Becoming Me

Tiny adorable printer ?? Yes please :)

2011-11-30T10:55:00.000-08:00

Hello Little Printer, available 2012 from BERG on Vimeo.

I am a little more than excited about this new invention .. and I can see myself printing out all sorts of sute things for my scrapbooks, smashbooks, and more . Here is a bit more about it from their website :
It's a tiny little device that sits in your home, bringing you information from the web. You hook it up with a wireless connection, and then use your phone to configure what sources of content you like to receive -- that can be news, pictures, puzzles, gossip from your friends, weather updates, calendar notifications, horoscopes, birthday reminders, a "word of a day" and all kinds of other things. You can also send messages to friends' printers.
When you press the button on top, the printer will gather up all the information that it has received and print it out into a miniature newspaper. You can do it as often a you like, but Berg suggests once or twice a day is probably best. You can see the little thing in action in the following video, and the concept appears to have been in the works for nearly six years, at least.

To read more or to join their mailing list so that you are kept in the know about it's release date, etc go here
http://bergcloud.com/

And I know I have been neglecting my little blog the past week but with the holidays and work I just have not had much time to catch my breath so I hope to rectify that this coming week ! I am trying to get my December Daily started .. and since December starts tomorrow it looks like it will be a little late in getting done but that's ok . I think I am going to make it more of a December moments to remember kind of book .. we have quite a few fun outings planed for this month ... New York to see the tree at Rockefeller Center , Peddler's Village (a quaint little shopping area that goes all out with pretty lights and festive decorations) and a cool place called Grounds for Sculpture that is a winter wonderland of lights and all things holiday ! So there will be plenty of pictures to be shared in the next few weeks.

I also have a couple more things that I will be adding to my etsy shop and I should have a post about those coming later today. Hope you will stop by and see them !

Crafting Mojo

2011-11-14T22:22:00.000-08:00

After an amazing weekend with wonderful friends .. delicious food .. yummy cupcakes and tons of laughter I am still a little whooped . I think I would sleep for the next 24 hours if I could !

Here is some Instagram photo fun from our NYC adventures ...

The first 3 are from Central Park .. it was a gorgeous day .. warm and sunny .. a perfect day for a little stroll.

The next picture is from Crumbs Bake Shoppe..so many different flavors of cupcakes .. so yummy!

I am going to be making a mini scrapbook from the all of the photos I took . I used postal pix to have them printed and mailed to me . It's a great little app for the Iphone and the printing / mailing is decently priced !

I spent a good part of today in my studio .. and here is what I made ...

More Christmas goodies for my etsy shoppe ! They were lots of fun to make and would look adorable on a mantel or table . I used styrofoam cones , different colored yarns, and pretty colored sparkly embellishments .

I still need to get back to work on my Treehouse Sketchbook .. hopefully tomorrow will be the day!

So... who else is looking forward to Breaking Dawn this weekend and The Muppets on Thanksgiving ?!

The beauty of Fall

2011-11-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

I took this photo after leaving work yesterday. November has been absolutely gorgeous here so far .. we have been in the 60's and low 70's for temps . The gorgeous colors are in full bloom .. but I know it is only temporary since winter will be coming through before we know it . So I will enjoy the beauty of these days for as long as Mother Nature wants to give them to us :)

I am totally in love with my Instagram app on my Iphone .. it takes the most beautiful pictures . I actually can see myself using it more than my digital camera !

It's November ... already ?!

2011-11-06T22:46:00.000-08:00

Halloween has come and gone .. the clocks have been turned back ..I swear there was a time warp somewhere in there ! It's so hard to believe that it is November already .. only 12 more school days till the Thanksgiving Holiday break . The malls have already begun decorating for the holidays and Santa's arrival . I remember when they used to wait until after Thanksgiving to put up his little wonderland where the kids can sit on his lap and have their picture taken. We were at the mall this weekend and Santa himself wasn't there but his wonderland was ! Decorating won't be happening here until after Thanksgiving - I usually do it that weekend after the excitement of Black Friday shopping ... yes .. I am one of those people amongst the crowds seeking out good deals and trying to get much of my shopping done. It's a fun tradition that we have been doing since Jess was a baby .. but we don't get too crazy.. I do sleep in till 10:00 am :)

So, I finally had some time to create some holiday goodies this weekend . I wanted to get a head start on adding things to my etsy shoppe so these items will be uploaded sometime tonight !

First I made these fun little block photo holders ... I plan on making all sorts of designs with these for those who want to use them during the rest of the year and not just during the holidays .

These photos are in various stages of creating them ..

And here they are all ready to go !

I also made a set of tags with some new papers and stamps that I bought a little while ago . I adhered patterned paper to manila tags to make them more sturdy ..

I decided to use raffia instead of ribbon for a more festive touch !

I need to work on more pages for the Sketchbook Project so I will be doing that the rest of the week. I would love to have it finished before the weekend so I can do some other fun Christmas projects . Here is a peek at the materials I will be using ..

And I am excitedly looking forward to next weekend because a few friends and I are heading to NYC for an overnight girl's trip ! I am hoping we get to do Top of the Rockefeller .. have always wanted to do it and just never gotten around to it . Of course eating, shopping and just good old girlie time will take place too ! I finally got an Iphone and downloaded the Instagram app as soon as it was in my hands..lol.. ! I think it is the main reason I love the phone so much .. well .. that and Itunes :) So I plan on taking mucho pictures our our fun times and will be sure to share them here !

Creatively Made .. a beautiful art journey

2011-11-04T22:56:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard Jeanne Oliver will be kicking off 2012 with an amazing E-Course called Creatively Made.

Just reading the details of this online journey make me wish 2012 was already here !

If you want to nourish your soul and give yourself a kickstart to 2012 read more details and how to sign up on Jeanine's blog !

A FABULOUS December Daily giveaway!!

2011-11-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

Ali Edwards and Studio Calico have teamed up and created a super-awesome kit to make it fun and easy when creating your December Daily Album. I have been wanting to do one of these for awhile and I am hoping to make it happen this year !

You can win this amazing kit on Elizabeth Kartchner's beautiful blog .. love this girl's creations ! So come check out her blog .. and see how you can win this great kit !!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!

2011-10-31T17:32:00.000-07:00

Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen,
Voices whisper in the trees, "Tonight is Halloween!" ~Dexter Kozen

Dreaming Trees

2011-10-28T22:47:00.000-07:00

I just may get this sketchbook book done much sooner than I thought .. we are supposed to get a Noreaster here tomorrow .. I am still like whhhhaaaaat ??!! It is only October !! If you couldn't already tell I am not a fan of the wet stuff .. the cold .. winter in general ..lol... I seriously think I was born in the wrong state . I definitely belong in a much warmer climate . California would be my first choice ! Hopefully one day my family can uproot and make a new home in the sunny city of San Diego but until then I must deal with the my not so favorite season.

Here are the next two layouts of my sketchbook :

And speaking of trees .. if money grew on them I would be buying these things :

I am in serious want of this beautiful contraption .. but at $299.00 it will be quite awhile before I get one.

These adorable mini envies from vintage papers and such .. amazing price too from Nouveau Nancy

This stunning and very unique sterling cuff .. so gorgeous .. from Spoonier

I can't begin to tell you how much I have fallen in love with the quirky black cat necklace and this beautiful Dia De Los Muertos ring from Kasket Kustoms.

Maybe I can treat myself to at least one of those things .. excluding the Cameo that is !

A Tree House .. A Free House ..

2011-10-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

I am excited to say that I have finally started on my Sketchbook Project .. I only received it in the beginning of the summer ! I think part of the reason it has taken me this long to get started is the theme that I chose. I saw Treehouse and was immediately drawn to it due to my love for these fun and out of doors type of home. I always wanted a treehouse as a kid but never did have one .. probably because there weren't really an trees that would have been a good fit for one.

So I am living vicariously through my sketchbook and I am really liking how it is coming out ! I wanted to keep the cover somewhat simple .. I used a rub on of a tree and a stamped image of a house that I colored with golden acrylics and outlined in black with my Pitt pen. I found the words Tree House on a vintage children's book page so I knew it was waiting to be used for this project !

The first page of the inside is a cute little manila tag with bakers twine attached to it . The little tree is from a piece of scrapbook paper ..and the tiny house is colored with sharpie markers -- it is from Studio Calico's wood veneer line. I think it is sooooo cute ! The wee little owl and mushroom are from scrapbook paper also.

I added a piece of Tim Holtz's masking tape and cut the text from a vintage storybook page.

The first 2 page spread is pretty much how the sketchbook will progress.. using different color themes for the backgrounds, trees and houses .

The backgrounds are pieces of scrapbook paper glued on top of watercolor paper which I deckled on the edges. I wanted to make the pages a little more "heavy" since the actual journal pages are quite thin. I like how the added pages are really giving the book a thicker and more sturdy feel when you hold it .
The trees were free online templates that I found which I cut out and traced onto vintage dictionary pages. I colored them with colorbox inks and copic markers.

The sweet little houses are all stamps from the Dylusions line .. she has some of the best stamps .. I would love to have the whole collection ! Coloring them in with paints and markers is so fun .. some of the color combos I used are quite quirky :)
The poem I am using throughout the journal is from Dr. Suess's "A Tree House "

I am so glad that this project isn't just for those who have the amazing talent of knowing how to draw .. although learning to draw is on my long list of things to try !
I will be back throughout the week with more page layouts and I hope to have the book done within the next couple weeks so I can get it sent safely on it's way to the Brooklyn library :)

You had me at Picasa

2011-10-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

In case you have never heard of the amazing ..awesomely easy .. did I mention amazing .. and free.. photo editing software called Picasa then you need to check it out ! If you are not a fan of Photoshop due to the fact that you cannot figure out html or ckzl or any of those other coding words .. lol.. then Picasa is for you .
I have tried to figure out Photoshop and I can do slightly minimal things on it but creating a banner for my blog or etsy shoppe was futile. I applaud those who can whip up things left and right on Photoshop but this gal is now in love with Picasa !

I found a super easy tutorial for banners on Blissfully Domestic .. I followed all of the instructions as they are laid out and I was able to make my banner for this blog in no time ! When I have more time I will probably fool around with it and see what other designs I can come up with but with trying to get my Sketchbook done and making some Christmas items for my etsy shop I am way behind on free time ! So for now I am enjoying my new little self created banner.

I also created one for my etsy shop which is the image at the the top of this post. AND I was pretty excited to finally have the chance to change my shop name . I wanted something different and fun and after brainstorming for quite sometime it came to me ... Adventures of a PaperGirl . When I am up in my studio creating I always feel like I am on a new adventure .. discovering new ideas for projects and items to sell. The PaperGirl part is a bit of a play on words .. instead of a paperboy delivering his goods I am a PaperGirl .. I use paper in pretty much everything I create and I adore all kinds of paper !!

After I get my sketchbook almost completed I will be getting some items finished up for the shoppe .. I have a few fun things on the way .. altered photo blocks, paper trees, and gift tags for a start!
Once I have them all ready I will post them on here first to give you a sneak peek !

And tomorrow I will finally be able to show you my completed cover and the first couple pages spreads of my sketchbook !

A Gathering of Old Souls...come join us

2011-10-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

A knock at the door ... who could it be ...

It's Mumford ! My friend I haven't seen you in centuries ! To what do I owe this honor ?

Well Sam ...it's almost Halloween .. the most magical of nights ... a time for tricks and treats .. for long cemetery walks by the light of our lanterns and the full moon above us. We long to hear the werewolves howl and the witches chant as they toil over their boiling kettles that are filled with the strangest of concoctions .

Oh Mumford .. time is of the essence .. we must make our way to the burial ground where the lost souls reside . It is of most importance to be on time !

Our first stop was at Brunzelda's so that we may procure a special offering of an eye of newt and a wing of bat to appease the nightwalkers that we may meet on our way . But alas she was not home .. odd since the table had been set and awaiting us .. or possibly .. other visitors ...

