A month of weddings

This summer was the summer of weddings and I made some canvases for the brides/grooms.  I usually charge $25-$35 per piece because of the extensiveness of the project. I spent many hours on each one of these, more than usual just because they were all special people to me.  Each canvas features many layers and a little bit of drying time.  Each canvas starts with stamping the canvas.  Some stamps will be done with archival ink, some embossing ink and some paint.  After those dry or after I have finished embossing them....then I start with the ink layers.  I will ink  the whole canvas with Distress inks and then throw water on the canvas. Once that dries I will do it again only instead of throwing water on I will spritz it.  Water will pool up and I will stand the canvas up and let the inks run together. I will use some of my misting sprays and let that ink run too.  I will then add stickles or crackle paint or both.  Once that dries I embellish.

Here is where each one gets it's own personality.  I will start with the black/blue one.

I really liked this one because the bride had a FANTASTIC invitation!  I HAD to cut it up and use it in the canvas. It was a black and white invite with blue accents and totally gorgeous.  I used her envelope as just a background paper.  On top of that I used a chipboard circle and covered with crepe paper and a white string.  I stamped a lovely couple with stazon and then I painted them with watercolor and sprinkled some salt on them for texture.  I used a portion of the wedding invitation behind a Tim Holtz fragment, for the tag, for a background behind the couple and for the card I made to give the couple.  I added many layers of STUFF, which is kind of my thing. 

The Blue one:  I used the whole invitation on this one.  A large flower folded in half, some giant letters and I strung beads onto a wire.  Since the bucket of beads are all colors I had to pick out the blue and white ones.  FOREVER!!! 

The last one was for my cousin. I spent even more time on this one rolling flowers myself and stringing green beads.  Brittany is sort of an old soul, so I made hers to reflect old Hollywood.  I tried to use items that you would have found then.  Tulle, movie posters, the couple, the gears, the beads, the design of the hearts and arrows, and the tag.  While they all make me happy, this one too reflects my style so it's my favorite. Sort of like Gene Kelly would have it hanging in his house. 

Love of my life

19 years ago today, I was blessed to marry Mr. John Champion.  A quiet dude, that takes care of us, takes us places and mows our yard.  Oh, he does lots more too, but we don't want to give him a big head.  I love him more today than 19 years ago.  I am blessed.

May they live happily ever after

I have made the two canvases for two fine young woman that I work with.  These ladies are something I would have loved to have been at their age (or even mine)...confident, strong, and gifted.  They each have qualities that are unique to one another and then they have their similarities.

What first made me notice them was that they were Ag teachers.  When I was in school I don't remember a lady teacher (of course that was a hundred years ago).  Then I listened to them.  Kirby gets giddy when she talks about her ducks and the greenhouse.  Brittany puffs up like a cute little mama hen when she talks about how well her students perform in competitions and then there are the horses.  I am not a horse person, but I love that she is.  Their hearts are beautiful and to top it off the outsides of them are too...

I wish them both the best of luck in this new endeavor and pray that Evan and Tyler know exactly how lucky they both are.


  The girls were having a joint shower and I decided it would be best if I made them a canvas.  I love canvas art because you can put a whole life right there

I wanted to make something for the girls that made me think of them.  Something that had some of them, some of their wedding,but also some of how I felt about them too.


 Kirby O'Donoghue gift.  Kirby is a little bit earthy, a little bit farmer, a little bit green inside a package wrapped in lace.  I wanted her canvas to have a frilly romantic feel.  I thought flowers, hearts, jewelry and lace would be display that.  Kirby seems to me like she wants to know about the past and embrace family customs.  I have used old tags covered in new items because they are like Kirby.  The birdhouse was the closest thing I could find to Kirby's beloved greenhouse. 

 .Brittany seems like she can be a firecracker, but can be feminine even while hoeing a garden or riding a horse.  I have heard Brittany giggle about her groom Evan and her wedding plans and with her I wanted to have a few wedding couples.  I found 2 that displayed the yesteryear look and yet that love that I can hear in Brittany's voice when she talks of Evan.  I had to put a bronco stamp on there because of Brittany's horses and the flowers go back to her Ag roots.  The stars represent her being such a superstar and the stones are a throwback (again) to her being outdoorsy but very girlie.    I loved that on this one the B (Brittany) and E (Evan) can also spell out a wish ....BE Happy! 

These canvases are being shared on Unruly PaperArts...cause those girls rock too!  And cause I love what they do!


check them out...

http://unrulypaperarts.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-05-07T07:00:00-04:00&max-results=3

Forever and ever

Well, my parents anniversary is coming up (as I write this---as you read it, it is past). I decided a long time ago that I wanted to do something special for them. How many people do you know that make it 40 years? How many make it 40 years and still like each other, much less love each other?

