GOTHIC ARCH & ART ON A DARKSIDE challenge

Two blog challenges were worked on tbis project. First Gothic Arches this week was "your choice", and Art on the Darkside was "Jack the Ripper." This was almost a little too dark for me, but I dug deep and came up with the following piece. It's sad to say that this "murder" has become so infamous, probably because his identity is still unknown.

Thanks to Graphic Fairy for the victorian man . And by the way.... the R.I.P. isn't directed to Mr. Jack it's for his unfortunate victims.

DRAGONS DREAM TIO "Steampunk Influence"

This weeks theme over at Tag It On challenge blog is Steampunk Influence which has become such a fav of mine... Steampunk just allows you to go for it... be fun with a sense of serious, whimsical with a taste of scary... Just love it. Thought I would let the ladies have their day. I usually incoraporate men in my steampunk but after all "girls wanna have fun too". So I got to use my wonderful stamps from Oxford Impressions again. This line is called "Dress Maker". My fishnet stockings had a hole in them so the old garter is holding onto them... tee hee :) how fun.

THREE MUSES CHALLENGE "Time"

Three Muses challenge blog has "time" as the theme this week. I have this thing for clocks, not sure what it is but I have always liked them. So I was really jazzed when I saw the theme. Now confession time.. (hahaha no pun intended). I had made this project awhile back for another challenge but did not get it finished in time to submit, so thought this was the perfect opportunity to enter it for "the Muses"...hope you like and remember "Take Time To Create" xoxo

Creative Therapy Challenge "How has art saved you"

Over at Creative Therapy blog, the catalyst is "How has art saved you". Take a moment and drop by their blog for some wonderful testimonies and beautiful art.
For me, art is "freedom". Free to be me, without judgement. I tend to be a perfectionist, and art heals me of this. I used to be concerned what others thought of my crafts, or cooking or whatever artistic endeavor I was involved in at the time, but not so much any more. I feel peaceful when I am creating. Like my bio says, whether it's my scrapbooking, my painting, music, dance "art has always brought the calm to my clatter".
This piece is actually going to be donated to "Have a Heart for Haiti" auction, where monies are going to be donated to the Red Cross to benefit recovery efforts for Haiti. If you would like to create for a wonderful cause, then check out the blog. You still have time to participate.

Gothic Arches Challenge "OPENINGS"

Gothic Arches theme this week is "openings" and my translation for this is "Keep an Open Mind". I just love steampunk and just received these wonderful stamps in the mail from Oxford Impressions, You have to check out their website... great collection. I used black soot distressed ink for stamps and then clear UTEE to emboss. Then got real dirty with my distressed ink pads, smeared and spritzed them and then ran my arch all over. Really liked how it turned out, kind of like old rusted machinery. Then just for added pazzaz. hung some metal charms and washers and got this really neat little flask from Zinnia (coolest little art store in South Pasadena), filled it with micro beads and wired it shut. TFSB :)

SCD birthday challenge "twinchie/Crown"

Poo... I'm really going to miss doing these precious little twinchies... this is the last of them for this birthday month over at Something Completly Different challenge blog. Next month will be a different project. The theme is "crown". Life brings on many different jobs and roles to play every single day, and I find I am always juggling from one hat (or crowns ) to another. Whether, it's being a mom, going to work at my job, being a friend, a daughter, a cook, a crafter ( haha...had to throw that one in)... Exausting but I wouldn't trade it for anything :) Cjeck out SCD design team twinchies... they are awesome...

Mixed Media Monday challenge

This week's theme for Mixed Media Monday is "Marie Antonette". Wanted to mix things up a bit and thought this was the perfect opportunity to use my "special paper". I purchased some handmade paper from Bali and it's been hiding away for awhile. Time to bust it out. I used it as my canvas for this piece. Also wanted to try out a technique that I picked up on the internet... I'm sorry I can't remember whose website I got this from otherwise I would give you kudos.... But the clock was just a cut out on regular paper. I glimmer misted it then applied 3 coats of UTEE...then popped it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. When it came out I bent the paper and it cracked like glass. Pretty cool technique. I think I would like it better on something a little thicker, like chip board, or grungeboard, but I just love the fact that their are so many wonderfully talented artists out there that are willing to share techniques with us all.

