desired effect with this using computer printers or stamps, but it wasn't the same. And while wedding guests enjoy their meal without notice my table numbers, I will think back on this weekend fondly.

Price breakdown

Each print will take:

2 bulbs= about $3.00

1 master screen= about $3.00

So right there, you are looking at least $6 to make a print, not including ink. But this might not be a bad investment if you are looking to make hundreds of copies. the tubes of ink will last you-- they are quite large. It is not good if you want to make a set of 8 note cards or something. So it's good to plan ahead. As I did this weekend, I was able to do two projects with on screen and two set of bulbs. Make use of the space on the screen. I also heard I can wrap up used screens, ink and all, in saran wrap and keep it in the fridge to use later. We'll see how that turns out.

Locco for Gocco!

2008-05-14T09:52:00.007-04:00

Since I started wedding planning, I've been learning about the Gocco machine and it was love at first virtual sight. Gocco is a home printing system that works like silk screening. There are lots of tutotials online and you can see beautiful designs people have done on Flickr and Etsy.

At first, I had to have one. Then I thought, "You'll never use it. Spend the $$ on fancy place cards for the wedding instead, stupid." Months went by when the Gocco and I didn't speak. Then our love affair reignited when I got around to designing all my wedding stationery. I broke down.....and bought one!

I justified it as an investment/reward for doing my own stationery for the wedding. The $$ I've saved!! Besides, this is the only time I'll need to make 100 copies of something (pronto), and the Gocco is perfect for multiple productions. Also, I wanted have gold/metallic/pearl on my table cards, but am finding that the metallic papers really do add up! This way, I can use paper I already own in my craft arsenal and still have some glam with pretty METALLIC INK the Gocco comes with! That's a good reason right?

I'm sitting by the window waiting for the mailman to bring me my precious Gocco. Stay tuned for some experimental prints!

Announcing new Etsy shop!

2008-04-25T14:04:00.017-04:00

I have been a fan of Etsy for a long time because it encourages craftiness and features awesome handmade stuff from clothes, to jewels, to purses etc. from all over the world. I love browsing the site. Something about looking at the items and imagining crafters (much like myself) staying up late gluing, trimming, designing and stamping that makes me feel at home :)

Well, I finally joined in the fun and opened up a shop of my own! Check me out at LizzyJDesign's Etsy Shop. I am starting off with some cards and my paper flowers for now but will be adding more soon!

Fresh cut paper flowers

Note set with envelope packaging

Happy, Happy card can be used for different ocassions

Thought this would be a nice child's birthday invitaiton or birth announcement, but it can also be a cute bridal shower or bachelorette invitation!

And a sneak peek of things to come...

Bridesmaid cards

Birth announcements

Finally! Handmade Wedding Invitations

2008-04-11T13:52:00.003-04:00

I have been planning my wedding and I was absolutely excited about designing and making my own invitations. They are FINALLY done and sent out. Actually, the RSVPs are in, I just am FINALLY posting the pics :)

The invitation card

I used a wax seal "J" (it's the first letter of my new and maiden name!) and mounted on gorgeous paper from PaperSource (luxe creme, text) and printed on an inkjet printer. The luxe creme paper was then mounted on antique gold cardstock (also PaperSource), rounded the corners with a punch and voila!

The inserts

We included a map, directions, additional information (directing to our website) and and RSVP card all cut from 8 x 11 luxe creme text. For out of town guests, we included a travel and accommodation card and put the map on the back of the direction card. All were printed on an inkjet printer. The map was designed in powerpoint. Inserts were tiered (one inch apart). For RSVP envelopes, we used 4-bar antique gold.

All packaged up in half moon luxe creme enclosures.

Inserts were placed behind the invitation card. Tissue paper protected each invitation and a gold elastic cord from held all invitation components together.

For the outer envelope we used A7 envelopes in luxe creme.

Oh Baby!

2008-02-24T12:14:00.010-05:00

I had the pleasure of hosting my first baby shower for a friend of mine. Throwing parties are always alot of fun but incoporating handmade projects is the best part! We had to make sure we didn't go overboard with the cute stuff since it was a co-ed baby shower, after all. But how can you throw a party for a baby without being cute?!

We didn't know the sex of the baby, so we went with neutral colors: blues, greens and yellows.

Here are some details from the festivities...

Mum and Dad-to-be signs for the couple's seats.

Gift table: Guest book, diaper cake and games station.

For one of our games, guests were asked to guess how many jelley beans were in the bottle.

Yummy cake and favors table.

We hung newborn onesies and booties with clothes pins from ribbon. The clothes were also a gift for the baby after the shower!

Chocolate candy favors were placed in little boxes and attached with handmade tags. We used an adorable baby picture frame to display a sign asking guests to take a favor. The frame was also given to the parents-to-be as a gift for the baby's room.

