Travel

MIA again here lately, we have been dealing with illness in the family. My MIL passed away and my sister has been in the hospital for about 6 weeks, crazy!! Her problem started out with a bladder infection and she is now laying in the hospital and pretty much can't move, her arms & legs are swollen like balloons!! Just a warning for everyone, if your Dr. tries to give you Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) don't take it!!!! After seeing what happened to my sister and talking with others this is a horrible drug!! Can't believe they don't take it off the market!! I'm so worried about my sister and afraid she is never going to come out of this.

I just had to take a little time this weekend and try get my mind off of it and created this piece for SSSS http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/ where the theme is Travel.
When I was a young girl we used to go over to my aunts house for the holidays and we took an old wooden bridge over the river to get there. Here I stuck to the song and put grandmother's on it. So I tried to recreate that scene for this piece, I didn't have much time so not the best but that's OK it was more about clearing my mind. Again I used the snow stuff I had laying around but really need to get some sparkly fluff, the stuff I have is to hard to work with!! I made the river using a piece of plastic and colored with stream alcohol inks then on other side I used the new snow cap alcohol ink, I likey!! The piece is held up using Tim's easel die cut, love it!!

Have a good one!!
Donna

Christmas Creative Blocks

Hey everyone, hope you're having a great week!

I had so much fun doing Tim Holtz Creative Blocks Class in Kansas that I wanted to do one with a Christmas theme. All of his classes were fabulous!! I used paper from Tim's seasonal pack on this project, love that paper!! I didn't have any Sparkly Fluff so used something else not good, so I stopped and I will have to buy some Sparkly Fluff and add to it.

So this is going to be my entry for SSSS http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com where the theme this week is show a Tim Holtz technique. This was such a fun project to do!! Thanks to Tim for the class!!

Have a good one!
Donna

Stamp & Show a Tag

I finally got a little chance to play this weekend!! I'm doing a twofer here, this will be my entry for http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com where the theme this week is Stamp and Show a Tag and for Grungy Monday on Linda's blog http://studiol3.blogspot.com using some of Tim Holtz awesome techniques www.timholtz.typepad.com so check it out on how some of the techniques were done.


Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!!
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

Tim Holtz Classes at Stampers Ink day 2

The first class on the second day of classes was Idea-ology Intrigue what a fun class!! We did all these pieces, they were so much fun to put together, the possibilities are endless!! These pictures don't do them justice (taken indoors on a rainy day).
Fun, fun, fun class!!

Bad, bad picture it's a ring...

Tim & Mario did door prizes after each class and I won a configuration box, tissue tape, feet & buttons, WOO HOO I was pretty excited!! I'm planning on doing a holiday themed one with it. Some of the gals won Tim's messenger bags, Lucky Ducks!! They are so cool, I would love to have one of those!! Wish he would make them available to buy!!

And of course I had to buy an apron and have Tim & Mario sign it!!

Second class for the day was Configuration of your Imagination. I couldn't believe they cut the paper & scored it for us, so nice!! I had planned on doing mine the opposite way but once I got all the paper & tissue tape on it I realized I couldn't get some of the taller pieces in it (grrr). Tim warned us about that but I didn't listen!! lol It ended up turning out ok. We were provided with a cloth bag full of goodies to add to our configurations, so cool!! The little hanging thing on the left says Kansas on it and I made a little banner from the new die cut I had bought. Lot's of fun putting this together!! Loved the class!!

I got to sit across from Wanda Hentges from ATT yahoo group, so nice to visit with her!! Also got to visit with Tammy a little, great gals!!

Here is a pic of a few ATT members with Tim...

Wanda, Tammy, Tim, me, Marilyn & Pam...not sure where Candy was when we took this, where were you Candy??? And Candy, yes I would love to go back and do it all over again!! Awesome Time!!

And here is a few random pics...

Tim when the scrapbook was presented to him...

Tim & Mario do an awesome job never a dull moment, couldn't believe how fast the time went!! I had a GREAT time!! Thanks Tim & Mario!! And thank you to Stampers Ink for hosting the classes!!

I'm going to try do another blog update Sun. or Mon. about what I did after Stampers Ink.

Have a good one!!

