Collage Contessa. Paper artist, Painter, Eclectic and Versatile Creator.

The RAVEN Has Landed!

2011-11-19T11:10:00.000-06:00

Hello all my artsy friends! I haven't visited my blog in forever, it's so sad. Life has been in my way and I haven't had time or inclination to do any art, although I've missed it! Hoping the new year will bring more time. In the meantime, I wanted to share about my Raven Art Journal. Remember this post where I had just put it together back in February 2010? Well, it's been traveling around the world with all sorts of talented artists throwing their fabulous artistry inside of it. It returned home this month finally!!

One of the artists took the time to put together a video of all the pages people have done in all the 8 books that traveled, and I wanted to share it here. Enjoy!

Happy 4th & Turtle Naming Contest

2011-07-04T14:19:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July for all my American friends. For my others, happy summer Monday (unless you're down under, then Happy Monday only.)

One of my favorite summer memories is when we used to pop down to Warsaw, Mo where my great grandma Leverta lived and attend their Jubilee Days festival. Of course as kids, our favorite part was the turtle races. We'd look for days ahead of time to procure and train our turtle. I got to thinking about those times when a turtle wandered into our lives yesterday...

So today, I just wanted to mention the little one and I have a Turtle naming contest going on over on our homeschool blog. He needs a name desperately and the little one has offered up a nice prize, as have I. Come on over and Name That Turtle!

Have a wonderful 4th, and don't burn yourself on those fireworks!

Month of Art Wrap-Up & GIVEAWAY

2011-06-30T21:00:00.015-05:00

(don't be frightened by my scary clown lady! lol)

As usual, I petered out on the artwork. I did do a few things in the last week but just have not blogged them. All in all, 14 days of blogging art. That's more than I usually do. I enjoyed doing more art than normal but I was hoping it would restore my desire for constant art time. It did not. Too much going on at this time, what with summer activities, gardening, cleaning out closets, etc... But maybe fall will restore that need.

(recent drawings, watercolor painting)

In working on different things this month I realized I've become stagnant in my art. This might be why I'm not wanting to do it as often. I think I need to take some classes for drawing and painting to be energized again. I'm also feeling the desire to write again as I did for National Novel Writing Month last November. Don't know what I would write, but its percolating in my brain...

This week my daughter and I worked on a small scale model of the chicken coop we want to build. You can see more about it here. I consider that a bit of art as well!

Thanks to those who created along with me, and who visited & commented on what I was creating. I have a few small canvases I worked on that I have not finished but I have ideas. I'll be giving one away to a lucky winner. Follow me through google or facebook and leave a comment on where you follow me, and you're entered into the giveaway drawing! I'll draw a name next weekend.

Day 23 - Bloom & Grow

2011-06-23T11:00:00.000-05:00

I think I have forgotten how to take photographs. Or I'm too lazy to do it right. What is it about the 'right lighting' that is so elusive? *sigh* So please forgive these pics of new artwork (taken with my cell).

I was hopping around the internet yesterday and happened upon one of my favorite little blogs: A Collage A Day. For a paper collage artist such as myself, it is astounding to me how the artist of this website can create these little tiny collages daily (although it looks like its not EVERY day anymore) and sell 95% of them for $25 each. He had a novel idea and has developed quite a following, including me. Anyway...

Seeing as I had not gotten around to watercolor painting yet, I was inspired to play around with collages again. I can't help myself. Only this time, I tore paper into 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" pieces such as 'A Collage A Day' might use and go from there.

Bloom

Grow

I think I might mount the both on a piece of jet black matboard and frame them for my bedroom. Who doesn't need to remember to 'Bloom' and 'Grow'?

Also wanted to share a few websites I found as I was hopping around the internet. I love finding new blogs!

Art Hound

Brown Paper Bag

Not Paper

Twisted Vintage Studio

Nancy Standlee Art

Green Paper

Pikaland

Jessica Bell Made This (For some reason the first page's pics don't come up for me, but click on the right links for 'fabric' or 'paper', etc... Stunning.)

Oh! And I learned a new word: Bojagi. I can see new art happening in my future!

(I've been attempting to create daily in June. Visit 'Creative Vibrations' to read more about it.)

Day 20 - Content?

2011-06-20T19:20:00.000-05:00

Just a quickie post.

Was experimenting with painting faces the other day. First time with the layering of colors and everything. Worked on a lady's face, she came out quite sad looking. I don't really mean, sad/bad painting looking, but sad unhappy looking.

Tried painting first with a picture of my girls but that didn't last very long. Too hard to have it be my first painting and not come out looking like them... Going to keep trying. Not sure if the painting is completely done. The teen doesn't like her hair and I tend to agree. Might add to it. I had painted 'content' on the background and then the girl came along. She doesn't look very content does she?!

Here's what the background look like before I painted the girl (layers of acrylics, Caran d'Ache crayons, India Ink, Pencils.) Picked up the Water Paper Paint book at the library today. I think I'll be doing a little watercolor instruction tomorrow with the little one. Fun! She had a lemonade stand today (see blog post here.) Summer is officially here!

Day 17 - Make a Joyful Noise

2011-06-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

The other day I was sitting in the house when I heard a loud racket. I could not comprehend what that mixed cacophony of sound might be. Hubby went to take a look and it was a chatter of birds screaming and divebombing a couple squirrels. I guess they dared to encroach on the birds' domain. I found it so funny. They were willing to fight the big fat squirrels!

Monday I enjoyed painting backgrounds for several canvases. On Tuesday I was right back out in the yard at the picnic table, braving the mosquitoes to paint some more. The paintings take on so much more meaning when you're not doing them for sale. They were just for play. If I find one I want to sell I can but it was more for experimenting and immersing myself in paints again.

I found myself wanting to paint a bird. I think drawing on this story with the birds and squirrels, as well as the image of a chicken I used for the chicken pillow, contributed to the idea for this painting. I was also thinking how the birds wake me up many days, having a little snack party at the birdfeeder, chirping outside my bedroom window! This one is entitled: Make a Joyful Noise (from Psalm 95:1).

Oh my goodness! The teen just brought me a Lindor Truffle chocolate to eat. You don't mess around with Lindor. I must fly! Ta-ta!

(I've been attempting to create daily in June. Visit 'Creative Vibrations' to read more about it.)

Day 14 - And Just Like That...

2011-06-14T23:00:00.001-05:00

4 days were lost. The weekends seem to be full of who knows what. I know I didn't do much but art just didn't make it to the table, so to speak. What have you been creating?

** Friday we went to a friend's house for bible study, food and games. As usual we got plenty rowdy and had the best time until 1 am!

My teen with her drawings and the little one's comics

** Saturday the girls and I headed to the church for an art show. We submitted a few pieces for people to look at and received favorable comments. It's just nice to have the girls participate as well.

** Sunday was a blur. I caught a cold and a migraine so who knows what I did. Mostly sleep.

** Monday I tried to rest but also spring cleaned my bedroom. No more clothes that don't fit, no more junk, no more piles of stuff we're not using. GONE! To the thrift store or the dump.

Today I couldn't stand it anymore. I thought 'I'm behind, I should just pull out my papers and glue and collage something.' My art room is atrocious so I haven't been working down there. But I had had enough, I needed to paint. Out came the acrylic paints, the brushes, fluid acrylics, Neocolor II crayons, colored pencils, bottles of india ink. I dragged them all upstairs, with canvases, and went to work on the picnic table.

As soon as the girls saw me playing with stuff in the backyard, I had guests. They pulled out things to work on. We had a fun time and worked until it was too dark to see and the bugs were eating us alive.

Nothing is finished yet on my end, although the girls collaborated on this abstract above, and the teen painted with her new found love, the Neocolor II water soluble crayons:

I'll share a completed piece tomorrow. It feels good to paint again.

Day 9 - Love One Another

2011-06-09T14:45:00.000-05:00

I've unexpectedly had a day to myself. Hubby at work, teen sleeping in and the little one went to her cousin's house last night. Of course art was first on my menu; my creative vibrations have been humming...

In continuing with my idea for positive affirmations for the wall, LOVE is what came to mind today. People can irritate you to no end but if you remember that you LOVE them, it puts things in perspective, especially family. I can't help you with the people you don't love. lol

Piece is made with painted paper scraps, transparency pieces, inks, paints and pens.

I've been reading a book about Joseph Cornell, an American artist and sculptor, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage. He was an artist of immense talent, yet plagued by shyness, and wary of the company of strangers. It's such an interesting book. I recommend to people, especially if you like building or viewing assemblage pieces.

Okay, I'm off to plan a night out with hubby. I'm thinking Indian food and Pirates of the Caribbean movie. What are you doing this fine day?

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 8 - Drawing Peoples

2011-06-08T22:15:00.002-05:00

Today while attempting to draw people from a picture, I thumbed through previous drawings I had done. (Note: Click on pics to see up close, because some of them aren't clear until up close because of the flash.)

I sketched Nancys from an old 1935 'Tom and Nancy' reading book. These are some of my favorite drawings.

I did a study in birds a while back. I like how they came out although I'd like them more 'brushy' instead of exact lines.

While we were in Atlanta on a trip, I found a book of shells and worked on this little drawing.

Tonight I was sketching a picture of my mom on the beach, while on our cruise in April. As you can tell, it is terrible. Her mouth looks like I don't know what (supposed to be top teeth and then tongue because she has her head thrown back, laughing) and I started to work on the waves but gave up.

I'm so glad I ordered these books from the library last week. I'm hoping they help me with the peoples drawings. Life Drawing and Drawing People. I'm thinking, whenever I get back to college class taking, my first will be drawing classes. It's a skill I don't possess and would like to 'beef' up on it.

Ohhh, have to show you my thrift store find today! A whole pile of PRINT magazines, magazine for the graphic artist. They have the neatest pictures inside, and their mags were $0.29 each! A steal. Can't wait to peruse them!

See you tomorrow. Be creative!

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 7 - Creating Family Time & Rats

2011-06-07T23:22:00.002-05:00

I'm typing this quick post at 11:03 pm on a Tuesday night. Yes, I know. Late of course, for my post of the day. And to make matters worse, guess who didn't finish an art project yesterday or today? ME! That's who! But to clarify the point of this monthly creativity project; creating everyday is the goal, but is not do-or-die. Yesterday (and today) I was creating family time.

The kids and I spent 12.2 million hours at the pool yesterday, hangin' with the G-ma, getting some sun, and in the case of me; adding to my cache of freckles. My legs and arms are sore (think of all the exercise I accomplished though!) and I went to sleep before 11 pm. It was amazing!

Today we were back at the pool, and I think our faces were the losers this time. They're so red! Gotta be careful and extra vigilant with the sunscreen tomorrow.

I did work on a bit of art. These are pictures of supplies for a project. This is just a teaser until it's complete. It's going to be an apron. Can't wait to finish it!

** Oh, just had to share. My adorable moppy pup pups went to the groomers today.

I decided to get them sort of long puppy cuts so they would be cooler for summer. The groomer was a bit overzealous and gave me rats to take home.

Clementine

Winston

Shaved rats. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. Kind of reminiscent of the last time I had to get Clemie extreme groomed. Remember this post? Oh boy. So, we can't go out in public with the pup pups now. What would the neighbors say? lol

Last thing. Tomorrow we have to turn in any art we want to share in an art show at church. It's so hard to pick things that you think people might want to see. The teen picked out a few things from her college art classes, I picked some canvases and the little one will be sharing some of her cartoons. Have I mentioned her veggie cartoons? They're so funny, I'll have to share some soon. Maybe tomorrow.

Ta-ta for now!

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 6 - Change!

2011-06-06T13:00:00.002-05:00

Hubby and I were talking Sunday morning. I've been feeling very overwhelmed by several things I want to change about myself, as well as things I want to change or redirect in our family. Some are habits, some are attitudes, some are healthyish things. We've acted/done/said things a certain way for so long, it has seemed daunting to make the necessary changes. I told him I was going to make a big list of changes and then write down what steps I need to take to make each change.

Last night while pulling out art supplies, I came up with an idea. I would write each change I wanted to see, on a different petal, cut from any number of papers. Then I'd glue them together to form a flower and put the artwork on my wall of affirmations.

For the background I had a watercolor I started, the basis of a landscape but I didn't like it. Guess who saved it though?! ME! It was the perfect background for my new flower. I randomly glued down petals, intermingling with some blank ones for contrast. They weren't all the same shape or size and they were not uniformly glued down. Some I scribbled over the words I had written, to obscure the messages. Some changes need only be known to me and my heart. I curled some of the petals edges with my nail as well.

The bottom 'Change' word was made of scrap papers, watercolor crayons, pen and oil pastels.

Around the edge I drew a pink line and wrote in tiny letters 'change' all the way around the border.

I refuse to let things weigh me down anymore. I can change things, I will change things, I won't be weary anymore. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.

What did you create today?

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 5 - Owl Be Smelly

2011-06-05T20:00:00.010-05:00

Just a quickie post today being that it's Sunday and our day has been full. Morning church, lunch with the folks (thanks mom and dad!), picked up our new-to-us van (YAY!), pool swimming, chinese food eating and now a bit of art for tomorrow's post.

Yesterday I swear I did something productive but I can't tell you what it might have been. Hubby-the-great worked for hours on the side of our house cutting down overgrown brush so he can add a bed over there for watermelon growing (I'll share pics when it's done). We still have left over dirt from the garden beds we put in, in the backyard so we're trying to get rid of the excess. I can't wait until my driveway is free of a dirt hill!

(before)

In honor of our new-to-us car (don't laugh, it's a 1994 Mercury Voyager. Okay, you can laugh, but it runs!) I've made a small smelly thingie. What do you call them? Air Fresheners! I found it partially completed in the WIP hatbox. I think that box may be bottomless!

One of my fav parts of this is the multi-colored thread. I added a bit of velcro to the bottom so I can put in a baggie of potpourri for the car. What scent should I choose?

