Eniko's Playhouse

Bon Voyage, Susan Branch!

My lovely friend, Susan Branch, is heading to England next week on the QEII. YES! You heard me correctly...on THE Queen Elizabeth II ! How exciting is that? I've never been on a real cruise (I don't suppose the ferry that carries us back and forth from Martha's Vineyard island to the mainland counts...tee...hee), but if I were to go on a cruise, I would want it to be on the QE II.

If you're not familiar with Susan Branch's work, you should be. She is an extremely talented author, designer and blogger extra-ordinaire! She became well-known for her handwritten and beautifully illustrated cookbooks. Her first one, Heart of the Home, is still one of my all-time favorites! So charming and beautiful, and chuck-full of wonderful recipes, stories and ideas. She has created a magical life for herself, with her darling Joe and her two adorable kitties, here on Martha's Vineyard. (FYI to my scrapbooking buddies...I just discovered that she has put out a wonderful collection of rubber stamps -available through her on-line store).

Anyway, you should hop over & read about how she's getting ready for her voyage to England. I swiped a few photos off of her blog to share with you...too cute to not shine on. So this is her daily inspiration for her trip...she keeps this lovely dress that she wore on her first "Captain's Dinner" on her last QE II cruise, hanging on her closet door-
If what they say is true, that inspiration boards and other visualizations of your intentions and desires help make turn your dreams into reality, then this is a great strategy. Nice going, Sue!

So did you love that hat? So very English and so incredibly stylish! Well, guess what? It even looks better on Sue than it does on that hat box! It's the hat she wore to the Royal Ascot  races a la Eliza Doolittle! Here she is with her handsome Joe:
Gosh, so elegant! Sue always looks great, but she's normally a very casual, comfy, practical dresser, so I got such a kick out of seeing her in all this fabulousness. And I got an even bigger kick out of reading this quote on her blog, which explains why it's great to be well-dressed:
(Illustrations copywrited by Susan Branch)

Isn't that the funniest thing you ever read? She cracks me up! So in one of her recent blog posts, Sue wrote about the art of letter writing and how she saves all her favorite correspondences, and it reminded me that I had made her a lovely thank you card that I never mailed. You may remember that I made this card during the Let's Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop in February. Sue is very fond of pretty little vintage tea cups and loves having her girlfriends for tea, so I knew she would love it. So whew! -I finally sent it out, thanking her for all her various kindnesses.
I love the fussy-cut roses (she also loves her roses & collects vintage varieties...the ones with heady scents) and the gossamer ribbon...and the little pin reminds me of her great English hat...surely she must have a hat pin to hold it on with.

So last week, the weekly challenge at Let's Scrap was a cute little card sketch by Debby de Wilde, intended to inspire the members into creative card-making.

"Well, it would be fun to make Sue a Bon Voyage card," I thought. I knew I had some really fun vintage cruise ship themed ephemera, so I went to work with ocean-liner images, Tim Holtz tissue tape, tickets, ribbon and pretty paper that felt like ocean and sky to me.
I loved my take on the sketch and I loved the way it came out, but it just didn't feel like Sue...it lacked the soft, yet practical, femininity that she exudes with every breath. Hmmmm...back to the drawing board, as they say.

I found this truly wonderful Tim Holtz paper that reminded me of a post on Susan Branch Blog. Sue wrote about an antique book that Joe gave her for her birthday, Cranford, by Elizabeth Gaskell. The Old-English images on the scrapbooking paper reminded me of the illustrations in the book, so it was a perfect find! Out came a gorgeous tea-stained ribbon of three-dimensional mini-roses, a sweet little die-cut bird, a little post card, some twine, and a cute ticket that said, "Places to See"...perfect!
A little gathering of tulle, and the addition of a pretty red die-cut rose...yes, indeed... this was Sue!

