The little things that make me happy here on Bliss Road~~Emily Keaton

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Flourishes Guest Hostess!!

Happy Tuesday, everybody!! I have had the hardest time keeping a secret the past few weeks (especially because there is a PRIZE involved!). But I can finally share it today: I am the Guest Challenge Hostess for this week’s Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (FTTC77)!! I love playing in the Flourishes Challenges, so I was thrilled and honored to be asked to fill their once-a-month guest hostess spot for July. As hostess, it was my job to pick the challenge, and I had SO much fun doing just that! My challenge for FTTC77 is to incorporate some kind of pin on a card creation. Any kind of pin will do: stick pins, hat pins, safety pins, straight pins, diaper pins, even mini clothes pins, or a brooch-style pin. Use your imagination! I can’t wait to see what you come up with! You can find all the details for this challenge on the Flourishes blog. I hope you will check it out—there is a random drawing for a $10 Flourishes store gift certificate from this week’s entries. Fun!!

So, once I dreamed up this pins challenge, it was time to get started on my FTTC77 card. I had originally envisioned using safety pins on my creation, but pretty soon those safety pins morphed into homemade hat pins as my card plan evolved. I ended up making this birthday card for my mom, who loves tea and collects teapots. I kept thinking of the old-fashioned Victorian décor of one of her favorite tea rooms.
I used Flourishes’ Let’s Have Tea set and colored this wonderful tea tray image with colored pencils, including my prized metallic silver pencil for the tray. I didn’t have any fancy stick pins or hat pins (which I knew would be perfect for the look I was after) on hand, so I started looking through my sewing supplies. Most of the straight pins I use for everyday sewing have largish round white pinheads, but I also found a small stash of pins with colored heads, including a few pink ones. I put one of each of those aside while I poked around some more in my sewing stuff. Pretty soon I uncovered a jar of stray beads from beaded trims. (When you snip off a length of beaded trim, a few beads invariably come loose and fall off. I can’t bring myself to throw them away, so I toss them in a jar for “someday.”) So to make my “hat pins,” I just threaded a few of these pretty beads on my straight pins, then slipped the pins through the folds of my grosgrain ribbon. Simple!! But sparkly and just the Victorian-style touch I wanted for this special card. It’s going to be so hard waiting until Mom’s October birthday to give this to her!

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing in my BIG slice of bliss for today! If you play along with a pin card this week, don’t forget to link it up at the Flourishes blog. The FTTC77 challenge runs until Monday, August 2, at 6 p.m. Eastern time. And be sure to check out the blog team designers’ take on my pins challenge:
SUPPLIES
Stamps: Flourishes Let’s Have Tea
Paper: Basic Grey Nook & Pantry DP, Basic Grey Green at Heart DP, SU whisper white CS, SU pretty in pink CS
Ink: Palette noir black
Accessories: MS Deco Fan Punch Around the Page punch set, SU tag corner punch, SU word window punch, colored pencils, foam tape, dimensionals, pearls, sewing machine, emery board (for distressing), paisley grosgrain ribbon from my stash, homemade hat pins, Prima Lilliput Rose - Marshmallow
Techniques: machine sewing

15 comments:

Marisa said...

Woo hoo :D You go girl :D Lovely card. Great punch to frame the focal image and I love your ribbon treatment on the flower! Fabulous work, Emily :D

Benzi said...

OMG Emzi, I just came over to check on another card and see you've been honored as guest challenge hostess at the Flourishes challenge. Awesome! Your card is so beautiful. Congrats!!!!

Betty Wright said...

Beautiful, Emily! Love your soft coloring on the tea tray service and your decorative pin with ribbon and flower is just stunning! Thanks so much for hosting the FTTC with us this week! Lovely card!

Cindy Haffner said...

So BEAUTIFUL!!

Colleen Dietrich said...

You're in the big time, now, sister! Okay, so now I REALLY don't know if we can talk anymore. ;)

You sure have been busy 'behind the scenes', haven't you?? Using Pins is a challenge I've never seen before. I am really going to have a hard time coming up with something. And of course, I HAVE to play, 'cause this is my friend's challenge!

Anita said...

Emily,
Your card is beautiful. The decorative pins you made are the perfect embellishment.

Meg said...

Congrats on being Guest Hostess, Emily!! That card is just so fabulous for a tea-loving mom. I love your PATP, your sewing, and all those fun bead and pearl accents--especially your stick pins, of course!

Silke Ledlow said...

Emily, we are so thrilled to have you this week!!! I haven't added a pin to my creations in a long time...thank you for this fun challenge!!! Your card this week is drop dead gorgeous!!! Love all the fab details, the Flourishes Set and of course your hat pins are perfect!!! Hugs ~S~

Unknown said...

Emily, I'm so happy you joined the FTTC challenge with us as a guest host!! Thank you for the wonderful challenge.

Your card is so lovely and beautiful. Love the hat pin with those pretty embellishments! Beautiful coloring detail too!

Shelly Schmidt said...

Wow- this is gorgeous Emily! I love the beads on your pins and love the rouched ribbons. Great punched frame around your pretty image too! TFS!

Maria said...

This is beautiful! Congrats on the guest DT!

nwilliams6 said...

Beautiful - I need to go find a pin and start my card now!

Dawn B. said...

This is so pretty Emily.. I love your pins.. They are the perfect embellishment.. Great job and congrats on being the guest designer.

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is absolutely stunning Emily! I love your little pins, your beautiful image and the flower. It captures the Victorian tea room feel perfectly! Congratulations on your GD spot, very well deserved.

Whenever we go up to Yorkshire (my home county) we always visit one of the six Betty's Tea Rooms which are absolutely fabulous. I bet your Mum would adore them if she came over to the UK ever! (www.bettys.co.uk if she wants to have a peek!) x

Barbara said...

Emily, this is just gorgeous! I love your colors and I love your pins! This was a very fun challenge--it was so great to have you joining us this month!