Tuesday, December 8, 2015

A piece of home.....


When our kids leave home
to pursue their dreams.....
it can be hard during the holidays!


Knowing this....
I decided to create something for my son,
it can be used as a Christmas Tree Ornament
then as a
PIECE OF HOME
to hang in his room once the holidays are over!


The base of my creation is an
ArtC ~ Wood Pallet Surface ~ 3" x 4.5"

I pulled out a package of ArtC ~ Adhesive stencils
and tube of Ultra Chalk ~ White


I applied the Ultra Chalk with a paint brush,
then I lifted the stencil and placed it over the remainder
of the Wood Pallet and dried the chalk.

I then applied a layer of
ArtC ~ Gel Stain ~ Chestnut
and wiped off the excess with a baby wipe.
LOVE THE LOOK!


I wanted to have some Twine for my project
but not blue,
so I painted the twine with
ArtC ~ Gel Stain ~ Chestnut.
When the twine was dry,
I pulled the strands of the twine apart.


I gathered a few pieces of New Hampshire nature,
and acorn cap for the cover of the
ArtC ~ Clear Dome Bottle
and a piece of evergreen for inside the bottle and
a couple of Hemlock Pinecones
to finish off the piece!


I chose a few embellishments from
an ephemera collage kit I had on hand.
I painted the wood chippie "love" with
ArtC ~ Gel Stain.

I hope my boy loves this
PIECE OF HOME....


.....as much as I did creating it!!!



Friday, December 4, 2015

Six Years Ago.....


Six Years Ago....this month
I was contacted by the folks are Reminisce
announcing I was the GRAND PRIZE winner

I remember that day soooo CLEARLY!
I scared my entire family
as I let out a loud WHAAHOOOP!

So when the folks at Ella and Viv Paper Company
(sister company to Reminisce)
contacted me to showcase some of their new
paper collections.....I was HONORED!

Here is what I created with their
Vintage Backgrounds Collections.


I began my creation by pulling out a
12 x 12 Black Canvas by Canvas Corp Brands
and the GORGEOUS Vintage Background papers...


I cut the papers into various geometric shapes
and adhered the shapes to my canvas
using Ranger's ~ Multi Medium Matte.
When dry, I cut a heart from copy paper
and placed it on my canvas.
Then, I chose
The Crafter's Workshop ~ Organic Matter Stencil
and applied
rather heavy handily!


When it was dry,
I created a heart with some Lacelon,
a vintage plastic lace
and adhered it to the masked heart area.


This is when it get's scary....
I applied a mixture
of equal parts
and 
and applied it over the entire canvas....
and waited!

After a minute or so
(which seemed like years)
I used baby wipes to remove the excess.
The results are SOOO WORTH the panic!

See how the the paint remained in the crevices!


With my finger, I applied various
to my heart....


which all matched SOOO WELL
with the Ella and Viv's Paper Company


I used Faber Castell ~ Big Brush Pen ~ Walnut Brown
around the edges of the heart to create depth!


To accent my canvas,
I pulled out a couple packages of
Lilac/Purple, Sienna and Mauve
to create my flower cluster.
I added leaves cut from Tim Holtz ~ Tattered Leaves
accented with


I finished off my canvas with one of my FAVORITE stamps

I stamped on a piece of
and adhered to it to my canvas



I hope you have enjoyed my creative process,
I KNOW I DID!
A BIG THANK YOU to folks at
for thinking of me and
giving me the opportunity to create with their
FABULOUS papers!

Monday, November 2, 2015

I can be CHANGED.....

I like to be CHALLENGED...
I like to step outside of my creative box....
on this project I did JUST THAT!


I received my inspiration after discovering
the online flower delivery company BloomNation.
While popping around their website I came across their
Pinterest page and ALL THE beautiful boards.
Y'all know my LOVE FOR FLOWERS!

I perused their board ~ Home Inspiration
and created my own Inspiration Board.
I wanted this to be a BIG canvas,
but honestly it SCARED ME!
So, I went to my art journal to try my ideas out.
You can check out my blog post here.


I had to rethink my flowers as they are from
The Crafter's Workshop ~ Daily Buzz stencil
and wouldn't be large enough for my 16 x 20 canvas.