What did you create today?

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 4 - Confidence & I Don't Care

2011-06-04T20:11:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we had the best time trotting around Kansas City. The Lady Diana exhibit was wonderful. Seeing the long train on her dress and all of her lovely clothes was astounding. I can't imagine being her. So sad; such a wonderful lady died so young. (Interesting facts I did not know!)

We spent the evening having a picnic in the perfect weather outside with my parents. The kids played frisbee, the men cooked, mom and I chatted. We also finalized the deal on a new-to-us vehicle. A friend had posted on Facebook that she was giving away an old van that works. We've been down to one car since the teen's accident in December so any vehicle is appreciated. We stopped by her house, talked it over and we pick it up on Sunday! Very excited to have two cars again.

This latest art piece is about confidence. I plan to add it to my wall affirmations art I talked about yesterday. One thing I struggle with sometimes is confidence. You wouldn't think it if you knew me but I doubt my confidence sometimes in my mothering skills, my wifing, cooking, my artishness, many areas. I'm trying to teach myself to be more confident.

This pieced started out as plain cardstock. I had no plan, But any idea that popped into my head I did. If I didn't like it, I told myself, 'I don't care' and went on or added to it. It's how it works with confidence. If we let each inferior thought stop us from moving forward, we won't ever accomplish anything. I've written 'Confidence' all over the piece, including on the nose where I messed up the line. But I told myself, 'I don't care' and went on. The piece was more about the process then the finished project.

What are you creating this weekend?

(P.S. My title reminds me of this song! lol)

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 3 - Affirmations & Letting Go

2011-06-03T10:58:00.001-05:00

Day 3 - I have this idea for the blank space of wall above my headboard. As I was planning for my month of creativeness, I was writing down words I wanted to create art around: Confidence, Healthy, Closeness, Strength, Boldness. After having the list it gave me an idea. What about a collaborative art piece? Each piece is individual yet when put together creates a wall of affirmations, reminders of how to treat yourself. Positives for life. It's an idea anyway. We'll see how it comes along.

Yesterday's piece I created was entitled 'Letting Go.' We, as sensitive beings tend to hold onto things. Things from our past, our childhood, past hurts. It doesn't get us anywhere but we let them define us, to bind us to being a certain person. This piece will be a reminder to let all that stuff go and move forwards. To just be me, without all the expectations of others to cling to me. I'm letting go. (The left part with the bright parts of paint was a transparency I had used as a paint palette. I couldn't throw it away so I kept it. Keep everything! lol)

Okay, can't stop to talk longer. I'm off for a day in the city, Kansas City. We're going to see the Lady Diana exhibit at Union Station. We'll have lunch and also help water the community garden my mother helps with. It's a project to provide food for agencies that help those in need. What a perfect Friday.

What will you create today?

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 2 - Chicken Sewing!

2011-06-02T09:15:00.002-05:00

Day 2 is here! Yesterday I spent the day at the pool for my twin nieces' birthday party. 12 screaming 9 year olds. Fun times. Gathered a bit of pink skin that managed to get through the SPF 30. I'm working on my summer tan.

(my youngest niece showing us the bug she found in the pool)

I had planned to start my crafty experiment with paper creations as is my wont but after pulling out the WIP hatbox, I was too taken with it to leave it alone! There are so many wonderful partially finished creations in there. Many pieces are old quilt squares made by some long ago sewer. I have had lofty plans of making my own quilt with them or at least pillows. But yesterday I pulled out a square I had made. Of a chicken.

I don't know where the idea for him came but I think its highly appropriate now that the little one and I are wanting to raise chickens from scratch. In due time, but in the meantime, I can have chicken art!

I pulled out fabrics that would match the square as well as go with my bedroom decor. I can't remember where I purchased it but the egg fabric is my favorite. The red fabric is a reproduction of a fabric from 1879. I love reproduction fabrics!

This keeps happening with my sewing machine. It will be going along just fine and them BOOM! It will start making a crazy sound and this will happen. What's up with that? (Just noticed my fabrics don't line up. I'm not a very 'exact' sewer. It always seems to work out in the end anyway.)

I found the fuzzy trim wadded up in a bag of trims. Really, you never know what I have in my studio, it's crazy. So glad it matched!

What have you created today?!

(if you're just joining my blog posts now, the Day 1.2.3, etc... posts all pertain to my goal for daily Creative Vibrations, initially blogged about here. Join me in creating daily!)

Day 1 - Beginnings

2011-06-01T10:00:00.012-05:00

Day 1 is here! Are you as excited as I am? It's like knowing the fair is in town and your family will be going tomorrow. It's knowing a day full of funnel cake, games and rides are in your near future! I'm over the moon excited to being my month of creative expression. I've been feeling the creative vibes for days; pulling out supplies, reading art magazines, perusing art books from the library. I even found this long forgotten hatbox of WIPs (works in progress), so I imagine I'll be doing a bit of sewing this month as well!

Today is Day 1 of my exploration into the creative unknown. It's been a busy year of homeschooling and other goings on and art has been pushed into the dark recessives of the file 'I'll get to it sometime.' Well 'sometime' is here.

I'm working on a project. I'll post later tonight or tomorrow about my first day of art. In the meantime, I was too excited to not do a few things, so I completed these pants for the little one.

She and grandma had sewn them by hand while we were in Atlanta (shark material picked out to commemorate our trip to the aquarium of course!) but I added the elastic and strengthened the seams. It's a little bit of creating, don't you think?

What will you create for Day 1 of Creative Vibrations? Feel free to post a link to your creations below so I can visit! If you're just visiting now, see this post for what I'm up to and how you can play along. TTFN!

Art Books, Yard Junk & R2D2

2011-05-28T09:00:00.003-05:00

I'm looking forward to doing art once again. It's been a good while (except for the Raven pages I did a couple weeks ago.) I'm actually looking forward to a daily commitment. Of course, I say that NOW, we'll see how I feel then! lol But ideas are flowing in my brain and I'm trying to write them all down so I'm prepared for when June 1st arrives. (This is when my month long commitment to daily art begins. Join me?)

In the meantime, I've been ordering and picking up inspiring books from the library to get my creative juices moving. Have you read a good art book lately? I'd love to know about it.

As a side note, tell me if I'm crazy or not. Since my brain has been flowing with ideas, all these weird ideas are popping up. I was walking the dogs around the backyard the other day and taking note of all the crud in the backyard. Broken rake, broken lawnmower, clay firepit frame and lid with no firepit, piles of branches... I started thinking about how we could do a summer project of taking the lawnmower apart with the little one and discovering how it works. Then we could use the parts, along with all the other junk out there to make some metal sculptures to go in and around our garden. I told this to hubby who is an artist himself although he forgets this about himself and he looked askance at me. Maybe I'm thinking a little FAR outside the box? But I've always wanted to dabble in soldering, welding and wiring. I thought it sounded fun. I also told him about this thing I saw online where you could build your own R2D2 out of a trashcan and maybe we could use the lawnmower parts for that. He didn't get it. He did mention though that the two smokers we have are the exact shape of an R2D2 so now I think we might get engine paint and paint them! That will be fun!

Have an artful weekend!

Creative Vibrations

2011-05-24T11:00:00.014-05:00

What comes to mind when you think of creativity? Does it only encompass art projects, sewing projects, something crafty? What about the people who whip up scrumptious meals, decadent desserts or the child who builds a city out of legos? Can having a green thumb be creative? What if writing poems and stories are your thing? Are those creative as well?

I'm thinking I need a month of 'creative' challenge. I don't know what that entails at the moment. My brain leans towards art as it is wont to do but I just received the new Bon Appetit (I guess I ordered it? Who knows what I do! lol) so you never know what delicacies I might be whipping up in the kitchen. My hubby would be so happy!

Do you need a little 'creative' spark in your life? Are things starting to slow down now that summer is almost upon us? I know for some it speeds up but for us homeschoolers, its a time of relaxation. Time to chill, not think about books. I also try not to think about all the home projects I should be doing.

Anyone want to fill June with creativeness? I'm going to do it regardless of if anyone plays along but its always nice to be creative with friends. Kind of like a creativity party, to get our creative vibrations flowing! I'll be starting June 1st (next Wednesday.) I'm sure there will be days I might not get to something but my goal is for 30 days straight. I've started a list of ideas, a list of things going on in my life right now. Words I might want to create art around. I've also had a few project ideas in mind, I've been writing those down as well. Oh! And let's not forget the neglected pile of WIP (works in progress) that have been set aside. Time to finish those! I'd like to get back to my creative self. I feel like she is lost under a pile of to-dos and worries. It's time to be creative.

* If you have any problems with code, holler and I'll email it to you. The internet sometimes likes to change the code in a frustrating manner.*

Feel free to grab the little button I made and share it on your blogs. I'll begin in June so please come back and post a link to your daily projects. I might feature a favorite project you've shared, in a different post during the week. I am looking forward to finding some new ideas. See you soon!

P.S. I found these great articles on being creative:

The Creative Personality

10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking

Demystifying the Creative Process

Also, after flitting around the internet, I found an actual '30 Days of Creativity' website and challenge. And low and behold, it actually starts in June! What were the odds of that? Other people feeling they need to get creative in the summer months I guess. I will be participating there as well. Join me!

Last of the Ravens

2011-05-23T12:16:00.000-05:00

What was a journey started in April of 2010, has come to an end with these last pages of art. I've had the best-nerve-wracking-feeling-completely-untalented-time creating for this round robin journal of Ravens (use search box to see all Raven pieces I've done.)

I'm now only waiting on my own gorgeous book to return for me to drool over. I'll share it when it shows up.

For these pages, I had no ideas. So I just started scraping paint on and gluing pages from a dictionary. I was out of town in Atlanta for 10 days and whatever supplies I had taken with me, is what I had to use. Thankfully I had packed art supplies pretty well. On this first set of pages, the poem is by John Burroughs called 'Waiting'. My mom says its a perfect poem to describe her, now, life of retirement but I just found the sentiments beautiful.. the 'Waiting' piece of paper will slip back and forth between the other two pages, after I get it put back in the journal it came from.

This next set of pages is for another journal. The left page was just as bright as the right but the background was competing with the trees and birds so I whitewashed it and repainted the trees. The right page has the poem 'I Shall Not Pass This Way Again' by Eva Rose York. Perfectly fitting since I will not be doing another raven page for this swap. The right page also has a hand drawn raven across most of it, with layering of dictionary pages and paint underneath.

What spring art are you creating?

Stripping and Chocolate and Pink, Oh my!

2011-05-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

I'm not real happy with this feast or famine of art time. My fingers long to draw like DaVinci, paint like... I don't know. Someone who does those dreamy watercolor paintings, can't think of who. I long to be creative again. The closest I've gotten is floor stripping and wall painting (and I didn't really do any of it. Read on...)

While away on my cruise, my saint of a hubby took on the project of redoing our floors with the help of a friend who has done this before. Needless to say, I have gorgeous honey floors again. Note the before and after photos. No comparison! How did we let it get so bad???

(before, in the hall)

(before in the dining room)

(after, my bedroom)

(after, living room)

We've spent the last week or so stripping the paint off my bedroom's trim. In some misguided attempt at designing coolness I thought we would paint all the house's baseboards and trim, white. We only got as far as the bedroom. And now that I was re-painting the walls (after 10 years), I decided to put the baseboards/trim back to their original honey brown color. Huge project. I've been so sick since returning from my cruise, I didn't do any of the stripping. But still, big project for other family members.

Did I mention I decided to go with pink paint? We had green in here for so long, then I was decorating with aqua but I think I'm tired of that for my bedroom.

We have this beautiful chocolate brown furniture we bought last year, and I have a yummy cranberry red blanket for the bed. My mind immediately went to a pink of some kind for the walls. I was trying to imagine myself inside a chocolate covered cherry bon bon. Who wouldn't want to be covered in chocolate all day?! So we tried pinks.

My teen was in charge of picking out the paint while I was on my cruise. Her two choices are on the right. I didn't like either. Too gaudy boudoir pink, reminiscent of yogurt or something, kwim? We went again to the store when I got back from my trip and agreed on the left pink.

It might not look like much but we brought it home, put it on the walls and it perfectly matches the 1920s/1930s/whatever era dessert cups I bought at an auction. Those cups were bought to help me pick out the kitchy pink for my kitchen! Exact same color, by chance! So guess what paint we'll be using for the kitchen too?! Two birds with one stone. So cool.

By the way: Note to parents having teen girls who are dating. Encourage them to date tall boys. Think of all the extra work you won't have to do with them around. I just feed him and he paints near the ceiling for me. So wonderful! (He's also handy with gardening, if you've read my homeschool garden post, you'd know this as well.)

So that's a little update around here. I'll have to take a picture of the bedroom after I have it all gussied up.

Remember this piece I started a long time ago? Paper and fabric flowers sewn to a canvas, using my great grandma's button flower (can't remember what blog post I shared them in)? I'm thinking of finishing up these paintings to add to the wall above the bed maybe. I set them aside but its time to pick them up again...

What have you been up to?

Caribbean Cruise Wrap-up

2011-04-28T15:00:00.002-05:00

Well, best laid plans of mice and men and all that. We purchased internet while we were on our Caribbean cruise but it was just too slow to upload a whole ton of photos. I'm wrapping up our cruise info now and sharing the rest of our pictures. Well, not the rest. Between the 3 of us that went we netted over 1000 pictures. You don't really want to scroll through all of those. Except my sister in law Kelly of course. She's crazy. lol

So, in honor of my sister in law (and others) who need a bit of summer weather and want to live vicariously through our pictures, without further ado...