Donna

Tim Holtz Classes at Stampers Ink

Finally getting a chance to blog about my amazing journey to Stampers Ink in Kansas to attend Tim Holtz classes. Actually the car ride down there & back wasn't so amazing, detours around Omaha & Sioux City were horrible very poorly marked! Took me out in the boonies somewhere in Iowa, but I did see some beautiful countryside!! The flooding around both cities is horrible, I feel so bad for everyone dealing with the flooding, my heart goes out to you!! This is a pic of a roller coaster road I was on!!

But I did make it in time to attend the reception Fri. night at Stampers Ink. What a wonderful store, and yes I did my fare share of $ damage there!!

Waiting in line to get in on Sat. morning...

I had Tim sign the shirt I had made on my Yudu and my art journal that I have been working on.

We were to make a scrapbook page for Tim and the scrapbook was presented to Tim on Sat. I had forgotten to take a pic of it before I left so this was taken on the hotel room floor!

Tim & Mario are so generous with their time, Great evening!!

First class Sat. morning was Creative Blocks where we worked with canvas, beeswax, tissue tape & embellishments. So much fun, I will definitely be bringing out my melt pot more often!! I have heard Tim say before to not over think it, ya right who was thinking sure not me!! I was so excited to just be there and taking classes from him I couldn't even concentrate!! Mine got finished when I got home!! lol

My finished project...

Second class on Sat. was Patchwork Pandemonium. Wow, this class was awesome Tim, Mario & Michele go through a lot of prep time for this class!! I couldn't stop working on it after class was over and stayed up until 12:30 putting embellishments on it and got it done other then the frame (which Tim also supplied for us) and finished that at home. So glad I was able to take this class!!

My finished Patchwork Pandemonium...

What an amazing day it was!!

I will post second day of classes tomorrow.

Have a good one!!

Donna

Art Journal

Well I have been doing a little playing with a couple of pages for my art journal. Tried fooling around with gesso & sticky back canvas. They didn't turn out quite how I wanted them to but I tried and they will go in the journal. They do look better in person then in the pic! I have another page I would like to get done before leaving for Kansas on Fri.
I'm so excited for that, I couldn't go on Tim's cruise so I decided to splurge and take all four of his classes at Stampers Ink in Kansas!! I have seen him demo and have done a few of his make & takes but I have never gotten to take a class with him, I'm beyond excited!!
Finally got my shirt done that I made to wear at one of the classes, that was a chore!! Like I said before, me and that Yudu machine do not get along!! It's not perfect but after all that work, I will be wearing it!! lol After the classes I will be headed to my son's and visit with his wife & little boy for a couple of days, excited to see them!! Hoping to get a chance to skype with Shad!!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!!
Donna

Time Fly's

Whew, I have been busy!! Feels like forever since I've blogged!! Happy Memorial Day Everyone!
I was so excited to have 4 days off and DH was going on a fishing trip, WooHoo house to myself and I planned on getting all sorts of stuff done! Ha, I only got this one done!! Fri. was spent mostly in town running errands etc. Sat. I settled in with my Yudu machine and quickly remembered why I hadn't used it in a long time, man me and those emulsion sheets just do not get along!! Another trip to Michael's, and the sheets are not cheap, thank goodness I was able to use a coupon on them!! I fought with that thing all day still no luck finally gave up I was so frustrated! Sun. yep another trip to Michael's coupon in hand, I really think the sheets have been sitting on there shelf to long and they are old!! I finally got it to work and managed to get a t-shirt made and when all said and done it really didn't turn out that good, it will do but not as good as I wanted!! The Yudu is now packed away safely in it's resting place, ya never know I just might get a whim and take it out again sometime but not in the near future!! lol

So today I managed to finish this page for my art journal, I had hoped to have it done and posted for the SSSS but just didn't happen, this will be my entry for MAC #14 on Everything Wendy Vecchi yahoo group. Picture isn't the greatest, indoor lighting as it has been raining most of the day! yuk!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial day weekend!!
Have a good one!
Donna

Grow

I finally had a chance to participate in the Making Art Challenges on Everything Wendy Vecchi Yahoo Group. Actually got it done last Thurs. but blogger was having issues and couldn't post before I went out of town, grrrrrr!!
This is challenge #12 where the challenge is to stamp on patterned paper and use a bookplate with saying from Wendy's book #1. I will be using this as a page in the Art Journal I'm making.
A lot of fun and I hope I get a chance to participate in a few more of the challenges, Love Wendy's work & products!!

