Carl Sings His Way into My Heart

My sister gave me a planner this weekend. Not that I'm going to  use it as a planner. I just can't get enough journals - gratitude, travel, spiritual, creative, art - I even have a journal just for  random lists! Today's project is going to be an art journal. I was inspired by Carl, a digital character from Scribbles Designs. I love Carl, and have many of his images in all sorts of moods and actions. It's like he's my favorite model.
Right now he's singing me a song of inspiration. I have a bucket of Washi tape, and haven't used some in a long time, so his song stirred my need to put the tape to good use. First, I covered the cover with diagonal strips. Then I followed a tutorial to create feathers from Washi tape, which I placed at the top of my cover, and added a button to the trio which reads, "Be the change you want to see in the world." (Really, it's a wonder what I can find now that I've organized and labeled my craft supplies!)
I finished off the  cover with my name, my Muse (Carl, of course, colored with Copics and colored pencils), and then added some lace, leather beads and baubles to the spine. I couldn't wait to dig into the journal and have filled two pages already!

A Place to Start- Create your own Background

Use Your Stuff- Patterns

More than Words - Funny & Stripes

Birthday Card for My Little Sister

I created a birthday card this month for my sister. She is the youngest of three (yes, I'm the oldest). In the last few years,we have grown so much closer. Between losing my husband, and mom moving in with her, we have reached out to each other for support, advice, help, hugs, shoulders to cry on and laughter breaks.
Although I have a shoe box full of cards already made, she deserves a brand new card. I colored an image from Scribbles Designs, actually, several images, that I've put together before. I just love the combination of the birthday greeting and the cake with my favorite characters from the Scribbles Store.
Since doing a MAJOR clean-out of my craft supplies, including papers, I still have a box or four of leftovers. I decided to make my card with just the supplies in the box. You may just see more cards using supplies that are "out of the box".  For example, the red paper framing my patterned paper has a big hole it it, which is covered up by my Scribbles image.
Anyway, enjoy the nicer weather!

Scribbles Designs Images used:

 #966 CP Layer Cake 2 , 

#F 61 Happy Birthday (Free),

#837 MoVember Boys 

Fluff or Feathers

This month the Path of Positivity challenge blog offers an optional theme of Furry and/or Feathered friends. I was inspired to make this card for my granddaughter.  She lives in Florida, and when I went down to visit her and the rest of the family earlier this year, I discovered she had a hedgehog for a pet! My daughter is envious. She would love one, but we already have a senior dog who needs lots of love and attention, so she’s had to shelve that dream for now. And, to be fair, the llama is there because it is my spirit animal...

I used Copics to color an image from Oddball Art Company. It’s from their (free) newsletter subscription. Every month you get a Creepy Cute Chronicles free digital image in your email, along with access to inspiration and tutorials. This digi is from CCC#42.
So, my card is a hybrid, mixing the hand-colored image with the tools in Photoshop to pop him onto a photo I took last summer at my trailer. Then I printed it out and embellished it. I think my card really ties in with how we're all feeling at this time. Social distancing means less physical hugs, and my hedgehog has enough problems with hugs as it is! 
It also is a reminder that many people are scared or "prickly" due to the pressures brought on by these historic times. Just because someone is cranky, doesn't mean they are always cranky. Give them something to lift their spirits, or  at least wish their families good health.
Meanwhile, you can visit the Path of Positivity challenge blog for a bit of acknowledgment, encouragement, inspiration, or maybe just something pretty to look at. The theme of Feathery or Furry Friends is an optional one, but here are the rules:

In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, your projects/posts must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Prizes this month include:

• A $10 gift certificate from Oddball Art, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
• ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

Stay healthy, and happy crafting!

Playing Cat & Mouse

Today was a lazy day for me.I woke up late, got my laundry finished early, and got to craft while my dog napped and my daughter was at work. I lugged my box of stones and sea glass up from the basement (may I say that now that I've organized most of my  craft supplies it's been heavenly to be able to find the things I want almost immediately), pulled out my bag of watercolor supplies and grabbed my heat gun.
I planned on making a couple framed rock art pieces,and my project is one of them. I water colored the background, using the Quartz color scheme that is offered at Ike's World Challenge Blog

Then I poured out my bags of rocks and stones and was inspired by the shapes to create this cozy scene. I love that cat and mouse can enjoy a friendly nap together in peace. I don't know if you would call this an assemblage or mixed media. I call it finished and it's going on my wall.

Challenges I am Entering:

Ike's World Challenge Blog - see palette above

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything w/a critter goes  

Bleeding Art - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes

Show Us Your Pussycats - Furrything Goes 

12 months of xmas

Today's card is a DT make for the 12 months of Christmas Challenge Blog. This month's guest sponsor is Ike's Art,and I have colored an Ike's Art digi image called "High Five". I added the Santa hat to make him more merry, and created a scene using papers from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.The sentiment is also from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles.
Doesn't he look like the part of Santa's helper? He's ready to give out those presents! If you haven't done so already, now's a good tie to start your Christmas card stash.After all, the year is almost half over! And if you create 2 cards a month and link them to the 12 Months of Christmas blog, you'll receive a free digi holiday paper. You will also be put into a drawing for prizes from our guest sponsor and our regular sponsor, Scribbles Designs.
I'm looking forward to seeing your cards at the 12 Months of Christmas blog. Happy crafting!
Ike's Art High Five image
DDD Papers from: Snowy Bokeh Trees Backgrounds in blue, Grungy Christmas in yellow,
DDD Sentiment "From our Home to Yours"