So Joe will get the more masculine "Away We Go" card, and Sue will receive this sweet little perfect-for-Sue Bon Voyage card...with all my love, my blessings, my wishes for an amazing visit to England...and my dreams of someday joining her at Royal Ascot with my own really great hat!

In love and friendship, Enikö

(I do love your comments, so...they make me happy!)

More Art-Cards: Card-making with an Artistic Flair

So the fabulous month-long Let's Scrap Blog Hop is over and I am in card-making withdrawal. I managed to juggle a busy work schedule, Valentine's weekend, an Academy Awards Party, doctor's appointments & all the other trappings of life and somehow squeezed out enough time to complete 18 cards. -Not much to boast about considering that so many others made the maximum 50 cards that were offered up in inspirational sketches on the various stops on the Hop, but honestly, I had a ball and am very proud of the artistic flair I gave my humble 18. I thought it would be fun to share some cards, along with the sketches that inspired them. This is one of my favorites. I made this card for my dear friend, Annelle (a very talented Penny Rug designer), who cared for my children during my Newport restaurant days, and played jazz for them every night during dinner. She and I enjoyed several Newport Jazz Festivals together, and this card plays tribute to those days. So this sketch, created by Debby D. of Let's Scrap was the one that inspired the layout for the card. Just to share the thought-process with you... First, I found the fabulous image of the jazz singer and the jazz musicians in the Curtain Call collection of the wonderful scrapbooking paper company, Graphic 45 and gathered all of the other elements that I planned to use.

I'm not sure what made me think of the sentiment, but Annelle is a highly spiritual person, and her heart is abundant with love, and she surrounds herself with music, so it fit: "Love is the Music of the Soul". I cut that out of red paper with my Cricket die-cutting machine. I also knew that it would make a stunning statement if I colored the songstress's lips in bright red glitter...it would emphasize the passion in her heart and add drama to the card. It was close to Valentine's Day, so adding the heart was a no-brainer. I covered that with the same red glitter, as well as the heart-shaped pin...and voila!

I guess my initial inspiration comes from the graphic images I find in my stash of scrapbooking supplies (that, or a great sentiment I might come across). It is only after I have an image in mind that I match it with a card sketch that will lead me in the direction of the final layout...at least that's how I operated during the February Blog Hop. This next card is a great example of that. I found a unique graphic of a bird flying over a botanical image (from Graphic 45's Botanicabella collection) and it just fit a quote that I particularly liked. "Nothing is too Wonderful to be Real"...isn't that the loveliest sentiment ever?

So I matched the idea to the sketch you see here on the left. There are no strict rules when it comes to sketch inspirations...the only rule is to use the sketch design as a guideline for the layout. The design can be flipped, inverted or altered in any way that suits the user. As you can see, I only used one sentiment, instead of the suggested three, but I used the idea of the three identical shapes (though in different proportions) in my design. I also raised the three square shapes on pop-dots to add interest and dimension.
An interesting note about turning accidents into positive elements: The cool printed tissue tape on the far left was added because the card tore at the crease when I scored it a bit over-exuberantly. Also, the tear above the sentiment was originally not intentional -it was simply an accident. I decided that instead of trimming it straight, I would emphasize the tear by inking it. I then inked all my edges for balance and consitancy. -Often it's the "oops"-s of a project that will end up giving it depth and character. I really love the way this card turned out, don't you?

Cassie, if you're reading this...this card was inspired by you. Cassie has decided that she's had enough of Boston winter and has booked a flight to the Caribbean to get some "beach time". I've been dieing to make something with Graphic 45's Travelogue collection (which I won in as blog candy a couple of months ago) so it was the perfect motivation in combination with this card sketch:

The sketch is simple, which I love...it allows for creative tweaking & interpretation. (Incidentally, these were concerns when I first entered into "sketch" territory...I was afraid that using another's sketch for inspiration, or guidelines, or design, would somehow impair my own artistic sensibility or creativity. -But what I found was that it pushed me, instead, in areas of creativity that I may have otherwise not entered into and challenged me in ways that pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to see beyond my own limitations.)

