Friday, December 30, 2011

Hello Everyone!! Here is to a wonderful New Year!!

Hope you are all getting ready for the new year. A new year brings renewed hope for change and a better life. I am getting all those New Year Resolutions ready for 2012!! Hope you are also.

I am so sorry that my blog has been abandoned for several months. I have been having a very bad time. My lupus flared, depression ran rampant and a hotly contested divorce is still not final. If you read this please remember me in your prayers. Thank you so much in advance. My wish for each and everyone of you is that you have the best year of your life in 2012.

Monday, September 12, 2011

My Walk Around the Pond September 1st

Didn't get this posted last week. I thought someone might like to see some photos of my place here on the hill in the boonies! Quite beautiful! I think our fall colors will really suffer because of the drought. We have had several large trees die but it still is beautiful to me.
Hope you enjoy this little snippet of life here on the hill!

OWSE Journal August Winner!

Whoo, hoo!! I want to show what I was awarded (not won because I was the only one who completed all challenges in August; Hey, everyone get those challenges in)

Some wonderful Faber-Castell art products. A four india ink black pen set wallet with superfine, fine, medium and brush points. Fantastic for journaling and drawing. Also a sampler package of Faber-Castell textural accents sampler that I have been wanting to try. Wonderful fantastic gifts, thank you so much OWSE for the fabulous gifts and for the challenges that keep me inspired! I love them!

Two Tag Swaps Received!

I received last week two great swaps. I apologize for not getting them up right away but have been very ill, with blurred vision, naseau and terrible headaches. (Symptoms of kidney failure, please pray it's not so with me.)
But finally here they are. They are stupendous! Just love, love getting to see and hold other people's art! Thanks so much, Maxine, for this beautiful,colorful fabric and flower tag!


Then here is the magnificent chotski pin and tags all the way from Sharon in Australia! Thanks so much I love it!

Thanks so much for these wonderful art pieces, they are very much appreciated, and made me feel quite special.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

New Swaps at the Post Office

I received some awesome art pieces as swaps from two of the other ladies at the OWSE group. This one is from the Wizard of Oz 4x4 Swap from Theresa: Gorgeous! Love it.
She also sent me this AWESOME "ARTSY" badge to wear that she made; along with a ruby slipper stamp and a Toto stamp; what wonderful gifts to receive!!! Thank you.
I know the color is off on some of these photos but I took about 20 shots and chose the best ones so I could get this done tonite and the migraine didn't help.

AND to double my pleasure; I received "My Town"4x4 art swap from Jeanette!!! Fantastic Job, Jeanette. Not only did she send me her 4x4 (wonderful piece); she also made a charming card where she wrote about her town on the inside!! These are real sticks and twigs on these and I believe spanish moss!! Wonderfully creative soul! I loved them; thanks so much. I cherish each piece I receive and it receives it's own place on my inspiration board for a month and then shifted to an album for my swaps and art pieces I receive from other artists.

Thank you, Jeanette and Theresa, you can't know how much you made my day so,so much better. My grandsons' loved them, ages 10 and 6, and started in on their own projects right away. Of course, they had to carefully help me open the envelopes when they found out what they held!!!



Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Art Journal challenge 3


Sorry I forgot to post #3 on clutter; so here is a photo of it. I used a combination of artist tube acrylics, watercolours, photos of the contents of my purse poured out in a heap, collaged magazine pics, etc. Hope you like it:


Art Journal Page

Finished another art journal page today. Did my own sketches for this and really enjoyed it. I enjoy the whole process of art journaling ; it is very liberating.

I used a combination of oil pastels for the backgrounds, watercolours and markers. Everyone should have an art journal as well as a written journal; it really helps to work out situations and problems on paper and in your mind. I hope you like this spread I just finished; if you have any questions, please ask. Thanks for taking time to view this post; it is appreciated.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Masculine Card