Challenges I am Entering:

Merry Little Christmas - Anything Goes

I Love (Virtual) Cats

I do love cats, real cats, but they don't like me. At least, they don't like my sinuses. I'm allergic to them. So this is unfortunately as near as I can get to these cute bundles of furry love. And my card today features an Ike's Art digi image called Chillin'.
I colored this precious puss with Copics and fussy cut her to pop her onto my background. I created the background with three patterned papers and a strip of ribbon. I have been de-cluttering my craft stash and all unorganized supplies have been going into a box. I am creating cards and projects from this box only, and this is my newest "use your stash" creation.
My sentiment is a two-parter; here's the second (inside) part:

I think that I am part cat! How about you? LOL
I am entering the following challenges:

Show Us Your Pussycats - Anything Goes

Ike's World Challenge Blog - Anything Goes (and a belated Happy Birthday, Ike!)

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Anything w/a Critter Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything Goes w/an Animal

A day at the Beach

I decided to try my hand at another shadow box,and surprise, surprise, it isn't a Halloween or Christmas one. After spending a week with my son and his family in Florida last January, I was inspired to create a beach-themed shadow box.

I first painted a glass-covered shadow box a warm sea green, inside and out. Instead of using images or a poster, I painted the background with acrylic paints. It was my first attempt at painting waves, and I think I did a band-up job. I used a photo of a sailboat, cutting its shape out about 4 times to give it dimension (out of dimensional tape). With the sky and the sea done, I used a mix of sand and white glue to create the beach, both on the back and bottom of the box.

Then the real fun began. I had a collection of seashells, some aquarium gravel and bits and pieces of leaves and flowers.

The palm tree is made out of a piece of paper grocery bag that I twisted and then painted before placing  in one corner. The palms are from a dollar store bunch of greenery.

I used shells to create a small sea creature.  I was going for crab, but he looks more like a shy turtle.  I lucked out on finding a skeleton of a crab, pictured above the shells at the water line.

On the other side, I made a small oyster with a pearl hiding inside. adding flowers and an engraved polished stone.

Here's the finished shadow box with the glass cover closed. I'm very happy with it, and sent it down to my daughter-in-law for a keepsake of  my visit.

Challenges I am entering:

Bleeding Art- AG with mixed  media, assemblage etc.

Your Scrapbook Place - Anything goes

Didn't Frog-get my Sister's Birthday

With the stay-at-home order in Illinois, celebrating birthdays is difficult --unless you have inspiration from Bugaboo Stamps!! My sister is just 6 blocks away from where I live, but we couldn't celebrate her birthday "together", so I used a digital image from Bugaboo called AKV Frog to show her we didn't frog-get her special day.

I printed several copies of this little hopper in different colors, cut out and laminated them (just in case it rained). My daughter and I taped wooden skewers to each and "planted" them in her front yard.

I also made a small poster telling her we didn't frog-get her, as well as a larger one wishing her a Hoppy Birthday. We did all this while she unsuspectingly sat a her kitchen table having a late breakfast. When we finished decorating her yard, we rang the doorbell and knocked hard on her door to get her attention.

She was very happy to see our work. as well as us (at a socially acceptable distance). One of her neighbors came out of her house across from my sister and yelled out birthday greetings to her while we were there.
This week Catch the Bug challenge blog offers an Anything Goes theme. You still have a couple days to join in the fun!

2nd Patio Table

I finally put the last coat of varnish on the second patio table top. I created the design using fluid acrylic paint pour. I decided to add a little sparkle by adding glitter on a few choice areas like the one below

Here are both my tables, curbside freebies that were rusted black wrought iron and tiled mosaic tops, now brought into the 21st century. They are the last items I'm packing in my car when I drive out to open my "cabin in the woods" for the season (depending on the stay-at-home orders). Can't wait to get out there and relax.

Challenges I am Entering:

Creatalicious Challenges - Anything Goes with optional add Sparkle

Get Creative -  Make It Sparkly

Let's Paint the Town Red (and other assorted colors)

I got out my paints today and not only painted my 2nd patio table top, but created three canvases with the leftover paint. My kitchen table is covered with drying projects, so tonight we are eating supper in the living room. I should be able to finish putting the gloss varnish coats on them all by day end tomorrow.

I wanted to show you two of the extra canvases. With me, fluid acrylic painting is like proving the theory of chaos. No two paintings are the same, and depending on if you pour or dump your paint, you get some very different results.

Here is a  small 8x8 inch stretched canvas using the leftovers paints from my table top (I'll show that photo to you when I've finished varnishing it and put it back on its legs). I like the smooth flow of colors it presented. My daughter liked it so much she took possession of it and it will be hanging in her room soon.

The one above is from the same cup of paint!! Totally different outcome-where are the rest of the colors?! I think I didn't mix my paints and my pouring medium and water in the same ratios for every color. That's where the imbalance of colors ran off to.
Either way, I like my canvases, as well as my new table top. I'll post it, alongside its (unmatching) mate, another time. For now, happy crafting!