Clearing out the Cobwebs!!

Cough, Cough!! Boy is it DUSTY in here!! LOL

Hello Everyone!!

I knew I had taken a break from blogging but I had no idea it had been this long! yikes! Time flies when life gets crazy!
Not that my life is any less crazy right now, in fact it is getting crazier with each passing day it seems, but I just have the need to start my Blog up again! I hope you won't mind!?

I have a bit of clean up to do around here, and started some of it tonight, but there are a few more things that I need or want to do. One of them being how to use my Ipad instead of the desktop pc!
So far so good tonight, but we will see. Have to learn yet how to post the pictures to the blog! Might be something kind of important! ;)
I will catch you all up on things going on in our lives as I go along. But for tonight I want to let you know that I have a few of the Unity stamp sets that used to be Ippity left and I would like to clear them out. I have them now prices at 50% off the retail price. I thought now was a good time to do it since my craft room is now all sitting in  my living room due to a link in my daughters bathroom..... so water should'nt get in between the walls?? and come up under wood flooring?? who knew??  right!? LOL....well I get a new wood floor and fresh coat of paint in my craft room!! haha!
So take a look at my sale page and email me if there is anything that you would like and I will get it out to you right away! The more I sell the less I have to put away! HA!

Thanks for stopping by and I will be back very soon!!

Have a great day!

Mary

Unity Friends With Flair

Hi Everyone!

Well this is actually my 2nd post for Unity Friends with Flair,...I hope you don't mind!
My first post was the card I made with my hand made paper and because I really wanted to see what you all thought about it. It was the first time I had ever tried it and like with everything that is new to you feed back is always good! So thank you for looking at it if you did!

In this post I have a Birthday card to share. Another Phyllis Harris stamp set. I do love her images so, can't you tell! ;D

I hope that you like it!

Thank you so much for stopping by again!

Blessings and Hugs,
Mary

Sharing some Hand Made Paper!

Hi Everyone!

Today I have something different to share with you! :D

A few weeks ago I went over to my girlfriends house and she showed me how to make handmade papers! Oh my gosh it was so much fun! Thank you so much to my girlfriend Cathy for inviting me into her studio! http://www.artstudiosandiego.com just in case you would like to check out her studio page!

 She is an incredible acrylic and oil artist, as well as handmade jewelry,(www.steampunkjewelry.net), collage and handmade books for journals etc. using  her handmade papers, so it was so fun to play with all of the different inks and paints to tint the papers. We also used dried flowers, teas and spices for color, texture and some for scent. Oh my goodness I could just play with it all day because you never really know exactly what you are going to get as far as color and texture until it starts to pulse  in the blender and then dries. We used scrap paper from the shredder for the pulp, another reason you don't really know what the color is going to be. ;D
We added the shredded paper,then covered that with water, more paper and then more water,then whatever flowers,teas or "extras" you want which can include inks, acrylic paints or dye. She said she bought the frames for pouring the mixture into at Michaels and the instructions that came with it are very easy to follow!

So first here are the papers that we did.

 And this is the one that I decided to work with first:

 So First I sprayed it with some Shimmer Spritz in Barn Door and Fireworks in Sweet Plum.

 Then I used Memento Luxe in Sweet Plum for the flourish stamp from Inkadinkado.

 The text stamp is from Unity Stamp Co. and I used Vintage Photo distress ink to stamp that.

And here is a card that I made with just a portion of the piece. The paper is pretty thick so you have to be careful when you tear it. You really can make them any thickness you want, so some of them are thicker than others. Some have more texture than others etc. I just depends on what goes in the blender and how much you pour out at a time.

 The yellow background paper is watercolor paper that I used dylusional ink spray on in yellow. Then when I sprayed the handmade paper I just used that paper to "mop" up what was left on the craft sheet after each spray. I like the effect! Plus I thought it helped to tie the colors of the papers together.

 I used ribbon from May Arts, and craft tag that I stamped with a Hero Arts chalk ink in Passion Flower, and the Sentiment is from Unity Stamps as well. :D

As I sit here looking at the photo I think I am going to add something to the bottom right comer of the yellow, maybe 3 pearls or dew drops. I think it needs something??

I have also cut out some flowers using the tattered flowers die from Tim Holtz and Sizzix to see how that works with these papers. I will let you know how that goes!

I can't wait to work with these papers some more!

And now I will be in the market for an inexpensive blender to make my own paper!

 It was fun, and ecological!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I know it is a long post so thank you for reading all the way to the end! I hope you liked it, and I would love to know what you think as well as any suggestions!

Until next time,

Blessings and Hugs,

Mary

It is Unity Friends with Flair Day!!

Hi Everyone!

Geesh!! It has been a long time! But my desk is finally clean, my craft room re-organized (for now tehe!) and I am ready to start blogging again!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you can stay for a bit! ;)

I have a card to share with you that I did for my Daughter's Birthday! She turned 31 years old on March 3rd! Not sure how that happened! LOL!

I used a Unity Stamp set from the "Fashionistas" line by Tracy Malnofski.
These are such fun stamps to work with!
This one is called "Sabrina".

 I "fussy" cut both images so that I could pop them up with pop dots for a little dimension. Her dress is paper pieced and then I used black stickles on the bodice for some birthday sparkles and added dimensional pearls for the polka dots on her skirt. :D

 The Birthday cakes is done with stickles in black,  pink and the white "frosting"  with dimensional pearls! I think it looks pretty close to what frosting should look like! :D The red that was used on the cake and on her skirt was colored with a copic R46.  

 The flowers are from Prima and the ribbon I believe is from May Arts. I used card stock from GinaK designs and the design paper is from echo park.

