Charm Bracelet

I got my charm bracelet in the mail last week from the charm swap I participated in. This was from the badbabyart yahoo group. It turned out even better than I expected.

Here are some pictures.

The first is of the entire bracelet.

These other two are close ups so you can get a better look at the charms.

I have to say, this thing weighs a ton! And, I can't wear it to work because it jingles so loudly. LOL Other than that, I love it!

Boy has it been hectic around here. DH refers to the remodel as "The Money Pit". haha

Today it was like Grand Central Station around here. The electrician arrived at 8:30. He was rewiring the kitchen. The countertop installer arrived around 9:00 to measure for the kitchen and bathroom counters. He and the electrician were stepping all over each other for a little while.

Sometime today the inspector is due to come and check out the new wiring. (what happens if it doesn't pass? Do they turn off our electricity? hmm)

And to think, when I asked for this day off months ago, I thought I was going to get a relaxation day. Ha!

I was trying to get some projects done this morning while they were rumaging around my house. I was in the middle of finishing up my rolodex cards when they turned off the power. That left me without all my items printed so I had to wait a couple hours to finish up (but I did and got them popped into the mail) Forgot to take a picture though so that will come in a later post.

I also got my "Freestyle" artwork packaged up and mailed. I actually completed it on Sunday but the sealer just refused to dry. I like how it turned out but couldn't get a really great picture because of the glossy surface. Anne used formica samples. I have never seen ones so big. They were great to work on! I tried to recreate the pattern of the tile onto the back of the facing one to complete my spread. The color is off but the pattern is close. Hubby and I both think it works well. :-) Trust me, it looks so much better in person!

I have been so busy shopping and picking out things for the new kitchen that I haven't had any time to create!

Today while hubby tore the kitchen down to the bare walls I locked myself in my artroom, cranked up the toons and got a little work done.

I finished up the Book of Wings deco. The shape of the board book just reminded me of a butterfly...

I also searched for images for a book my boss wants me to make for her (by Wednesday!) She asked me on Thursday....Sheesh!!!!!

Plus, I have a few ideas for another deco titled Freestyle. I get to do my own thing! WooHoo!

AND I also have to kick in to high gear and get some rolos done by the end of the month. Uh Oh!!!! I think I am going to be seriously stressing here in a couple days!

I finished the last of my envelopes and mailed them out on Monday but haven't had time to get the pictures posted.

Ok, I should be working on the rest of my envelopes for that swap but instead I am cruising the net and bidding on rubber stamps on ebay. LOL

In case you haven't read hubby's or Tucker's blogs, we are heading into a major remodel at our house. We are gutting the kitchen and redoing it entirely AND we are sprucing up the bathroom. Like I don't have enough stress in my life already! I have been out shopping every night for the past 3 weeks....picking out appliances, cabinets, counters, hardware, paint... I like to shop but I have about reached my limit!

So, today I am taking the ceramic tile class at Lowe's so I can do my own backsplash once the cabinets and counters are in. (just another big craft project, right?) Plus, this afternoon my new refrigerator arrives. :-)

As far as I know I don't have anything I need to do for the remodel tomorrow so hopefully I will get those envelopes done.

AND, I still need to get my Dragonfly deco done so it can go into circulation. Hmm I wonder how well I would do if I just skipped sleeping tonight LOL

I haven't had much time for creating and even less for blogging. I finally finished my "At the Seashore" rolodex cards. I struggled with this theme and I have no idea why. I love the beach and have lots of stamps that would fit this theme. Anyway, here it is (before I cut out the holes at the bottom)





I am in an envelope swap. We have to create 8 envelopes. I decided I wanted all 8 of mine to be different. So far I have 4 done. They are due on August 9th (or sometime around there)

I did it!

Deco number 2 finished!!!

I completed my spread in the "I'm Getting Married in the Morning" deco. I highlighted the flowers and veil on the stamped bride (The Stampsmith) with Twinkling H2Os but you can't tell that in the photo. I used chalks to give her cheeks a rosy glow.

One Down

One to go....

I finished the Inspiration deco. I was supposed to create art that shows what inspires me. Hmm, difficult to do since I seem to be inspired by everything under the sun.

Ok, I NEED to work on some decos!!! I have 2 sitting here plus I have to create one of my own to get started into circulation. I am writing this so everyone will see...... by this time tomorrow I will publish pictures of the two decos I have here. If I don't someone please email me and yell at me!! LOL

Seriously, I wish I knew where the time goes. This week I wanted to work on decos and bears. Instead hubby dragged me out to every home improvement store in the valley. He decided it is time to remodel the kitchen and bathroom. I am thrilled with this but it doesn't leave much creative time. I have not had a home cooked meal in over a week! The dust bunnies are getting to be so numerous that the cats think we've adopted more pets.

Tomorrow morning I am going to clean off my desk (well, Tucker sort of started that yesterday by throwing several of my things onto the floor to make room to sleep) and then I am going to work on the "Inspiration" and "Wedding" decos.

People have posted the question and also emailed so I thought I would answer here.

The charm I made is for a swap for the badbabyart yahoo group. That is also the group I do the rolodex cards for as well.

The charm bracelet has 25 players so it will be something spectacular when I get it back! I will definitely post pics so everyone can see it.

The rolodex swap is for the entire year. We all signed up for a 1 year commitment but you don't have to do all the months. I think I am actually participating in 9. That reminds me, I need to go and check the list and find out if I signed up for July and what the theme is.

My teddy bears are for a swap in the Art_on_a_budget yahoo group.

All the decos are for the divadecoswappers yahoo group.

I have been working hard lately. I still need to complete 2 bears for the swap but in the meantime I completed a miniature Tucker out of felt.