Today I am posting a masculine card. I used it for a birthday card but you could change the sentiment and use it for several different occasions.
For this card I used an old, old horse stamp I have, the tree images from Stampin' Up lovely as a tree, Cuttlebug embossing folder Winter Branches, solid cardstock and camo designer paper, TH Distress ink pads, and an old Leisure Arts heavy paper "Monkweave Camel" (purchased this & several other papers @ 10 cents a 12x12 sheet a few years ago)to make the envelope.
I always start by scoring and cutting white (or colored) cardstock for the base card. Then score again for the fold(s). Cut a piece of white or cream cardstock a little larger than you wish the finished piece. Ink up the back ground image first (in this instance the trees); stamp first images closest to you and as ink fades stamp those that would be farther away. This gives you the fade of distance without much work. Practice first to see how you can acheive the best desired look. * (If anyone is interested I would be glad to post a tutorial on any project I have posted; all you have to do is ask!)* Thanks.
Stamp the horses on separate pieces of cardstock without re-inking the stamp. Color with TH Distress Inks and Fantastix coloring tools or your favorite coloring method. Cut each horse out carefully, if you run a pencil, etc. around the cut edges, the white won't show as much and will tend to disappear. Place the lightest colored horse in the back, working forward to your right. I used foam tape to add dimension on the two last horses. Ink up your favorite sentiment (in this case I used "Happy Birthday") stamp on top of trees. Run a piece of dark green card stock through the Big Kick with the Cuttlebug Winter Branches folder, then cut to desired size. Glue everything together; starting with the base card. Either stamp a sentiment inside after adhering some strips of the dp inside or print out a poem or sentiment off computer and adhere inside card.
Hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for stopping by!

Art Journal Challenge 2 "The Cover"

*** Added to 08/19th post: photo of project*** for Wizard of Oz swap****

After looking for three hours for some alpha and #'s stencils' I had cut several years ago; I gave up on my idea of using the modeling paste with the stencils to decorate the front of my art journal and instead pulled out my sticky backed craft foam, Big Kick and Sizzlit dies "Best Friends Forever" alpha & #'s set and cut my title page using the dies. First I took the cover loose from the binding coil and applied one coat of gesso to it to give it some tooth. After it was thoroughly dry (several hours later)I applied my title, etc. in a pleasing arrangement to the cover. Thought it could use a little more than just the letters and number die cuts, so die cuts of the same foam cut wih Sizzix Hello Kitty Sizzlit line: Cloud & Sun and the sunflower from Butterfly & Flowers Set #2. When it was to my satisfaction, I then applied two more coats of gesso to it, covering over the die cuts and allowing each coat to dry before adding another. Here it is with just die cuts and three total coats of gesso:
Using a combination of artist acrylic paints and my watercolor crayons, I colored and washed a soft combination of colors over the cover. When these dried I added touches of watercolors from a glimmery set of watercolor pans to hightlight the sun and the flowers.
Let it dry and it is finished.


Thanks for stopping by to see my work. It is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to add any comments, they are always read and cherished. Constructive criticism is always sought. Thanks so much for using your valuable time to view my "art".

Happy Little Nurse Birthday Card

Thought I would share a simple little paper pieced card I made. Both of my daughters are nurses so of course I love nurse related supplies!
For the paper piecing I used bits and pieces of scraps of papers from My Mind's Eye and Paper
Pizzaz. This is a photo of how the papers looked bare before I colored them.

The little nurse stamp is "Nurse Nora" from C.C. Designs, background paper is from Sassafrass Lass Sweet Marmalade wee bundle, and various scraps from Stampin' Up, etc. I used Stampin' Write Markers from Stampin' Up; Bush Blossom, Crushed Curry, Blushing Bride,Peach Parfait, Bashful Blue, Pacific Point, Real Red and the blender pen to add shadows and highlights to the paper piecing and coloring of the stamped image. The stamped image is placed on two scraps of designer papers from the "Welcome Neighbor" mini pad from Stampin' Up then the last back gound cs SU Real Red. All corners were rounded with the SU corner rounder. The lace was made from SU Real Red CS using the MS double loop border punch to simulate the loops in the DP.
This was my first attempt at paper piecing and I was well pleased with the results. It will be something that I do more of in the future.
Hope you enjoyed this little card and please leave me some comments. They are much appreciated.
Ta, ta for now. It's off to Neverneverland.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Red Lead Purchase Came In

Well, another Red Lead purchase came in. I love the red and white vintage labels they use for the shipping labels and all labels down to the packaging of their products! There is always a personal note from Chris and Sharon on your order invoice/receipt and a sheet of free vintage images. Opening one of their packages is like opening a treaure chest of goodies and they are always so neatly packaged usually in a see thru plastic bag tied with (reusable)red seam binding.

In the first picture you can see what I found when I pulled the order from the padded envelope. Great new bird stamps, some 6x6 Coredinations Halloween cardstock, a bird trinket, etc. and some sparkling watercolor paints at a more than reasonable price. I can hardly wait to use these beautiful watercolors on some stamped images. I'll have to try it out a little tonight; there is now way I can wait until tomorrow to wet a brush in these beautiful colors!
Come on back in the next week or so and you can see what I have made with the treasures found in these two orders from Red Lead! Thanks for stopping by and checking out my projects. Every view and comment is greatly appreciated. While you are here don't forget to follow my blog, it would be a great honor to me for you to do so!




