Puttin on the Ritz

Today I have another sample from one of the newest plates from

Artistic Outpost

Flapper Fashions. I teamed it up with a vintage photo frame.

some lace, brown velvet ribbon and  A flower with a touch of bling.

Full Steampunk A Head

That's right a Steampunk Head, at least my version of one. I have been trying to get this finished up to play in two challenges. Studio L 3 for Grungy Monday.  The challenge was to do texture fades and distress a technique by none other than 

Tim Holtz .

 Followed by the challenge at Simon Says Stamp and Show 

to use a Tim Holtz technique.

See the Bow tie, Ta-da!!!!!

The hat I constructed from heavy card stock.

The stamps are from Oxford Impressions

Tim's large clock face, and various bulbs from my private stock.

I covered one of those Styrofoam heads with torn music paper and gel medium,

followed by a wash of Gesso and sealed , The brows  (or wings) are from Oxford Impressions and the eye is from I brake for Stamps. The other eye is Tim's key hole plate and various other hardware!

It feels good to be A-Head of the challenge deadline this week.

Paint Party Friday or Faux Friday

First let me apologize for the quality of the photo.

 I had to take a scan from a photograph I did of this mural.

At Paint Party Friday its week 6 , they asked us how we go about doing a painting.

In this case it was for my client. She wanted a large Trompe l'oeil painting

in her dining room of a garden scene. You can see the size by comparing it to the chandelier hanging in front of it.  

After working out the details I lightly sketch my design on the wall

using watercolor pencils, I paint in the sky, mountains and all background images. Then begin layering in all the foreground. When its dry. I taped off for the gate and used a flexible curve for the metal work.

I use regular latex paint so its washable.

Go check out all the artwork this week at

Paint Party Friday and get inspired to do some of your own painting!

Again sorry for the terrible photo!

Cherish Box

I'm still here! A bit busy these days, most of which I can't share with you quite yet.

 But here's a piece I did recently. An altered cigar box

I fell in Love with this image from The Graphics Fairy

I made a fabric transfer of her with the printable PC paper then ironed onto fabric, easy peasy!

 Stitched onto layers of fabric.

 I painted and distressed the cigar box, some antiqued trinkets.

I guess you could say this is a collaboration of sorts.

The hummingbird from my friend Jo, some lace from Debbie,

metal flowers from Oxana,

and the metal plate from Mindi. What generous friends I have!

All came together to make a Lovely box, Don't you think?

Image from The graphics Fairy

Steampunk ATCs

The Conductor

A Romantic Vision

Airship

Pocket watch flyer

Victorian Tech

Heres some Steampunk ATC's I did for an online swap. The theme was planes, trains and automobiles.

Collage images from Inka at Altered Artifacts. Inka always has wonderful free printables along with great collage sheets on her Etsy site, be sure and pop by to see what shes offering up these days.
Background papers from Graphics 45.  Text from Steampunk words at Alpha Stamps

Paint Party Friday

Its week 5 at Paint Party Friday .

I'd like to share a commission I did for a client. she had this wonderful purple wall in her living room and wanted a large canvas of a horse over her fireplace. I wanted something dramatic that would pull in the purple. The mane has metallic gold but doesn't show well in the photo.

This piece measured about 5 ft long x3 ft high and was done with acrylics.

Shes Loves it by the way!

 Pop on over and join in the party!!!

Real quick giveaway!!! We Have a Winner

Hey bloggers SS has sent me a extra copy of the newest magazine. April/May 2011. My loss is your gain. Its up for grabs. Who ever would like it leave a comment,

I'll draw a name Friday (tomorrow)evening.

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

13

Timestamp: 2011-04-16 05:30:53 UTC

Congratulation Toni
from Mistijay Your the winner of the SS Magazine.
Thanks for playing along everyone. I will be having a humongous Giveaway very soon!
So stay tuned!

Easter Egg Hunt

I have many memories of Easter morning searching the yard for hidden eggs

the Easter Bunny had put out for us. Filling our baskets with colorful eggs.

Later to become Egg salad sandwiches.

When I first saw this door stamp from the newest plate

Windows and Doors at Artistic Outpost

I knew it would make a perfect backdrop for for my chunky atc.

A little nest of eggs and some grass fiber trim finish off the Easter Egg Hunt.

Little girl and rabbit Collage image from Alpha Stamps

What special memories do you have of Easter Morning? I'd Love to hear them!

Some Lovely bloggers

I feel so blessed to have made so many wonderful friends in blogland.
I'm so surprised when I find a card or gift in my mailbox
made from the heart from such talented ladies

who took the time to think of me. You bring such Joy to my life. For that

 I Thank You!

