Altered Birdcage

Spring is in the air for sure here in ND, no snow on the ground and in the 70's! I'm Lovin it!! It really has me thinking of flowers in bloom. So I remembered I had picked up this birdcage last spring to alter a little and I finally got to it!!
I started out with cream & pink colors but this nice weather we have been having I went right into summer and bright colors!! I really do like bright bold colors over pastel. So I have been making flowers all week. I covered grunge paper with Claudine Hellmuth Sticky Back Canvas from Ranger and cut out using Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die cut. I then sprayed the blue & orange flower with Adirondak color wash stream & sunset orange, love the bright colors!! The yellow flower I used Mustard Seed distress stain. I stamped the leaves with Wendy Vecchi stamp set Ticket to Art and cut out and colored with shabby shutters distress stain, love her stamps!! The little sprigs were cut with Tim Holtz Tattered Pinecone die cut and colored with peeled paint distress stain. Not sure if I'm quite done with it yet, I might add a butterfly or something to it yet. This is going to be my entry for the Simon Says Stamp and Show http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com where the theme is Anything Goes. Lot's of fun!!

Thanks for the nice comments on my altered bottle post!! Appreciated!!Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!
Donna

12 Tags of Christmas/tag 12

Hey everyone, hope you all had a nice Christmas! Happy New Year to all of you!!
I got the chance to get one more tag done thanks to Linda Ledbetter's blog http://studiol3.blogspot.com where the technique this week is Tim Holtz Tissue wrap or Tissue Tape. I just got some of the Tissue Wrap at Christmas time so decided to give it a try and followed Tim's 12 tags of Christmas and made tag #12. This is an awful picture of it but it is snowing like crazy out so no outside picks for me!! It really is a pretty tag but the indoor lighting just doesn't show it! I also got an ornament done that Tim had on his blog, Mario says he's not a crafter HA his ornament turned out much better then mine!! lol So check out Tim's blog for the 12 tags of Christmas www.timholtz.typepad.com and Linda's blog http://studiol3.blogspot.com. Everyone have a safe and Happy New Year's Eve!!

Have a good one!!

Donna

Wendy Vecchi Pocket Watch Santa/Tag #1

Geez, been a bad blogger here!! Tis the season to be busy!!
I made this Christmas ornament using Wendy Vecchi Pocket Watch Art Part!! Love her Art Parts & Stamps!! The Santa is from Tim Holtz seasonal pad, the holly leaves is one of Tim Holtz stamps cut out and embellished with Rock Candy Distress Stickles and the berry's are Christmas red stickles. The star I covered with perfect pearls and the flourish is from Maya Road. This will be my entry for the challenge on Simon Says Stamp and Show Blog http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com.

I also have been trying to keep up with Tim Holtz 12 tags of Christmas & Mario on FB & Twitter. Not doing to good on the tag part, finally got tag #1 done working on tag #2. I just love when Tim does this each year, full of techniques and inspiration!! I'm going to try catch up then keep up, we'll see!! lol

Have a good one!!

Donna

7 Gypsies Tray

MIA here or what!! Wow, where did July go? Whaaa, I want it back!! Busier then I want to be that's for sure! But I have had a chance to spend a lot of time with the grandsons so all is good!!

Over the 4th of July weekend I had 4 days off and thought it would be a good time to clean my craft room AKA spare bedroom. It was so bad, I had just a little path to get in there and everything was a disaster!! While cleaning it up I thought as long as I was at it maybe I should paint in there to. So off to the store to get some paint, I had a color in mind but before I left I needed a file folder for something and pulled out a couple, one was a dark turquoise & one was a dark lime green and I thought wow these are pretty colors together, yep ended up doing something totally opposite of what I had planned and went with those colors. I love it, it is bright & fun!! But wow what an undertaking it was, each wall took 3 coats so I was at it all 4 days!! I don't think I will ever do 2 colors in a room again, you have to be so careful where they meet up!! Thank goodness I liked it when it was finished!!

