Twilight Eclipse Felted Wool, Crochet, Fabric and Bottlecap Pins - Party Favors!

Well, this is the first time I have created pins as a birthday party favor. This project certainly took a life of it's own. Intially, I was just going to do bottlecap pins -- pretty simple. However, working in my craft room always inspires me as I take a look at other "stuff" in progress.

Since I opened my Etsy shop back in November 2009, I have concentrated on selling items made from felted wool sweaters. As I was working on the bottlecaps, I realized i should add layers of felted wool - black, grey and red. I layered them and added the bottlecap in the middle. I liked it.

But then, I remembered I recently found a red and white crochet sweater at the thrift store. I had cut out the crochet "flowers" from these sweaters. Then it hit me, why not add some of the crochet flowers to the mix? The colors were perfect, white and red. If that was not enough, I also had some black and white Damask type cotton fabric. I decided to created simple frayed flowers from the fabric. Now I had felted wool flowers shapes, crochet flowers, frayed fabric flowers and bottlecaps!

Not surprising, I just went a little crazy making all these different combinations -- this also meant I had to make more twilight eclipse bottlecaps!

So, instead of just a few pins for Laura's 13th birthday party, now I have so many I will be mailing some to my friends who are also twilight fans. And, I will also post a few of these to sell on Etsy.

This is how some of my projects evolve. I start with a basic idea or principle and sometimes, it just takes a life of it's own - I love it! This was fun. The best part, is that I get to share this with my family and friends.

Twilight Eclipse Hershey Bar Candy Wrappers- Party Favors

Candy Wrappers for Hershey Chocolate bars is another favorite party favor I have been creating for many years for my kids birthday parties.

Like the popcorn wrappers, I used Adobe Photoshop Elements, digital elements from scrapgirls (digital papers, brushes, and styles) to create the candy wrappers. Again, it's like creating a digital scrapbook page.

In this case, I create a new document that is 6.35 inches by 5.50 inches, 300 resolution and transparent. I layer images, photos and add text to create the candy wrappers.

The actual file will look very similar to the popcorn wrappers. When the candy wrappers are wrapped onto the Hershey bar, then the images are all on the same orientation.

I blurred out the photo of my daugther...my husband works in federal law enforcement and is not comfortable with photos of our kids on the blog.

Twilight Eclipse Popcorn Wrappers - Party Favors

Popcorn wrappers is another favorite party favor that I like to make for my kids birthday parties. Like everything I create digitally, I created these popcorn wrappers using Adobe Photoshop Elements and images from the internet.

I opened a new document in Adobe Photoshop Elements that was 7.25 inches and 8.90 inches, 300 resolution and transparent. I created much like you would create a digital scrapbook layout. I dragged my images onto the new document and using various digital papers, bruches and styles I purchased from scrapgirls (digital scrapbook supplies). I was able to add glitter edges (a style) to the images. It helped frame the images. The computer jpeg file actually looks like this:

This photo is the front and back of the popcorn wrapper, already folded. When you pick it up, and turn it over, the images are all the same orientation.

Another popcorn wrapper, front and back:

Twilight Eclipse Bookmark Party Favors

Creating party favors is always fun. Creating bookmarks using Adobe Photoshop Elements has always been a favorite of mine. These were pretty easy to make since I just used images I found on the internet. All the images, except for one of the bookmarks, are from the twilight Eclipse movie. I added charms to the decorative ribbon and yarn.



The bookmarks are double sided. The pictures below show the front and back along with some closeup of the charms. Laura is very happy with all of the bookmarks, and of course, that makes me happy too!

Twilight Eclipse Lanyard Birthday Invitations

Using Adobe Photoshop Elements, lanyards and clear ID Badges I created special custom birthday invitations for my daughter's 13th birthday sleepover party. Still can't believe she will be turning 13 next month!

The picture below shows front and back of the lanyard images. I also created a "concert" type ticket for Laura's guest. Laura is looking forward to delivering all the invitations to her friends, probably sometime next week. The kids and I will be traveling soon...visit my family in El Paso TX...so all the party planning must be done soon.

Twilight Eclipse Party Bags!

Using Adobe Photoshop Elements and Eclipse Movie images from the internet, I created this decorative cover for the party favors bags. All the bags have a name tag since some of Laura's guest are Team Jacob or Team Edward -- the contents inside these party bags reflects their choice.

The picture below is the party bag for my sister Gaby. Laura knows that her aunt Gaby is a huge fan of the twilight series and although her aunt, who lives in El Paso, TX, can't come to her party will love to receive all the party favors.