So we set off with only the "caw caw" of the crows to guide us on our way .

We came upon the Pumpkin Man who watches over all who rest here .. he told us to hasten our visit . The darkness falls soon .. and some souls cannot be kept silent.

When we came upon the ancient ground .. and saw the signs .. we weren't sure if we should turn back . But Mumford said we had come this far and so we kept on.

We saw Lizzie's resting place first .. she was a dear friend whom no one understood. The stories about her are just stories .. we think.

Sara .. one of Brunzilda's sisters .. she was a good witch . But in those days they did not believe there could be such a thing so her fate was sealed.

Our dearest friend of all .. Mr. Poe . Sometimes on Halloween night we can still hear the lonely cries of the Raven ... Nevermore...Nevermore.

Night is almost upon us so we must take care and heed the Pumpkin Man's plea and be gone from this place....we hope that you enjoyed your stay . And remember .. when Halloween is here .. don't fear the creaks and cries you may hear .. it's only a gathering of souls celebrating the night .

Be sure to join the rest of the partygoers at Vanessa's Halloween Party !!

Ghoulish Goodies

2011-10-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

My most favorite night is almost upon us .. Halloween !! I am hoping that we get lots of trick or treaters this year .. with being in a new house for this holiday season it is hard to tell so keeping my fingers crossed .
I also have a little haunting adventure coming up on my blog on Saturday (October 22) but more about that in a bit.

I wanted to share a couple treat boxes I made a couple years ago .. so easy and fun to create. You can add as much or as little embellishment as you like . I had ordered these particular cardboard boxes from Uline .. I checked recently to see if they still have them and they are not on their website. However you could use any type of cardboard box so long as it takes well to paints and things of that nature. I painted the boxes with regular acrylics that I had laying around my studio and then used alphabet stamps to do the text . The Raven is painted on from a stencil and then I just brushed some strokes of paint around him . The spooky box was sprayed with some gold glitter mist and I used a circle stamp all around the box for added fun .

I found the raffia bits at Michael's .. they have it in black and white and asst halloween colors . Then I stuck some treats in them and they are ready to be enjoyed !

You could even do these for the Christmas or Hanukkah holiday season ! Cute stocking stuffers , handmade edible goodies and so on ! Change up the raffia colors to suit the holiday!

I also want to share a sneak peak of a fun Christmas goodie that I will be creating in the next couple weeks which I will also be puttin up on my etsy shop. I have quite a few ideas to incorporate into this fun project but since Christmas is sneaking up on us I will be starting with that one :)

And ... on Saturday .. I will have some hauntingly good fun since I am participating in A Fanciful Twist's Halloween Party !!! If you would like to join in too all you need to do is check out Vanessa's post with all the details . It is sure to be lots of fun so hope to see you there and be sure to come here to see what I have brewed up !

Off to France ... and a Giveaway!!

2011-10-17T22:41:00.000-07:00

Well... not me personally .. although that would be nice :) But a very special package will soon be on it's way to France ! I Love it All hosted an international swap and I thought it would be fun to send a receive a package to a very different part of the world . My package is going to Laurence and I really hope she enjoys it !

A wall hanging in the theme of Halloween

an Autumn inspired tag

a mini book

some fun collage items

And now ... time for a Halloween themed giveaway!!!

A mini book to create some great scrapbbook pages of your little ghosts and goblins .. or maybe a Halloween party you are hosting or going to ... or just about anything Halloween !

Plus an extra sheet of stickers !

All you need to do is leave me a comment about your favorite part of Halloween !

Winner will be chosen on October 21!

Collaborating is fun

2011-10-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a few pages in an artist friend's book and wanted to share them with you here . She gave us the go-ahead to do whatever we like so it was alot of fun !

This stamp that I used is from Teesha Moore .. and one of my favorite quotes ..

And I am finally pulling some things together to get the cover done on my Sketchbook Project journal ...

I really need to start kicking butt on this .. nothing like waiting till the last minute ! I have a couple months so if I work on it every weekend I think I can get it done :)

Listen to the apples

2011-10-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you read something that takes hold of you .. makes you stop and really think for a moment...and after you read it you realize just how true every single word is. I found this particular quote to be one of those beautiful moments..I have recently seen it in quite a few places and wanted to share it with you here .

“Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart. You are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. Tell yourself you tasted as many as you could.”~ Louise Erdrich, The Painted Drum

I would love to hear what quotes have enlightened you , made you see things more clearly .. captured your heart and hasn't let go .

Addicted to Pinning

2011-10-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of Pininterest .. be prepared to become slightly excited :) I am totally in love with this site .. there is inspiration oozing out of every yummy image you see ! You can build you own "boards" .. kind of like a virtual corkboard of fun and beautiful images . It is chock full of pretty much anything and everything you can think .. things for the home , fashion , cute animals, dream vacation spots, and of course tons of art goodness such as scrapbooks, journals and lots of other media !

Come on over and see what it is all about .... and follow my boards if you like .. and I will follow yours back . Just be sure you don't have anything that has to be tended to for at least an hour .. you will love this site :)

In other news I am super excited to be going to New York for a day trip this week !! I will be visiting an awesome stamp store The Ink Pad .. and ... going to New York Comic Con (insert jumping up and down here) . We went to the Con last year and it was lots of fun. I have been wanting to attend San Diego's event for the past few years but that would entail quite a bit more money and planning so until we can get out there NYCC will be just fine . I will be sure to take lots of pictures and share them on here !

For now I thought I would share this photo with you .. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw 3 of our cats starring so intently at something ... it was a cute little bird who is thankful that these guys stay indoors !

Sketchbook Project

2011-10-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

When I first heard about the Sketchbook Project I wasn't sure what exactly it was all about ... once I did I was in complete and utter awe of the amazing artwork that went into these journals. My husband and I went to the showing at the Brooklyn Art Library this year and I seriously could have sat there all day.. long into the night and poured over these beauties. There were artists of all levels .. from beginners in drawing , painting and sketching to those that have been doing this medium for years. I loved each and every one that I looked thtough . It's fun to just look at all the art but it's also really cool to see the artists interpretation of the theme they chose ... some were exactly what the theme stated while others went in a totally different direction that really got you thinking.

Sooooo.. I have chosen the theme Treehouse. I've always loved the whole idea of a treehouse .. never had one as a kid but you're never too old to dream :)

I haven't gotten too far .. certainly not as far as I should be .. in getting my sketchbook started but I will be getting on the ball within the next couple weeks . Since I am not very good at drawing my book is going to be more of an altered book . Thankfully you are not limited to the medium you choose to use in your book. There were lots of actual sketchbooks with drawings and such but there were plenty of art journals, pages filled with collage, writings such as stories / poems etc .

I have decided that I need my pages to be a little more bulked up since I will be using acrylics, decorative papers, etc . I cut pieces of Bristol Smooth paper to size .. slightly smaller than the actual sketchbook pages .. and then used my art deckle ruler to fancy up the edges .

I really like the effect that the deckled edges give to the book .. and it will definitely hold up much better with the heavier paper.

Once I get the cover done and a couple pages I will share them here . If you would like to join in on this fun adventure go here ... there is still time to sign up !

Mail Art Mania

2011-10-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

I recently joined IUOMA .. International Union of Mail Artists so that I could connect with other artists and send/receive fun art in my mailbox . Who doesn't LOVE getting cool mail ! It also inspires me to get into the studio more which can sometimes get put off time after time because life in general is too busy . If you think you might be interested in joining this group just click on the button at the top to the left of the screen. It's free and there are no "requirements" to join , though your membership does need to be approved . Just fill out the questionaire and that's it ! There are some cool groups on there as well such as an ATC group and a Collaborative Book Arts group .. both of which I joined . Which brings me to some ATC's that I have already created for a couple gals that I am swapping with !

I am sending out 3 to each artist ..

I haven't made any ATC's in awhile so these were a nice change of pace ! If you decide to join IUOMA be sure to leave me a comment and let me know so that maybe we can do a swap in the future !

Something old becomes something new...

2011-10-03T21:44:00.000-07:00

I sometimes think I re-arrange my studio more than I actually play in my studio ! When we made the attic into my art oasis I knew that it would be somewhat of a challenge due to the sloped walls which made for limited space. I have clunked my head a few times which I figured was bound to happen ! But slowly I have made it into my own little home away from home with minor changes , furniture additions and so on.

The shelving unit pictured above was actually left by the previous owner and was 4 shelves high....until my husband gave it a new look :) The 4 shelves were really high and would not have fit into the space properly but I was hoping it could somehow find a new home in my studio. All I had to do was tell Lou what I was thinking of using it for and he said no problem..we can fix that ! So he took his tools and set to work .. with the outcome being a perfectly sized 2 shelf unit ! I told him he rocks ♥

So now I have all my crafting books, scrapbooks and such in one place !

I wanted to show you a close up of one of my altered books .. which is empty inside so far but I hope to change that in the near future . I loved the tag shape of it !

Now of course I still thought a little more re-arranging could be done in my desk area . I love having all of my paints , distress inks , sprays and collage papers right within arms reach when I am journaling and creating in general. So ... I took the table that we found at Ikea a few months back that held most of my books and ...

made it into my paint and collage station !

I have my white wire rack on my other side which holds all of my glues, tapes, tags, etc .

It's always great to see other artists spaces so please feel free to share yours with me !

An Escape...

2011-10-02T21:16:00.000-07:00

I started working on a new journal tonight and so far this is what I have done for the cover .. it's going to be a journey into an odd and otherwordly atmosphere .. I love anything odd and quirky so it's befitting of me !

The pages weren't really meant for heavy materials such as acrylics so I had to double up on the pages .. I used my tombow adhesive to secure 4 sheets together and then for a little splash of fun I edged each set with tissue tape.

I am going to try to keep the pages somewhat light in hopes that it holds up !

What art goodness did you delve into this weekend ?

It's Here !!!

2011-10-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

Blogtoberfest that is ! And Dottie Angel is too .. the book I have been coveting for quite sometime!

If you haven't heard about the awesome event known as Blogtoberfest you are missing out on the fun ! It is a wonderful way to explore tons of inspiring blogs that you may not have known about .. and a great way to get your blog seen to ! I only hope that I can keep up with everyone else and commit to blogging daily ... I am gonna try real hard !

We took a daytrip to Frenchtown, NJ today .. lots of fun and a yummy lunch .. thankfully it didn't rain but I was keeping my fingers crossed for some sunshine . We didn't see the elusive glowing orb but it didn't ruin our day. There were quite a few shops with antiques, decorative housewares, and such . Lovely restaurants and cafes too .. we had lunch at the Race Street Cafe .. followed by a nice hot cup of coffee and a treat at What's Brewing at Maria's. My highlight was going to Modern Love ..such a neat little store ! They had some gorgeous typewriters .. mostly from the 1960's .. and I fell in love with one of them . It was a pretty cocoa brown in perfect condition . If I had $240.00 it would have come home with me ! And even though I wasn't able to bring that beauty home I did score another gem ... Dottie Angel !

These books were crafted with loads of love .. the details put into this are amazing. The covers all have postcards that were handstitched .. love it !!

Here is a spread from inside the book

And another ... I love the text on this one "A neglected soul with potential will always win my heart"

Tif is one crafty gal .. and she will inspire the heck out of you with this book . If you aren't able to find it where you are you can always order it direct from the publisher Uppercase. I seriously think everyone needs a copy :)

Here are some super cute extras that were included in a glassine envelope along with the book . I told you .. the details that went into this really made it even more special.

I spent some time in my studio today .. mainly just playing around . I didn't have any planned ideas .. I really want to start journaling and hope to get back into that within the next couple weeks . I am in the midst of making a journal in Teresa McFaydens's online class . As soon as I have it ready for journaling I will post some pictures here .

Here is a little something I did make today ...