From my Dear friend Martina at Stempel-Gewerkel 

who sent me this wonderful card just because.
Martina does such creative art and is the

 Queen of Steampunk.

A must see when your blog surfing.

From my sweet friend Lynne at Adorn
who's shabby chic style has such a romantic flair.

She sent me this Lovely card and some sheets of canvas printer paper.
 I'll be showing you what I did with that very soon.
She also sent me some beautiful lace and ribbon,
 but I have to confess I put it away before I remembered to take pictures. oops.
Some of it is the same that she used in her beautiful card. Pretty huh!

From Connie at She Dreams Big. She made these cool flowers. Aren't they awesome!
 I've never seen anything like them before and these pretty ribbons and more stash to create with.

A close up of the flowers!

Diane from An Artists Life sent me these awesome Tags as a

Thank you when she won one of my giveaways.

Lovin that Bunny!!!

Just this week I received the most darling little flag from

Katie at Ragamuffin Gal. just look at that little sailor. Isn't he the cutest thing!

and all the gorgeous lace, ohhh I have a thing for lace!

and some lovely vintage goodies. No doubt they will be showing up in my art soon!

Be sure and stop on by all these talented ladies, you'll find tons of inspiration.

Also so happy to be included in two Etsy Treasuries this week.

 One at Retro Man Vintage

and the other at Sacred Heart Designs

Thank you both for including me I am so honored.

Tiny Dancer

One more thing. My project from Designing Divas last week.

My dear friend Mindi hosted

and we made these awesome frames.

She showed us how to create these paper flowers.

I took it home and finished it up.

With a fabric transfer of the ballerina from Graphics Fairy and more flowers.

This will be going in my Etsy shop soon.

Female of The Species

For  The Stampsmith Challenge

Female of the species. This time you can use any stamp company for your image,

I choose an image from Blockheads Rubber stamps.

I had planned on entering this in Studio L3 challenge and missed it by 10 minutes. Sheesh...

Oh well, maybe next time.

Faux Friday- Paint Party Friday

A mural done in an entry way in a private home.

This is quite large ,but a nice way to greet visitors

A Bit of Tuscany with a patio leading to the countryside dotted with Villas.

The kitchen of the same home.

A faux finish on all the walls and some faux bricks here and there.

Close up of some of the faux bricks and walls.

Hope you enjoyed a little bit of Tuscany all the way from Eagle,Idaho. hahaha.

Entering this in week 4 of Paint Party Friday Where lots of Great Artists are

showing their stuff.

Explore

With spring almost here I was reminded of a time when my son would

venture out into the yard to Explore all nature had to offer, collecting bugs in his bug house, gathering feathers and twigs, all those things little boys do.That was my inspiration for this Explore card.

Using the images from the newest plates from

Artistic Outpost  Huck Finn.

I stamped the main image on a scrap of muslin, added some twine and feathers and

mounted all to a torn book page.  Not to worry it wasn't a Huck Finn book!

I hope your spring is full of new adventures!

WoooHoooo Published Again

I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to receive this

complimentary copy of Just Cards in the mail.

This is my first time being published in this magazine.

I had sent in a couple of cards just to see if they would make it!!!

So glad I did.

They selected two of my pieces, How the West Was Won.

Stamps are from Oxford Impressions

and this bright and Cheerful Birthday card.

 Stamps are from I brake For Stamps

Work has been crazy lately, So if I haven't been by to visit you lately.

I will soon. I miss all my blogging friends!

Altered Alice Challenge

For the month of April Artistic Outpost 

will be sponsoring the challenge at  Altered Alice, You can win a GC worth$14.00. Worth playing along!

I decided to do a Chunky ATC with the infamous White Rabbit from the Wonderland plate.

With Easter right around the corner seemed most fitting.

The Altered Alice challenge this month is to create something that is predominantly blue and yellow, the colors associated with Alice! Although it is not required that you use Wonderland in your project, those that do feature Wonderland will receive two chances at the drawing instead of one! Enter by Friday, April 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -4:00) and the winner will be posted sometime on Sunday, April 24

__._,_.___

Artistic Outpost- New Releases!!!

Four new plates just released from Artistic Outpost.

        I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite. You decide!!   
               
Huck Finn



Huck Finn is a collection of collage and illustration images featuring Huck,

paddle boats, and that friend of his Tom Sawyer.  

I created a fun little altered  Discover journal with the new Huck Finn images.

Flapper Fashion

Flapper Fashions is just that a wonderful collection of "flappers".  

You will find the size of these dames are PERFECT for card making and mixed media projects.  

My Photo Shoot- Puttin on the Ritz card

Windows and Doors

Windows and Doors features some beautiful background and focal images that

 coordinate wonderfully with many other Artistic Outpost images.