Gettin' Crafty on Storage

2007-10-25T13:42:00.002-04:00

My crafting buddies inspired me to looking into my work space and storage area. Right now, it is a total disasater. Sure, I have a few clear containers that I've plopped craft stuff in, but it is disorganized within the organizer. As I'm working on wedding invitations, baby shower invitaitons, cards etc. I've realized that the flow of my creative juices are interrupted each time I'm scrambling around for scissors, paper trimmer, whatever. Anyone ever had this problem?

So, I've set out to orgainze my space! Now, I know that I am not naturally a super organized person. In fact, I work best when things are a bit more "me" and laid out in disarray on the crafting table. Lately it's been getting out of hand and the disarray remains long after a project is fnished. I need help! I also didn't want to spend a small fortune on this new path in my crafting life since I would rather spend the cash on more stamps, juicy ink pads and the latest dry embossing technology has to offer.

Now I'm thinking, ok, go to someplace cheap and make use of what they have. Just make the craft stuff "fit" in their dang boxes, shelves or whatever. In my search, however, I've found that a place as mainstream as Target has some organizers specifically for crafters. Hence, I can save my imagination and creativity for my crafts!

Check this out:

I'm lovin' the little canisters for brads, embellisments or eyelets. They are magnetic and come with a strip that you can leave on your desk top or hang on your wall. So my crafting storage now becomes wall decor--how cool is that?!

I am just having so much fun browsing though all the organizers and brewing up ideas!! The best part about this is that it is all very reasonably priced. Just go on Target's website and look for "Storage and Organization" under "Craft Products Organizers" and be prepared for about an hour of "YES! I need that!!!"

Enjoy!

My first Craftin' All Nighter!

2007-09-24T20:48:00.002-04:00

So...here is the fruit of my labors back in oh....Sept 7th-8th

First a thank you card for my gal Ai Lene and her fiancee Erik for taking care of the Mits while Michael and I were on vacation.

Then a Birthday card from Michael to his mother.

I wanted to make a gift certificate holder for the inside of the card, but I wasn't entirely happy with how it turned out.

Here's the card I made for Michael's mom, from yours truly.

Bringing the love of my life into this world and rasing him to be a man was definately not easy.

I told my mom I'd make Baby Shower cards for us.

When it got to mine, I was definately getting tired.

Near the butt end of the night (morn?) Not really worth posting, but hey...it's a card!

I spent most of the night making this gift for Michael's mom. She's been having a tough time lately, so inside every origami flower is a thank you note from me to her. So she can read them everytime she feels down.

It was so weird....I tried to go to sleep, but I was on some type of weird high. I laughed as I thought to myself, man...at least in the morning I'll remember what I did the night before!

7gypsies

2007-09-21T19:20:00.001-04:00

I heart 7gypsies! Ever since I started scapbooking and cardmaking a few years ago, I have loved the 7gypsies style. It's vintage, it's shabby chic, it's nostoligic--all the things that draw me to crafting in the first place.

Their product line includes such variety--stamps, stickers, accordian books, metal embellishments, paper clips, rub-on sentiments. I appreciated their stuff because when I discovered them as a beginner, I knew that my project would turn out great because I used their products. If you like clean lines, it can be done with their stuff, but 7gypsies is really perfect for a busier look.

World Card Making Day

2007-09-19T19:18:00.001-04:00

World Card Making Day is the first week in October where cardmakers of the world unite! What a wonderful way to get those creative juices flowing and get a jumpstart on those holiday cards. I always end up doing them at the last minute and it becomes more of a chore than something thoughtful! But not this year! I've already started to look for inspiration on the official World Card Making Day website.

In their gallery you can post your cards and descriptions and see other creations. It's a great way to glance at fresh ideas and you can search by theme or keyword. LizzyJDesigns hasa gallery on there! Here are some creative ones that are my favs:

You mean the world to me card by elendae

Wedding Day by NishaM

Anthology "Thanks" by elendae

Little Birdies by PaperSquares

Newest Creation

2007-09-12T15:14:00.004-04:00

This blog is the newest creation of LizzyJDesigns! But I also wanted to share another. Cardmaking is the craft today and tomorrow it might be different. My lastest creation:

Ta-da! I'm very proud of this card because it was so simple to make with things that I already had in my craft box (things that would be in the trash during next spring's cleaning). I used a card from a pad of "cards" I purchased. Then I added a vellum envelope that I made and stuck it in some photo corners that are adhered to the card. I made the tag in the envelope by cutting some scrap paper into a tag shape, punched a whole and tied a ribbon to it. Embellish with a three-dimensional "soul sister" sticker and added some button stickers to the side and voila!