While cleaning I found way to many projects unfinished, I managed to find a little time to finish up a couple of them and I'm working on a couple more. I bought this 7 Gypsies tray last fall when I went to Scrapfest, finally got it done! The top square with no pic I left blank to add a pic of the new grandson to be born the end of Sept. Can't wait, it will be so nice to have a baby around again!! But Wow, 5 grandsons!! Never would have thought!!

I also got this little bird done to add to my other 2. I've had it for about a year too!! So now they all rest in these blocks on the wall.

Last week I won one of Wendy Vecchi/Studio 490 stamp sets on her blog http://studio490art.blogspot.com. If you have never visited her blog before go check it out, she is one of the most creative people I know and her blog is full of inspiration!! She is the best!! And after seeing the project sheet that came with the stamps, I need all of her stamp sets and Art Parts!! They are Fantastic!! Thanks again Wendy and thank you Stampers Anonymous!! I'm looking forward to a chance to play with them, shooting for this weekend, I hope, I hope, I hope!!!!

I'm also working on a cool Christmas project that I hope to get posted in a few days!Have a good one everyone!!

Donna

Memorabilia Box for CCC #35

For this weeks CCC (last one, boo hoo) on Linda's blog the challenge is Design Details. I wanted to use some of the new toys that I have gotten. I started out with a whole different plan in mind and chucked it then went with something else then chucked it, wasted a lot of time and I just could not not participate in the last challenge!! Finally ended up with a travel box for memorabilia.

I always have memorabilia from trips etc. and wanted a box to store them in until I figured out a good use for them. I don't have much of the technique called for in the challenge on it but it's there. And oh I had fun using some of the new things I have added to my stash recently!! I did the tag with Broken China Distress Stains then added a little peeled paint Distress Inks here & there on it. And yes, I kinda did the tag like Tim did on his last blog post, I had just gotten the stamps so it was nice to see an idea for them. The new Distress Stains are absolutely wonderful, love them!!! And the Old Jalopy die cut and travel stamps are pretty awesome to! Stampers Anonymous has the best stamps!!

Top of box

I'm leaving Sun. for another trip, going to go see our son Shad & his family in Kansas, so excited to see them! Shad is in the Army and leaves for Afghanistan the first part of April, so it will be a bitter sweet visit. After all these years you'd think I would be used of it, but I hate it!! So the major worrying will begin again for another year!! Shad's little boy Kevin is 4 years old now, so it is going to be harder for him this time around!! Hey, on a happier note I found out I'm going to be a grandma again, our son Joey & his wife are going to have another baby this Sept. I have 4 grandsons now so I'm really hoping they have a girl, will she be spoiled or what!! lol

I have to pay more attention to my shopping, I ordered Tim's small Visual Artistry stamps and I already had them!! So how about a give away, just leave a comment and I will choose a random winner on Mon. 3/21/11 when I get back.



Have a good weekend everyone!!
Donna

Giveaway Winner

Sorry I'm late in posting this, I've been down and out with a killer cold/flu bug!! My bosses DH brought it home to her from FL and she so kindly passed it on to me! YUK!! I can't believe I have gotten sick when I leave for CA in just a few days, really don't have time for this I have way to much to do!! Wahhhh......

On to the giveaway, by random draw Kathy Eddy is the winner of the Tim Holtz Mini Ornamental die cut. Congratulations Kathy!! Please send me your address and I will get this in the mail hopefully before I leave.

As many of you know I'm going to CHA, I leave this Thurs. for CA. Fri. I have a Copic Marker Certification class all day, I've also signed up for many classes throughout the show. I'm going to try and blog from the show and take lots of pictures and share on FB, so keep an eye out on there. I hope to hang out a lot at the Ranger booth and catch Tim & Wendy demoing, they are so fun to watch demo!!! After the show is over I'm going to spend a few days with my sister who lives out there, can't wait!! When I come back I will have another giveaway to share with you!

Have a good one everyone!!
Donna

Tag #7

I got one more tag done, tag#7! I have to admit this one gave me a little trouble!! I got a little to much green on the tag, but hey it's Christmas right and the poinsettia was harder to put together then I expected, I didn't leave enough space in the center to use the button I wanted to use but made this one work. I haven't had much time lately so I have been rushing threw them so hopefully after Christmas I can concentrate on them. First a few projects for classes at work!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday!!

