Paper Whimsy Door Challenge!!!

This is a challenge for Paper Whimsy the piece was an iron door and reminded me of the "City of the Dead" in New Orleans. this looks very much like their little buildingsthat are actually crypts and many times house more than one body. If you can see inside mine there are several coffins.This is not a halloween piece but a representation of the New Orleans idea of burying their dead.
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The verdigris door is the actual picture. Mine is dimentional and is about an inch in depth.

The Beginning Of a Journal!!

I am calling this Doors and Windows, the theory being Open Doors "Open Minds" These 2 pages are a work in progress and wanted to share them with you. If you have seen any interesting doors or windows, let me know.

Today is My Birthday!!

Wow!! I feel like I just had a birthday and here it is again. Time is flying at a rate that is unbelievable. I try to accomplish a piece of art everyday, along with working on any projects I have going. Always looking for new ideas and methods. Love the youtube videos of all the techniques for altered art, bookbinding, jewelry making etc. I started the tutorials on Thursday and will continue with that until I run out of things(not likely) I hope people are enjoying them and manage to fit some of these into their busy schedules.
....... A friend dropped by yesterday and we had a great visit and a nice lunch. It was raining out and pretty chilly , the leaves falling like snow from the force of the wind and the rain. But we were warm and cozy with the fireplace going and a nice cup of tea and a really good chicken soup from the night before's dinner.
.......Sometimes , I have to stop doing my projects and connect with a human that doesn't belong to one of my groups.Trying to find out how to crackle fabric , if you know would you tell me??? I would tell you. Here is yesterdays work, the two altered pieces and the quilt I did a couple of days ago. It is a baby rag quilt and quite warm and cozy all flannel , minky and chenille. I hope you have a great day!!!
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This is a new transfer method on this tag, not bad I don't think for a first try.
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Quote for the day:
Live like you were going to die tomorrow.
Learn like you were going to live forever. Ghandi

Thursday Tutorial!! Mittens!!!

Starting from the bottom, first is the pattern you can right click and save it or just draw it yourself- it is 7 inches long and 4 1/2 at the widest thumb part. the next is cutting it out of the fabric, I used fleece for the red one and batting for the second one. Add a 1 1/2 inch piece to the top of the mitten on each piece and sew together with a 1/4 inch seam, turn and clip by thumb. Turn cuff to inside and gather the top about an inch down. Gather by hand and pull a little tight. Add ribbon . lace , buttons, a charm and spray a little spray glue on the bottom and sprinkle with glitter. The other mitten made of warm and natural batting is cut with pinkihg shears, sewn and not turned and added embellishments. Use tiny clothespins to hang from a ribbon for a swag or use on a wreath or pkg decoration. They are so cute and sparkley, If you like a more traditional look then just do a ribbon and not the the other embellishments. They will be cute on a string or two together on a wreath or swag. Two on a ribbon or jute.Hope you like it and if you need my help just e-mail me.

A new theatre!!

The fairies puppeteer theatre, it was a lot of fun to do. Hope you like it. Two different light sources, Looks really different from one another. Interesting.The bottom picture is really more true to color. the box is a cigar box ( thanks , Penny)that I covered with beautiful napkins and then proceeded with the design. Many adjustments were made to the theatre facade and the draping.Theatre facade by Vikimouse(etsy)

My Theatre!!

Is being shown on :
Big Art Adventure

I was so pleased that they asked me if they
could put up my 2 theatres for inspiration for their theatre challenge. Every month they have a new challenge and you can check it out and join in, it looks like a great time and I hope you will go there and see the beautiful work by various artists. I will be joining in for this challenge, another theatre. So fun to do these. Their link is on the side under places to visit also.

Hot Mulled Cider!!!

Ingredients:
•2 qts. apple cider
•1/4 cup packed brown sugar
•1/8 tsp. ground ginger
•1 orange (unpeeled)
•2 cinnamon sticks
•1 tsp. whole cloves

Preparation:
Combine cider, sugar, ginger and orange in slow cooker. Tie cinnamon and cloves in a small cheesecloth bag; add to crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW 2 to 4 hours. The entire house will smell great! Remove the bag of spices. In a mug fill from cooker. Add a cinnamon stick.
Makes 10 to 12 servings
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Great drink to serve on a cool and crisp Halloween night to your friends and family when they stop by. Makes your house smell wonderful and tastes amazing.

Leslie Venable Class!!!

let's talk about Leslie Venables' altered book class, Bound Reliquaries, which will be held in the KC Willis shop February 4 - 6, 2010. click below to go there.


