Finding a creative streak.... and not a brown one!

Lack of pictures doesn't mean I haven't been busy.  I was just caught up in crafting that I forgot to get the camera out.  Also disappointed that the dog broke my favorite camera lens.  She's up for adoption.  No takers yet.  ;)

 PAPER FLOWERS

Paper flowers were great!!  Fun!!  Glad I have that machine to cut the paper, with out it, I would have made 1 flower and called it quits.  I made almost 2 dozen.  Love them.   Will do them again.
Google Tim Holtz and Grunge Flower, you will see so many different tutorials.  I think I watched at least 5, and all did basically the same thing, minor technique differences, but over all fun.

 PAPER WREATH

Tore apart an old book, circa 1932.  Loved ripping it apart a page at a time.  Made a rolled paper wreath from the pages, using one of the graphic pages for the center.  Adorned with a few rhinestones and glitter,
it makes a bit of a spooky decoration that I am hoping to sell cheap and fast at my favorite local haunt!
I want to make a few more, using a glue gun for speed, and maybe come up with a better base and form.

RE-PURPOSED T-SHIRTS

I have the sewing machine out today, using a few old t-shirts and some cute baby elastic whipped out a few skirts for the Princess!  Dye is on the next shopping list.  Looking forward to digging into my buttons, scrap ribbons and stamps to add some spunk for the Peanut!  When the next round goes down, pictures of the process to follow!

NAKED SOFA

Pillows!  My sofa was naked.  In need of pillows!!  Purchased one that everyone loves!  Made 3 today that I am happy with.  Sofa feels a little warmer now.  Now let's see what else I can clean up and get into!! 

BAKING...
Tequila Lime Pound Cake... YUM! 
Recipe to come.  Easy!! 

TP, it can do more then wipe your ....

Not what you were expecting for an art medium, I get it.  Just think, its cheap, it's almost always around the house, and if I don't like it... flush... no one is the wiser. 

I gathered a few of my neglected rubber stamps, a roll of toilet paper, a cup of water and borrowed a few of the kids paint brushes.  I single layers painting the TP onto the stamp until I had about 15 layers of TP.  Carefully ripping the edges away from the stamp block to give a natural edge.  Something I think will look great if added to a piece of card stock for a greeting card.

Clean up couldn't be easier.  Such little mess.  Now to get out the water color paints and add some color, maybe some glue and card stock for a birthday card.  Hmmm, who will get it.  Who will know what it is?  lol. 

For a better explanation and other great ideas... please see the following link to Craft Gossip, as they deserve ALL the credit for finding and posting this little gem of a project!!
TP ART

Everyday Challenge of Potty Training!

We are a touch late in the game... twins are nearly 3.  Son has NO interest still!  (boys, sigh.)  My dauther on the other hand, has a new gusto and I am running with at a full speed!!  She sees the toilet, rips off her diaper, and has to sit.  (YEAH!)  I hand her book after book, for as long as she will sit, waiting for anything to happen.  I have let her put my make up on for me, and survived unharmed with my vision intact.  Jude on the other hand, just looks at us funny, and wants to know what book is next.  Every now and then he will run off and come back with a chair, or a pillow to sit on.  Can't blame him.  Caught him loading the washer for me the other day.

So Maddie, keep sitting there, reading away... your name sake would call you Betty Jane!!  And have a good laugh, I am sure.

Its actually an exciting time for us!!  She is just blossoming into this sweet little girl right in front of our eyes.  The phrases and new words she is adding are wonders to us.  I can only dream tonight about what she will make me beam about tomorrow.
Love you, my Chicken!  (yes, I call her chicken.)

And to my dear son, we will wait for your turn.  I see your wheels turning.  You will let us know when you are ready.  Until then, did you add the detergent yet?
Love you too, my Peanut!!

Sewing Bug

Well, I haven't started my seahorse yet.  He is still swimming thru my imagination.  I'll catch him sooner or later. 

For now, I need to make a pair of weighted blankets for the twins.  Great excuse to shop for fabric.  And boy did I find some cute stuff on line.  Even better, they shipped from California to me in no time at all!  Scary fast really. 

That means when I get a middle of the night buzz to find a perfect collection for my dream pattern, I'll be back on that site again ordering MORE fabric.  Just what I need.  :)

Could be worse.  It could be bolts, and not fat quarters!! 
Happy sewing!

Seahorses in my dreams....

I am sleeping again.  Yeah!  Seems that only 1 child wakes up thru the night, and that is only once a night, thankfully!  So the dreams return!!  Even better.

Recently Pete hung my jellyfish mosaic up in the dining room.  Just thrilled it's hung.  I seem to have a theme of glass and sea creatures running for mosaic projects.  I started with my first piece, a star fish for my kids bedroom.  Hung it up, sold it.  Jellyfish has been hung, and now I'm dreaming of ways to make a seahorse.  I see some brown bottles being purchase soon.  Of course they will be full of some yummy beer first!  But I see those bottle bottoms and mouths in use for scales.  I have to get to the studio and finish my busy work, so I can get this sea horse started.

Okay... now do we have any shrimp in the freezer? 

Smile! Click Click...

What a great way to spend a Sunday!  Photography class!!  All day with 3 pro's, 3 models (2 human, 1 well behaved dog!) and lots of interesting folks.  Keep your eyes open, I hope to put some of this new knowledge base to good use in the near future! 

Walking around with about 7 other students, we all had questions.  Each question answered by 3 pro's with a technical and artistic aspect with the bonus of personal style from each photographer.  Great way to learn!!   Too many cooks?  Not in this class!  Well seasoned pot if you ask me!


Now to go play with the 30 day trial of software they recommended.  The software was as much fun to discover as all the little buttons and knobs on the camera! 