Donna

Tag #5 & 12

I managed to get a couple more tags done, I actually started #5 before the other two I posted, slow or what!!! lol For #5 I didn't have any green crackle paint so I used peeled paint distress ink then went over it with rock candy crackle. I got it on a little thick and it really picked it up in the picture, it really isn't that bad in person. I don't have any sparkly fluff so put stickles on Santa's hat as it looks like it has holly around it to me. I also didn't have Tim's numbers, well I have them but must have used all of the 2's & 5's so these metal numbers were a lot smaller and a lot harder to work with! I also don't have any white utee so I just used clear on it. What a fun technique though!!

Love tag #12, the movers & shapers are so fun to work with!! After I put my rock candy crackle paint on I thought you could heat it but oh it started looking funny so stopped, thank goodness or it would have really been messed up!! And of course the pic really picked it up!! Darn camera's magnifying all my mistakes!!!! And now that it is so cold & snowy out I can't take the pics outdoors anymore and I just can't get the lighting right taking them indoors!! Spring hurry up and get here!!! lol I don't have Tim's December stamp but I had picked up these cool Tim ATC stamps at Michaels the other day, didn't even know about them!! It was just a part of the stamp so it is smaller so I had to put some cardstock behind it. These stamps were just hanging on the side of an end cap, I almost missed them!!! Our Michaels carries very little of Tim's stuff so I was quite surprised when I seen them!! And I got them for $4.79 a piece, wow I was excited!!
I'm still hoping to at least finish one more tag before Christmas the poinsettia one, it looks so pretty!! The rest of the tags just might have to wait until after Christmas.

Have a good one everyone!!

Donna

12 Days of Christmas Tags #9 & 10

Finally had a little chance to play over the weekend and got Tag 9 & 10 done.
I did them pretty much the same as Tim, I was a little rushed so not perfect but will do and the main thing was to try the technique & ideas. I really liked coloring your own ribbon and what a cool idea of using the packaging on tag 10!! I plan to keep plunking away at getting all 12 done!!
What a wonderful 12 Tags of Christmas it was, loved all of the tags Tim made!! It amazes me that he takes time out of his busy schedule to do this for everyone, what a generous guy!! And the BTS on Twitter from Mario was great, another generous guy!! Wish them both the best Holiday Season!!

Have a good one!!

Donna

Double Distress/12 Tags of Christmas

Oh Yi Yi, will someone please slow my days down!! Between Christmas, Work & DH's retirement (lots & lots of forms to fill out) the days are going by way to fast!! I do have most of my Christmas shopping done and the tree is up so I guess I might be a little ahead of the game for Christmas. I think this is the earliest I've ever gotten most of the shopping done!! I'm not baking this year (so I say) so that will help! I did get this card done for the CCC where the challenge was Double Distress on Linda's blog but never had time to upload it. geeezzz This technique is a lot of fun!

When the challenge was first posted I wanted to make some flowers for something I'm decorating so I had tried these out, they didn't turn out quite how I wanted them but I'm sure I will find something to use them on.

Aren't you just loving the 12 Tags of Christmas on Tim's blog, all the tags have been fantastic so far!! The man drips with creativity!! And must never sleep, wish I could hang in there one night and see it right away when it is finished but that would mean about 3 in the morning for me, no can do!! I haven't had much time to play but did get day 4 done. I didn't have any facets so I used a fragment instead, this technique was trickier then I thought it would be, I will definitely have to practice some more on this one!!

I have seen some of the tags everyone has done and they all have been awesome, love how some of you are putting your own spin on them!! Looking forward to the next tag!!

Have a good one!!

Donna

Chirstmas Pennant Swap

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! We had a very nice Thanksgiving, my son Joey had Thanksgiving dinner at his house so all I had to do was make the scalloped corn, boy that was nice!! Landi left her boys here with us until Sun. so I was busy, busy, busy!!! They keep you on your toes from morning until night!! Fun to have around though, and poor Maddie today is lost without them, all she wants me to do is hold her! I did get my pennants done for the 2010 Christmas Pennant Swap on ATT and got them in the mail. Caidin & I were up early on Sat. morning so before Bridger woke up I got Caidin busy doing a project and I got them finished, I was getting a little worried I wouldn't get them done on time, whew!! So here is what I did with them, I didn't make any holes so that people can hang them the way they want. I wish I would have taken a picture of all 11 of them together!