I knew exactly what I wanted to use!
I had recently purchased
Fabric Quarters and Gauze Fabric which were just PERFECT
for the idea I had rattling around in my head!


I created my own pattern and cut the flowers
and colored the fabric flowers with


The paint stiffened the fabric but not enough to my liking,
so I painted on a layer of Ranger ~ Multi Medium
to the back side of the flowers.
I dried, crumpled and created a pom pom centers
from various Canvas Corp Brands ~ Jute for my flowers.


I then cut various leaf shapes from the Fabric Elements ~ Gauze
and colored the fabric with
I attached the colored leaves to Paper Covered Wire with
Stem Wrap Tape purchased from Joann Fabric.


The background on my canvas was created by applying a layer of
vintage McCall magazine pages with Multi Medium.
I then applied a layer of Gesso,
followed by randomly placed bricks created with
The Crafter's Workshop ~ Brick stencil


I finished off my canvas with a quote that speaks
deeply to my heart!

I hope you have enjoyed my creative journey
I KNOW I DID!!
Thank you the flower delivery company
 BloomNation for the opportunity to be
inspired by your Pinterest board
and for pushing my creative boundaries!

Playing along with The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge and ARTastic Challenge

PRODUCTS USED:
Shimmering Matte Acrylic Paint


Bricks
Believe Script

Fabric Quarters


Burlap Blossoms x 4 ~ Green
Burlap Blossoms x 4 ~ Ivory
Burlap Blossoms x 11 ~ Ivory
Mini Pearl Daisies ~ Pistachio


Thursday, October 1, 2015

Take time.....

TO DO WHAT YOU WANT.....


What an AMAZING stamp created by Yvonne Blair Designs!!!
I DID start this project with a class in mind....
when it wasn't turning out how I had envisioned it
....I let the creative process have it's way.

I had begun with applying Multi Medium to a canvas
then I spritzed a page from a
1973-1974 McCall's Needlework and Crafts Magazine
and squinched it into the Multi Medium.
I dried it with my heat tool then applied a layer of
Perfect Paints ~ Pearl Plaster ~ Bavarian Cream.
It wasn't the look I was looking for so I began to randomly
tear off the magazine page....
This is when I fell in LOVE
with what happened!
(sorry I wish I had a picture for you)


I then pulled out Perfect Paints ~ White Stucco
and randomly applied it to the canvas with a palette knife.
and applied it all over the canvas.
I waited a minute then wiped off the excess with a baby wipe.
I LOVED how this worked as it "stuck" to the
White Stucco but not to the Pearl Plaster.


I had created a Perfect Paints Shimmering Matte Acrylic Spray
by mixing equal parts of Bright Gold and Aged Copper
with an equal part of water.
I spritzed it on my canvas and let it drip.....
I wasn't quite happy so I stenciled a bit of
Perfect Paints ~ Shimmering Matte Acrylic ~ Shadow
through The Crafter's Workshop stencil ~ Thoughts!


I used a lot of "misfits" to finish off my canvas.
A previously stenciled and spritzed
A leftover torn piece of CCB C Flute ~ Kraft
that I used to sop up leftover paint.
I scrap piece of vintage lace.


All tied up with a piece of Jute and
finished off with Yvonne Blair Designs stamp.


Now to get back to creating the background for my
upcoming class......
HAPPY CREATING!!



Thursday, September 3, 2015

Together we can.....


What a WONDERFUL summer it has been....
I was SOOO BLESSED to have the opportunity to
to spend the week on the Maine Coastline...
I wanted to remember the AMAZING time so I created
this wall hanging.

I had picked up a "wooden palette fence" piece
at a local big box store.


This is what the "wooden palette fence" looked like
(minus the paint)
before I began my creative process.

I went to my Perfect Paints stash and pulled out


I scooped out some Perfect Paints ~ White Stucco
and GENTLY folded in a bit of
The key to making this work is
NOT MIXING the products together completely.


I applied the mixture with a palette knife to achieve this
"weathered fence" look!
HOW AWESOME!!!


I stapled a bit of Chicken Wire to my "fence"
and created a flower spray
using various Petaloo blooms
Botanica Bloom
Mini Pearl Daisies
and Petites
along with a bit of ephemera.