So I picked my background paper and  my graphic image...the sentiment was easy...the word "BEACH" said it all. I also wanted to add the lacey element that appeared on the sketch without being too "girlie" (which Cassie is not), so I simply used a paper punch to "imitate" the lace in the sketch. The only tricky piece was the "fussy cutting" of the Bird of Paradise flower that I thought the card needed for color balance. What do you think?
I just love the colors and the textures and even the simplicity of this card.

I will end this post with my Oscar Party invitation. (I will post more cards really soon...I promise). Many of you know what an avid movie-buff I am. -Not sure why that is, but I LOVE the cinema! Every year I host an Oscar Party for my like-minded movie-loving friends. This year, my favorite movie was Hugo, by Martin Scorsese. I had a feeling that Hugo would do well at the Academy Awards, but that more than likely The Artist would win the coveted golden trophy (which is exactly what ended up happening). This following card, inspired by the sketch on the left, was a tribute to the silent era of Hollywood, as well as to these two amazing movies that honored it.

The images are, again, from Graphic 45 (it just so happens that their papers are exceptionally artistic and I find myself being highly inspired by them). The graphics I used were from the Curtain Call collection...the central image of the moon is one you might remember from Georges Mellie's movie, "La Voyage du la Lune"...and featured in Hugo. The filmstrip images of silent movie stars was a respectful nod, on my part, to the theme of The Artist. The image of the watch is also reminiscent of Hugo's theme. (It's fun to scroll back & forth between the sketch & the finished card to see what elements were adapted in what way.) -I think you'll love this:

So I think I will pause now & announce the winner of the LEAP 46 Blog Hop Candy. Here's Jim, pulling the winning name out of a hat:

And the winner is...(drum roll, please)...

CATHY!

Congratulations, Cathy! Please leave your address on the Let's Scrap website, or email it to me directly, and I will send the goodies right out to you.

More cards in my next post, stay tuned...

Hugs, Enikö

Art-Cards: Card-making with an Artistic Flair

We've become accustomed to email "Thank yous" and texted "Happy Birthdays", but we can all agree that nothing beats receiving a thoughtful, handwritten card in the mail. Greeting cards have delighted me throughout my life, marking every important occasion. As a little girl, I treasured pretty birthday cards and most of all, the yearly over-sized pink and lacey Valentines from my dad, which always made me feel so very special. I still have the love notes that my first crush slipped me in the seventh grade, and all the cards that boyfriends have sent me through the years. Engagement cards, wedding greetings, congratulations on the birth of my children, condolences after my mother's passing...I still treasure them all.

After taking up scrapbooking, I occasionally used my stash of papers and embellishments to create cards from scratch. Last year, I hosted a Valentine card-making party for some girlfriends, and this year, I even made my own Christmas cards, but it wasn't until this past month that I took card-making seriously as an art-form.

When I agreed to be a host on the Let’s Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop, it came with the challenge of making a possible 50 cards from 50 inspirational sketches and posted on blogs from all over the world. I doubted that I would reach the ultimate goal, but I was hoping to make at least one-a-day during the month of February. (Yikes! I'm seriously behind!) As I diligently worked towards my quota, I saw beautiful little works of art come to fruition. What a lovely thought...to actually create and send a handmade card that is worthy of being framed. I started with some Valentines. First, I made one for Jim, expressing the devotion we have for eachother. I layered lovely papers and die-cuts that I chalked around the edges for added dimension and even tied it with a gossamer ribbon. (I love ribbon on cards!)

Then I made one for my sister, Ildi, who still has on display the Valentine I made her last year: I've had this little cupid image for a while, just waiting for the perfect reason to use it. It reminded me so much of my sister at age 3 or so, with her lovely blond locks. The vintage seam binding (such a pretty, soft color) was crumpled from storage, and I just allowed the creases to fall where they may & then glued them strategically to frame the image and the sentiment.