What is on Your Desk this Morning

Well, I thought I had this set to post Wednesday morning but... the best laid plains.... This is what was on my desk early Wednesday morning! I am working on a 5x5 art swap on one of my yahoo groups, Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium. I can't say enough about the fun, the caring spirit, creativity and all the art being made on this group, love it! Also over on the Wendi Vecchi,Tim Holtz and RangerInkLink are great people, projects, swaps, challenges and inspiration! So if you haven't checked out any of these yahoo groups and joined; you just can't know what you are missing! Also, I follow http://bellacreations.ning.com/group; a wonderful group of women with a more sophisticated, shabby chic rose approach to art. Well most of the time; there are those different moments. I adore this type of art and decor; just life keeps getting in the way of my creativity time these days! Find your niche and join in somewhere, I guarantee you won't regret it!

And this is what I created:


Finally she receive it, in one of my brain dead moments I went up the swap list instead of down and sent to the wrong person?Therea but she was kind enough to forward it on to Lois.(must wait until the other person receives the swap before I post this photo!)
Sorry come back to visit in a couple of days to see what I was creating with these items that are on my desk! Thanks, have a marvelous day!
Isn't the internet such a wonderful thing!!! Because of my disabilities and illness, I would be almost completely isolated but with the wonders of technology I can be almost anywhere in the world talking, learning, being part of a great community of artists. Thanks everyone for taking the time to visit my blog and leave a comment. It is so much appreciated. Way behind again this week since I had to be in Ft. Smith; two days all day long. But now I have the joys of creativity burning and the overwhelming desire to "Make ART"! such as it is.

Monday, August 15, 2011

First Day of the New School Year 2011

This weekend I spend several hours putting together a little gift bag for each of my grandchildren for a Back to School gift! I took them by and gave them to each one Sunday afternoon. Here's some photos of what I did. I used gift bags I had on hand so each one is different. It would look a little more polished if they were all the same. I designed little tags with their name and the title of the gift bag on the computer in my Word program, printed them out, cut them apart with my paper cutter, punched holes in tops of tags and tied the respective tag to the bag.
I seriously need to work on my photography and lighting. Also I think I must have been a little unsteady holding the camera but I think you can pretty much see what I did for them. It was really a small thing but seemed to mean a lot to them.
Please leave comments, they are very much appreciated. Visit often, you are missed, when you don't. Thanks and may this school year be a wonderful one for all involved; children, parents, teachers, etc. May God bless each one.




Chotski Pin I made for Denise

We are having a lot of great swaps over on the OWSE yahoo groups. Also several of us are involved in a new art journal challenge and venture. I had signed up for the chotski pin swap and Denise let me know she received her chotski pin today so I can put it up on the blog now and get feedback.

Let me know honestly what you think and how it could have been better. This is my first one of these to make. It was also my first time to make the TH charms using of course TH papers. I also wired and made a few of the beads.



We are all having a blast over at the OWSE yahoo group, stop by sometime and visit. I know you will enjoy it and all the great ladies there!

Thanks for all the encouragement and please leave me a comment. It is always greatly appreciated.

Woohoo, I won A Best Creations Paper Pack!!


I found this email from Melissa McFail from Best Creations Inc. tonight!!! Woo hoo!!! did that make my day!!! I won a 6x6 Halloween Paper Pack and I did not know it! She went out of her way to email me yet again and kept it for me! Isn't that the nicest thing to do? I appreciate it so much. I love these cute and colorful papers. Just last night I pulled out all my halloween dies, stamps, papers, trims. etc. Didn't have much in the paper line. BUT I DO Now!! Oh, I am so excited!!! Thanks so much, Melissa, for you contacting me again; I love your papers. This line will be perfect to decorate and make cards for and with my grandchildren. Wow!!

Hello,

I never heard from you, but you are the winner of the 6x6 Happy Haunting pad! Please send me your shipping address and we will send that out to you asap!



Thanks!



Melissa McFail

Happy Haunting 6x6 Pad!




Winners of this 6x6 collection are:






NanaBeth:
Halloween is my #1 holiday and this is just adorable.I love the cards-and have to make some! Definitely posted this cuteness on my FB page-https://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=1180136195


Georgee:
Love these papers. Not only did I share I included the address for your blog. Great halloween line. So cute and adorable! treasurespastnpresent@live.com

Robin R Herald:
I shared both lines. Best Creation is one of my favorite lines

And a lucky winner of both the 12x12 and 6x6 is.....


alwayscharlie:


I happily posted on my FB page!
Thanks again for those of you who posted!
And if you are a lucky winner of this collection, be sure to share your products with us over at our Facebook! Just tag us in the photo or post it on our wall! Email mel@bestcreation.us with your shipping address by next Friday, August 12th and you'll receive your prize shortly!