An altered piece done with hardboard and some framing trim.

Gatsby

Gatsby  features Artistic Outposts version of the main characters in photograph

 style with deco backgrounds.  

A card layout inspired by my dear friend Daniel at Musings Of a Chocoholic

For a limited time, if you purchase all four of these sets, you'll receive a 15% discount.  Please note you must purchase all four to be eligible for the discounted price.  Simply use the code:  GATSBY during check out.

All of the new stamp sets are available both as unmounted red rubber sheets for $14.00 or pre-cut and mounted on EZMount cling foam for $22.99.



For more inspiration be sure and visit ll of the DT blogs.

Gerrie Johnnic
Lisa Somerville
Judy Hayes
Barbara Washington
Stephanie Severin
Suzanne Czosek
Louise Granlund
Connie Paxman



A bit late -Faux Friday

I missed Faux Friday this week, so a quick post of a trompe l'oeil window.

This really is what Idaho looks like.

New Etsy Pieces

So many of you inquired about my soldered glass boxes.

Today You can find them in my Etsy shop, along with two more jewelry pieces I made.

Photo editing courtesy of Big huge Labs

The Frozen Charlotte pendant sold in two minutes, Thank you Terri. If anyone would like a special order you can do so on my Etsy site.

I also have a vintage apothecary jar I altered.

Beautiful vintage laces, vintage jewels and more.

Detail's on my Etsy site.



I'm Blogging As Fast As I Can

Oh my it seems the days are just speeding by at the blink of an eye. So much to catch up on again today. First off am Thrilled to say I was published in The Newest Stampers Sampler April/May issue.

Was a nice surprise as I had not sent anything in for this issue. During the time for the call of entries I was still recuperating. I spied a couple more of my Lovely blogger friends Lynne Moncrieff and
 Deb Corder who also have wonderful pieces published in this issue, Congrats Ladies!!!

My card features stamps from Artistic Outpost Birds of a Feather and Paris Exposition.

 I was also Featured in the Lovely Miss Cindy's Whimsical Musings Magazine Along with the beautiful works by Dora and Cindy, who she herself was just published in Creating Vintage Charm. Congrats Cindy!!!! and Thank you for including me in your Wonderful magazine.

A few Thank Yous.

A shout out to Kim from Art Joy Stuff

 Who sent me this wonderful collage hanging and darling bookmark when
 I joined up for the PIF game on her blog.
Isn't it beautiful!! If you'd like to get in on the fun, Some of the gals that signed up on mine still have some open spots. Go grab yourself a place and Pay it Forward!!

From Kim at A Gypsy Angel Who made me the most amazing scarf.
Its so soft and just my color and its still cold here so I can enjoy it now.
Thank you Kim you are an Angel!!!

And I can't forget a lovely award from my fellow bloggers.
From Toni at My World... Sort of and Gerri at Its all Treasure

Here's how it works. Give credit to the one who sent it. Thanks Toni and Gerri!!!

Tell eight things about yourself you might not already know, then pass this on to eight new bloggers.

Oh I hate this. You All deserve an award!!! 

How can I just pick eight???? More like 80 or 800.

1. I Love the sunshine and warm weather! So why am I living in Idaho?

2. I could live on salads, mocha's and chocolate. Not necessarily in that order!!

3. I'm a night owl and hate early mornings.

4. My hubbums takes care of most of the cooking and cleaning these days,

 How else do you think I get so much done here! LOL.

I told him... I did the first 30 years he gets the next, He wasn't amused!!!

5.I teach private art classes to a very talented young lady who will be my new apprentice soon

in my mural and faux painting business.

6. I Love watching Survivor so don't bother calling when its on I won't answer! LOL

7. Would Love to travel if I could afford to.

8. I didn't really know if I wanted to share this or not,

 but looks like I have to have neck surgery very soon. Here we go again!!!!

The hard part.

Eight bloggers I've never given an award to..

Be sure and stop on by for a visit, your gonna love these gals.

Suzz at Suzz Stamping Spot ,who's work is always stunning!!

Jo at My Paper Playhouse who besides her lovely art, writes the most amazing short stories.

Terry at Terry's Work in Progress with barely one year in blogging an managing

to capture every ones attention with her wonderful art.

Lynne at Adorn who's Shabby Chic style can't be matched

Tracy at Craft Addicts , Love her Artsy style!!!

Linda at My Happy Place where her signature stitches, buttons and bows are sure to please.

Daniele at Musings Of a Chocoholic who inspires me in so many ways!

Julie at A Vintage Chic who not only does beautiful art but almost always

has a lovely story to go with it.

and for all my other blogging friends I hope to catch you next time.