More Than Words!

Hello. Hello. Hello! Don't mind me...I am just dusting off my blog a bit for an exciting new post! 

Recently Nicole reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in being the November Special Guest at More Than Words! It's a FABULOUS challenge blog with tons of inspiration and talent! Check it out please!  http://morethanwordschallenge.blogspot.ca/

As soon as I read this month's challenge I knew the exact photo I was going to use: a very special shot from my son's wedding. It fit perfectly with the quote too! The wedding was a high point in our family as we celebrated this special love and welcomed another daughter into our crazy family!

"Something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new"...I love symbolism in my projects so I could not wait to incorporated as many as I could on the "Wedded Bliss" shaker canvas. I started with a canvas (something old) that I had discarded because I messed up the stencil work (so don't ever throw those projects away!) A four inch photo was trimmed to fit the shaker dome, then I filled the dome with glass beads (something new and blue), adhering the photo to seal it all in. Clips of lace are added around the dome, while flowers, metal, and wood pieces embellish the dome. A sweet little dove was added as a symbol of their new life together wishing them a very special lifetime together filled with peace and love!

Okay- so you need to go check them out to see the close-up shots!!! And you can also find me on Facebook and Instagram! I'd love to be friends with you! ~ Sharon

Love DIY Projects!

My family is crazy big...which means we always have a lot going on! This year is no exception. My oldest son, Billy, is getting married in June to his sweetheart, Bethany! Our whole family has been busy crafting away for it. (Imagine that!)

So, today I have a super fast and easy DIY wedding project up on the Simon Says Stamp blog! Come on over and check it out! It is easy to customize to fit your colors, and your style! Seriously...it would take less than an hour for all three pieces! (Even if you do not have a wedding in your future this would make a gorgeous table-scape, or mini wall gallery! I now need to make one for myself...I'm thinking blush pink, sparkling gold, and a touch of mint!

What's Keeping Me Busy!

Life is crazy with seven kids, but then they grow up and it gets even BUSIER! So here is what has been keeping me a BIT busy the last few months.

First

Bethany and Jon had another baby girl! 

It was one of the most beautiful things to experience. (I know I have been on the OTHER side a few times, but really seeing the miracle of birth opened my eyes to how absolutely precious and miraculous it really is. I still get teary-eyed thinking about it. Sniff.)

Isn't she SWEET? Beth and Jon named her Madelyn Elise. She has big blue eyes and is so squeezably adorable!

Amariah was a bit apprehensive to meet her little sister at first.

But she warmed up to her in no time at all!

(Okay-it really took till the next day until she would hold her, but Amariah is 3. She just needed to sleep on it a bit.)

Then she thought the new baby was really something FUN!

The sisters a week later!

This is Madelyn and her mommy at 1 month! I think Bethany looks fabulous! And Madelyn's eyes are stunning.

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Second:

My daughter, Brittany, got married! Yeah-we love to pack a whole lot of activity in as a family!

I couldn't have picked a better guy for her. Josiah (we call him Jobes so we don't confuse him with our 9 year old-hehe) is perfect for Britt. They've gone out for over 3 years now. I love how patient and mature they have been through it all!

 Britt and Jobes planned so many details themselves. (Britt just HAD to be super-crafty-bride, huh?) The weeks before the wedding I had STUFF all over my house...paint and flowers and tablecloths, vases and dried flowers and a cotton candy stand (for real), cake plates and Jones soda bottles and cornhole games...literally anything & everything you could think of! They seriously customized this wedding like none I have ever seen.

From the flowers girls' ensembles....

to her bridal gown...Britt and her sweetie (& family and friends) literally poured hundreds of hours into their special day! (We are hoping to do a little DIY feature about the wedding on the Prima blog so keep an eye out for it!)

Jobes swept her off her feet and we were all there to watch the fairytale romance and wedding!

Presenting Mr & Mrs Josiah Durham!

Their playful grand entrance at the reception!

