a little bit of this and that

Welcome, when we look in the window what there is there to see?


I was going to hang this on the back fence today, but never made it that far. :(

I love old windows, there is just so much you can do with them. I've got one that is being used as a picture frame. I used clear contact paper to adhere copies of pictures to the back of the glass so that they show through on the "front side". Is there really a wrong side to a window? I used to have one that filled a dead corner in our old house. It's a large blue window and I just haven't found a spot in this house for it. But fear not, it's safely put up in the "black hole" - so dubbed by husband because it seems that everything is in there. Garage to you and me.

And I cleaned today. Never got to digging in the still packed fabric in the garage. :(




Somewhere along the way today, I was mesmerized by the daylilies. They are blooming everywhere. It's sure a shame they only bloom for a day.

I created some art today. After which I had to clean the my room again! But it was worth it.
Finished up the June QuicKutz club. Stay tuned for a sneak peak on Tuesday. You'll want to go get some paper at DML for sure!

I started another little project. Pictures when it's done! This one is already very special to me. A gift from a friend. :)




So here are the ingredients for the project, started and finished in the wee hours of the morning. I hate not sleeping well anymore! But oh well, I have learned to enjoy the time. It's cool. It's quiet. And it's all mine!

Purchased a craft cross at the big box craft store. Painted it a neutral color, I think driftwood. I don't really worry because it will be covered up anyway. Once dry, dab dots of all the colors of the alcohol inks onto an alcohol ink applicator. All Ranger, all Tim Holtz. I used 4 layers of "dabbing". Between each layer, make sure you let the previous layer dry completely (30 secs?) before you add the next. This way you build layers of color and not a beautiful brown mud. Use the copper metallic sparingly as it will overtake the rest of the colors. A little dab will do ya.



Man, was it ever hard to take a picture of this! Sorry. If i put it under lights, it came out very orangy which it's not. Oh and if you enlarge, you will notice there are dabs of silver. That was a chance happening. The felt pad had a bit of silver on one end and with my last layer, I added the blue and green to the end that had the silver...

I am thinking that I might want to solder the edges of the piece to give it a more finished appearance. Just not today.

Once the inks were dry, I chose a stamp and black Stazon ink and stamped the cross very randomly.


Come back Tuesday for a sneak peak of the June QuicKutz club project... It's simply undescribeable!

Be Creative!

where I wish I was right now...

Santa Fe. New Mexico. I wish.

This is one of my most favorite pictures taken in Santa Fe. I just loved the old cart, the flowers, a glimpse of the blue window, and the dappled light just throws it into near perfection! I knew I wanted to see this on the wall, but not just framed.












Supplies:
1 artist canvas
Brick craft paint
Stiff paint brush
Black Metal from Ten Seconds Studio
QuicKutz Flirt and Stardust font dies
Embossing folder of your choice
Sanding brick
Gibberish lettering rub-on in black
Craft cross
Avocado craft paint
Distress Alcohol Inks: Silver, Butterscotch, Terra Cotta, Lettuce, Stonewashed
Alcohol ink applicator
Distress Walnut Stain Crackle paint
Black Basic Grey flourish rubon
Twine
Handmade white paper for the background
Black cardstock
"Journey" metal embellishment and 2 black brads

Using a stiff brush, paint the artist canvas without priming the piece. Watch your brush direction because this method will leave the painted areas with a striated affect. Always brush towards the edges, mitering the corners if you can. There is no need to paint the center of the canvas. Let dry.

Dampen the hand made paper with a small paint brush in the desired size to fit on the canvas. Tear the paper on the wet lines. This will leave your edges very rough and stringy looking. Adhere to the canvas with either glue dots or orange sticky tape.

Back your 5x7 photo with a piece of black cardstock cut 1/4" larger in width and length. Your photo will be framed with a 1/8" frame of black.

Paint your cross avocado green. Let dry. Layer several coatings of alcohol ink over the avocado green cross. Check out this link for a tutorial. Apply the flourish rub on when the inks are dry. Paint selected areas of the cross with the Distress Crackle Paint. The thicker you put it on the deeper the cracks will be.

Place all items on the white hand made paper as shown or as desired. Apply the gibberish rub on and then adhere the pieces. Adhere the individual pieces with glue dots. Wrap the bottom of the piece with the twine and tie the knot on the front of the piece.

Adhere the metallic embellishment were desired with orange adhesive tape. Poke a hole through the openings and push the brads through.

The lettering is super easy! Die cut the S and the F (or letters of your choice) using Stardust font and the black metal. Place the letters inside an embossing folder and emboss. Sand the raised edges of the letters. The lower case lettering is cut from Flirt font out of the black metal. Adhere with orange sticky tape.

Hang with pride and enjoy!

Be Creative!

