a Window into my World ~ Ceairrah and Gary

My grand kids are definitely a window to the world. Their unique view on things makes everything fresh again, which reminds me of a story. (You know you are getting old when you start saying that! LOL) \

Their daddy is rather famous among those of us who know him well for his moods. He can be the most fun and delightful person to be around when he is happy, with a laugh that rattles the rafters and makes you feel good all over for hours after hearing it, one that you can't help but join, and dark moods like thunder storms. He apparently came home thundering one day, stomping around the house, glowering, only to be sweetly approached by his 3-year-old son and asked, "Daddy, did mommy take away your toys?"

Just thinking about it makes me roar with laughter... every single time! It is a story that delights his wife and I, and one that rightfully makes him blush! Awww, the insight of the young!

I had so much fun with this window concept that I wanted to do another one for me, so here is a page featuring my darling grand kids with the same theme and same K@Company paper collection.




After cutting the butterfly out from a separate sheet of patterned paper,I added a handmade rose made with matching pp and following a tutorial from Gabrielle Pollacco's blog.


I inked the heart and leaf centers of my Silhouette cuts with orange and red and really like the water color look that matches these papers so well. The edging is done with the same method demonstrated on my "Sweet" post.


I have been so inspired by the beautiful handmade flowers of so many of the talented artists at SB.com that I decided to try my hand at creating my own, so using Prima flowers as a guide, and with the instructions I read once in a magazine rattling around jumbled in my brain, I came up with this lace flower. It's still a work in progress that I hope to improve on, but one thing that I do really like about it is that it lies down so nicely in the protective sleeve in my albums without the bulk that so many of the blooms I use create.

Here are the steps that I used, though I am very open to suggestions on how I can improve.

1st: I created a pattern by cutting out 2 different sized circles. The large one is 3" and the second one is 2". I also cut a small circle in the middle. I then folded them in half.

2nd: I fold over my strip of lace just enough so my half circle pattern fits, placing the fold of my circle on the fold of the lace and cut around both circles.


My lace circle then looks like this:

Repeat the same step with the smaller circle so you have 2 circles of lace, a large and a small. While it isn't necessary, for this particular flower I also cut a circle of matching silk for the base, leaving out the doughnut whole in the center.

3rd: Use a needle and thread to sew a running stitch around the edge of the inner circles of both pieces of lace as demonstrated below.


4th: Gently pull the thread taut, gathering and ruffling the lace on both the large and small circles.

5th: Stitch the the 3 circles together in the center of your flower, material on the bottom, then the large circle of lace next, with the small circle on top.


Finally: Embellish with beads, brads, buttons or whatever else you can come up with. I sewed beads to this flower and also added a brad in the center.

Below are some variations. I sewed strung beads to the edge of lace on one flower, added stickles to the edges of the silk on others, which is not only pretty but has the added benefit of preventing fraying. You have only the limits of your imagination!