Trace Creek Crop

This year DiAnna and I went to the crop together.  Our ambition is always larger than our time frame.  Meaning we always plan to make things and get a bit sidetracked.  However, we have developed a philosophy.  Get done what you can, but make sure you have a fun relaxing day.  This year was no exception to that rule.  It was nice to be off work, no one bothering you for meals or fights with siblings...just relaxation, friendship, shopping, eating, and a little Jesus.

DiAnna and I decided before the crop to made matching aprons.  My apron was pretty crappy so this was brilliant idea.  We both took a denim apron and trimmed it with pink trim.  She used an eyelet trim and I used tulle (because I wanted a tutu).  

Here is a photo of my work station.  I was going to work on a Marilyn Monroe drawing that I made.  It was inspired by a pose she did in a publicity still for Niagara.  She was pretty wicked in that movie and I recommend you see it if you have not.

These steampunk inspired items were featured in the Mia's Madness booth. I simply love everything they sell.  It's junk to most by an absolute treasure to me.  I chose some items from the junk bin.  A triangle pendant, a washer, and a few other metals.  Stay tuned to see what I made from .50 of stuff. www.miasmadness.com

This is a photo from the yard sale.  This is where you sell items you no longer need/want were gifted.  I sold a bunch of stuff this year and I did not spend one dime of money shopping it. Now I did get things but everything I bought was with money I made in the yard sale. 

Check out this wagon!  It is all mine!  I have been going to TCC for many many years and never won a thing.  I was sitting with my friends in the church and telling them all that I hoped they won something.  And I listened and wait a minute I realized Jill Rogers finally called MY name.  I won one of the grand prizes. I got the third grand prize awarded the first two prizes where $50 cash. I prefer the wagon because it is something I have always wanted but I never would have bought for myself.  It is extraordinary.  I am very grateful that my name was called. 

I made a couple of sketches but this is the only thing that I finished on the TCC relaxation day.  A wood panel of the Marilyn Monroe drawing I made.  The panel was painted a few colors, I didn't like any of them and finally I got to this green and I liked it.  Next I used Barquoe Motifs to stamp some swirls using StazOn! ink.  Then I used some Aleene's tacky glue and painted it onto the board.  I let it get a bit dry then I painted it with white.  What a nice crackle finish it leaves.  I did a die cut of the Tim Holtz viewmaster thingy and place the die cut on the board.  I used wood icing to make some texture for the background.  Once this dried I used some Walnut Stain ink by Tim Holtz for some effect. I cut MM out from the paper she was drawn and painted on and used Mod Podge to put her onto my board.  I think it's fabulous!!

This is the project I made using the stuff reclaimed from the junk bin.  I did not take a before picture...boo.  The top picture is when I first put it all together. I used wire to hold the circle onto the triangle and made the elder wand with wire down the center.  I painted it with gesso to cover the mixed metals. I added glitter because I thought I would keep it black, but no I found my Krylon chrome spray paint.  I layered many layers of paint on here. I think it turned out grand. 

Another TCC comes to a close.  DiAnna we will do it all again in the spring, Lord willing. 

Mixed media minis

These little miniatures feature a little bit of everything.  Maybe some painting. Maybe some inking.  A little die cutting....who knows. 

The first three are to honor two movie stars I adore...Betty and Marilyn.

This next one I have a bit of how I made it. 

I made a sketch on the mixed media paper and traced it to make a mask.  I put double sided tape on the back of the mask after I cut it out.  I then placed it over the sketch on the mixed media paper.  I inked the background using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut Stain and Vintage Paper.  Then I sprayed with Perfect Pearls silver misting spray. 

Next, I used my brand new viewmaster styled Tim Holtz Distress Die and made a couple from regular white scrapbook paper.  I inked both of them with distress inks...walnut stain, vintage paper, and tea dye.  Then I sprayed with Michelle's Musings brown ink on one and java ink on the other (I can't remember who made it...I broke the original bottle).  One of the viewmasters was covered in Michelle's Musings modeling paste the other in a heavy gel. On the heavy gel one, I added glass glitter.  Once the two viewmasters were dry I cut them apart and added to the mixed media paper.  Next, I took off my mask and painted the lady.

