Wednesday, September 7, 2011

What a couple of weeks!!! :)

Hi Everyone:)
Well, the Giveaway is all over, and soon
there will be another one in the works!
(Yippie:)

While the previous Giveaway was posted, it allowed me to play catch up on some of the projects in the works the past month.
Here's a couple of completed and semi-completed so
you'll know that I wasn't sitting on my laurels:)

First up:)
My Butterfly Garden:)
I came across this decanter at a local second hand shop,
and nearly knocked my art pal Leslie to the ground to
grab it!
It screamed at me the idea of butterflies in it, and
although bruised, Leslie  agreed that it would
be an interesting project.
Because it is quite narrow, the butterflies had to 
be on stems. I had wanted them on wires, but
there wasn't much room for them to be moving.
Next big jar I find I will try out that idea:)
With the lid off, (for better lighting to photograph)
These cut-out Butterflies come from Kristin Hubick's shop
Retro Cafe Art
(Link in my Favourites List)
and she can tell you I think I might be one of her biggest
buyers of these cut-outs! 
I love the richness of the colours and the quality of the print!
I also added Melissa Francis frames with tissue printed bees
to attach to the wonderful vintage paper background.
Garden Sticks painted and inked with my favourite
alphabet beads!
Had great fun making this one, and I love the colours!

Next up:)
A while back, I posted a series of journal pages
I had just learned how to play with all the paints
and inks to make backgrounds for,
(please search out that post, it was great fun, and
it's great eye candy:)
So I've been fussing for about 6 weeks on how to
make a cover for them.
And here it is:)
Layers of Claudine Hellmuth's Acrylic Paints,
Tattered Angels Sprays and assorted stencils,
and UTEE Embossing powder to highlight a
bit of the background.
Mr. Tim Holtz Grunge Paper Alphabet also Embossed with UTEE after inking and stamping and putting them through an
embossing folder for some texture.
A Stamped Image from La Blanche also embossed with UTEE
And some added goodies of the frame from 
Retro Cafe Art also inked and stamped.
And here you have the front cover of my latest journal attempt:O
It took the whole Holiday weekend just to do the cover, then
to take each page and put rivets into the page holes!
I even had to send my husband running to Michael's on 
Sunday afternoon with one rivet to go find me more!
(He's such a sweet guy, he did it with no complaints!)
(Think I'll keep him, especially since our 24th Wedding
Anniversary in on the 17th this month, I know that's at
least good for a dinner out! LOL)
Anyway, from my previous post, I made soooo many
pages that I can actually make two books....
So I expect this project to take more time now:)
I've experimented with a new 7gypsies binding ring
that is actually a wire. A little difficult at first, but
once you get the hang of the threads of the screw
to fit right in, you've got it made! I'm liking using
these far better than the stiff rings.
As you can see I have lots more embellishments to
do to the back and the inside covers, but will share
down the road when it's all finished.

My previous post of the 'Quake' Journal is currently
sitting on my breakfast table with a large tub of gesso.
The watercolour paper I chose, needs to be gessoed before
starting the journaling on the pages. A long project, but boy
I can't wait to start journaling and jotting down my ideas,
as it's so large it's going to be my Encyclopedia!

I also rarely make cards, but had a birthday in our
group of friends lately, and threw this card together
for him and was thrilled with his response, as he
wants to frame it:) Figure that's a real compliment
coming from a guy!

And last but not least:)
9 x 12
Watercolour 140pd paper cold press.
Tattered Angel inks and stencils and stamps for background.
Claudine Hellmuth Acrylic Paints
(LOVE THESE PAINTS!!)

I've been kicking around this idea in my head for
quite some time having the original picture, and
wanted to try some new techniques.
I have to admit, the two artists that influenced this
journal page were Claudine Hellmuth, as I love
her painted portraits using actual pictures, as you
can see my attempt in this, the subject was actually
holding a bouquet of flowers, but painted it
out and used a pussy willow stamp and
embossed the pussy willows with UTEE.
And my latest Stamp Designer Obsession, (grin)
Dyan Reaveley from England
(The eyes in this piece are one of her stamps from her wonderful assortment!)
Kristin Hubick at Retro Cafe Art has just started selling Dyan's wonderful stamp line, so do go check out her shop!
(Link in my Favourites Listing).
I can't wait for the rest of my order to arrive, as I've invested and hope to have them all:)
It's my little homage to the 1940's Swing Era
in London, England,
and to my mother:)
(She'd hate that I'd done this to her, LOL)
And one last bloom of summer, that popped
open in my garden September 1...and was done
by September 6th....they're supposed to have
bloomed back in May/June...go figure!
Still enjoyed the few days of brilliant colour
and every hummingbird in the area enjoyed it too!

Hope you all have a great rest of the week,
Check back soon, as I have more Giveaways in the works!
And with Halloween on the horizon, lots of other things
'brewing as well'

Enjoy!!