Yes, to celebrate is no brainier. The thing is how to do it, how to make it special, how to make it not cost a fortune?

That is where I sit this day. I am trying to find someplace that is not too expensive, better yet free. I am trying to plan things that are "easyish" to make/do (this is a time problem).

My first step was to decide what I wanted. A meal at a restaurant or reception? The reception was my answer. A meal or reception food? reception food....Wait!!! Reception food. I want to have a wedding type of thing. I want them to proclaim their love for everyone. Being from poorish sort of families they never had a "proper" wedding. I want to give them that. If not a preacher ceremony, a re-dedication ceremony. With a proper reception.

The first stop was coloring (for me because I want to make the stuff).  I found a pad of paper at Hobby Lobby that very much fit my mothers' style.  Very country styled patterns, with blues, maroons, yellows, greens, and browns.  I think it was a delight.

 

The next part was to make the stuff. I got lucky and had a Cricut cartridge that made boxes.  I used 2 Cricut mats and about 70 sheets of cardstock, but I got all the favor boxes, all the centerpieces, and 2 journal type books done.  

I started work in January.  Yes, it takes quite some time to do all this.  I worked on it every Saturday until June 18, when it all was put together into the reception.

Now the reception was a bit of perfectness.  We had people attend that they had no idea about.  My dad did make me crazy the last week or so panicking about who was invited and who was not, but this is a time when he needs to learn TRUST.  It was lovely.  If you were invited and did not come, why then you missed out.

I think it turned out to be a great time.  Their song redeclaring their love for one another was just about the sweetest thing ever. 

CR84FN challenge May 8, 2011

Here is my take on the challenge this week. These were very good colors....much like the colors I use. They were sort of romantic colors so I thought it would be perfect for an anniversary card. Thanks for challenging me....LOVE IT!!! See you next week.

Get the stuff:
stamps---- cling
stickers----Westrin crafts
ink---staz on
thread---DMC
Paper---open stock from Hobby Lobby
brads----the Paper Studio
Rub ons---Making Memories and Autumn Leaves
flowers---Prima
Rhinestones---K&Co

The wedding..my take

Catherine stepped into the Bently and simply beamed. She seemed to enjoy all the crowds...holding her bouquet with one hand and waving with the other. She didn't appear to be nervous instead she seemed like normal bride giddy to start her life with her new man. She alighted at Westminster Abbey and turned to view the crowds. She was beaming with excitement but was poised as she entered the nave. The paused as spoke with clergymen and others on the carpet laid for her. Then she began her 4-minute walk down the aisle. The whole gushing with happiness. William told her she was beautiful and told her father that he thought they were going to have a small wedding. Then the service began...it was a service conducted by the church of England preachers and the Archbishop of Canterbury. A beautiful service that spoke of Cate and William's devotion to God. And that they will procreate (bets are probably being placed as to when). They then entered the chapel of Henry VII (my third fave King of England) and signed their documents. Then they left the abbey in the same carriage Diana and Charles and Andrew and Fergie used in their weddings. Both Cate and William looked happy with their lot.

We saw them alight at Buckingham and not again until they entered the balcony. They were happy with the crowd and Cate said "wow" while glimpsing the crowds. They kissed for like 2 seconds...did and then they kissed a second time. The second was better. The family left to go do their duties. Cate seemed reluctant to leave the crowds...they love her so. A wonderful wedding...glad I got up.

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Royal Pains

I am not even going to try to pretend that I don't care about the royal wedding. I, who can name all the kings and queens of England (in order) since the time of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.....LOVES everything about British Royals. I watched dear old Fergie's day of nuptial bliss and before that, I watched Chuck and Di's big day....and being a Diana freak it would be natural that I would enjoy a good day with her eldest son (and son who looks most like she).
5 am may seem kind of early to wake up to watch a wedding, but I got up at 3 am to watch Diana's funeral. Yes and to top that I had just had a baby April 30 so I had a 4-month-old baby that stayed up screaming most of the night and she and I watched the funeral "together".

I have already discovered that BBC America will be airing the entire thing and I intend to tivo it. Actually, my intention is to tivo it so that I can see my arrival in Westminster Abbey, cause you know that my invitation is coming right?

Good luck to you Kate Middleton, your life will change in just a few short days, you are going to be a princess and second in line to be the Queen of England. How Jolly. I shall have a wonderful time...cause I KNOW my invitation is coming.

