A Flair For Buttons Valentine's Blog Hop!

Hello!
Welcome to the A Flair For Buttons Valentine's Day Blog Hop!
Join us as we showcase some of Shelley's FABULOUS new flair.
We hope to inspire you along the way!

As a Thank You for visiting, please feel free to use the following coupon code
IHEARTFLAIR
and receive 10% off your purchase in the A Flair For Buttons Etsy shop.

Make sure to visit the A FLAIR FOR BUTTONS blog at the end of the hop and leave a comment for a chance to win a new set of flair!

Blog Hop order:

Shelley Haganman

Danielle Walls

Erica Weinstock

Dana Howard

Diane Payne

Michelle Hernandez- <<< You Are Here. YAY!

Meghan Klauer

Jennifer Chapin

A Flair For Buttons

I've never really paid much attention to Valentine's Day.
Now that I'm a Mom I've had to change that tune.
My daughter constantly asks for the candy in the store check out aisles (nasty trick!) and likes all the red heart shaped items she's seeing so I've decided to go with the flow (for once).

I used the Love Flair Two and Arrow 1 Flair sets for this page along with some old Martha
Stewart Christmas paper along with some Crate Paper and Studio Calico prints.
The Polaroid Cameras are from Die-cuts With A View.

The second project is a card I made for my husband who is working incredibly hard and feeling a bit down about not spending more time with his family.

For this super quick card I used Dude Flair and some Basic Grey
and American Crafts leftovers that have been lying around entirely too long.

This year we are planning a family "date night" with dinner at an actual restaurant and a movie.
It will be quite fancy... if my 3 year old decides to co-operate. :)

Thanks for swinging by!

Your next stop is Meghan Klauer of Meghan Klauer Design.

Don't forget-  use the following coupon code: IHEARTFLAIR

to receive 10% off your purchase in the A Flair For Buttons Etsy shop!

Have a great (and safe) winter weather weekend!
Michelle

Happy Happy Heart day!

Happy Valentine's Day!
I've never had a problem with today as a holiday. When I was single I had a huge group of friends I would go dancing with and now that I'm married I have a husband I can "ask" (beg) to go get bagels for me as a present- it's been great!

I just heard a super interesting conversation on an NPR talk show and I wanted to share!

It was about improving the quality of your relationships and the primary thing the relationship expert said we should do: (wait for it- it's kinda obvious)

-Try new EXCITING things together. 

If you tend to go see Opera together try going on a hike. If you go hiking together go see an opera. The theory is that a good long term relationship requires intellectual stimulation to maintain the "spark" that first drew you together.

Dave's card. I had a lot of fun recycling the Maya Road packaging bubble for this
but the pinked edges of the photos inside refused to play nice- this is literally the
 only shot where you can see all 3- it took 30 minutes to get them to do this.
Word to the wise- don't pink the friggin edges!!

Dave recently helped me by shooting a video for Gauche Alchemy (I'm still trying to figure out how to edit it) and suddenly he "got it"- that I really love talking about art and shooting the video was a way for him to participate. 

Before the video his eyes would just roll to the back of his head whenever I started up. 

I can't get him to sit down and scrap (a good thing actually!) but this was a way for us to share. 

I just have to figure out a way to "share" in David's primary loves- RC helicopters, kites, telescopes and electric bicycles. 

Hmmm- I just realized how geeky we are. Perhaps it's time we go Kayaking or something.

If you want to take a listen here's a link: WNYC-RelationShow- it's funny as all get!

I also wrote up a funny article on Valentine's Day crafting for Gauche Alchemy- swing by if you have a few moments: Plastic, hot glue and you- Some do's (more don'ts)

GRATUITOUS FAMILY PHOTO:

To heck with happy family shots! It's nap time.

Have a GREAT day people. Hug the ones you love!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!

Michelle

February is a RED MESS!! True Xoxo Girls Challenge

I love the color red.
I think anything can be improved by a nice red detail. A black jacket? Extra smart when paired with a red scarf. Pink looks more alive when paired with red- so do orange and turquoise.
Strawberries, cherries, apples- all red! Mother Nature is on my side.

Love Monkey- True Xoxo Girls Messy Challenge- February
Materials: Gauche Alchemy Pink Parts and Scarlet Fever Mixed Media Color kits (glitter hearts, little rubber monkey sequins and buttons), red punchinella, packaging from a Maya Road pins pack, Thickers in foam and fabric from Joann's, Tim Holtz brick pattern embossing plate, graph paper from Staples, Mister Hueys in Schoolhouse, Calico Cream, Piglet  and Cameo, Art-C heart doily and "today" stamp from Cocoa Daisy (GREAT SET!), Dooddlebug and Reminiscence brads

I long for red especially at this time of year when everything outside is brown or grey.
When I go and do laundry we have four loads- bleach pile, darks, lights and red/pink. It makes for fun loading at the laundromat- everyone just looks at me like whaaaaaa?
The red/pink pile is the largest.

Some of my favorite Hipstamatic app filters add pink or red to my photos.
The Lucifer VI lens adds a subtle red circle to the photo. 

Here I've used the Lucifer VI lens and Big Up film for the yellow/pink tape border.
Big Up border effects are random so I love when this combo comes up.

My husband knows to skip the hearts, flowers, chocolate and lace. (Especially the lace- I pugnaciously reject gifts with ULTERIOR MOTIVES)
He usually shows up with a fun red cotton sweater or shirt for me and something wacky for Miss Thang to play with.  When he put this outfit on Lola, totally alone and without my help, I was so very happy:

The Maya Road plastic packing fit the Instax print perfectly! I wish I had a bunch more so
I could make a whole series of these mini shakers!

I also tried something new (for me). Using recycled packaging on a layout. I usually throw these out but my fellow Gauche Alchemy DT members encouraged me to try incorporating them into a layout- this is my first attempt so it's a bit.. rustic... but I can see myself sewing these onto cards or using a few of them as wall decoration- the possibilities are endless and it was super easy to make.

Sneak peek at something else I'm working on for my Feb 13th
post over at Gauche Alchemy. The Hispstamatic Ben Watts Lens
gives this photo magenta edges.

The True Xoxo Girls Challenge for this month is MESSY! I used Gauche Alchemy Scarlet Fever color kit on this as well as some older paper from my stash. And I FINALLY broke out my Claudine Helmuth acrylic paints- which scare me with their pure and beautiful color intensity. Your challenge for this month is to SCRAP MESSY!
Go on- you can DO EET!

GRATUITOUS CUTE BABY SHOT!

Running away from Mom's "smile for the camera" request.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

It's Valentine's Day at Paper Issues!

Good Morning!

It's been an awful week- nothing but crap all around and the fact that it's only WEDNESDAY makes me shudder. You'll have to excuse me while I go back to quietly reading fantasy books, eating brownies and downing several Texas size mugs of tea. 

In any case I had to put my Brooklyn girl pants on.

I told myself- self- get a life- a real one- stop living vicariously through social networks.

And got on with my day.

Paper Issues has a new Valentine's Day link party going on. I ordered my Crate Paper Hearts collection pack from the Paper Issues store and I'm so glad I did- budget be damned. 

What I didn't know was that the pack comes with flat die cuts- not the usual chipboard. I actually like the die cuts better since they allow me to layer them in my own way. Unfortunately the collection doesn't have matching alpha stickers. I would have LOVED to have some woodgrain or burlap mini stickers to work with but I have a HUGE stash of Thickers that need using anyway.

Here's the page:

28 Months. (OMG! She's 36 inches tall! Where's MAH BAIIBEE????)
MATERIALS: Crate Paper Paper Hearts line, Sassafras Lass Paper Whimsy flowers, Hambly script washi, Thickers and butterfly embellishments from Midnight Rooster July kit (which I won from the Crate Paper blog- YAY!)

Using up my paper doily and my Stickles stash.

Layering with flat elements keeps the page from bulking up-  I already have a huge storage issue.
Those butterfly pins are SO darn CUTE!!

PS have you seen the Crate sneaks? I LOVE the new Storyteller line! The colors are hella cool and the prints are so eclectic! I can't wait to get my hands on it and get to work! I also LOVE the new Studio Calico wood veneer pieces and ALL the My Mind's Eye collections! Very excited about CHA sneaks!

Swing by Paper Issues and post your Valentine's project!

SNEEKY PEEK at my February True Xoxo Girl's page! What is it about Valentine's Day that makes me wanna scrap? I think it's the red / magenta color palette- one of my fave combos EVER.

Here I am trying out a new (for me) technique- reusing plastic embellie packaging as a snow globe of sorts.
The Instax photo fit this one perfectly.  Dave dressed Lola and posed her B-Girl style- she's too darned cute.

GRATUITOUS BABY SHOT!!!

Can you BELIEVE I put that outfit on her and let her out in PUBLIC? Poor kid.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!

Why are Valentine's Day pages easier?

I went through major drama putting together Christmas pages but for some reason Valentine's Day is much easier- why? Could it be that Valentine's doesn't have all the intense need for perfection that Christmas does for me??? Anyhooo..
Head on over to Paper Issues- there is now an ETSY shop!!! The kits available are THE CUTENESS! And VERY affordable. I am awarding them a BESTIE for... BEST PRICE POINT/CUTEST EMBELLIES. I bought a mini kit within seconds of visiting the store- can't wait to break it open and PLAAAY!
Here's my version of Pencil Lines sketch 219 by Rina McClune.

Fierce Creature
Materials: S.E.I With All My Heart papers, Hambly Studio Pink frames tranny, EK Success Abstract Flower edge punch,  Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam- Big Apple, Basic Grey chipboard alphas, Basic Grey naked alphas, C-Thru ATC Kit Love brads, K and Co fabric flowers, ColorBok bling hearts

That is a favorite series of photos of Miss Thang doing her piggie face. She was wearing a "Princess" onesie AND stomping the ground like a sumo wrestler. My child is F.I.E.R.C.E!!! Two snaps and a bad-ass folded arm stare. Amada is the Lolster's second name. I was still recovering from the c-section and stuck to my hospital room. I was scared to death that she wasn't going to make it so I named her the first thing that came to mind- Beloved.

Pencil Lines sketch 219 by Rina McClune

Aren't those SEI papers FABULOUS???? When I got the papers I looked at them for a while wondering if I liked them (?!!!) they are so different from what I normally use. But I got over that with the quickness. I LOVE the pearl gleam and glitter details they have. As usual both sides are equally beautiful so I cut 2 of them up to try to get in as much heart cuteness as I could.

LAYOUT PHOTO NOTE- use a bounce flash to get detail from an embossed or glimmer paper without blowing out the highlights. This requires you get an expensive flash unit but you deserve it no? Here I used my Nikon SB-28.  The flash unit is pointing up so the light bounces off the ceiling and looks like it's coming from a skylight. I shot this in the middle of the night with no weird flash effects.

Total product freak out- wish I had scored some more!
Colors left to right: Private Meadow, Mermaid, Big Apple, Oil Slick,
Golden Goddess, Dirty Martini and Blue Suede Shoes
Missing- Pink Lipstick and Espresso Bean

I used some more of that Tattered Angels "Big Apple" Glimmer Glam here. It's a true red- not almost Pink, not Wine, not Magenta- RED- in your face RED. Glimmer Glam is super duper saturating. I brushed some onto some orange Basic Grey chipboard letters and not an ounce of original color is to be seen plus the glam stayed raised and gave the letters some dimension. I'm in loooove. The glam stuck to my paintbrush, my fingers, the dinner table and more importantly- the metal spoon I left on the floor. AH HAAAAA! Next up- my acrylic and metal stash- will it stay glammed? Stay Tuned to find out.

Piggie FACE!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
M.

3 King's Day & St. Valentine's Day in 1 page

Ah love- the very thing you strive for then spend your time questioning once you have it. Stop that! Be happy and present in your love! Speak it to your love object! Celebrate it in true ROCCOCO fashion. I have resolved to do just that in 2011.
Here is another Valentine's Day piece:

NOT generic.
Materials: We R Memory Keepers Gridlock paper, Sassafras Lass My Type (scallop heart), Cosmo Cricket  Tiny Type brown/clear & Paul Bunyan alphas, EK Success Sticko Retro Puffy alphas, Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses alphas, MAya Road Man chip board, EK 2" scallop heart punch, Prima Barcode clear 48mm tape, Hambly Studio pattern rub-ons- brown

Dave is incredibly patient, tolerant and empathic. He's also a true analytical personality so how he's attracted to an Emo nutball like me is a mystery. I'll be yammering away about the latest thing I took as an insult and he'll just look at me like: "Dude...." I frustrate him in my ability to squirrel out implied disses. He ignores most pesky things (me) with Tibetan Monk-like complacency. And unlike cheesy 70's chick flicks- he's perfectly willing to say (and mean) I'm sorry.

Here I used white Mister Huey under Sunshine yellow and THAT happened- see? It' like the 3D glasses effect only it's 2D and invisible to the eye here. I also used a Maya Road man that turned out to be 8 inches long which surprised and delighted me (that's what she said)- sorry.

The heart is an improvisation- the rub on never attached to anything- not the paper, not the tranny I was intending for it- nothing. So I punched it out the sheet and sewed (SPL???) it on. Then I thought- wearing your heart on your sleeve hmmm... David reserves that for only 1 person. Miss Lola. I love the string- hate how crappy the rub-on looks.