Here's Bill & I, our seven children, their significant others, and our two grandbabies! WHEW! We keep GROWING and we LOVE it!

PS: Next event? Another wedding...coming up in December. Stay tuned!

Prima-Sizzix Blog Switcheroo

Hello, everyone! My name is Sharon Laakkonen and I am so excited to do a blog "switch" with my wonderful friends at Sizzix in the UK! And to make it even more exciting I will be showcasing some of our new Prima dies. Yes, you heard that right! Prima and Sizzix are a perfect match, right? It was so fun working with both companies to create a few projects just for you. (And they both have fabulous give-aways this week!)

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It's June and I can hear wedding bells all around me. I know at least ten couples who are getting married this year! (Including two of my own daughters:  Brittany and Breanna. They have both found wonderful guys. I could not be happier for them!)

 

So, with weddings on my mind I thought it would be lovely to create a few elegant cards with Prima's Leeza Gibbon's papers and our new Sizzix dies.

My first card is simple and sweet. It showcases gorgeous Wishes & Dreams paper, elegant die0cut swirls and a fanciful shaped border. You could seriously make this card in less than 20 minutes!

• Cut 9 x 6 inch card. Fold in half to create a 4.5 x 6 inch card.
• Die cut swirls, tag and border from white paper. Add to card as shown.

• Tie tulle around card and knot. Add a large Prima flower and tuck in three die-cut leaves.
• Add greeting and crystals.

Turquoise Congrats Card:
Prima
Wishes & Dreams paper-970031
Wishful Thinking paper-970383
Leeza Gibbon's Flower-970888
Tiny Alphas-563295
Crystals

Sizzix 
Bigz Die-Classique-Swirl Die-658524
Bigz Die -Arbor-Leaves-658523
Sizzlits -Bordeaux Border-658519
Bigz Die-Elisse-Tags-658526

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My next card is a bit bolder and graphic, but I love how it still has some elegant touches!

 The hardest part in making this card is lining up the patterned paper text with the die cut! You could also just stamp on the label...or use letter stickers!

I just put the paper in place over the die making sure my greeting was centered. (Don't tell anyone, but I added a teensy bit of tape to hold it in place!)

• Once the greeting was cut the card was so easy to put together! 
• Cut a 4.5 x 11 inch card out of Wishful Thinking paper. Fold to create a 4.5 x 5.5 card
• Cut a 4 inch doily in half and add to both sides of the card as shown.

• Layer tags with foam, then add the greeting.
• Decorate with flowers, one brad, tulle, and crystal swirls (cut those in half too!)

Purple One Day Card:
Prima
Wishful Thinking papers-970321, 970383
Wishes & Dreams paper-970031
Wishful Thinking Brad-970451
Divine Flowers-565268
Frost Flowers-565787
Crystals-563622

Sizzix
Bigz Die-Elisse-Tags-658526
Bigz Die-Estate-Label-658527

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The last project is my favorite! Start with the large flower die to create your card base. (Cut two of these, flipping the paper over for the second cut. Glue the two flower shapes together back-to-back making sure they match up.)

Cross seam binding as shown and set on top of the large flower. Adhere a medium paper flower on top to sandwich the ribbon.

Decorate with flowers, leaves, tulle, a greeting, a twine bow, and a butterfly.

Write your personal message to the bride and groom on the back and tape to a gift. The newlyweds can hang this tag around their new home as a reminder that love is everlasting!


Love Everlasting Tag
Prima
Wishful Thinking paper-970383
Wishes & Dream paper-970031
Frost Flowers-565787
Divine Flowers-565268, 565251
Divine Rose-565282 
Papillon Butterfly-543839
Divine Stickers-563264
Precious Metals Leaves-547394

Sizzix
Bigz L Die-Flora die-658528

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I hope you enjoyed the wedding cards and tag! (You could easily use these designs for other occasions by simply switching out the greetings.)



Be sure and check out the Prima blog as we will be featuring three amazing Sizzix designers this week!