"California Dreaming" journal travel spread

Gothic arch challenge-butterflies!ATC card!Spring!

The top picture is the gothic arch challenge-butterflies-the next two are some ATC's just for the fun of it, calling them pretty girls. The next is a cabinet Jerry built for 12 bins to try to organize my art studio. This is 6 ft long and about 40 high. It is on casters. He did such a lovely job and it matches all the other open bookcases in the room. He is such a good man.

Gothic arch challenge/>
Wanted to use my background to do some ATC cards this is the first.

"Zelda" the Palm Reader

February!! I want to be here!

The Beach*************
we walked along the beach, crashing waves
thundered in our ears and a light, salted mist,
dampened our lips.

The sun began to set and the voice of the beach,
traveled across the ocean waves.

'I am the beach, and here you shall find peace.
I am the beach, here you shall find love.

In this domain, my beach, the answers you
search for, could very well be found here.
For at this beach, there is much,
that has been revealed.

The sparkled, white grains of sand, that blanket
this beach, has been a bed of comfort, to many.

Pause, as you come upon this beach, and listen
to the symphony of waves and the chorus of
birds, singing their song, as they glide in the wind.

Feel the power of this beach, as it seems to
renew your inner being. You need not question
the beach and its mystical powers. For as
millions before you have found, the beach...
and its magical transference to one...have
existed, since the beginning of time.

Be not troubled, for the beach is close at
hand. You need only to deliver your strife,
to the tranquility of the beach and it shall
be exercised from you.

When you go from this beach...leave with
the peace that you have found here.'
Joe Fazio

Meghann's first altered art piece!!!

Meghann is my grandaughter.Isn't it beautiful! A sweet little note in the envelope. The girl in the picture is me when I was a child. Meghann has 3 small children, their pictures are on the blog around Christmas.

Picture composition!

She is standing outside the frame with her basket of flowers spilling out on the flagstones, who is going to answer the door? She has an envelope in her hand that looks like "Valentines Day". Is the person beyond the door the gift giver, is she there to thank him for the card and the basket?Does he know that she is out there? This is a story that only you have the answer to. make it what you will. Are you a romantic?

Winner of 400th post Giveaway!!Sherri Auld

Did a random number and you were it!! Send me your address and I will get this off to you. Congratulations! I hope you enjoy this piece and have a nice place for it. Hugs Betty

Stencil challenge for AB group

It was a fun piece to do, all the background pieces are from a fabric catalogue.

Guess what?

Hey ,is this a paper doll or what???

"Emma"has a friend"Lilly"

New doll "Emma" she is 9 inches tall.She is one of a kind from her boots to her hat.
Lilly has a dress made of napkins, hand made paper roses.

"Green Paper piece"

Here is my green paper challenge piece.
Green Paper

Background technique!!

One piece of 8 1/2 x 11 chipboard or cardboard, cover with your choice of images, text, music, napkins, cover entire surface, while wet add strips of white tissue using your decoupage ( in my case I use elmers diluted half with water). While wet add watercolor or thinned down acrylic all over in areas, I used prang cranberry, blue, yellow, and green. While wet add gold leaf(mine is faux and brush in with your brush. Allow to dry and then cut in desired sizes for inchies, twinchies, Atc, or 4 x 4's.I have used this for a lot of stuff and Like it a lot. You don't have to add the gold but I think it is a nice touch, you could also use a large face image and let it fall where it may when you cut.I like the use of the tissue paper overlay as it gives it a smokey look.
The top picture is all the cuts I got from the sheet-4 2 x 2, 4 stack 2 x 2.7 inchies, and 6 ATC cards. Just though you might like to see the outcome.

Elizabeth!! Coming soon!New background technique!

New background technique later today or tomorrow. Make background on standard size chipboard , cut into 2 inch squares and make your twinchies!!

How about twinchies???

Two inch square, chipboard with copper foil, collage work,stamping and images.

Valentines for the gr. grandaughters!

They are 2 sided, so cute!! Rhonda from etsy pattern. I love them , hope the girls will like them. The boys get sponge bob coloring valentine.They all get 2.00 too.

Inchies"Vanity fair"

Italian dipping sauce-Bagna cauda

Bagna Cauda recipe.............
1 stick of butter- 2 T good olive oil-i can of anchovies, 1 tablespoon of chopped fine garlic. Heat and stir until anchovies are mashed, serve with crusty Italian bread and Napa cabbage. Very good with raw vegetables too. My granmma made this for us when I was a child and all my family really loves it!!

"Jennifer"

Thanks to Etsy's Rhonda.

Just Reflecting!