I am still in the Halloween mode :)

Halloween Mail Art Fun

2011-09-29T18:50:00.000-07:00

I have been having a great time creating some things for a couple Halloween Mail Art Swaps that I am doing and I can't wait for the girls to receive their goodies !! They are getting mailed out tomorrow but I wanted to share some peeks on here !

This is a collage that I did on one of the wood blocks that I bought from the movie set sale that I went to a couple weeks ago .

I found this really cool little black frames in the dollar section at Michael's .. they really do have the neatest things there sometimes .. for so cheap ! The gothic-ness of it just screamed Halloween to me so who I was to disagree ? The images are 2 funky girls from Teesha Moore's stamp company .. I seriously love everything that gal does :)

I love books .. I love mini things .. sooooo a mini accordian book with a Halloween theme needed to be created !

I also have finally updated my Etsy shop with some fun Halloween items .. I really think Halloween should be a year round holiday .. yes I love it that much :)

Some mixed media sticker embellishments .. could be used on scrapbbook pages , trick or treat bags, Halloween gifties.. whatever you want to stick them on !

Mixed Media Halloween tags ... these could have multiple uses as well

How your package will arrive .. your very own "treat" bag .

I had too much fun making the mini book for my swap buddy so I created a few more for the shop .

And lastly .. for now .. a Mixed Media Banner that is pictured in the post before this has been put in the shop too . It would look spookily funky hanging on a mantel, a shelf .. even decorate a wall with it !

I have a few more idea for tags so I hope to get those completed and in the shop by next week.

This weekend it will really feel like the start of Fall here with the temps being only in the high 60's . We plan on taking a little trip to Frenchtown, NJ .. only about 45 minutes or so from us. It is a fun are filled with cute little shops and cafes .. the store I am most excited to visit is Modern Love. Meg, the owner, recently alerted me that the Dottie Angel books have arrived .. tee hee !!! Just slightly over the moon about that :)

I will be sure to post some pictures and give you the highlights of our day trip .

What are your plans this weekend ?

Nice to see you again ...

2011-09-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

Autumn ...
crisp , fresh days
cool nights
leaves of bright green metamorphis into lovely hues of reds, golds and oranges
smores by the bonfire
hayrides
pumpkin patches
hot lattes

These are a few of my favorite things of the season .... how about you ?

It's that time again...

2011-09-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

It's only September , I know , but I am already in the Halloween mode ! It seriously is my favorite time of the year .. and the best holiday . Scary movies , carving pumpkins, decorating the house and creating our own little Graveyard of horrors on the front lawn , making up treat bags for the costumed cuties that come to our door .. it doesn't get any better than this ! (Although Christmas is a very close second :)

This banner is the first of many Halloween goodies that I hope to create.. and my art desk is a horror all in itself at the moment with ghoulish goblin goodness abounding on it .. but these are the times that really get the creativeness flowing around and it feels pretty awesome !

I used a plethora of different scrapbook papers for this banner along with the bottoms of cupcake liners and Halloween themed twine from Doodlebug.. I like it so much I may need more ! Every year when the scrapbook companies put out their new paper collections I usually need to have ... them all ! Pink Paislee and Echo Park were definitely my two favorite picks this year and I will be using them in future projects this season.

Sorry for the slight shadow in the pictures .. I can never seem to keep those out . One of these days I am going to take a photography class and get a new camera .. I have wanted a Canon Rebel for a long time.

And here are some fun peeks of my desk ... ideas in progress ...

And now ... I have had another kind of idea brewing about in my brain and I hope many of you will play along ! Since Halloween is my favorite holiday (and I am sure many of you share in that feeling!) I believe you can never have enough goodies to admire and/or decorate with sooooooo....how about a Haunted Halloween Mail Art Exchange ! Handcrafted treats (no tricks !) in your mailbox .. fun stuff!!

It can be whatever you want to create .. a mini book, an ATC , a collage , painting, drawing, whatever your favorite media is and center it around a Halloween theme and I will send you a handcrafted treat in return !
If you want to play along just leave a comment and we can exchange addresses .. let's play!

Pumpkin Spice makes everything nice

2011-09-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Soooooo.... I am a little addicted to Starbucks .. and now that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back it is really hard to say no ! The funny thing is many people drink coffee for the caffeine but due to health reasons I have to do the decaf :) Which is fine with me because I do like to have a cup at night so the decaf definitely makes it easier to fall asleep . I mostly stick to their iced coffee but when the chilly air comes in and their yummy seasonal lattes are back I must indulge now and then .

I have been itching all week to go up into my studio and create .. I have quite a few ideas for some fun Halloween things .. tags, a festive garland to hang on a mantle (or anywhere else you would like !) mini notepads, and treat bags .

Plus I have another mixed media wood collage that is halfway finished ... if only I could spend most of my waking hours making art **sigh**.

I am determined to get started these tomorrow .. especially since Halloween will be here before you know it . By the way .. have you been to Target lately ? (Yep, another addiction of mine .. I swear the minute I walk into the store I am abducted in a weird time warp kind of demension .. and I never know when I may come out ) Well, Target has the majority of their Halloween stuff out already and of course I need to go see what I must have .. but don't really need .. we have quite a bit of decorations and such .. I could probably decorate our house and the next door neighbor's :) So, I have been good so far .. no buying .. just perusing .

I will leave you for now with these pictures that I took a couple days ago .. the sky was this amazing mixture of pink, yellow, soft coral and almost lavender. The photos don't really do it enough justice but you get the idea :) And behind me was a pretty cool rainbow ... I ♥ rainbows.

On the Set .. sort of

2011-09-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

Three Potato Four is a very cool shop owned by a husband an wife who share a love of collecting vintage and retro pieces of furniture, accessories, knickknacks, you name it .. and sharing it with the world . They have barn sales usually the last weekend of every month and they are chock full of some really cool things , A little while ago they announced that they were having a movie warehouse sale at the Philadelphia Navy Shipyard .. but I heard about it too late and was not able to make it out there .
But luckily I am on their email list because lo and behold a couple days go I rec'd an email stating they were extending it for another week .. you can imagine the hoots and hollers that followed !
So... we drove out there today and found out that all of items were used in The Last Airbender .. though I have never seen the movie I have heard about it .. and we knew we would see some really cool stuff ! I didn't take any pictures inside .. I wasn't sure how they would have felt about it .. though now I wish I would have asked so I could show you more ! But I did take a picture of a very cool cart / wagon .. possibly something that was used with horses .. and if I had somewhere to put it (and a way to get it home ..lol !) I would have loved to have bought it .

Since that was not an option I did find some really cool things inside ... and the prices were unbelievably cheap ! The whole lot cost $42.00 !!

I am not sure what the signs were used for but they were the only 2 left and I had to have them .. not sure how they may end up in my art or if I will just keep them for ornamental purposes in my studio.

These tiny boxes were actually used for rice ! You can't really tell from the image but they have such a gorgeous sheen to them . I am thinking these may end up as shadowboxes with fun stuff inside them .. but I will leave them their natural color.. they are too pretty to paint.

I don't know what these were used for either but I thought they may be cool if I used them for a mixed media collage instead of a canvas...

I nearly squealed when I saw these and when I opened them I was even more excited . They are vintage looking journals .. and .. the papers inside them are a really nice and heavy watercolor paper. The deckled edges were a total bonus .. these are probably my favorite finds of the day ♥

If you happen to be near the Philadelphia area and can get to the sale you should definitely check it out .. they will be there till September 10 .. 10 am to 5 pm .. and later hours on Thursday !

Tomorrow is the first day of school .. wish us luck .. this summer has been filled with enjoying the extra sleep we were getting .

Summer .. you always wave goodbye too soon .

A Second Chance

2011-09-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

I am always my worst critic and I know many of you out there can share in this feeling .. I try not to be too hard on myself when creating my art , scrapbooking .. whatever medium I am delving into .. but with the "Soar" canvas I just wasn't thrilled with the outcome . And so I totally reworked the whole thing and the above photo is what came about :) Now this I can truly say I really like ! I basically just pulled out my turquoise paint and went over the whole canvas ... then went thru my collage box and chose this and that .. and it seems that for once not overthinking the completed project worked out better than the original idea I had in my head. I'm thinking I need to be a little more carefree instead of planning out my pieces which is not what I am used to but it seems to make it all come together a little easier :)

Irene kept me busy

2011-09-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

I am thankful that Irene did not create as much havoc here as we thought it would .. it has been heartbreaking to see the devastation that she left in her path and my thoughts are with all of those who lost family..friends..their homes and treasured belongings. There was alot of flooding in our surrounding areas but much of it receded fairly quickly.

I spent a good part of last weekend in my studio .. it really is amazing how I lapse into a time warp of sorts when I am up there ! I am sure it is the same for many of you ... what I think has been 2 hours was actually 4 or 5 ! I was happy to finish up a couple projects thoug and I still have one more in the works that I hope to finish this weekend.

I created a couple of mixed media canvases and they were alot of fun ! Paints, papers, distress inks.. supplies were flying everywhere . I will have to load up on more of the canvases at Michael's - they had a great sale - buy one get one for a penny . Well worth it for sure !

I suprised myself with the above canvas since I tend to stick to more neutral / earth tones .. but I am glad I decided to go more vibrant and I love how it came out.

I also finished my Smash Book cover .. I have been wanting to make one of these for quite sometime and finally finished up the cover . Now I just need to start filling it with loads of color and inspiration !

The canvases will be up on my etsy page sometime tonight .. and I have more ideas in the works such as Halloween and Christmas tags !

This weekend I plan on taking my daughter clothes shopping for school .. she starts high school (EEK!) next week. I am still wondering where the past 7 years or so have went. I could have sworn that we were just watching Dragontales and drinking from sippy cups a few weeks ago :)
Hopefully will also get some art time in as well as getting further into a really good book I am reading Never let Me Go. I just started it today and am already on chapter 6 .. the story really draws you in and it is hard to put down .

Whatever your plans are for the holiday weekend I hope it is fun and relaxing !

It's a Dog's (and soon to be Cat's!) World

2011-08-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

I have finally started scrapping my Doggy album .. I have soooo many pictures so it is quite a task ! I am going to try to keep it somewhat simple due to the amount of pictures . And sadly there just aren't a ton of dog or cat scrapbook supplies out there I am going to keep the emphasis more on the pictures and the journaling.

I have completed the cover and the 1st inside page so far . The rest of the pages have scrapbook papers adhered as background and are awaiting the pictures , embellishments and journaling.

It is bittersweet creating this album now since the best dog in the world .. our Peanut .. has passed away. It has been a little over 4 years since we had to let him go at the young age of 12 . He was the best buddy and we miss him everyday. Quirky chihuahua doesn't even start to describe that boy :)

I hope to start working on my kitty scrapbook soon after I am finished completing this one . That will be a monumentous task .. we do have 10 cats .. so quadruple the pictures ! I was pretty excited to find the Doodlebug Storybook albums so I bought one of those and the pages that you can purchase with it are pretty amazing! It makes it so easy to create your pages .. especially when you have been a bit of a procrastinator such as myself and have loads of pictures !

Those of you who will be in the path of Hurricane Irene this weekend please take cover and be safe ! I am really hoping that the worst of it passes us by . I will be squirreled away in my studio till it's over !

Back in the Saddle....

2011-08-14T19:22:00.000-07:00

It feels so good to have the time to be in my studio .. my desk covered in papers, embellishments, paints and glues!! I really wanted to keep up with the 30 day photo challenge but it definitely proved to be a challenge since I just could not keep up with a daily routine type of thing.. with work and life in general it just didn't pan out but I am enjoying getting to see the other participants pictures ! Maybe one day I will be able to be more diligent and participate in something like this again .