I made this next card (one of my favorites) to honor the lovely quote by Helen Keller- a reminder to appreciate the simple gifts of life: Most of the cards were made with someone in mind, which added to the joy of creation. For example, my son, Attila, was turning 34 this month (a fact that still baffles me) and I was thinking about what an adorable little boy he was, so I captured my thoughts in this card and included a favorite photo of our first outing to Chappaquiddick after moving to Martha's Vineyard -I think he'll treasure it: In case you're wondering, the metal medallion was something I picked up from the Making Memories Bravissmo line. It came with the epoxy circle that fit perfectly over the punched-out photo. I used two other epoxy elements for balance.

I was looking for a way to thank my dear friend, Susan Branch, for the lovely tea she invited me to, so I made her a card that suits her personality as well as the occasion... My friend, Laura, was getting excited about her upcoming tropical vacation (if I could only stow-away in her leopard luggage!) so I made her a "Happy Vacation" card. I was getting more and more jazzed about card-making as an art-form, as I found myself becoming more and more creative. Here I used some great paper and tags from Graphic 45 along with burlap and silk flowers I had in my stash.

The more I saw my cards as frame-worthy art, the more inspired I became. I came across a wonderful image that spoke to my heart and found a sentiment to match. I believe I made this one just for me: Well, I'm signing off for now...I still have 11 days before the month is over (thank you leap year for that extra day!), so I better get back to my art room and make some more card art!

Thanks for stopping by, and it's still not too late to join in all the card-making fun!

(Do be my Valentine and leave me some love in the comment section below. If you're reading this via email, hop on over & say "Hi" so I know you've stopped by.)

Hugs! -Enikö

Let’s Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop #46!

Welcome! My name is Enikö DeLisle, and I am very excited to be one of your hosts for the Let’s Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop. (This post will stay on the top of my blog for the entire month. See below for new post!)

I am one of 50 hosts from all over the world...from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts to Australia and everywhere in between! Our mission is to inspire you to make as many handmade greeting cards as you can during the month of February 2012! Each of us is featuring a card sketch to inspire you and great prizes are offered to entice you to join in!

This is where I live...the island of Martha's Vineyard...I don't actually live on the beach (shucks!), but I am only minutes from some very beautiful beaches indeed!

OK! So here's my fabulous sketch 9-15-10, LEAP46 designed by Debby D. at Let's Scrap: Isn't it a wonderful idea for a card? I hope you decide to make a card inspired by this great sketch.

I was inspired to make two different cards using this sketch. I used the same background, but wanted to illustrate how slight changes can alter the look of a card. One is a Valentine, of course! How could I resist?

I hope you choose to make a card from the sketch above and post it on Let's Scrap, but you don't need to make a card to be eligible for my give-a-way! You can just leave me a comment below (which I would really appreciate!) and you will be entered in the draw...If you do both, you will have 2 chances to win my blog candy!

So my give-a-way to the lucky winner of the random draw will be these three great Martha Stewart acrylic stamp sets, Mary Engelbreit dimensional "love" stickers, Basic Grey rub-ons with a touch of bling, and some truly scrumptious gossamer ribbon by Maya Road- all perfect for card-making & papercrafting: 
This is how you can be entered into the draw to win my give-a-way:

Chance 1:

          Be or become a member of Let’s Scrap

          Become a follower of my blog, Eniko's Playhouse

          Leave a comment for me below -"What's your favorite Blog Candy"?

Chance 2:

          Create a card (or scrapbook layout) using the sketch above

          Upload your creation to the Let’s Scrap gallery, tagging it exactly like this:                                            9-15-10, LEAP46

Link your project from Let’s Scrap into a second comment on my  blog. If you need help with how to “link”, instructions can be found here:

http://letsscrap.ning.com/forum/topics/how-to-copy-and-paste-a-page...

GOOD LUCK SCRAPPERS!