New camera keeps Lola from looking down in anti-flash anticipation.
Polaroid- very few film cartridges left- WAAAH!

Lastly, Dave got me a 3 King's Day present! 3 King's Day is celebrated in Spanish speaking countries. On the eve of January 5th, kids put grass under their beds for the camels of the 3 Kings who visited Baby Jesus bringing Myrr, Gold and- sommin' else.  Next morning they get 3 presents, 1 from each king. My parents used to celebrate it along with Christmas when we lived in PR but that stopped abruptly when we moved to NY and they paid NYC rent.  I was SUPPOSED to go with Miss Thing to the Parade in front of El Museo Del Barrio but I forgot- AGAIN. That makes it 10 years in a row I forget to shoot that wonderfully artsy event- SO not cool.

Lola helps. Fuji shoots

Anyway I got a Fuji Instax camera!!!! (They were sold out during Christmas) I mourn MOURN the loss of Polaroid. It's a huge hole in the heart of American coolness- not to mention US jobs.

So awesomely awesome I SQUEALED
 when I opened the package!

But thankfully the Japanese have risen to the challenge and taken the coolness and IMPROVED upon it (figures!) Thus the Fuji Instamatic with credit card sized instant photos in a nicely rectangular shape. Now if they would just put out a square shaped format I would be SO insanely happy! But I guess I'll get an app to do that...

MuChOs SmOoChEs!

M.

Love ATC MADNESS!

A reader might wonder why half my headlines have the word MADNESS in them. It's just fun to hear the headline in my head. Remember Crazy Eddy? "Prices so low... IT'S INSAAAAAAAANE!" well I'd hire him to yell out my blog headlines- too bad he's in jail for fraud & money laundering.
Here are my Valentine's Day ATCs. YAYYY!  You can also check them out on the next PAPER ISSUES CHALLENGE. This is the first time I tackle ATC format AND a Valentine's Day project- it was FUN!

And ATC
MATERIALS: Love Art-C Artist Trading Card Kit, EK Success Abstract Flower Edge Punch, Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink- Gold Lame, EK Success 2" scallop heart punch, American Crafts Thickers- pink, Crafter's Workshop 12x12 heart template, AC glitter paper- red, Smooch spritz- red,  Tattered Angels mist- Suede
PHOTO CREDIT: DANIEL LAM

The photo is from Gia's amazing engagement photo album shot by her extremely talented brother Daniel. Gia's wedding theme was AND- as in 2 different families coming together or Gia & Tom or We are getting married & you better be there!!!! I LOVED IT! She's so awesome.... (read my blog read my blog read my blog)
That is the home run card.
THIS is the bleh one:

Love ATC
MATERIALS:  Love Art-C Artist Trading Card Kit,  Tattered Angels glimmer glam- Pink Lipstick, Adirondack Acrylic paint dabber- gold, Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink- Gold Lame, EK Success 2" scallop heart punch, Crafter's Workshop 12x12 heart template, V alpha bead from Red Lead.com,  Jolee's woodgrain alpha stickers

What do you think? BE HONEST.
I'm ok with it only because I found out I could use an acrylic paint dabber on a transparency and have it stick.  But really these are all about how much I love shopping. Two Peas in a bucket (Remember the order the US Mail kidnapped? Well it finally appeared FOUR days late in the building lobby where THANKFULLY David's Uncle found it. TOLD YOU I had CRETINS as mailmen!!! Plus the PUSTULOUS GHOUL marked it as delivered!! I was home- he never rang the buzzer! EEEEVIL! )

Sorry- Two Peas in a Bucket has Art-C ATC kits on sale for 7.49 so I thought-might as well try it... I really like these kits. The paper elements could be higher in quality but they get so abused in the misting and gluing process they come out looking fine. The Tattered Angeles Glimmer Glam is not something I would normally buy but OOOPS! Joann's included one on my last order- FOR FREE! Not sure why... maybe to apologize for terrible customer service, an incredibly time consuming & creaky website that freezes with Safari and turn around time so slow Snails regularly pull up next to it and laugh.
Breathe, B.R.E.A.T.H.E- cute photo break...

Nephew Ty. Next project subject.
Photo by my cousin Viviana Vazquez
another hugely talented young photographer

Not sure where the energy is coming from for all this ranting- maybe I need to take up yoga... But Glimmer Glam is AWESOME and I now will buy as many different colors as my grubby lil wallet can afford.
MuChOs SmOoChEs!
M.