A Day in Haiti

What a stunning beach and all the help was so helpful. The boat brought all the food to the island for our lunch. The only disappointing part was we were really only on Royal Caribbean owned land. We didn't visit the 'real' Haiti and this was a disappointment. I'm so glad our trip did not end with this location. Dinner wasn't until 830 pm so when we got back on the boat around 4, we cleaned up and headed to the cafeteria area for Sushi! The sunset was gorgeous!

A Day in Jamaica

Every night we eat in fine dining on the cruise ship. Our assistant waiter was Jamaican and he said we couldn't go to Jamaica and not see the Dunns River Falls. So this is what we did. We hopped in a taxi and she drove us out 45 minutes to see this stunning waterfall down the whole side of the mountain, ending at the beach. I walked all the way down to the beach to stick in my toes and then about died walking back up, (hello, asthma.) There were groups of people walking up the actual falls, with water shoes. Apparently its the 'thing to do'. We just watched. Then we went back to Falmouth Jamaica where the boat was docked and did a trolley tour of the town. Beautiful. Did you know Elizabeth Barrett Browning's great grandfather lived in Jamaica? I didn't know either!

A Day in the Grand Caymans

What can be said about the Caymans? Unbelievably clear waters. I'm not a fan of ocean water and usually only sit shallowly or stand up to my knees in it. I know, for a person who loves the ocean, this is contradictory. But in the Caymans, its clear. Like standing in a pool. So I went all the way in up to my neck. My only complaint was its an island full of touristy people.

A Day in Cozumel Mexico

This was probably my favorite day. I remember sitting in the cafeteria staring down at the Cozumel harbor thinking, 'I don't want to go.' It wasn't very attractive, I'd been sick with a cold and asthma all the trip and was just tired tired. But I couldn't miss it. Once we were out there we made a decision to rent a car. Best decision we made all trip! We drove out of the congested city and around the island on the outer road. We saw calm beaches, Mayan ruins, rocky sands and superb waves on the ocean side of the island. We stopped in a little mexican cantina on the beach (called 'Naked Beach' but I didn't see any birthday-suiters) and had authentic chips and guacamole and fish tacos. I'd go back in a heartbeat. In fact, where is my passport? I'm ready to leave right now!

Some Cruise Ship pictures

Granted, I've never been on a cruise ship before but I can't imagine other ships being any better than this one. We had the best waiters, and they were our waiters every night. Our room steward made sure our rooms always looked new twice a day. There was free and constant food all over the boat at almost all times. Even on the Royal Promenade where you can shop, there was a pizza restaurant which was free! Dessert with every meal, an ice skating rink, miniature golf course, running track, basketball court, broadway plays highlights show, 3 pools, movies on the huge outdoor screen. We had a wonderful couple as our dinner table mates. It was a vacation of all vacations, my first trip out of the country.

That about wraps it all up. We had a most wonderful time. Now back to real life. *sigh*

My Cruising Journal, Part 2

2011-04-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

(Didn't get this posted yesterday so I'm behind. Pictures are not posting like I want them to, I'll update later with some pictures.)

I'm back. We're having a wonderful time on the ship. On our first night at sea (Sunday) the waters were smooth. What a wonderful introduction to cruising. I think if it had been tossy turny, I would never want to come on a cruise again. Our room is originally for handicapped persons. What this means for us is, wider area, much bigger bathroom. It's one of the last rooms they had. Mom was moved to another room overlooking the Promenade because this room is only supposed to sleep 2.

Sunday afternoon was spent hanging around the deck, exploring the floors. We found they have a library and I've already checked out a book of course. Before dinner we attended part of a show. There is an announcer that is so funny. The comedian that came on after him wasn't clean enough for my taste so we left and headed to dinner early. Before dinner began, mom and I took a walk around the very back of the boat and saw the remnants of the sun setting. So beautiful. Once again I'm reminded how small we are and how very BIG God is. Dinner was an amazing experience. We were waited on, hand and food. We share our dinner table with a sweet young couple. It's nice to meet new people.

Monday morning mom was out the door at o'dark thirty to explore. Beth and I wisely stayed in our beds. Mom saw the sun rise, did stretching class and other various things. I blissfully slept in til 9 am. Monday was spent lazing around as usual. I baked in the sun for exactly 15 minutes on each side so I wouldn't look like a lobster. Mom and I ended up going back to her room and taking naps. What a hard hard life we lead! Lol We all met back up in the evening and went to an ice show. Yes, you heard right. The ship boasts its very own ice rink. What a wonderful show! So colorful and enjoyable.

After that we went to dinner in formal attire. Dinner was scrumptious as usual and our normal waiter spoiled us. When I asked about the beef vs. the sirloin he recommended the beef but then brought me BOTH! I had to share with everyone. He did the same with mom's two choices of fish. For dessert we ordered 1 or 2 of everything, put them all in the middle of the table and dug in and shared. In the end we all decided it was the best meal we'd ever had. The best news at our table was that the couple had gotten engaged today. How sweet! They made just about everyone cry.

We wrapped up the evening with a Broadway medley. Lots of singing from various Broadway shows. I'd like to see several of them someday. What beautiful costumes the singers/dancers had!

Tuesday morning we were very excited to visit Haiti. We spent the day exploring, visiting the artisan market and basking in the sun. Beth and I borrowed some rafts and floated around in the deep blue. It was heaven. I wish we could have seen the real Haiti but Royal Caribbean has its own private beaches on the island. That was a little let down, we were hoping to go in town, maybe visit a church. But today we head into Jamaica and can travel wherever we care to. Our assistant waiter is Jamaican and he instructed us on how to get a cab, where to shop and a waterfall we must see. We're looking forward to today's excursion.

As I sit here typing in the early morning, I can feel the boat moving more than usual. We're almost ready to dock in Jamaica so I think I'll head up to the deck to experience our arrival. More, another day!

My Cruising Journal

2011-04-18T23:50:00.002-05:00

(For the next couple of days I'll be posting about the trip we're on, so family at home can see what we're up to. You're welcome to share in the experience too!!)

Well, I did it. I got on a scary plane, flew almost 3 hours to Florida. It was a wonderful experience. I know this is contradictory to everything I've ever said about flying. Trust me. I know. I always joke that I can't hold my breath that long so its very hard for me to fly. This time, I prayed. And prayed hard. I reasoned with God. 'God, I need you help. Not the normal ''wrap your arms around me, keep me safe” type help. But the big help, the “not being scared at all” type help. Seriously, please help.' This was my prayer on the plane, while waiting to taxi (yes, I actually said 'seriously' to God.) Well, wouldn't you know, he came through for me? When we had air pockets, and boy we had some doozies, an image of me being on a roller coaster and all the air pockets just being bumps and jumps were me sitting in a roller coaster car, came to mind. Can you believe I smiled every time there was an air pocket?! Lol I told my seatmates I felt like throwing up my arms and yelling WEEEEE! Every time there we bumped around. What a blessing this was. Now I keep thinking of all the places I could go now, that I wouldn't before because of this fear. Amazing. We'll see how the flight back is. I'm optimistic.

I'm on vacation with my mom and a fellow homeschool mom. After we flew in on Friday, we spent 2 days living it up (aka: lounging around in some sun and shade, reading) on Cocoa Beach, Fl. The wind really made the visit to the beach so enjoyable. No horrible hot burning sun feeling. We saw several cruise ships leave from where we were sitting, dive bombing pelicans, surfers and children; oh wait, that was mom, building a sandcastle! We ate the first night on a dock, watching the sun streak orange and pink across the sky as it set. Stunningly beautiful. These tall stately palm trees guarded our special little dock and reminded us we weren't in Kansas anymore (or Missouri.)

The second night we ate on Cocoa Beach pier with full window seats to watch the waves march across the sands. The fish were jumping out of the water, I imagine it was their dinner time too and were looking for nice tasty bugs but wishing for worms.

Sunday morning dawned bright and although the cruise ship we were taking did not sail until 430 pm, we were eager to jump on board and get settled. Our driver to the ship was funny, the people who took our tips so they would take our luggage made us feel like we were already on vacation. The ship is so amazing!

I'll keep this post short and I'll be back later with an update.

Channel Your Inner QUEEN!

2011-04-07T11:45:00.001-05:00

Yes it's time for the winners of the House-A-Fire Creations giveaway! Did you channel your inner QUEEN like my title says? Are you singing with me? I asked my children for a different title than 'Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.' Within seconds they broke out into QUEEN. lol

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to come comment on my blog and artwork. I had such fun making the houses, I'm thinking I want to make more soon! When I asked my teen for a number between 1 and 17, both the teen and the little one blurted out numbers. Being the obsessively fair person I am, I can't NOT take one of the numbers. I think subconsciously someone would KNOW their number was blurted out and that I picked one over the other! Yes, I know, weird.

SO... I'm giving away two!

The 'Champions' are:

Lorraine

Beckie

Let's cheer for the winners and go visit their blogs to say hi. Okay, now everyone go sing a bit of QUEEN!

Have a wonderful art-filled weekend. (Winners, look for your houses next weekend sometime. I'm sending on Monday.) I'm off to this year's homeschool conference to learn something.

Raven & Midnight Dreary

2011-04-05T09:00:00.008-05:00

I was looking through old photos and found a few pictures of projects I never posted. If you'll remember, I've posted before about being part of an Altered Raven Journal swap. So far I've created pages in 6 books and have 2 more to go.

Here's the first book I worked on (I was just getting my Raven legs under me... )The top pic was made with stencils and spray paint at a time when I was making the teen's graduation cards. It was the folded flap on the front of the 2 page spread below. The 2 page spread below was stamping, Altered Pages images and a bit of moon drawing.

This one was messy painting, overstamping, multi-stamping and an image.

This was the sign in tag. I folded it, stamped, added a raven and my 'Kris was here' note.

I don't really like looking back on older works. I always look at it for flaws. I'd rather make it, and move on. I'm always in love with my very last piece/creations the best. Does anyone else feel that way?

What are you working on this week?

Gaudy Spring Chic!

2011-04-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Remember my art tease post from Wednesday? Here are the completed items. It felt so good last week to work on something again! I can't wait until I have time again for art. On the horizon I have two more Altered Raven Journals to work on.

Don't forget about my giveaway posted Thursday!

I finished up the Bunting swap pieces. The premise is, we send in separate triangle bunting pieces of art and the hostess will randomly pick 5 pieces to put together as a garland. So 5 wonderful people will be getting pieces of my art. All the flower images are from a collage sheet I had when I used to design art for Art By Moonlight, now sold through Stamp Franscisco. The flower collage sheet is here.

Not sure which is my fav (Do you think they need anything else? The edges have tiny vintage lace attached.) Of course I could not wait to take pics until the glitter glue was dry. So that is why its all shiny. Hence, the Gaudy Chic feel to them.

What are you making for spring?

House-A-Fire Creations & GIVEAWAY

2011-03-31T09:00:00.002-05:00

Yes, another swap. I try not to join them but when a good topic comes along, I have such trouble resisting. It's kind of like brownies. Now say, if you put cole slaw in front of me or liver and onions, I'd be able to resist. No problemo. But not brownies. Not GOOD swaps either.

This swap hosted at Altered Gypsies Forum boards was to make houses out of the basic postcard shape. Either 3 1/2" x 5" or 4 1/4" x 6". Of course to be difficult, I had to do both.

I can't decide on a favorite. I want to keep them all! I won't, but YOU can win one. GIVEAWAY! Tell me your favorite and why. I'm giving away one or two of them this by Wednesday of next week. Feel free to share this giveaway with friends or on your blog. Fun fun fun!

P.S. All the door images are made with Altered Pages collage sheet images.

Tables Rejoice, Spring Bunting Under Way

2011-03-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

This last week the lights were turned on in the studio. Imagine that! The tables rejoiced as I cleaned through all the piles of mismatched things out of place. We have a huge undertaking getting ready to happen and the tables are needed.

Hubby is going to totally redo our floors while I'm supposed to be out of town in a couple weeks. So most everything in the house has to find its way into our basement and subsequently into my studio. After all, space is premium around here. But last night I couldn't resist one last hurrah before the tables were covered once more.

I joined Amy's Spring Bunting Swap. Don't ask me why, I need a new project like I need pounds on my behind but she enticed me with her description. I could just imagine a pretty bunting decking out my fireplace, with my pretty new floors. I could decorate for spring! Have a May Day party. And I would most definitely need a bunting banner for that!

My pieces are not quite complete but I thought a little tease wouldn't hurt, plus it keeps me working. I'll be back soon with completed pieces.

Happy spring everyone!

P.S. If you want to know what I've been up to (hint, it involves plants and animals), visit my homeschool blog for all my latest posts.

Monday Monday, So Good To Me...

2011-03-15T09:00:00.021-05:00

Yesterday, Monday was a whirlwind day ALL DAY TO MYSELF! When was the last time that happened? Mom called Sunday and asked for the child to stay the night and wondered if exercising, helping out with the Centennial planning at the church AND making Whoopie Pies would count towards homeschool hours? I figured, sure. Exercise=PE, Centennial=Community Service, Whoopie Pies=Baking/Math/Measuring. Hey, I would agree to just about anything so I could have the day to myself. Not that I don't love the little munch, but a day all to my lonesome sounded awesome!

Here's how I spent my day:

Listing Items on Ebay

Listing Books on Half.com

Listing Items on Etsy (no art yet, just vintage and supplies.)

NOTE: In honor of National Money Week (and St. Patrick's Day) I'm offering a 15% coupon to my Etsy store, to save you some GREEN! Code: MONEYWEEK. Good until 3/19/11.

Avoiding these that hubby baked last night (carbaliciousness Jumbo Pretzels!)

Cleaning Off the Ole' Cam-Er-A. And the camera on my phone. I find it funny, the things I took pictures of with my camera for the last few months, or in the case of the phone, the last 2 YEARS! Yes, it's been that long since I cleared it. Do you save your pics to another location besides your phone? My phone pics tend to be pics I take to text to someone or Facebook right away. Apparently I have a thing for food. Almost half of my phone pictures were of food. No wonder I'm on a diet!