That darn 7 am alarm

I do LOVE to go to bed early and rise early, everyone that knows me knows this. I do however like to get up late on the weekends. I just can't get my alarm to STOP going off on Saturday and Sundays. Now, I would probably not sleep past 7 or 8 (cause I don't do that unless I am sick), but I DON'T want to get up at 6 on a Saturday!! What can I do about this alarm? Why does the alarm feel the need to wake me from my slumber? To wake me from my sweet dreams? To wake me when I probably stayed up late last night and need that extra beauty sleep?

Callie, I understand you are bored and lonely. I understand that you are "starving to death". I understand that you miss your best friend (John)....but Callie KNOCK IT OFF!!

Callie, do you realize that if you did not consistently bite your humans they MIGHT let you sleep in the rooms with you? Do you realize that if you would quit sleeping all day and roaming all night, again your humans might let you sleep in the rooms with them?

Cat at the rate you are going, you are going to be locked up in your room on the weekends and I know you hate that. Just wait until 8am and then meow all you want. 8 am, why is that too much to ask?

Here kitty kitty

Hello all, this little blog if an ode to a very pretty cat with a big attitude. My cat was born on March 7, 2005. She was the cutest little kitten ever...sweet, loving, playful...she did not try to tear up anything in the house, she did not cause trouble of any type.
Then she grew up! She became temperamental and began to bite. She had the reputation of an evil cat, and it was well deserved. The snuggling aspect was gone, but the biting instinct became strong. So strong in fact that the cat would have a new nickname, evil cat. The evil cat would "attack" unprovoked. A human could walk by her and bam, they were attacked. A human could be cuddled up with her, simply petting her and all the sudden.....bitten again. The cat could be asleep and all the sudden wake-up and bite the human. Maybe she had seen too many vampire flicks? Maybe.

That sounds awful, oh yes it does, but that's not her worst. The worst is when a human can sleep in. How can sleeping in matter? I.still have not figured that out. The human can be sleeping, soundly and outside the humans, bedroom door comes a very loud.....MEOW! The meowing will go on, a door will be rattled, the meowing gets louder....the human awakens in a very grumpy state. Why do you meow? Why won't you tell me? You meow loudly and I can't stand it! Yes, this cat meows while you are fixing dinner, she meows when you sleep, meows when you are vacuuming...WHY CAT? No human can figure out why. No human can stand it either....help, help, help me understand. You get three square meals, sometimes more if the kids feed you. You have many great places to sleep. You have a family that would love to snuggle with you if you would not bite them. You have it all! Why are you throwing it all away? Don't you care? Don't you love your humans? Don't you? Answer me! Quit sitting there looking at me like you are so beautiful that I should ner grateful to be in your presence. I don't owe you anything! I just want you to love your humans. Stop biting them...stop waking them from their well-earned slumber...Stop it! Be a good kitty! Be a kitty that people want to love. That guest are not afraid to touch....keep these guests from even scared to enter the house! Cat, just be good!!!!

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A toilet bowl story

Today I was sitting on the couch doing my disney plans...finalizing the confirmations...and just generally being busy...and my husband comes into the living room. "Come here right now" he states in a very firm voice. Who knows what he wanted, so I ignored him. He said "come here NOW!" I get up and follow him..The bathroom door is closed. "open the door" he says. I open the door and say "what". I was thinking probably the pipes were stopped up or something. I told him that I did not see anything. He angled my head to look at the back of the toilet...on the toilet brush was a MOUSE! A mouse with very large eyes and a tail at least 5 inches long....BLAH!!! I ran to grab the camera, and he ran to grab the cat. I told him the cat could not do anything she had no claws. His reasoning was that she bites every single person, why would she not bite this thing. Well, I get the camera ready and the cat starts looking at the mouse. Interested she is...she goes up to the mouse and the mouse jumps from the brush to the plumbing pipe. They just look at each other. John threw a cup at the mouse and it started running....so did I!!! I got out of the bathroom as fast as I could. I heard all types of noise coming out of there. I opened the door at one point and saw all types of stuff all over the place. I just got tired of waiting and needed to scrapbook anyway, so I left for good. About 20 minutes later, john came out of the bathroom carrying a toilet wipe box. I asked him where the mouse was and he handed me the box. I reached for it and it moved! The stinking mouse was in that box. I grabbed the duct tape and taped it shut!!! TIGHT!!! And he placed it in the trash can. In just about 5 minutes, Emily came over and I was telling the story. Emily said, "where is the mouse?" "In the trash can" I told her. Golly gee, if that kid did not go to the trash and remove it and bring it back into my house. GET OUT OF HERE!!!! She begged her mom to take it home and her mom said no, but she did take her to a field to release it in the wild. The cat? The cat keeps going back to the bathroom, she is in mourning of her long gone friend...and if he comes back I will KILL him.