Send Some Smiles...

I am so enthralled with blogland. The most amazing people blog. I meet them by reading and following their blogs. Many of us have similar creative and artisitic ideas. Some of us have never stretched our talents and become encouraged to do so by our blog friends. We do become friends even though we have never met in person. We feel a connection. We form bonds.

These tags were inspired by a wonderful lady named Diane Knott and you can see her blog here: http://dianeknottsmusings.blogspot.com/ which I highly recommend. Diane makes the most beautiful cards, tags and other items. I have put my spin on some tags that she made using lavender and making sachets for the recipient to use in drawers or wherever. I feel so blessed to be able to make something and know exactly who I am sending it to. The tag in the middle with the word imagine on it is going to be mailed to St. Louis to a wonderful lady named Colette. Keep reading please...

I found out about Colette through a beautiful blog that Sherry (yes her name is spelled exactly the same as mine and that is very fun) has and I have been following. Please visit her blog to read about Colette:

http://countrywingsinphoenix.blogspot.com/2010/03/lets-get-colette-in-pink.html

This post of Sherry's is so heartwarming as it is requesting anyone send mail to Colette to cheer her while she is battling breast and bone cancer. Now this is the part of blogland and new friends that I truly cherish. We have such big hearts and want to help others so we come together and have a purpose bigger than just one of us could achieve on our own. I am now sending little cards and cheerful things that I think will brighten the day and bring a smile to Colette's beautiful face. I sent a butterfly because it represents 10,000 happinesses. I sent a heart shaped fabric yo-yo. I am sending this lavender sachet tag. Oh I have lot of ideas that I am preparing and will send every few days. Sherry at Country Wings is a lovely lady and so giving that now she is putting together a scrapbook for Colette. Please read about her ideas in her posts. Maybe you will want to help out and send some cheer and get Colette in the Pink.

I am truly blessed as I am able to enjoy every day and spend it doing whatever makes me happy. Truthfully making others happy is the most rewarding for me and makes me the happiest.

So please visit Diane and Sherry and send some cheer to Colette. Prayers are always excellent.

Having fun...

These are my newest shoes and socks. My SS (Soul Sister) Lorraine gave me these super fun socks in my Christmas stocking and I saved them for just the right time to wear. As for my shoes well my Sister Marie has the best shopping radar on the planet. We were at Nordstroms Rack and I was so overloaded I gave up looking when Marie said, "Sherry what about these they look like you?". Needless to say I put them on and wore them out of the store after paying for them of course. They are super comfortable and very much me! Thank you Lorraine and Marie. I feel like Alice in Wonderland with this look. LOL

Here is my Week #12 Creative Cue. The word of the week was RICH. I had lots of things come to mind however I wanted to wait until I processed each of them for a few days. Money is of course one thought...not for me as I am not rich and do not think I shall ever be so in this lifetime. I am a visual and touchy-feely person so I kept coming back to the colors and texures that I love and use in my daily creative endeavors. However, the most important RICH any of us can have is family and friends (with health coming close behind). I did not want to print pictures of these numerous persons and share them so I merely gave mention. In my heart and soul I know how incredibly RICH I am for all of my wonderful family and my numerous friends I am fortunate enough to have.

What is something you would classify as RICH? Maybe your favorite flavor or taste of something?

Another Gift Given...

Now I can show you another project I worked on, have given and has been received. My very sweet cousin has been having some difficult life issues and recently had her husband pass away while she is dealing with her ailing mother and father whom live with her. Her father, my uncle, is with hospice care so time is short. I wanted to give her something she could wear and that would bring a smile to her day. So as you can see in the above photo I got out the supplies to make her a pair of earrings. Very simple and sedate as that is what she would like.

Then I thought I would stamp and color a tag to mail them with. The roses are done with a packing tape transfer that is so simple and fun to do. I purposefully made the colors bright and intense as it was still gray and dreary winter when I sent these. She and I both have similar weather even though we live in two different states. She likes the snow and we all know I like the hot sun. LOL

A small coin envelope on the back side of the tag to hold the earrings for safe journey through the mail. Of course I also wrapped these in pattern tissue which is my new favorite and tied them with ribbon and sent the package in a card and padded envelope.

And here we have the finished earrings. Turquoise nuggets and beads. My cousin loves them. What a great feeling it gives me to know that she is wearing them and that she really does love them. She even got a new blouse that matches perfectly.

I am so happy that you like these my sweet cousin.

Saucy Chicks Story...

Hello followers of my blog and any new readers who might be checking in today. I will tell you a little story of the Saucy Chicks. The store bought journal contains the beginnings of my story. I have recently finished updating this journal with tons of photos and memorabilia so as to have one place of reference. At least five years ago my dear friend Lorraine (the pretty lady on the right in the photo below) was out and about and she called me to tell me her excitement. "Sherry, we are going to make chickens!" WHAT? I am thinking how a chicken really looks and worrying about how to make their skinny legs and wrinkled feet. My imagination just wasn't cooperating at all.

As you can see in this photo above we went all out and really got into the spirit of the chicken theme. Our aprons, pins, displays all screamed chickens. We decided we were Saucy Chicks who make Saucy Chick chickens. We spent countless hours in the studio, or I should say "chicken coop" as it became known, designing, cutting fabrics, sewing and sewing and sewing our Saucy Chick chickens.

If we ever made one we made a six-pack or a dozen or more at a time. We had chickens everywhere. My house, her house, the cars, places of business and restaurants. We had so much fun making them 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and never realized how many we were accumulating. We even named each and every one of our little chickens. We also had each and every one of them do a photo shoot to document how special they were. No two were ever alike and no duplicate names. Our little chickens have been delivered all over these states as they were purchased and found new owners and homes. We made so many we lost count.

We also donated them by the dozens to local homes for the elderly, to convalescent hospitals and the oncology department of our local hospital. They always brought smiles to every face that saw them.

Now we only make them upon special request.

We now spend the majority of our time focusing on our jewelry design and sales. As you can see in the photo above even our little chicks wore jewelry on occasion.

But...you never know when someone will say, "Hey Saucy Chicks! What are you up to?" I suppose we shall forever be the Saucy Chicks. We certainly had a ton of fun and brightened a lot of "peeps" with our adorable little chickens.

So now you know the story.

Gift given...

I shared a photo of a gift wrapped in vintage pattern tissue and a butterfly sticker on it. I was going to mail it in a birthday card and I like to keep mailing items light weight and flat. Well then I found out I was giving it in person so no need to mail it. Hmmm...

I had made this simple Swarovski crystal bracelet as the real gift. Once I realized I would not be mailing it I didn't want to give it in the simple wrapping I had done. So...or I should say, sew...

I went to the sewing room and got out some vintage fabric, some lace, a button and ribbon. I wanted the gift pouch to have some cushion and softness so I got a piece of wool felt and sandwiched it between the decorator fabric. Very simple rectangle and serging of all the edges. I folded it and sewed the sides. A short flap with lace is a perfect fold over. But it wanted to keep popping open so a little ribbon and a button is all it needed to hold it closed and give it the right touch.

I will say that this gift pouch was very well received and well liked. Shhh...I will be making more of these for some more gifts I am giving.

I already have some interesting thoughts on some of my fabrics and colors. I am trying to use what I have and not keep buying more things to store. It is rather fun to actually use combinations from my stash and see what the end results are.

This is like a gift within a gift. I love that. Usually I wrap and package things in several layers just for the fun of watching people open their gifts.

Are you the type of gift giver that likes to see the recipient open their gift? For me it is part of the satisfaction of knowing if they like their gift I have made especially for them.