HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY

Last night I finally finished a mixed media project I was making for my friend and Pastor's birthday which was last week.  She collects crosses, angels and nativities.  I had already made her one of my wooden mixed media crosses for Pastor's appreciation day so I wanted to do something with an angel and nativity. 

I had been in a swap for ATCs and had done a few on sticky back canvas that were painted, stamped and embossed and I had some left that I hadn't sent.  They had been cut down into smaller squares.  I mounted them on black corrugated cardstock.  I got out my roll of aluminum duct tape.  I put some around all the sides and back of the canvas.  I laid some out on cardstock and embossed with an embossing folder. I added this to the front of the canvas. Next I took some alcohol inks and colored this.  I stamped the sentiment 'Unto Us a Child is Born' and mounted this on the black corrugated cardstock too.  Finally I adhered all to the canvas and gave it a coat of glossy Mod Podge.  

For some reason I forgot my normal step-by-step photos but here is the completed piece.

I am sharing this for challenge #116 at Word Art Wednesday.

I hope you enjoyed this project.  I have a lot I planned to create this weekend and I am again WAY behind.  Off to the art table!  Hope you are staying warm and dry in this bitter cold nasty storm we are having here on the East Coast.

MY SATURDAY

On Saturday I went to a crop in Maryland with my friend Maraline.  Although I did not get as much done as I had hoped I was able to nearly complete 3 layouts (the last one - center layout) I added the word stamping a few moments ago.  I do not do well with lots of white space or solid cardstock...LOL).

The first was for Lasting Memories Layout Sketch Blog challenge #172.  The challenge called for using the following sketch and your favorite embellishment.  What I chose was a selection of patterned papers as my favorite embellishment.  Although not technically an 'embellishment' it is by far my favorite thing to use for embellishing.  I used 7 different patterns on this page.

The Sketch:

My Layout:

My second page was for Let's Get Sketchy January week 1 sketch.

The Sketch:

My Layout:

And my last layout was for Scrapbook.com Boys/Girls only January challenge using my son Thomas as my focus and the sketch.

The Sketch:

My Layout:

So that sums up my Saturday.  Today I need to complete a birthday present for my pastor.  I am planning on a mixed media canvas.  Check back tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you had a great weekend!

HAPPY NEW YEAR WITH THE SCRAPS TO TREASURE TEAM

Happy New Year!  Happy January!  Happy 2014! Time for another hop with the Scraps to Treasure Team.  

Our projects are all made using scraps from our scrap pile.  So first I gathered some complimentary papers from my recently cleaned out scrap basket.  

Next, I selected a sketch to work with.  I am using sketch #232 from Tuesday Morning Sketches.

I had this cute little die cut that worked just perfect with the sketch.  (well actually nearly perfect, it had a countdown under the burst but I had to trim it off).

Finally, here is my card:

Today's hostess for the hop is Robin S at Scrap and Chat   She is offering a RAK to the hoppers who create their own New Year's card/project and link it up on her blog.  The hopping order is:

Robin S. ~ www.scrapandchat.blogspot.com/

Camille ~ http://shortonideasaz.blogspot.com/

Melanie ~ http://afternoonscrapper.blogspot.com/

Paula ~ http://preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com/

If for some reason you have started here be sure to go back and start with Robin and then hop right along to Camille and Melanie.  I am your final stop.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing what wonderful things can be created with scraps.

Now, go create a New years project of your own for a chance at that RAK!  ;)

FAITH HOPE LOVE

The other day I did an art journal page using scripture 1st Corinthians 13:13

So these three things continue forever

FAITH

     HOPE

          LOVE

And the greatest of these is 

     LOVE

I started the page in my usual way - I put a layer of gesso.  Next I took my new Heidi Swap stencil and used Dry Dex Spackle for some texture.  

Now to add some color.  I started by using some Distress Inks.  

Then a layer of acrylic paint -

I added some water color crayons and spritzed the page with water and moved the colors around a bit.

It was rather 'in your face' loud so I decided to soften it with a thin layer of watered down gesso.

I added some Ranger Embossing Dabber through the stencil and then some Silver Embossing Powder and some Red Embossing Foil.  I heated them up.  

My finishing touches were to add the scripture.  I used stickers for the words Faith, Hop and Love and Grungeboard for the last word Love.  Everything else was done with Pitt pen.  I was having trouble getting the stickers to stay on the glittery embossing powders so I topped it with a layer of Matte Mod Podge.  A lot of the dimension seemed lost so I outlined a lot of the hearts with my black Pitt pen too!

Here it is:

I am submitting this to Word Art Wednesday for their Anything Goes #115 challenge, and putting it in my gallery at Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium.

Hope that you have enjoyed this step by step of this meaningful art journal page.  Time to get ready for bed!  Sweet dreams and thanks for stopping by.

ANYTHING GOES WITH THE KRAZY CRAFTING CREW!

Here we are in a New Year and all new projects for the hop.  

Today Robin Lane will be hosting from Create a Latte.  With the New Year just beginning we thought  "Anything Goes" would be a great way to start.  

