Sad Days (And More Catch Up)

Wow.  The scrapbooking world has sure changed a lot in the past few years.  I've seen many manufacturers quit, many stores close and many magazines cease to print...but somehow I thought Creating Keepsakes would somehow make it through this.  But alas...I was wrong.

In case you missed it, you can find the announcement here.  Paper Crafts too is ceasing to print publications.  But there is slightly good news if you like digital magazines, because the two (Creating Keepsakes and Paper Crafts) will combine into a smaller monthly DIGITAL ONLY magazine.  I'm not into digital magazines and I am very sadden by this news.  Creating Keepsakes has always had a special place in my heart.  It was the first magazine I was published in.  And I will miss it.  But this industry has just changed so much.  As a designer too...it just seems impossible to make money in this industry anymore.  Oh well.

I'm in this weird place where I seem to be moving backwards while the rest of the world moves forward.  I long for simpler times (less time in front of a screen and more time outdoors).  I honestly could just throw out my computer, get rid of my phone, and cancel the cable.  I haven't...mostly for my family, but man...I am starting to just hate technology.  And the rest of the world continues on in a more and more technical savvy way.  And the scrapbooking and paper crafting world is moving on as the world is.  And I just may stay behind.  :)  I'm not really part of the online communities anymore anyways.  All I have is my blog and a couple galleries (which I am even worse at updating then my blog!)  So I am disappointed with the direction this industry is taking...I guess is my point.  I've kind of rambled.  :)

What do you guys think?  Better for the environment = better for the industry?  Or are you saddened by this kind of stuff as I am?

Anyways....

I do have a few more things to catch the blog up with.

First up, in case you missed it, I had a layout and card on the Fancy Pants Designs blog...here are some sneaks:

You can find the post and the projects here.

And then I also posted the second chapter to Worshipping With All Your He{art} here.  I do hope you check it out and let me know what you think.  :)

Here are some projects I did and featured in this post...

To read more about the canvases above go to the article here.  

Ok...well I will be back soon.

Have a fabulous day!!!

CHA Week Post 3

Hello again!  Are you impressed by my posting three days in a row?  I am.  :)  Well...welcome to day 3 of my CHA week postings.  Here is a new project I made for CHA, once again using the Collecting Moments collection from Fancy Pants Designs.

This time I altered a wooden date display.

Here are several pictures:

Ok, before I get lots of comments about this...I know it is not the 21st today.  I took these pictures before mailing my projects off and I just didn't get pictures of the right day.  :)  

In order to have the right numbers for all dates, my first block has the numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and my second block has the numbers 0, 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 (the 9 can be turned upside down to make the 6).  

There is a block for each month that can be rotated to the front of the display.  

The envelope on the back holds the rest of the numbers for the year part.  

I really like how it turned out.  Aren't those little clothes pins the cutest?  

Well thanks for stopping by today!  Would love to hear what you think of this.  :)  And come back tomorrow for another new project featuring another new collection from Fancy Pants Designs.  

Have a fantastic day!

The Fruit of the Spirit and Worshipping With All Your He{art}

* In case you missed it...I did announce a winner for the last sketch, you can find that here.

Hi everybody!  Just wanted to share a project...well two projects that I did with you.

A while back, I was working on a group study called Worshipping With All Your He{art}.  I decided to go ahead and share that online and I posted the first chapter here.  I would love for you to check it out!

And this is a canvas I made that is part of this chapter and currently hanging over our fireplace.

I am actually really pleased with how it turned out.  And I really had fun making it.

Here are some close up's:

 

Well thanks for popping in!  I hope you have a fantastic day!!!!

Outdoor Table Runner

I so can't wait until the weather is warm enough that we spend our entire days outside.  This week has been nice here...it actually feels like Spring, so my mind has kinda been in outdoor-living mode.  I thought it'd be cool to make a table runner for our table that sits on the patio.

I started with several pieces of paper from the Park Bench collection from Fancy Pants Designs.  This project works wonderful for scraps.  I choose to use 1.5" x 6" and 1.5" x 3" pieces and I laid out a subway, or brick pattern on top of a large piece of burlap.  I adhered the pieces down and then cut the burlap around it.

Then I sealed it to protect it.  The only sealer I actually had on hand was an antique sealer and I didn't really want to run to the store and buy a different one, so that was the one I used.  :)  So it yellowed it a bit, but I do love how it turned out.

Here's my final project:

I've very happy with the way it turned out.   We'll see how it holds up.  I do have a covered patio, so that will help.  :)

Well thanks for popping in today!!

I hope you have a fantastic day!

You rock.  ;)

Just Be.

So I thought I would pop in and share another canvas I made.  I was working on it the same time as the one I posted yesterday.  But this one I really like.  :)  

The funny thing is, my husband and son don't like it much.  They like the one I posted yesterday way more.  It just proves that art is subjective.  People have different tastes and opinions.  And that is ok!!  :)

Well I will be back on Monday with a new layout.  Yes, a layout.

Have a wonderful day!!!