There will be a drawing and one of those lucky artists will receive the class at 50% off the class price...that's right one half the cost of an already splendily priced workshop! :) But hey it doesn't stop there....when the next and final 5 sign up another drawing will be held and one of those lucky artists will receive the same 50% off discount off of the class!!!!!
The class is limited to 10 people. When the first 5 sign up As most of you know I will be teaching a class at KC Willis' Studio Retreat in Colorado in February 2010

Clove Studded Oranges-( Pomanders)

A bowl of studded oranges , lemons or limes, is not only beautiful but the smell is great and they dry into lovely pomanders. I like them in a glass bowl with red ribbons. Poke your holes with a skewer or toothpick, stud with whole cloves in a pattern or all over, ( not too close) about a 1/4 inch apart. When you are finished make a mixture of cinnamon, allspice and ground cloves equal amounts- 1 tsp of each will do 6 oranges or lemons. shake in a paper bag and put your fruit in a basket in a well ventilated area to dry. After the Holiday you can string these from ribbon and hang them in closets or pantrys. They take about 3 weeks to dry and are very lightweight when dry. Kids love to do this , so gather your kids or grandkids and have a orange studding party. Tape their tender little fingers so they don't get poked by a mean clove.( some are a little sharp.) My grandkids loved to do this project.
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Here is my see thru glass bowl with my studded oranges and one lemon and one lime. They have been dusted with the spice mixture and there they will remain until dry. Don't they look homey and so fall. Hope you like these. Buy your whole cloves in bulk so they won't be expensive.

Clove Studded Oranges-( Pomanders)

Thursday Tutorial! A bowl of rag balls!!

The tag is a gift for you to use for this project or any other you have for Christmas just right click and save. Print on something stable like cardstock.
The bottom picture is the supplies for this project. Wire, styrofoam balls, straight pins, glue and fabric( I prefer homespun but any cotton fabric will do. Strips will be about 3/4 wide and ripped not cut. .Glue ends of wire and stick in ball. First strip can be stuck in with a glued pin and start to wrap. What you see here is a beginning wrap, the ball is covered. every so often glue some of the strips to give it stability. I will continue.........Continue to wrap ball with dots of glue now and then until it feels solid to you and is the size you like. Mix 1/2 elmers and 1/2 water in a bowl and paint over all your wrappings. Hang it somewhere to dry and continue making your balls. This step is not totally necessary, they will hold up without the glue wash but makes them more soldid. It is fun to do different sizes and styrofoam balls come in many sizes. If you do not have any stryrofoam balls and want to get started, ball up some newspaper tightly and begin wrapping until you get the desired size and shappe, you can make a loop of fabric to hang this kind from and glue the ends with astraight pin. I like the plaids for Christmas but you may like other Christmas prints or even muslin, plain or coffee dyed for that prim or viontage look. This is a picture of some I did awhile back and put in a little vintage box. If you like the white or muslin you can spray them with a spray adhesive and roll in German glitter glass or sparkles of some kind. Print off your tag, Hang the tag from a piece of jute or ribbon(depending on the look you are going for) They look lovely in a basket by the tree or in your entry to welcome friends and family. Hope you like this tutorial

Spooky!!!

Here is a couple of "Spooky" pieces I did for vintage Bliss group and PID. Hope you like 'em. The scene is in a cigar box for Halloween.

Every Thursday a New Tutorial!!

Stop by and see the new weekly tutorial. Sweet things, shabby chic things, Christmas decorations. more books, Lots of ideas and how to make them.

Every Thursday, a new tutorial!!!

Stop by on Thursday and see the new thing, lots of Christmas stuff coming

8 page book from one sheet of paper

Starting at the bottom picture , fold in 8 even sections, use a bone folder to make your creases sharp. Cut the slit(in pic) with an exacto or scissors. fold and like magic you have an 8 page little book to decorate or give directions on how to do something, Sweet!!The top pictures are what I did with my book. Hope you like it.

A Beautiful Day!!

I came in my room at 5 o clock, it was still dark out and the wind was blowing, wind chimes from everywhere and I could feel the chill in the air. It is 7:30 now and the sun is up and the air coming in the crack in the window is crisp and cool. The wind is down It is going to be a beautiful day , I love fall and the smells of the burning leaves and the air is so crisp and clean you could almost drink it.
Today I am headed for UW in Madison for my 4 month catscan. As always you hope for the best and believe that you don't have any symptoms of any new illness. It is still scary and I can't help but feel a sense of forboding, every time. Like waiting for the axe to fall. This is 1 1/2 years since the cancer. So far , so good. I start each day with new eyes and try to create something beautiful. It is uplifting to me to feel pride in my work and have the ability to create. I love the groups I belong to and love the comradery with the members. Always something new to do and think about. I have trunks I am working on, all my things that I create,(if they are not swap stuff) go in the trunk for my 4 great grandaughters when they are older. I hope they will love all these things that I made. Hope you have a beautiful day whereever you are. The word for today is Create!!!

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Good news!! MY catscan was good and now I don't have to go back for 6 months. On with the day!!

New direction!

I bought a box of book covers, someone had taken the time to strip out the pages and all that was left were the covers, old and a little worn, and maybe 20 in the box. I bought them for a song and they have been collecting dust (with some other items I had to have) like a spoon rack with 50 or 60 spoons. So I stared at it for quite some time and along with my knowledge from the Lipstick ranch classes, made this piece, I love it and hope you will too. So here she is: I call her "Sammy" the next is: " The Girl in the window"
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These pieces can be bought on Etsy-seller: Tomorrow's Treasures

The top picture is my house ready for fall or Halloween or both. Welcome!!