I love the quote I chose to finish off my piece....

"Together we can face any challenges...

as deep as the ocean
and as high as the sky."


I hope you have enjoyed my creative process....
wishing you a
WONDERFUL,
CREATIVE DAY!!

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Getting my GROOVE ON!!

I was SOOO EXCITED when I opened my "HAPPY MAIL"
containing my new GROOVE tool along with a few other goodies!
I couldn't wait to play....
I LOVE trying new products to see how they works!
So, I chose not to watch any video....
just open the box and begin PLAYING!!
See.....I used the "ink sponge" to apply my paint
but I TOTALLY loved how it worked!!

Now, that I had tried it....
now it was time to bring my creating on!!!
I sanded the papers...using the course sand tip
applied paint through a stencil....using the ink tip
(yup I did it again)
I even used the ink tip....to apply INK!
I must say....some times when applying ink...
I didn't turn the tool on...
especially when I was inking the fabric flower.
I truly enjoyed my creative process
and my new GROOVE tool...
Now, the one thing you have to remember is....
this is a battery operated tool.
If you apply too much pressure, while using
the tool, it will bog the it down!
It really doesn't require much pressure
to get the GROOVE tool to spin it's magic!!

I hope you have enjoyed my creative process....
'cause I KNOW I did!!
AND I LOVE my new GROOVE TOOL!!

Products Used:

Art-C
Groove Tool
ephemera collage kit

Perfect Paints

Ranger InkWendy Vecchi's Archival Ink
Tree Branch
Potting Soil
Hydrangea
Distress Stain ~ Peeled Paint

Creative EmbellishmentsBirds
Flourish 32

The Crafter's WorkshopHexagon (small)
Alhambra

Bo BunnyGratitude



Friday, July 10, 2015

MORE art journaling LOVE!

I've been having sooo much fun watching 
INSPIRATION WEDNESDAY
and being inspired.

Now, I like to use Donna's video as a 
jumping off spot...
My inspiration for this journal creation 
6.25.14
As I didn't have alot of items Donna used SO
 I decided to create a list...
Black Circles
Pink
Cherry Blossoms
Lots of White
a stencil with Mist
Numbers
Gesso


I began by using pages from an old ledger
to cover my Journal.
I then painted on a thin layer of Gesso.
When dry....
I applied a layer of Perfect Paints ~ Perfect Glaze Medium.

I didn't have any "wrapping" papers so I chose to use
some Vintage Lace Curtains instead,
applied with Multi Medium ~ Matte.


I then mixed a bit of Perfect Paints ~ White Stucco with
some Tattered Angels Crushed Shells,
when all mixed,
I folded in a bit more White Stucco,
and applied, with a palette knife,
over the vintage lace curtains.
Then I applied another layer of Gesso with a palette knife
randomly on my journal.


I couldn't wait to apply my black circles....I used a jelly jar.
I applied them randomly on my spread.

Now was the time to add the PINK....
PINK??? not usually my "go to" color.

I used an eye dropper full of Cup Cake Glimmer Glam
and splattered away. FUN!!


Next, I used another item on my list
a stencil by The Crafter's Workshop ~ Quartrefoil Reversed
and some mist ~ Coffee Shop by Tattered Angels.
AHHHH....not sure why this step scared me sooo much!

It felt like something was missing.....MORE PINK!
So I became the mad scientist.....
to match the Glimmer Glam.
Added a bit of Perfect Gel Medium
and did the "brush on, wipe off" technique...

I still needed more and applied the above mixture through
TCW Cherry Blossom stencil...
NOW...I was getting some where...
I bit of edging with Potting Soil ~ Archival Ink
some dripping Crushed Stones....


I need to add my numbers....
so I created my own inclusion from
a Canvas Corp Brands ~ Mini Kraft Bags
and a Scalloped Ivory Tag...
a bit of gloop and glop...
some spray
a bit of stamping
and some more of that vintage curtain...


then it was time for my quoto.
I stamped on a gessoed piece of torn and tattered
dictionary paper...
added more curtain pieces parts....
and there you have it!!

Hope you enjoyed my creative journey....
cause I know I did!!