A new Blog

I have decided to dedicate this blog entirely to my artsy, crafty side. So I started another blog this week to post my rambling thoughts on. I hope you stop on over and visit and become a follower. Here's the link....see you soon.
http://eclecticmuse001.blogspot.com/

Redo of My Craft Room

This is the view as you come down the stairs to the basement. I seperated the large room into two rooms by the help of my china cabinet, the server and on the back side of these I have the hutch Dad made me and the hoosier.

As we enter the craft area you see my new craft table, thank you pinterest. I love it, my bar stools I have fit perfectly and its perfect for having everything I use regurally at my fingertips.

As we tour the room we will start on the left and continue around. This is the hutch my Dad made and I am using this to display some of my things I have made. Not much to show as I don't usually keep it all. Underneath is the most important part of the whole room....the basket of doggie toys

 In this dresser I have embossing powders, envelopes and all my ribbons. On top you will see my ink pads

 Ahh, my rubber stamps..just a few you might say. On top are my markers, spray inks, and some embellishments

In the first cabinet by the stamps I have lots more ink pads. lol Then along side that I have some canvas pieces waiting to be done. In the cabinet in the corner I have some projects to do and misc. stuff. Inside the cabinet on the right I have all my brads, eyelets, beads, misc ribbons, lace and fibers. I also have more projects waiting to be done and my chipboard

 The fireplace to keep everything cozy. Now to do something with that blank space above it

 This is all my paper, looks messy I know. But it really is organized

 In the first set of drawers I have more misc. papers and in the top is where I store my cricut cords, inks, blades,and everything for my gypsy. You can't see but my cricut mats are hung on the side of that paper unit on the left. In the next set of drawers are some of my paper scraps. In the cabinet bottom are my tooth picks, baby wipes, cotton balls, cutips, spray adhesives, yes paste, different glues, and misc supplies. On top of this cabinet are my alcohol inks, some acrylic paints, zyron sticker makers and refills, and misc stuff

 In these 12 x 12 containers I have all my cardstock scraps waiting to be cut into cricut shapes. On the right top I have many of my punches and also in the first shelf is more punches. The next shelves are lots of embellishments (all my Tim Holtz goodies :) ) and many more items

Here is my hoosier inside it on the top are all my pictures waiting to be scrapped. On top of the hoosier is my 24 in. roll of paper to cover my table when I am going to be messy. On the shelf is my library. Behind the door on the left are more pictures waiting to be scrapped. In the top drawer are more punches. The bottom two drawers are waiting for new items..:).

 

Ok my new table....in these baskets are flowers, quilling, texture stuff, tin stuff, foiling stuff, my cording and more embellishments. A girl can never have enough embellishments you know 

 My cricut spot and all the cartridiges are in the shelves underneath with room for more of course

 In this shelving unit you will find tools, my zutter, zip-e-mate (no I haven't bought a cuttlebug yet) paint brushes, click it, my story, dies and cuttlebug folders for the zip-e-mate, brad maker, a mini iron and my distress it all.

Here is where I have my artsy supplies, twinklin h2o's, radiant pearls, water color pencils, chalk pastels, everything I need to color. I also have some more tools in the bottom basket. In the top basket are things like x-acto knife, coluzzo, scrubbies, Tim Holtz tools, just tons of misc stuff. Oh I forgot to get a pic of the little drawer unit to the left of my chair that stores my tapes, glues, scissors, rulers, pop dots and stuff like that. So there you have it a tour

Zentangle Bird

I have become fascinated with "Zentangle" and have been playing with different designs. Boy do I have lots to learn. Here is a bird I had fun creating. I am hoping to get much better and do some zentangling on canvas.

Snowman Contest at Church

 Our Church is having a "Snowman" contest for the month of January. So today two of my grandkids came over to create their snowman. I gave them the base and they were very busy designing their own work of art. While they were working on theirs I created this guy. Not a keeper thats for sure....he looks like a cross between William Penn and a bird.

I was wondering what I was going to do when I spied this metal contianer sitting in a corner in my living room and I knew then that was my base. So I had bought some buffalo snow that was on clearance at Michaels for under $1.00 a bag and I made three snowballs. To hold them together I wrapped them with crochet cotton. I left tails on the biggest snowball when I made it and I took these tails and secured them down into the metal container. Then I put my second snowball on top of that one and wrap it with more crochet cotton to hold the two together. I did the same steps for the final snowball.

Well this girl needed a skirt so I took a piece of my handmade paper I had bought at Hollo's and cut it in half, ran a running stitch with thread and gathered it into a skirt. I had wrapped some drywall tape around where the snowballs meet for extra strength and this created a great base to stitich my skirt on. I then created some arms for my girl and attached them by sewing at the shoulders and then sewing the hands together.

