Butterfly Box

Hi:  I'm working on a butterfly box for Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge.  I used Sanctuary by Blue Fern Studios  called Botanical Gardens,  Hope you like it!!

Spring flowers

Hey again:  When it rains I play in my craft room.  Actually I do dishes, pick up, sweep, cook (well some meals) and then I craft.  Which is normally late at night.  I made this card for 2 Simon Says Challenges.  There is the Simon Says Monday Challenge which is-April showers bring may flowers ; and for Simon says Wednesday Challenge- Lets do polka dots.  Hope you like it.

Just a couple boxes

 Hey again:

 Last weekend I spent several hours altering a couple cigar boxes for my friend Rayann so she could take them home to Canada.   It was one of those races against the clock craft days, because there was packing to do and a plane to catch.  One is for an auction for breast cancer and the other is a gift.  Since over at Creative Card Blanche the April Adventure is an Altered cigar box I thought I'd share these 2 - First one is called the Hope Box.  The second one is called the The Dancer.

Mosaic Luminary

Hey Everyone:
                          Have you ever had an art tool that you had to have but, you don't use it?  I had to have the luminary 3-D the second the die was released.  I got it home unpackaged it, put it on the shelf with my other Alterations dies.  There it has sat for a couple of years now.  My neighbors have this really cute lantern on their outside table and when this months Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2016 included  Mosaic I knew just what I wanted to do.  Yep I finally pulled out my Luminary die dusted it off and used it.  I messed a few up of course.  Once i figured the top was a u-fold things went pretty smoothly.  If I do another mosaic with this die I'm going to do one panel at a time with the grout.  My card stock got a little soggy.
 I made a couple of  different roofs.   Hope you like it.

 

Butterfly mixed media

Hi All:  I was walking through Michaels the other day and came across some canvas for 60% off.  It kinda got my attention since thats what I went for.  I went back to the isle I got the not on sale canvas and put it back.  I'm not a fan of creating extra work for someone else.  went back and bought several instead of just 1; and paid less.  A lot less.  I went home and started to play.  While the gesso was drying I went on the internet looked at several sites.  Over at Simon Says Wednesday Challenge they're theme is "Anything goes" and I also discovered Creative  Carte Blanche.  It's a new blog started by some of my favorite crafters.  You really need to check it out if you love challenges.  I missed creative adventure #1 and almost #2.  So #2 is called "Triple trouble"  and you have to use lace, corrugated paper, and metal on an art project.  After the gesso dried I used Picked Raspberry and Cracked Pistachio distress paint in random places over the gesso.  I decided the picked raspberry  was a little bright so I mixed some gesso with it and mellowed it out a little.  I then used some Art Anthology spray (Ink Spot).  This is a new product that I found at a craft show here in Texas.  This spray dries so fast.  I decided the canvas needed a little texture, to do this I used some Liquitex glass beads multi medium.  I had a corrugated flower I at one point attached a burlap flower too (Tattered floral die) I had made awhile back and a scrap piece in my stash so I included those and applied the same  paint and spray on those to tie the brushes in.  I also the queen of forgetting and I'm always leaving my brushes in product and not cleaning them.  Instead of throwing them away I painted them with the same colors and glued the to the canvas back and added some tulle and a bead spray from Mon Ami Gabby   On the other side I die cut some butterflies from Tm Holtz.  2 are from the new butterfly thinlets and the one on the bottom is on of his mover and shapers.  To get my metal in the piece I used pen nibs for 2 of the butterfly bodies and a corner piece from Idea-ology.  As for my lace piece I just used a base stitch on some 2 inch lace ribbon and created a flower.  the added 2 pre made flowers from my stash to complete.   So here is mine mixed media piece I hope you like it.  And thanks for looking!!

 

Thanks for looking

A little Ice Cream

Hey All:  Happy Easter!!   I'm Between holiday activities so I thought I'd  share a simple  birthday card I made.  I sometimes get into these moods where I think I have to use every item in the craft room  I have on all projects I make.  It's as if I don't know when to stop.  My wise friend Melody told me , " walk away from your project, when you come back you'll look at it differently".  Of course she was right !!    So this week the Simon Says Monday challenge theme is Food and/ or drink so I tried my new mind set ; let me know what you think.