Isn't he cute? Almost as cute as the real thing!

I finished my rolodex cards for June. The theme is Italian Summer. I love this woman stamp. She is just called "Maiden" from Paper Inspirations but she has always seemed "Italian" to me. When I saw the theme I knew I had to use her.

I also completed my charms for a charm bracelet swap. I am such a bracelet nut I just had to join! I am a bit nervous though, I hope mine measure up. I stamped and masked them using a total of 3 different stamps. I then colored them with colored pencils. I rubbed chalks on the background and then sprayed them with fixative to seal in the color without giving a glossy glare.

These little bears are addictive. I can't seem to stop making them. They are only about 2 inches tall when sitting. Somehow I have to choose 2 to swap but they are all so cute I hate to part with any. Hubby has already claimed 2 as his own and Tucker steals them when I am not looking. LOL

I think I am going to go on a quest for some different colors of fuzzy felt, other than the traditional colors I already have.

Caught Up

I have been getting behind on all my projects. I spent today getting caught up on decos.

Below is my work in the Love of a Lifetime deco.

I also finished up my addition to the Bingo Queen deco.

And finally, I have joined a "Tiny Teddy" swap and have been making bears for that.

Now I only have to complete this months rolodex cards and some "charms" for a charm bracelet swap. Hmm, wonder where I am going to find the time?!

It has been ages since I have found even 5 minutes to create. Today I worked on a deco. The theme is "Mother Always Said". It is very cute. It brought back a lot of memories of all the things my mom said to me. Makes you wonder how some of those sayings got started in the first place.

The decos just keep coming. :-)

Today I completed the Big Trucks deco. I focused on images from Route 66. Lots of vintage/classic images. It is definitely bright and colorful.




I also worked on the Vintage Children deco. This is more of my style. I had a blast using my rubber stamps of old photographs.

I need to send a letter to a friend so I decided to include an ATC as well. I hope she likes it.

I just finished working on a challenge from the Art_on_A_Budget yahoo group. The challenge is to make 3 ATCs from junk mail. This was really a "challenge" because we don't receive junk mail. Yep, poor me. LOL

I ended up using some mailers and catalogs that I get on a regular basis. DH wanted me to use his computer parts catalog but that left me totally uninspired LOL

I worked on a deco today called Body Parts. I struggled yesterday with what part to focus on. Nothing was really jumping out at me. Early this morning I awoke with the idea of using noses....famous noses. So I scoured the net and found pics of famous noses. LOL

I experimented with color pics, color/printed backgrounds and finally settled on simple black and white. It seemed to let the focus be completely on the subject matter. I also cropped the pictures so that a little of the face is still seen. Just the nose looked gross to me. :-)

Finally I am back to my art desk. DH has been sick for a week and that left me with no time to create. He felt fairly good today so I shoved him and son out the door. LOL

I spent the morning working on the March Rolodex swap cards. The theme is April in Paris.

At work this week they gave us a journal so we could write down our thoughts and feelings. Guess they don't know what happens when you hand an artist a journal and tell them to put in it anything they want. :-)

I have started by altering the cover. No one will ever mistake my journal for their own. LOL

I found a few minutes this week to stamp. More stamps arrived in the mail.....don't you just love when new toys arrive? It is almost like Christmas!

Below are stamps from TuscanRose, Oxford Impressions and Paperbag Studios.

This is a card for my friend Marilyn. If she reads this I guess she won't be surprised next week LOL

I have been playing with 4 x 4 cardboard squares. In both of these projects I used a text page torn out of a book I am altering. I sanded it heavily in several areas then I wet it with water and then sprayed it with walnut ink and let it dry. Later I dry brushed off-white acrylic paint over it. The inks are all "Memories" permanent ink. I used this because I wasn't sure when I started if I would want to tint the images with chalks, water colors, markers...or nothing at all.

New Stamps!

I just received some new stamps in the mail and HAD to play with them! They are from Oxford Impressions, a fabulous stamp company!

I received their new April in Paris plate and stopped everything to have some fun. :-)

The past week was very hectic around here. My in-laws celebrated their 50th anniversay and we had to attend 3 parties. My sister-in-law was in town for the occasion and we had her and her husband over for dinner one night. Today was the first time I was able to get to my art desk in over a week. I was definitely going through withdrawal!

I have a couple decos sitting on my desk that I need get done this weekend. First is a Gypsy one. I had a week to mull this over and got to work on it this morning. The second is a Cupid theme and I have not even glanced at it yet.

I also need get cracking on a rolodex card for a friend, a going away card for another friend and I want to try out some new stamps that arrived yesterday. Thank goodness it is a 3 day weekend.

Below is my Gypsy spread.

I just finished the Cupid deco.

Today I completed my spread for the "Purple Passionate" deco. Purple is not a color I am wild about. Not that I don't like it but I am more into blues and rich reds.

The Grass Is Always Greener Deco

This is my "Grass is Always Greener" spread. I was working on a theory of the poor envying the rich. So far, I am the only one home and so I have no one to show it to and see if they "get it".

Decos

I am working on some decos tonight. I am trying to come up with something for one themed "The Grass is Always Greener". So far I am not pleased with the out come. It just seems disjointed and I am unsure how to pull it all together.

I want to portray sort of a "poor vs. rich" look but so far it is not coming together.

I think I need a break, maybe it will look better tomorrow....or something else will jump out at me.

I created this blog to post pictures of my current art projects.

Right now I am participating in a Rolodex swap. Each month the hostess chooses a theme and the players have to create Rolodex cards with their interpretation. The theme for February is "Greensleeves". You know, the song. Legend has it that Henry VIII wrote it for Anne Boleyn. However, historians say this isn't so. Either way, I used this ill-fated couple for my piece.