A Twilight Eclipse Birthday Banner!

Whenever possible, I like to make the party decorations for my kids birthday parties...especially when there is a theme involved. Originally, I was only going to do the banner for "team edward" but my soon to be 13 year old daughter asked for a second banner....one that would say "happy 13th birthday laura."

So here are the photos of the banners:

The inspiration for this twilight eclipse party banner actually came from Pam Smerker's party website. She also has a store on Etsy, called Party Starters. A party banner is in her gallery, click here to see it.

I created my own version. I had to purchase another copy of twilight's Eclipse for this purpose since I want to keep the book I read intact. I tore pages off the Eclipse book. I trimmed the sides of the pages and fed them through my inkjet printer. Basically, I used the pages from the book just like printable paper. Using Photoshop Adobe Elements, I typed a letter using the twilight font and added styles I purchased from scrapgirls. I printed each letter on a single page from the book.

After I printed all the letters, plus a few extra graphics I used my Marvy scallop 3 inch punch. I used the scallop punch for the smaller banner. I cut circles from black cardstock and layered the papers together. I stapled the circle layered letters to a black damask ribbon.

For the "team edward" banner, I just trimmed the printed book pages a little more and layered them with black cardstock and damask papers. I added red eyelets to the corners of each letter and weaved a ribbon through the eyelets. The ribbon is on the back part of the letters.

Here are more closeup photos of the banners.































Laura loved her banners!

Twilight Eclipse - A Mother Daughter Thing

My daughter Laura and I share a love for the twilight books, movies and music. I recently read Stephenie Meyer's new Eclipse Novella, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner .... loved it.

We also downloaded the Eclipse Movie Soundtrack from itunes this past week and both Laura and I love the CD!

Laura will be turning 13 next month. My little girl will officially be a teenager! When did that happen?

Last year's birthday theme was Twilight's New Moon. This year's birthday theme will be, no surprise here, Twilight Eclipse. I have been working on the party invitations and favors and will be posting them this week.

I decided I would start by posting a twilight item I painted for my daughter, last November -- just before the New Moon Movie came out. We saw converse shoes painted with the twilight theme in a magazine. Since I can paint, I told my daughter I would paint her a set.

Laura and I also share something in common. We are both Team Edward! Naturally, her converse shoes reflects that choice.

Painting these shoes for Laura gave me an opportunity to return to my first love ....painting.

Each side of the shoes reflects the twilight book covers.

Eclipse and New Moon.....

Twilight and Breaking Dawn...

Laura's friend Sophie liked the shoes so much, I also painted a pair for her....she is Team Jacob so her shoes reflect that choice.

Laura, Sophie and Lisa (Sophie's mom) and I have planned a special mother daughter night for June 29th. Dinner, hanging out at Belmar Shopping center and a midnight showing of the Eclipse movie!

Felted Wool iPod Touch Carrier for my Daughter Laura

I managed to create a little something for my daughter Laura. She loves her iPod touch. It is loaded with music, much of the same music is on my MP3. We share a love a music and although she is almost 13 years, we like alot of the same music!

The "cat" came from a pair of toddler pants I found at the thrift store. I re-purposed those tiny jeans by using the cat applique into Laura's i-Pod touch carrier.

I even lined the little "purse", that was a challenge but I am glad I took the time to line it. This style is similar to some of the felted wool handbags I have on my Etsy shop. It was fun to create those handbags in a miniature version.

Angel Jewellery Mannequins or Dressforms

Kids are now out of school. Excited about the summer! I did manage to finish the project I was working on...these dressform Angels.

Tone Finnanger's book had the angels on a unfinished square block of wood with an unfinished dowel. I decided a different approach for the base. I used some vintage wooden thread spools and larger new wooded spools. I painted the spools, then sanded off the paint on the edges to give it a more weathered look. I am happy with the results. I think these will make nice birthday gifts for my friends...

The pattern and instructions for the Jewellery Mannequin came from Sew Sunny Homestyle book by Tone Finnanger.

I just love this book. So many projects, so little time!

The Mannequins or Dressforms is the first project I completed from this book. I hope to complete more projects in the future...perhaps this fall when the kids go back to school.

Crafting in the summer months is more of a challenge, but it doesn't mean I don't craft. I will always find time, late at night while I listen to my favorite music.... love to listen to MUSE.

Treasures from Sweet Vintage 78

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Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/sweetvintage/

Love these doilies from Sweet Vintage78. I was lucky to be able to purchase these doilies at her shop earlier today. Her treasures sell out pretty quickly. Check out Jodie's blog, creativity and love .

This is a blog that truly inspires me.