I really want to start selling some of my artwork on Etsy .. it has been something that I have wanted to do for a long time . I have so many ideas for things and in the next couple weeks I hope to be adding many new items such as fabric bracelet cuffs, braided friendship bracelets, and wood collages . I laso have some halloween themed ideas floating around as well... Halloween is my favorite holiday so it's a must ! In the meantime I did spend quite a few hours this weekend in my studio and finished up 2 projects .. my wood collage that I started working on a couple weeks ago and a little art journal / scrapbook . I am pretty happy with the way they both came out !

Here is the wood collage .. I have so much fun creating these and am so happy to have been inspired to the gills by Karen Michel . She is an amazing artist .. creativity oozes from that girl I tell ya !

And here is the art journal / scrapbook that I made this afternoon. I try to recycle where I can and I must admit that good old cardboard boxes are wonderful to cut and use as covers for books . I will usually save boxes that are in good condition just for this purpose . I cover them with papers and whatever else that calls out to be used as decorative details . I then go thru my scraps of papers, my scrapbook pads, grab some washi tape and create a book that can be used for a plethora of projects!

I plan on making quite a few more of these .. so much fun ! I will be adding these to my etsy tonight and if you are interested please keep checking back over the next couple weeks as I add more to the shop !

Day 6 of Photo Challenge .. Childhood Memory

2011-08-06T21:52:00.000-07:00

My grandmother made me my breakfast every morning ... and I always had the same thing .. year after year after year .. ever since I was about 6 years old . Toasted white bread with butter and jelly sandwich and a cup of tea . I still make it for myself now and then .. but my Grams tasted much better for some reason ♥

Day 5 - Someone I love

2011-08-05T23:01:00.000-07:00

There are so many family members I could have chosen for this .. my daughter, my husband, our 2 dogs , our 10 cats .. but the daughter and hubby are fast asleep so I chose our newest adopted ball of fur .. Poe :) Some may think I am a crazy cat lady and I do love cats as well as all other animals but we didn't plan on having 10 cats .. it just happened that way . I have written about the feral cat colonies we have taken care of for the past 2 1/2 years and all but one of our kitties have come from the 2 colonies that we take care of . Our vet is a angel and have given her about 20 kittens since we started caring for these colonies . She works with us and a few other caregivers of other colonies to adopt the kittens out to good homes . The 10 that we have kept over the last couple years weaved their way into our hearts and stayed :)
Thankfully the cats in our colonies are now spayed/neutered so there will not be any more kittens .. Poe was one of the last litters from this summer and the minute I saw him I knew he would not be leaving . He is all whiskers and eyebrows .. he is a quirky little cutie that melted our hearts ♥

30 Day Photo Challenge Fun !

2011-08-05T22:43:00.000-07:00

Oh So Lovely and her friend Jennifer are hosting a really fun photo challenge a day for the month of August . I am a couple days behind but will start on this tomorrow ! Come along and join the fun .. I also have some photos to share of my wood collage during creating and the finished art piece !
Happy Weekend !

Lucky day !!!

2011-08-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Two Peas in a Bucket had a CHA social on their website / blog and I had to tune in to see all of the wonderful good stuff that would be coming out in the next months . I watched (and made long long wish lists) all the videos that the very sweet garden girls posted while they were at CHA and many companies had a giveaway .. all you needed to do was leave a comment. AND .. I could not believe my eyes when I checked out the blog today and saw the winners posted . I was one of the LUCKY ducks !!! I will be receiving goodies from Maya Road .. one of my favorite scrapbook companies !!!

If by chance you have never been to Two Peas website then you should head on over and check them out .. the newest and greatest scrapbook supplies , inspiring blogs, a message board to share with many other scrappers and more . I will be sure to upload photos of my loot and share it with you here !

Michelle Allen's awesome giveaway week!!!

2011-08-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

If you have not had the pleasure of seeing Michelle Allen's amazing, whimsical and funky art then you need to get on over to her BLOG and see it for yourself ! Fabulous art journaling, sweet designs for your home and more ... she is also one of the awesome teachers that you will find at Artfest (another post on that later !)

Michelle is doing a FABULOUS giveaway a day this week so be sure to check out her blog daily from now on .. you won't want to miss a thing !

I ♥ NYC

2011-07-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

The sights, the sounds, the smells.. just being in this city for a few moments and your senses are overloaded with amazing things . We like to take day trips a few times a year .. our favorite places being Times Square , Rockefeller Center and Soho. There are so many other parts of NYC that I want to check out including these awesome flea markets , this new market that just opened , the zoo, aquarium , and Edgar Allen Poe's cottage to name a few .

This visit we finally went to Tara McPherson's store , she is an amazing artist and her shop does not disappoint ! I came away with a few things of course :)

A few postcards (free) announcing other artists shows that will (or have ) taken place at Tara's shop and a zine by David Correia and a gorgeous signed print by Daniel Danger ... I have to get to Michael's next weekend so I can find the perfect frame for it .

We had lunch at Motorino .. and yes the pizza looks and tastes as good as that picture looks ! It may have been one of the best pizza's we have ever had !

Then it was off for a little more walking , sightseeing and shopping . I was excited to learn that there was a Kinokuniya bookstore .. the first one I had been in was in Seattle and I loved it . This store was just as cool and packed with great books, pens, papers, etc . I couldn't resist more washi tape ...

We also made a quick stop at Mid-Town Comics for our special limited edition Walking Dead Comic Con passes . I was amazed at how many comic books there are .. I don't really read them but I do love to look thru them for the visual aspect and the covers are pretty awesome ! Although I did find a comic that I had to have .. Lenore ♥

We passed a store called Muji and I could see from the shop windows that they had some cool paper products (it is mainly a clothing store) so we headed on over to check it out and I was pleasantly suprised at the selection and the prices ! I came away with a few goodies for very little $ .. which is always a plus!
A couple journals .. the larger one will be for my new "Inspiration" book like the smashbooks that are out there , and some cool kraft envelopes that are begging to be altered and distressed !

It was time for a sweet treat so we went to Crumbs Bake Shop ...I had heard awesome things about them and it was soooo hard to pick just a few but we managed to leave the store without spending too much ..lol..

It was almost time to leave but I had to take a couple more pictures to remember the fun day we had ...

I have not had the time I would like to have to spend in my studio but I will be getting some art time in tomorrow night and monday so pictures coming soon of my wood collage in progress and the beginnings of my Inspiration journal .. I already have some things laid out for the cover .. fun fun !!

For the love of the printed word .. and a giveaway !

2011-07-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

One thing you should know about me is that I am a magazine addict .. there are so many publications that inspire and bring forth a burst of creativity just by flipping thru them . We spend lots of time at Borders ( it will be hard to see all of those stores closing) and I adore Stampington and Company, Somerset Memories, Art Journaling, Cloth Paper Scissors and the list could go on ! I really like Selvedge but just can't afford it so I tend to flip thru it while we sit in the cafe.

There are 2 publications that I want to share with you that are available by subscription and some select stores do carry them as well ..

Uppercase is a beautifully and well crafted magazine published in Canada (they also have a store which I would LOVE to visit someday ) . As each cover states it is a magazine for the creative and curious ... my only disappointment with this magazine is that I wish it was published more often ! It comes out every 3 months and is worth every penny . Here are a couple layouts from the most recent issue :

Anthology is another publication that is fairly new and packs a punch with color and inspiration. Their blog is not to be missed either .. its' gorgeous !

Here are a couple layouts from the winter issue :

And now .. for the giveaway!! We all want people to view and share their thoughts with us on our blogs ... and we also know how hard it can be to get our blog noticed amongst all of the other awesome and awe-inspiring blogs that are out there . Soooooo... if you would post a link to my blog on your own blog I will put you in the running for this fun little goodie bag :

You will receive some fab scrapbooking supplies such as flocked tape, chipboard and vintage inspired stickers , a Maya Road birdie book to paint, distress, embellish as you wish and a few of my trades from this year's Artfest !

I will also randomly give out Artfest trade packs to 6 more bloggers !

All you need to do is post about my blog on yours and make sure you leave a comment to this post with a link to you blog . I will also do a special blog feature on all everyone who links my blog to theirs .. we can all help each other get a little more noticed ! The deadline for the giveaway is July 25 !!

In creative news I have distressed my wood piece .. the painting will commence tomorrow .. hope to have some images up for you by the weekend !

Artsee Bloggers!!

2011-07-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

I am really excited about this new site that I happened upon that was created by Geri Centonze and is dedicated to getting the word out about other artists blogs !

Artsee Bloggers is a wonderful way to connect with other artists -- whether you are a photographer, mixed media artist, paper crafts and so on ! You can add your own blog to the site by following the instructions here !

Thanks to Geri for all the hard work and long hours that she and her husband have put in to bring this to fruition !!

Midsummer's thoughts..

2011-07-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

We had a somewhat laid back weekend ..just the way we like it ..some errands with a little fun mixed in . We had dinner at an amazing hibachi restaurant , I can't help but always be amazed when the hibachi chef performs some "tricks" with an egg such as throwing it up in the air and catching it in his chef's hat. It must be the child that is still inside of me that makes me giggle . Afterwards we were off to see the final Harry Potter , which I won't spoil for anyone, but had me entranced thru every minute of it. It has definitely been a favorite series of mine..although I have never read the books ! Maybe now would be a good time to begin that part of the adventure. It made me a little sad to see the end of something that has been a part of my life for the past 8 years .. and what was such a huge part of my daughter's life . She was just a wee one when The Chamber of Secrets came out and she asked us over and over again .. every night .. for months if she could watch it. She basically fell asleep to that movie for quite sometime .. I believe I could even recite their lines after awhile .

And then I started thinking about how quickly she has grown and that she is more interested in hanging out with her friends than seeing the latest Harry Potter movie ... something she was once so in enamoured by has been replaced .

I was going through some old scrapbooks and happened upon one of my favorite .. yet simple .. little books I made for our daughter when she was just a baby. It made me want to throw open all of my drawers and get to creating some new pages .. I have so many pictures I need to print out and create books with .. the thought of it tends to be a bit overwhelming but it will get done !

I hope you enjoy some of the pages that I wanted to share with you here :

Scrapbooking is actually where my love for mixed media started .. from cutting and cropping pictures to designing page layouts and adding embellishments.. to painting , collage , ATC's , and journaling. I've always loved making things .. even as a kid so it was inevitable .. I just wish I had alot more time to play. If I could be in my art studio for 8 hours a day I would not complain !

Tomorrow I will be getting to work on these pieces...

I know they don't look like much now but I will be adding some yummy paint and india ink to them tomorrow .. distressing them a little and then adding 1 inch collaged wood blocks to them . I loved my artfest class with Karen Michel and am finally getting around to making more Wood Collaged Totems ! I will be sharing some pictures as these pieces come to life in the next few days so stay tuned !

My Studio ♥

2011-07-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

Where has the first half of the summer gone ? It's my favorite time of the year ( my 2nd favorite being Fall ) and it tends to go by the quickest . There is still so much I want / need to do .. I haven't even started on the planting / gardening that I had envisioned **sigh** not enough hours in the day.

And of course I have not posted enough on my blog .. which really does need to change ! So , I thought I would share some photos of my studio . It is the attic of our house .. and it is all mine ! My studio used to be the computer room / storage room in our previous house so I am thrilled to finally have a space that I can use as just an art studio ! It is still in the works .. I would actually love to have a picnic table alongside one of the walls where I can lay out large sheets of paper for cutting / painting, etc. My desk is a decent size but I definitely need a little more table room . I also want to add more art to the walls and make it more my own creative space.

Since it is an attic I had to place the furniture in certain places due to the sloped areas . I knew right where I wanted my desk though ... in front of the windows in this little alcove so that I could take advantage of the natural light .

Some fun stuff that I have on my desk .. a cute little planter that I found at Home Depot that will work well for water for my paintbrushes .. some alphabet stamps..

Another little find from Home Depot where I keep some of my brushes, glues, tapes ...

Another storage area for my Martha Stewart paints , Claudine Hellmuth paints and gesso, Shiva Paintstiks, Sharpie Poster pens...