And the last one is a homage to Audrey Hepburn, Michelle's Musing style.  This one was fun for me. It is a bit of everything...just like me!

Let them eat cake

I had this very large 16x20 canvas I wanted to do something EPIC with it.  I also just bought this book by Suzi Blu.  In this book, she created a Marie Antoinette. I did not want to copy her painting, but I did want to be heavily influenced by Suzi. If you have not checked out Suzi's work I highly recommend it.  Her work is exquisite. 

The first step was to make my sketch. It did not post that picture because I did it very lightly.  Suzi's work featured a castle, I wanted Versailles.  I also wanted cake, even though Marie never said the famous "quote" I HAD to have it on my canvas.

After I had my layout like I wanted it I had to insert Marie. I drew her on a vellum paper because I intended on blending her skin tone.  I drew how big I wanted her to be on the vellum paper. I used colored pencils by Prismacolor to create my tones.  I drew a face, a neck with a low cut dress line, and two arms.  I then cut those out and put them onto the canvas (do not adhere). I then drew the body around the completed body parts. 

I took the body parts off and painted the background.  I wanted a red toned background.  To me, this represented the French Revolution which is really what this is all about. I used a red-brown mixture for the ground so that it looked a tad different from the sky.  Versailles is created with gold, green and diamond color. It sparkles.

Once the basic background was done I added Marie's body (using mod podge) and began her clothing. I used fabric for her bodice and skirt.  Her sleeves are made by using color pencils and blending as much as I could for definition.  Then I took UTEE (one of my faves) and layered a good layer over the pencil work.  It made for a slick, shiny almost satiny finish.  I then sprayed her skirt with Perfect Pearls in silver for some shimmer. 

Her hair is made using modeling paste and heavy gel. I just kept layering until it was as thick and fluffy as I wanted it to be with a palette knife.  I added some tendrils by simply placing my palette knife as Bob Ross would have with a tree.  Like Suzi, I added fibers into the hair, but one step above, I added some glass glitter for more shimmer (it's all about the shine!).


Next, it was time for details. I had to add details to Versailles, which for the most part was done with paint.  I did put a stamped clock unto the castle front and embossing with Midnight black powder.  I added some transparency garland to the front and some quotes from one of my favorite books.  It was set in Paris.  I outlined the words "castle", "court" and "passionate" on each book page.

The Eiffel Tower graces the top of the castle just for fun.  Scrabble tiles spell out her name, chipboard flowers grace a stenciled design that was made with my homemade modeling paste.  In the yard, I added a doily that was distressed with Distress Ink.  I embossed a chipboard table with silver embossing powder.  The cake is made from Paris themed scrapbook paper scraps.  I think it is by My Mind's Eye.  I added the famous "quote" but decided to layer it in UTEE as well. I just love that stuff.

A ribbon and some fun pennants finish out the corner.  I thought she needed some jewelry so I added a barrette I found on the floor at the last LOHS prom to her hair, pearls for a necklace and a Tim Holtz bobble for more bling.  I hope you enjoy, because I LOVE her and I am craving cake.

Who's dressing your form

It's been some time since I have been here. I apologize.  I have had many many things to do.  I have been creating just not sharing.  Don't worry, I will make up for the delay.

Some time ago I bought this paper mache' dress form at Michael's, why?  Because I am in LOVE with dress forms!  I have been looking for the die for my sizzix machine for some time, but that story is for another day.  Today all that matters is I bought this dress form.  The form was just that, a form.  It had no stand so I just sat it up on my paint shelf and stared at it.  Two weeks ago, I decided to get brave and make my own stand.  I found a sucker stick (it was an unused one like the ones you use for the melting chocolate) and some wire.  I fashioned the wire around the end of the stick to resemble the four little feet that support a dress form.