So here is a pic of the little rug rats I watched all weekend, so cute!! And they made their grannie go out in freezing weather!!! Needless to say I didn't last very long!!

And they helped me decorate the tree, Bridger liked putting everything in one spot, I'm doing a little re-arranging today! lol

I'm also playing with this today the VAGABOND, I had a weak moment one night and ordered it. Another die cutting machine is really the last thing I needed!! But WOW am I ever glad I did, my goodness it cuts like butter and the machine is so quite, I'm in love!!! A great deal from Eclectic Paperie and they threw in a few goodies to boot!! Great place to order from!! Thank you Eclectic Paperie!!

Stormy weather her again today, internet connection keeps going in and out, it has taken me most of the day to post this! grrrrrr!!!!

Thanks everyone for all the nice comments!! Have a good one everyone!!

Donna

CCC#19

Last week on Linda's blog http://studiol3.blogspot.com I won two of Tim's die cuts and they came in the mail today. Woo Hoo I thought I was excited when I found out I won them, but boy I was excited when I got my hands on them!!

Luckily I was off today so had a chance to play with them a little bit and made this tag for this weeks challenge Extreme Masking, I have done the masking before but not the second step in the book, pretty cool!! I will also be using the tag for the challenge on SSSS http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com.

Thanks again to Linda & Simon Says for the die cuts, love them!!!
Thanks to everyone for all your nice comments!! Have a good one!
Donna

CCC#16

For the CCC this week is Wrinkle Free Distress.
I just had to use the rosette die again and made this Halloween Tag!! I used Rusty Hinge & Wild Honey Distress Inks. There is black soot distress stickles on the cat & skull areas but it's not really showing up in the pic.
I was asked what alcohol inks I used on the mirror, I tell you I just kept adding and adding until I was satisfied with it, if I remember right here are the colors I used...Terra Cotta, Rust, Caramel, Latte, Espresso & Gold Mixative.

To all of you that are going on the Cruise with Tim & Mario, have the time of your life!! Looking forward to hearing all about it when you all get back!!
Thank you all again for the wonderful comments!!
Have a good one!
Donna

Simon Says Stamp and Show

Here is my entry for the challenge on Simon Says Stamp and Show blog http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com. The challenge this week is Anything...Lord Tim of Holtz Inspired, and yes indeed he is the Lord of Inspiration!
I was just going to make a clock for my craft room (I have a tendency to loose track of time in there)!! lol Then I seen this odd shaped piece of matt board laying around in my craft room and thought hmmmm I wonder if the clock would fit on there and it fit perfectly! So I used Tim's Lost and Found paper and tissue tape and covered it then added the clock and made a little cork board spot to pin some inspiration on!

Having fun with these challenges, if you haven't already, go take a look a lot of tallented people!!
Thank you to everyone for leaving me such nice comments!!!
Have a good one!
Donna

Things with Wings

Thanks everyone for your nice comments, you are all so kind!! Linda your challenge has been so much fun and yes I have been using a lot of old family photos for some of my projects, that was my grandmother in the last post with the frame. Love the challenge and your blog!

Now on to another challenge, over at www.simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com they are doing a challenge and this week is Things with Wings. Whew, didn't think I was going to make this one, I thought the date was further out and it is today!!! I have had an idea for awhile and got busy with it last night and finally finished this morning. WHEW!! I've been bookin, took me longer then I thought!! But here it is, I will have to tweak on it a little but my idea of the birdcage turned out pretty good, I used the drunken scotch technique on it. I've been really into the spools, hurry up retailers and get Wendy's Art Parts in!!! I had to take the picture inside today as it is so windy out so not the best!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

Donna

CCC#9

Hey everyone,
The challenge on Linda's blog this week was Distress Crackle Technique.
I used antique linen distress crackle paint on the frame went over it with distress walnut ink to highlight the cracks then spayed a little glimmer mist on it. I also used clear rock candy distress crackle paint on the flowers & butterflies.

