A little more art...entry for Created By Hand Tuesday Challenge "Pink & Green"

Another ATC. This one is for the Created By Hand Tuesday Challenge Pink & Green

A little Art...Theme Thursday Entry

Here is an entry for this week's challenge at "Theme Thursday". The theme this week is Masculine.

I am getting behind again...

A public admission---I am the "world's worst" blogger, emailer, responder, regular snail mailer, etc.. I am the slowest art creator and I get myself over involved and committed and I FREAK OUT. In the past I have just hidden away and stopped communicating when I couldn't keep up. I am currently working on that issue, so if I owe you a response to a comment or email, a serious THANK YOU, a piece/pieces of art in an exchange or anything else---PLEASE be patient. I am working on it. Getting overwhelmed and procrastinating is one of my biggest flaws/faults/quirks. I hope you can love me, appreciate me and remain friends with me just the way I am. I am a work in progress.

Love this...had to share!

Playing For Change

The wonderful world of Blogging has brought me a new creative friend. Her name is Janet. She lives in Northern California (Ft. Jones) up by the Oregon border. Where else than on the Internet do we have such wonderful opportunities to meet people who touch our hearts?? I found the "Playing For Change" video on her blog---it spoke to me and I need to share it with you. It is beautiful and validates what we all really know---we are all connected.

Enjoy and reflect---the music and the story behind it...

Want to be jealous????

I am the lucky winner...
I entered the "100th Post BladeRubber Stamps Blog-versary Giveaway" and won. Why should you be jealous you might ask---well, let me show and tell you why!!! To celebrate this special anniversary, Kaye and Graham of BladeRubber Stamps decided to give away a brand new, EXCLUSIVE set of unmounted stamps designed by the FABULOUS Susie Jefferson. They debuted on the BladeRubber Stamps blog on April 27th for the very first time! These designs are so new, they aren't even in production yet (and are only available by special order at present).

The winner (ME!!!) of the Giveaway gets all three stamps! Each stamp comes with its own First Edition Authentication Certificate... a real collector's item. And NOW they are mine!!! So here they are...

Sunday Best
copyright Susie Jefferson
8.5cm x 5.5cm

Parisian Gown
copyright Susie Jefferson
10.00cm x 5.5cm

The Men
copyright Susie Jefferson
5cm x 5cm

So, you are jealous aren't you!!! And I am lucky!! Look for some fabulous art from me using these stamps in the near future!!!

Today's ATC's...I'm still "arting"!!

Did somebody say "Challenge"???? When I did these I wasn't thinking of a specific theme or challenge (other than I am attending the "live ATC trade" at Dick Blicks and needed some ATC's), but it seems that what I do is Collage and the theme at "Saturday's Workout Challenge Site" is Collage, so I am going to share these as my entry to the challenge for this week.

Decided to play along with this weeks Sunday Postcard Challenge too...

This weeks theme at the Sunday Postcard Challenge Blog is Butterflies...

Thought I'd play along...Orange

I thought it would be fun to enter a few of this week's Art Challenges. The Challenge at Wednesday Stamper Challenge Blog was to use the color Orange. Orange just happens to be my favorite creative color!! My ATC, Live Life...

It's been raining...I've been "arting"

I am attending a live ATC trad next Saturday at my local Dick Blick's Art Supply store. I have never attended a real live trade and I am excited to be a part of one!! These are the ATC's that I've made so far. I've been working on a few new projects, so we'll have to see just how many I actually get done! I have a few other projects that are in the works. I'm feeling really good about what I am creating. My friend Harriet has been busy making ATC's for the swap too during this rainy weekend. Check them out at her Blog...Expressions of the Spirit.

One more ATC...

Creating one at a time...one day at a time.

As promised...finally some new art

Created a few new ATC's. I'm attending the International Quilt Show in Chicago tomorrow and they are hosting a live ATC Swap as part of the Mixed Media events. Thinking about trading---or not. It has been so long since I created any art, I think that I may decide to keep these just for me. I will be attending another live swap in May. Maybe I will feel more in the spirit of trading then.

Updating a bit...

No new art to add quite yet, but I have been having fun updating the look of my blog. My new background (don't you just love it???) comes from a fabulous Blog I found "The Cutest Blog On The Block" . It is jam packed with all kinds of goodies to make your Blog look pretty---for FREE!!! Please check it out and have fun picking out some jazzy stuff for your blog!!