Thanks for looking

The Butterfly Escape

Happy Monday Everyone:  Its time to post my March Tim Holtz tag.  This tag was a challenge to photograph.  I couldn't get the words in the banner to show up.  Also this is a major!  I manged to damage a die and a plate.  My sandwich was too thick for my Vagabond and I forced it through.  Huge mistake.  If I had just looked and slowed down all could have been avoided.  I just grabbed without looking and ruined a black plate used for  embossing not cutting.  I also managed to get my die stuck into it and pulled it up from the base.  The black embossing plate was warped and gouged so into the trash it went; fortunately my husband was able to fix my tag and bookplate die ( one I use all the time).  Live and Learn right!  I do like how my tag turned out though.  Thanks for looking

Baby Girl

Happy Friday all:  I've got that Spring cleaning bug.  You know the one where you go room to room and go through everything.  I'm always surprised at how much stuff there is to go through.  I'm cleaning, and organizing, and then I found pictures.  So the whole cleaning thing stops.... I found this picture of my youngest Colie and I knew I had to  make a page.  I just left everything  I was organizing where it was and started playing.  I probably won't get any more cleaning done today but I'll have another scrapbook page.  I love challenges I'm entering this in the Tim Holtz 12 tags of 2016, and Simon Says Monday challenge: Inspired by a song - Isn't she lovely by Stevie Wonder.  Hope you like it.

Scrapbook Expo

HeyAll:  Yesterday my friend Melody and I went to Scrapbook Expo.  This event is fun, educational and not to mention a one stop shop!!!  Unlike CHA this events had both Manufacturers and Vendors.  My main reason for going is the classes. You learn from industry professionals/owners of the companies.  I took 2 classes yesterday, one from Art Anthology and one from Pinecone Press.  I love to make mini albums the process is calming for me.  In my class yesterday from Pinecone press I learned different ways to make flaps, and layering.  This was good because I tend to never layer my base pages.  This company sells pre-made  kits where the with everything you need to create a album. (except the pictures)   My class from Art Anthology was awesome!! If you have a chance  to take classes from Art Anthology grab it!  I would take classes from Stayce a every week if I could.  We learned how to use some of her products.  There is dimensional paints with different textures (velvet, sorbet, metallic, stone effect and vibrant gemstone), coloration sprays, and fairy dust spray,  texture paste, etc...  I'm really hesitant to use mediums I know nothing about.  These were easy to use with stencils and on their own.   This class was fun, informative, messy, and hands on.  I bought a beginners kit to play with.

 and here's a picture of  my friend Melody Winston with Stacy Dewid of Art Anthology.

Thanks for looking.

Mini Album Mode

Hows it going?  Sorry it has been awhile since I've posted !  I'm in mini album mode.  Every once in awhile I'll fall in love with a paper line; this time the paper is junque gypsy by Marion Smith.  It just screamed mini album.  I'm looking online at tutorials, (my sisters scrapper and scrapbook maven)
 trying different ideas for flaps, etc...   Here's a few pictures.   Also tomorrow is Scrapbook Expo here in Texas.  I hope I get a ton of ideas. Thanks for looking

The Red tag

Hey All:   Last summer my husband and I stayed in Morro Bay and explored the city for a day.  As we were checking out the shops on their main street I ran across this shop called Lina G's and all the trimmings.  My husband couldn't get me out of there fast enough!!  There was every kind of ribbon,  lace, and embellishment you could imagine.  I met the owner Lina, she was making a headdress,  the kind worn by Las Vegas showgirls.  The details were amazing!!!  If you in the area don't miss this place.  Of course I shopped and came home with a bag full of goodies.  Vintage lace, new lace, buttons, and embelishments.  So I loaded up as much as the hubby would let me.   The crafting hoarder in me wouldn't let me use any of my items from there, til tonight.  I'm making a tag for the Simon Says Monday Challenge.  This weeks challenge was to use Red.  I finally cracked the plastic my latest color from Tim Holtz and Ranger, Candied Apple.  The items I used  from Lina G. are the tartan pinwheels.  I'm going to have to call her and see if she can send me more.  This is my result.

Thanks for Looking!!

!

Yep I'm a lefty

Hi Everyone:  Being left-handed sometimes can be a pain.  Most things are made for righties.  This is completely understandable considering 90% of our population is right-handed.   Those of us who are dominantly left-handed tend to frustrate the righties in our life.  For instance a couple of my friends who've come to my house and helped in the kitchen have told me I set my kitchen up backwards.  When my husband sees things in a different light then myself his response is "it must be a left-handed thing".   My mother loved to sew.  When I was small she made all my clothes.  It came time for her to teach me and I just stressed her out.  When I got to middle school and took Home Ec,  they actually had 2 left-handed sewing machines I could use but this just confused me.  The hardest thing we made was a wrap-around skirt and a p.e. bag.  So lets just say the cooking part was my favorite in that class.  Last year there was a challenge where you needed to sew around a paper tag.  I had this hand held sewing machine and thought it would work.  I was very wrong.  Very, very wrong.   For that challenge I drew the lines. So my sweet hubby went out and got me a basic sewing machine and I watched a couple of Youtube videos, read some blogs, you know the drill.   It took me about a week and a dozen  or so trashed tags but I made one that I deemed not to bad.  Yesterday an awesome friend of mine named Rayann (who's quilts are amazing) helped me sew 3 items.  Now mind you they are nowhere near the awesome  Rayann,  Richele Christensen, or Tammy Tutterow but, It's a step in learning how to work my machine and not fear it!!  Here is the results.  2 pillow covers and a cafe curtain.  Of course I used some of Tim Holtz's fabrics From Electric Elements one of my favorite patterns Top Shelf and from the Wallflower collection I used Rose Parcel.  Thanks for looking

