A big THANK YOU.....

Thank you to all my peeps who have sent cards....flowers....words of encourgement....wow....I am feeling the love!!!

So...got another shout out....about my metal flowers. This time it's Claudine Hellmuth ! She put a link to my blog on her blog...way cool!! Thanks Claudine!!! (April 26th post)

Have been very limited on what I am able to do...but have spent some time doodling and coloring with my Copic Markers....in fact more are on the way as I type....will post picts for all to see...have to be doing SOMETHING!!!

Once again.............thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!!

Make it Monday Madness....

Ok...so I was looking at my to do list this morning and decided I needed to create something fun before I embarked on the ughhhhh of my list....

So here it is...I mentioned previously how I love METAL!!! I've been collecting it in various forms for years. One of my favorite styles in art class...way back when....in High School....had to dig deep for those memories.... hehehehe!!! was none other that Copper Tooling... Well Ten Seconds Studios has simplified this technique....AND I LOVE IT. I think I've said that before. I am they type of person who likes to create my own stuff.....

Here is my first try at Metal Flowers. I used Quickuts Adhesive Backed Metal. I forgot to do this step, it would be to your advantage to peel off the protective covering and stick the metal to a piece of newsprint. Then I ran the metal through my Cuttlebug using Dotted Swiss. Next, I applied a few brush strokes of Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Gesso. After that I applied several brush strokes of landscape green, yellow pastel, sky blue and charcoal black from Claudine's AMAZING Studio Line! When the paint had dried I traced two different size circles on the newsprint side and cut out the images. I then made small snips around the outside edges...creating the petals. I manhandled the petals to create a 3-D effect. I attached the two pieces together with a fuzzy brad and tahhh dahhhh a way cool flower.

After creating this flower, I toyed with the idea of using the AMAZING Studio 490 stamps. I've made beautiful funky flowers out of Grungeboard....how about out of METAL. Once again I used the Quickuts Adhesive Backed Metal. I stuck the metal to newsprint. Stamped the small and large "Funky Flowers" on the newsprint and cut out. I then smoothed out the metal....now I needed some color.....AHHHHHH....bring on Rangers Alcohol Ink.

I squirted out puddles of Ink onto my craft sheet and used an H2O brush to paint on the flowers. Ohhhhhhhh....loved the way it worked on the flowers...for the leaves and stem I covered them with Lettuce than spread out Meadow on my craft mat and dabbed the flowers and stems into the ink....loved the look....put it all together and once again........Beautiful Metal Funky Flowers!! Lastly, I attached the flower to my Ten Seconds Studio "Art" book I had made previously!

More Picts....

I LOVE METAL!! and for a while now I've been using Shur Tape... an adhesive backed metal tape that can be purchased at your local hardware store....It's awesome...you can run it through your Cuttlebug to give it texture...which as we all know...IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TEXTURE!!! The only drawback is that it doesn't hold it's shape...it smooshes ;(

So, I've been on a quest for metal...and I've found it being offered by several different places. Ten Seconds Studio has an amazing selection of pre-colored metal sheets...(or plain if you feel the need to color your own). I had the opportunity to work with their products this past weekend.....OH I AM IN LOVE!! We will be getting their product line into the store soon! Also, be watching for a class we will be offering at Generations of Memories using these products!!

I also came across metal put out by QuicKutz. (We don't sell it in the store....) It is adhesive backed... so I stuck it to a neutral colored piece of paper before I cut the flowers out. I ran them through the Cuttlebug using 3 different embossing folders. The metal I used had an aluminum finish which I in turn colored using my Alcohol Inks. I then manhandled the ends of each petal to give the flower a 3-d effect..........A THING OF BEAUTY!!!

Be watching for those spring flowers............I KNOW I AM!! and while waiting........CREATE!

My Bad....

Ok...so it took me a little longer than expected to post my pictures from my scrapbook weekend.....life has a way of getting real crazy!!!

I had sooooooooo much fun creating this layout. As you may know using corrugated cardboard is very in!!! Just tear off one side to expose the ripples. Then tear, ink and paint on it. FYI don't bother trying to stamp on it...doesn't work. Now if I had a flat piece of paper...stamped on it then ran it through a crimper it would work just fine!!

Distress, stamp, emboss, staple..and anything else you can think of....Love this page....Love the Boy!!! I will show more pages later!

Just returned from an amazing weekend at the Collins show....gotta love trade shows!!! Took some very amazing classes, saw old friends...met new...a great time had by all!! Ten Second Studios....Hero Arts....love those girls!!!....Ranger....Learned tons of stuff including an amazing technique by ShariCarrol!!! A thing to behold, I must say.

Well gotta go for now....off to work I go....have a great day.....Create...Create...Create!!!