Second Advent Calendar

 This is the second calendar I made.  I tried to vary the colors a little from the first one I made and I didn't use as many number words on this one as the other.  This one if for my older grandsons.

 This close up shows a little more of the detail in the paper I used for the one and 2.

 Another close up of the decorative papers I used.

 Most of the papers that I used were from a Christmas theme collection, but I did have some from a "wintry" pack, too.

This view shows the back of the magnetic paper that I used.  I sandwiched the ribbon tab between the two papers to make it more secure.

Advent Calendar?

Yep, that's what it is!  And it's in a tart pan!  I saw this on Pinterest and just had to try it.  I punched 2" circles from decorative papers and magnetic paper.  I stamped numbers and number words onto the the 24 circles.  Then I glued them to the magnetic paper.  The magnetic paper keeps the circles from sliding off the tart pan.  Inside each little cup I placed a sweet treat.  As you can see I also made a ribbon tab to make it easier for my grandchildren to lift up the circle to retrieve their treat for the day.  The count-down takes them to Christmas Eve.  The pan I saw on Pinterest had a hole at the top to allow for hanging.  I was unable to find one like that in our local stores.  I do not live in a large metropolitan area, so if you do, you may have no trouble finding one that you could hang.  My daughters have placed theirs on their dining room table to allow easy access for their children.  And, yes, they HAVE TO TAKE TURNS!  LOL  There are only two boys at each house, so every other day each one gets a treat.  ")

Character Constructions Paris Tag Swap

 For the Paris Tag Swap in the Yahoo Group Character Constructions, we made 5 tags, kept one, and sent in the other 4 to be swapped out.  We will get 4 tags returned.  If you have not been on this site, you are missing some very creative art work.  I have been very impressed by these ladies and their work.  Go have a look:  www.yahoogroups.com/characterconstructions.  In fact, join us!

This is the tag I kept for myself.  It was the first one I made and I felt like the others improved as I continued working on the tags.  Catherine Moore has so many wonderful art doll stamps and many, many additional stamps to compliment the dolls.  I have several, but certainly not all of her stamps.  ")  She also has an online store at:  www.characterconstructions.com.  I named this doll:  At the Eiffel Tower.  My set is named "Touring Paris".

 I used the same cardstock (from K & Co's Blue Awning collection) for the skirt.  I alternated between pink and a lavendar for the top and the envelope trim at the bottom.  The gold paper used on the tag was bought in Paris as was the burgundy ribbon (from la droguerie in La Halle). The Paris tape used down the left side of the tag is from Cavallini.

 Some of the dolls have pearls as embellishments on the ribbon and some rhinestones.

 I stamped the letters on glossy card stock and cut them out separately.  I outlined each letter with a red Copic marker.  I also used brown to edge the tag, blue to edge the envelopes and burgundy to edge the dresses.  I cut a wide, crinkled ribbon into strips to add the tie at the top of tag.

 Stamps I used from Character Constructions plates were:  the dress and "pour vous": Bird and Bee Paperie #6; the arms, Bird and Bee Paperie #11; the bird, Nature History #3; face, Inner Child #7; "ooh la la",  Paris post mark, and tiny Paris tag, French Laundry #6,

For the back of my tag, I used the reverse side from the card stock used for the skirt.  I stamped the back with a fluer de lis stamp by Inkadinkado.

A Little Christmas Crafting

 My three girls and I had a great crafting day this past Saturday.  Just the four of us!  That hasn't happened for over 16 years!  We each worked on a wreath for our home.  I made this small one for my studio. Here you see it hanging on the door to my studio.

 I cut 100 strips of scrapbooking papers 1" X 6".  I used a flat foam wreathe base on which to pin the looped papers.  I found that it was easier to work with them if I taped the loop together before trying to pin it.  Otherwise, the loop kept uncurling.  This took quite some time to finish.  (But my daughter Ru made one from 500 coffee filters that took her nearly 5 hrs to make!  Turned out beautifully!)

This collection of paper is from French General, the Red Pack.  I love that they are double-sided, and, therefore they coordinate so well.  I only used about 6 papers, but because they are double-sided, it looks like I've used 12 different papers.  This wreathe base measured approximately 12".  I think if you used a 16-18", you would need to have about 300 strips of paper cut.  I used T-pins to secure them to the base.  The ones I used were actually too long.  Some of these pins stuck out of the back just enough to prick my fingers when I handled it.  If I make another one, I will look for shorter pins.  (If you're a seamstress/crafter and know of shorter ones, please contact me!  Thanks.)

My Dress Banner: Finished!