Have a good one!
Donna

Umbrella Lady

I was so excited the other day, I received Tim's Umbrella Man die cut in the mail and wanted to play with it right away but had to go to work, grrrrr!! Anyway, I couldn't stop thinking of it all day at work and what I was going to use it on. Then I was thinking of the theme this week on SSSS http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com where the them is buttons. I thought ohhh I could use buttons on his umbrella, then quickly thought no he would not look good with colorful buttons on him. Then I thought wonder if I could make a lady out of him, harder then I thought and this is what I came up with... I think from now on I will leave the Umbrella Man a MAN!!


The canvas I used is a 5x5 that I had been playing around with awhile ago with stains, masks etc. and didn't like how it turned out so it has been just sitting in the craft room. I took it out and I was going to paint over the whole thing with traditional tan paint. After the first swipe of paint I kinda liked the look so I ended up just putting swipes of paint here & there and liked the results!!


Other things I used were Tim's scroll, butterfly & heart die cuts and stamps. A little rock candy on the butterfly and some ideaology pieces.


Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

Donna

Art Journal

I have been doing a little playing with Art Parts & CFA again. I have had the Art Parts Covers & Tim's Book Covers Stamp set since they first came out and I could get my hands on them. Love the idea of making my own album!
Decided to make an Art Journal, I cover the Art Parts Covers with paper and stamped with Tim's Book Cover Stamp, the flower on the cover was cut with CFA & Kraftresist paper using Tim's tattered flower die cut. Love how easy the Kraftresist paper is to ink up and CFA keeps the shape so things stay the shape you want them!! I stamped Wendy's butterfly stamp on black CFA using a gold dabber for the butterfly. Tim's pen nib says journal. I covered the inside of the covers with Kraftresist paper also but haven't decided what I want to do with them yet so will post pics after they are done. I put the album together using sticky back canvas.

This page for the album you have seen in a previous post. I used Kraftresist paper & color wash.

On this page I played around with the color washes again for the background, I used lettuce, sunset orange & cranberry and stamped with Tim's Papillon stamp set. Loved how the background colors turned out! The butterflies were made with CFA & Kraftresist paper again and using Tim's butterfly die cut, inked with distress inks and a coat of rock candy stickles on them. Also used Tim's birdcage & branch die cuts.

If you haven't had a chance to play with CFA, Kraftresist paper & color washes, try it out! Lot's of fun!

Have a good one!

Donna

Hats Off to You

Yay, I got done early this week for Grungy Monday at http://studiol3.blogspot.com using Tim Holtz www.timholtz.com techniques and I'm also using it for my entry on Simon Says Stamp and Show http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com.

As many of you know my son left for Afghanistan earlier this month. It sound's like communication is going to be very limited so I decided I would make cards for him and get one sent as often as I can. Here is one of them using the technique on Linda's blog and using Wendy Vecchi Stamps stamped on GB & GP & Graphic45 paper.

Have a good one!
Donna

Grungy Monday #3

Just making it under the wire here for Grungy Monday over on Linda's blog http://studiol3.blogspot.com where the technique is using Ranger Adirondack Color Wash. I don't have to many colors but I have been really loving these, will defiantly have to get some more!! I used lettuce, denim & plum on Tim's new Kraftresist paper, that paper is really awesome, loving it!! The flower & scroll were made from grunge paper, I colored the flower with wild honey distress stains and embossed with Tim's scroll folder and dabbed the raised areas with a gold dabber. The center of the flower is made with Tim's Kraft Glassine paper, looking forward to playing with that some more! Have a good one!! Donna

Grungy Monday #2

Here is my entry for Grungy Monday over on Linda's blog http://studiol3.blogspot.com which is celebrating techniques by Tim Holtz www.timholtz.com. I will also use this piece for the entry on SSSS http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com where this week it is show anything but a card. I have been working on something different for that one but it is not going to be done in time so this will have to do. I made a tag using Tim's new Kraftresist paper, oh I'm liking that paper!! Then did the technique which you will have to visit Linda's blog to find out how. Never tried it before and I love it!! Then I decorated it with Tim's new die cuts, Mini Bird & Cage Set & Mini Branch & Leaf Set, they are so cute!! Also added some ideaology pieces. Hopefully I will get the other project done and can show you next week. Have a good one!! Donna

