Tuesday, May 31, 2011

7gypsies Photo Tray Project Continued...

7Gypsies Photo Tray


Well here I go again:)
Here's part 2 and part 3 of my ongoing 
7gypsies Photo Tray Project.
I'm bouncing back and forth between
a half a dozen projects at the moment
and realized that I hadn't posted the
second part in the series, (whoops:)
Anyway, being absolutely nuts for
all wildlife and pets, this project is incorporating both.
In my previous post I started this project 
with an Altered Photo of 'Big Boy'
our local well known deer.

Part 2
Homage to 'Doodlebug'
(grin).
These are flight feathers that belong
to someone who shares our home with us.

Part 3
'Doodlebug'
'Doodlebug'
Is a 4 year old, male 
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
(Woodpecker)
He came to us as an injured baby, who ended up
not being able to return to the wild.
(Believe me when I say, a story in itself!)
This picture was taken of 'Doodle's' (for short),
in my kitchen (grin).
(Another story in it's self:)

As you can see I still have 3 more slots to fill,
so stay tuned, as there will be more
wildlife, and assorted pets included:)

Something a little different:)
Enjoy!




'Spreading the Love'

I'm such a tease:)
This is from a Mixed Media Canvas
I'm currently working on, and will
reveal in the next few days as
it's almost finished...

Now that we're nearly into the Month of June,
I thought I would begin collecting information
from you all for another 
'Spreading the Love'
Blog Post.
In an earlier posting, I nicknamed,
'Spreading the Love'
to list any Special Events, or Proud Occasions,
or Special Projects that you, my readers
would like me to do a shout out for you:)

So if you have a Contest coming up on your blog or,
an Art Piece you've just finished and are proud of,
or a Project that you'd like me to pass onto my
readers, then please email me the information
and pictures and I'll get it posted with the group:)
I'll be posting this information and referrals
in a week or so, depending on submissions.
Cheers!

Enjoy!


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

New Journal Assemblage- Get coffee!!

New Journal Assemblage
Would suggest you get a coffee or something
 sweet to eat as this is a big blog posting:)
Lot's of eye candy in this post!
(grin).

Ok, so this isn't so exciting...it's cardboard.
Chipboard to be precise:)
Cut and scored to make my journal.
I cut to to make a 5" x 7".
I chose scrapbook paper to begin layering
the journal cover inside first, as you'll see
in a moment why:)
Cutting each piece for the inside cover and
spine so they would match on the folds.
This will help in wear and tear, opening and
closing the journal over time.
Instead of gluing, I used this great product
I purchased from Retro Cafe Art
called 'Acrylic Mounting Tape'
I used  the 2" x 18' roll with this
project. It works great in adhering 
the heavy scrapbook paper!
( I love this adhesive tape! I just
used it to repair a piece of my
counter top in my kitchen!
Worked great!)
So here we are, the inside of the journal 
has it's base paper:)


Using the New 'Tim Holtz'
Idea-ology
Ring Binder clips
(also purchased from Retro Cafe Art!)
I chose the small size ring binder clips, and
used my deep throat hole punch tool
to punch the holes to put the 
ring binder clips on with.
You need to do this first, as you'll see
in the next part.
I chose this wonderful scrapbook paper
from 'House of Three'
'Daily Junque' Map paper to use for
the front of my journal.
Same process as before with the inside
cover, cutting each piece including the
spine piece. Here's where I made a mistake,
but in art, mistakes turn into learning:)
Because the ring binder clips come with
the brads to attach, I made the mistake
of cutting the holes in the spine through
the paper on the cover. To cover the 
clips once you've attached the binder rings,
this outer piece should not have the holes cut.
Whoops:)
So here's how I corrected the mistake...
I used 7gypsies cloth gaffers tape to cover the
spine:) I think it looks great! And it
covers the brads really well, and helps
reinforce the spine.
See! Mistakes are ok in art!!

Now to Embellish:)
As you can see from the previous pictures,
(got a little ahead of myself:)
I've started stamping and attaching goodies
to the front and inside the cover.
Here comes some of the fun goodies:)

This is an ATC that I have made
to enter into a wonderful Contest at
Retro Cafe Art's Facebook Gallery
http://krishubick.blogspot.com/2011/04/atc-frame-contest-150-in-prizes.html
(Please go check out her contest and enter
before June 1st! or at the least go vote for
a favourite! And no, not just mine, as
there are Fantastic Artist Submissions
on her Gallery Page!)