I hung the dress banner on my bedroom wall above the futon.  Next week my bed will be underneath the banner.  Just couldn't wait to hang it up...........hmm, I may have to hitch it up a little higher.  Amazing how you don't notice those little things until after you posted your pic!  LOL  My first thought with the birds was, "Oh, no!  They look like antlers!"  I love them anyway and am so glad to have this project completed.  It is such a shame that so many of the projects I have started are boxed and put away or in drawers awaiting me to remember where I have put them!  LOL   After I rearrange my bedroom, I'll take another photo for an update.  ")

Birds Galore!

I decided it was time to think of a way to hang all those darling little dresses I had received in the last round robin for the art club I'm in.  I had seen a little clothes line with tiny black bird clips to hang things on.  Well, I searched and surfed until my vision was blurry and my hand going numb!  Couldn't find them on any of the sites I could remember visiting.  So I decided I'd just have to make something similar.  I had a few tiny bird cut-outs and thought they would be about right to put on the ends of clothes pins and that way my little dresses would have birds on their clothes line.  I used some of my alcohol inks and smeared them together on glossy cardstock.  Next I drew around some of the little birds to get a pattern going.  Then I decided to make one of the patterns with a scalloped tail.  I ended up with 9 dresses (3 of them my own design) and would need 18 clothes pins.  Therefore I had to have 36 birds.  I cut them out, being careful to have sets of birds facing each other.  Once I got them cut out, I attached them with glue dots to 1 3/4" mini clothes pins.  I wanted the clothes pins to be attached to the clothes line.  When I tied them to the "line", it just looked to messy and bulky, so I used a very strong clear glue and placed a dot of it in the recessed area of the pin and pressed the line down into it.  This process took a few days because I wanted to be very sure that it was dry and the pins very securely attached before I moved each pair aside to measure for the next pair of birds.

Halloween Tag for Sara

I love making things for people who appreciate them and Sara is one of those most appreciative ones.  I am fortunate enough to have a handful of those special friends.  I know Sara is crazy about Halloween, so I had been contemplating making something for her.  One day I received a surprise in the mail from Sara.........a Halloween art tag!  So it didn't take me long to get busy and work one up for her.  ")  I used this heavy silver cardstock that I had splattered with copper metallic paint as my base.  I love the stars and circles on a scrap I  had and cut a piece to go across the top of the tag.  I stamped a crow and perched him on top of that strip.  I decided to do Miss Pumpkin Head (Bird & Paperie No. 8, Catherine Moore's Character Constructions) as the main character.  I stamped her body on striped orange paper and cut it out.  Then I stamped her head on a light tan paper and cut it out.  I fashioned a bowtie from some black/white striped material (it's almost like organza but has a little polyester in it) and tied the pieces together with a thin orange ribbon.  I then gathered some and put it at her waist and added a thin strip of the orange ribbon.  I cut a small section of the orange tissue paper printed with spider webs and spiders (received from Sara) and pleated it for the skirt.  I stamped another crow (Madhatter's Tea Party plate #4, Catherine's CC stamps) and placed him on her arm.  I punched out the black fence and glued it to the bottom of the tag then positioned Miss PH on the tag.  Next I made a "HAPPY Halloween!" sign with purple background and attached it to the left side of the tag.  I tied a strip of the black/white material strip to the top of the tag.

More Halloween ATCs

 Another personal trade in the Halloween theme.  This little witch is my favorite face in all of Catherine Moore's Character Construction stamps.  I have really changed from only orange and black at Halloween to lots of purple and green.  ")  The clock face is cut from tissue paper that I received with another trade wrapped up in it.

I really do like the two shades of orange on this dotted paper.  I cut the bow for the cat from a piece of glitter tape I have.  And, of course, since the cat had a little glitter, I couldn't let the spider's web be drab and added some Stickles to it.  ")  This is for another personal trade.  As you can see, I've used so many of Catherine Moore's Character Constructions stamps.  They are so finely detailed and there so many to choose from!

Halloween ATC

I was in a very Halloweeny mood this month!  Sometimes the holiday just passes me by.  For some reason I just kept creating artwork that expressed those spooky and eerie images.  LOL  I did this piece for a personal trade and was very pleased the way it turned out.  I love that broom with the mask!  And this little darling bird is dressed up to go for a ride!  LOL  I printed the sentiment on the computer and cut it out to look like a sign. 