Best Creation Inc.

9917 Gidley St #B

El Monte, CA 91731

PH:626-350-0328

Fax:626-350-0322

www.BestCreation.us

www.BestCreationInc.Blogspot.com

Friday, August 12, 2011

Great Day at the Ol' Post Office "I'm An Old Fashioned Stitch'n Bitch" Tag

Received my "I'm a _________ Bitch" Outlaw Womens Scrapbook Emporium swap today from Lois Bell. It is wonderfully, inviolably funny and feminine!! I really, really love it!! She must have a wonderful, wonderful sense of humor. I would never have thought of this one in a million years. So great! Thanks so much, Lois, you made my day. I am having so much fun with these swaps I am participating in with my OWSE and Wendy Veechi yahoo groups.


Isn't this just wonderfully fantastic? And the dates are correct on the camera for once! Suprise , suprise!!! Especially since I thought I had set it to leave off the dates, since it is almost never correct because little ones love to take photos with Meme's camera! lol

My version of the "Chotski Pin Swap" has gone out in the mail to you, Denise. I will post photos of it the end of next week after I am sure she has had time to receive it.


New Sundresses for Sisters

We (two of my granddaughters ages 9 and 7, sisters, and I) were in Walmart a couple of weeks ago shopping, when they discovered in the fabric department some elasticized smocked fabric. The fabric is smocked along the bodice and the skirt is fairly straight not a lot of extra ease. They loved it and wanted to pick out some fabric so I could make them each a dress and of course they wanted each their own print. We discussed & measured and purchased two lengths of fabric along with 1 1/2" co-ordinating Offray satin ribbons for the tie straps. This was my solution since the fabric was fairly expensive for what it was if you were to buy enough additional for straps to match. It was measured by the unsmocked side for the yard measurements.

We got the pieces home, wrapped each one around the proper girl and I pinned a seamline in the back and marked with pins where the straps should go, along with marked hemlines, so once I got started sewing; I could finish in one sitting if I should wish to do so. These should have been finished two days later but life intervened with a lupus flare, steriods and for the first time some bad side effects. I hadn't taken steriods in a year (you are only allowed to use them every three months unless you are having severe damage such as fast ongoing kidney, heart, etc. damage). So that really slowed Meme down but they are now finished and I am taking them to them tomorrow afternoon. I hope Paige and Tori like their sundresses! As I said they aren't much but to them they are everything. They chose the fabric, the ribbons and Meme made them and they are so proud of that fact.
Three weeks ago we crocheted fun fur around the straps of new flipflops for them and they were estatic. They loved them. It is so easy to please children! Aren't they so precious?
So this is Tori's dress:
And this is Paige's dress:
Very simple, very plain, little sundresses. But I am sure they will love them and want to wear them everywhere for a little while, then they can be pushed back to the back of their closets and forgotten, I hope. LOL
Love my grandbabies!!




Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Art Journaling

Over on the yahoo group, Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium we are doing an art journal. I have read books about art journaling, read things online, just couldn't seem to ever get started so when it came up on the group, I thought here's my chance to try it out and not be alone with it but have feedback and suggestions from a group. I live in the boonies and am disabled so unless I can do it online there just isn't a lot of opportunities to try different types of things. After waiting five days trying to get up the courage to start and after being up all night with a crying two year old who wanted their Mama (Mama (my youngest daughter) has had four surgeries in 5 weeks and is needing rest desperately; I took the bull by the horns and set in. It was so much fun. As wobbly tired as I was, I was exhilarated by the process once I finally made myself start. Isn't that they way it usuallly is: once we get over the hurdle of "The Starting" something; it's not so bad at all!!!

Well, here is my first two page spread on "Fear" in my life and some Life Issues or lessons I am going through right now. Hope you like it. I would suggest everyone try this at least once; it is very liberating; even after no sleep and being 56 years old!!! LOL



Sunday, July 31, 2011

Little Doll I Made

 
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Just wanted to share this little doll I made for one of my granddaughters. Two done, two to go!!! Now to find something for the boys and the two teenage girls! Thanks for visiting, I would love for you to follow or leave a comment. Both are greatly appreciated!!!

Pretty Pink roses Card

Just wanted to let you see this very fast cute card and envelope I made from my scraps stash! Simple can be beautiful! Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and keep on crafting!

 
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