Jump In !!

My challenge to myself is to get out there ... to make, to do, to share, to be . I make samples for my shop but I never make things just because I want to . I am like a work obsessed hermit. That seems wrong ! Well that's about to change ! Part of this challenge is to start sharing what I make or have made ... and the Simon Says Tag It Challenge seems to be a great place to jump in !

Butterfly Tag

I  used a heavy chipboard tag from Cosmo Cricket and applied a base of various inks and paints. I applied the butterfly diecut with multi medium and then placed one of the amazing Prima rub ons over top. I only rubbed around the butterfly ... I wanted to leave a little halo around the butterfly. These rub ons are sticky and are the base for foils ... ohhhh foils ... I love the shimmer ! So I added gold foil and then I added the text . I really love that phrase from Tim Holtz. Artist or not, everything IS possible ! Lastly, some ribbon that I dyed myself. Oh ! And the body of the butterfly ... a pen nib from Tim Holtz. I was really pleased with the colours and that shimmer.

So that's it for the tag challenge. I hope to keep taking the challenge and actually making something "just because" !!
Here's what I made this week for the store ... and yes, while I did enjoy making them , it's really fun to make something for no particular end ! These are this week's card kit and some jewelry samples ... all for the big V♥Day coming up !
Thanks for looking ... hope to be back soon !

Card kit for the week

Christmas Craft Swap

Okay, I Squealed !

Just posted a link on Tim Holtz's tag page ... guess it's not really a tag ... I just got so caught up in the little tags that I forgot to do the big tag ...lol !!!!
I was looking at Tim Holtz's tag post where he used the enameled tags and rubons ... it was pretty exciting ! I grabbed a package of each and threw them in my "take home" bag ... the bag that gets carried home and then back again ... thoughts of "maybe another day". I left work late & then went grocery shopping ... home at 10:30pm. Darn, another night of not making anything. But I kept thinking about the tags ... they were calling me. I'll just make one ... HA !!!Once I started, I could not stop until I used the whole package !!! SO DARN FUN !!!
So you start with these items ...

And you end up with these !

First step is the alcohol ink ... apply it to your ink tool and dab it on. Watch it dry and see the lovely marble-like colour. If you don't like it, add blending solution and wipe it off ... foolproof !
Then choose your rubons and start rubbing ... seriously, that's it !!
I am thrilled with them. They would be fabulous on a paper project like a mini album but imagine them as part of jewelry ... oh my !
Oh, and here's another thing that makes me giddy ... you get 2 sheets of rubons in each package ... wahoo !!

Sunday ... a day of rest ... oh?

I have been feeling badly lately that I haven't posted anything on this blog. I have been meaning to make things, do videos, try products, ... hmmm ... it doesn't seem to happen. So yesterday, after starting to beat myself up a bit about it , I took a good look at my day ...
Sunday
* woke up early & came to work to fill the pellet stove ( it's my sole source of heat these days)
* off to MacDonalds for a quick cup of oatmeal - going to need fuel !
* back to work ... organized my bills, caught up on email, worked on a supplies order, counted & bagged 300 bags of beads
* off to grocery shop
* home & made a late lunch
* unloaded dishwasher
* did more dishes
* cleaned out the fridge ... eww.
* cleaned up my studio
* did an inventory of bulk stamps for future kits
* inventoried supplies for upcoming kits & projects
* designed three cards for this week's card kit
* cut, scored, folded, almost all the materials for this week's kit
* made a roast pork dinner
* gathered laundry
* ate dinner at 8pm (finally)
* back to the store to refill the pellet stove & find some more supplies for the kits
* back home
* finished cutting all the supplies for the kits
* loaded the dishwasher and washed more dishes by hand
* cleaned up the kitchen and packed away the leftovers
* baked brownies
* read & watched a little tv ...off to bed at 1am
And I work the other six days of the week ... so that might explain it. ;)

My latest Obsession ...

Peat pots. Perfection really. Wonderful little inexpensive , rugged vessels. Just waiting for ... something ... anything .

 

Here's how to make them ... super simple !!

 * Apply paint to peat pots ... do it with happy abandon ... I listened to Serena Ryder & just slapped it on. Sometimes I painted the whole pot, sometimes I left the rim, and some were solid and some just a light brush-over coat.

* Gather free printable images & stamps. Print and stamp on tissue paper. Make sure you use a laser printer and an ink like Stazon.

* Tear the images out and apply with Mod Podge.

* Fill with lovely crinkly strands ... I saved mine from a Hickory Farm gift box (ha ! I knew I would use it someday ...) and then find some quail eggs ... lol ... or any tiny eggs real or chocolate !

A fast fun project !!



Inky Hands = A Great Day !!

I love a day when I end up with different coloured hands ! Inkiness = Happiness.
Today was Spray Day for leaves ... I have literally 1000s of these leaves .... I bought all the warehouse had left. They take ink so beautifully and work really well as embellishments on almost any kind of project. Today I rolled down my sleeves and started spraying !!



Beautiful over spray papers !!!
 

                                        

More colour play ...

I decided to make tags with single colours of the Dyelusions as reference ... oh I love these colours !!
A swipe of gesso through a stencil and then BRING ON THE COLOUR !!!!

and a little more playing around ...