5.15.2009

WEDDING SEASON is upon us...

...and I'm not made of money. As much as I would love to buy extravagant gifts for all of my friends and relatives getting married this summer, I simply can't. EIGHT weddings (if you can believe it) plus who-knows-how-many birthdays (my calendar does) equals a big 'ol hole in hubby's pocketbook... I say hubby's because I don't carry a pocketbook. So here I am, spending all of my time at home due to my health, and with all of these events coming up- it's time to make myself useful. I have had crafty ideas floating around in my head for years now, but I have always been too busy or too much of a perfectionist to take action and do them. This season in my life has presented me with the wonderful opportunity of being able to chill out and stop being so worried about everything being perfect (because really, nothing is, and what fun would there be in a perfect world- hello, Stepford), and it has finally given me time to craft! So here are the first two wedding presents:


I took my inspiration from Jenny Lee Fowler (and all of the other silhouette artists out there), but mostly from Jenny. I wish I could simply look at a photo and cut straight into the paper like she does, but my brain doesn't communicate that well with my hand. I read a few DIY articles on how to do silhouettes and most of them told me to trace the photo first, but my tracing skills never quite developed in elementary school, so I ended up blowing up the photos on the computer and then stapling them to the black paper, then I cut around the profiles from there. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out and hubby's pocketbook is very happy as well.

$.40 black cardstock + $.40 white cardstock (it has very subtle stripes in it that you can't see, but I am loving it) + $4.00 frame from Big Lots= $4.80 wedding present

They're crafty and imperfect, but made with love and helping me grow as a person. Cheezy, right? Eh, cheezy is okay.

8 comments:

Erin said...

I was thinking about making cloth napkins for wedding presents. Find some cute or colorful fabric, cut it up and just sew up the edges. Maybe if I want to get fancy I'll figure out a way to make cool napkin rings with felt flowers or something. Your silouhette's turned out really well!

Heidi Jo said...

Thanks, Erin! Yeah- that's definitely another good idea. I've been storing up DIY articles from blogs recently. I'll have to do a post with links to all of my faves. There are so many great ideas out there for presents! I stay away from sewing projects right now because I can't remember how to use a sewing machine... ha ha. I'll have to get my mom to give me a refresher course.

knack said...

way to go girl......your friends will love that you took the time to make them something unique and special.....xo

familyof5 said...

I love them!!!! Do some of the kids for me ok???? You can make that my christmas present.

Heidi Jo said...

Ang- Okay. : ) Just get me some side profile shots of them and I'll do it. I mean... maybe Santa will bring you a present.

Barb- Thanks! I hope so. : )

Sarah Ikegami said...

what a fab idea! so thoughtful, creative and nice on the pocketbook! 8 weddings....that's so much! are these weddings mostly from church?

Heidi Jo said...

David's cousin, David's brother, David's other cousin, church friends, college roommate (Lauren Porter), church friends, church friends, and church friends. : )

Kristen said...

That's a great idea! They turned out so good - nice job! :)

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