How did you spend your fine Monday?

She Dreams in Color...

2011-03-09T09:30:00.001-06:00

I had this dream the other day about art. Oh, not like the usual dreams of colors and vibrant words, paintbrushes swiping wildly across piles and piles of primed canvases. Of rugged textures, ribbons and lace, papers and wax, hot and dripping into color crevices. Time rushing by, yet standing quite still...

This dream was the anti-art dream. The one you don't like to have. Bright white canvases, lonely paintbrushes gathering dust, paints drying up, papers yellowing and crumbling into decay. Forgotten and alone.

Fear and indecision reigned.

But then the scene changes, the french doors are thrown open, fear is no more, sunshine streams in and the smell of the balmy beach air fills the space (I can dream right?! lol) I see myself flow in. Yes, flow in. For some reason I'm wearing one of those colorful caftans, I'm fabulously thin (again, dreaming here.) My hair is long, dark red and wild, with stunning locks of hot pink, turquoise and blond. I'm free and happy and filled with purpose. I don't know what the day will hold but I do know it will end with messy tables, paint on my cheek and gallons of joy.

Think the universe is trying to tell me something?

This is as Close as I Get...

2011-03-05T21:00:00.003-06:00

I have not done art in quite a while and I'm starting to miss it! I hadn't known how to keep the fire alive and was starting to think maybe I didn't want to do art anymore. I realized the desire is still there, but LIFE has been in my way. Health issues, homeschool to teach, many other things that just take my time and energy.

Yet, there are seasons for things. I'm hoping the season of ART is upon me. This is the pile of reading books by my bed tonight. I'm enjoying preusing them all, especially the Journal Junkies Workshop. A couple are for me, one is on children, the rest are art.

I received a nice box of Raven art journals to work on. I'm working with a group from Altered Gypsy forums to complete them. The work that has gone into each page is just breathtaking, and its time to add my work. I hear my own personal journal is about to find its way back home to me. To say I'm excited is an understatement. I'll have to share photos when it returns home safe and sound. I've already forgotten what the cover looks like! Thankfully, this blog has search capabilities. Here it is.

What artsy things are going on in your life? Are you making time?

Books in pile:

Movies for Art & Home Renovation

2011-02-08T16:03:00.000-06:00

Last night I was loading up my Netflix instant view cart with movies I haven't seen in a long time. Seeing as I have several more Valentines I want to make, I want things to watch. I don't always watch movies while creating, sometimes I listen to Norah Jones or classical music. Something that lets the brain flow. But with the valentines I keep overthinking things and that will lead to basically getting nothing done. Hence, the movies. I chose lots of great movies. What do you do while arting?

Time Bandits (someone recommended this. I have not seen it yet.)

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

The Money Pit (one of my favs!)

I also thought I'd watch a few series:

30 Rock (never seen)

Miss Marple

Saturday Night Live

Dr. Who (the older ones)

Monk (I'm going to rewatch this series)

In other news, I've had curtain material, already cut in the precise panels for the little one's room, for 5 YEARS. Probably more actually if I were honest. I decided yesterday that I will be making said curtains by next week. The little one and I brainstormed how we want to do her room. She has bright pumpkin orange walls but the rest is a just a cluster of mess, mixmatched things, too many toys. She does have a nice IKEA orange duvet so that will help.

I've always been envious of this room by Atelier and the little one loves it so we're going to use it as a stepping off point.

She already has an orange room so we think we'll keep that but do these type flowers on the walls in a lime green. We'll pull in colors of the lime, aqua, orange and magenta. I'm thinking of piecing together a curtain for her closet, which doesn't have anything at this moment, as well as painting her dresser. I'll document as we go along, for fun.

What home projects are you working on this year?

Who Needs the Superbowl When You Have Art?

2011-02-07T08:30:00.019-06:00

So. Who won the Superbowl last night? I don't even care (sorry to all those who do.) Me, Myself and I spent some quality time in the studio making a mess. Yes, it's already a mess. I just pushed those piles down the table (and to be honest, piled some of it on the floor.) All so I could work on a few Valentine ideas.

I've discovered an awful truth about myself (hubby disputes this). I'm good at getting a project going in the beginning. I can get a vague idea for something, and layer and layer backgrounds like you wouldn't believe. And then? Nope. Nothing. I just stare at the fabulous backgrounds not knowing what to put on top. Maybe I'm just a background artist? I don't know.

I stare and stare. Dragging items out, making piles, messes, always feeling like what I'm making is something a 5 year old would make. Sometimes it works out, a lot of times it doesn't. I get discouraged that I can't think of some fantabulous idea and follow it through to the end. I only get small inspirations about maybe color, or using a certain supply. Never finished products. Don't know how to change this...

Have you thought about making an inspiration board/wall? I've seen pictures of other people's boards. I never have fully gotten the jist/purpose of it. They put the things up there for the colors? The shapes? Things they want to aspire to? Supplies they want to use? It's hard to just pick a few things that would inspire me and would fill a board and that I wouldn't get bored of after a bit.

But last night I was visiting my neglected Flickr account and realized I have an inspiration board. It's called my 'Favorites'. If you don't have a favorites on Flickr, you should get one. Basically if you see a pic on Flickr that you like, you click the little star that favorites stuff. Then you can go look at all the things you've saved. I sat here and did a slideshow of my Favorites and it was fascinating the things I like.

It's like a snapshot inside my brain. Messy, disorganized, layerings of papers, paints, lace, fabrics, ribbons, vintage pics, riots of color (and some scrumptious food pics thrown in to torture me were included.) It was me! It was amazing. I'm thinking of printing some just to stick on a board or wall for inspiration.

What is inspiring you lately?

(more pics of valentines coming up soon, I hope...)

P.S. Forgot to mention. I could not find my good fabric cutting scissors last night (only the glue covered ones.) But instead of giving up on arting, I pulled out the wood burning tool. Notice the hearts on most of the valentines? Yup. Mother of invention...

Christmas Time Was Here...

2011-02-03T09:00:00.000-06:00

So... I found this half finished post in my blogger. I guess I was planning on sharing it or did and it didn't go through? I have no idea. So, read on, and pretend it's somewhere between December 27 & 31, 2010 all over again?

"The end of 2010 is upon us. I'm sure most people are getting ready for New Years parties or unplanned evenings at home (like us). Our last couple weeks have been eventful. Let me share what is on my brain tonight.

Note: We ended up watching the old TRON on New Year's Eve. Yes. We're huge partiers aren't we!

The teen was in a car accident last Sunday. Don't panic. She is just fine. Not so much our car. We're still waiting on details but considering the age of the car, 2003, it will most likely be totaled. The teen was taken to the hospital and all kinds of tests were run but God was watching out for her and she only suffered a few bruises and a sore neck and shoulder. God is good. Considering she slammed into a barrier, careened across all lanes (hitting no one!) and flew off the highway onto the side road and landed upright and didn't flip, we care not one wit about the car. Very thankful for her life.

Note: Yes, car was totaled. But thankfully the payout was bigger than we expected so we're looking for a reliable car. Meanwhile, we only have one so I have officially become a hermit.

Then, to add insult to injury, we all caught the yucky flu, at the same time. All four of us. I'm not talking the sniffle flu/cold thingie. I'm talking, you all better hurry up and get out of my path to the bathroom or I'm gonna throw up on you flu. Yeah, not fun. I was so thankful for all my pre-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping so I did not have to go out and do any of that leading up to Christmas. Just had to share one of my favorite gifts this year! A NookColor!

I'm looking forward to downloading books and finding other Nook users so we can lend books to each other. Not sure how to do it yet, but if you have a Nook, holler at me so we can be best lending buds! lol

Note: I've finally learned how to lend and borrow books. Still looking for Nooky friends. *smile*

What was your favorite gift this year?"

Shoving a Pot Up My Nose Apparently...

2011-02-02T09:00:00.034-06:00

So I'm trying to figure out in what situation I would want a pot shoved up my nose. Apparently everyone is doing it. Because when I talk to people about sinuses, allergies and colds they recommend this Neti Pot thing.

Mom has one and swears by it. Seeing as I've never used one, I haven't seen the urgency to flow hot/warmish water through my nasel cavities and have it pouring out the other side. Weren't we always taught not to put things up our nose like beans, and pennies and small cracker jack toys? But now pots are okay I guess. What is this world coming to?

In related news, I 'liked' Neti Pot's facebook page. They were giving away free pots. They were so hot for me to try it, it came within a few days. On Monday.

Now I'm just waiting for some awful ailment to attack me so I can gleefully pull out my prized Neti Pot and poor molten lava (aka warm water and sinus crystal thingies) through my nose. And try not to swallow it. Or backwash it. Or sneeze.

Do you have one? Do you use it? Am I whining for no reason?

Fun times being had here at the Contessa home...

P.S. I forgot! There's a blizzard out. Yesterday and today bore the brunt of Mother Nature and about a foot or so of snow was dumped on us. I personally love the snow, hubby thinks otherwise. We agree to disagree. Here's a cheesy video I shot of the blizzard. My first video uploaded to my YouTube account. I told you fun times were happenin' around here!

Inspiration

2011-02-01T13:41:00.002-06:00

Inspiration is a funny thing. One minute (or month) I can be going along my merry way and not caring whether I do art again in my life or not. Then something will inspire me. A look at a magazine, a riot of colors on a sign, the texture of a some fabric. Then you're brain is hopping all over wanting to create. Ideas flying at you left and right.

Then, if you're me, you walk into the studio and walk right back out. Mine is trashed. I don't want to clean before I work on these ideas flying at my head. So what's a girl to do? Make up a 'To-Go' kit. hehe As in 'go to the bedroom to create'.

I was reading a Facebook post yesterday by Gina Lee Kim and how she had won a drawing on a site. I went off to look. It was a sketching challenge site. How fun! Hadn't heard of it before.

It happened to be just after midnight and they had posted their new month's challenge. Opposites. For some reason an idea came to me. Probably had something to do with it being the dead of winter and a blizzard was impending (it's hitting us now as I type.)

It's still a work in progress. Many more layers to add. Just thought to share. I wondered if others have like little emergency kits they use, maybe to do art outside their studios, or to take in the car, on vacation, etc...? What do you put in yours?

Mine holds:

sketchbooks

metallic colored pencils

sketching pencils

Staedtler pens

Gel pens

India Ink (in hot pink and turquoise)
Caran d'Ache crayons

book pages & scrapbooking paper scraps

Scissors

Bottle of glue & foam brush

Pencil

Charcoal chalk

various magazines (Cloth, Paper Scissors, Artful Journaling, Somerset Studio, ARTNews)

What is inspiring YOU on this cold (at least here) winter day?!

Merry Christmas Friends!

2010-12-25T08:30:00.000-06:00

An Irish Christmas Blessing

The light of the Christmas star to you
The warmth of home and hearth to you
The cheer and good will of friends to you
The hope of a childlike heart to you
The joy of a thousand angels to you
The love of the Son and God's peace to you.

I pray that your holidays are joyous and filled with love! God bless!

I Give UP. Onto Christmases Past.

2010-12-16T11:16:00.000-06:00

What is it about this time of year? I swear I claim I do not stuff our schedule with happenings but it seems I do not have the time to continue creating anything. It's a matter of priorities. So, I'm officially giving up on the 12 Days of Ornaments. But I made it 5 days. Last year I only made it 3! Improvement! So maybe next year I'll make all my ornaments in November and save them to share. (Of course, you know as soon as I say this, I'll be able to get in the studio every night until Christmas and create. It's Murphy's Law. We believe in that...)

So, in honor of my blatant quitting, I'm sharing a post from last year where I made ornaments. (Hopefully you won't think less of me for re-blogging, and lump me in with your feelings toward re-gifters. I mean well. *smile*) They were pretty, plus the post includes my daughter's famous Ginger Snap cookies. They are famous really. Everyone requests them. In fact, this year my father contacted her to make 6 dozen cookies for his cookie exchange at work and he would PAY HER. Being only 11, this was her first job and she knocked it out of the park! She was also paid by her grandma to make another 6 dozen, although we used the tried and true peanut butter w/Hershey's kisses recipe.

Oh! I forgot to mention I did create something recently. A card for my Secret Santa recipient. I hope he/she likes it! (the colors at the bottom are not really red/white/blue. They're more cranberry, cream and aqua. The do actually match the card.)

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Here is the post from last year:

Yes, the Christmas muse is still visiting. But she is getting tired of the same hot chocolate and homemade ginger snaps I'm serving everyday so she is eager to move on to someone else's studio. Anyone willing to invite her over for a visit? She's hogging all the ginger snaps anyway. I'm partial to my dd's homemade ginger snaps (see recipe below.) *smile*

Red Lead has the most adorable Christmas collage sheets (just search by Christmas Collage.) Especially the vintage photos of children with Santa! I'm enthralled! And this trim they carry (blue trim above) is just like that sparkly icicle stuff you throw on the branches of your tree. I've been having fun playing with it!

New Christmas Ornaments for my tree. Is it too early to put it up, at least in the studio (if I ever get it cleaned?!!!)

The Little One's Ginger Snaps

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup cooking oil or shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1/4-1/2 cup sugar (according to your sweet tooth's preference)
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
+ 1/4 cup sugar (for rolling)

Instructions:
Throw it all in a bowl together (except the last 1/4 cup sugar) and mix with an electric mixer. Shape into balls. Roll in the remaining sugar. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven (ours cooks it to perfection in 8 mins.) Cool cookies on wire rack. Arm yourself with a spatula to fend off cookie hogs, and enjoy! Makes 30-50 cookies.

Let me know if you try them, I wanna tell the little one. She loves to bake and always ruins my low carb eating when she makes these. We can't resist them!