If you're following the hosts by numerical order, then you just came from:

#45 -Carla De Zinger's blog from South Africa! http://sweetscrappins.blogspot.com/

Currently, you are visiting me, #46 -Eniko DeLisle, on a small island called Martha's Vineyard, off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, United States of America. http://enikodelisle.typepad.com/enikos-playhouse/

From me, you can leap to:

#47 -Tory Frail in Ontario, Canada!  http://tfraildesigns.blogspot.com/

If you get lost, just return to Mindi Brown in Montana! -She has the full list of blog hosts at: http://scrapchat-n-coffeetalk.blogspot.com/

This blog hop promises to be a lot of fun! You will get a lot of cards done and you will have 50 blogs to visit that are all giving away wonderful prizes. (Complete details are available at Let’s Scrap.)

Thanks for coming by...I hope you visit me again soon. I will be blogging about how I made these two cards in my next post.

Happy bog hopping! -Enikö

Card-making Inspiration - Handmade Valentines

Just a quick post designed to inspire you to make your own Valentine's Day cards this year...and to get you ready for tomorrow's Let's Scrap Leap Around the World Blog Hop! Don't shy away from trying...it's really quite simple to make a card. Look...
This is a simple little card I made for Jim a couple of years ago using a pearlized pre-cut card. The sentiment was cut from patterned scrapbook paper, then trimmed with a lovely border punch by Fiskars. -But look what happens when it's opened up:
Isn't that the cutest thing ever? Photos can add a real personal touch to any handmade card. I added a border sticker around the photo, a heart-shaped sentiment, then added my own message. Easy!

Here's another idea. This one was made with a pre-cut card that opens in the center:
The card as it comes is visible in the background, on top of the white envelope. The card in the foreground has been decorated with a border punch. (OOPS! I thought I had the correct punch in the photo, but I now remember that that I borrowed this one from a friend at our card-making party...it may be by Martha Stewart -not sure.) Anyway, it illustrates how much difference a simple edging can make...and without much work.

All I did to complete this card, is layered a couple of heart-shaped embellishments as a "closure", lined the inside with a pretty soft paper, and added a rub-on sentiment inside.
This is what it looks like closed:
Isn't that adorable? I just added my own message...it only took minutes!

This next one could be a birthday or a Mother's Day card, or it could be made into a Valentine. I started with a pre-made blank white card I purchased at my local stationary store and I trimmed the edge with the same pretty border punch that I used on the pink card above.
Then I glued a pretty vintage image that I found on the web onto the front, and looked for scrapbook paper with similar colors and tones that would look nice peek-a-booing out from under the lace border. After cutting it out, I adhered it to the inside of the card.
I added a slim strip above the thicker strip to balance things out, and placed a journaling block from my stash inside so I could add my own message.
Here's the finished card...just waiting for a warm sentiment to be added to the empty spot under the rose.
So I could write Happy Mother's Day or Happy Birthday or Congratulations or Thank You...this card would be lovely for almost any occasion. Now look how easily I can turn it into a Valentine's Day card, just by adding a little heart here and there and by adding a love-themed sentiment:

See...it's magic!

Well, I hope I've added a touch of inspiration to your card-making and I do hope you'll join us at Let's Scrap for the exciting Leap Around the World Blog Hop. If you'd like to join the Blog Hop, follow the directions on my previous post. When you return to my blog at 11am Eastern on Wednesday, February 1st, you will find a lovely little sketch to jump-start your creativity and I will have directions & links & examples galore to guide you and to inspire you...and a great little give-a-way to entice you!

Happy Card-Making! -Enikö

Gear-up for a Spectacular Month of Card-making!

I'm so excited! As one of the 50 international blog hostesses, I am busy gearing up for the upcoming Let's Scrap (http://letsscrap.ning.com/) "Leap Around the World" February blog hop!!  This fun-filled Card-Making Event with fabulous give-a-ways will start at 10:00am on February 1st and end on February 29th at 11:59pm (central standard time).