Also, check out my new "E-MAIL" button on the sidebar. Is it not the cutest??? That addition is thanks to the talented Susie Jefferson at:

I just found her Blog yesterday and fell in love immediately!! She is having a giveaway this week, so go check out her blog, enjoy her creativity and sign up for the giveaway!!

Feel free to click on my new E-MAIL button and send me a note!!!

I'm Still here...

I promise.

Please be patient...

NEW ART...LOTS OF CHATTER...COMING SOON!!!

WHERE I STAND....

"NO WAY, NO HOW, NO McCAIN, NO PALIN"

I rarely get personal or reveal much about myself, my family, my politics, etc. on my blog, but tonight I've decided to be a little open about me. I'd like to let you know where I stand regarding my future, my family's future and my Country's future. I am 100% behind Senator Obama. After watching the Republican Convention this evening on television, I decided that I needed to become a little vocal and a little active in this Presidential Campaign---even if my activism is only a small contribution. I found this website that will send you a FREE Obama button. There are other choices for more elaborate buttons/multiple buttons, etc. if you make a donation (small or large). I am not affiliated with this website. I just think it is a cool thing that they are sending out FREE buttons. I like the idea that your contribution can be a monetary one or just a show of support by wearing a button. I just wanted to let you know.

So, if you want a FREE Obama button, MoveOn's giving them away totally free. Click this link to get a FREE Obama button:

http://pol.moveon.org/obamabuttons/?id=-10484556-pXj.2ox&rc=fb.ads.nonyouth

"NEWSFLASH"....UPDATE IN PROGRESS!! CHECK BACK SOON!

***UPDATE UNDER CONSTRUCTION***

BEST FRIENDS...SANDY, ME & HARRIET

Celebrating the 4th of July!!
Hope everyone had a safe and really fun holiday weekend.

Just a little ATC... Polka Dot George

The Paper Imagery Design Yahoo group's challenge this week is
"Polka Dots". My entry is "Polka Dot George" ATC.

Two New Pieces...

More Make a Moo or Two (or three)

This is my entry for this weeks Make A Moo or Two challenge. The theme for the challenge is "CATS".

I've been making a Moo or Two...

I've picked another Challenge to "jump into" this week!! What fun I am having!!! These are my entry into the Make A Moo or Two Challenge for this week. The theme is "Dots & Stripes".

4x4 FRIDAY CHALLENGE (AKA I'm up and running and up for a challenge!!)

I've decided to jump in to the "Challenge Craze" out there in blogland! I've chosen 4X4 Friday's challenge for my first time out!!! The theme for this week is Favorite Color. I have several favorite colors, but have decided to go with Green for this project.

A BETTER LOOK AT THE QUEEN (AKA Make a crown and you too can be "The Queen"!)

THE QUEEN (includes detailed instructions)
Originally uploaded by luvs2create2

I found this photo of the original crown that I submitted to Stampington's Stamper's Sampler magazine which was published in the February/March 2008 issue (see earlier post). I had several requests for detailed instructions, so here they are...

The template for the crown was from the Stamper's Sampler "Tempting Templates" section. I cut out the template from a piece of heavy poster board. I gessoed both sides of the poster board and allowed it to dry (with a little help from my handy-dandy heat gun!). I then used Golden's Soft Gel Medium to adhere torn pieces of dictionary pages over all to give it strength and flexibility. Again, I allowed it to dry completely. When dry, I added a thin layer of Golden Modeling Paste. While the Modeling Paste was still wet I stamped into it with stamps from Invoke Arts Mosaic Elements Sheet and a Stampotique Original – Josie Cirincione stamp that looks like Punchinella. After Modeling Paste was dry I painted it with Sophisticated Finishes Copper Metallic Surfacer. When the paint was dry I used Patina Green to make it look like verdigris. I stamped onto the Chipboard letters (K&Company) with a small flourish stamp (company unknown) and painted the same as the crown. I embellished with metal found objects that I also painted to match the other elements.

Had fun today....

This morning I attended the monthly meeting of the Collage Sisthars Collaborative (the first meeting that I have attended in a really long time). The project demonstrated for this month was Shrine making (inspired by Michael DeMeng style). I need to look at it for a while and do some tweaking, but for all intents and purposes, it is complete, finished, a wrap---a "miracle"!!! It is a miracle, for those of you who don't know me too well, because I never, ever, ever start a project and finish it the same day!!