Theme Thursday & Three Muses

Well I had to pair these two challenges together, after all "Halloween" for Theme Thursday challenge and "Doors" for 3 Muses challenge, how perfect is that. You never know what's behind THE DOOR...... I got my inspiration for this piece from the spider which is called Black Magic Woman and is sold at Studio Garage Band etsy shop or Studio Garage Band blog. And what is behind the door you ask, well it's "Cold Ethel" body parts also sold at Studio Garage Band. How fun are these. The stamps are all from Oxford Impressions the "Wicked" line. Oh and by the way, "Cold Ethel" does come with a head, I just chose to save it for another project...BWAHAHAHAHA

GOTHIC ARCH CHALLENGE "Crowns"

The theme at Gothic Arches is "Crowns"... I dug into my old school stash of scrapbook goodies and found all of these embellies. I've really been trying hard to USE my craft goodies instead of hoarding them...TFL.... now off to blog hop and see everyone else's wonderful crown creations... xoxo

Studio L3 "Compendium of Curiosities #8"

I had alot of catching up to do for this blog challenge as I had been waiting for my book to come in the mail. Over at Studio L3 they are working on Challenge #8 which is distressing grungeboard or grungepaper... (both smell phenominal to me). Let's turn to page 39 and follow Mr T!'s directions. I'm keeping all my tags ringed together in my "Curiosties Collection". There is soooo much knowledge in this book. If you haven't gotten it, and you love to get messy with inks and stuff, it is definitly a must have on your bookshelf.

GOTHIC ARCH CHALLENGE "Owls"

Gothic Arches has a theme of "Owl" this week. This is on the whimsy side with a touch of bizarre, hench Mildred. Maybe it's the hot weather this week that is to blame for my warped sense of humor. Stamp used for chandelier as well as Mildred are from Oxford Impressions. 3 Muses's theme last week was "Odd Bird" but I didn't get these pics downloaded in time for that theme. Off to work on their challenge for this week's theme of "Love is Blind"

GOTHIC ARCH CHALLENGE "Marie Antoinette"

This week at Gothic Arches challenge the theme is Marie Antoinette and I chose to use my bees wax for this to give it that old vintage aged look. The pictures really don't do it justice but you need to try it, you will love it.
The image I got off the internet and applied to chipboard arch. Then added perfect pearls patina colors for the highlighted colors on the side. To add another dimension to the clothing, I took old fashion school glue rubbed a layer on with my finger let it dry just until it was tacky and then applied a another coat of bees wax. This technique works great with acrylic paints, actually makes great cracks in your art. The bees wax didn't work as well but still provided me area to distress ink for texture effect. The crystals hanging from the vintage flowers were purchased at Studio Garage Band Etsy Shop, they also have the Melting Pot & BeesWax for sale.
Thanks for looking xoxo Toni

Theme Thursday, Dragons Dream TIO, & Mixed Media Monday

Well this one piece covered 3 different challenges that I love to participate in. Theme Thursday is "Vintage Tag"; Dragons Dream TIO is "Say it with Numbers" & Mixed Media Monday is "Play Things". Awhile back I was experimenting with aging tags using coffee and baking them in the oven. Made the house smell real good, but didn't really like how they came out. I used to much coffee and the tags came out very dark. So this one was perfect for my Ouija board, looks alot like wood. All the stamps I used are from Oxford Impressions "Haunted" series.

Yea... back in the 70's my mom would play with the Ouija board with us. It scared me to death. Glad to say I know longer rely on a board for direction but I look to the Lord. Still I think the stamp is awesome, brings back funny memories of old play things....

Hummmm I predict you will be creating something in the future.... oh just go and have fun with your paper and scissors... :)

3 MUSES "Mail Art"

The theme this week at "3 Muses" is MAIL ART. If you have seen the movie Letters to Juliet, then you will get this piece of mine.

It's a charmingly romantic movie placed in Italy, and a young girl joins a group of ladies whom they call themselves the secretaries of Juliet. They respond to letters to Juliet seeking advice about love. This is my take on it. You see after 30 years of marriage I am divorced and one of the lines in the movie is "what if I have a second chance with love". I have always been a hopeless romantic, and even though I am vey happy finding "me" and enjoying "me " it would be nice to know that Romeo is somewhere out there for me... hahahaha. Hope you enjoy, The picture below is the beginning of my brick wall which I made from textured paper towels, masking tape and gesso glued on a canvas and then just gobs of paint...oooo so much fun.

Dragons Dream TIO "Shabby Chic"

The tag theme this week for Dragons Dream is "Shabby Chic". I made this tag in the shape of a house because if I had my choice my entire home would be decorated shabby chic. There is something clean, fresh, feminine, romantic about shabby chic.