I sure hope you join me in this big hop!  There are several things you can do RIGHT NOW to be prepared:

1. Make sure you are signed up as a follower on my blog. Just look in the upper right-hand corner, where it says "Google Friend Connect" and click on "JOIN THIS SITE".  In addition, it's  convenient to subscribe via e-mail so that you will never miss one of my blog posts!
2. Get your scrapping area in order and locate all those paper scraps & ribbons & wonderful embellishments you have been stashing away...you will need them because the blog hop is all about making CARDS!
3. Hop on over to Let's Scrap and sign-up for a free membership. Once you sign-up, you will have the ability to upload photos or scans of the cards you make. Let's Scrap is an amazing community of supportive women from all over the world with a passion for scrapbooking, who thrive on inspiring and encouraging each other.
   

So now you're ready...

Just a few more details... Once you have joined Let's Scrap, you will receive links to all 50 host blogs. Each blog will feature a different card sketch intended to inspire your card design. In the words of my dear scrapping friend, Kay Wallace: "At each blog, you will get two chances to win some blog candy (aka: booty, prizes)!  Do the math! You will have 100 chances to win free stuff...and good stuff, too!  This is also the perfect opportunity to restock your card stash!"

Don't be overwhelmed...you are doing only one card at a time!  Our hope is that you will visit every blog, but remember, you have the whole month of February to do this and you don't have to make all 50 cards...just join in the fun!

 N.B. -Be sure you are using Google Chrome or Firefox as your search engine.  Internet Explorer (IE) does not always "play nice" with Bloggers!

Get ready, get set...let's scrap! -Enikö

Turning Artwork Into Christmas Cards

So I promised you a post about how I turned my mixed media angels (see previous post) into Christmas cards and tags. It's Christmas Eve day and I still have to finish wrapping presents, but a promise is a promise, so here's my Christmas gift to my scrapbooking friends...
After printing off multiple 3"x5" copies of my artwork (taken from photos), I trimmed the images and adhered them to blank cards that I purchased at Michael's craft store. I added lace or ribbon trim and embellished the angels with pearls and crystals...each one a little different, as the mood struck me.
Next, I added sparkle to the snow on the evergreens and the ground, trying several variations of Stickles by Ranger, and made some with crystal snow. Sometimes I even applied some to the angel's wings.
Don't you just love the sparkle? ...Makes me yearn for a white Christmas.
Here are the Noel Angels, which were adhered to gold cards instead of the silver:
I printed some of these in a little larger size by selecting "fit image to size"...I like both sizes for different reasons. The Noel Angels received embellishments on their halos and on the bells...some on the dresses. I stamped sentiments on the inside (I think these acrylic stamps are by Tim Holtz...love him!):
...And even cutomized a Martha Stewart stamp to personalize the cards:
I printed some of the angels in wallet sizes and turned them into tags:
So there you are...that's how i turned my mixed media artwork into Christmas cards and tags! Some of you may have already received your card in the mail (they kind of went out a little late), but I'm still sending out greetings, so if  you didn't get one and you'd like one of my cards, leave a message below and I will send one out to you.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! Enikö

Deck the Halls with Paper-Collage Angels!

I've been playing around with mixed media for a while, now...using scrapbooking papers and scrapbooking techniques, but just in a different way. I was originally inspired by Christy Tomlinson's She Art on-line workshop, and have since taken my artwork in a new direction. I designed these two pieces for Featherstone's Holiday Gift Show, but fell in love with them instantly and decided to use them to make Christmas cards with.

