Lenny da Vinci

Kreativ Blogger Award

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 03:45:00 +0000

A while back, I was delighted to receive a Kreativ Blogger Award from the very talented Maria over at Silk Art From Brazil. At the time I was a bit overwhelmed with things unrelated to this blog, and didn't write here about how honored I was to be recognized by Maria, so for the delay, I sincerely apologize. And folks, if you have ever seen Maria's work, then you know that this really is an honor, for Maria creates some of the loveliest hand-painted silk scarves and jewelry you will every see.

Not only can you see some of Maria's work on her blog, but you'll also find all of her collections on her beautiful website, here. And you won't want to miss her Etsy shop, where you can purchase her designs at very affordable prices. Get on over there now and feast your eyes, then buy something!

The Kreativ Blogger Award is traditionally passed on by the recipient to another creative blogger. Choosing someone will be the hard part, for I have a long list of bloggers that I admire. I'll do that soon,though.

And thank you, Maria, for choosing me. It means so much coming from you!

Jacob's Ladder Book

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:58:00 +0000

The Jacob's Ladder book is a perfect example of a project that appears to be difficult, but in fact is very easy to construct. I won't give instructions here, because there's a great tutorial over at making-mini-scrapbooks.com. Don't be afraid to change the size of your book or add additional pages. I used the same paper on both the inside and outside of my book, so you won't be able to tell from my photo how it works, but if you've ever played with one of these, you know how much fun they can be.

This book is on its way to someone who appreciates the unusual. I'm afraid I'm long overdue on sending her a birthday package. I hope she enjoys it!

Tiny Pincushion

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Surprised to finally see a new post? For several weeks I've been preparing for a move, then packing, moving, and unpacking until I can no longer bear the sight or the smell of a cardboard box. I've also been sick the entire time, so my energy level is pretty low right now. But the crafting must go on, so I'm glad I've been saving up this little project for when I need something quick, easy and oh-so-cute.

I've seen tiny pincushions in several places, but Jess over at How About Orange has provided a great tutorial that will have you cranking out these babies in no time. And in honor of Jess, I made mine orange!

For my pincushion, I used a screw-off cap from one of those new-fangled re-closeable beer cans. I found it on the ground at the Shrimp Festival a few months ago, and immediately pictured it as a pincushion bottom. It's just over 1-1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch deep. The finished pincushion is approximately 1-1/2 inches high.

Happy Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:00:00 +0000

A card I made for my Aunt Dottie and Uncle Jerry, who celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary today. Paper from My Mind's Eye, and cardstock, ribbon, and gold cord from Stampin' Up!. Starfish charm - unknown source.

Deep Dish Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:56:00 +0000

I took some baking ingredients with me to Mama's yesterday, and Tara kindly baked everything up for me, as I'm still trying to recover from whatever has been dragging me down for over 3 weeks now (I still haven't seen much improvement after that very expensive injection I had yesterday). Not that you have to twist Tara's arm to get her to bake. She wants her own Food Network show some day, with an emphasis on desserts, and I'm confident that she'll reach that goal.

Pictured here is a Hershey's Deep Dish Brownie, which you can find over on the Hershey's website. This is now my go-to recipe for brownies. If baked in an 8x8 pan, it bakes up nice and thick, and has a rich, dense center. It's not crispy, and not really chewy, and has just the right amount of moisture in the middle to keep it from being too cake-like. We added some chopped semi-sweet chocolate to the batter, and this may be what added that extra bit of moisture. In any case, they're delicious, and Tara baked an extra batch in a 9 x 13 pan to take on a road-trip today. Maybe she'll comment here to let us know how they compare as a thinner brownie.

Remembering Daddy

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:58:00 +0000

I've usually tried to avoid getting too personal here, because my original plan for this blog was to share crafting ideas, to show you what I'm making, and to provide the occasional tutorial. But in recent months I've been absent more often than not, for a variety of reasons, and I thought it only fair that I share a few of those reasons with readers who visit here frequently. After all, it's usually the personal side of my life that drives the creative side.

