....a grateful heart

I love trying new things with new products....
I just purchased a couple of jars Wendy Vecchi/Studio 490
embossing paste ~ translucent and black.

I began my creation with a Giant Tag ~ Kraft.

I ran a bit of Black Embossing Paste through
The Crafter's Workshop ~ Mini Cherry Blossoms

Then came the experimenting.....
using a palette knife I deposited two small piles of
translucent embossing paste
onto my craft matt.
I then mixed in a bit
Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Glam ~ Saffron and Adobe

I applied the mixtures through two different
Crafter's Workshop Stencils
Hexagons and
Harlequin
I LOVED THE RESULT!!

I spritzed the tag with
Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Mist
Sun Sisters
Kraft
Pumpkin Pie

I finished off the tag with colored Petaloo Flowers and Foliage
a Tattered Angels ~ Tattered Tangles
and a colored Canvas Corp Burlap Heart
and a bit of wire mesh.

I hope you enjoyed my experiment...
...cause I did!!
thanks BUNCHES for stopping by!

When the party is over.....

....and the cake has been eaten
The presents have all been opened....
....and the friends have all gone home

All you have left is a MEMORY!

Here is my latest memory...
on my nieces 10th Birthday!

I have been revisiting my creative roots
....creating layouts!
The Sugar Shoppe Collection by Doodlebug
was just perfect for my MEMORY!

To begin my creative process
I used the latest sketch at
Once Upon a Sketch!

I had lots of fun creating the background...
I began with The Crafter's Workshop Stencil ~ Quatrefoil Reversed
and Wendy Vecchi's/Studio 490 ~  Crackle Texture Paste
I applied Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Glaze,
one I sprayed with water to facilitate it to run down the paper,
and the other I used a straw to blow the Glaze around.

......then I began on the flower cluster.

The colors of the Doodlebug paper
allowed for a wide variety of
Petaloo Blooms to be used...
Botanica Minis
Velvet Hydrangeas
Wild Mini Blossoms
all nestled around a
beautiful
Botanica Bloom

I will cherish this MEMORY
for a very LONG TIME!

(journaling is on the back of the layout!)

PRODUCTS USED:
Petaloo
Botanica Collection
Botanica Blooms ~ Teal
Botanica Minis ~ Pink & Yellow

Flora Doodles
Velvet Hydrangeas ~ Cream & Orange

Printed Darjeeling
Wild Mini Blossoms ~ Aqua & Pink

The Crafter's Workshop
Quatrefoil Reversed

Tattered Angels
Glimmer Glam ~ Plumeria & Blue Oasis

Wendy Vecchi/Studio 490
Crackled Texture Paste

Ranger
Multi Medium

My Lil Bug!!

I am OVER THE MOON EXCITED to be sharing
with you one of my latest creations using the Crafter's Workshop stencils.

As my children have grown older I began to shy away from layouts
and to expand into forms of Mixed Media.
Now, my art is about to return to it's roots.....
with a new little addition to my family.....my grandson Izaya!
I have more pictures of this little one than I know what to do with!

I LOVE Mixed Media so I began to experiment with how to
integrate the techniques into my layouts.

I pulled out a few of my to go to stencils...
TCW267 ~ Ledger
TCW278 ~ Circle Explosion
TCW202 ~ Harlequin
TCW324 ~ Hexagon

As I am a bit unfamiliar with applying "mists" through stencils
I decided to experiment with a few different applicators...
Make up Sponges
Paint Brush
Sea Sponge

I LOVED how the Sea Sponge gave the appearance of texture.

When I was happy with my "misty" background
I just had to add some texture....
a bit of Ferro through the TCW202 Harlequin Stencil.

For a bit of a pop.....
I ran a bit of Molding Paste through
the TCW267 Ledger Stencil
....the perfect addition.

Now that my background was complete
I scrapped this "manly" page of "My Lil Bug!"
Isn't he just the cutest??!??!?

A Friend.....

Have you heard of Tattered Tangles??

They come in two different forms...
12 x 12 Printed Pages and
Tangled Packs.

I have been playing around with them....
OHH THE FUN....they are.
Especially for people like me who
DON'T DOODLE!

I have been seeing various "HEARTS" creations lately
and decided to make one myself.

I began by cutting my heart from
a Canvas Corp ~ 12 x 12 Canvas Sheet.

I then pulled out a container of
Wendy Vecchi's ~ Crackle Texture Paste
(can I just say I LOVE THIS STUFF!!)
and applied it through
The Crafter's Workshop ~ Quatrefoil Reversed

When dry, I sprayed the heart with 

Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Mist

Blue Bubbles and Crushed Shells.
I stamped randomly on my heart
with Wendy Vecchi's Archival Ink ~ Watering Can
I then randomly applied Ranger's Multi Medium
on the heart and laid a piece of Vintage Sheet Music
over the entire heart. When it dry, I tore off
the pieces parts that weren't adhered.
I used The Crafter's Workshop ~ Harlequin and applied
Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Glaze ~ Pewters through it.

I altered the Petaloo ~ Darjeeling flower with a bit of

Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Mist ~ Frost.

I also spritzed the other Darjeeling flowers with

Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Mist ~ Blue Bubbles.