Not sure where I'll use this piece, but it really doesn't matter.... my hands are full of ink and paint, I have glitter on my nose and I feel artistically satisfied... Time for bed nighty night. :) xoxo

Gothic Arches Challenge "Home Sweet Home"

Many of us have or will experience the "empty nest" syndrome, in which our children will go off to pursue their adult life which we as parents have worked hard to help prepare them for. My one and only child (daughter) went 3000 miles away to get a college education and I missed her terribly. But as a mom I knew that is exactly what I needed to do,...let her go. She was sooooo excited to be out on her own, and it was so worth it when she would tell me, that "there is no place like home"... They may go away for a bit, but what a blessing it is when they flutter back to the nest for a visit. TFL

Some products I used to make this project are...Tim Holtz bird cage die cut, glimmer mist for back ground, Mudd Puddles for texture on bird & PK Glitz embossing powder to add bling 0n birdcage.

Art on the Darkside"Ghost Whisperer"

Over at Art on the Darkside challenge blog, the theme this week is "Ghost Whisperer". This project really hit home with me in a personal way... you see the man in the window is a picture of my grandfather, whom I never knew. But worse than that, my mother never knew him either. He walked out on her and her mother when she was only a couple months old. All my mothers life she has carried with her a sense of abandonment, anger and hurt.

I never realized how much my mother looks like her father until I saw this picture... If I were able to speak to him "Damn you" is what I would say to him ....for breaking my mother's heart, but I don't think it would be in a whisper....TFL :)

Gothic Arches Challenge "Bollywood"

It is with great pleasure that I hosted this week's theme at Gothic Arches challenge and I chose "Bollywood". Thought it would be fun to do a little research to find out just what Bollywood is all about.

You take the colorful culture of Bombay India (which is now Mumbai) and combine it with the theatrical film industry of Hollywood and you get ... "Bollywood". Per Bollyworld.com, Bollywood films are usually musicals. Few movies are made without at least one song-and-dance number. Indian audiences expect full value for their money; they want songs and dances, love interest, comedy and dare-devil thrills, all mixed up in a three hour long extravaganza with intermission. Such movies are called masala movies, after the spice mixture masala. Like masala, these movies have everything. Hope you enjoyed the history lesson and have fun making your arch. :)

Something Completly Different Challenge "Flowers"

Over at "Something Completly Different" challenge blog we are concentrating on twinchies for the month of May. Itty bitty
2 x 2 squares and this week's theme is "flowers". I used "Flower Soft" to make my dimensional flowers. If you are a card maker or scrapbooker, check out their website. The product is acid free and is really fun to work with. TFL :)

Fairy Dust Anyone???

As you saw on my recent post, I accidentally deleted my blog template. Thank goodness for so many wonderful tutorials out there that help us computer challenged people get back in the game. I've been having fun loading, and reloading new templates and just messing around. One blog I always seem to keep going back to is "First Floor Flat"... you gotta visit this blog. Lots and lots of wonderful info. They had a tutorial to add twinkling stars as your cursor moves across the page. How fun is that !!! Pay the blog a visit, you won't be disappointed. Thank you Susie for sharing your tutorials with us. :)

Forgive the mess

Trying to make some changes to my blog and oops... I deleted the template. So I guess it is time for a face lift. If my blog looks a little messy its cuz it's under construction...Hang in there with me. :)

Gothic Arches Challenge "Music"

Gothic Arches Challenge this week is "Music".... which has always played a huge impact on my life. I was a "wanna be" hippie in the late 60's early 70's but a little young for the whole scene, but I remember my very first psychedelic album I purchased. It was Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida... I still have the album to this day.
The the original name for the song was "In the Garden of Eden" but as the story has been told, the singer was a bit intoxicated and slurred his words, and this is what the rest of the band heard, therefore it stuck... lol... gotta love the 70's...
Anyways... had fun blowing through a straw moving my alcohol inks around on my paper. Used a bit of black embossing for pop. The "peace sign" was made using shrinky dink (so much fun) and the flower was handmade... (which will be sold very soon on our Etsy account) . Anyhow... loved the theme, got to go down memory lane for a bit. Hope you enjoyed :)

Happy Mother's Day

This picture was taken of my mom and me when I was about 1 years old. I was able to enter into several challenges this week with this one project because it fit the bill in a few different ways. First Mixed Media Monday theme is "Mothers". Next up is Theme Thursday challenge blog theme is "Vintage". Then we're off to Collage Obsession challenge and their theme is "Mother". Had so much fun doing this canvas collage, found the sweetest little buttons that fit into the armoire perfect for that special fun touch.