Art Doll for Pat

This is the art doll I made for Pat.  Since it's almost Halloween, I just naturally had to use Catherine Moore's beautiful little witch (Bird & Paperie #20).  I think this little beauty has the sweetest face ever.  ")  I stamped the skirt (French Laundry #6) on acetate and placed it over tissue paper decorated with jack-o-lanterns, candy corn and orange stars.  I cut the tissue paper to fit the form of the skirt.  I stamped the bodice and the sleeves on watercolor paper I had made by squirting orange and brown and let it run together to make the dark lines.  (The moon was circle punch from a corner of the same paper.)  I stamped the collar and hat onto black paper and the face on a scrap of manila folder.  I attached the bodice to the skirt with a black mini-brad.  I also used these mini-brads to attach the arms.  The hands were also stamped on a piece of scrap manila folder and cut out and then glued to the ends of the sleeves.  I cut out the face and glued it to the cape/hat piece.  I also attached this to the top of the bodice with the black mini-brads.  I then added a row of the black mini-brads down the front of the bodice to mimic buttons.  I added an orange flower cut from the watercolor paper to the brim of the hat with another mini-brad.  I stamped the candelabra and the bat on more scrap manila paper with black ink.  I cut these out and glued the candles to one hand and tied the bat with black thread and attached it to the remaining hand.  I then stamped the "spooky tree" (Nature Study Plate #1) onto grey watercolor paper and cut it out, topping off  some of the thinner branches.  Lastly I stamped the cat (Inner Child #2) onto another manila scrap with black ink and cut it out.  I tied 2 bows from purple baker's yarn and attached one to the cat and one at the neck of the cape.  I used a "BOO" Bingo card (Jenni Bowlin) as the background and attached everything except the doll with glue.  I used velcro dots to attach the doll to the Bingo card.  This allows to Pat to remove her from the card and display her in other ways.

My Dress Banner (My Dress #1)

 This dress pattern was the first one I chose for my dress banner.  It is not necessarily my favorite.  ")  But, I remember so many dresses from my childhood similar to it.  (Anybody else remember those starched pinafores? LOL)  Striped pinafores seemed to be so popular during that time....usually combined with a floral dress.  But I love this window-pane check done in blue and white.  I thought it made a great combo.  Of course, I had to add the little pocket....I think my mother thought I'd carry a little hankie if I had a pocket.  ")  I added a white color and the black Nail Heads for the buttons.  I have a small pice of this lovely lace and used it to trim off the bottom of the dress.  My embellishment for the  piece was this "sweet" Sweet Peas faux flower seed packet.  I added the date to the ribbon banner at the bottom of the packet.  I attached  the bird and stamped the sentiment "be happy" .  I added the blue grosgrain ribbon at the waist.

I used a text-printed paper for the back.  I absolutely love text in my artwork and wanted that to show in this piece.  I purchased a pack of silohette cards from StampDiva and chose this one to put on the back.  Making silohettes of children's faces was a very popular thing to do during my childhood.  I cut the card into two pieces and attached it to the back of the dress.

My Dress #2

 This dress is another one I remember from my childhood.  Floral material was so popular for little girls at that time.....and tons of pink!  ")  My mom was creative and would altar a pattern and was therefore able to come up with so many different looks.  (She actually did not have to use a pattern most times).  I used a combination of pink and floral for this dress.  I used a scalloped collar and pearl buttons on it and pink trim for the cuffs.  The apron has flowers at each scallop.  I cut the flowers from the same paper as the dress.  I had this little girl on a label in my stash and thought she was perfect for this dress.  I added the little bird to the left side.  Then I added the phrase "Dream with your eyes wide open."

I love this paper I used on the back.  I thought it looked like something from my era.  I used part of a small bingo card for the back and cut out a tiny stamped doll (from B-Line Designs) to add next to it.  The label I used for the signature is actually part of the card from which I cut my phrase for the front.

My Dress #3

 This is the third dress I made to go on my banner.  This is another style my mother often made for me.  I love polka dots and just had to use this paper for this dress.  I used white for the collar and trim on the sleeves and trimmed it with with red ribbon.  The I added white paper strips to mimic ribbon across the bottom of the dress.  When I was looking through my stash to find something to decorate the dress, I found this Fashionista tag from 7gypsies and had that "Aha!" moment.  I printed out the "celebrate life" to add to the front.