Let's Pretend It's Day 5 - 12 Days of Ornaments

2010-12-09T23:00:00.007-06:00

Yeah, ummm okay. Let's just pretend today is December 5th, and I'll be sharing the 5th day of ornaments. I know its not the 5th but Sunday got away from me with church, kids portrait sitting with grandparents, little one caroling with her singing group and the teen running off to sub-work at Game Stop. Busy hectic. I found myself working on my ornament late at night, catching up on Amazing Race. At 11:45 pm I conceded that I would not get my ornament done in time to post, so I resolved to 'post it tomorrow'. Well, tomorrow turned into 2 days, then 2 days of migraines and here I sit on the 9th of December. But you don't really care, lonely blog, what day I post to you, do you? Only, that I visit and post! So here goes.

But just to appease the blog visitors, I have a special bonus looky-loo show-in-tell for you! After the ornament...

(P.S. This is not the original day 5 ornament. I still did not finish that one. So you're saved from handsewing skills for the moment.)

OH WAIT! Let me tell you about my evening (it has to do with the ornament.) I have a nice group of local friends who I rarely see but are still my good friends. And whenever we get together there is no awkwardness, we pick up where we left off last time we were together. What makes them so special in my heart is, they're all homeschoolers and Christian women. They were the people who helped me on this journey of homeschooling and every year, even though I've been homeschooling for 10 years now, they patiently answer all my hairbrained questions about the subject. They are a living indispensable fountain of info, that I so desperately need. They are also all artists in their own ways. And that is what makes them even more dear to my heart.

Anyway, I planned a quick Christmas get together since I had not seen most of them in months. We met at a local restaurant and became fast friends with the perky waitress! We exchanged handmade Christmas ornaments. The one below went to my good friend Trisha. The ornament from Day 4 went to my other good friend, Rhonda (in case you cared what I was doing with my creations.)

NOEL ORNAMENT

(There are no close up step by step pics, since I was working furiously to finish this tonight before my party. It's pretty easy though.)

Supplies:

scrap of wool

metal letters

brads

lace scrap

sequin trim

collage image (I used one from Altered Pages)

old book page

shimmery spray

gel pen

gaudy hot pink (or whatever color) plasticy leaf piece

sewing machine

This is super simple!

1 - Cut out a rectangle of wool. Could also use felt. I didn't measure but mine was a bit bigger than an ATC's 2 1/2 x3 1/2" size.

2 - Punch 2 holes in the top left and right parts to string your hanger through.

3 - Cut a 5-6" piece of sequin trim (or any ribbon will do) and thread through the holes from the back to front. I lightly glued them down on front to hold them in place for the next step.

4 - Take a piece of lace and run it through the sewing machine, gathering it like I showed you on this initial post as well as this ornament post. Easy peasy.

5 - Take gathered lace, layer over wool (hiding ends of sequin trim) and sew a zig zag all the way across.

6 - Tear a piece of the dictionary paper to fit the middle of the ornament and spray with shimmery ink . Glue down, centered.

7 - Chose your favorite collage image and glue down in the upper center of the dictionary page.

8 - Draw around the image with a regular or gel pen.

9 - Pick out letters to spell a word (I used the letters for NOEL.) Line up where you want them to lay and put a dot through the holes at the top (if yours do not have holes, just add glue to the backs and adhere, skipping the use of the brads.)

10 - Use the brads to attach the metal letters.
11, Cut off a piece of the sparkly leaves and sew to the collage with the zig zag on the sewing machine.

This is a great way to use up fabric scraps. If your scraps are thinner, just glue to a piece of cardboard first.

Now for the show-n-tell (all images are from Altered Pages.) I couldn't just take my ornaments to the party wrapped in anything plain. Oh no! Plus the bags I used were blue. That didn't seem very Christmasy to me. So I gussied them up.

Three cheers for gussying! I thought they came out nicely! And just using regular ole' supplies. I did emboss the bags before making the collages for the fronts and then gluing said collages down (stamped used for embossing was from RedLeadPaperworks.com.) I think my friends liked them...

Okay, that's it for today. Cross your fingers, I get another post up tomorrow. I do have another ornament I finished waiting it the wings!

Day 4 - 12 Days of Ornaments

2010-12-04T20:00:00.016-06:00

How was your Saturday? Mine was surely eventful. I didn't even make it into the studio until the evening hours. But it was worth it. We went to a rescue dog viewing, 'just to look'. Yes, you guessed it. We came home with a dog. I've been wanting another one, one to play with our little Clemie. She needs a friend. He was apparently a breeder's dog. He is shy, still learning to go the bathroom outside and takes a bit to warm up to people. I can't image the conditions he might have been kept in. His eyes were matted shut when they got him at the rescue place. His little tongue hangs out a bit because of weird teeth. We love it.

We have this new dog 'Winston Franklin' on a trial basis to see how he fits in with our dog. He was named Frank Sinatra for his unusual blue eyes. We named him Winston because Winston Churchill's wife was Clementine (our other dog's name.) They're learning to like each other. I'm thinking they will be bffs in no time. (P.S. It's hard to take a pic of the dog, if you take too long - aka: more than 5 secs - he starts to close his eyes to sleep! lol) He's a little scruffy. You can't tell here, but he has quite a bit of tan all over his body, even some brown. So cute. I can't wait to get him to the groomers!

After bringing home this dog, the teen and I ran off for a little shopping. We had pulled several angel tags off the Christmas tree at church (presents for kids who are in foster care) and it was time to get lots of goodies. Needless to say, I spent too much but it feels so good to think of the kids with their presents, new socks, gloves, scarves, etc... We had a good time!

Today's ornament tutorial is one I was working on the other day and abandoned for yesterday's. I finally finished it. With some of its leftovers, I made a smaller ornament that could also be a package/gift topper.

NOTE: I think everyone is busy this season. No one has had time to post ornaments. So all names that comment will go in for the drawing. No pressure. But still feel free to share your ornaments made this year in the linky thingie below. I'm giving away a whole pile of artsy things at the end of the 12 days, INCLUDING several pieces of chipboard, sequin waste, fabric scraps and more.

Supplies:

cardboard

vintage pink acrylic paint

sequin trim

chipboard star

collage image (I used an angel for an old sheet from Art By Moonlight)

glitter glue

glue

metal word

fabric and lace scraps

wire or floral wire

various beads in Christmas colors

Extras for small ornament:

Holiday Sentiment stamp

Brown Ink Pad

Sewing Machine

Sparkly Tinsely trim

Chipboard

Vertigris & Clear Embossing Powders

Embossing Ink pad

1 - Cut an ATC (artist trading card) size piece of cardboard. Pull some of the front layer off, exposing the corrugated part underneath.

2 - Paint the cardboard with pink paint and let dry.

3 - Layer the middle of the card with a few fabric and lace scraps. I went with more neutral pieces. tack down with glue or maybe a stitch with needle and thread.

4 - Cut out a collage image of an angel and glitter her wings. I also wrapped a small piece of sparkly tinsely trim for a halo. Set aside and let glitter dry.

5 - Choose a metal word. Pat with embossing ink pad and cover with clear embossing powder. Heat until it melts. Do twice, this gives it a nice shiny surface.

6 - Glue the metal word to the bottom of the ornament.

7 - Glue dot the sequin strand to the top area of the ornament.

8 - Take chipboard star and color with a red marker, including the sides.

9 - Pat with embossing ink pad and cover in red embossing powder. Heat until melted. Repeat with clear embossing powder. Now you have a shiny star!

10 - glue down the star to the middle of the sequin trim.

11 - Glue on the dried angel.

12 - Poke hole for the wire, twist to attach. Bead with Christmasy beads and wire other side to the ornament.

You're done!

To make the little ornament:

1 - Take scrap of cardboard, about 1 3/4" by 2 1/2". rip part of the front off. Paint with pink paint.

2 - Pick fabric and lace scraps.

3 - With ink pad and sentiment stamp, stamp onto a brighter fabric scrap.

4 - Layer all scraps onto the cardboard and sew across the middle.

5 - Take chipboard scrolly piece and pat with embossing ink pad and cover with vertigris embossing powder. Heat until melted. Repeat with clear.

6 - Attach to the ornament with glue dots.

7 - Cut a 3"+ piece of sparkly tinsely trim. Loop and staple to the cardboard back.

Stay turned for tomorrow's ornament. HINT? Better brush up on your hand stitching/quilting skills. It's an easy one, if you can thread a needle.

Day 3 - 12 Days of Ornaments

2010-12-03T18:30:00.003-06:00

Today was a busy day of who knows what going on. I feel like I did nothing but my day was full. Ever have those days? Anyway, when I finally went into my studio, the ideas were stagnant. I started and stopped 3 different ornaments until I happened upon this one that I liked making. It's a simple tutorial but I love the look of it!

NOTE: Please share your ornaments made this year in the linky thingie below. I'm giving away a whole pile of artsy things at the end of the 12 days, INCLUDING one of these vintage ashtrays so you can make your own!

Supplies:

cardboard

collage image (I used RedLeadPaperworks.com)

Clear & Silver UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel, thicker than Embossing powder)

Embossing clear pad

Wire or floral wire

Beads

streamers

sewing machine

jingle bell

various beads

sprig of a wired berry floral accent

glue and/or glue gun

Heat gun

1 - First, I chose an image, cut it out and glued to a piece of cardstock (MAKE SURE the north end of the picture is on the end where you can see the corrugated holes of the cardboard. You're going to need a vertical hole through the corrugated layer, for later.) Then I cut it out with scissors.

2 - Pat the whole picture with embossing ink pad. Cover the picture in Clear UTEE. Heat with heat gun. Repeat. this gives it a nice thick glassy look.

3 - Take Embossing ink pad and pat just around the front edges of the picture. Cover with silver UTEE. I tapped off the excess, then ran my finger over the middle of the pic to make sure the silver was moved back and wouldn't melt over the picture.

4 - Melt the UTEE with the heat gun. I gave it a bit of extra melting which made the silver kind of meld with the clear, making it look old. Love that look! Can't you just see jewelry like this?!

5 - Wire a jingle bell to a piece of wire or floral wire. Run the wire up through the middle of the card corrugated layer to the top.

6 - Add beads to your wire until you have enough for a hanging loop. Finish off the wire by twisting below the first bead, by the cardboard.

7 - Take the streamers and ruffle sew it on the sewing machine. You can see instructions I shared a few months ago using cheesecloth. Similar result.

8 - Gather a small piece of the sewn streamers and glue or tape behind the bell on the ornament.
9 - Bend the sprig of berry floral piece around the corner of the ornament. I meant to glue it down with hot glue before taking the picture, but the teen has run off with my glue gun. Just glue in the right corner, and on the left corner to hold the sprig down.

NOTE: I think I'll go back and add glue to the edge of the streamer, and glitter it up!

There you have it. My simple little ornament. I was happy to start using my embossing powders again. They were getting down right lonely sitting on the shelf. Okay, time to prop up the footies in front of the fire. See you tomorrow!

You're turn to show off your ornaments!

Day 2 - 12 Days of Ornaments

2010-12-02T18:28:00.006-06:00

Today's ornament tutorial was an unusual one. I have these vintage silver plated ashtrays. I bought them to see if I could sell them on Ebay but I found they don't sell for much. So they've been sitting around in my art room with the idea that I would use them to separate beads or something. Yeah, uh no. They've been sitting there for two years. So when I was working on ornaments, the stack of them were in the way of my feathers box and all of the sudden I had an idea for an ornament! I hope you like it!

Supplies (for blue ornament):

clear ashtrays or finger bowls would work

embossing pad & powder in silver, red and shimmery clear

heat gun

glue

paper scraps

glitter

brown ink pad

Merry Christmas (or other saying) stamp

various little things, broken ornaments, deers, whatever you like

collage images (mine are by RedLeadPaperworks.com)

sparkly tinsel trim

vintage pearls strand (mine are a light pink)

1 - Take the ashtray and pat with the embossing pad on the lip of the ashtray. Pour bright silver embossing powder all over it and then emboss with heat gun (I know, shouldn't mess up a vintage piece this way but...) For the other two trays, one I used red and shimmery clear and the pearl ashtray I didn't mess with the lip at all.

2 - Trace around the bottom of the ashtray onto a scrap patterned paper.You might need to trim the circle of paper down until it fits. For the blue one I used a painted/stamped piece of scrap paper. Glue into the bottom of the ashtray.

3 - With the shimmery tinsely trim, fit it into the inside edge of the ashtray. Mine had wire in it so I just measured, added an inch and twisted it together. Slip it inside the edge. Mine was tight enough I didn't need to glue it in but you could. The pearl ashtray, I glue dotted the pearls in, so they'd stay in place.

4 - Choose a person image and glue onto the background, not completely centered. I just love the children's sheet from RedLeadPaperworks.com.

5 - Take a deer or other animal. Add glue dots to the backside and bottom of its feet and slip into the ashtray.

6 - Take glue and add dots of glue around the edge of the ashtray. Sprinkle with glitter and let dry.

7 - While that's drying, we'll do the sentiment. Stamp a holiday saying/word on scrap paper. Ink the edges of the piece of paper and cut a triangle at each end to create a banner. Bend it into a bannery wiggley shape.

8 - Pat the whole banner with the embossing pad while trying not to take the shape out of it too much. Cover liberally with clear embossing powder. Emboss. Do it all again.

9 - Glue dot the banner to the ashtray.

10 - Add any extras you want. On the drummer boy red one I went back and glittered the deer in the background after I took the pic. Add personal touches. Could add a person's name.

One thing I will say about using an ashtray... most will have a real silver edge you will be able to dremel drill a hole through to put a string for hanging. AFTER I made these, I realized the glass went all the way up to the edge under the silver lip. I don't have a glass drill bit yet so I couldn't finish these with ribbon. Not until I get to the store to buy it. Make sure to use a strong ribbon to hang them with since they will be a bit heavy.