Two weeks ago today, Daddy lost his short battle with leukemia, after many years of health issues and chronic pain. It is astounding how a family illness can paralyze you. And now that his suffering is over and we are celebrating his life, as he requested that we do, I'm still having some serious concentration issues. Add to the mix a poorly thought-out relocation eight months ago (although I'm glad we were here for Daddy's last months), a physically demanding part-time job with bizarre hours, the decision to go to graduate school, trying to choose the right school and program, and studying for the GRE, I simply haven't had any time and energy left.

But, some of those things are behind me now, and although I expect to be relocating again this summer (I'll tell you all about that later!), I'll once again be showing you my projects and will eventually send some more tutorials your way. You'll have to bear with me for a bit, because most of my things are packed and I'll be working with a limited assortment of supplies. And I won't promise to post every day, but I will try to share something with you at least 2 or 3 times a week. After my mojo is back, maybe I'll be able to increase that.

For now, I'll leave you with one of Daddy's favorite photos, above. I didn't even know he had it until after his death. It was taken on a tour of Longhorn Caverns in Burnet, Texas, in the late sixties. The eyeglasses on some of the people give away the age of this shot. If you want to know which little tourist is me, go over to my flickr account and view the notes on the photo.

Happy Mother's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sun, 10 May 2009 15:52:00 +0000

5-Minute Gift Box from Recycled Product Packaging

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:36:00 +0000

I will occasionally save product packaging to be used in craft projects, if it looks like it has the potential to be pretty without a huge effort. I've been hanging on to this silver box forever, waiting for inspiration to strike, and today it did, in the form of copper-toned metallic cardstock scraps. I've had a stash of these scraps for a few years, left over from a stamp camp I co-hosted a while back, and I realized that I like them much better when placed next to silver metallic. For this box, I simply embossed the copper cardstock with my Cuttlebug, cut some pieces just large enough to cover the text on the box, and glued them in place. A white sheer ribbon completes the look. Just be careful when dry-embossing metallic cardstock, because the surface has a tendency to crack.

Used Stampin' Up! Stamps For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:23:00 +0000

I am in the midst of a spring cleaning marathon, and have decided to sell part of my huge collection of Stampin' Up! stamps. I currently have 35 stamp sets and 16 Stampin' Around wheels for sale. I'm fairly sure that most (if not all) of these sets have been retired, and some of them may be hard to find nowadays. Almost all of these have been very gently used, and some not used at all. A couple of them have light staining on the rubber from using black ink, but are still in very good condition. I am very picky about my stuff! All stamps are center mounted on the wood block, unless I've specified that they are unmounted, and they come in the plastic boxes that they were purchased in.

If you're not sure what these sets look like, samples of most of them can be found in the Stampin' Up! gallery at Splitcoaststampers. If you can't find a set there, just let me know and I'll scan the set and send you a jpg file via email.

If you'd like to purchase any of these, email me (cheryl at lennydavinci.com - remember to substitute the @ symbol for "at") and I'll send you a Paypal invoice that includes postage. I'll need to have the package weighed at the post office before I can send you an accurate invoice.

I would also be willing to discount these prices for bulk purchases. Email me and we'll talk.

I would love to see all of these go to good stamping homes! Please make all inquiries via email instead of through a comment.

$5 SETS

Ornamentals (2000) – set of 4
God Bless America Special Edition (2001) – single stamp, unmounted
Little Shapes (2000) – set of 4
Stipple Butterfly (2000) – single stamp

$8 SETS

Let It Snow (1997) – set of 6
All Occasions (2002) – set of 8
Letters from Friends (2000) – set of 9
Fly Fishing (2002) – set of 6 SOLD
Flutterbys (1999) – set of 10
Little Numbers (2002) – set of 12 (10 digits and 2 symbols)
Calm Seas (2002) – set of 6 SOLD
Great Groupings (1999) – set of 3 (never used)
Autumn (2000) – set of 5
Snow Family Wishes (1998) – set of 8
I Love Stampin’ Up! – unmounted, 2002 Convention Special Edition
Perfect Plaids (1995) – set of 4
Winter Play (2001) – set of 6 (never used)
Baby Announcements (2000) – set of 12
Sweet Herbs (1999) – set of 6 SOLD
Basket of Blossoms (1998) – set of 7
Vintage Postcard (2001) – set of 9 SOLD
Victorian Lace background stamp (1997) SOLD
Antique Cracking background stamp (1998) SOLD
Checkerboard background stamp (1998)
Old World Map background stamp (1998 SOLD

