Paper Bouquets and Hearts

Lady Hiva and I always love an excuse to be crafty. Actually, if we have a reason to be it keeps us from finding "projects" to do in the house (I have one percolating right now but have to be diplomatic about how to approach Lady Hiva on it. I want to make a nice mantle piece fitted for a fake fireplace heater for the downstairs family room. If I ask her straight out, she will say 'no' followed by the caution she doesn't want it to 'look cheap.' Sad. I just remodeled a house for her and she still doubts me. GASP, oh the faith! So instead I mention the idea a few times, show her pictures of what I am thinking of doing and eventually she will give in--and usually loves the final product like the house and the tree in Lucky Dragon's bedroom. Until I have permission, it stays in my head).

This project was a Relief Society Meeting (Relief Society is an organization for women at Church) for Lady Hiva. She was asked to do the decorations and they suggested cutting out some paper hearts and 'sprinkling them on the table.' HA! Those of you who are avid readers of the blog know that when we do things we go ALL out! And both our creative minds started turning.

I took some framed art we are not using (you collect quite a bit of that when you move every two years and each house seems to call form something just slightly different) and I made some fun Valentines Day art.  It is amazing what some card-stock, an Ensign Magazine and a Cricut can do in an hour!

The only magazines we have in the house are the Ensign Magazines from the LDS Church so this tree is literally made out of the 'Word of God'

Then Lady Hiva bought some old Mason Jars from the local thrift shop and painted them. She made a tissue paper garland and together we made tissue paper flowers.

The fun thing about both of us liking crafts is that although using the same materials with the same challenge, in this case to make flowers out of tissue paper, we have our unique style and we ended up with some amazing looking paper flower bouquets. I liked the way they turned out...one women said when she saw them at the activity "It reminds me of 1960!" I am not sure if that was a compliment or not, and I think Lady didn't either so we both diplomatically did not respond. I guess it shows that sometimes the best things said are the ones when you mouth is still shut!

The last project was me "borrowing" some sticks from a neighbors burn-in-the-spring-pile and made a heart tree. As I carried it into the Church another neighbor saw me and said, referring to our Christmas stick swag above our porch, "You are stealing people's sticks again, eh?" Yes, yes I was. I was out there in foot deep snow in my suit pulling out branches from a rubbish pile. It must have been a comical sight.

Overall I think Lady was proud of her presentation and not to mention that it cost little to nothing. And for the record we did cut out some paper hearts and spread them out on the table like confetti, so technically we stayed within the bounds that were suggested! :)