P.S. I was going to head out to the thrift store and see what other 'ashtrays' or interesting things they have to create with and take pretty pics for you to get ideas, but no. Here I sit still in my PJs in front of a roaring fire. Too lazy. But you get the idea. You can think of other applications for this type of project. Shallow wooden bowl, juice can lids, silver cupcake papers (yes, I have some of those somewhere, fess up, you probably do too.)

Add a link to your ornaments here!

Had To Share!

2010-12-02T11:32:00.000-06:00

Okay, probably didn't need to share, but I was slightly excited so I thought I must.

A couple of my cards were published in the upcoming Winter issue of Somerset Studio Gallery. This is my first time being in a Somerset/Stampington publication. I guess it pays to actually submit stuff. It's the first time I've sent in items for consideration.

Remember this post and these items?

A few items from that pile made it in.

Mine are on the left.

All images and green vine trim are by RedLeadPaperworks.com. My favorite part was the angel stamp. I usually put down a scrap paper to do all my painting on and then when I'm done I have this paper full of many colors. This one was too pretty to just toss so I stamped on it. Isn't it pretty? I just need to remember when I'm painting, not to do my gluing on the same paper, otherwise I can't use it as background. It gets all gummy.The bottom right blue/green part on the 'Sing' card is also scraps painted with leftover paint.

The eggs on the top one were cut out of purpley marbley vellum I was just going to toss or give away (not a fan of the purple, people.)

Anyway, just had to share.

* STAY TUNED: Day 2 of Ornaments is coming up. Don't forget to show off your ornaments to enter to win a pile-o-goodies.

DAY 1 - 12 Days of Ornaments

2010-12-01T17:02:00.008-06:00

Well, November was a busy one! I did meet my goal of 50,000 words for NaNoWrimo though. I was so surprised. I actually finished about 5 minutes before midnight on November 30th. Talk about cutting it close! I guess I could have cheated but where is the fun in that?! I will continue to work on the book throughout the year and we'll see what happens after that.

So, I'm back into full art mode again. Today it felt so good to step into the art studio and create something, ANYTHING! I need ornaments for several friends and a Secret Gypsy package so that is what has been on the agenda today. While I'm at it, I thought I'd do a little round of 12 Days of Ornaments. For the next 12 days I'll be sharing the ornaments I make that day, along with step by step instructions. If you have nothing else you're working on right now, feel free to play along!

NOTE: There is a link thingie at the bottom for you to share your creations. For every ornament you make and post to my linky thing, your name will be entered in a drawing. At the end of 12 days, I'll draw a name and send a whole envelope of supplies to make Christmas ornaments (including the blue sparkly wreath made below.) It will be lots of fun stuff, scraps, ribbons, german scrap, sparkly stuff, yummy goodies!

Today's ornament tutorial was a fun one and pretty quick. So quick I forgot to take step by step pics. I'll try to recreate there here.

Supplies:

cardstock scrap (about 2 1/2 x 5 1/2 or a 3X5 index card would do just as well)

scraps of fabric, ribbon, lace, trim, seam binding, snap strips, etc...

sparkly tinsel garland or something similar

thin sparkly thread (i used silver)

grommets (eyelets) and setter

floral wire (or any wire, mine is green)

brown ink pad

star stamp (or similar small Christmasy stamp)

patterned paper scrap

Christmas image (I used an Angel from RedLeadPaperworks.com)

sewing machine

needle and thread

1 - Cover cardstock in a think piece of fabric, I used a couple pieces of leftover eyelet fabric. Not a bit deal. It just gives structure and you don't really see it. Use up that ugly fabric you hate. SEW it to the cardstock around the edge.

2 - Line up scraps of fabric, ribbon, lace, trim, etc... until you like it on the tag. I overlapped mine except for two pieces I put on top of everything else so they would essentially make a 'pocket' for my card. SEW all of them down, careful to keep the scraps tight and straight as you go around. If you're worried about it, give them slight dots of glue or glue dots to stay in place while you sew.

3 - Trim the fabrics, laces, etc.. until you like the edging. Mine hangs over the edge of the tag about 1/3" on all sides. Yes, it's going to be a big ornament. Might use it for a doorknob decoration instead. *smile*

4 - take sparkly tinsely trim and coil in a wreath shape. I went around twice, twisting it to be more firm.

5 - Tie a bow with the sparkly thread stuff (yes, I'm real descriptive tonight.) on the wreath.

6 - Set eyelets in the top left and right corners of the ornament.

7 - Twist wire into eyelets. I tied on one side, coiled the wire around my finger to get that nice spiraly look, then wired it through the other eyelet. No right or wrong here.

8 - Center the wreath between the two eyelets. Hold in place while you stitch down the wreath with needle and thread. This is where you'll probably want thread that matches your sparkly tinsely trim. I used a maroon.

9 - Cut out your image. Glue to a piece of patterned paper scrap.

10 - Cut scrap in a rectangle around the image (you'll want to make sure its small enough to slip in behind the ribbon/strips you sewed on top of the rest as a 'pocket'.

11 - Ink the edges of the scrap. Stamp stars or other small Christmasy stamp around image on scrap.

12 - Slip into 'pocket' and if you're worried about it falling out, add a few glue dots under the backside.

NOTE: I did stamp Merry Christmas on one of my seam binding scraps after I sewed it on there. You can do that or add a piece of paper with a sentiment.

You're done! Now, wasn't that fun?! Come back tomorrow for more fun ornaments to create.

November Projects

2010-10-31T22:45:00.003-05:00

Just a real quick post. It's Halloween evening and I'm all tuckered out. I succumbed to 3, no, 4 counting the lollipop with the gum inside, candies tonight. I tried, I really tried to be good. How many did you eat?! lol

Our fall is now surrounding us. The chilly air is settling in and I'm always wanting a roaring fire in the fireplace. I'm going into hermit mode. However, I have two projects in November that will keep me busy and surprisingly out of the house. So much for staying inside my comfort zone.

The first is this: National Novel Writing Month. Yes the written insanity has taken hold of me, mostly for the actual accomplishment of completing 50,000 words in one month. They have said we can not write one word over and over so my original plan has been snafu'd. So now I've had to think up an actual plot with characters, settings and the like. Let me tell you, I've gone through three plot scenarios already. And now with the first day of writing looming over my head in a little over an hour, I think my brain is moving onto an as yet unformed NEW plot. Ahhh, gotta love the mind and its creative twists and turns. No easy road for me, I guess. We have a local NaNoWriMo chapter that will be gathering for weekly Write-Ins, so I guess I'll be leaving the house for those. Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year?

I saw a twitter this evening from 26Things about their new November challenge. I'm thinking I will participate in this as well. My camera, my lovely new Christmas present camera, has been sorely neglected the last couple of months and it's time I pulled it out and started snapping. I'm thinking I might invite the kids to join me in this challenge as well!

So that's a quick update on what's going on around here. As to art, I have several canvases half finished, one is only waiting for that certain special piece I can't seem to fathom at this moment, and then it will be done. The art room is in disarray again but what is new? I'm not working on any altered books at the moment but do have a project for Altered Pages in the works as well as a couple for Red Lead ruminating in my brain. It's going to be a busy (hopefully successful) November, I can tell.

What's up with you in your world?

Art Lessons

2010-10-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time there was a mom. Okay, an artistic mom, who had trouble teaching art to her child. I know, CRAZY!! you say. Yes, definitely. The mom would take the artsy child to the art room but then not know what to teach.

'Okay, um, how about we play with some paper? Or stamps?'

'Mom, we did that last time... and the time before that!'

'Ummm, what about making a book, I can show you how to sew a journal.'

'Nah, doesn't sound fun.'

'How about drawing a picture?'

'Umm, I don't know what to draw.'

'Okayy, wanna sew something?'

'What should I sew?'

'I don't know.'

See? I'm not good at teaching. I have this weird picture in my head of her just walking into my art room, grabbing this and that and magically creating something she likes. This doesn't happen often. It helps if I plan something out first and as we get going it morphs into something else, that's okay.

I have grandiose plans of teaching her about other artists, and their styles of art. This involves planning too. Because to be perfectly frank, I am embarrassed to say I don't know much about any artists. I'd love to learn about them too. What makes this even worse is that we homeschool.

Well, not that part but we do good amounts of school Monday -Thursday so we can have Fridays off for Art, Math/English games or field trips. I'd like to see us get to the end of our school year and she be well informed about all types of arts and artists.

This past Friday we did manage to create. I pulled out a bag of wooden house shapes I picked up at a garage sale and we both created one. She preferred to paint more of hers (SEEN UP ABOVE), with some collage of a roof on top. She made it as a birthday gift for her sister so she wanted to add a picture of herself in the door. I thought it was cute!

Mine includes plastic fencing, a fabric heart, pompoms and furniture tacks. I used all handmade, handpainted and textured papers. We had a pretty good time, despite my non-planning but it was touch and go in the beginning. We almost quit due to lack of plan...

At the end of our creating session we painted off the rest of the paints puddles we had out, on papers for future use (I have a thing about wasting paint! lol)

Cross your fingers I come up with ideas by next Friday. Any suggestions?

Party at POE'S Art

2010-10-12T13:00:00.002-05:00

I'm slowly catching up on my obligations to the Raven Altered Book club at Altered Gypsy. I finished up the last 3 books I had in my possession this weekend. Most pages you saw a few weeks ago but I did manage a few more.

For this one I started with a leaves theme but then got stuck. I finally went with the Trees poem by Joyce Kilmer. Love that poem. (It's a two page spread.)

I used the same poem on a canvas quite awhile back (2 years ago I think? It already sold) but you can see info about it on this post. Here's the pic of the canvas:

The second two page spread I did was entitled Party At Poes! Once I put a hat on Poe, the page naturally went from there.

I will tell you about the process of making the whole page since it was an experiment in experimenting. Here were my steps:

1 - glue down scraps
2 - swipe yellowy green paint all over the pages
3 - hate the look and try something new
4 - emboss big round emblems (stamp is by Stamp-In Up.) with a clearish rainbow embossing powder, very proud of myself here
5 - swiped brown paint all over the background, thinking the embossed part would act like resists and paint wouldn't stick to those parts. I was wrong
6 - again hating the background so I decided to heat up the embossed areas again, thinking they might magically pop through the brown paint. By accident swiped my finger through the heated up HOT paint and it wiped off revealing some of the embossed pattern. Burn - bad, pattern showing up - good. So I keep doing that and got interesting results
7 - embossed more in different areas with a vertigris color and a fence type stamp in glossy red. Starting to like it more.
8 - ran out of ideas so I started flipping through a Somerset Studio for ideas. Saw a house in one with a pic of a person so I thought I'd try that. Made a house for Poe out of corrugated cardboard, painted papers and a Poe image from AlteredPages.com Poe collage sheet.
9 - Made a pocket for Poe's house and slipped it in (it is removable). From there I just attached birds, lettering, rub ons and stapled on feathers (yes, too lazy to glue them on.)
9 - then apparently I wasn't too lazy to glue on beads. Or to draw circles all over with metallic colored pencils. Go figure.

And that in a nutshell is this page spread. I might do this type of background again. Like how it came out.

Poe and Raven Art

2010-09-22T13:00:00.000-05:00

At the moment I have 3 Raven themed altered books for Altered Gypsy I'm supposed to be working in It's been a month or so of non-creativity while I prepared and started our homeschooling year. The teen is taking college classes this year so I'm down to one student. It's a different ballgame, and I don't have to juggle students. I'm liking it so far. We're still working on attitude adjustments in schooling but don't we all need that at times? lol

Anyway, on to art. In the first book I completed a 'sign in' tag with a POE theme as well as 2 single pages and one 2-page layout.

This two page layout needs something I think but just not sure what. I'm not sure I'm happy with the polka dot background but can't change that now, can I? lol

The two smaller Poe images here were from mail. A friend sent cards and on the outside of the envelope she stamped Poe. Like I always say, SAVE EVERYTHING! The larger Poe image is from an Altered Pages collage sheet (the Poe image on the tag above came from the same sheet.)

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In the 2nd book I"ve done a 2 page spread so far. I really love the slapping papers on a background approach when I can't think of an idea. As I'm putting scraps on the pages, ideas come to me. And it cleans out my scraps box as well!

Working on new pages tonight. I'll share when I'm done.

I Am Not

2010-07-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

I was visiting Jenn's blog yesterday and saw that she has posted a unique list. I thought I would play along.

Things I Am...

NOT!

1 - an early bird. I'm more of a sleep-until-you-feel-guilty-for-being-a-bed-slug type person. I'm also a night owl so you can see why I don't want to get up anytime soon...

2 - a chronic wallower in self pity. Can't stand it. I have times when I'm complaining about my life/hair/weight/house, etc... but I get to a point where I pull myself up by my garter belts and say 'Okay, what are we going to do about this situation?'

3 - punctual. Yeah, not one of my strong suits. Life is short, why do I have to be on time?!

4 - a purple lover. I don't like it. I would go so far to say I hate it. Loath it. Don't think it should be one of the colors in the color group. Just sayin'...

5 - satisfied with mediocrity. Those who know me should know this is true. I don't like ordinary. I don't like to be like everyone else. Of course if one was honest, I'm probably as normal as they come because what is normal but whatever is unique to you? I just am not a go with the flow type person who only does things to fit in with others. I guess that's what I mean by not being mediocre.

6 - a girly girl. I tell hubby he is lucky I'm so low maintenance. I only own 2 pairs of shoes, clogs and flip flops. I used them exclusively during the year until one falls apart and I replace it with the exact same style if I can find it. I only wear lipstick and the occasional mascara. I didn't used to own much jewelry until a friend started selling Premier Designs jewelry and I had a party. I probably get my hair cut every couple years and I'm not happy about that either. I'm hugely content in jeans and tee shirts and I don't own a dress or a skirt.