$10 SETS

Alphabet Attitude Lower (1997)– set of 28 (26 lower case letters and 2 punctuation)
Outline Alphabet Lower (1998) – set of 28 (26 lower case letters and 2 punctuation)
Little Letters (2001) – set of 28 (26 lower case letters and 2 punctuation)
Garden Pleasures (2002) – set of 12 SOLD
Feathered Hope (1998) – set of 9 SOLD
Brushstroke Alphabet Upper and Lower (2001) - both upper and lower case on same set of blocks
A Lifetime of Happiness (2002) – set of 7 (never used)
Watercolor Minis (2001) – set of 12
Fish Frolics (1997) – set of 13
Handpainted Petites (1999) – set of 20

$2.50 each -Stampin’ Around Wheels

~~Dots and Daisies~~ - SOLD
Bold Baroque
Mittens
Dragonfly
Blizzard
Paw Tracks
Butterfly
Beautiful Blossoms
Snowman Fun
~~Pine Bough~~ - SOLD
Tulip
Bold Christmas Trees
Happy Birthday
Star Spangled (2 available)
Makin’ Music

Ten Minute Headband

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:15:00 +0000

So many tutorials come with the promise of easy and fast, and sometimes they're neither. But this Ten Minute Headband from Blue Bird Studio couldn't be easier, and you really can complete it in ten minutes, if not less. I love Heather's simple construction technique, which includes absolutely no tube-turning and utilizes an elastic hair band instead of regular sewing elastic. So clever! I made this headband for my niece, but will be making a few for myself as soon as my hair grows out a bit.

Scrabble Tile Pendants

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Aren't these cute? I've long admired the scrabble tile pendants I've seen in many Etsy shops. When I discovered directions on Annie Howes Keepsakes, and suddenly found myself armed with a supply of tiles, I thought I'd give them a shot. They're a bit more time-consuming than I expected (mostly due to drying time), but still very easy to make. Although I wanted the durability of epoxy resin, my local Hobby Lobby was out of it, so I used Crystal Effects instead. I initially tried brushing the Crystal Effects onto the tile, but the brush marks were too prominent, so I simply squeezed it directly onto the tiles with the applicator tip. This resulted in a finish that looks much like resin. The tiles pictured here are a gift for someone special.

If you'd like to try making these, head on over to Annie's blog for a great tutorial.

How-To: Covered Button Bobby Pins

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:49:00 +0000

This is a quick and easy variation on the covered button hair elastic I showed you a few months ago. All you need for each one is a covered button, a bobby pin with a circular pad, and some E-6000 glue. I used size 24 buttons, which are 5/8" in diameter, and both the bobby pins and the glue are available in most craft stores.

Refer to the covered button hair elastic tutorial for photos and directions on how to cover a button. Before you assemble the pieces, be sure to remove the loop from the button back with a pair of pliers, and discard it where children and pets can't find it. Then simply attach the pad to the back of your covered button with a dab of E-6000 glue. Let the glue dry completely before using your new bobby pin.

And the winner is ...

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who participated in my giveaway! It was fun to read your comments, and I'm sure you all enjoyed visiting the 911 participating blogs. To choose a winner, I used the random number generator at random.org. The winning comment was #145, from stampgram. Stampgram is a blogger herself, so go on over and visit her at Stampgram's Studio.

New Embellished Fabric Pins in My Etsy Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:49:00 +0000

Just in time for Valentine's Day, I've added some embellished fabric pins with heart charms to my Etsy shop. If you'd like to make one yourself, go to this tutorial. Or, try to win one in my One World One Heart giveaway!

One World One Heart Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:00:00 +0000

It's time again for the annual One World One Heart Giveaway, and this is an event that you absolutely don't want to miss. Do you like to visit creative blogs? And do you like to win beautiful things? Then go to the OWOH blog for a list of participating bloggers, and enter to your heart's content! You'll want to visit the site often, because the giveaways won't end until February 12th, and new participants will be added frequently. Each blogger will have her/his own rules for entering, but in most cases all you have to do is leave a comment on their giveaway post.