Once I shaped the wire like I wanted I had to paper mache' over my creation. I may have done this a little differently than most would, but I like mod podge so I used strips of newspaper and mod podge to build my stand.  Each strand of paper would get drenched in mod podge then wrapped around the stick/wire. I made a base at the top of the stand by layering many layers of paper strips.  My dress form will rest on this little knob.  Once the stand dried, I drilled a small hole with scissors into the bottom of the dress form.  I inserted it onto the stand which I had coated in Aleene's tacky glue.  I then added more drenched strips around the bottom of the form and the stand, just for more security.

I let it sit for a few days then I added coloring (with Distress inks and paint) to the body and trim that my mother-in-law made in the '60s.  After that dried, I painted the stand black. I was on the fence. I thought of embossing the stand with silver embossing powder, I may do that to the other dress form I have because I am CERTAIN I will be making a stand for that soon.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it next and I made a gown for the form.  I did not like it so I ripped it off and decided to go with a tulle tutu.  I took a Tim Holtz pearl, a glass bead, and a rhinestone.  I wired them all together in a belt for the skirt.  I thought the rhinestone needed something else so I took it off and colored it with cranberry alcohol ink.  MUCH BETTER! A pearl necklace provided the finishing touch to the body.  I wish I could fashion some stilettos from newspaper and mod podge to go with this beauty.  

Distressed Abbey Road

I wanted to make my dad Abbey Road for Father's day, but I wanted to make it in my way.  Very distress, altered type of Abbey Road.

I started by painting the background in blocks of color to match the album cover.  In the center, I mixed some shades of blue.  On each side, I painted a patch of green to background the trees.  And under the horizon line, there is a grey/silver mix to simulate the pavement.

Once all the paint was dry I added some blue paper to the blue and a few stamps.  To the green, I added bunched up tissue paper. I adhered the tissue at the same time I was bunching it up and I used mod podge.

After that dried, I painted the tissue in many different shades of green and sprayed some Caribbean Sea Blue misting spray onto the blue sky.

To the pavement I dabbed on some browns, black, red and yellow.  Once it was dry I added some red crosswalk strips.  I missed this with many misting sprays.

The Beatles are hand cut from grungepaper, stamped with Close to My Hearts music note stamp.  Distressed with Black Soot ink by Tim Holtz and sprayed with Golden Slumbers misting spray by Michelle's Musings.

I adhered The Beatles with dimensional foam and hot glue.  Everything got a bit of Sterling Silver misting spray.

Girl Power Canvas

I wanted to make a canvas that says, "girls can do anything".  I started with a 12x12 canvas.  I covered the entire canvas with pages from one of my favorite books "Song of the Siren" by Philippa Carr.  This copy was printed in the '70s and there were some nice texture and aging going on. I did not have to do anything to age this before mod podging onto the canvas.  The next step was to add a bit of color. I used a remnant of a sheet of Graphic 45 paper.  It was in the Steampunk collection, but I forgot the name of this sheet.  I do believe it is out of print.  I did an overall coverage of mod podge to seal all this together.

While this was drying I began sketching the girl I would use.  Here is both the beginning sketch and the final product.  I cut her apart to use as a pattern.

I next swiped on some color. I used some of the colors from the Graphic 45 paper, a blue, brown, gold, and pink.  I swiped on a bit of the color with a brush or my fingers and dabbed it off with a paper towel.  I added some stamps, an Eiffel tower, houndstooth, swirling dots, and a stopwatch.   Some I embossed and some are just straight Staz on inks.  I just kind of had fun. No rhyme or reason, just fun.

Using my new branch die from Tim Holtz, I added a branch.  I cut this from grunge paper and embossing it with Vintage Photo embossing powder.  I found some red tulle that I tied to the branch.  Oh, and the die had a bird on it too, I cut him off and use an owl stamp to add an owl element.

The girl was mod podged directly onto the canvas.  She was in many pieces and I just pieced her together right there, covering her all over with mod podge.  Her shoes are painted on and not paper.  When she was dry I added the black lines and hair.

The bottom is finished out with some pom pom ribbon and a crocheted flower my mother-in-law made about 20 years ago.

The quote is wonderful!  Believe in your dreams and live them!!!