7 - a latte frappe froo-froo drinker. For the most part. I've had the occasional drink from Starbucks if I go there with the teen or mom but I much prefer a glass of iced tea.. Hot tea in the winter..

8 - a mealy-mouth. I'm a fighter. I'm the go to gal in our family when there is a problem. I remember my parents calling me from Georgia (I live in Missouri) to ask me to call their cable company to fix a problem. They know I will fight for them. I'm hugely protective of my kids and husband and have regularly offered to beat someone up (ie: a bully, a co-worker or boss) that was hurting my loved one. I've never had to do it but the offer still stands. :)

9 - stagnant. I have to try new things. I've owned several businesses, have lists a mile long of art techniques to try and books to read. I'm sure I would not run out of things to read until the day I die. I like change. I'm always amazed I've lived in the same town in the same house for 15 years. But with a family you have to take them into consideration. If I was single, I'd travel all the time. Maybe write books on traveling, get paid to see the world, have no permanent home. This would be the life for me. My youngest brother is this way and seems to love it.

10 - a small animal lover. I don't like things that can crawl and go 'bump' in the night. Nope. No hamsters, tarantulas, snakes, lizards or even fish really. I'm quite content with cats and dogs.

What would be on your list?

Table Scraps Tags

2010-07-26T09:00:00.005-05:00

(Painted paper scrap found while cleaning studio. Love it.)

Remember I was lamenting the work I did on these cards and how they sucked? Well, I gave up on them for now and created other things to send out with my book winners' packages tomorrow. Yes, I'm that behind but I hope people will still love receiving a wonderful gift in the mail, albeit late.

All the tags, trims, stamped and collage images are from Red Lead. I call them my Table Scrap tags because I used scraps I had gathered in a pile on my desk, from cleaning up. Sometimes I do my best creating that way... Kind of like a mystery pile!

The 'For You' stamp and the 'Mail Art' sticker are off a package from a friend in England. I couldn't stand to waste them. So is the 'Destinario' wording glued to the top of the fencing on the tan card. Always fun to use up little bits and bobbles.

While cleaning I found a couple corset tags I made and blogged here. I'm sending those out as well. The corset and lady images are from Altered Pages.

DH helped me clean my studio this week and when the tables were cleared he saw all the paint on the tables (You can see the paint under the tags above. I'm not really a neat painter and don't care if paint gets on them.)

He said, "Oh, this is kind of neat and colorful, kind of like a kindergarten class."
I said "You mean like an artist studio?!"
He said, 'Oh, yeah, that too."
Eyeroll from me.

The Crown Will Fall

2010-07-23T09:00:00.006-05:00

I'm a part of the Raven Altered Book swap at Altered Gypsy. Of course I'm behind, but what is new? It's been a summer of no muse. Would you believe I actually entertained the thought (TWICE) of just packing it all up and getting rid of my studio? That's how discouraged I've been feeling. No ideas flowing in the braino, no hot ideas off the press, nothing.

However, I've been behind on these two altered books and I like to meet my obligations. So hubby helped me clean the studio once again today and I thought I'd sit down and force myself to do something. I started by perusing through a stack of Somerset Studio mags. I made of list of every technique or special thingie on any art piece that caught my idea. I also wrote down any random ideas that popped up because of looking at the books, no matter how silly. This helped me come up with a few ideas for a spread. (click for closeup)

The little antiqued bottle is filled with cuttings from a Raven feather. The Poe image is from Altered Pages, the Raven w/saying stamped image is from Red Lead. Mixin' it up today I guess. The background with swiped with different paints and then I laid stencils over it and spray painted. It was fun to do.

This page I worked on last month. (click for closeup.)

THe vintage lace was added to the edges because I cut the page the wrong size and I was determine not to waste the paper. The middle dark paper is mulberry paper, the RAVEN letters are iron on soft fuzzy/felty type letters. The queen and tree images are from an old calendar a friend sent me from France.

It was an idea I had because I had read raven lore that stated Ravens are considered royalty. They hang around the Tower of London (also known as the Bloody Tower where in 1483 the 2 little princes were brought and disappeared, assumed to be brutally murdered) and the Tower Green where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. The superstition goes:

“If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.”

Read more here on the Ravens and Bloody Tower.

Well Dunk Me In Milk and Call Me Heaven!

2010-07-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

I'm craving these. I took this picture last week when the little one made the most scrumptiously delicious peanut butter cookies. The key to good cookies is undercooking them. Seriously. The dough is some of the best peanut butter dough I've ever had and I've had a lot believe me. Here's the recipe.

Anyway, today I'm craving these. They're not good for eating healthy and I'm so trying to do that this week. DARN DARN DARN! (channeling Herman Munster stomping his large feet!)

Fourth of Julyin'

2010-07-04T09:00:00.003-05:00

I was reading back through previous posts, mostly about the holidays and I liked some of my July 4th posts so much I copied and pasted bits of them here to share with you. You can read the full shabangs here: 2009, (didn't blog July 4th in 2008 or 2007), 2006.

Do you have favorite plans or traditions for July 4th? We always find ourselves invited to one friend or another's parties. This year we're heading to my brother's house for a quiet fourth. Just BBQing, maybe some games, lots of laughing, hollering at the kids to keep their wet bodies outside and a few fireworks.

We're not big fireworks-blowing-up-people. I mean we enjoy them, but we don't go all out and buy $200 worth like my brothers tend to do. I do enjoy the little things though. The black snakes, the little flowery things that spin after you light them, in all sorts of colors, the white bags of gunpowder stuff you throw on the ground to pop... But my favorites have always been the sparklers. I buy a lot of them and we play with them throughout the year. There is something special about the very first one you use. It's almost a superstition with me, I have to write my name in the air first before I can make shapes and whirly swirlies of any kind.

I'm looking forward to all today's food. One of my favorites is corn on the cob. I don't know what it is about your first piece of corn on the cob, on the 4th of July, but it's pure heaven. I don't muck up the flavor of my sweet corn with butter, salt or sugar. BLECK. I like it natural, sometimes grilled in the husk on the grill. There is nothing better.

May your holiday be wonderful, surrounded by family, food and wonderful fireworks. I'm hoping to see a display of fireworks from where we'll be at tonight. I hope they do one of those wonderful chrysanthemum flower fireworks in the sky that is all different colors. That one always makes me smile.

What is your favorite thing about July 4th?

Bloomin' & Producin'

2010-07-03T09:00:00.003-05:00

It's a busy weekend of outdoor weather, gardening, dinner with friends. Tomorrow is the holiday and we'll be visiting with family as well. Today is all about the yard though.

My front garden has only 3 bushes and lots of little plants that the teen has planted. Some have been dying, we're not sure why, but some are thriving. It will take us a year or so to keep filling in the spaces that remain. We've been picking out perennials of lavender, mint, herbs to plant around the two hydrangeas and one azalea (I think that's what the other one is??) that they gave me last year for Mother's Day. I can't wait until its all full and stuffed with gorgeous plants. I'm going to go back and replace the old wood frame with embedded brick trim, to match the trim holding in the bushes on the opposite side of the porch. Picture the bed full of red wood chips as it was last year. They just disappeared this year. Weird. It's a work in progress...

This year we started a raised bed garden. We have two of them. Dh and the teen put the second one together this week and I couldn't find anymore vegetable plants at the stores so I'm going to buy zucchini seed since they grow quickly in about 45 days. The first bed has 2 kinds of beans (climbing and bush), 4 kinds of tomatoes (some for salad, salsa and spaghetti sauces), mixed peppers, hot peppers, 2 kinds of cucumbers (baby and regular) and watermelon. Nothing like stuffing it all full, huh! It's overcrowded at the moment. I may move the baby cucumbers and bean bush over to the new bed since they're getting crowded in the old bed.

See our little makeshift trellis DH and I built? It's nothing fancy but it will hold the beans as they grow. I can't wait for the fruits of my labor to be ready for harvest!

Right now I can see 3 hot peppers, 2 adorable little peppers, some cherry tomatoes still green and some eency weency teeny tiny beans. So fun when something you worked on finally pays off. Now lets see if we can keep the birds from eating everything... The squirrels keep stopping by to see if they can find a snack. Urgh!

Happy Saturday to you!

Just sayin'...

2010-07-02T11:20:00.008-05:00

I suck at card making. I know, we've discussed my aversion to card making in the past or maybe its all been a conversation in my head but I hate making cards. Okay, I like making cards when I go to a class and the pretty card is all planned out for you. But this coming up with something original nonsense is killing me! I thought, 'I'll work fast, not over think and just slap them together. Like I did the recent ATCs I made.'

I like them! They were fast thinkin' art. Nope, can't do it this time. Cards are my nemesis, my Achilles heel...

I can only get so far. I stamped all the backgrounds, glued on pretty stamped images, bits of ribbons and lace. Stamped some more images. Tried coloring with pens and colored pencils. Thinking of adding words maybe... None of them are speaking to me and I don't send out artwork that I don't like. The pieces made are just not meshing with the images I have floating around in my brain. Nope.

Do you find you struggle with a certain type of art? Have any suggestions for my poor cards?

(P.S. This is not a thinly veiled attempt to garner public sympathy and pity thumbs ups on my artwork. It really does suck, in my mind at least! I think I need art therapy or something. :) Maybe I need this book. Or this one. Or maybe this one?! Is shopping considered therapy?!!! Where's my credit card?? )

The Plastic Years

2010-07-01T10:00:00.011-05:00

The end is near.

I just know it.

My fingers are starting to feel all pruney.
The end of the time fondly known as the plastic years is coming to a screeching halt.

Once upon a time, a thrifty young maven (that's me for those not in the know) went to a yard sale. A Going-Out-Of-The-Church-Daycare-Business yard sale. Everything was marked off, discounted and had to go. I found the usual; fun toys for the kids, homeschool materials, things I could resell on Ebay, etc...

And then, like they had a beacon of shining light on them, I saw 4 boxes. 4 ordinary boxes but plainly marked with what they were. I got semi-excited because I usually purchase the same said items in a smaller 50 piece package, every two weeks at the grocery store. But these were massive quantities. 2000 per box. 3 of one kind, 1 of another. I figured, expensive right? I got up the courage to ask (thinking I was crazy and what was I going to do with so many?) and found to my utter shock, they were $5 a box!

Surely these at original purchase were around $40-50 a box. I tried not to hop up and down because by now, regardless of if I needed them, I WANTED them! Think of all the time they would save me? But, even though they were cheap cheap, me being the thrifty girl, had to talk them down. I offered a low-ball amount and they smiled and said SURE! I bought them for $2 a box! At this I do admit I slightly clapped my hands but I don't think they noticed.

I stuffed them in my car before they could change their minds and drove home. Halfway home I started worrying and trying to figure out how to explain myself to the family who were going to roll their eyes and wonder what we would ever do with all those boxes of goodies? Well? Who's laughing now?! We are on our very last precious pieces of plastic forks (spoons disappeared long ago.)

Someone better learn how to wash a dish, and it ain't going to be this savvy maven either...

NOTE: It's time for the book winners. Yes, I almost forgot again. Here we go. I'm awarding all posters with a book because I only had 5 posters and I found an extra of one of the books. So see there? It pays to post! Everyone's a winner!
Shirley won 360 Degree Life

Karen won 360 Degree Life (had an extra)

Janelle won Bridegrooms

Trisha won The Last Christian

Joanie won Indivisible
Please send your addresses and I'll get them right out to you. Janelle, I have your address and haven't sent out your other win so I'll mail them together. Trisha, I'll give you yours when I next see you. :)

Could J'ya Get Any Lazier??!

2010-06-30T15:00:00.002-05:00

(pic taken by the teen in Rome, May 2010.)

So, I'm sporadic in posting. I've been enjoying my summer so far although I'm not doing nearly anything that I wanted to do except couponing, being with the kids, being their taxi, reading and computer surfing. Yeah, the glamorous life I always dreamed of. Lazy with a bit of driving, is what it really is. I plan to post everyday this summer even if its just a picture or a newsy post of nothing important. They say a habit can be formed if done for a whole month. We'll see how long I'm able to stick to it. Now... what's been going on lately?

Cooking - For some reason, in this heat I've been wanting to cook. Go figure. If you follow me on Facebook you've seen me link to some of the recipes I've tried. Others have ended up on my foodie blog. I think this new fascination is in direct correlation to having more time and having the teen clean the kitchen. What do you think? :) I think this week I'm going to make my own Sourdough Starter. Have you used one of those before? I love the smell (and taste) of fresh bread. This new cooking habit is wreaking havoc with my diet...

Couponing - This is a new venture for me and of course, I have a new blog to show for it! As ~~most~~ a lot of Americans, we're ~~broke~~ financially strapped half the time. We have bad habits of eating out and buying what we want. Thankfully we have no credit cards but we spend all we earn. I figured it was time to nip that in the bud. There are things I want to do like vacation, fix up our house, maybe even build on to it someday (or move!), pay off our newer car, save money for goodness sakes (not in that order of course)! It all starts with a budget, couponing and sticktoitiveness. I have a new couponing buddy too. An artist who also coupons! Could it get any better?!

Art - Two weeks ago we had a torrential downpour. And when I say torrential, I mean, so much water we had a lake in our backyard and one running down our street. So much rain that the ground couldn't soak it all up so it came up through the window wells and poured into our basement. Guess whose art room is in said basement? *raising hand* Guess whose storage of ebay items to sell is right under one window? *raising other hand* My wonderful husband spent the whole night running outside scooping out window wells to help keep the basement dry-ish. The first four hours he stayed outside practically. After that he went out every 10-20 minutes for the next 7 hours! He catnapped in between on a bed of towels on the floor since he was so muddy. No sense in changing. He is my hero. All this to say, I had to quickly move most of my art supplies away from the windows (shelves line the walls) and pile it all on tables, chairs, desk, anything that was UP. And today it still sits that way. I haven't had the gumption to do anything about it. So needless to say, I haven't done any art. I have ideas, but no want to reorganize. Plus it wasn't a neat room before the water came rolling in. I'll get to it I'm sure. Hopefully sooner than later. I have 2 altered books for the Altered Gypsy raven book swap to work on, several small projects I had started and I have a few things to make for the winners of the books (announcement tomorrow, so get in your last minute entry today!!!)