Choose Love Now

Hi everyone!  I have something new to share with you.  It's a canvas I made.

To be honest, I am not completely happy with this one.  But I am setting it aside and calling it finished. I just want to start something new.  :)

And I am sharing some quick digital art with you too...go ahead and grab it and use as you like.  :)

Click on either of the images to view larger and then right click to save.  :) If that doesn't work, just let me know.  I can always email them to you if you request it.

And I would LOVE to see what you create using these, so please do share!!!  :)

Thanks for stopping in today!!!!

Makes a Great Gift! :)

Happy Labor Day everyone!  Hope you are doing something fantastically fun.  :)  I guess Summer is officially over.  I'm ok with that, because it's been so hot and I am ready for cooler evenings.  Has it been incredibly hot where you live?  I don't remember a summer ever being so hot.

So awhile back, I posted this project I made as a gift for my sister.  Well, she asked me to make another one, one she could give as a gift to her friend.  Different pictures, different papers, but really similar projects.

This time around I used the Hopscotch collection from Fancy Pants.  Here's how it turned out:

And here are some close up's:

Well thanks for popping in today!!

Have a fun day!

A Fun Canvas

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to share a home decor/canvas project that I made with you all.  I used the fun Time For Spring collection from Fancy Pants Designs for my project.  And really this collection is great for anytime...not just spring, so don't let the name fool you.  :)

I started with 6 pieces of paper, cut into almost squares (one side is slightly longer than the other simply because of the size of my canvas).  The pieces do not fit perfectly but that is ok because I know I am going to cover the edges with paint.  I adhered the papers to my canvas.

I took white paint and covered the edges and brushed over the papers, over the middle of the canvas.  Ideally, I wanted some of the patterns to show through a little.  

I hand-cut three large leaf shapes from 3 different patterned papers.  I arranged those and a strip of green paper to make a flower.  I also added the words "practice gentleness" to my canvas, overlapping the stem on my flower.  

For a final me step, I added a bit of stitching around the papers in my flower.

And my final project ended up looking like this:

Well there you have it, a simple but fun canvas to hang on your walls.  Thanks for stopping by the blog today! 

Family Matters

Well I've been busy...watching the Olympics!!  I LOVE the Olympics!  Who else has been watching?  It's actually a little weird because I don't really watch any other sports or anything...but when the Olympics roll around I watch, I cheer, and I am a real fan.

Well I wanted to pop in and share a fun project with you.  I really love how it turned out.  :)

I received several frames from a neighbor who asked if I wanted them.  I have good neighbors.  :)  So I painted one white.

Then I took some "family" letters from Say It With Letters and covered them with patterned papers from Fancy Pants Designs.  I used their Time For Spring collection.  Painted the sides of the letters brown (spilling over the front of course, that's how I like it).  Then I arranged the letters in a fun, over-lapping way over the frame.  Added some flowers and the chipboard letters saying "matters", and I was done!  :)

I picture it hanging in the hall, surrounded by family photos.

Here's a couple close up's:

It was a little tricky in spots since the letters were only connected to each other (and some in only a very small part) so I added a few pins in the back to help keep them together.  You can see that above the i.

Anyways...what do you think?

Thanks so much for stopping in today!!!
I hope you are having a wonderful day!

And enjoy the Olympics!  :)

Making Laundry Easier (and Prettier)

Hi everyone!  I've got a fun project to share with you today that has a purpose.  We are trying to get the kids more involved in the chores around the house.  Previously they had been just piling all the laundry on the floor in the laundry room and leaving me to deal with it.  Well I have told them now that they need to sort it out.  I made some signs using the Half Bracket Chipboard Banners from Fancy Pants Designs to hang on the baskets so the kids know what goes where.  

I used the fabulous Time For Spring collection from Fancy Pants for my laundry banners.  

Here's how I did it:

1.  First I covered my chipboard banners with some of my favorite pieces of paper, and cut them out.  

2.  I painted on some gesso in the center of my banner pieces, and added some splatters as well.  You can use white paint instead of gesso.

3.  I glued some burlap to the back of my pieces.

4.  I took the letter stickers and added the labels (colors, whites, delicates, towels) that we use to each piece.

5.  I then added a crackle texture technique from Helmar.  It is painted over the whole piece including the letters.  It helps keep everything securely on (so no missing letters later) but it's also just a cool look!  I added a bit of pink ink to the cracks.  

6.  Then I decorated each banner piece using strips of papers, flowers, stitching and ribbon.  

7.  Then I added them with ribbon to my baskets.  :)  

And here's a tip for you.  These banners came with a bit of ribbon but it didn't have enough for this particular project.  I looked for ribbon that I had that was similar in color, but I didn't have any.  But I did have some fabric (it was actually canvas fabric), so I just cut a strip and used it as ribbon.  You can do this with any fabric.  :)  

Of course, you can make this a quicker, simpler project by skipping some of my steps, but anybody can do this fun project!  I am thinking of doing more projects for my laundry now with the collection to match these.  :)

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!!  Have a wonderful day!