The paper artwork is applied to 8"x10" Gessoed canvas, layer-by-layer, then painted, inked, and altered. So the first step was to adhere pretty background scrapbooking paper. I chose a sky-blue paper with dots of "snow" and a deep purplish paper with a plethora of stars: I decided that one of my Christmas Angels would be a "Snow Angel" and the other would be simply called "Noel Angel", and I went about to find the right papers for the angels' dresses and used a punch to cut out circles for halos the word "Noel" from a very pretty Christmas-themed scrapbook paper. The heads and arms of the angels were cut out from old Dictionary pages. I knew I had some lovely dried leaves and velum leaf stickers that would make perfect wings. I used sparkly white paper to create the ground-snow on one, and a pretty Christmas-y paper for the ground of the other. After sealing everything with Mod Podge, I painted on the hair and colored in the faces and the arms, and added dimension to the dresses with acrylic paint. I happened to have the perfect Jolee's paper evergreen stickers for the Snow Angel, but of course, needed to add some snow with Snow Stickles. I also added some glittery Stickles to random flakes of snow:
In case you're not familiar with Stickles, basically, they are a line of designer glitter glue by Ranger Ink and are loved by the scrapbooking community for ease of use and consistantly superior quality.

I used some scrapbooking and mixed media techniques to apply ink with a variety of rubber stamps, painted the edges of the canvas with metallic paints, and even added  cabochons at the necklines for 3-D embellishments. I absolutely love the way they turned out!

I'm finding it impossible to pick a favorite, but I may be partial to the Snow Angel because of the trees. They are great as seasonal Home Decor pieces, but I'll be turning them into Christmas cards in my next post... So which is your favorite?

(I hope you let me know in your comment below.)

Wishing you Christmas Joy, Enikö

Scrapbooking Techniques for an Oscar Party Invitation and More...

 
Everyone who knows me also knows that I have three major obsessions: Scrapbooking, Barbie Doll Collecting, and Awards Season in Hollywood. These passions are more than hobbies...they are what keep me smiling when life's challenges threaten to overwhelm... they are what keep the best things about me fresh, young and alive.

Sharing my passions with others is my joy, and that's why you are invited to my 2011 Oscar Party, where my three obsessions have joined in a particularly delightful way this year.

Every party needs a proper invitation, so I used the fabulous papers from Graphic 45's Curtain Call line. I love the Golden Age of Hollywood, so it was fun to represent it by using the face of the vintage cowboy. I covered the vintage-style movie strip image from Curtain Call with photos & titles of this year's various Oscar nominees cut from a movie magazine -I wanted to create a 3-D effect with the strip, which was a little tricky, but very effective. My favorite embellishment is the tiny "Oscar" statue that hangs from the gold-threaded ribbons.

I hope you're styled for the Red Carpet as you join us inside for the party:

The table is set in Red Carpet-crimson and actually sports a mini Red Carpet in the background -a great little table centerpiece that I won at the Barbie Collectors Convention the year it was held in Hollywood. The fabulous antique Bette Davis canvas marque was a gift from my sister, who found it at a yardsale in NH. You'll notice the "Lord of the Rings" tower on the left...various movies from the past, recreated with Barbies, decorate nearly every surface of the house: "Gone With the Wind", "My Fair Lady", "101 Dalmations", "Legally Blonde"...to name a few. The mantle sports a nod to Hollywood's glamorous Golden Age.

Grab a glass of Piper Heidsieck and some food...there is chips & salsa in honor of "127 Days", fresh veggies & herb dip for "The Kids Are Alright", Jim Bean for "True Grit", tea & tea sandwiches for "The King's Speech", poor man's (eggplant) caviar for "Winter's Bone, animal crackers for "Toy Story 3", dark chocolate truffles as a nod to "The Black Swan"...there's shrimp cocktail and a wonderful variety of English and Irish cheeses.

Meet some of my fellow Oscar lovers- This is Cassie with me, who is my right-hand Oscar party wrangler.

 

 

 

This is Laura, posed infront of my prized "Slumdog Millionaire" poster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My friend, Robin, who I attend many movie screenings with.

 

Patrie was a vision in her Oscar gold. You can see the "Alice in Wonderland" tableau behind her.