I gathered some doilies I had in my stash to use for the top of her dress. I attached one on each shoulder and added a scrap of lace across the back. I had made some crochet borders previously and attached them down the front of her bodice. I had a little beaded piece someone had given to me and I used that as her brooch. I put some of my antique buttons in a little bag and placed that in her hands then I added a metal snowman. A friend gave me the tag with the glass bottle that has some ingredients to make a snowman and I put that in place in her hands.

For her hat I gathered a round lace doiley and glued that on top of her head. I took a paper doiley folder it in half, and then took three more folded them in half and pleated them and attached them on top of the first doiley. This I placed on the front of her hat with a crochet flower I had made a while ago.

 On the back of her hat I added some more crocheted flowers. For her eyes I glued on some buttons and glued on some fibers for eyebrows. I created a carrot for her nose out of paper and use some beads I had for a mouth. I also found in my stash a quilled snowflake I attached to the bottom edge of the front of her skirt.

Here she is already for the contest. Now to come up with a name for her. I am thinking something with a southern belle feel to it. Any ideas?

Printer Tray Message Center

It was an absolutely beautiful day here for January 6th. We had temps way up in the 40's, the sun was shining and the air was still. Perfect!! After work I decided that the best way for me to enjoy the rest of my day was to take a shopping trip. I didn't get out for the earlier after Christmas sales so I thought I would see if there was anything left out there. I was pleasantly surprise to find several items....I wanted to decorate all of my fences next year in doing so I would need 8 more strings of garland. Ahh I found them for $2.00 a piece ...that was a great deal. Then for my next store I found a beautiful poinsettia for at work next year. My final store had some things on sale that I decided would make a great birthday gift for my sister, and also a tin chalk board for my kitchen wall. So all in all it was a very productive shopping trip. So there went my plans to get some crafting time in today. I will get up early in the morning to get my layout done for "Faithbooking" I have a plan for that and so it should go well. I will post it tomorrow night (hopefully) for you.

I did get the tray to make this Printer Tray project. I am very excited to get started with this. Maybe you would like to make one to and send me a picture to include with mine when I post it.

Good day

I spent about 4 hours in my studio today, it felt so good. I did a layout in an altered book that is way over due to a group member, and I did a niche in an altered book again its way over due. It felt good to get these two projects done. Tomorrow I am going to get a layout done for the "Faith booking" group that meets at our Church. Last month we did a family page and this month I am going to do a matching page for the 2 page layout. I will post for you tomorrow night both of those pages.  I hope your day was as productive as mine.

2012

That's IT!!!!
I need to take charge of my life....I think I have just been floating by. I miss my artsy fartsy time and I am determined to gain it back. So now I have said it and u have heard it.....lets begin.
I have discovered "Pinterest" and I believe it has become my inspiration. I see all the wonderful projects that r being done and I am feeling inspired to take them and make them my own. Most of my creativity has been used doing bulletin boards, and although they r fun, they r only using the very basic creative juices that I have. So its time to become reacquainted with my studio and see just what can become of all those built up dreams and possiblities and let them soar into something materialistic. My goal is to have something new each week for u to start with and then lets see if we can get a couple projects a week going.
Not only have I missed my time in my studio but I have missed sharing with you and you with me. I pray u r still there.....let us begin on another journey together....an altered journey. See u soon.

Faith Album "Born Again"

This is our next page in our Faith Album. We will be working on this on Saturday, May 6, 2011 @ 10:00 a.m. Everyone is welcome to join us, I just need to know you are comig so I have enough kits made up. You will need to bring a wallet size ink jet photo of yourself with you. The technique you will learn is how to create a transfer from a photo. Hope to see you.

Faith Album

On Saturday,March 5, 2011 @ 10:00 a.m. we will begin our "Faith Journey" at the Lander United Methodist Church with an introduction to what this group is all about. You won't need to bring anything to this meeting.

This page is a sample of what you will do at the April meeting. So you will need to bring a baby picture of yourself and a basic papercrafting kit. This kit should include: a paper cutter, tape, glue, journaling pen (I  have used a black and white on this page) and if you like to ink your pages then a pink ink pad.  ( I used colorbox chalk pink pastel)

On the tag I will include some birth information of myself.  Hope to see you there.

Altered Book Round Robin 2011



back cover



front cover



This year for my Round Robin Altered Book, I decided to use the title "Baby". I am hoping to see all of the ladies put in a baby picture of themselves, a little about them as a baby, and of course their artistic altered abilities.