Want to take this time to wish all the wonderful women out there a beautiful Mother's Day. Hope my mom will like this, she is getting it for a gift tomorrow...... :)

Something Completly Different Challenge "Butterflies"

Here is my entry for Something Completly Different challenge. The theme this month is "twinchie" and this week butterflys. When my daughter was a baby we loved giving each other butterfly kisses...Happy Mother's Day to me and to you ... :)

Our Vintage Affair - Bags

The month of May challenge over at "Our Vintage Affair" has a theme of BAGS... in other words purses. This is a nice challenge blog for those that would like to have a little more time to create. There is only one theme a month. Here is my version for "bags".
It's a cardboard book I made from left over pieces of card board from the back of paper packs. (I keep everything...lol) Cut it in the shape of a purse then covered with black and hot pink suede paper (yummy). The handle is made out of wire twisted and big beads added for whimsy. The slide show will show you different pages that I incorporated in it. The star of the book is my daughter Brittany. I named my purse "Younique" because that's just what my daughter is.... beautiful and unique... I hope you enjoy and drop "Our Vintage Affair" a visit. You won't be disappointed.

Art On the Darkside Challenge "Scary Dolls"

Art on the Darkside is cool challenge blog that I have been wanting to participate in for quite awhile. We all have in us that little quirky, darkside... and to be able to create something reflecting that is envigorating...lol...

My little girl lost her head over the love of her life. I purchased this paper mache manican and made the dress from suede paper as well G45 paper. Used old patterns to make the sleeves and the back ruffles. Hope you enjoy :)

College Obsession Challenge "Flowers"

This weeks theme at Collage Obsession was "flowers". They provided a beautiful picture of flowers in a vase. I took their vase and filled it with my own handmade grungepaper roses. Blinged them up a bit with German glass glitter. The leaves were made by used vintage flower press molds. I named this piece "Bloom Where You Are Planted". Hope you enjoy :)

Dress up Challenge... "May Dress"

Alice and Camilla dress up challenge is for "May Dress". This is one of my most favorite times of the year. When earth gives birth to birds, and flowers and just beauty in general. Love this time. Hope everyone has a beautiful month of May...xoxo

Greek Mosh Pit... tee hee

I participated in a challenge this week in which the theme was "Rosey Cheeks".., I finished my project and then realized that the blog this was supposed to be for is SMALL WORLD OF INCHIES & TWINCHIES. hee hee, my bad. This is no way an inchie or twinchie, but I still wanted to post it because I thought it was a funny take on rosey cheeks,. There are all kinds of rosie cheeks on this. The wonderful painting is from an art magazine that I had, but I can't find the artists name, otherwise I would have given them kudos... Beautiful colors .
Anyways, back to the studio to make another "Rosey Cheeks" entry, but this time it will be on an inchie... stay tuned :)

I was "nurturing as a child"

At Creative Therapy blog Catalyst #110 was "How would you discribe yourself as a child"

As a child I think I was several different things, from a drama queen to day dreamer to outgoing, but the one thing that stands out the most is how much I wanted to be a mommy when I grew up. So my baby sister told me the best way to discribe me as a child was "nurturing".

I am the oldest and always loved caring for my brother and sister. Cleaning the house with my mom... (yea I know crazy huh)... cooking ( think I got my first cookbook at the age of 8), and playing with dolls... Just always thought that being a mommy would be the best thing ever.

A game my mother would play with me, is she would take my tricycle and turn it upside down, then I would peddle the wheels and she told me I would be churning butter. That is what I am doing in this picture. See at the age of 2 I was already cooking up something for the family.
I was finally blessed with a wonderful daughter and being a mommy was the best thing to happen to me. BUT... now when I grow up I wanna be a Grandma :)

THREE MUSES CHALLENGE "Hats & Crowns, Wings & Things

There are some amazing digital artists over @ Three Muses blog. I haven't got involved in digital art yet, but the challenge encouraging anyone to participate. This week's theme is "Hats & Crowns & Wings & Things. My 2 x 2 canvas features the Queen of Hearts wearing her crown. Both Alice and the queen are having a bit of an "tude"....Hope you enjoy

Royal Ladies Challenge

A really neat challenge blog that I am new to is Small World of Inchies and Twinchies. Now if you don't know what an Inchy or Twinchy is, it is something that is either 1x1 or 2x2 in size. At first I was a bit intimidated because of the size but oh so fun :) The theme this week is "Royal Ladies", and my lady (if you want to call her that) is The Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland.

The canvas was painted black first then I made hearts with rubber cement and let it dry in order to cause the next coat of paint (which was lime green) to resist. Once the green paint was dry I rubbed the area with paper towel and the rubber cement came right off as well as the green paint. Sprayed with Watermelon Tattered Angels and added a coat of modge podge to the entire piece to provide a protective coating for the playing card (which my sister gave me from a box of Cracker Jacks back in the day). Shawn thank you for saving everything .

Hope you enjoy :)