A Little Fruity, by Technique Tuesday

In 2005, I was introduced to a little company that would change the way I thought of stamps.  I met the Technique Tuesday girls at a CKC convention.  I attended their class because I had never heard of them and so glad that I did.  Since then, I have bought as many stamps as I could and attended every class that has been offered at CKC.

A Little Fruity is one of my favorite sets.  It features very detailed fruits along with the cutest sayings.  You can use this set for so many different things.

Today I used it to make a Turn that frown upside Blessings Box.  This is a two sided box.  On one side is the "when life gives you lemons" saying.  On the other "so berry sweet of you".

I hope if you like these boxes and live near Paducah, Kentucky that you will go to http://www.ephemerapaducah.com/ and sign up for my June 6 class.  There are also many other great happening things at Ephemera Paducah.  Please check it out and tell Kristin I sent you :)

Enjoy this weeks blessings:

I also had enough paper left to make some greeting cards.  I think they are rather fun.

The Whitman Sampler makeover

Since I was a very small child, I have ADORED Whitman's Samplers. It has only been in recent years that I have felt I am worthy of the $10 per box price tag.  I have been saving all the boxes because they are such high quality boxes. With the encouragement and idea of a friend of mine, I have been making them as Blessing Boxes.  The recipient would put blessings, prayer requests, or general thoughts into the box.  At the end of the year the box is opened and you read through all of your papers.  Were your prayers answered?  Did you remember how blessed you were?  Are you grateful for what God has given you?

You could also share the box with a friend and you two read through each others....which is what my friend and I plan on doing. 

This Mother's Day weekend, I decided I would decorate 4 of them.   This also prepares me for a class that I plan on teaching at one of our local places (I plan on doing a blog entry about this awesome place soon, I just need some photos), Ephemera Paducah (don't you just LOVE that name?)

Oh I get sidetracked so easily, these boxes are done in 4 different styles. I tried to be as far apart as I could be in the themes of each box.

Box #1-Down Memory Lane. Like McCall's or Buttericks.  Boy does this theme take me back to my childhood.  My mom would let us look at the pattern books at Hancock's.  She would let us pick out the fabric and buttons and she would whip us up with a new dress!  This box takes me right back to those days.  I have used some vintage items from my Mom-in-law's sewing basket.  A pink zipper, lace, buttons, a tape measure, a needle and thread, pins, and snaps on the original card. The paper used is Lucille by Basic Grey (the calico reminds me of the fabric mom would have used to make dresses for me-actually this paper looks very much like the fabric of the dress I am wearing in my first grade picture) and Bountiful by Creative Memories. 

Box #2-Owl watch over you.  This one is a paper piecing and took HOURS!  I did not draw out patterns for the owl, tree, or moon. I just cut.  The paper is Que Sera Ra by K&Co.  This box has almost a flat appearance, but if you look closely at the box you can see all the layers of paper. Flowers by Prima.  Black pen by Sharpie.




















Box #3-Be creative.  I painted this girl onto paper and didn't know what to do with her.  I got this great stamp from Tim Holtz that featured angel type wings.  It was perfect for the girl.  This box features stamps by Hampton Arts, Tim Holtz, and Technique Tuesday.  Die cuts from K&Co, flowers by Prima.  Embossing Powder by Stampendous.  This girl makes me happy because she is feel to do what she wants in her artwork...yeah she's me.  Patterned paper is Wild Raspberry by K&Co.
















Box #4-God's Blessings.  Butterflies and birds fly all over the beautiful summer flowers.  What an amazing gift God has given us.  We should take time to reflect on the beauty in this world and not the negative.  Doily a found object.  Bird and table chipboard by Pink Paislee.  Flowers by Prima.  Card was given to me by my friend.


The greatest thing about altering something is you don't have to do it like anyone else's. You can use your creative nature to creative whatever.  Maybe you box will not be a Blessings box.  Maybe yours will hold love letters....maybe jewelry....maybe greeting cards.   Maybe you will take off the lid and use the box to display items you collect.  Maybe you want to keep some of the integrity of the original box.  Think outside the box.  Don't let anyone limit what YOU like.

If you decide altering a box is for you and live in Paducah, you can come to my workshop on June 6.  I will show you how and hopefully how to free your spirit.