One of my favortie finds (Home Depot..again !) was only $12.00 and holds all of my little doo-dads, embellishments, tags ,etc and the drawers are nicely sized with a clear view so I can see what is in each of them easily !

I bought two of these wonderful drawer units from Ikea .. love that place ! This one holds all of my stamps, collage papers, bigger doo-dads and my fat books from previous swaps ..

A few of the drawers treasures :

This drawer holds all of my scrapbooking goodies .. papers, stickers, and other fun stuff..

The top of one of my windows was the perfect place for my quirky little group ..

My ever growing collection of art books and magazines.. and more odd little collectibles...

A close up look at my book collection ...

A neat little table from Ikea that holds my cardstock and assorted little journals and folders with ideas for art projects .. the lamp is from Target .. another addiction of mine ..lol..

More beautiful artwork to grace my walls .. the bottom is an original painting by Misty Mawn ..

I hope you enjoyed a little peek into my art oasis ! I would love to see photos of your studios so be sure to leave me a comment along with your blog address .. it's always fun to see how others decorate their space and it helps you to get ideas for your own as well !

Finding the time...

2011-05-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

I always mean to write something about my day , share art that I have created or even just post a picture on my blog .. I really would love to get in the habit of doing this almost daily . Hopefully the summer will free me up for more fun time !

This weekend the farmer's markets will start to open around here and I am pretty excited about that . Delicious tomatoes, fresh fruits and other veggies ... mmmmm.... summer really is the best season for eating !

I am currently working on making an art journal .. bought some yummy hot press paper sheets and will be measuring , cutting and blissfully creating this weekend . I will post some pictures as soon as I have it all ready !

Having a Picnik !!!

2011-04-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am probably so behind on this but I was looking for some free photo editing software to liven up my photos on my blog and Picnik came up in my search engine . I do believe I squealed a bit when I saw all the amazingly cool fonts, frames and other stuff .. and the fact that it is soooooo easy !!! I wound up doing the yearly subscription which enables you to have full run of all the site has to offer .. not a bad deal at $24.95 . I know many of you use Photoshop or Adobe but I have tried those programs in the past and I admit I am not very good with them .. this site is super easy and gives me the exact effects I have been looking for !!

Just a little something I played around with using one of my photos from Port Townsend ...

I am totally in love and my blog will never be the same ♥

Still basking in the glow of Artfest

2011-04-25T04:58:00.000-07:00

As I am sitting here typing this it is hard to believe that Artfest has already come and gone .. that long awaited trip that seems to be over way too quickly. If only I could attend every year that would make the wait that much easier ! I have been looking over the Journalfest site wishing I could attend that one but I don't think I will be able to swing it .. so many yummy classes though !!

I really meant to post and upload these photos long ago but we all know how hectic life can be once you get back from vacation and have all those loads of laundry and work piled up that need tending too .

My husband and I made this a vacation as well as a fun filled art getaway for me so there was some time spent in Seattle .. although I would really love to visit there in the summer when the weather is nicer and you can spend more time outdoors sightseeing , browsing the cool stores , etc. I really wanted to hit the Space Needle again during the trip but there was not enough time .. it is one of the most amazing views from the top of the Needle so hopefully we will get back there next time.

We stayed at The Inn at the Market on Sunday night since it would have been too late to drive into Port Townsend that evening. It is a wonderful hotel .. nestled right by the famous Public Market ..the beds are the most comfortable I have ever slept in .. and the view from the rooftop deck area is something to behold. If the weather had been a little better I would have loved to have sat up there with a book and a cup of coffee to take it all in ...

We had a yummy dinner at the Steelhead Diner right across the street from the hotel .. we will definitely be going back in the future!

We checked out a bit of Seattle the next day including the Market ,Pioneer Square and the Elliot Bay Bookstore. I think my two favorite stores were Watson Kennedy ( I could have spent hours and tons of $$ in there!) and Uwajimaya the larget Asian grocery market , which has a huge selection of papers, pens, books, alot of cool stuff . If you are in the area it is a must do !!

We headed out to Port Townsend later in the day so that we could check in at The Commander's Beach House . We had stayed here the last time I attended Artfest in 2005 . The owners are very sweet and Gail cooks the most delicious breakfast every morning .. they also have another woman who helps out , Dorothy, and she is just as wonderful . Aside from the adorable suite we stay in (The Lighthouse Suite) and the yummy food , my favorite thing about this B & B are the gorgeous views from the bedroom windows, the walks on the beach ... and the sound of the ocean waves lulling us to sleep at night . **Sigh**

Port Townsend has so much to offer .. great food , neat little shops and coffee spots. Although I was very sad to see that Tyler Street Cafe had closed .. we were so looking forward to the coffee and pastries they had.. it was a great little place.

Thankfully Perfect Ending Cupcakes had opened recently and I had one of the best cupcakes .. ever. Chocolate Raspberry ... if only they delivered to Pennsylvania ..lol..

We revisited our favorite eating spots during the time we were in Port Townsend .. Waterfront Pizza, Sweet Laurette's , The Fountain Cafe . The Banana Leaf Asian Bistro was new for us and it did not disappoint .. great food ! There was also a new Crepe cafe which was out of this world ... we shared a Mediterrean crepe and a banana / chocolate crepe for dessert. Yum!!

The highlight of the whole trip was Artfest of course and my 3 classes were over the top awesome ! I had Laurie Mika (Wearable Reliquaries) Jesso Reno ( Freedom Understanding Expression) and Karen Michel (Wood Collage Totems).

My creations from Laurie's Class :

Karen's class :

I still have a bit to add to this one .. it isn't totally finished yet.

I don't have photos of my painting from Jesse's class .. still working on that one as well .

If you ever get the chance to take a class with any of these teachers do it !! They are all so talented , full of inspiration and just awesome people overall . I could not have asked for better classes this year ♥

I think this may have been one of my longest posts to date ! I will be back later in the week with photos of the beautiful trades I rec'd and some new art books that I bought over the past couple weeks's .. there are so many coming out that it is hard to keep up !

Only 13 more days till Artfest !!!

2011-03-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

So much to do and so little time !! The ATC books are finished ... they look amazing .. everyone's art just blew me away . It was an honor to be the host of this wonderful collaboration this year ... and a HUGE thank you to the artists who participated !

Trades are almost done .. just some finishing touches on some of them and I can relax a bit before I start packing :)

2005 was my first Artfest and I have been aching to go back ever since .. with finances and life in general it just hasn't been possible .. until NOW!! I am definitely going to soak in every magical moment from meeting and making new friends, the classes, the gorgeous surroundings of Fort Warden, the bed and breakfast that we are staying at that is right on the beach just moments away from the Fort...and of course time spent in Seattle, quaint Port Townsend and every coffeshop that we can hit ;)

In my mind I am already there ♥

ATC Books waiting to be filled ....

One of my trades .. a mini accordian book with papers and stamped images inside .. and a moo card too!

ATC with an altered thread spool

Another ATC design...

I also included a Moo Card with my trades .. love those things !

Bag of ATC books awaiting their journey to Artfest ..

I will be excitedly counting down the days until my feet touch ground in Port Townsend ♥

It's been awhile...

2010-09-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I have been away from my blog for so long .. but life has a way of distracting you sometimes from the fun stuff .. from the little things that make you happy . I have been a busy gal with family, work and taking care of 2 feral cat communities where I work. Thankfully we have been able to trap/neuter and return many of them - we have also fostered many kittens that had been born in the meantime. Our cat family is now at 7 and although I would love to have more I think this is our limit .. although fostering will always take place when it is needed.

Due to the hecticness of the past couple years I sadly have not had much time to create art , and my mind and hands are eager to get back into the creative flow . A piece of awesome news that I have is that I will be attending Artfest 2011 !!! The last time I was able to partake in this amazing event was back in 2005 .. and I have wanted to go back every year since . Teesha has already mailed out the registration packets so I am eager to see all the fun stuff and of course which classes I got into.

I am hoping to update on here at least a couple times a week with random thoughts and lots of art .. I already have ideas for my artfest trades so hope to start on those within the next couple weeks !

The picture for today is of the latest litter of kittens that will be going to our vet tomorrow . Fostering is a bittersweet experience...keeping the wee ones safe, fed and loved until they can be adopted out is rewarding in so many ways and being a part of their lives , if even for a short while is worth every minute. Although when the time comes to let them go it isn't easy .. your heartstrings get attached and even though you know they will be moving on to a lifelong loving home you still miss them ♥

Welcoming Miss Merry Harriet Fairyland...

2008-12-15T10:05:00.000-08:00

Isn't she the cutest? She was created by Vanessa and I was so excited that she was still available when I logged onto her etsy site ! Her whimsical creations are usually snapped up in seconds but I think Miss Merry was waiting just for me :)

I made sure to put her in a very special place amongst twinkly lights, snowmen and sparkly trees ... I think she likes it there and has made herself cozy and comfy.

She has the most wonderful wings dusted with the right amount of fairydust...

I also have some pictures of our tree that we trimmed last night - I will put those in a seperate post .

I would like to invite you all to a Valentine Collaborative project that I am hosting on my Fat Books yahoo group forum. Here are the details - we have 11 artists signed up so far :

Your Heart's Desire .. This will be a Valentine themed ATC adventure! There will be no binding involved but I have a neat little presentation/keepsake idea to house these in ! Create an ATC with hearts, desires, cupids,and more ! If possible try to keep your color theme to Red/White/Cream - but you can use other colors if you wish . Flat embellishments are encouraged - please nothing bulky or large . Keepsake storage and postage cost is $13.00. Sign ups close on January 2. ATC's need to be mailed no later than February 1.

If you would like to join us just leave me a comment and I will send you the invite to the group so you can play !

I am finishing up the details for the Valentine swap that I will be hosting on here as well so be sure to visit my blog on Friday for all the fun!

"Spoilage" Alert

2008-12-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

I have definitely been spoiled by the 2 wonderful gals that I have recently participated in swaps with and I have many photos to share of all the whimsical goodness !

In the Snowman and Snowflakes swap that I hosted here I was partners with Angela and there were so many goodies to unwrap - needless to say it took me a little bit since I ooohed and aaahed over everything !

close-up of the adorable pin !!

Ornaments, scrapbook papers, embellishments, hot cocoa, delicious truffle candies , snowman peeps -- too cute!

A great mug, the adorable Welcome decoration ... so many amazing goodies !

Thank you so much Angela for being an extra special swap partner!

I also participated in another swap and was partnered with Bev and again I was spoiled :)

I love the way these tarts smell and the glow from the cut out snowflakes is so pretty !

This adorable snowman and Joy and Snow blocks were created by Bev..

Don't they look sparkly and cozy in their new little home ?

And this adorable card was tucked in as well !

I also wanted to share something that I created for Bev and thought it was cute how we thought a little alike with a sense of "Joy"...

You can't really see it in the photo but I sprinkled the edges with glitter and fairy snow..

Here is the box of goodies before they got wrapped up and sent to their new home at Bev's house !

I'll be posting the details for my "Key to my Heart" swap next week! Stay tuned!

Holly Days are here ...

2008-12-07T13:09:00.001-08:00

I have been so busy with decorating, shopping and life in general that I have neglected my blogging duties ! There will be photos aplenty in this post so grab a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy !

You could say I have a bit of an obsession with Snowmen ..I keep adding to my collection each year ..pretty soon I will have a great excuse to move into another house..my country house that I have always dreamed of .. never hurts to wish !

These are my two front windows which I always have so much fun decorating for the holidays ..

I got this idea from a recent issue of Cottage Living magazine : these are real branches from the tree in our front yard , they are painted white and then plaved in a vase with the clear/snowy pebbles, a decorative berry sprig from Michael's and some decorative icicles and tiny sparkly silver and gold glass ornaments. I really like how it turned out ! I wish the pictures could have been more clear ..