Do you like paper crafts, making cookies, crocheting or making pillows? 

Really anything goes for more fun and inspiration for us ladies who love to bake and do other things then paper crafts!

Today I have prepared a card for you.  

I used the Color Palette from Color Throwdown CTD273.

sketch #77 from Feeling Sketchy -

and the Get Well theme #175 from 4 Crafty Chicks.

Help us by making our teams resolution to gain followers and do a fantastic job for you that won't disappoint.  

We have a hop every first Sunday of the month, and we will bring  some kind of inspiring project with us!

Thank you for stopping by don't forget to hop the whole hop to see what we have going for you!

Blog lovin' can also win you some blog candy!  Here is the blog candy you can win from Robin Lane from Create a Latte.  It's a Hello Kitty Smash Book Kit.

Your next stop will be with Liz.

Here is your line up just in case you want to navigate back through!

Robin www.create-a-latte.blogspot.com

Lissa Marie   www.somanycrafts.com

Lori www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com

Robin www.scrapandchat.blogspot.com

Janet www.janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com

Miranda www.nanasscrapspot.com

Paula www.preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com

Liz www.tryin2craft.blogspot.com

Christina http://cema1cema.blogspot.com/

Jessi www.mylifeinartsncrafts.com

Katina www.lovinglifeslittleblessings.com

Wendy http://www.luvinstampin.com/

WELCOME 2014

Time for a fresh start.  A new beginning.  A happier healthier future.  Back on the right track.  More time to create.  These are my plans...

First things first - I am getting back to a daily morning bible study with accountability partners.

Next I have picked my word for 2014.  SERENITY.

What exactly does this mean?

Serenity - the absence of mental stress or anxiety.

In order to reach this state it is time to put the past in the past.  The debts, the burdens, the clutter.  I spent a good deal of time on New Year's Eve clearing clutter from various spots in my house.  7 bags of unopened, partially opened, unread, partially read bills, mail, junk etc.  What a difference it made!  There is still a LONG way to go but the progress was actually majorly visible.  Most of the clutter that I cleared was the burden of the debts - or the evidence of it.  I have spent the last 6 months working with a debt consolidation company that did absolutely nothing but have me stop paying all my creditors and pay them.  They were not able to negoitate anything and they ended up tanking the last of my credit score.  It's time to clear the slate.  The next step I take is to learn the Delaware Bankruptcy laws and find out how to get back the money I paid the consolidator and pass it along to the bankruptcy judge.  Too many years of living above my means in New Jersey left me with nothing but debt.  I am so happy to be living in Delaware in a much more reasonable economy and the plus of NO sales tax.  Had I done it a few years sooner I may not be in this position but...I am, there's no changing it so there is only starting fresh.  

I need to find out what exactly can be done to the used car I bought last May to get it running so I can return the van that was so graciously loaned to me several months ago.  

I need to get to the neurologist to find out exactly what the EEG told them.  I missed the appointment on the 26th when the tire on the van literally exploded.  I have not left the house since.  I have to continue with my B12 injections and making sure my other iron levels stay where they should be.  I probably need to see a rheumatologist and definitely a dermatologist.  So, it will be another year of doctoring but at least some things have now been resolved and a treatment plan has begun.

So that leaves creating - 

First, January starts my term on the Scrapping Everyday Miracles Design Team.  The new challenges opened today...the theme this month is Friends.  Our scripture is Proverbs 17:17.  There is also a layout sketch and a card sketch.  You can choose to do any type of paper project incorporating the theme or use either of the sketches, or any combination of the three.  For my first project for the team I chose to combine the theme/scripture with the card sketch.

Here's the sketch:

and here is my card:

There are 3 great prizes up for grabs so why don't you click here for all the details and enter something!

and finally, today I got back into my art journal after several months absence and did a page stating my word for 2014.  

I had created this background using white and black gesso a few weeks ago in the hopes of working in my journal but never got past it.

Next I got out some Tim Holtz Grungeboard and added my word.

I got involved in the page and forgot to take individual photos of the steps but what happened next is that I got out a Crafters Workshop stencil and several colors of acrylic paints and Gelatos.  I wasn't getting anything I wanted so I decided some texture might be a plan and grabbed my bag of washi tapes.  I started tearing them and randomly placing them all over the page until I was satisfied. I wanted to paint the grungeboard but realized that a coat of gesso would really be a better place to start.  I love gesso.  

As it turns out, I liked the letters white so I decided to forgo painting them so for my finishing touches I took a black Sharpie pen and outlined the letters so that they would stand out and I added number stickers for the year which I also outlined.  

The finished page:

I am also entering these in Word Art Wednesday #113 Anything Goes.

Another step in getting back on track is getting to bed at a more normal hour.  For some strange reason the last few months I suddenly found myself up until 2, 3 or 4am every night.  This is NOT a healthy habit so tonite it's off to bed between 11pm and midnite.  

Hope that you have enjoyed viewing my latest creations and will spend time visiting with me regularly! 

Happy healthy 2014 to you and your families!