BFF's

Hi All- Have you ever had one of those pictures you know your going to make a page for and it sit's out for awhile and you don't want to put it away because you know your going to use it.  After 2 years of sitting on my craft desk I finally used it.  The one in the middle is my youngest  Colie and these 2 girls  Kris and Cheri are still her best friends five years later.  So girls here's your page

 I'm entering this in the Simon Says Monday Challenge (Best Friends)

The flip tag

Hi All-  This year for the 12 tags of 2016 Mr.  Holtz is showing us how to combine techniques.   I'm really looking forward to this.    By combining techniques I will be able to see them in a different way as well as learning them better, because  some of the techniques I've only used one time.  I also think method will help with those times I get creative block.   So I'm looking forward to the challenge. For the January tag we used the chalkboard and industrial metal techniques.    I  also used a hinge technique as if I was making a mini album.  Please let me know what you think.

Almost too late

Hi All:  Seriously crazy month around here!!!   I almost forgot to post my 12th tag for Tim Holtz's 12 tags of 2015.  Last minute I know, procrastination!!  We had company though and I can't find my punches, manila tags, and my festive berry stain.  My fault I cleaned, organized and stashed (I mean put away) my supplies.  BIG mistake.  This is my 12th tag.

not as detailed as I would have liked it.  But he looks dapper.  Happy New Year Everyone.  

Thanks for looking and I hope you all like it!!

Wing Tutorial

Hey :  Since my friend asked me to;  I'm going to try a tutorial on how I made my last tag/card.  The Feathered wing die is simple to use!!  First of all I cut my manila card stock to 8 3/4 x 6 1/4 this size fits in my vagabond and the die, it also gives me wiggle room if I some how move it by accident. Then I put Antique Linen distress ink and dried it.  Once the inks dry I shook up Picket Fence distress paint and scribbled it all over the paper and let that dry.

   Your paper should look like this.   While that was drying I took a Manila Tag and ran it through the sizzix basic grey pine branch embossing folder and then inked up the tag with Victorian Velvet and Evergreen Bough distress stain and painted on Perfect pearls.  I then edged it with Vintage Photo and inked it some more with both Victorian Velvet and Evergreen Bough distress ink.  

 Once the paper was dry I die cut my wings using the feathered wing die.  I glued the wings together (longest on the bottom and the smallest on the top. ) I inked the wings edges with Vintage photo.  Once they were glued I added gold foil with a glue stick to random places on the wings. Then I added perfect pearls.  The Winged Feathered die was made for perfect pearls!!  I then curved the wings to give the dome dimension. I used glue dots to attached the wings to the tag.  I then took seam binding and added water and the swished the ribbon in Victorian Velvet distress stain, squished it all up and let it sit and dry.  Next a clear gem with facets had Pink Sherbet alcohol added. Once everything was dry it was assembly time.  For a finishing touch I added some dollar store sticky back pearls and a ideology word band.  This was my end result.  Hope you like it.

Feathered Wings Card

Hi again.   I have a few backed up post to do so here goes another one.  This is how I use the feathered wing die by Tim Holtz.  I saw this die used by  Emma Williams and Paula Chenney.   And I had to have this die.  so here is a card I made. I made it so you could pull out the tag and add it to you Christmas tree if you wanted.  

Just a couple cards

Hi All : I know its been awhile.  Seriously busy season! One of my friends asked if I would do a post about the Christmas cards I made for this year.  As usual I am last minute rushing- even for the ones  that go out of state.  Yikes!!  I know I should always start in August.!!   I fell in love with a couple of dies this year.  The feathered wing and Prancing deer dies by Tim Holtz.  Usually I never post the cards I make for friends and family, I don't know why I just don't think about it.  I more worried about getting them out on time I guess. I have a few designers who style I just love Anita Houston, Paula Cheney and Richele Christensen.  So the cards I"m going to show you are my versions of a few of their tags.  Let me know what you think.  And No  (lol)

I'm not telling who's getting which card.  This one is the simplest  style.  I cut the tree out and loved the shape left when I took out the tree die cut.  So I just made a layered card.  Simple but cute.

 This one is my take on a  Richele Christensens styled card.  I used the vintage glitter dust on the hoofs and antlers.  I'll have more to come.  Even a tutorial.  I know shocker.  It was a request.  so cross your  fingers.
.

sparklie pumpkin tag

Hi- Have any of you tried to do too many projects at one time?  Yep that was me today!!  The craft room looks like an explosion took place, every time I touch one thing and something else falls.  I had to walked away and have a cup of coffee to destress.   I put a few projects in a bag and went to work on them with a friend.  Came back, organized a little.  I now have a few projects done so,I'll share my  Tim Holtz November 12 tags of 2015 with you.  I hope you like it!!

Neutral Card

Hi All:  It's been a little while since I've been able to post, but I finally got some creative time and decided I needed a challenge to get myself going.  Over at Simon Says Stamp/ monday challenge this week is " Create something beginning with the letter N."  So I choose neutral.  This is a challenge for me because I love color.  According to my husband I can go a little too over the top with it.  So in toning it down to basics  I went with a base card of craft card stock.  Added some paper from Tim Holtz Yuletide collection, and a couple of Sizzix Alteration dies and inked them up. This is what I came up with.  Hope you like it.

for a list of products see below.

Inks- distress mini's Brushed Corduroy and Pine Needles

Dies- Prancing deer and Woodland trees

Glitter- Distress Glitter Dust

Prills

Goofy Witch hat

Hey there:  I made this hat for a fun Facebook group I belong to called the Craft Hole.  My youngest is insisting that I post it here.  This actually is a just for grins and giggles kinda project.  Let me know what you Think!!

 

The first picture is the from and we all know that eyes in the back are important !!  lol!!  Thanks for looking

Crazy Bird Canvas

Hi All:  Normally I don't like cutesy stamp; then came the crazy bird stamps and dies by Tim Holtz.  At first glance no big deal.  Now I love them!  They are so fun.  Since I only have  8 days tip Halloween I figured I'd better make a few more projects.  Last Saturday I took a couple of classes from  one of  my favorite teacher Richele Christensen.  We made cards using the crazy birds, and then we built a cute configuration box.  That will be another post .  I came home and for a few days had no craft room time.  When I finally got into my play room I had Halloween and Crazy birds on the brain.  This is what I came up with.

This weeks Simone Says Monday Challenge is -Monster Mash.  So I'll be playing along with that challenge. 

Thanks for looking !!

 

Mr & Mrs. Zombie

Hey:  This weekend we started decorating for Halloween.  It's never just a few pumpkins at our house!!  Last year my husband made the front yard into an abandoned mine with a creepy miner.
This year is all about the huge creepy skull he found at Home Depot.  Of course he has to modify it,  So at this point its a work in progress.  I'll have pictures this weekend.  Since I spent the weekend being go-fer girl it  kinda put me in  Halloween mode,  but I needed to be creative  on my own terms and maybe for once not put my  October Tim Holtz's 12 tag of 2015 at the last minute.  Anita did so I better follow suit.  I feel pretty lucky because some of these Halloween dies were hard to get a hold of where I live.  Thank you Crafty Scrapper!!

I thought this tag was going to be really hard.  I bought the santa die last year an never did get it right so, these monster head dies  had me thinking.  But seriously between the instruction on the packaging and the Video on Tim Holtz Blog the construction was easy and fun.  I made a couple of zombies.  Tell me what you think.  And as usual thanks for looking.

Fashionably Fall

Hi:  Happy Sunday afternoon to you all!!  Lately it has been so nice weather wise it's hard to stay inside!!  I love this time of year.  Don't get me wrong it will still be in the 90's for a little while here in Texas.  Cooler in the evenings though.  And since Autumn is here it also means pumpkin everything and everywhere!!  Yay!!   Over at the Simon Says Monday Challenge they issued an "Autumn is in the Air "challenge.  I of course had to play along.   At first I made a few pumpkin pieces. While doing so  I also realized I had a lot of (TOO MUCH)  pumpkin dies , stamps , and even some pumpkin washi.   Not really liking anything I made.  I then of course I watched a few tutorials and I decided to not go the pumpkin route.  I dug out an older doll stamp I had and started to play.

Hope you like it.

Julie Nutting Stamp

Pumpkin Box

Hi:  As usual I waited until the last minute to finish my  Tim Holtz's September project for the 12 tags of 2015 challenge.  This challenge totally challenged me!!  I had to experiment with that Frosted ! At first I Frosted was Frosted film.  Big mistake!!  Once I played with the Frosted I found a couple things out.  First of all you can't cut Frosted with thinlets.  You can die cut it with the steel rule dies.  2nd you Archival ink must be really fresh.  At first I wasn't able to get the ink to show up.  I refreshed my ink pad. (about 2 years old).  3rd it was fun to play with.   Here's my project.  Thanks for looking