I was also busy getting my Snowman's swap box ready and mailed - I hope my partner Angela enjoys her goodies :) Here is a little sneak peek of what she will be getting :

A handmade holiday scrapbook - just add pictures and journaling!

some handmade tags for gift giving :

more goodies were put on top of these before the box was sealed up and sent on it's merry way..

And I was truly spoiled by Angela with my swap goodies .. I will be sharing those photos in my next post !!

We are going to be getting our tree this Friday and decorating it over the weekend so more holiday goodness will be on my blog ...and we are taking a little trip to NYC next week .. I am so excited to see all the beautiful window displays ..do some shopping in ABC Carpet and Home , Tinsel Trading and a few other awesome stores that are must see's ! I'm also looking forward to a little Dean and Deluca goodness..bakery items and coffee delights ..yummy! Plus I will be sure to visit a couple of the other neighborhood bakeries to bring some sweet treats home for the big day ! I'm sure that adventure will be full of photos so stay tuned for that as well!

Mesmerized

2008-11-29T14:06:00.000-08:00

We saw Twilight after Thanksgiving dinner and I am in love with this movie. I've always loved a good Vampire flick - including Bram Stoker's Dracula with Gary Oldman and Winona Ryder , and Interview with a Vampire with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Twilight has definitely captured my heart and I can't wait till it comes out on DVD so I can enjoy it all over again. The love story is so overwhelming and intense - there were scenes that touched my heart and soul so deeply that I actually had to hold back tears . I must admit it saddens me a bit because I am afraid of how it will all end . I haven't had a chance to read any of the books but as soon as I am finished the book I am currently reading I will be starting with this series.

Rob Pattinson is simply gorgeous ..living forever with him wouldn't be such a bad idea :) I loved him as Cedric in Harry Potter but this role suits him even better . I also adore the soundtrack to the movie - so many great songs - my two favorites being Flightless Bird - American Mouth by Iron and Wine ..... and..... Never Think by Rob Pattinson! I never realized it was him until I bought the soundtrack . This song gives me goosebumps - the words are hauntingly beautiful. He also co-wrote the song - here are the lyrics:

Rob Pattinson : Never Think Lyrics

I should never think
What's in your heart
What's in our home
So I won't

You'll learn to hate me
But still call me baby
Oh love
So call me by my name

And save your soul
Save your soul
Before you're too far gone
Before nothing can be done

I'll try to decide when
She'll lie in the end
I ain't got no fight in me
In this whole damn world
Tell you to hold off
You choose to hold on
It's the one thing that I've known

Once I put my coat on
I'm coming out in this all wrong
She's standing outside holding me
Saying oh please
I'm in love
I'm in love

Girl save your soul
Go on save your soul
Before it's too far gone
And before nothing can be done

'Cause without me
You got it all
So hold on
Without me you got it all
So hold on
Without me you got it all
Without me you got it all
So hold on
Without me you got it all
So hold on
Without me you got it all
So hold on
Hold on

If you haven't already seen the movie I definitely recommend it!

Magical

2008-11-22T14:16:00.000-08:00

I have always loved this time of year for many reasons and one of them are all the beautiful, twinkling, and sparking lights . They just make my heart sing and I can't help but smile and take in all the beauty.

I can't believe Thanksgiving will be in a few days ... and that I'll be decorating the inside of the house next weekend for the Christmas season ! I'll also be a busy gal creating and making up my swap packages - I'll post pictures of the goodies after the girls receive them ..wouldn't want to spoil any suprises !

Smitten but not bitten...

2008-11-20T02:08:00.000-08:00

I am so excited that Twilight premieres this weekend - I am one of the few who have not yet read the books . (although when I do have some time I plan on doing that!) And I usually like to read the book before I see the movie but I never did that with any of the Harry Potter series and have adored them from the start . I know many bookstores and places of that nature are hosting little Twilight specials and parties which should be fun . I also read a news story on the actual town where Twilight takes place and let me tell you ...they are in for some real treats!! If I lived close enough to Forks, Washington I would be flying right on over there.

Here is the article on MSN.com:

If Forks' favorite vampire-human couple decided to make a movie date out of the "Twilight" premiere on Nov. 21, where would they see the show? The misty, one-stoplight town where they fell in love doesn't have a cinema.

A former timber capital, Forks -- population, 3,175 -- hides between mountains and grey, windy coast on the far edge of the Olympic peninsula in Washington state. A lush, green and isolated Eden, Forks gets a whopping 10 to 12 feet of rain a year. Author Stephenie Meyer had never visited before setting the first of her "Twilight" series there; she searched the Web for somewhere wet and dark (where vampires might feel at home) and found Forks. To date, the books have sold over 17 million copies, putting Forks on the map as a tourist destination.

So where would the books' teen couple Edward and Bella catch a flick on a Friday night?

The historic Lincoln Theater, of course, in Port Angeles -- about 45 miles from Forks. In the books, it's where Bella and Jacob mocked the movie "Crosshairs" and two doors down from the restaurant Bella Italia, where the star-crossed sweethearts had their first dinner rendezvous. Next door is Port Book and News, where Bella strolled past just before her inborn danger magnet drew local thugs and Edward sped to her rescue.

Other than Bella Italia, not all Port Angeles' "Twilight" sites are specifically named in the books. Yet, as these locales fit Meyer's literary landscape best, they've become the living landmarks that imitate her art -- and make Port Angeles a Twilighter hub, second only to Forks.

First blood: Port Angeles premieres
On Friday, Nov. 21, the Lincoln and the Port Angeles Downtown Association will do their best to set the "Twilight" mood for the premiere. That includes showing the film on two of the tiny theater's three screens. One seats about 163 people, the other 179. Queue up for your ticket on the 21st, no advance purchase permitted. It's the fairest way, according to the theater owner. Especially in light of the flood of fans expected to overtake a venue that its Assistant Manager Kaitlin says hasn't sold out "since 'Jackass Number Two.'"

After you see the show (if you're so lucky) follow the red carpet leading from the Lincoln to Bella Italia for a meal of Bella Swan's favorite mushroom ravioli. Be careful not to spill sauce on your prom dress or drop your fangs in your drink. The festivities include a character look-alike contest, plus a gothic fashion show and a test-your-"Twilight"-trivia-IQ scavenger hunt with prizes from the film's production company.

The town fountain -- at the far end of the block from the theater -- will serve as the hub of the Swan-Cullen fun. But businesses throughout the area will offer "Twilight" specials and display their true-blood colors with red and black décor. As the town only recently received permission to host the film, many local merchants' premiere-day plans are still in the works. (So look forward to "Twilight" surprises around every corner.)

Other special spots and photo ops to add to your itinerary include Gottschalks Department store, where Bella shopped for her prom dress, and Port Book and News -- which, in addition to books, sells replicas of the heart-shaped crystal charm Edward gave Bella.

New love: Dazzled by Twilight opens
On Saturday, Nov. 22, Forks' first all-"Twilight" all-the-time shop, Dazzled by Twilight, celebrates its grand opening. Owner Annette Root was so dazzled by the saga herself that she began collecting "Twilight"-themed art and memorabilia. During her first pilgrimage to Forks she was disappointed to discover that no one business featured "Twilight." So she went home -- to Vancouver, Wash. -- and decided to create the mecca she'd been missing herself. A few months later she was back in Forks, prepping her new store for its grand opening.

As an ardent fan, she stocks her shelves with the essential souvenirs most Bella- and Edward-adoring hearts expect and desire: T-shirts, books, CDs, jewelry, book-cover-art-inspired trinkets (apple antenna toppers, chess pieces) and Christmas decorations (for a very merry "Twilight" Christmas). But possibly the best keepsakes Root offers are those that fans don't expect. She consigns many of her wares from Twilight-inspired artists from across the country. Acquisitions include everything from decals and soap dispensers to paintings. Her Bella bracelets come in six different versions (so far). "Each one speaks to a different person." As an avid collector, she laughs, "Every time I get a new box I usually have to buy a few things myself." Fans interested in hawking their "Twilight" masterpieces are welcome to contact the store.

After having been open only a few weeks, with much of its stock still coming in, Dazzled by Twilight is already a busy beacon for Forks buffs. Dedicated to both the store and fellow Twilighters Root offers to open her doors after hours for any visiting fan. She lives upstairs from the shop. Forks is "a magical place" she now calls home.

For the moment, at least. She's not ready to commit to an eternity.

Christine Champ is a frequent MSN contributor.

It definitely sounds like they are going to have an amazing weekend of fun in Forks and Port Angeles , Wa. The look-a-like contest and gothic fashion show would be a must for me to attend! And I believe I could spend a few hours in the Dazzled by Twilight store - I think that would be worth a trip to the town all on its own! I did click on the link and it states that there will be a website coming soon - I will need to keep checking on that .

We are going to the movie on Sunday - I'll post my thoughts after I see it !

Leaving Pieces...

2008-11-18T23:00:00.000-08:00

She left pieces of her life behind her

everywhere she went.

It's easier to feel the sunlight without them,

she said.

Brian Andreas

A Day of Sharing Words...

2008-11-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

LK Ludwig has an amazing project idea that I will definitely be partaking in and I hope you will as well. I am posting her e-mail that has been sent around to various art groups:

*************************************

A Day of Sharing Words
The idea: We have words that touch us, move into our hearts and
resonate, creating a feeling, taking us some place- past, present,
future- perhaps some place we have never been and may never go, but
for whatever reasons, the words pulse in our blood. Meeting new
words, new poets, new poems, new ways for my heart to beat, is an
intruiging concept. Want to go on this adventure with me? It will be
easy to travel along.
Many of us already do this sharing; this idea is just to help us find
each other and hear the words we have to share.
The Date: Wednesday, November 19.
The Plan: on your blog, post a poem that moves inside you, touches
you, reaches you. (quotes and song lyrics also welcome). Include
the author (or composer or musician) and source (book, album)-
perhaps also the amazon link if there is one. no explanation
required, no other revelation about the poem you are choosing is
necessary.
One last thing- Perhaps add an image. a photo. a video. a painting. a
collage., if you would.
Come here to this post.
http://gryphonsfeather.typepad.com/the_poetic_eye/2008/11/sharing-words.html

Add a comment with your link.
I'll create a typepad page with the links, so others can hear the
rhythm of the words, see the image and share in the experience.

The Request: If you are intrigued enough, post on your blog about
this Day of Sharing Words- encourage your friends to post. Who
couldn't use a few new poems in their treasury or new songs in their
hearts? How cool would it be if we coud get dozens of bloggers to
share on the same day!? What an anthology that would make!!!

****************************************************

I already have my chosen poem - it is one that I have loved for quite sometime...I can't wait to see what words move you....

A little bit of lovely

2008-11-16T04:42:00.000-08:00

We haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet but it is beginning to look alot like Christmas here already. Santa is ready and waiting for picture taking and toy list making at the malls...decorations are adorning stores and mall corriders....speaking for myself I just can't seem to get into the full blown Holiday spirit until after Thanksgiving but it sure does look pretty!

My favorite home and garden store had its Open House this weekend and of course I had to go to see all the beautiful sights, trinkets and treasure galore ... they never fail to disappoint me.

There was plenty of shimmer, glimmer and sparkle to go around...I actually had quite a few specks of glitter on my face just from walking around and picking items up to admire them! They had quite a few snowmen displays which made me squeal with glee...I may have even found a few things for my Snowman swap partner :)

My most favorite display in the whole store is the Snowman in the gazebo and the snowflakes and icicles placed here and there...if I ever have the room for such a display in my own backyard I will certainly be taking inspiration from this wintry wonderland..

I have also been trying to create a few things to update my etsy shoppe...I need more hours in the day ! I was able to create a couple embellished cones - and the floral arrangements are included with each!

You can see / purchase those in my etsy shoppe .. I hope to have a few more things to add next weekend !

