Peppy's Dream Crafts Blog

My friend Marlene commissioned me to take a mirror she owned and use all the big, glitzy, sparkly, fabulous '80s earrings she no longer wears to create something that would be decorative, but would also provoke a lot of great memories.

She and her boyfriend, Chris, brought over the mirror and a big aluminum pan filled with her '80s earrings.  They brought back memories for me, too, because I had a lot of earrings just like it, but I got rid of mine a long time ago.

Most of Marlene's earrings were very expensive, hand-made, signed by the artist, and were really beautiful and fabulous, but they are not likely to come back in style (okay, maybe -- but who knows?).  Anyway, even though they ARE showing big earrings for 2009, they're different and the '80s ones would look, well, '80s!  There were also a few '80s pins thrown in.  I know you girls all remember the profile face pins (I used three on this mirror) adorned with fur, fabric and feathers!

So, Marlene decided she wanted me to make something that she could enjoy, but that would also provide good memories for her and her children, Chaz and Buddy.  I enjoyed every minute of this construction, because the materials were so much fun -- tons of rhinestones, crystals, and beads -- but also because Marlene is so sweet and beautiful that she truly inspires me.

Since I wasn't working and didn't have much to do before the holidays, I worked on it extensively and managed to finish it in just over a week.  Okay, my back was killing me (because I do most of the work standing up and leaning over a table), but I still loved it and was so pleased with the results.

One of the reasons that I was in such a hurry to finish it is that Marlene lives north of San Diego, and I was going to my cousin's Bar Mitzvah in Los Angeles on December 20th.  I knew if I was able to finish it in time I could deliver it to her and save her and Chris the trip down to San Diego!

I did deliver it and got to see their lovely apartment, and all the pieces she has purchased from me, displayed so beautifully.  I also got to meet her son, Buddy, for the first time and promptly fell in love with him.  He's gorgeous, sweet, and funny.  Okay, so he's 26 and I'm married, I can dream, can't I?

Here's a picture of Marlene (my inspiration) and Buddy (my crush).  Enjoy!

Kristin is a lovely girl who got engaged last fall to a great guy -- Derick!  She had seen my website and saw some of the decoupaged boxes I have created.  She was interested in having me make a box in which to keep the memorabilia she and Derick have been collecting -- ticket stubs, photos, and other memories of their engagement.

She provided me with the box and color copies of photos, plus lots of pieces of memorabilia, including the invitation to their engagement party, lottery tickets, etc., which I color copied, so I could use the originals and the copies to cover the box.

When the box was completed I added ball feet and then lined the inside with black velvet.  Now, Kristin and Derick will have their memories on display for all to see, and will be able to keep more memories inside!

My friends, Elsa and Stephen, went on a month-long trip through Europe last fall, visiting Germany, Spain and Italy.

When they came back Elsa showed me the wonderful photographs they had taken, which captured the beauty of the places they had visited, and the many adventures they had while they were there. 

Besides photos, they had lots of other great memorabilia, including maps, business cards, ticket stubs, and brochures from the various places they had traveled.  I told her I wanted to make a decoupaged collage for her and Stephen using that memorabilia combined with photos.

I had a beautiful frame that just had a generic picture behind glass.  I took the picture and decoupaged right over it and then varnished it before putting it back in the frame with the glass on top to protect it.

Now, besides framing their favorite photos, they will also be able to easily look at the other ephemera that will instantly remind them of their great European Adventure!