Grungy Monday #1

Linda's http://studiol3.blogspot.com CCC challenges are done but she is now doing a Grungy Monday continuing the creativeness & techniques by the king of creativeness Tim Holtz www.timholtz.com blog www.timholtz.typepad.com. So here is my tag for the challenge, it is so nice that Linda is continuing these challenges, thank you Linda!! Have a good one! Donna

Artist Canvas

Thanks everyone for the well wishes, I'm finally feeling a little better. I made this little project using an 8 x 8 x 1 1/2 canvas. It's not what I had intended to do with it but I started playing and this is what I got, but I love it!! Still need to figure out what to put on the sides though. This will be my entry for Simon Says Stamp and show where the challenge is Show a Hat http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.com/. The art chicks hat is made with Wendy Vecchi's (http://studio490art.blogspot.com) Clearly for Art and covered with Sticky Back Canvas, the butterfly was made with Wendy's Black Clearly for Art, the bottle was also made from CFA & Art Parts. That was the first time I had a chance to use CFA and I love it!! I also used sticky back canvas on the dress form. I used some of Tim's new ideaology on it and Wendy's new Art Parts, so much fun!! I used the new distress stains on most of it. I'm in love with those new distress stains and Wendy's CFA and Art Parts!!! So fun to play with!! And Tim's die cuts, love them!! The sign says I am an artist, not really but it sounds good!! lol Have a good one everyone!! Donna

Stylish Award

I feel like I have been away forever!! First a week at our son's and then this past week a horrible horrible cold, I think it is the worst cold I have ever had!! I Broke down on Fri. and called the Dr. and got some antibiotics, they've helped some with the fever and what I was coughing up but the cough and nose thing are still really bad!! I cough so hard all night I'm not getting any sleep!! I need some sleep!!!!! Hope it goes away soon!!!!! So needless to say I have no creativeness to show you! I actually did make a spring banner last week for a class I was doing but didn't take any pics (I'm slipping here!) I did start working on something yesterday so hopefully in the next few days I will have something to show you. A few weeks ago I was given the Stylish blogger Award for my blog from Candy Colwell, check out her blog it is fantastic http://candycreates.blogspot.com/ Thank you so much Candy!!

Here are the Stylish Blogger Award Rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

2. You share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 7 recently discovered new blogs and contact them to let them know they've been awarded. (Some of these may not be "New" blogs but I just love and respect their work).

Here Are 7 Things About Me:

1. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have been married for 40 years. Unbelievable!!

2. We have 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl and 4 grandsons with another grandchild on the way...loves of my life!!

3. I used to own a scrapbook store.

4. I don't like shopping, I like to know what I need and get in and get it and get out!! Unless of course it is a craft store, I can spend hours in them!! lol

5. My favorite show is Dancing with the Stars!!

6. I love going to the lake!! You could drop me off in the spring and come back and pick me up in the fall!! I'd love it!!

7. My favorite place to go and eat is Red Lobster, I love shrimp!!

Now for my SEVEN blog picks to honor with this award:

Lori Hassler - http://ibeenthinkinboutinkin.blogspot.com

Susan Kesselman - http://susank-nimblefingers.blogspot.com

Linda Ledbetter - http://studiol3.blogspot.com

Nancy Crissinger - http://whatsnextnancy.blogspot.com

Hels Sheridan - http://pinkleart.blogspot.com

Eileen Bellomo - http://artsaveslives-paperqueen.blogspot.com

Sherry Goodloe - http://gotart4u.blogspot.com

I hope you will check out these wonderful blogs and the amazing work these talented ladies do!

Hope to check in later this week.

Have a good one!!

Donna

Winner

No time this morning to do a long post but wanted to pop in to announce the winner of the Visual Artistry stamp set. By random draw the winner is Deanna Cosgrove. Congratulations Deanna!! Please email your address to me and I will get it in the mail ASAP!!

Thank you everyone for the lovely comments, well wishes and prayers for my son!!

Have a good one!!
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