Last leaves of Autumn

2008-11-12T05:23:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken a couple days ago when there were still a few leaves clinging to its branches....now the tree in our front yard is totally bare .. the fun of cleaning up all the leaves is still ahead of us ! Can you see the gorgeous Crow in the image above? There is a family of 3 Crows that have been living in the area for quite sometime and they recently have been hanging around our house...I leave peanuts out every morning for our little squirrel friends and the Crows have been taking a treat here and there as well. I was finally able to get a few much clearer images of these beauties .. they are my favorite winged creature..

Here is an action shot - the squirrel appears to be jumping over the Crow!

I have really been enjoying their visits each morning, I sit at the window with my cup of tea and admire them.

I've also been indulging in the latest magazine offerings ... I am a bit of a magazine lover and my favorite issues are always the ones from october - December. The covers this year are breathtaking and inspiring! I am particularly excited about the Cloth, Paper, Scissors issue - just look at those sparkly and glimmery snowmen!! How perfect for our upcoming Snowman Winter Wonderland swap!

I will be e-mailing swap partners tomorrow so we can get started!

There is also another gorgeous magazine that I want to share with you - it is pretty new , the Fall issue was the premiere issue . I just bought the winter one and it looks wonderfully captivating as well!!

I also have an idea for a fun and festive Valentine swap- I know it's early ..but I am hoping to get many participants interested in this one so I will be getting all the specifics together and will be posting about it in late December !

I'm going to grab an Espresso Truffle from Starbucks .. they are quite addicting..and curl up in a chair this evening with a magazine or two! I hope you get the chance to do the same !

Snow Fun....

2008-11-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

come out and play in the Snowman's Winter Wonderland Swap! we have 6 participants so far .. I am hoping for at least 1 more so that I can have a partner!
If you have posted a comment to the sign up post below you also need to e-mail me the answers to the questions I asked in that post. Please be sure to do that asap if you haven't already!

I'll be matching up partners later this week!

2008-11-06T00:31:00.000-08:00

These are my favorite fabric placemats - I have actually used them the past couple years . I tend to keep them around for less than that since each year I see new ones that I like! But these are just so colorful and fun that I can't get rid of them!

Here are a couple pictures of some new fall decorations that I have put out since al of the Halloween is tucked away . I loved the little orange wagon that this flower arrangement came nestled in - I bought this at Michael's a few years ago at the end of the season when they are 1/2 price. It looks perfect as main centerpiece on the dining room table.

Here is my kitchen window - tried to take the picture without getting any glare .... no luck ! When the weather is better I will take a picture of the other window that I decorate in the front of the house. It has been raining since Tuesday ... I miss the sunshine .

There is PLENTY of room to come and join my Snowman swap so if you are interested please come out and join the fun!! (see my post a few down from this one.)

I am still putting the finishing touches on my Godson's halloween scrapbook so I hope to have that up on my blog in the next couple days.

Also, if anyone can help me find some fun and funky stamps of octopus (preferably Teesha Moore style!) I would much appreicate it! Due to finances I will not be able to attend Artfest next year (I'm hoping for 2010!) but I am participating in the awesome ATC swap held by Bee Shay. So if you know of any odd octopus stamps please send the info my way!

Enjoying the View...

2008-11-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

I love looking up to the sky and marveling at all the swirls of color , branches and trees seeming to stretch up on their tippy toes to touch the clouds and dance among them. Our winged creatures are some of the luckiest on this earth for they get to be so close to such amazing beauty.

These are the kinds of days when I want to run into the house , find a huge fluffy blanket to lay on and gaze up as the sun sets and the stars come out to play.

I am really excited to see such enthusiam for the Snowman swap - there is still time to sign up so if you want to join us please add a comment to the swap post and also e-mail me with the answers to the questionaire in that post. Also feel free to post the sweet button (created by Shauna!) on your blogs to get the word out about the swap !

I am in the middle of creating a teeny halloween scrapbook for my Godson ..I will post pictures of that in the next day or two ...stay tuned !

Until then, take a few moments to look up at your autumn sky...and all the wonder that it holds...

Snowmen, Snowflakes and Swaps

2008-11-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

I am super excited to be hosting my very own swap for this season!!! I truly hope many of you will join me - it will be loads of fun! Shauna created the wonderful swap button you see above that you can use to post on your blog as well! Let's get down to the fun details :

I will take a maximum of 50 swappers - sign ups will be taken until November 10. At that time I will match up swap partners and send you your partner's info! Please be sure to mail your swap box out on or before December 5 so that the items you are sending will be able to be enjoyed during this beautiful season!

The theme of the swap is Snowmen with some Snowflakes thrown in for good measure..because we all know that if it weren't for Snowflakes we wouldn't have Snowmen! All items should keep the theme in mind:

Your swap items should include:

** something handmade

** an ornament (can be bought or handmade)

** something decorative for the home

** a sweet treat (edible or drinkable!)

And of course whatever else you would like to add to make your partner's swap box fun ! It would also be great if everyone could wrap their items - there are so many cool and creative ways to wrap your gifts ! The minimum amount for each participant should be $25.00 - anything that goes over that amount if totally up to each individual.

I will start a Flicker account for all those who participate as well so that we can share in the fun of everyone's treats!

If you would like to be a part of this please add a comment to this post and then ALSO e-mail me with the answers to the following questions:

Your favorite style: (country, traditional, primitive, vintage, funky, etc)

Favorite Hobbies:

Do you collect anything:

Favorite holiday tradition:

Favorite sweet treat:

***edible (cookies, snacks, etc)

***drinkable (tea, coffee, hot cocoa, etc)

Let the fun begin!!

New Home.....

2008-11-02T03:48:00.000-08:00

I have had a fabulous blog makover by the awesomely talented and super sweet Shauna Callaghan! She is also creating a button for my Snowman Swap .. all the details for this swap will be posted here later on today..if you love Snowmen then you will love this swap! My etsy needed some love so Shauna is also creating my banner for my shop ... I'll keep you all updated on that as well !

Halloween has come and gone and Thanksgiving is on its way ... I already took everything down yesterday and put up some fall/Thanksgiving related decorations. I need to get a few more things for my one window so I am going to check out Joanne's fabrics today - they usually have some great stuff. I'll upload photos tomorrow so you can see what I've done!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

2008-10-31T09:57:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween

with night sky moon

In masks and capes

we'll see you soon.

On brooms and wing

we haunt the streets

We'll ring your bell

for tricks and treats.

It's Almost here....

2008-10-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

All Hallows Eve is almost upon us ... and thankfully the big day is going to be sunny and 65 degrees. We have definitely lucked out the past few years with rain and really cold weather on Halloween.

We finally got out pumpkins today and carving will take place on Wednesday night so I will post pictures of those here so you can enjoy them ! We went to a home and garden center over the weekend that has been around for years ... the place is an amazing treasure trove of cool finds so I can't believe I have never visited there before ! They had some great pumpkins to carve but they were $10.00 each so we passed on those and were able to get them from somewhere else much cheaper.

Although we didn't get our pumpkins from there they had some really neat decorations for Halloween and they were 50% off already!! They were also staring to put out their Christmas things but that will be for another visit - I can't wrap my head around that holiday just yet! They have a whole section of trees that they decorate in different themes and such - can't wait to go back in a few weeks and check them out.

Here are my little treasures that I came away with - all of these things came to a total of $25.00 ! I was definitely happy with my finds !

This cool cat makes jingly noises if you move him around ..love his face !

These were supposed to be placed inside potted plants but I thought they were cool without a plant!

This was the only one in the shop - it's handpainted and ceramic !When you place a tealight in the back you have cool bat shapes illuminated on your wall!

This one has bat and star shapes that illuminate onto the wall..

Here is an idea of how it looks - I just couldn't capture a good image on film.

Another handpainted ceramic pumpkin - the last one of this design as well!

And....my creepy cuddly little guy, Sam, that I spoke about in a previous post finally arrived today...I was so excited and couldn't wait to put him in the window!

He's 15 inches tall and quite heavy.

Don't you just love his stitched up smile ?

Holiday Swap Fun!!!

2008-10-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

I just came across another wonderful blog and hopefully got in on the super swap that Holly is hosting!! I'll be sure to give you guys sneak peeks of what I send (after my partner receives it of course!)

More details to come next week of the swap I hope to be hosting! Hope you will come and join in the fun with me!

Autumn Gatherings

2008-10-23T04:11:00.000-07:00

Kari Ramstrom is hosting a super wonderful Autumn Home blog party today and I am excited to join in the fun and seeall of the other inspiring bloggers that are gathering for the part as well! If you haven't checked out Kari's blog you really should - it's beautiful!!

I've actually already posted a good bit of my decorated house in the posts below but I have a few more to share with you today for this special ocassion!

I love decorating for fall - rust, orange, brown, deep reds and yellows have always been my favorite colors . I adore them so much that I couldn't resist painting my living room walls in a rustic orange hue ! I can't wait to get our pumpkins this weekend -I'm hoping to find quite a few of those really cool white pumpkins . They are beautiful yet spooky. I'll be sure to keep a few of them for decoration just as they are and the rest will be for carving. I am going to try to do a Jack (from Nightmare before Christmas) pumpkin and also a Sam (from Trick R Treat) pumpkin...we'll see how those turn out !

I found this beautiful vase and sunflower at Yankee Candle a couple weeks ago and found the perfect little table for it, along with those mini pumpkins and squash that I think are so cute!

This is a little arrangement that I have on the dining room table . I purchased the cinnamon scented pinecones at Michaels - they really make the room smell delicious! And my two little villians , my cats, just love batting them around - I have to rearrange them at least once a day !

We saw this gorgeous piece for sale at Terrain. It is totally handmade in India and you can feel the workmanship put into this piece when you touch it. When I have my dream country home I would love to add a piece like this in my dining room.

I have finally drawn a winner for the 2 goodie boxes I created . I put all of the names of those who commented on that post into a hat and the winner is : Shell!! I will be contacting you to get your address so I can mail them out to you!

Stay tuned for pumpkin picking and carving this weekend!

Snowman's Winter Wonderland

2008-10-20T00:40:00.000-07:00

I know what you are thinking...we haven't even gotten through Halloween, is she crazy ?! I just wanted to give a sneak peek into an idea that I have wanted to host since last winter - if you love Snowman then you will love this one on one swap that I have planned to start in November! I'll post all the details in a couple weeks here on my blog , signups will start then . There will be a maximum of 50 swap participants - I will put everyone's name in a hat (a snowman's hat of course!) and pick swap partners ! Hope to see many of you come and join the fun!

Scarecrows, Ravens and Pumpkins, oh my..

2008-10-20T00:26:00.000-07:00

We were strolling around Peddlers Village on Sunday after we had a delicious dinner at Hart's Tavern for my b-day and I came across this wonderful display for my favorite store : Artisan's Gallery.

They have the coolest creations by artists who are local and out of state , alot of one of a kind pieces as well. I adore the primitive style of these little guys ... I really wanted the raven to fly home with me !

Their Scarecrow competition is over but they leave them up for everyone to see until Halloween. I missed this sinister looking creation the last time we were there .. he won 3rd place in the Whirligig style - his name is Hollow Man . The picture does not do him justice ... he really is quite scary.

There are many farms in this area and as we passed this one on the way home I had to check out the scarecrows with pumpkin heads that they had adorning the driveway..some really great ideas here!

Dogs and Cats playing poker:

The Jonas Bothers - my daughter loved this one !

My favorite was Jack and Sally , I really need to make these for my front yard next year..

This farm is absolutely beautiful - I would love to get up every morning and see this from my window ..

And the house itself is something I have always dreamed of owning ... I can picture myself sitting on the porch with a good book and some hot chocolate!

It's always nice to dream isn't it ?

Sam I am

2008-10-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

I was in Barnes and Noble the other night and my eyes caught the sight of this awesome book cover .... I almost let out a little "eep" of joy ....