Now for my index finger to get a work out. 

Spring Fever, my temp is rising!

I have the sudden sickness that follows many this time of year!  Spring Fever is here, and I know of only one cure... getting my hands dirty!!

The 4 of us set out on our first family gardening adventure yesterday.  Start seeds!  It was cold and wet, the kids were loving the long morning in PJ's and I was itchy to do something!!   Did I mention it was really cold and rainy outside?!  Really cold and wet!!!

Maddie and I started broccoli, her favorite veggie!  Jude and Daddy started cilantro, our family favorite herb!  We'll be sharing lots of seedlings with neighbors if all 25 of each plant start. 

The kids seem to really enjoy getting dirty.  Daddy was a bit nervous about the mess, and I was nervous that I wouldn't have enough room to do another 6 more trays like this for lettuce, arugula, spring onions, cucumbers and tomatoes!  Just not enough flat space in this one window.
Then I discovered the window sill in my bathroom!  Oh, I am doing more seeds!  Shh... just don't tell Pete yet!  I am hoping the sill is deep enough he wont notice the trays for a week or so.  Heck, he might not notice the sill for weeks if I keep the curtains closed as usual.

So what are you planting this spring?! 

Visions of inspiration...

You never know what will inspire you to do or say something.  Recently I walked into a church basement that doubles as a thrift store on Wednesdays.  Picked up some heart molds for 50 cents.  I have had idea after idea of what to do.  I knew I would not cook with them!  Sad, but true. 
So far, I have started using one as a body with measuring spoons for arms.  Looking forward to seeing how things have dried and settled. 

I look at what I toss in the trash or recycling bin and wonder if I am loosing a valuable recourse for a project.  Odd, I know.  The idea of this stuff ending up in a landfill to just build up and up is disturbing to me. 

So this inspiration has led me to look into lowering my over all waste!  We have done a good job at reducing our trash and increasing our recycling.  Now onto reducing both. 

So far, we no longer buy seltzer in bottles.  We purchased an Penguin.  Love it!!  Never out of seltzer again.  Need to get the beer fridge fixed and get that tap line flowing again! 
I know those bottles, caps and boxes are all recyclable, but wouldn't it be nice to reduce the stress  on our backs to the curb? 

Playing at the studio!

After dinner last night I walked to the studio for some "Mommy" time!  Gosh it was great!  3 hours to myself to play, I walked home with a smile on my face and a feeling over energy that I could go home and tackle anything! 

Hope you are finding time in your week to recharge your batteries!  It makes you a better YOU! 

Tired but itchy to play!

I have this urge to run into my craft room and play all day with everything.  I have an image in my head for a necklace from fabric scraps and glass bottle necks.  Then there are more chairs to do, and that needs some prep work as well as more belts.  Quilt ideas for the twins, mobile ideas out of old flatware I picked up here and there, another mosaic of a cup of hot coffee (mirror for the steam)....

Full of ideas!  Energy is low these days.  Need a few good nights of sleep.  Poor Mad and Jude are teething and it's not going so well.  Worse yet... and funny... Mad took a large squeaky rubber duck to bed and she was playing with it at 4am this morning!  Wonderfully she played with it until 6am when Pete's alarm went off.  She's a good kid!!  Jude slept thru it all but the alarm clock.  I

Tomorrow is a snow day!  Looking forward to another walk in the snow with the kids.  We might not have a hill on the block for that sled of theirs, but it's still fun to pull them thru the streets. 

First Friday of 2011!

Wow!  2010 flew by and I don't remember much.  Lots to be thankful for, plenty of smiles and time with family and friends to savor.  May it only continue into 2011! 

Tonight is First Friday in Narberth.  Please come visit us tonight.  If not tonight, another First Friday!  Lots of great folks, good times and a wonderful town to visit!  (Actually a Fantastic town to live in!)

Our wonderful friend and sitter, Bridget!!, is coming to play with Maddie and Jude so we can walk into town and join the fun.  Tonight is especially exciting because a few of my "things" will be on display.  Actually, a few pieces from several of my studio friends will be up for display.  If you can make it... you will walk away inspired, with a project in mind to do yourself, and always a warm heart and big smile! 

Hope to see you!

Available Seating

I am excited to say the chair is very comfortable!  Actually, more comfortable now then it was with the original it came with.  Not thrilled with my paint job.  I'm tossing that up as learning curve!  Next one will be better.  Still pretty happy with this one. 

Easy project!  Fun, and very in-expensive depending on resources.  Back to the $1 room!

Mid Week Thought...

Have you checked your lotto tix?  Last night was a big $$ for a winner.  I love the conversations that these big lotteries bring about.  What would you do?  How would you change your life and the lives of those around you? 

Pete and I have said since Katrina, we would give a minimum of 10% to a musicians fund in New Orleans for starters.  We have done that on lotto tix that have won much smaller numbers, and continue to keep those in that wonderful city in our minds.  But what else?  The idea of changing others lives for the better just sounds amazing to me!  Music is one way that changes all our lives every day!!  A beautiful Art!! 


Now to dig up some music and dance!  Woo Hoo!

Belts Seated

We have 4 extra ladder back chairs that have collected in the basement... and a pipe springs a minor leak.. spraying one with hot water.  Oops!  Guess it's mine for a make-over now! 

I cut away the seat and sanded the entire chair.  It needed a bit of love!  Sprayed with some flat black paint a few times and it is already coming back to life!  (over the crystal ball I see 3 more chairs getting a bit of a face lift in the near future.) 

Now, do I have enough belts from the 2nd hand shop?  Most collected from the $1 room!  Hopefully a good mix of style and attitude to make this come together.  I am hoping to finish with some silver paint for a little bling!