10 Life Lessons a la Schmom (and a card/gift-card holder) with Whisker Graphics

Mother knows best, they say. That certainly seems true where my own mama is concerned. 

I’m delighted to be posting here today as an official "Whisker Graphics guest blogger." If you've followed my blog for a while, you know I'm a huge WG fan and love putting their projects to work when and where I can.  

Today, I'm sharing a few of the many amazing things I’ve learned from mom over the years, in a little something I like to call. . . 

Life Lessons a la Schmom

Mom Lesson Number 1: Don’t be afraid to try new things. 

I knew I wanted to put some sequins on this awesome Whisker Graphics kraft bag, but I didn’t know the specific variety to use. Time to put a few options down in front of me and see what speaks to me. You know, try a few things on for size. 

Mom Lesson Number 2: It’s okay to go off the beaten path. 

I’ve only recently learned to love my own handwriting. Getting away from pencil-drawn first drafts and letter stickers is scary in crafting, but it can be so liberating. And fun! So dip that paint brush in some acrylic paint and see what happens.

Mom Lesson Number 3: It’s all about trial and error.

I thought it might look cute to add polka dots to the center of my heart using my paintbrush handle. Alas, I passed that critical point of no return and added to many dots. taking the look from cute to poop. Start over? Nah. I simply painted over the dots and got my project back on track.

Followed by a little glass glitter for good measure. (The glitter sticks right to the paint, BTW!)

Mom Lesson Number 4: Recognize when something isn’t working and fix it.

I was excited to use some of my pretty glass glitter on this card for mom, but after I had it down (and even semi-dry), I didn’t love the look of the yellow gold when paired with the gold color of my sequins. No worries or need to start over. (No way, man!) Instead, I simply used tweezers to scrape that gold off and replace it with turquoise. 

Mom Lesson Number 5: Learn to improvise.

Life doesn’t always go as planned, so it’s important to work around obstacles and find new solutions. For example, I wanted to glue my sequins down, but I found my glue had dried in the bottle. (Something that happens a lot, I’m afraid. Any pointers for me in helping avoid this glue outcome?) 

But I thought about my mama’s wise words and looked for alternatives. ta-da! Stickles. 

Yes, this is more than just a pretty face. Stickles works as both glitter and glue, meaning it would hold my sequins in place. Bonus, a little Stickle magic also seeped through the centers of each sequin, creating a glittered center.

Mom Lesson Number 6: Slow & steady wins the race.

I was trying to hustle when it came time to adhere my sequins, but my man-hands paired with the tiny sequins and small dabs of glue was making for a mess. So I took a deep breath as my mom’s most used life lesson played in my head—”patience is a virtue.” I slowed myself down, reached for my tweezers, and neatly placed each sequin, making sure the job was done right. 

Mom Lesson Number 7: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

At last, I had completed my card front . . . or had I? I wanted the bag opening on the right side, but, to my horror, it was on the left. Now what? Well, I could send my mom a loving “Wow” greeting, or I could work to rework the bag. And rework, I did.

First, I cut the two ends of the bag off.

Then I folded the top and bottom of the bag back, creating a slimmer look, and I sewed them in place, also sewing the original opening (on the left side) closed. 

Finally, to make it a quicker read that the right side opened to reveal a surprise within, I punched a half circle in the center, creating a tab. 

“Wow” problem solved. Or, should I say, Wow! Problem solved! ;) 

Mom Lesson Number 8: Don’t be afraid to shine.

Using my Prima gold spray ink and a large, white tag, I brushed on a little love note for mom. 

I then used the same Prima spray ink to tint a small glassine bag. Yes! You can spray your glassine!

I just love the bit of sparkle this adds to my project. 

Mom Lesson Number 9: Make it personal.

People love receiving gift cards, but there’s sometimes a negative connotation that giving gift cards is impersonal. Worry, no more. By creating a quick and completely personal gift card holder like this for Mom, you’ve proven that you’ve definitely put your heart into your gift giving. And Mom will have both a keepsake and a fun shopping spree to enjoy!

I put the card in my gold bag, and I attached the bag to the back of the “love you” tag. 

And now I have a fun gift-card holder, just right for my mama’s heart of gold! 

Mom Lesson Number 10: Clean up after yourself.

Ummm... Yeah... Still working on that one. *blush* 

Supplies Used: Baker's twine, glassine bag, tag, and treat bag: Whisker Graphics; Acrylic paint: Martha Stewart Crafts; Sequins: Hazel & Ruby; Gold spray ink: Prima Marketing; Other: Glass glitter and gold thread. 

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Happy Mother’s Day to all of the beautiful mamas out there! I hope your day shines!

Cheers!

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