There were only 2 copies so I quickly grabbed one and without even looking inside I knew I had to have it ! Once I turned a few pages I was hooked and it came home with me . It is actually a movie that should have been in the theaters this Halloween but to my disappointment the release date has been delayed . The book is probably one of the coolest books I own and when the movie does finally come out I will be there on opening night. If you like creepy you will love this book - full color images throughout and lots of Halloween lore as well .

The little guy on the cover is Sam ... he is cuddly and creepy at the same time..his mask is beyond cool. They actually have a 15 inch vinyl doll - I found it online and of course had to buy him as well.... he may be on my doorstep Halloween night to greet the trick r' treaters ...I'll post photos of him when he arrives!

A good night for a little fright...

2008-10-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

The Moon is hiding tonight and the ghosts and goblins want to create a little mischief...they know it's not quite Halloween but they don't think it's fair that they only have one night a year to play....

The witch has started to prepare her brew - I'm not sure what she has in that cauldron of hers but she wants me to try some.. she says it's a secret recipe . I don't know if I should taste it..

I just had to add these this year..such delightful fellows aren't they ?

I adore the black wreath I found at Michael's and added the extra skeleton adornment in the middle ..

Each year I plan on adding to our cemetery...I would love to have about 20 of these tombstones all across the yard..they are a little time consuming to make but worth it, especially considering the fact that the ones in the store aren't very realistic looking and are fairly costly at $20.00 or more each! Just buy a huge piece of foam from Home Depot, cut out your shapes , spray paint, grunge it up a bit, spray paint some more , write the epitaphs and you have a handmade tombstone for under $5.00, plus you can write whatever you want on them which is much more funOn Halloween night I light the skull candles that are in front of the tombstones to cast an eerie glow upon them....

This is my favorite one so far ..

The cobwebs take quite awhile to get just right but I love the way it looks ..definitely a little spookier...

I have a little fun decorating the inside of the house as well .. a mix of sweet and spooky...

I love Jack from Nightmare before Christmas .... the new soundtrack Nightmare Revisited is amazing, if you love the movie you should definitely get this CD.

I have 2 bough windows - one in the kitchen and one in the dining room - I have alot of fun dressing those up for the holiday..

This scene is fairly dark and eerie but unfortunately even with the strobe light I couldn't capture the true creepiness on film....

I have a little blog give-away for you...leave me a comment and I will gather the names together Sunday night .. one of you will receive these little goodie boxes that you can fill with candy, treats, whatever you wish!

Good Luck!

Shades of October

2008-10-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

Where did this week go? Last weekend went by in a flash and another one is almost here ... I only wish that the cold winter months that are ahead would go by so quickly!

We went to Terrain last weekend and it was a beautiful day , actually a little warmer than normal for this time of year. They have the most gorgeous arrangements of flowers, plants, table decor....I was in awe. The majority of their items were quite pricey though so I only brought home a couple treasures . It was great to be out and about and walk around amongst the various little tables they had set up for a little farmers market and a lovely woman selling her homemade pies and cookies...now they did come home with me !

I am in the midst of getting things ready for Fanciful Twist's Halloween party on Saturday ... if you check back here later on in the day my blog should be full of some sweet things, some spooky creatures .. and who knows what else ...

This weekend I am also going back up to Peddler's Village to have lunch with my family for my b-day . We are also going to check out Tabora Farms - they have the most amazing pumpkin pies and lots of other homemade treats. And pumpkin picking is also on the agenda... it's going to be a busy weekend !!

Here are some photos from the day at Terrain..

Autumn Bounty

2008-10-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Another inspiring Autumn weekend lies ahead ! I have been wanting to check out Terrain at Styer's for quite sometime now - I have seen this wonderous place mentioned in other artists blogs and it looks like a place that dreams are made of !

I'm glad that we have finally decided to go this weekend because on Saturday they are having an Autumn Bounty Celebration - complete with a harvest farmers market, a wreath making demonstration/class, and a pumpkin carving demonstration! If you add all of the other treats that are offered , just take a look at their website , you have a full day of wonder, beauty and colorful inspiration awaiting you . A visual treat for all the senses ... my camera will be getting a workout this weekend and I'll be sure to share it all here with you!

I also have decorated the inside of the house for Halloween - a mix of spooky and kitschy ... I will be sharing those photos the day of the party so stay tuned for those as well !

Lingering in the goodness..

2008-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

I simply adore these beautiful fall days and wish they lasted alot longer than they do...yesterday was a little overcast but the sun did peek out throughout the day - the latter part of the day being quite sunny and warm. The day went by way too quickly though, it was 6:00 pm before I knew it! We went to a few of my favorite places , especially at this time of the year with all the colors just seeming to burst everywhere you turn.

Our first stop was a quaint little shopping area known as Peddler's Village in Bucks County . The shops are decorated for the season , the scarecrow competition/display has begun and beautiful mums and other flowers adorn the walkways.

My most favorite scarecrow display this year happened to be a few crows that were perfectly named Peck, Fly and Chirp...

One of the stores we went into had a really cool display with a black , gnarled tree that was home to quite a few Ravens ... and some eerie looking spiders as well....... There was the coolest handmade wooden witch just outside the door and if I had the money she would have made her home on my doorstep !

We then went over to a really great floral shop that is a few streets down and I couldn't resist taking these photos - the hues of the season are just breathtaking...

I could have walked around for hours just taking it all in - I probably could have made myself cozy with a book and some Starbucks .

It is too beautiful to stay inside for even one more minute so I am going to start some Halloween decorating on the outside of the house and later tonight I will start the inside ... throughout the week I will share more images of the fun I will be having!

Something's in the air....

2008-10-02T01:19:00.000-07:00

it feels crisp, fresh and new. The colors of nature are taking on a different hue that makes me long for a cool fall night , sitting by the fire pit drinking hot chocolate and drowning in the scent of burning leaves. This is truly my favorite time of year and the fact that I celebrate my birthday this month isn't a suprise -- I'm a Libra in every sense of the sign !

I'm going to my favorite place this weekend (Feeney's) since they are all decorated for Halloween. They have the most awesome displays and bursts of color everywhere you look. Everytime I go I always come up with something fun to add to my ever growing collection of creepy things . I'll be sure to share my finds with you here over the weekend.

I will also be participating in a really fun blogging party held by http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/a_fanciful_twist/

Be sure to check out her blog and her etsy site - she creates the most amazing little creatures , some of which I know want to come home with me !

Nesting Thoughts....

2008-06-24T01:54:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite little adornments in my art room...in case you haven't noticed I am smitten with anything related to winged and feathered creatures. Awhile back I was a participant in Sherylynne Carriveau's quarterly zine swap and I couldn't help myself when the Nesting theme came to mind. The zine swaps are alot of work but so very rewarding when you have the finished creation in your hands. Of course receiving the inspirational, whimsical and unique zines in return are the icing on the cake!

Here are some photos of my zine titled : Nesting (if you click on the images you will be able to see the picture in full view )

Yes, this zine was created 2 years ago - remember my previous post about time flying....when I pulled this out a few days ago I could not believe the date I created it! I would love to do another zine project and hopefully will have the chance in the next few months. \

I am a zine addict and would love to see your zine if you create one! Be sure to leave me a comment if you have any available for purchase !

Tune in tomorrow when I will post some more pictures of a few handmade books that I created recently. I also hope to gain more viewers to my lil' corner of the world here so if you like what you see please feel free to spread the word about my blog. I will be thinking of a few one on one swaps that I would like to host here and and hope that many of you will join in!

How did we get here so quickly....

2008-06-18T03:50:00.000-07:00

As the saying goes , time really does fly. I can't believe it has been 3 months since I have posted to my blog! Alot has been happening in my neck of the woods - I'm a stay at home mom now which makes things much easier when summer rolls around and school is out. My daughter is loving the fact that she can sleep in every morning, instead of being awoken and dropped off at a relatives house. I still have my part time job which I do completely from home which is a blessing.

I kept thinking how exciting this would be , all this time on my hands to create art.....and the inevitable has of course happened......the creative fires just aren't there. A part of my morning routine is going online and visiting the various blogs that I so enjoy. I revel in the beauty they have captured, whether it be in a mixed media project, a journal page, a photo that can take your breath away. And here I sit.....patiently waiting....for that inspiration to well up in me ...

Sometimes I think my well has run dry because it has been so long since I have really sat down and made something with my own 2 hands.... work and life in general were the priority so art was put to the wayside.

Maybe if I stop being so hard on myself the spark that was there will be reignited and I too will have some beauty for you to revel in .

I was looking around flicker today and came across this black and pink montage and loving it...

To Adorn thyself....

2008-03-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to get myself painted for sometime now - and I know what I want to get inked , just haven't found the right image of it yet. I do know it will involve a raven with outstretched wings and a crown and I want it on the back of my neck. If only Kat Von D. was in my area I would be setting up an appointment tomorrow! Unfortunately she is in LA and I won't be making it there anytime soon.....so I need to find a shop that is just as excellent as hers, or at least close to it!

She is such an amazing artist - her work makes my head spin - her drawing skills are phenomenal and her artistry/creativity kicks ass....I really need to get myself a plane ticket and go to LA!!!

She is beautiful isn't she?

If anyone has some ideas for my Raven tattoo email me ...

Artfest Fat Book Covers.....

2008-03-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

These beauties are on their way to Seattle and I hope the wonderful artists who participated in these books will be thrilled with the finished creation!

Here is a sneak peek of the 2 different covers...

Be safe in your travels Artfesters and have a fab time!!!

I'll put a spell on you..

2007-12-10T01:50:00.000-08:00

A Forest for my dreams...

2007-12-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do during this time of the year is to drive around and admire all of the beautiful lights that adorn the houses in the area. I am more of a simple and elegant gal that loves all white lights . I am not much for all of the blow up characters and bright colors - the white lights add just a touch of sparkle and alot of beauty, especially against a backdrop of falling snow.

I saw a few trees that were draped so beautifully in all white lights. It made me wish for an entire forest of naked trees , all glimmering and covered in white lights ; gorgeous winter sky above , a light dusting of snow on the ground, and just me and the moon as my guide keeping me company as I walk through this forest in my dreams.

I tried to find an image of this enchanted place but could not find anything that captured what I see in my mind, although I did find a couple photos that are beautiful as well as magical...

This is the closest I could come to what I had pictured , except all of the trees would have the white lights adorning them.

This picture did not come out as large or as clear as I wanted but you can get the idea...wouldn't this be a perfect little winter hideaway? Bundle up in your warmest coat, a bottle of wine and some candles and enjoy the beauty of silence. I'm sure I won't come across this tree in my waking travels but I can go there in my dreams.

2007-11-30T06:38:00.000-08:00

Wish I had a river ....

2007-11-30T06:37:00.000-08:00

Tis the season, although I am not so much in the holiday mood this year. I have lost 2 very dear and loved members of my family in the past 1 1/2 years-my grandmother and my little buddy boy Peanut (chihuman -half chihuahua, half human as he was lovingly referred to as) So this season of joy and merriment is not so merry for me this year. It makes my heart heavy with sadness , I miss them so much it really does hurt. Holidays are hard when you have lost those you love , memories of past holidays are what you have to cling to. I'm sorry to be such a downer, I try to keep this a happy place, but as in life not every day can be a good one. Life is a trip, a journey of sorts that is filled with good and bad, and sometimes it really does feel like the bad outweighs the good.

To those of you who have lost those you love, to those who feel that there are more bad days than good - we can take comfort in knowing we are not alone in these trying times....

I have posted one of my favorite songs by a beautiful soul- Sarah McLaughlin performing a cover of The River by Joni Mitchell. Everytime I hear this song tears come to my eyes- the feelings resonating in these haunting lyrics combined with Sarah's gorgeous voice make my emotions runneth over...she has the most beautiful voice (in my opinion) of any female artist. I have adored her for years and was lucky enough to see her twice at Lilith Fair . This was a great concert event that she initiated - all the performers were women and it really rocked. I would love the chance to see Sarah alone in concert - that would be an amazing show.

Hope you enjoy the song....