On this blog, I'll be giving away one of my embellished fabric pins. This pin is made from 2 shades of hand-dyed cotton (dyed by me in one of my dyeing binges), rayon thread, Plumetes decorative cord, and a gold-tone metal bead. It measures approximately 2" x 1-5/8". Depending on how many entries I have, I may an additional prize, but it will be my decision which winner gets which prize.

You don't need your own blog to enter my giveaway, but you do need a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment on this post, and this post only. Comments on other posts will not count.

2. Be sure there's a way for me to contact you if you win.

3. The deadline for entering is midnight Central Time on February 12th.

That's it! The winner (or winners) will be chosen with a random number generator on February 13th and will be notified that day.

In case you don't win, I'll probably have some more pins in my Etsy shop in the next few days.

I'm also having a giveaway, with 2 winners, at my Bayou Bags blog, so remember to go over there and enter as well.

Good luck!

Tip: Blade and Needle Disposal for Crafters

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:14:00 +0000

If you go through as many x-acto blades as I do, then you have probably thought about how you can best dispose of them. A blade is one of those items that I never throw directly into the trash. I don't think they're safe for me or anyone else who may be handling the bag at some point, and I'm not aware of a recycling source for this sort of thing. I used to collect used or broken blades in a film canister for eventual disposal, but I don't buy film anymore. However, medicine bottles work even better.

Of course, I had to turn this "medicine-bottle-turned-blade-receptacle" into a craft table accessory. I tried to remove the label from the bottle, but with very little success, so I just covered it with a strip of scrapbooking paper, using gel medium as my glue and as a topcoat to protect the paper.

This also works well for disposing of broken sewing machine needles, and many medicine bottles have child-proof caps, which is a nice feature for those of you with small children.

Paper Beads

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:08:00 +0000

I've occasionally considered making paper beads, but it was one of those projects that I kept moving down the list, then I would quickly lose interest. But yesterday I saw a tutorial on Natasha's blog, and I knew that I had to drop everything else immediately and make some now. I don't think I'm finished with the beads pictured above, because I'd like them to be shinier like Natasha's, but I wanted to go ahead and show them to you.

Natasha goes into a lot of detail on how to experiment with your beads using things like paint, pigments, and UTEE. At this point, mine are simply rolled and sealed with ModPodge.

Here they are in progress:

Every Day Is the Best Day of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:05:00 +0000

I never make New Year's resolutions, but this year I've decided to make an "attitude resolution". Ralph Waldo Emerson sums it up perfectly: "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." Good words to live by, I think. After an especially tough year (um, make that 2 years), I think a more positive attitude certainly can't hurt.

For this small card (2-3/4" x 4-1/2"), I heat-embossed the text with Versamark ink and silver detail embossing powder, and layered it on plum then silver metallic cardstock. Next is a patterned cardstock layered over mauve. Finally, I finished the card with a beige ribbon.

Happy New Year!

Holiday Traditions

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:13:00 +0000

Our family has been making these chocolate-covered coconut balls every Christmas for longer than I can remember. I'm not sure where Mama got the recipe, but we've enjoyed them so much that they have become a holiday tradition, and now my nieces look forward to this as much as my brothers and I always have. Pie-making, on Christmas Eve Day, is also something you can count on, and over the years, Mama has calculated her pie-filling recipes and cooking times down to an exact science. In addition to pumpkin and cherry, we will be feasting on the best homemade chocolate, lemon, and coconut pies around. I'd be happy to skip the feast and go straight to the coconut pie. Just give me a whole pie and a fork, please!

How-To: Birthday Gift Tag

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:00:00 +0000

On behalf of all of us who were almost born on Christmas Day, I'd like to say how much we all appreciate our birthday gifts, especially since we know you're so busy this time of year, not to mention broke. But (and that's a tiny little but), we love our gifts even more when the package doesn't look like a Christmas present. Maybe it's because we don't get a festive birthday break mid-year, or maybe it's because most December babies feel a little cheated in the birthday party department. In any case, take my word for it -- we really love, love, love it when that birthday gift isn't wrapped in red or green or holiday foil. (OK, I'm done whining, really!)

And think about it. Aren't you a little tired of holiday-themed projects and crafts? But if you still need to work on Christmas items, this tag can easily be adapted to any occasion.

First, stamp a greeting on a small piece of cardstock. Size is totally flexible, depending on what stamp(s) you're using. Layer that piece on a slightly larger piece of contrasting cardstock. Then, layer that onto a slightly wider piece that has some extra length for folding over.

