Monday, July 25, 2011

Paris Plaque

I went a little nuts over some Graphic 45 papers I found recently at a local stamp store called Impress. I love my finds at Michaels and JoAnn’s, but I also like to support my local independent retailers . Share the love. How gorgeous is this paper!
Graphics 45 Paris Paper
It’s a page of postage stamps of the Eiffel Tower with one larger image. I’d been in Lowe’s recently, making the Lowe’s people crazy like I do when I go there for stuff to not use for its intended purpose and bought some wood “plinths” I think they’re called.
I painted one with taupe and dry brushed with some white then Mod Podged a black and cream paper from Recollections Elegance paper pack on the back and part of the front. I cut out the largest image from the sheet and MP’d it on top.
Paris Plaque
Didn’t even sand the wood because it was in pretty good shape and I wanted a rough look anyway. Finished the whole thing with black and cream paper flowers, buttons and a self adhesive pearl . OK one time where less is more. One. Time!
Paris Vignette
It’s on a hall table with a collection of milk glass and a few other altered pieces.
Paris Black and White
Also wanted to play with one of the Art settings on my camera!
Linking Up At: 





BFF Link Party #12 Wrap Up and Features

Thanks everyone for linking up to last week’s BFF Open House LInk Party. I love seeing familiar names and some new ones each week and as always, the creativity is inspiring ( and adding to my ever growing to do list!). Here are just a few of the wonderful ideas that were linked up. Have a wonderful week all!
Bethany, from A Fish Who Likes Flowers, has been BUSY. These pillows, which are such a fantastic wedding gift idea, are only a portion of what she’s done for her niece’s wedding:
The Amazing Suzy ( I’ve renamed her) from Suzy’s Artsy Craftsy Sitcom, outdid Van Gogh himself by quilling a version of one of my favorite Van Gogh pieces, Starry Night:
If you haven’t seen these stitched furniture pieces from Bev at Flamingo Toes, you really need to check them out. They are so sweet and her collection of frames makes them pop!
And maybe it’s all the talk of the heat, or the fact that I’m starting to see stuff in the stores or my love of black and white or all of the above, but Kelly Dawn from ‘Til Death Do Us Part shared these adorable owl silhouettes that just make me want to get busy on Fall!
Thanks everyone for making each week’s Open House a fun and growing party!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

BFF Link Party#12 and BFF Southern Scraps!

Happy Friday and for once, people around the country are envying our Pacific Northwest weather since I think we’re the only part of the country that’s not sweltering. Hope everyone is finding creative ways to stay cool and maybe you’ll show some of them off here this week!

This week’s Blog Feature Friday is Fonda from Southern Scraps! This is one busy lady. You name it….cards, scrapbooking, jewelry, décor, sewing, re-fashioning clothes…she tries it and does a great job of it! I purposely didn’t feature this from last week’s party because I knew she’d be this week’s BFF and wanted to show it off here:
Isn’t that a gorgeous bracelet? It’s made out of ROPE! I just love it. And she didn’t stop there, making a necklace you can see here. She could look fabulous while staying cool wearing her bracelet and necklace with this re-fashioned tee:
 
I also love these punched flower décor balls :
And she’s also been rockin’ some great Anthro knockoffs:
I’m telling you, you will NOT be disappointed when (not if!) you go visit Fonda!

So….let’s see what everyone’s been up to this week! Anything goes as long as it was made by you! Please link to your project page and not your main blog page and please no advertising or Etsy stores. Otherwise…party on!

Doodle Monogram

When I first started blogging, I shared something called Zentangle. It’s basically art doodling that repeats a series of patterns and is done primarily in black and white. I haven’t taken any of the formal classes but just kinda started doing my own interpretation of it and it’s very addicting!

One of my son’s friends was over visiting last week and my sketchbook was out and she was enthralled by my doodles. So I thought I’d do her initial in a doodle!

Zentangle Monogram (2)

I didn’t just want to tear it out of my sketchbook to give to her so I painted an unfinished frame from Ikea, then dry brushed it and applied some rub ons that have a similar doodle pattern and some words from the same pack.

mosaicb7793f0effffb4ef72ca7742f675e311bd263c29

I also thought I’d try out Big Huge Labs photo editing which I learned about from Viv at the V Spot Blog. I used it to create the mosaic of pics seen above.

Of course I had to finish the frame off with some strategically placed bling. Just a rhinestone in the middle of each flower. Got the stamp of approval from my son.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Creativity Tags

I posted last week about the opportunity I had to get some free craft supplies through Wholeport’s Creativity Expo promotion. I selected a paper sampler. It arrived quickly and I couldn’t wait to play.

Creativity Expo
I got some additional supplies out from my stash:
Creativity Expo Supplies
I’d decided to make some tags so I ran blank tags through my 2.5” Xyron
to apply adhesive. I’m not naturally drawn to pinks but there was something about the pink papers in the pack that made me want to play with them.
Creativity Expo Tags

Creativity Expo Tags (2)
Used different things from my stash…buttons, KandCo self adhesive scrapbook borders, round and shaped self adhesive rhinestones, ribbon, paper flowers to embellish my tags. I incorporated some other paper scraps from my stash as well.
Creativity Expo Tag Pink

P7191460

Wholeport’s asked everyone who received sample packs from them to post what they’ve made on their Facebook page so I’m sharing there.
Linking Up At:
Tickled Pink at 504 Main

Monday, July 18, 2011

Christmas in July for Arianna

Christmas Card

Bella, from Bella Before and After sent out an SOS today. While Christmas is almost always a happy occasion, the reason for this Christmas related SOS is a sad one.

A little girl named Arianna loves Christmas. Sadly, she  has been battling cancer since 2009 and her doctors have advised the family to start making as many memories as possible with her. I can’t write more about this without getting too emotional. I also just finished sympathy cards for mf BFF and her family for the sudden loss of her brother. Too much sadness.

Friends of Arianna’s family are planning a Christmas party for her on July 22 which includes showering her with as many cards as possible.That’s something I can do!

I don’t  always have a lot of kid stuff in my stash but I did have some cute Santa rub ons. So I got those out and picked out some papers that coordinated. I found some green and white polka dotted paper that reminded my of snow, and a scrap of Beachy Shadow Wash paper.

Christmas Card Santas

I embellished the Santas with adhesive pearls on their hats, and even one for a nose and stamped the sentiment on another scrap. Had to use some Twinery twine in maraschino and key lime. Finished with some red and clear rhinestone strips. A little girl needs to have a blingy card dontcha think?

Christmas Card (2)

If you’d like to learn more about Arianna’s Christmas party you can click here.

BFF Link Party #11 Wrap Up and Features

Thanks to everyone who linked up to last week’s BFF Open House! I hope everyone enjoyed meeting Tammy from Not Just Paper and Glue. Fantabulous ideas as always and here are just a few highlights:
Bethany, from A Fish Who Likes Flowers shows us what to do with a Goodwill mirror, some sisal rope and a lot of hot glue
Must be a GW bug in the air…in another fantastic transformation, Kathleen from Charm Bracelet Diva linked up this beautiful stool she made from a GW find and a coffee sack:
Kathleen has a weekly “Club GW” link party each week where you can link up your transformed Goodwill goodies!
And Maggie  from Midwestern Sewing Girl showed she’s not just famous for her sewing skills. I’ve seen lots of starburst mirrors but the detail Maggie  added to hers just makes it pop:
Finally, this is so elegant and beautiful and you would never, ever, guess that it’s made from………………wax paper! Only Carolyn from homework could transform something so ordinary into something SO extraordinary!
Hope to see everyone back again at this week’s Open House on Friday!!