It's June and time for a new calendar

With all the to do's of the summer season upon us, it's time for a quick and easy project for the June calendar.

Quote by Gertrude Jekyll: What is one to say about June, the time of a perfect young Summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months and with as yet no sign to remind one it's fresh beauty will ever fade.

Die cut the center circle from solid cardstock. Emboss with a swirl embossing die or folder. Brush a green die pad lightly over the raised embossed areas. Outline with the same green ink pad. Adhere to center of DP on which the saying has been printed around all four corners. Outline the center medallion with a black pen for a sense of depth.

Ink the outside edge of the calendar piece with green ink. Adhere two die cut leaf shapes and a ready-made flower to the lower corner of the center medallion.

Doodle underneath the saying with a black ink pen. Insert into your CD case and enjoy.

Be Creative!

good friends, good music, and a short lived daylily

It what we do every Thursday afternoon/evening. We head downtown to the Buddy Holly Center for some free music, overpriced drinks and a visit with good friends. While I was on the road, it was a rarity for me to partake in this event. But now that I work and live in the same city in the same state, it has become our "ritual". A rite of passage from spring into summer. For most, Memorial Day is the day that marks the first day of summer. For us, the first concert is the official first day.

First concert was by Wendy Colonna. She's got a sultry voice, Louisiana charm and a guitar that reaches your inner being.




Friends Laura, Carolyn, Eddie and Sue.














Friends Justin and Laura whom we met last year at this event.













Finally. But the German is more of a definitive. Entlich. The first daylily. There are hundreds more to come.

Although the calendar isn't in sync. It is summer. These are the true events of summer. Enjoy.




I have a few projects on which I'll be working tomorrow.



Be Creative!

silent proof of a busy weekend

Painted. Which means take it down, paint, clean it, put it back.

















Rehang pictures. I did have a fiber art piece framed and am pleased as a peach how it turned out.


















Bought plants and planted containers for yard art.



















Cleaned my art space. My friend Charlotte sent me an email with some quotes from Charles Schultz (you know Peanuts fame) and I found this spoke to me. So I took out my QuicKutz Silhouette and die cut the saying from vinyl. Let me just say, follow QK's directions. It will save you lots of frustration! :)









Had a birthday party for our now 33 year old son.

So here is how the age thing went down:
I say 33
husband says no he's 34
I change blog to 34
Son says he's 33.
And I do the math.
I was right the first time.
I was wrong to listen to husband. :( LOL











Graciously gave in to husband, sons and grandchildren. We now have colored lights up. You know, it was the adoring faces of the grandchildren that made giving in easy. And it's not as bad as I thought it would be.










And I worked on some art. Instructions to follow when the big piece is completed. Can you guess what I used to create this look?
Thanks be to God, for without His guidance none of this would have been possible.














Be Creative!

Memories, Memorial Day and Me

Growing up in France, I was privileged to have lived much of American history overseas. We traveled across Europe stopping at sights around every turn of the road. Among Nice, Paris, Milan, the Rhine river, the Black Forest, Switzerland, Austria there were those excursions that Dad would take because it was something he wanted to see.

I saw the Marginot line along Germany and France were the French held off the German attack until the German broke through in Belgium. I remember walking these lines of bunkers seeing left over dog tags, helmets, and guns.

But more than those memories, I vividly remember the American cemetaries in Europe. White crosses and perfectly manicured lawns pepper the landscape. There was one on the way to school in Orleans, France. The notible ones on Omaha and Normandy beaches. And every year on Memorial Day the pristine white crosses were adorned with flags. Every single cross had it's own flag. I used to wonder who went out and planted each one so perfectly. I know now. It is those who are left behind and who remember. As a token of thanks for giving their lives so that others may live.

This year, our trip to the cemetary will be most difficult. There is a new grave in the family plot. Our nephew, 26 year old Micah, went to be with Jesus this past January. So along with a few flags, I'll be taking a white rose for a young man who left us too soon...

Have a wonderful Memorial Day.

What color are you going to paint the bedroom?

I painted the living room on Friday. Saturday I paid for it. However, now that the living room looks so "clean", it makes me want to continue to do more decorating. My husband said it would happen, "Nobody just buys one can of paint." And I quote.

I didn't start until noon on Friday and by 11pm, the entire room had the furniture back, the pictures hung, the tv moved, the rugs back. However I saved putting the china cabinet back together until Saturday. It was time for bed. Before the lights went out, my husband asked "What color are you going to paint the bedroom?". I did just want to bop him with something, but it hurt too much to move.

Saturday morning I got the crystal and the china put back up. We were having a birthday party that evening. And sore as I was, I still had to get a cake and a gift. Our eldest son turned 33. So I was really feeling my age, and it wasn't pretty!

More tomorrow, if I get the urn painted and my office overhauled so I can ....

Be Creative!