Periodically I put this up on the blog, usually when I am feeling that even though I do a lot of good in my relationships with people, I am not always given that in return. Should I expect it? Oprah says, you do good you get back good. I would never pass up a phone call because I would be afraid that someone would need my assistance, my words of encouragement, my comfort. People call and they say "Are you busy" No matter what I am working on or doing, I would put it down for my family or a friend. Sometimes I say it "Not too busy for you" I am not trying to sound like some saint, I do not enjoy insulting people or making them feel bad about themselves, I say you stand on your own merit, everyone does some things better than others but everyone has their niche in life. There are people that excel at being a great mother, that yell a lot but have shining clean and well taken care of children. That takes time to say "I love you" and teaches them the important things in life. I believe that teaching a child to respect his possessions is high on the list of things a Mom should do. Well here it is, this wise piece that was written(not by me):

I no longer place much importance on an exalted love for everyone and everything. It isn't likely or even practical that each of us will be able to truly love everyone else. There are simply too many human failings of the heart to allow it. I do believe kindness and compassion are always possible, even when love isn't, and that they spring from courage and are not quite, though almost, the same thing. Kindness refers to the little things, small everyday gestures - being good, and a help to those near to us, in our varied circles, even extending that to those we may not know personally, but to whom we reach out when they need a hand to steady, or a word to comfort. Compassion is larger than kindness. One can be kind, lacking understanding.
Compassion is a way of understanding, of putting oneself in the position of another, of walking the mile in their shoes. Compassion evokes generosity of spirit and encourages universality while recognizing individuality. It allows true forgiveness of terrible human failings and outrages that would seem unforgivable almost as easily as smaller transgressions of a moral code."
I wish I had written this because it says everything that I feel about human relationships. Sometimes, nothing is enough for some people and the smallest thing is a mountain for others.
Thanks to Sara Fishburn, which I did not ask permission but hope that she is not offended by my placement of her words on my blog.

***************************
I found this piece and wanted to share it with you:
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back.

This was a comfort to me today,when I am feeling sad. But tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it. I will awake refreshed and see things thru new eyes.

Sexiest man of the year, Jeffery Dean Morgan

This is a man!!! Here is another picture, Izzy's love in Gray's Anatomy. Danny. He is of scottish descent. love those Scotsman.

Dollhouse Bookcase for Children!

Handmade books, about 100 for this bookcase. Going to add a bench.

Make do heart!!!

This is a piece for a new project in the subscription group at Roses At My Table. For a small fee per year you can do a lovely project like this once a month with video lessons and different ideas on how to finish your project. This is my rendition of the class project. The pearl brooch is temporary- I have ordered a vintage pocket watch for this but it is going to take a while for it to arrive. This was a lot of fun to do and I really am happy with the outcome.

400 posts Giveaway!!

8 X 10 Wall Hanging with vintage book and image, fabric layering and saying fitting to the piece, the accents are flowers, jewelry, charms and pearls. Also a packet of ephemera charms and ribbon.Leave a comment to be included in the drawing with your blog address or e-mail address so I can reach you, The drawing ends Valentines Day, February 14.
**************************************


The blog has been a wonderful journey for me, In the time I have been doing this, about 4 years. I have shared with whoever was looking and listening. The writings , poetry and artwork come from my heart and the experiences I have had in my life. Lots of things, the front porch article, the picnic article, I hope that while this is in it's 400 posts you would take some time to go back and read and look at all this has been to me and hopefully you too. I have tried to share methods for things I have learned on my own. I hope these have been useful to you. I know we don't always have an abundance of money for out art projects so the majority of my methods are inexpensive. I love poetry and have put in my favorites or excerpts from them for your enjoyment. I have met some wonderful artists and seen some art that was mind boggling. I am a novice in comparison to some of these talents. I love what I do and love knowing I can add to this everyday. So my only message on this 400 post day is if and when you have time come and visit -go back and back and back and share this journey with me. Hugs to you all Betty

New Doll- Sarah!!!

Mounted on background. paper doll with ribbons and fabric accents.

Work in progress- faux raku thrown pot

i painted this pot with random orange peel spray paint, when dry sprayed a coat of sand tectured paint over it for texture. Added some pieces of cheescloth and other bits of paper. allow to dry. Paint the whole piece with black acrylic. let dry thoroughly. Start the layering of stewaret gill paints all metallic type paints, dark gold, afterglow, verdigris, opal and excelcius. i will continue to add until it looks right to me.

New Love ATC cards!

Made thes cards for a swap on Roses At My Table group. The theme is love , the background is a new technique, pictures do not do it justice.

Ribs and sauerkraut!!

Wow! was it good or what?? 13 x 9 pan, layer (cut apart) ribs first(seasoned ) then potatoes(unpeeled and chopped in med. pieces (salt and Pepper) then sauerkraut(drained) I small can chicken broth. cover tightly with foil and bake 1 1/2 hour at 350.

New years child paper doll! "Janie"

New paper doll"Tessie" steam punk jewelry box

Juat playing around. Jewelry box is for my grandaughter , her birthday is coming up. holds a mommy necklace with her 3 childrens names and birthstones. Had it made on etsy.
The "Tessie" doll started out as a blank, I did her hairsyle , her makeup, her shoes, everything about her has been done from scratch. I loved the addition of the boa and the feather, wanted a long cigarette holder but just couldn't fit it in. Hop you like her. She is one funtime gal.

Pictures of faux raku pot

Journal page!paper roses!!

Journal page for Colors. My attempt at paper roses, I think they are cute and will be useful.

Playing with Stewart Gill paints!!Still working on it!!

I had this paper Mache jar that was in a shed for a long time, used paints to emulate a raku finish.