Just Checking In on the Upcoming Holidays

 

 Today I am thankful for all the creative people who share their love of color, crafting, technique, styles and advice to the blogging world. Since I started blogging, my artistic world has opened more doors than I ever could have imagined. 

I've learned a hundred ways to make cards, how to water color without making the colors become a muddy mess, that I cannot tie knots and macrame to save my life, and that my psychological allergy to flower drawing, painting and arranging has disappeared. I started making jewelry and after a few sales and another 50 pairs of earrings still available, I sold/gave away almost all my jewelry supplies and tools, finished two art journals and started a third, hit Joann's and Hobby Lobby and bought enough floral to change out my deck decor all year 'round. I'm still painting small figures like frogs and birds for my gardens, make and give neighbors Thanksgiving and Christmas gifts of appreciation, and dug up my new (to me) sewing machine, having gathered lots of quilting mags throughout the year.

I have learned and grown and sometimes improved on my skills, and now the month of November is upon us, with all its promise of change and blessings and gratitude. So thank you all for a wonderfully artistic, crafty and creative year!! I think the poem above says it just as well...

Almost Got a Full Box of Birthday Cards Now

 

Getting close to another year over. I know my box of birthday cards id filled to the brim again. I got smart this year and every time I finished a card, I put the envie with it so people browsing my collection could pluck one out of the box and I wouldn't have to hunt for an envelope that fit.

I created this one with a pre-cut card base, covering the front with DP The sentiment is from Squigglefly, and reads "It's a Big Dill" on the inside". I know, where's the pickle to go with the pun. I just thought it worked with the ageless beauty of the women on my card face. 

CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING:

Another Halloween, Another Bit of Outdoor Decor

 

Today I wanted to showcased my newest front deck Halloween decor. A little history first...

A month or two after last Christmas, I went to HobbyLobby to check out the Christmas clearance sales. They were discounted about 60% and I bought a few nice items for which I couldn't have paid full price.  While my girlfriend continued in the Christmas clearance section, I wandered around the store and came upon FALL/Halloween clearanced items. Imagine my surprise that the store had some left and they were 90% off!!

There were five wooden pumpkin stack signs, unpainted and lonely. I convinced my friend that I could paint her wooden sign to paint and give the pumpkins dimension. When I brought it to her house, she loved it. Of course, while she bought ONE sign, I purchased the other four. They rang up at $1.49!!

I painted one just like hers, except I made them into jack-o-lanterns. I think I did a pretty good job, too. So I started a second one. This time I painted them in a rainbow of colors. On them all, I used spray paint; two were painted in various shades of orange and brown, and the third was spray-painted with leftover cans of blue, purple pink and orange.

I drew their silly faces with Posca paint markers to make them all kid-friendly. To finish them off, I sealed them with Clear Gloss Varnish. If I get to the other two signs, I'll have make a run to WalMart or Menards for more cans...

I'll be putting them out at the ends of my deck posts, inviting trick-or-treaters to step up and grab a treat. For older kids, I have stacks of trading card sets to choose from (another "inherited" stash from my mom's passing. I tell the kids if they're not interested in them, give them to their parents. They WILL be,,,

Happy Halloween crafting to all!!

Super Easy Halloween Craft Project

 

After my Gram passed and we finally got around to cleaning out and selling her house, I had a collection of some of her framed prints of famous paintings. Today, I gave two pf her art pieces a Halloween makeover. This a quick and easy craft project I wanted to share with you...

My print is one of Gainsborough's well-known paintings, Blue Boy. I surfed the web for a nice but grisly new face for my Boy and found one with Google free clipart. I just adjusted the size of his head to keep it in proportion with his body before printing.

I used Mod Podge to attach the new head onto the print and let it dry. Then I used Posca markers to better match the coloring of his clothes while bringing out the depth of the colors. I sealed my new Halloween art piece with Gloss Varnish and reattached it to the frame.

  

I couldn't be happier, and it took so little time that I grabbed another of Gram's prints to make a second one. This time I played with Pinky by Lawrence. After finding and sizing the perfect gruesome face, I adhered it onto the print. I used Copics to brighten up the pastel tones of this painting, then sealed it and put it back in its frame.

So now when visitors come to the door (or come inside, they can see my little Halloween Art Gallery. I'm a tad behind on my holiday decorating, as I had to make an emergency trip to take care of my SIL, whose pain after surgery wasn't being managed properly. She lives in Phoenix and I packed my swimsuit and snorkel mask, hoping for a few laps in her backyard pool. But alas, Phoenix was enjoying a week of rain from the hurricane wetness of the hurricane to the south. It rained 3.5", more than they get in the monsoon weather! 

When I came back to Chicagoland, they were enjoying their rainy but warm Indian Summer. The weather has now turned cooler, almost proper October weather. I just hope it doesn't snow on Halloween like it did last year!! LOL 

Enjoy the Autumn holiday!!

 

Enjoying Life One Celebration at a Time

 My card today features a Bugaboo image. I believe this is Sweet Dottie. I used a DP with roses on the cut-out front of my card, and covered the inside of the card with shimmery pink paper. My image is colored with Copics, taking inspiration from YouTube's Mariah Elizabeth by coloring tiny sprinkles in the cupcake's frosting.  

The greeting above her head is embossed on a punched circle, and I added a few black adhesive-backed jewels for embellishment. The card's inside reads, "Have a sweet birthday". 

Just boo-tiful vibes all day.

Just finished a very busy summer of traveling. I visited my SIL and her wife in June/July. Phenix is hot, but it's true what they say, "It's a dry heat." Of course, their pool helped when the temps went above 110 degrees...

I also spent three weeks visiting my sister and her hubby in Germany. They live in Dusseldorf, and while there, we took a few side trips. One of them was Amsterdam. I'll have to share some pics from my travels later this month.

Meanwhile, it's time to celebrate the Spooky Days of Halloween. Today I found a pad of black cardstock paper and whipped out my white gel pen. Since Halloween is coming up, the ghosts are causing traffic jams almost every night...

Expect more throughout the month, even though my sis and her plus-one have been visiting me for the last three weeks in Chicago. Never a dull moment (and today is her birthday)!! Happy birthday, sis!!

Welcome to the Spookiest Month of the Year

 October is finally here, and my house is nothing but Halloween crafts, supplies, wall decor, shadow boxes, artwork, sentiments, decoration--you name it, I have it!! Today's card features an unidentified image called Betelgeuse. Although I've had this digital stamp for a few years, I believe it's the first time I've used it. I'm discovering a lot of unused craft supplies in my yearlong decluttering and organizing. 

I used leftover papers from a Halloween paper stack and leftover trim from a crafting friend, Holley Barnhart. The EEK! sentiment and the tombstone reading MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM are from the same paper stack. I found a pack of plastic spiders so one could hang from the big guy's hand.

I have a nice thick stack of Halloween cards I'll be giving to friends and neighbors this month along with a little handmade item or snack. I usually do this on either Halloween or Christmas. Last year I made Charcouterie boards with cheese and a Halloween spreader and napkin for my neighbors. I haven't decided what to make this year. Maybe I'll just do Thanksgiving and Christmas...

I also make special goodie bags for my neighbors' children. Last year the bags were filled with candy and trading cards. I better get on that because I haven't thought of what to do this year... I hope you are ready for my favorite holiday--Is it yours too?

CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING: