Ornaments

Today I am sharing a project my friend Bev asked me to make. She found piles of sheet music in her attic from different generation of her family. In it were Christmas song sheets that belonged to her grandmother. She remembers using these song sheets to go caroling with her family as a girl. She asked me to make ornaments out of them so she could share them with her family and preserve the memory. In the piles of music I found a practice sheet on which she had written her name as a little girl so on the ornament for her I included that strip!

The ornaments are glass balls from a big box store. After tearing the music in strips, I decoupaged the strips on the balls using matte Mod Podge. For the final two layers I used Lustre Mod Podge to make them shiny. (The lustre has a very strong odor and is more expensive than the matte, that is why I only used it for the last two layers) The embellishments are from a floral pic that I deconstructed. The green leaves are from a giant flower that was on a clip to be used in your hair - it was so ugly that it was in the clearance - hello, who would put a giant green flower in their hair!

What really makes these ornaments shine is the Vintage Glass Glitter - so sparkly and pretty! It is quite expensive ($10 per ounce) but SO worth it! I made 8 ornaments for her and used about 2 ounces of glitter so that gives you an idea of how far it goes. Here is a picture of the back so you can see the glitter:

I had done a step out on how to make these last December. You can see it here for other links and credits.
I am entering this project in the "music" challenge at Stampin Sister's in Christ blog

Thanks for looking!

I appreciate your comments!

Butterfly Canvas

This week's 

Fabulous Friday Challenge at Frosted Designs

is to use TRIANGLES on your project.

The base layer of my 8" x 10" canvas is a piece of printed fabric torn from a wallpaper sample book from the early 90's. It was quite bright so I layered a piece of tissue paper on top of it to tone it down. On top of that are various stamps applied with Archival inks and acrylic paints.
The triangles were created with acrylic paint applied through a Crafter's Workshop stencil called Triangles by Balzer Designs. Then more layers of stamping and inking. 

My mom gave me a bed skirt she was no longer using because she knew I'd take the crocheted lace off it to use - and that's what the butterfly is made with! I colored the lace with Adirondack Color Wash in Wild Plum and Cranberry then soaked it in Aleene's Fabric Stiffener. As the lace began to dry I was able to shape it into the butterfly. I scrunched it up for lots of dimension. Colored Hemp Cord by Cousin is used for the butterfly body and the flower stems.

The flowers are made with pink ribbon from my stash, cream accents by Offray, and the brass centers are from a pair of earrings I got off the clearance rack at Kohl's and deconstructed.

The font used for the quote is called Papyrus. 

The edges of the canvas are finished with Tim Holtz Tissue Tape. Elements are adhered with Sobo Craft Glue by Delta and Mod Podge was applied between layers and as a top coat.

I hope you are inspired to join in the fun at Frosted Designs this week. Create a card, layout, or project and link it up with us for the chance at an awesome prize or to be chosen as a Top Three!

Thanks for looking!

I truly appreciate your comments!

Altered Brush

Donna Downey Studios in Huntersville, North Carolina has a beautiful studio full of art - but the bathroom walls are plain white and very large -so - Donna decided to form the "Altered Brush Project". 

Standard 4" paint brushes are being artfully altered by artists all over the world, sent to her, and hung on the bathroom walls! You can read more about it here. 
After I saw her first post about it, I decided to participate, ordered my brush, and started dreaming about how I would alter it. I made a conscious decision to not look at any of the brushes as she posted them until after mine was complete so as not to influence my creative process. I have to say this was one of the most challenging projects I've done and it is my first that is not on paper or a canvas. 

(click on pictures to enlarge and clarify)

 I started by spraying the bristles with several coats of Ranger Perfect Pearls Mists in Heirloom Gold, then Glass E beads were adhered with Lustre Mod Podge. The metal part of the brush between the bristles and the handle is covered first with decorative tape by My Minds Eye from the Indie Chic line then Tim Holtz tissue tape applied as a second layer.

The precious bird looking in a mirror is off of a piece of jewelry I picked up at a flea market for 50 cents.

The leaves started their life as this child's plastic bracelet. The fronts of the leaves are colored with Copic markers (#V09 Violet, #B29 Ultramarine, #BV08 Blue Violet) The backs and edges of the leaves are painted with Liquitex Acrylic Artist Color in Bright Gold.

The handle is stained with Tim Holtz Distress Stains in Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo. Next came a two layers of Distress Crackle Paint highlighted with Archival Ink in Sepia. (all Ranger products). Then Liquitex Acrylic paint in Unbleached Titanium was applied with a stamp by Hampton Arts.
The beautiful metal piece at the top of the handle is from The Funkie Junkie Boutique . I cut it in half and painted it with Liquitex Acrylic Artist Color in Bright Gold.

Some of the leaves have gold wire with pearls on it strung through them. These came from a package of "Candy Gems" by Prima. I colored the pearls with the same Copics that I used on the leaves. On the leaves that do not have the wire in them I glued a Glass E Bead to the hole of the leaf then filled the hole of the bead with Ranger Liquid Pearls in Buttercup.

The final step was to sign the back and attach a business card per Donna's instructions.

Some day I hope to visit The Donna Downey Studios in Huntersville, North Carolina to see this whole collaboration in person, do some shopping, and maybe even take a class with Donna herself! Wouldn't that be fun! (A girl can dream, right?!?!)

You can see all of the brushes submitted so far on
 The Altered Brush Project board on Pinterest

 I believe she is still accepting submissions for this project 

so check it out and join in the fun!

Thanks for looking!

I sincerely appreciate your comments!

I Know He Watches Me!

This journal page contains a quote from one of my (many) favorite hymns:
"I sing because I'm happy, 
I sing because I'm free. 
For His eye is on the sparrow, 
And I know He watches me."
I love how the birds are flying so happy and free and joyfully singing. They are cut from a piece of collage paper that was on a clearance rack that I picked up years ago. I also love the movement of the swirl on the background. It is made with a mask by Prima. The girls dress is cut from a tag by K&Co. Do you see the little bird on her shoulder? - so cute!

The challenge at Frilly and Funkie this week is "The Great Outdoors" and must include a nature quote. I am entering this page there. Here is my book open, showing the facing page. (perhaps it has more of a "nature" quote on it!) As always, click photos to enlarge

Thanks for looking! 

I appreciate your comments!

My Girls

Here is the layout for the September scrapbook style side of my 2012 366 Calendar/Art Journal project. If you are unfamiliar with this project you can see my original post here. Check out Kate's blog to see her calendar and find links to how others are interpreting this challenge.

I used this sketch by Jenny Evans and am entering my layout in the sketch challenge at the Boys Rule blog.

Here is a close up of the words, they are from a sticker sheet by Authentique from the Delightful line. 

(If you click on the pictures they are clearer - stupid Blogger!)

 "Daughters are the sweet flowers of life."

"sweet, fun, gorgeous, sister, friend, treasure, girlfriend, pretty, sweetest, mommy, daughter"

Here is the calendar side:

And the full spread:

The paper is from the Everyday Tango line by My Minds Eye. The jute ribbon is distributed by Jo-Ann Stores. Title letters are AC Thickers. Flowers are CTMH, Butterflies are Making Memories, Bling is Basic Grey, and rub-ons are Karen Foster Designs. 

Thanks for looking! 

I appreciate your comments!

Fabulous Friday - phones!

This week's Fabulous Friday at Frosted Designs Challenge is

 "phones"! 

Any way you interpret it! It could be a picture you take with your phone, the subject matter could be phones, pictures of phones -whatever you think up! I took these adorable photos of my grandchildren "talking" on their phones and scrapped them!

All of the papers and chipstickers are by My Minds Eye, Distress ink by Tim Holtz, and "hello" rub-on by KI Memories.
I used this fantastic sketch by Jenny over at Boys Rule and I am entering their August challenge.

Thanks for visiting my blog! I hope you'll join in the fun!