To begin with I covered the outside of my book with gesso, two layers is what it took to successfully coat the black cover that was on here. Then I used colorbox chalk chestnut roan ink pad to  accent the edges of the book. The papers I used are from "My Mind's Eye" and the lace was a piece I received in a blog hop last year. I just love this large piece of lace and it fit perfectly across the front and continuing around to the back of my book. These were all adhered with mod podge. The label was created with my cricut and the lacy labels cartridge. I also cut out "Baby" with my cricut and I should have written down what cartridge I used because now I don't remember. Sorry.  The ribbon on the back of the book is from "My Minds Eye" and the lace was just a piece I had in my stash left over from another project. The little picture of the babies is from memoriesinthemaking A.T.C. Collection paper pad pack "Babies and Children" .



right side of sign in page

 

left side sign in page

For our books we are to have a sign in page where each artist is to date and sign their name.  For mine I preped it the same as for the front with two layers of gesso and used the same paper line by "My Minds Eye". I also used the same chestnut roan ink for ageing the edges. The beads are from Recollection and the bottles I made with my cricut imagine and the nursery rhymes cartridge. The ribbon is also from "My Minds Eye". The brads I made with bazzill cardstock and my i-top brad maker by Imaginesce. The pearl beads are by Recollections. Pretty simple layout.

 



left side of first layout

I prepared the pages of my layout with gesso and applied my papers with mod podge the same as I had done on the sign in page. I also inked up the edges with chestnut roan ink. The papers I used for this layout are from a $5.00 paper pack I bought at Wal Mart by Colorbok and its called "Earth Tone Florals". I thought it was a very pretty pack. The chipboard piece is from my stash and I liked the color it was so I just highlighted the embossed areas with my chestnut roan ink. The crocheted border is one I made, I need to get busy and make more this was my last piece. :(  You might remember the mailbox letters by Making Memories form awhile back that I used to spell out the word "Baby".

right side of first layout page

The baby picture is me....I used to be so cute! The brown ribbon is by Bazzill and the green ribbon is from Offray. The lace is just some from my stash. The bottles are from the imagine nursery rhymes cartridge and the little kids are from A Child's Year cricut cartridge. The bottles are helded together with a large bazzill brad so that they swivel out. I have included some info about me on these bottles. We are to use a technique on our page and these swivel bottles is mine.

My book will leave my hands on March 5th and start its Round Robin journey and I won't see it again until its all finished. I am excited to get it back and am also excited to see what the other ladies have come up with. I also look forward to the challenge that each book will present to me. In about 4 months I will post for you what everyone did in my book.
Enjoy!!



Round Robin Art Journal

My Journal for the Round Robin Art Journal Group

I belong to a group of ladies who have formed together to do a round robin art journal. Starting this month we are to create our journal and then post in it several times throughout the month. Including with our journaling we are hoping to add some art work ie: photos, doodling, clippings from magazines, newspaper etc, some inking, whatever we may feel led to do with each days posting. Then in March we will begin the round robin, each of us taking turns journaling in each others journal until we have gone a complete circle. Through this we are hoping to share some ideas and get to know each other a little better and just to have fun.

I found this pretty pink and green journal in Wal Mart and knew that it was just what I wanted for my journal. I had a piece of this green scrapbook paper from Creative Imaginations that matched perfectly. I cut a section of it and inked up the edges with my Tim Holtz ink applicator and color box black chalk ink. I cut a piece of white scrapbook paper to use as a frame and inked that also. I wasn't thinking ahead and used tape to attach the two pieces. Well as you can see that presented a problem when I decided to mod podge the front of my journal to help preserve it. It bubbled, I am hoping to be able to lift the green paper in spots and reapply it with some mod podge. We shall see how that works for me. lol. The white trim and black ribbon was some that was given to me in a blog hop. The large white flower was one I crocheted and the little lace flowers, well I just can't remember where I bought those. The little paper flowers were some left over from another project and the bling swirl is from Recollections. The word "journal" I cut with my cricut and used the gypsy font. The stamping was done with versamark and white embossing powder. The stamp set is # 50388 Boutique Grunge from Inque Boutique which I purchased from Pat Catan's . The white textured piece behind the white cardstock is drywall tape. The black scalloped was cut on the cricut using the Lacy Labels cartridge.

 So let the journaling begin......

New Groups

Good Morning All,

Finally I am getting my act together and am going to get the new groups up and running. This year I am bringing back a favorite, birthday club, and adding a new one, Round robin Journal.

First up: Round Robin Altered Book

For those who haven't done one of these before this is how it works; You will supply your own book (a sewn binding is best) and to start you will do the front and back, inside sign in page and the first layout. Then each month your book will be passed along and you will receive some one in the clubs book along with a theme. You will have one month to do the two page spread and bring it back for the next month. At the end of the cycle your book will be returned to you as a finished book.

Second up: Trading Cards

You will create a work of art on a 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" card for every member of the group with the theme provided. You will mail these out monthly to the group members.