These challenges have been so much fun and inspiring to see everyone's take on the technique!

Have a good one!
Donna

Inking Grunge

Hey Everyone,
I have had a busy busy couple of weeks, sure busier then I want to be that's for sure!! Fighting a cold on top of it, oh summer colds!! UGG!!
The challenge for wk#8 on Linda's blog was Inking Grunge, one of my favorites!! The header pic of my blog was done all with GB&GP. Love, love, love inking grunge!!! I took this photo last weekend at the lake of my grandson Bridger by an old boat. Love it! Decided to make a wall hanging with it and hang it in my craft room (no studio here) lol!! I didn't have much time this week, otherwise I might have come up with something other then flowers, oh well. I used Graphic 45 On the Boardwalk collection. Inked a styled label in rusty hinge and ran it through an embossing folder and inked up the flowers cut from Tim's Tattered Florals die. Have you watched the video on his blog with the rosette, on my wish list for sure!!!

We had a super fun weekend camping at the lake with Landi & family. The boys love the water!!
Here are a few pics from the weekend....

Boys on the dock...

Caidin on the trampoline...
Bridger loved the boat raft...

Actually playing together...

Boys in kayak...

Caidin back from fishing, he won a dollar for 1st fish...

Campfire...

Even Maddie got in on the fun, she loved it down by the beach!!

Fun weekend had by all!!

Everyone have a good one!

Donna

CCC#6

Here's my submission for the CCC #6 on Linda's blog. This week we were to do a multi-medium collage, I use this technique a lot and love it!! I was in the process of cutting out a lot of the birds for a class so decided to go with that. And for the life of me I always cut off the legs & twig, I haven't done one yet where I have left them on, what's with that?? This week it is sponsored by Eclectic Paperie, they have the best service, love ordering from them!! The Compendium of Curiosities Challenge's have been so much fun and everyone is doing just an awesome job, beautiful work out there!! If you haven't checked it out yet go to http://studiol3.blogspot.com/.

Have a good one!
Donna

Lost and Found

Hi Everyone,
I want to thank everyone for the nice comments on my posts, I appreciate them so much!!
I have been super busy lately, so I've been doing the pop in and run game again!! Geezzzz I don't like that!! Hoping to find some time today to post and comment on other blogs etc.

A few weeks ago I was rummaging through some stuff and came across these old pictures I had. I had planned to scrapbook them and haven't done it yet (some day)! I thought these are to cool to lay around in boxes, so tryed to think of something to do with them and enjoy them. I have done a lot of classes with these stars and thought that would be perfect!! Then thought Tim's Lost and Found paper would look awesome on it!! I have had his paper for awhile now and just have been admiring it and couldn't bring myself to cut it up, I got brave and cut it!! I think I should just wall paper the walls with it, I love that paper!! So the star has been hanging on the wall with just the Lost and Found paper on it, which that looked pretty cool to without any pictures etc. on it. I finally sat down on Sat. and finished it. The pictures of it aren't the best, lighting wasn't to good and couldn't take it outside, but it looks pretty cool in person! I really like how some areas turned out and some not, might have to do a little tweaking on it. Still need to add some fibers & ribbon to the top. But now I get to enjoy those old pictures of family members everyday! Love that!!

Tim's last distress inks and this paper match perfectly!! I used Tim's rusted grunge technique on the frames. I wasn't to sure how that would turn out as I didn't want them to look like metal and I was using chipboard, but it worked out great! And Tim's and Wendy's stamps worked out perfectly!! All of Tim's ideaology pieces etc. work out fantastic with old pictures!! And of course GB & GP, just can't get enough of that stuff!!! Have you been checking out his blog for sneak peeks? This morning he has his new Configurations, now those look cool!! Can't wait until all of his new items hit the stores, might need to take out a loan though!! lol

Have a good one!!

Donna

CCC Challenge

Compendium of Curiosities Challenge week #2 hosted by Linda at Studio L3 http://studiol3.blogspot.com/ the challenge was to do something with Tim Holtz Fragments.
I choose to do a layout of my grandsons playing in the pool over Memorial weekend.



Have a good one!
Donna