Girls - Crossing fingers, turning around three times and knocking on all the wood nearby... the kids have been doing the daily chores I lined out for them and will hopefully continue to do so. We've tried to set up daily chores before. But chores are not a responsibility for the kids. It's really mom keeping after them to do what they're told everyday. "Yes, you have to do that before you go out to play/go to a friend's house/watch tv/go bike riding/read your book." I made them simple. The teen has to have the dishes washed and counters clean. The little one has to wash/dry/fold/put away 2 loads a day. Simple. This doesn't exempt them from other things like living room or bathroom cleaning when its needed. Oh, and I've heard the 'I'm doing everything, why aren't you doing anything?" Backtalk. Guess what that earned the child? An extra chore! I always challenge them: "go ahead and talk back and be smart. I have a whole list of extra chores that need doing. Go ahead, I dare ya!" lol Yes, I'm that mean.

Okay! Oh my goodness. Enough talking. No wonder I don't post everyday. I'm writing books here and its taking me 2 hours to do so! Talk to you soon. How's your summer?

I'll be back tomorrow with winners of the books and artwork from this post. Last chance to enter is now!

A Whole Lotta Winnin' Going On!

2010-06-16T08:00:00.004-05:00

Yes, I'm behind. Yes, I know the giveaway for the kids' book was in April and the mystery book was in May. Give me a break. I'm behind, as I said!

Today's Winners:

Forget Me Not Book - Katilady (blog here)

This Little Prayer of Mine Book - Janelle

I'll get these books out to you ASAP as soon as I get your addresses. (Off to contact you both via blogs/emails.)

I have a pile of books I was supposed to review here on the blog but as you can see, my spring ran away from me, taking all of my sanity with it! So here, in one post, you will get a massive review of the books I've read, mostly. Didn't finish a few but I got the gist. Just comment with the top two books that would be your favs and I'll choose winners someday soon (NO, it won't be FALL when I get around to it!!! *Stop snickering!!*)

* Note: ALL UPCOMING WINNERS will receive a piece of my art as well; be it an ATC, card, little sewn bits & bobble, etc... Whatever, so enter away! It's a two-fer day (art and books to win!)*

THE BRIDEGROOMS

(Can be purchased here.)

I did actually finish this book. I'm no longer one for historical romances although I do love the history but this book was great! I love the relationship the girls have with each other (I never had sisters and know that I missed out), and the view of this point in history. It has some predictable moments but I loved it all the same. Basically it's a family of sisters, the mother has disappeared when they were young. Flash forward to when they've grown up. One is being courted by someone. The others are enamored with boys. One liking most of the boys, the other contemplating being a mail order bride to someone in the way out west. Then a baseball team comes to town, one player gets hurt (their father is a Doctor) and the fur starts to fly for all of them and their comfortable lives. You'll enjoy this read I would think.

THE LAST CHRISTIAN

(Can be purchased here.)

This book I'm not finished with. It's based in the future, a Sci-Fi thriller type book. In a world where people can have their brain downloaded into silicon form thus eliminating physical death altogether. Sounds spooky huh, and something right out of Dr. Who (remember the giant head - Face of Bo? Or the Last Human alive who was basically skin? But anyway, I digress...) A missionary daughter leaves where she has lived all her life to come back to America, a country that no longer has Christianity. The back of the books says 'The spiritual future of all humanity hangs in the balance." Sounds exciting! This is not a lighthearted romp through the future. There will be advanced technology stuff in here that points to a not so distant future of our own, some we may not want to acknowledge. It's an enjoyable but heavy book. Thought provoking would be a better term. Very enjoyable so far.

360-DEGREE LIFE

(Can be purchased here.)
Secretly I've been wanting to better my life for years now. (Did you happen to read yesterday's post?) This book promises 'Ten Ways You Can Live More Richly, Deeply, Fully.' Sign me up! I'm ready! Just what I was needing! I have not read this book yet except the forward but I'm intrigued. Read what the product description on Amazon is:

What if you only had a few days to live?
Would you love?
Would you laugh?
Would you give?
Would you live differently than you do right now?
--Billy Joe Daugherty

If possible, would you do a makeover on parts of your life? Most of us would gladly say “Yes!” to a fresh start, and that’s exactly what God offers.

So many people live empty and frustrating lives, which is tragic because God desires a full, productive, and satisfying life for His children. 360° Life explores how ordinary people, regardless of their challenges, can experience life-altering change through simple faith. Billy Joe Daugherty weaves material from the Bible, his own experiences, and riveting interviews with contemporary Christians to reveal how not just to survive struggles, but to rise above them.

That’s the fulfilling result of a 360-degree life.

I think about this sometimes. What would I do if I knew I only had a few days, weeks to live. What would I do differently? What would matter, what wouldn't? Once I think on those things though, why am I not living like that now? (Sounds like another LIST is in order!!! ha) This book is very intriguing to me and I anticipate it making changes in my life and anyone who reads it.

INDIVISIBLE

(Can be purchase here.)
I'm in the process of reading this thriller. It has mystery, intrigue, psychological drama, secrets. My kind of a good time! lol I'm very fond of books that center around a small town. I like books that become series. I haven't finished this one yet so I don't know if it does but it has that potential when you get intimately familiar with small town characters. Plus it's written by a homeschool mom. Can't imagine how she had the time! The book centers around a now-sober Police chief with guilt that haunts him. Supposedly the crime in his city is about to escalate throwing everything asunder. There's a drug threat, animals that meet their demise and there's a girl. There's always a girl isn't there?! Girls are trouble, I can tell you from personally being one... ha I can't wait to finish this book!

To recap:

1 - I have lots of reading to catch up on, don't I?!

2 - To enter to win one of these books, comment with your top two choices from among them and you'll get one entry.

3 - To get 2 more entries, follow me through one of the follower things on the right (Networked Blogs is on Facebook, the other is through Google.)

4 - For one more entry, tell me what your reading list looks like for the summer. After I'm done with these books, I need new suggestions!

Check back next time for more art! I have a whole pile waiting to be shared...

P.S. Is anyone up for an online book club that would be through a Facebook Group? I was thinking of starting one. Needs a good name though (and willing participants!!)... any thoughts?

Impossible Things...

2010-06-15T08:00:00.003-05:00

I think I have an allergic reaction anytime I read about the Calls for Publication at Somerset Studio. I get all excited, start to make stuff and then... ppfffttt. I don't send anything in. It's probably that little voice in the back of my head that likes to stomp its foot and tell me how utterly untalented I am. I try to ignore it but, we're all really just little children inside who want to be accepted, huh?! I ignored it this week and sent in a few things just for fun. And I plan to ignore the voice again next time. I'm thinking its not the publishing I should be worrying about, but the willingness to listen to a voice that tells me I can't do something.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain

I was reading the blog of an adventurous family today. They've been biking for 2 years. With 11 year old boys. From Alaska to Argentina. Apparently they homeschool along the way as well. That's a fair bit out of my comfort zone. Imagine pulling up all stakes to your life and hitting the open road. Living on quick food, snacks and hopefully meeting only kind helpful people along the way. Sure we've talked about that before. We thought of doing the same in an RV but we were never brave enough to do it. We're comfortable with our lives; grocery stores on the corner, fast internet at our fingertips, actual beds to sleep in. I can't help but envy this family just a bit though. They're doing an impossible thing. They made it a reality.

Lately I've been contemplating my life, probably too much, DH would say. I'm thinking about the 20 years I've wasted, not doing the things I've dreamed of doing. It hasn't been a waste. I have wonderful children, loving husband but the little things that I wanted for myself... I haven't reached for them. Too many excuses for why not. I've put them in a little mental box as unobtainable. We are our own worst enemies aren't we?

I watched the new Alice in Wonderland last week (which, by the way, was not scary and too dark for my little one, as I had heard it would be. No darker than Chronicles of Narnia!) I love the line where she says her dad believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. She used that bravery and knowledge to help her in the end of the movie. It seems silly to utter outloud but I'd like to be like Alice. A character in a book.

I think today I will make a list of the things swirling around in my brain, the things I've labeled impossible. The stuff only dreamed about... What would be on your list?

(all artwork shown is snippets from pieces submitted for publication.)

Summer Is Here!

2010-06-10T08:00:00.010-05:00

I was talking with my mom the other day and got all excited that homeschool was about out for the summer. Then I realized... my teaching experience is different from other teachers. Their kids go home and the teachers get the summer off. For some reason my kids are still here. lol I'm still determined to do some fun things, important and necessary things and maybe even some frivolous things as well.

The last several weeks have been all about graduating the teen. Helping the teen pass her ACT coming up this Saturday. And its also been about Doctor Who. Yes, I've discovered this show! I mean, I knew it was around but had never watched it. Have you seen the current series (season 1 was in 2005)? I'm in love. All those British accents swirling around with time machines and aliens? I'm in heaven. I swear I've started talking to myself in a British accent, you know, when no one can hear me. :) I'm all caught up on the shows. Now I'm waiting for the current season to come out on disc so I can see it as well. Do you remember The Phantom Tollbooth? It was one of my favorite books growing up. We have no less than 3 copies in this house as we speak. I keep snapping them up at garage sales. Anyway, he drove through the tollbooth into another land. Kind of like Doctor Who's time machine.

I've made a few art things lately. Well, actually it was in the beginning of May and only just started creating again yesterday. Time flies when you're vegging in front of the TV. I did finish up the crocheted afghan I started awhile ago. I'll have to take a picture. When I do, I'll share about the new afghan I've started. It's a doozy but oh so fun.

I tried my hand again at poppies. I really like having the painted background instead of the white. Somerset Studio has a calling for Poppies creations in August. I think I might have to come up with something, just so I can keep playing with this theme!

I joined a 'Grunge' ATC swap last month. It was a blast to design cards for that. I scraped paint, drew, spray painted, inked, sewed flowers and wrote with india ink.

The teen had a graduation party and I sent out announcements. But I couldn't just be normal and pay for graduation cards. Oh no, not me. I had to play. I think they came out quite unique despite a bit smelly from the spray paint. hehe I didn't take a pic of the inside but it was on printed vellum with a recent pic of the teen attached.

Shoot, I've run out of time to keep sharing. I'll have to tell you about the Raven things I've made recently plus more ATCs! I know I have a few books I haven't drawn winners for yet, so I will do that next time as well. What are your summer plans?

Celebrate!

2010-05-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

Forget Me Not Review & Giveaway

2010-05-01T17:00:00.002-05:00

It's time for another book review. I'm really into mysteries. They're my favorite kind of books to read. When I received this book from Waterbrook Multnomah to review, I was a little apprehensive just looking at the cover. I'm not fond of scary books. I like to sleep at night, not sit awake wondering if someone is coming to kill me.Yet, as I started to read the book, it surprised me!

This book has all the makings of a good series. I can't wait to see if a new book is coming out! It has great suspenseful mystery, with a bit of romance and references to trusting in God for life's leading. That's always a wonderful reminder to all. In this story, a woman has lost her identity, her memory after an attack. She crosses paths with Benjamin Brandt, a man whose wife and daughter were murdered but the killer was never identified. Benjamin has set aside his faith because of these tragic events and doesn't know how to move forward. The mystery surrounding the two connects them in unexpected ways, first of them being, the woman shows up, wearing his wife's necklace and bearing an uncanny likeness to her as well.

I love to try to figure mysteries out but this one kept me guessing til the end. I had my mind set it was going to go a completely different direction. This book was a great read, although some of the parts were a little farfetched. I don't mind that in a book if it tells a plausible story. The overall message of love, hope, new beginnings and letting go, made this a book I am happy to recommend.

You can read more about the book here: Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Would you like to own your very own copy for free?! I'm giving away one book to a lucky participant. Here is how you can have chances to win (do any or all of these to have your name put in the drawing.)

1. Post with your favorite mystery book/writer. I'm always on the lookout for new books to read!

2. Join my Networked Blogs thingie over in the right column and make sure to post that you did.

3. Tell me a favorite item you like from one of my etsy stores: Supplies or Art shop.

Don't forget last week's giveaway. It's still going on. Enter Here: This Little Prayer of Mine.

ATCs Revival

2010-04-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

(drawn and watercolored poppies)

I haven't made many Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) in the last year. It's the same with the scrapbooking. I had lost interest. 2 weeks ago though, I found a long forgotten forums board for ATC creators where they trade and do swaps. I thought I would try again at making ATCs. Here are some I've made over the last 2 weeks:

(Excuse most of the pictures. I took initial pictures with my camera phone, fully planning to come back and take pics with my camera before they mailed. That didn't happen. I forgot.)

(more poppies)

(paper collage of skyline of Kansas City)

(fabric ATCs with Red Lead images)

(more fabric ATCs with Red Lead images)

(drawn and watercolored Laundry ATCs)

(paper collaged/stamped House Map ATCs w/Red Lead images)

(mixed media ATCS w/mica and beeswax added, using Red Lead images)

(handrawn & watercolored Macro fruit ATCs)

I think I'm back in the ATC making game!

ATC Books:
Artist Trading Card Workshop: Create, Collect, Swap
1,000 Artist Trading Cards
Artist Trading Cards
Trading Cards Techniques & ATCs, Artist Trading Cards
Rubber Stamping Artist Trading Cards
Artist Trading Cards (An Anthology of ATCs)
Artist Trading Cards: The Best of Illustrated ATCs.com 2007

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-14T08:30:00.001-05:00

Recent Drive By Shootings (aka: out my car window...)