So I took my completed ATC for the Contest
and added it to my journal. Using her
wonderful new line of masonite pre-cut
windows!
So here is the completed 
Front Cover:)
Now for the inside:)
Inside Front Cover:)

From this point, I think the pictures speak
for themselves, so here's a list of the
pages inside that I made for the journal:)
Page 1

Page 2

Tag for Page 2's Pocket
Wonderful Stamp from Red Lead!
Used coloured chalks to embellish.

Back of Tag for Pocket
Lovely Paper Whimsey Pear:)

Page 3 With all the bells and whistles
again goodies from Retro Cafe Art!

Page 4 (I love this flower:)

Page 5
The feather is from our dear little
bird 'Joey' who is a 
Rosie-Bourke's Parakeet.
She's a brilliant pink colour!
(This is a flight feather from her wing).

Page 6 Love this bird cage:)

Page 7 More goodies
from Retro Cafe Art
Love the bird cut-outs!

Page 8
This one is my favourite, as some
of you know, I refer to my art room
as the 'French Peacock Room'
(Sometime I'll post pictures of it
if you're interested, just leave a comment
to let me know if you'd find it interesting).

Page 9 I love the balloons:)

Page 10 A bit of room for some journaling:)

Back Cover
I love these stamps and colouring
them with the chalks!
Great fun!

So I hope you'll be inspired to create a
journal for yourself!
It was a great project, tons of fun,
and a great learning experience.

I'm no teacher, but if you're really
interested in learning how to make
a journal of your own, may I suggest
a Wonderful Internet based Company
and a Great Tutorial Teacher
Melissa Samuels!
http://blog.melissasamuels.net/

Well, hope you had at least some chocolate
while going through this post!
I'm off to go have some myself:)
Please leave a comment if you enjoyed
this post, it'll encourage me to
post more of my projects in stages:)

Enjoy!
































Monday, May 23, 2011

Tags

'Love' Tag


Happy Victoria Day!
To all Canadian's having a look
at my blog today:)
And for all of my American Friends,
Happy Memorial Day soon to come:)

Isn't nice to have an extra day off!

Currently working on about 4 projects
for listing later this week and next,
so in the meantime, here's some of
my tags I've made to give you a
bit of inspiration!

'Always Loved Nature'

I enjoyed making this one, of
course since it's bird-related!

Budgie flight feather:)


This one was made for my dear friend
DorisMae Honer, a Newly Published
Canadian Author in Celebration
of her New Book.
'A Tale of Spirit'
(Link in my Favourites List)
DorisMae has always said that
she feels that the 'Owl' is her
'Spirit Guide'.
(I just love seeing her 'spread her wings'
with her first newly published book!)
Proud of you DorisMae!!

More Posts Later!
Enjoy the Holiday!
Cheers!







Thursday, May 19, 2011

7Gypsies Photo Tray Project

7Gypsies Photo Tray
So my latest ongoing project, 
(there are always 3 or 4 of these
on the go:)
I found a great purchase at our
local Michaels Craft Store here
in Victoria. Turns out they had
just heard about 7Gypsies products
and had only brought a few of these
in to 'test' the market....
I bought 1/2 of what they had
on the shelf! 
So after seeing tons of projects using
this tray for family pictures and such,
I decided mine would be for the 
'Wild bunch' 
in my life, backyard and in
my home.
As this will be a slightly ongoing
project, I decided I'll post each
space as it is accomplished.
This is 'Big Boy'
Our local longest living 'patriarch'
of our herd. At this time, I figure he's
related, (fathered), at least 5 generations
of our local herd.
There's a long history with Big Boy, and
wonderful stories to be told, and yes
he was this close when I took the photo:)

Now, the photo I used a new technique
that I've been experimenting with.
Taking sand paper, inks, baby wipes,
any other mediums to play with the photo.
This works great if you don't like the
background of a photo, or if you just 
want to create a 'grunge' look,
which is what I was going for with
this photo.

Don't know yet who's going to be 
featured in the next photo,
so stay tuned, as it'll be a totally
different species:)

Enjoy!



Wednesday, May 18, 2011

LaPomme Package from France Arrived!

Well it was like Christmas at my house
today:)
The purchase of the Vintage Sewing
Shelf arrived today from dear
Apol at LaPomme's Shop
on Etsy.com
(In my Favourite's List:)
And look at the wonderful way that
she wrapped it in 
Vintage French
Music Paper!
I can see a project coming soon 
using this!!!
Layer after layer of wonderful
treats!
Arrived in tact!
Isn't it something!
I'm intending on using it to put all of
my wonderful ink pads in!
For quick use!
(My Art-Pal Leslie is laughing her
heart out right now, wondering
where this is going to be
displayed in my over crowded
art room:) :) :)
I'll find a spot! And when I do
and have it all full of ink pads
and labeled, I'll post a picture
for you all to see:)
Cheers!
Enjoy!