Next, I used my scallop scissors to make a fancy edge. See that pencil line near the scallops? That's how I manage to cut a nice, straight decorative edge. The pencil line won't show once the tag is folded.

Score a fold line using a ruler and bone folder, and fold your decorative edge over the end of your stamped image. If you want, you can hold it in place with adhesive, but it's not absolutely necessary because now you'll add an eyelet.

Now punch a tiny hole and attach an eyelet, then add a pretty ribbon or two. You can tie your tag around a gift bag, or attach it to a wrapped gift.

How-To: Treat Bag Topper

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:00:00 +0000

A bag topper is one of the easiest ways to dress up a holiday treat or stocking stuffer. For the 4" x 6" cellophane bag pictured here, I cut a 4" x 4" square, folded it in half, and attached my stamped image to the front with mono-adhesive. I then punched 2 holes and tied everything together with a ribbon. Just be sure you insert the bag into your folded topper before punching the holes.

How-To: Holiday Treat Box

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:42:00 +0000

This is a simple treat box that can be cut, decorated, and constructed in no time flat. The box pictured here measures 3" wide by 2" deep by 2-1/4" high. It easily holds 3 cookies in a cellophane bag. At this size, you can make 2 boxes out of a single sheet of cardstock, plus scraps for the greeting.

First, refer to the image below for cutting and scoring instructions.

Next, decorate the outside of your box. Don't worry about getting good coverage on the bottom flaps, since they won't really show.

Fold the box together. The small side flap tucks to the inside, as do the smaller 2 bottom flaps. Glue or use double-sided tape to secure.

Stamp a greeting on a scrap of cardstock and attach to the front of your box.

Fill the box with a cellophane bag of treats, tied with a ribbon.

How-To: Takeout Box Gift Package

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:45:00 +0000

I wish I could tell you where I got the template for this little takeout box, but it has been so long since I used it, that I simply can't remember. However, a quick search of the web should result in several free patterns. I just happened to come across a few of these today, already cut out, in a folder, probably left over from a workshop. You can find something similar at Mirkwood Designs, and there are many free templates at By Donovan, although I didn't see a takout box there. Boxes are also available at craft stores, but it's easier to make your own than to take one apart to decorate it. This box measures approximately 2-1/2" tall.

My first step was to stamp a snowflake design all over the flat cardstock.

Next, I used a bone folder and a ruler to score all the fold lines, and carefully folded the box. Once you score all the fold lines, it will be pretty obvious how the box should be folded.

Then I used a long-reach punch to punch 1/8" holes in the sides, through which I inserted a tiny brad. The brads should hold everything in place, so there's really no need to use tape or glue. If you have a Crop-a-Dile (which, sadly, I don't!), you can easily punch holes through all three layers at once, or you could even use eyelets here, and maybe add a wire handle through the eyelets.

To finish off your box, fill it with treats or a gift, and tie it with a ribbon.

Holiday Gift Gala Super Sale at Artella

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:22:00 +0000

Over at Artella they're having a Holiday Gift Gala Super Sale, where everyone can save 55% on up to 5 eProducts, PLUS get their choice of 4 Creative Gift Packs free.

This is their biggest sale event of the year, so you won't want to miss it.

Artella has lots of great collage kits, backgrounds, and image sheets that are perfect for your collage work and other crafting.

How To Add A One-Hole Bow To Your Greeting Card

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:59:00 +0000

The one-hole bow has been around for a while, but just in case you've never made one, I've provided some directions below. What I like about this bow-making method is that the bow is always straight when it's finished. I typically end up with bows that are slanted to one side, but not with this technique.

First, punch a hole where you want the bow to be. I used a 1/4" hole-punch for my 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.

Next, place your ribbon on top of the cardstock. Be sure you cut a longer piece of ribbon than usual, because it will be wrapping completely around your cardstock before being tied into a bow.

Wrap the ribbon around to the back of the cardstock, then thread both ends through the hole from back to front. Pull one end out below the ribbon, and one end out above it.

Now tie a bow and you're done. I've attached this small element to a card, but this technique is also very effective when used directly on a full-size card, especially if you use a dramatic or fancy ribbon.