Third up: Birthday Club

A list will be compiled with members who would like to share birthday cards. In previous years these have been handmade cards, this isn't a requirement this year, although handmade is most pleasant to receive. You will be require to send out birthday cards to every one in the club.

Fourth up: Round Robin Journal

This is a so cool one I seen a group doing and I thought we should give it a try. You create your journal in any style you choose. For the first month you will write in your journal as many times as you feel led too. The next month will start the round robin and your journal will be on its journey around the group. In the journal you receive you will be expected to post as many times as you feel led too sharing thoughts, ideas, and inspiration. Please feel free to add doodling and any form of art work to make your posts pleasing to the reader. It is in hopes that though this journal we will all become closer and more in tune with each other.

Fifth up: Faithbooking

OH my gosh I am way excited about this one. You will start a scrapbook....your choice size, design, everything about it is yours. Each month we will get together and discuss our month and create a scrapbook page around one of the scriptures that spoke to us this last month. In doing so , I am hoping we will all draw closer to God and to each other.

Anyone may join these groups, if you are a long distant member you will just have to mail the books etc. Please take your commitment seriously, if you plan on starting please plan on finishing. I know how hard it is sometimes to keep up ( as I am behind myself in last years trading cards, they will be coming ladies very soon) if you fall behind please make it a priority to get caught up.
ok enough said....please email me with your desire to join all or any of the groups. I will then decide on a date for all of us to meet and get started.

Waiting anxiously to hear from you,

love

Bev

A Sad Day

I remember 12 years ago Joe and I went to Clarion with my little pigmy buck, Leon, to get him a mate. Leon rode very nicely between us in the front seat of the truck, he was approx 1 year old. When we got to Clarion at the farm, I picked out this very cute little black doe named Lena and she was to become Leon's lifetime mate. All the way home from Clarion, Leon kept butting Lena and they continued that social contact all through out their lives.My granddaugher Kara was 1 yr old when Lena had her first babies and it was a set of triplets. Clay helped me name them. We enjoyed so many moments with these two goats, pygmy's are very comical. Lena had seveal babies in her lifetime but only this one set of triplets. I remember one hot summer day and the poor girl was due to have her babies, she was sooooo big and I could tell very uncomfortable. So....I let her come in the house and sit in the corner of the kitchen under the fan. She was pleased as all get out. We had quite the conversation that day while she rested and I cooked. When Lena was approx 3 yrs old I got a minnie aussie puppy, named Karli. Well being the herder that they are ,she (Karli) was sure she was going to herd this goat. I would have the goats come down to the house with their babies and play on the porch and Karli thought they belonged back at the barn. Well dear sweet Lena was not going to have any of that. She took only so much of Karli's insistant barking at her and then Lena put Karli in her place. A couple of years after Clay and Kara moved back from SC, I gave Leon to Clay and Lena to Kara. Today was a sad day, when Holly went to the goat barn to feed them this morning, she discovered Lena was in distress, so she called me. I was headed back down her to SR to watch the kids for the week while their sister is in the hospital, so I went over to see Lena before I left. The poor girl was in so much discomfort and I knew that this certainly was not the way for her to live. My dear sweet Lena, I will remember you forever and look forward to seeing you again in heaven.
When I get back home I will post pics of Lena.

A little 3 year old.....

I picked up my 3yr old grandson from preschool:

Me: Hi Cedric, I heard you practicing your music for the program on sunday. It sounds really nice.
Cedric: I am not going to be a turkey!!
me: oh....well you would make a cute turkey.
Cedric: but I am not going to be a turkey.
...me: why not I would love to see you be a turkey.
Cedric: nope!!!

me: but its thanksgiving and the songs are so cute.
Cedric: if they make me be a turkey I am going to "FREAK OUT"
ok then I will just let this go and let the teachers and his mom handle it.
...I have seen little kids "Freak Out" and its not pretty.

Create-a-Critter Turkey

I fell in love with the Create-a-Critter cartridge as soon as it came out, but waited until it was on sale to buy it. I was so happy participate in the Black Friday sale that cricutmachine.com was having.

I cut my turkey out at 5.5 inches and used the Imagine More Cartridge for all my colors. I added stickles to the feathers, crystal lacquer to the comb, beak, and feet. I did my stitching with my white signo pen and used pop up dots to add some dimension. For the eyes I glued on some wiggle eyes, and I also added some black buttons to his vest. Hope you enjoy him as much as I do.  

check out this giveaway....

DCWV is giving away paper that measures 12" x 24" great for our Cricut. Check it out here.
http://dcwvinc.blogspot.com/2010/10/say-what-giveaway-today.html#comments

http://www.mypinkstamper.com/2010/10/dcwv-12-x-24-paper-stacks.html