heARTfully twined...

Valentine's Day is TOMORROW and today's Diva Challenge 303 is to create a "Valentangle" to give your loved one. This meant I better get to it TODAY! I kept it simple... I used two color pens (red and grey) to try out a new to me tangle, Way Bop. Recently, Lynn Mead wrote a love-ly piece and included a step out to Way Bop with hearts. When I read the challenge I knew it was the perfect opportunity to give this a try. I liked the simplicity of the tangle as is, so just added a touch of watercolor for shading. It was fun to take advantage of the 3Z tiles shape to accent the hearts. I'm looking forward to giving this tile to my sweetheart. 

Diva Challenge 303 : "heARTfully twined"

Thank you for visiting... and for kindly leaving a comment.  I will be sure to leave a comment back... I know how much I enjoy receiving them, and once I complete my tile for the week, I start viewing and commenting on submissions. I strive for 5 to 10 a day. :) Who doesn't love a kind word?!

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your loved ones! 

Happy Valentangle's Day!

Yippee! I was hoping this would happen... The diva's challenge this week (#154) is to create a "Valentangle!" I absolutely LOVE that term! So cute! So clever! I was hoping a challenge like this would happen because I drew my version of a Valentangle a couple of weeks ago! It was my first time to mess around with the awesome tangle pattern, mak-rah-mee... I enjoyed it so much and look forward to using this pattern in future art.  So my Valentangle is also a Monotangle... is that a Valentangle that has mono? No... that wouldn't be good... You definitely need all your energy to celebrate a day like Valentine's Day!

I created this tile, "Tied Up in Knots," to use as a Zengo (Bingo style game) Entry Fee for the Yahoo Group, Zentangle Inspired Art. I just joined this group in January and I am enjoying being part of that Zentangle community. (I have a button in my side bar you can click if you want to check it out and join!)

I hope everyone has a wonderful "Valentangle's" Day!

❌⭕️❌⭕️

Day 45 : 02-14-12

Day 45 : 02-14-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

A gift for my sweetheart... in progress.

My sweetheart didn't want me to use this photo for my photo of the day... He was voting for me to use the photo I took of the individual Double Stuff Oreo Cookies & Cream Cheesecakes I made. {Post and recipe coming soon!} Or maybe the photo of the "little blue box" he gave me today. He didn't want me to take his "soul." {He always balks at getting his photo taken, and uses this reasoning... I think it's really to make me crazy!} Well... at first I was going to listen to him and then I thought... that dessert and "little blue box" {although EXTREMELY thoughtful AND lovely} doesn't represent the love I feel and the celebration of it on this day. I also figured that since these are photos already taken I am not doing any further damage to his soul... {hopefully!}

A little about the project:

I selected photos of us from when we first started dating {22 plus years ago!} to one within the last few months... It stirred my heart to look at them and remember the times and experiences we've had together over this life we share. We've been through lots of challenges and some triumphs... I wouldn't change a moment, it's who we are. It's just something you can't take for granted. I love my husband and family with my whole being. 

The next thing I did was to create a little plaque with my handwritten (my handwriting font!) thought on photoshop. I printed out all the elements on to tissue paper. I did this by cutting tissue paper to letter size paper and using tape to attach it to the copy paper at the leading edge going into the printer. This makes it easier for the printer to load the tissue paper and print. 

Now this is where it got a little tricky for me... I have an inkjet printer... I think this project would be much more successful with a laser printer. {I am going to try another technique though to see if it works better! If so, I'll update with a tutorial post!} I used a foam brush and "painted" the canvas with mod podge and carefully began placing my images. My images ran slightly. It still looks ok... but not nearly as clear as I'd like. I painted around mine and added embellishments to hide this a little... Although the project didn't end up quite as nicely as I wanted it to, it was the thought that counted... and Norm LOVED it! :) He REALLY does love me!  {I will be trying this technique again, hopefully with better luck if I make a couple adjustments... Keep posted!}

Here is the, less than perfect, finished canvas:

I hope you had a wonderful celebration of your loved ones too!

LOVE-ly Inspiration

I was inspired...
Pin It

A couple of weeks ago I saw an illuminated LOVE canvas on Pinterest. It captured my imagination and I found myself gathering supplies... I was so excited to make my own version. I HAD to get it done before Valentine's Day! Sooo... on Sunday I got to it! 

Supplies I used:
16 x 20 canvas
K & C Company Specialty Papers (Valentine's Themed) or whatever papers you like!
The Ultimate Glue
Hot Glue Gun
X-Acto Knife
Scissors
1 strand of 35 Rice-Style Lights (I found mine on Amazon, 3 strands - ready for more projects!)
Pencil

I had started formatting my letters and calculating the sizes earlier in the week on my Silhouette Studio software, I was ready to cut! Do you have a Silhouette? If you like how I've made my letters... it's your lucky day! Download all four files and you have a head start! :) All files are in Silhouette Studio format.

File 1 : L for LOVE Project

File 2 : {Heart} for LOVE Project

File 3 : V for LOVE Project

File 4 : E for LOVE Project

(Please do me the little favor of leaving me a comment, if you download... It's that validation thing I have a weakness for! I also want to make sure the file download worked like it should. Enjoy!)

Did I mention I LOOOVVVEE my Silhouette Cameo!!! I haven't even scratched the surface of what it can do! Here's the gorgeous paper loading into the miracle machine.

Once all the letters are cut out, place them as you would like on your canvas. Now trace around the interior light holes. This will make placing your letters back down super easy.

Then glue them down! I initially ran my letters through my Xyron, however they didn't seem to have a permanent bond to the canvas. I ended up having to lift them up and apply the Ultimate Glue. Now they are PERMANENTLY attached! :)

Once your glue has dried, it's time to pull out that X-Acto knife. (I am not responsible for any injuries... so be CAREFUL!) Cut out each of the 35 light holes. I used scissors to cut the last little flap off of the circle. This really made it a lot easier AND safer! You know... there is nothing funny about safety... Oh, I digress... 

Get that light strand out... Now this is where it gets a little tricky. You need to make sure that your lights are going to reach all your little placement holes. If you are using my letters/layout it will work fine... if not make sure you take this into consideration prior to cutting out your light spacers. 

Turn over your canvas and decide where you want your cord end to plug in out of. I wanted mine to be at the "E." I knew where I was going to put it in the house and the plug would be easier to reach from that side of the canvas. I started with the light nearest the plug and the lowest hole in the "E," did a little measuring to make sure the lights would reach easily from hole to hole, then created a dot to dot! I numbered the holes in pencil so that when I started gluing I wouldn't make a mistake and end up having to start over! I went from the "E" up to the "Heart" down to the "L" and up to the "V." Figure out what works best for you! 

Time to glue! Yippee! Get that hot glue gun plugged in... (Also, test your light strand BEFORE gluing them in!) Now, you and I both know that when lights are plugged in they can create some warmth... so hot glue alone would not be good for this, you are using the hot glue to hold the light in while you wait for the Ultimate Glue to do it's job and dry and hold the whole thing in place... also if you feel your lights get too warm, don't leave unattended! (I have had mine plugged in for hours and it hasn't been an issue.)

I had a method to my madness here... I would hot glue 5 to 7 lights at a time and then go around them with the Ultimate glue, then move on to the next set. It makes it easier to get a good seal of glue all the way around them. 

Here's what the lights look like from the side:

Finished! It looks great unlit too!

A fun and simply LOVE-ly (couldn't resist!) project!

Day 43 : 02-12-12

Day 43 : 02-12-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

Love brightens my life... And living room! It was project pajama Sunday! I spent a lazy afternoon working on making my LOVE canvas. It was a LOVE-ly way to spend an afternoon!

You can read my tutorial on this project... click here!!! :)

Day 42 : 02-11-12

Day 42 : 02-11-12, a photo by ha! designs on Flickr.

This year's Valentines complete! Yippee!!

I had so much fun creating these in Photoshop! I attached self adhesive mustaches to the front with temporary adhesive. I hope that all Cami's friends sport their "stashes" on Valentine's Day! (More details to come in a new post.)