AREN'T GOOD FRIENDS GREAT?

Yesterday I spent the day crafting with four of my favorite people...Lois, Glendene, Jeanne and Debbie.  We have been "buds" through thick and thin for about 5 years.  Three of them I see a lot.  But Debbie, I don't get to see as often.  Still, she is one of those wonderful friends that even if we don't see each other for months, the second we get together; it's like no time has passed at all.  She has the kindest heart and I love her dearly. 

We all got together at Debbie's house, had lunch and made Valentine 5x7 canvas boards together.  Debbie...bless her heart...had little bags of the coolest ephemera waiting for us when we arrived.  So, we all played and laughed and shared and enjoyed each other's company as we just created away!

Here is my 5x7 Valentine board.  Debbie had put white gesso on the boards before we arrived.  I covered mine with some old 7 Gypsies tissue paper that had all sorts of Valentine-ish words on it.  Then I distressed the tissue paper with Fired Brick Distress Ink.  I had forgotten to bring my Sunflower Sparkle Mist with me to add some sparkly to the tissue so I improvised by smearing a little Platinum Stickles on little sections of the board with my finger. I added some ribbon at the top and made a little hanger out of it. 

I found the vintage photograph of the little boy and girl online and thought it was so cute.  Very "Valentine-ish".  Debbie gave us all of the other little vintage images.  Aren't they just awesome?  I added some gathered cream crepe paper that I lightly distressed with Gathered Twig behind the "Be Mine" heart cupcake pick.  Then I added some red tinsel type garland (actually Christmas stuff) behind the heart and glued the heart to the gathered crepe paper.   I went around the outer edge of the crepe paper with Xmas Red Stickles to give it that extra pop.  I stuck the little stick through the back of the adorable little vintage boy and girl and pop dotted them on to the board to give it more dimension and depth.

I added a piece of scrap lace to the bottom of the board and then added gathered crepe paper to another heart.  This time, I edged the heart with Platinum Stickles.  Then I highlighted both of the hearts with Platinum Stickles.  Debbie had bent the red pipe cleaner into the shape of a heart with little curly tails.  I decided to stick that behind yet another heart with a vintage Bingo "14" marker pop dotted on top.

I'm so thankful that I have such wonderful friends to craft with!  Creating is so much fun ... even if you are by yourself.  But, I love how crafting also brings people together.  So, enjoy your weekend.  Grab a crafting buddy and create something really fun together!