For the back of this dress I chose this paper because it just looked so old fashioned to me.  Once again I found a 7gypsies tag to add to it.  I think of my girls in dresses similar to this when they were little and always thought they looked like such little princesses.  I cut a round card in half and attached it to the top and used it as my signature label.  I incorporated the card because cards are another one of my addictions.  ")

Dress from Pat

 This darling dress is from Pat.  I love the combinations of the striped paper with the floral paper.  The aqua with the pink is so very delicate and feminine.  Pat has made the collar and the apron of the dress from the aqua strip.  The dress of from the beautiful pink rose paper.  She has used paper lace underneath the collar and added an overlay to the collar of a script paper and then sewn two buttons on top of it.  The apron also has an under lay of papers lace and a punched lace edging along the bottom of the dress.  She as added a white paper scallop across the apron with "such a lovely day" stamped on it.  She then added the two birds to the top of the scalloped piece.  The burgundy ribbon really sets this dress off.  A final touch is the aqua velvet flower with a pearl center.

The back has a light pink gingham check top with a floral circle that covers the threads from the buttons.  The skirt is dark pink with white polka dots.  The label is made from a text paper with a dark pink center and pat has added a white label to sign her name.  Beautiful!  Thank you Pat!

Dress from Marsha

 What a sweet dress Marsha made for my dress banner.  Love the small pink/white checks combined with the window-pane plaid in the apron.  I also like that she made the collar from dark pink/light pink argyle.  The pearls so fit with this dress.  I really like the tiny flower sequins she has scattered across the bottom of the skirt.

Marsha made the back from a blue checked pattern.  Thank you Marsha!

Dress from Jan

 This is Jan's version of the pleated dress template I sent.  She said it reminded her of one she had made for her granddaughter.  I love the collar she made on this one.  The tiny yellow "piping" she put around the collar and on the sleeves is so sweet.  And I love those teeny tiny buttons.  The little duck she bought at the street flea market we attended the last day we were in Paris.  I love that!

The back of the dress looks like some of the paper we dyed at her house one day.  Love the colors!  How very appropriate that the decorative paper has buttons!  What a precious dress.  Thank you Jan!

Dress from Judi

The dress Judi made is popping with color!  Love the purple and the chartreuse together.  Lots of sweet flower with that beautiful turquoise center.  ")   Love that she put the tiny turquoise bird on the apron tie.

The back is chartreuse with lighter green polka dots.  Gorgeous tag trimmed in purple.  Thank you Judi!

Dress from Minori

 This is the dress Minori made for my dress banner.  It is so sweet!  The green lace at the top of the pinafore is one of my very favorite laces!  Then she sewed the brown rick-rack onto the waist.  She layered lots of flowers on the skirt.  She added some tiny little flowers to the blouse and a very sweet collar.  Finally she added the delicate white lace to the bottom of the of the skirt.

Love, love, love the polka dots on the back!  The skirt if full of very colorful ones and the green with brown dots is very pretty.  A great color combo!  Thanks Minori!

Dress from Sara

 This is the dress that Sara made for my dress banner.  This must be paper that Sara has made.  This is the "sailor dress" pattern that I included with my templates.  I love the ric-rac for the pleats down the front.  Also the "kindred spirits" she put on the tag.  The Japanese postage stamp on the dress has a similar color pattern.  I think she must have embossed the trim on the collar and the sleeves, too.   Love the colors!

The paper on the back of the dress has a butterfly and a partial label printed on it.  I like  that Sara chose that spot to sign her name.  Thanks Sara!

Summer's Bounty

 These beautiful red potatoes came out of our summer garden.  We have used them all summer.  I just had to buy potatoes at the grocery store last week.  I was very disappointed in them when I started going through the sack to prepare potatoes for supper.  I went back this week and hand picked the ones I wanted from a bin stacked high with some pretty good potatoes.

This is a late bounty of yellow pear tomatoes, little plum tomatoes and some smaller beef steak tomatoes.  The beef steak tomatoes were much larger in the middle of the summer.   We had two very large tomato plants in the middle of a raised bed that really produced some nice tomatoes.  But we had two very strong wind storms, too.  The first storm blew down one of them, basket and all, and broke it off.   Later the second storm took out the other one and we lost our large tomato supply.  The little pear tomatoes and plum tomatoes have been very nice, but now due to no rain we're losing them, too.   The squash was a wonderful source of food for us this summer.  We had both zuccini and yellow long-neck squash.  We also had a few cucumbers along the way.   We did have an abundant supply of onions which we are still using.   They are harvested and in a basket in my kitchen.  It seems the only survivors are the hot peppers:  cayennes, jalapenos, and chilies.  We have thoroughly enjoyed our fresh vegetables, thanks to all the work of my dear husband, Doug.  ")

Art Doll for Minori

Minori loves Christmas....so it was inevitable that I made a Christmas doll.  ")  This is the Earth Angel stamp from Catherine Moore's Character Constructions.  (No. 7)  I used the arms from Inner Child #6, the dress from Mannequin Cafe #8, and the wreathe from Mannequin Cafe #9.  This is my favorite face stamp and I use her so much.  The dress is also a favorite.  I used red ink to stamp her on green printed Christmas paper.  I had just recently found this Happy Christmas/Happy Holidays ribbon in my stash and laid it out because I knew she was my next exchange.  I really seem to use this little wreathe a lot, too.  I love putting the little red rhinestones on it to simulate holly berries.  I added the crown from MC #9, too.  The crown and wings are coated with clear Stickles glitter glue.  I also added a drop of the glitter glue to the star bursts on the dress.