I finished off the cluster with

Die~Namites Dies ~ Summer Branch

cut from Canvas Corp ~ Kraft Paper,

then I colored it with 

Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Glam ~ Lime Cordial.

I then finished off my heart with a

Tattered Angels ~ Tattered Tangle ~ Love.

I first sprayed the Tattered Tangle with

Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Mist ~ Crushed Shells

splattered on a bit of

Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Mist ~ Blue Bubbles

finished off the coloring with

Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Glaze ~ Saffron & Pewter.

I hope you enjoyed my creative process 'cause

I KNOW I DID!!

PRODUCTS USED:

CANVAS CORP BRANDS
Canvas Corp

Canvas Corp Sheet ~ Natural

Burlap Sheet ~ Linen

Burlap Sheet ~ Burlap

Tattered Angels 

Tattered Tangles ~ Love

Glimmer Mist

Crushed Shells

Blue Bubbles

Frost

Glimmer Glaze

Saffron

Pewter

Cowboy

Glam ~ Glitter Paint

Lime Cordial

PETALOO

Darjeeling

Daisies ~ Naturals

Mini Mix ~ Blue

Petities ~ White

Botanica ~ Faux Dried Berry Clusters

THE CRAFTER'S WORKSHOP

Harlequin

Quatrefoil Reversed

DIE~NAMITES DIES

Summer Branch

WENDY VECCHI~STUDIO 490

Crackle Texture Paste

Archival Ink ~ Watering Can

Flower Art Stamps

BEST MOM EVER!!

Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, 

but their hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

Mother's day is right around the corner.....

I already have my gift for my mom....

I was just missing one thing....

a CARD to go with her gift!

Here is the card I created for her!

And can I say.....EASY PEASY too boot!!

I began with a piece of Canvas Corp ~ E Flute ~Kraft 

for my card base. I distressed the edges using a Distrezz it All,

then added a bit of Tattered Angels ~ Baseboard ~ Red Rocks

for color.

I cut a piece of Canvas Corp ~ Black on Ivory Toile, 

leaving some of the card base showing.
I also distressed the edges of the paper,

coloring with both 

Tattered Angels ~ Baseboard ~ Red Rocks and Grass.

I diecut Leafy Flowers from a piece of 

Tattered Angels ~ Pure Mistable Papers ~ Boulce ~ Cream

and spritzed the diecut image with

Tattered Angels ~ Baseboard ~ Grass.

I altered a Burlap Ivory Flower
with a bit of Tattered Angels ~ Baseboard ~ Red Rocks!

...added bit of Canvas Corp ~ Burlap Fringe
and a Silk loopy bow to finish off the card!

....and there you have it....

a BEAUTIFUL Mother's Day card
for a WONDERFUL woman!!

OVER THE MOON EXCITED!!!

I AM OVER THE MOON EXCITED!!

I have been chosen to be apart of the

The Crafter's Workshop's 2014 Design Team!!!!

Rita Barakat

Beck Beattie

Sue Carrol

Lynne Forsythe

KarenLiz Henderson

Karen Jiles

Sarinda Jones

Sanna Lippert

Lydell Quinn

Miae Rowe

Tami Sanders

Yvonne Yam

Design Team Coordinator ~ Cheryl Boglioli

Along with 8 Guest Designers

Marion Linnenbank
Fregny Lorenzo
Kathleen Mann
Magdalena Muldoon
Miriam Prantner
Keri Sallee
Robin Tompkins
Kirsten Varga

A BIG HUGE CONGRATS
to all my fellow team members!!!

.....Melancholy it is!

It's been a LONG HARD WINTER....

but Spring has FINALLY SPRUNG......

I've been trying to put my finger on my mood

and I think I would say I've been a tad

MELANCHOLY...

of late!

a bit pensive...

....quietly sad....thoughtful!

Big changes have happened....

the arrival on my new housemate
my grandson Izaya...

with more changes coming....

....the impending graduation
and departure of

my son Douglas....

So.....I have been doing ALOT thinking....

questioning my own path...

creative abilities...

FUTURE.

Have I become stagnant in my creativity?

Does everything I create....

LOOK THE SAME!

.....so I decided I needed to experiment with
COLOR...

TEXTURE...

Vintage Embellies...

.....things that make my heart sing!

and this is what I came up with....

....a bit dark

....part of my melancholy state, I think

but FUN!

I began with a tag cut from Canvas Corp ~ E Flute

and Die~Namites Dies ~ Mom's Nest die

(can I tell you I had no idea that was the name of the die
when I was working with it! HOW APPROPRIATE!)

....and I just followed my creativity from there on!

....a piece of paper from 7gypsies ~ Maritime Collection

....various Tattered Angels ~ Glimmer Glazes and Glam Glimmer Paint

....a bit of burlap and wire mesh

.....a couple of The Crafter's Workshop stencils

...a few Petaloo flowers

.....and I don't think I even looked up until the process was over!

The finishing touches of the tag...
are a Mother of Pearl button

I pulled out my stash....
and a piece of Vintage lace!

Items that TRULY make my heart sing!

I then went on the hunt for quote....
and this is what I settled on...

...NUFF SAID!

Changes are good....

but no one said they would be easy!

....so I will keep pressing on

walking through...

headed towards that goal...

......trying to enjoy life

while on the journey!