Monday, May 16, 2011

1 Month Anniversary:) :) :)


I can't believe it, but it's my
1 Month Anniversary 
of starting my blog, 
but the best thing is
as of this moment, 920 Views, 
and already 
17 Wonderful Google 'Followers'!
I'm 'gobsmacked'
 at where you all are viewing me from!
Here's just a look at some 
of the wonderful places!
Worldwide
Rio De Janeriro
Lisbon
Weisel, Germany
Padova Veneto, Italy
Jakarta
Norderhein, Westfalen
Nottingham, England
Cenon, Aquitoine
Netherlands
Bankok
Tokoyo, Japan
Londrina, Parana
Brighton, E.Sussex, England
(I know Brighton and Eastbourne!)
Christchurch, New Zealand!

And THANKS You all in the U.S.A!
Indiana, Michigan, Ohio
N. Carolina, Oregon, Missouri,
California, Tennessee, Arizona,
New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois,
Montana, Texas, Colorado!
To name just a few:)

To to Everyone here in 
Victoria, B.C. and across
Canada!
Big Hugs!

If I'd known you all were coming,
I'd put the kettle on! (GRIN!)

I want to Thank All of You for 
showing interest in my
assortment of postings and my
new passion, it's heartwarming
the emails you've been sending
to Encourage and Congratulate.
Hugs to you all!

(My poor husband when I hit 1000 Views!:)


HANG TAGS
Here's another medium that I enjoy playing in,
making Hang Tags.
'Princess'
This was a beginning of an idea
I had for a Hang Tag.
I named her 'Princess' in the beginning,
(She's one of Gale's Beautiful Girls
Graphics from Paper Whimsey 
and
the Fantastic Frame is from
Art Tea Life Graphics on Etsy.
(You'll occasionally see this
frame pop up from time to time
in my pieces, I just love it's look!)


As I studied her, I kept thinking that
she needed to be celebrated a bit further...

So I made her 'Queen' :)
Thanks to ArtChix for the Wallpaper Background,
(this is beautiful paper to play with:)
And the beautiful crown,
(sorry folks, I think I bought them out of all of them:)
If you look close at her, you'll notice
that her jewelry is a little more fitting for a 
Queen   :)

Enjoy!











Sunday, May 15, 2011

A Little Birdie Told Me....

Happy Sunday Everyone:)
At the moment here in Victoria, B.C. it's pouring with rain,
cold, windy and seems like Spring is never going to 
arrive, yet Summer is getting close.
I'm in the mood for some colour!

'a little birdie told me'
Mixed Media 8 x 10 Framed Collage
I had great fun playing with this, tons of 
Vintage Dictionary paper, ink, stamps,
embellishments, I really enjoyed how the
colours came together in this piece.
Unfortunately, in the photograph it doesn't 
show how it's all layered very well.
In person it all jumps out at you.
Framed, (it's the glass thing again:)
Enjoy!



Friday, May 13, 2011

'Cate's Life' Using Vintage Photos

'Cate's Life'
5 x 7 Mixed Media Canvas
(Acrylics, Vintage Photo and Vintage Paper,
Embellishments, Inks, Graphics.)

'Cate's Life' Celebrate Spring Everyday'

'Cate' as I call her, came to me as a purchase in a group of Vintage Photographs. When I saw her face, she spoke volumes to me.
The original photograph is an 8 x 10, beautiful picture of her in all her period dress, sitting in a garden.
I estimate, that the photograph was taken mid to late 1800's,
and I like to think that 'Cate' may have had this portrait taken
due to her age, I estimate mid 90's. Or maybe even 100!
(She looks very much like my grandmother and great-grandmother on my mother's side, and they both made it into their mid to late 90's, there's hope for me:)
Because the portrait was taken in a garden, looked like a vegetable garden, and the poised photograph, in her 'Sunday' best dress, 
I'm in hopes that 'Cate' will appreciate that I have put her
in a Spring setting, and that I honour her wonderful
spirit that made me notice her in the first place:)
Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

News:) :) :)

I'm thrilled tonight to find out that the Company
Graphics45
in Portland Oregon 
has accepted my submission of the Canvas
I did using their Scrapbook Paper Line
'Le Cirque'
for the Tribute Canvas for my Mum:)
They've allowed it to be listed on their website's 
Gallery page at
http://www.g45papers.com/gallery/idea-details.php?ProID=1453&ProCatID=All&DID=All
My Mum would have been so
proud:)
(Happy Mum's Day).
Also a 'Shout Out' for
Charmed Memory Graphics
at Etsy, (Link in my favourites list)
for the extra clown graphics!
Many thanks!