Some of the most perfect embellishments for this project were ..... 1. Victorian Chandelier Crystals, 2. Dove stickpins, 3. Lullabye buds, all are sold at Studio Garage Band Etsy store

THREE MUSES challenge "Rust"

Three Muses always pushes you right out of that creative box with their themes, and this week is no different. If any one knows me, then they know I love that old, grundgy, vintage look, so I had a real good time rusting up some goodies. Dug deep into my basket of T!m goodies and used his clock masks for the back drop on my canvas, Word stick "Time" and birdcage die cut which I just love.

The canvas, birdcage and dove stickpins got a good washing of rusting chemicals. These bird cages in all their rusted and patina'd glory will soon be for sale at our store "Studio Garage Band"

. TFL... xoxo Toni

Small World of Inchies and Twinchies "Fishy"

This months theme at SW of I & T is "fishy". I just love textures of all kinds and recently came upon this beautiful Roving Merino Wool. I had some that resembled the oceans water so thought it would be a nice backdrop for my "fishy. I added fabric sizing to give it form and added it to my twinchie, then made lots of fish out of shrinky dink as well as my "Skools Out" sign, and you can't see it but I glued tiny sea shells all around the outside of the canvas... Hope you enjoyed :) xoxo Toni

The Envelope Project "Meet Me @ Mike's"

Thought it would be loads of fun to join this challenge. You send a few wonderful crafting items in an decorated envelope to the address in Austrailia and in a couple weeks a very lucky person is drawn and they get ALLLLLLL the goodies that have been mailed in all over the world... I am the 279th entry, so that means alot of goodies. My envelope included some vintage movie film strip and acrylic chandelier gems, both sold at Studio Garage Band store... a hand made tag using one of Mr. T!m's techniques, old ephemera and whimsical paper flowers. Check out the website to see more information. Can't win unless you play... :)

xoxo Toni

Vintage Pleated Flowers

Recently took a class learning to make these wonderful pleated flowers with the "Amanda Jane" smocking machine... Wowzer, fun class but intense. Needed a glass of wine after that one. I have a new appreciation for women who make those beautiful dresses and blouses using this machine. But the end result is so worth it. My pictures are featured on "Vintage Affair" blog. These were made using everything vintage, except the thread...... very cool.

Each one was made with a little different technique. The gold one, actually was yellow ribbon, but once it was pleated it takes on a whole different effect. Vintage chenille was used for the flower center and the stamens were dipped in German glass glitter. The beige flower has vintage pearl stamens and the blue flower was made reversing the top layer of the ribbon from the bottom so it looks like it's two differnt colors of blue...

For the last several months I have been fortunate enough to participate in some wonderfully creative classes with artist and book author Arlene Baker. She is amazing and hosts a monthly class offering a dfferent technique class each month. Thank you so much Arlene for your hospitality and knowledge offered to us ladies.

Dress Up challenge "Always a bridesmaid never a bride"

It's June... one of the most popular months for weddings, so my entry for "Dress Up" challenge is "always a bridesmaid never a bride".

The skirt is made from a vintage hankerchief the bodice is made from sewn mulberry paper. TFL

Mixed Media challenge "Something Old"

Mixed Media challenge theme this week is "something old"... but the something old isn't my mommy in the picture....lol...This happens to be one of my favorite photos of my mom back in the day, but my something old happens to be the movie film strip that I applied to the layout. On a road trip recently I came upon this wonderful find in an old antique store. 1967 movie film strip.... I was so excited I think I actually screamed a bit when I found it This film strip as well as the handmade flower can be purchased at Studio Garage Band Etsy account.

Small World of Inches & Twinchies "Steampunk"

It's a new month and a new theme over @ Small World of Inchies & Twinchies . This month the theme is "Steampunk". Time flys and so it's important to take time to spend with special people in your life. Try not to rush all the time and sit down with someone special and have a cup of tea or coffee, or glass of wine, you get the picture ...lol... tomorrow is not promised to us to take advantage of today ... TFL xoxo

3 Muses & Collage Obsession challenges

Three Muses challenge blog has a theme this week, "Pick a song, any song" and Collage Obsession challenge had a theme of "Mirror". I've been putting off this project for a while now. Been wanting to do a collage of MJ to put on my wall in my studio and this worked out perfect because one of my favorite songs of his happens to be Man in the Mirror.

I cut up a poster of Michael and modge podged it to different size canvases, got out my hammer and broke up an old mirror I got from a thrift store (no I'm not superstituous .... lol) and carefully glued the pieces to form obscure images. My idea is to insert this piece in an old frame, possibly painted black and taa-daa... on the wall it will go.

"If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change. "

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.