(21 Secrets Workshop) 2nd class

This piece was done in Cathy Bluteau's workshop.  Again, very well done videos and so easy to follow along.  My first thought was that I would never be able to put so much into such a small space.  But the more I worked on it and tried to incorporate as many of Cathy's ideas as possible, the more I began to visualize how to fill in those spaces.  This really could have been done on a larger page, but it is the size I cut my pages for the 21 Secrets Workshop.  I really want to make a complete journal of all my work done in this workshop.  Cathy encouraged us to use cut outs, but also to draw in some similar images.  The bottom background paper I used to mimic a white wooden fence, even using some white crackle paint over it.  All the strips at the center top are washi tapes.

 

21 Secrets Workshop

Dirty Footprints Studio is doing a 21 Secrets Workshop currently.  I participated in Carissa Paige's class to start.  She is so full of energy, imagination and did some wonderful videos for this class.  Here class is called "Following the Wild Winds" in this artful life.  I followed the wild winds on my daily walk and time of prayer and meditation and came back with these photos and reflections.  I compared the "tunnel" cloud to the tunnel in which I find myself  from time to time....searching in the dark for that "thing" that will spark an idea and give inspiration to do a work.  The spider web I used to illustrate the many paths in the art world and realizing that one cannot follow them all.  And, realizing that one's inner spirit will give guidance to the path that should be taken.

This little bench by the river is a spot that my husband and I both cherish.  It is a wonderful place to contemplate, give thanks to the Creator, and just praise His creation.  Fog was on the river this particular morning and reminded me of my foggy mind during times of difficulty with a piece of work.  The wind calmed as I sat there and the johnson grass began to stand up as it ebbed.  As I pray and meditate my soul began to calm and I asked for guidance as I contemplated my life and the joy I have in Him and His gift of creativity with me.  As I left, I turned and the fog had lifted, the little bench flooded with sunlight.  I was reminded of Jesus' words:  "Peace, be still."

Carissa asked us to paint a page with wild abandon and go on a Vision Quest with that free spirit we had as children.  I have always had a love affair with trees and birds.  As you can imagine, I see many of both as I walk to the river and back.  I loved climbing trees as a young girl and would not quit until I had climbed as high as the branches would allow.  I placed the little bird sticker in the top of the photo of the tree I used on this page.   The sentiment I wrote below the photo says:  Go all the way to the top!  HIGHER!                            

Carissa also asked us to look at the page to see if an image would begin to take shape as we worked on it.  I had stamped a large fleur-de-lis on both pages.  On the second page I could visualize a girl taking shape on this stamped image.  Since I am not comfortable yet to publically show my sketching skills, I cut out the head of a young girls and glued it above the fleur-de-lis.  I drew hands as in prayer on the very top part of the image which made the side "flags" of the image look like wings morphing from her body.  The I drew legs from the bottom of the image.  This is my "Wild Abandon" page.  I would like to think that the Lord God will allow me to fly like a bird in eternity as I sing praises to Him!

Art Doll for Judi

 This is the art doll I made for Judi in our club swap.  I had seen Catherine Moore's animated doll on her website and just loved it.  Of course, Catherine's doesn't look as clumsy as mine does!  I love Catherine's Time Keeper images.  I thought this really put a new twist to the TK's character.  ")  The stars are sticker and I used two for each wire.  They are stuck to one another around the wire so they will stay on the wire.  I wish I had had those micro mini brads to put her together.  The ones I used look too big.  (Judi brought me a box full of goodies for my b'day and she had some of those little brads included! )  The bra is glitter ribbon.  I love this 4th of July look for this doll.

                                                                    This is a folder that I made for the doll.  I continued in the red, white and blue theme.  I added stars also.  The paper is French General.

 Inside the folder I added some information on the left and a paper doll costume.  On the right I added a pocket to put hold the doll.  I stamped the paper doll string on the pocket and added some stars.  I wrote her name at the top of the page.

                                                            This photo shows Miss "Sparkles" out side the pocket.