 

Here is a better view:

I felt an urge to represent all of the ten Best Picture nominees, and here they are:

This was my favorite scene from the "Toy Story 3", when Andy plays with his toys for one last time before he gives them away to the little girl...it makes me cry every time I watch it.

 

 

 

 

Here's my version of the Hailee Steinfeld character in True Grit.

Not sure if you can see the giant gun she's holding, but it's pretty funny.

 

 

"127 Days"
...ha, ha, ha...did the hunting knife give it away?

 

"The Kids Are Alright" ...all that auburn hair is apt to get a girl in trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Social Network"

 

-It was really fun recreating Mark Zuckerberg in an outfit so very similar to the one he's sporting on the poster. There is actually a mini Facebook wall on the computer screen...

 

 

 

"The King's Speech"

 

I hope you can see the old-fashioned microphone in front of the poor petrified King, and the comforting arm of his beloved and devoted wife.

 

 

 

 

Next, my personal Favorite, "Winter's Bone" -If you saw the movie, you understand the significance of the chain saw. And yes, that's a hand-rolled "cigarette" in her mouth.

"Inception" -The dream is real

And finally, "The Black Swan"
-My apologies for not including "The Fighter"...at this writing, I am contemplating bidding on some vintage Ken boxing gloves -apparently that's the only prop missing from my extensive Barbie collection.

I hope you've enjoyed attending my virtual Oscar Party...

I think it was a relatively good year for movies...certainly colorful with a wide variety.

Back to my scrapbooking...

Hugs, Enikö

 

Playing With Vellum

A Special Card For a Special Birthday Feast!

I’ve been an avid Scrapbook Designer for quite some time now, but recently I’ve delved into card-making and I think I’ve found a new passion! I’m especially fond of using vellum. The crisp feel of this wonderful paper adds an air of elegance to every project, while its semi-translucent characteristics add softness and perhaps even an air of mystery. It can be a little tricky at times, since most adhesives show through it (be sure to use a made-for-vellum product), but it lends itself well to tearing techniques and layering and holds a fold beautifully.

Because Laura is always away on her annual ski trip to Vermont with her dad (my significant other, Jim) on her late-February birthday, we’ve taken to celebrating it late, but with great enthusiasm. Laura loves hearts, bling, the color red and vellum, so I decided to incorporate them all into a very special card for her very special 28th birthday.

 

First, I printed out my sentiment, using the graceful “Iris” script, right on to a sheet of vellum on my computer. Then I punched a lovely lace pattern on the bottom and folded it in half.

I recently purchased a die-cutting machine and was anxious to try it out. I thought it would be fun to cut large “X’s” & “O’s” in reference to the “Hugs” and “Kisses” referred to in my little poem.

 Die-cutting machines can be a little intimidating and there’s definitely a learning curve to deal with, but once you’ve sacrificed a few sheets of paper and dealt with the sometimes overly sticky mat situation, they are MAGIC!

After running the "X's" and "O's through my Xyron adhesive machine, I used tweezers to place them on white prefolded cardstock (blank cards are available with matching envelopes) and inserted it into the vellum cover.

I attached the two with a double layer of red ribbon (a satin over a slightly wider gossamer) and tied a pretty bow. I finished it off by placing a little bling on the ends of the satin ribbon (the rhinestones were a gift from Laura) and added a couple of little hearts...and there you have it! I love the way the cardstock peaks through the velum! FABULOUS!

I always cook Laura her favorite meal for her Birthday Dinner - here's the menu:

Roasted Duckling (crispy on the outside -deliciously tender on the inside)

Sweet & Sour Braised Red Cabbage (just like my mom used to make)

Tarhonya (a wonderful Hungarian pasta similar to orzo, but irregular in shape)

Ice Cream Cake (pastry chef Laura made this herself so she could have it just the way she likes it)

Here she is enjoying the festivities with that contagious laugh of hers. TOOTALOO!