 

I admit I am a little rusty! I have been creating and I will be back with some projects maybe this weekend, but definitely next week. I will even show you a Bird House I painted for my first project of the year for our new backyard!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Or any day! All of your comments mean so much, and I thank you for each and every one!

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

 

Blessings and Hugs!

 

Mary

Unity Friends with Flair!

 Hi Everyone!

I have a card to share with you for Unity Stamps Friends with Flair!

This is a Birthday card that I did for a special Friend who is an artist and inspires me everyday!

 

 I used an image created by Unity's Angie Blom! I love Angie's images and I thought this one was perfect for my friend!

   

 

I printed her on Gina K pure luxury card stock and used Copics to color her in. The little flower on the easel I drew in. I do love the fact that the "canvas" on the easel is blank and so lends itself to having any image that might be special to the recipient so you can personalize it.

 

I used Gina K card stock for the matting, and echo park dots for the patterned paper.

Ribbon is from my stash (could be May Arts?) and the Buttons are from Button Galore and More.

 

I hope that you like her!

Thank you for stopping by!

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Hugs,

Mary

A Grateful Mixed Media project to share!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Saturday!

I have a page that I did for my Mixed Media Class with Tracy Weinzapfel to share with you!
This challenge was 2 parts one to share a page on being Grateful, find a quote that reflected your feelings. I found this quote by Albert Schweitzer :

 "At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."

When I read this quote I thought how perfect for Tracy! She rekindles that spark every Monday night!
I have others in my life, a few other close friends that can rekindled that spark in other areas of my life, but Tracy is able to get to the artistic side, the happy side of my heart and Soul.
I hope that you all have someone that can do that for you! And how exciting if you can do that for someone else! Wow what a feeling that would be!
The second part of the challenge was to you a color story board from Deco Arts or their Pintrest page.
I found a color story of a Navy, turquoise blue and gray with an accent of yellow tablescape. So the colors I used were Sapphire Blue & Turquoise Waters (Deco Arts), Turquoise (Plaid) and Dolphin Gray(Delta).

Here is my piece! I hope you like it!

 

  I did cut the flower our and raised it up with foam tape for some more dimension.

Supplies used:
Gesso from Claudine Hellmuth (Studio paints), Deco Arts Satin paint ( I love this new paint! so smooth to work with), Stencils from Crafter Workshop, Faber Castel paint pens, and Montana white paint pen.
Thank you for stopping by!

Have a wonderful day!

Mary

Unity Friends with Flair!

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to quickly share a card that I did for my Mom for her Birthday in September.

I used the Donna Downey Poppies stamp set from Unity. I love the size of these images it really allows you to blend and paper piece your piece if you want to...which I did! ;D

 I used water color paper for the image. The background is done with Deco Art paints, then I used Gellatos is reds and oranges for the poppies.

 Some sparkle fluff was used in the center of the poppy for dimension and then of course the prima crystals and may arts ribbon!

 

Thank you so much for stopping by today! Your comments mean more to me than you will ever know!

 

Blessings and Hugs,

Mary

"Letting it Go" for Mixed Media Monday!

Hi Everyone!

Whoa the day before Halloween already! How did this happen! LOL

Our challenge this month for Mixed Media Monday with Tracy Weinzapfel  was to "Let is Go".

Letting it go is harder than you think for me. Something that I am continually struggling with. It seems to take me forever sometimes just to create a card! I over think things, and change my mind A Lot! ;) Trying to be better about it but it is a struggle. Someone told me once that it was because I was a Virgo! Lol! Something about wanting perfection!? yeah,...well it is a nice idea anyway! ;D

So here is my attempt at "Letting it Go"!

 I used Deco Arts Satin acrylics, tattered Angels glimmer mist and the gray background was done with Gelattos both the satin gray and a metallic.

 A Copic India ink pen was used for the border around and I used Distress Ink in Peacock Feathers to edge the wording after I distressed the edges.

 The Doily stamped image in the background is a stamp from Unity Stamp Co. that I used white paint with. I stamped it off once so that the image was muted and distressed. The rest of the images were painted free form.  I really was trying to let it go! :D

 

Thank you so much for stopping  by for a look! I hope you like it!

 

Wishing you a colorful week, and a fun Halloween!

 

 

Hugs,

Mary

Mix Media Challenge "Share your Home"!

Hi Everyone!

Well I am back to dust off the cobwebs on my Blog! Which I guess with Halloween approaching it is a good thing to do in more ways than one! ;D

Anyway! I have a Mixed Media project to share with you from our September creative Dare with Mixed Media Monday with Tracy Weinzapfel.  Our challenge this month was to do a project which would share the words that describe what our Homes mean to us or the words that describe what we allow into our Homes.
And these are my words for my Home :)

 I used Gelatos for the background color, love how easily those gel sticks blend together with just water. The vines I stamped with archival ink and then filled in with gesso and painted with Deco Arts acrylic paints. I used gesso and then Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Paints to color the body of the house, first with yellow and then orange over the top of it here and there, then blended it with a dry brush.

 

 The roof was done using modeling paste with a stencil from Crafters Workshop #TCW191s Mini Bricks. Then I used gesso over that so that the background wouldn't show thru and then used a red acrylic paint  from Deco Arts.

I outlined everything using a Copic India ink pen, and then a white Signo Uniball Ink pen from Ranger. In some areas I did use a white Montana paint pen because it glided over the gelato's a little better than the Signo pen did. Then I decided I wanted some smudge action so I used a Charcoal pencil to outline and then rubbed to blend it! :)

The Flourish stamp is from Unity Stamps from a Donna Downey set called "The Artist in You" (I think !) I used Tim Holtz Distress ink in Wild Honey. The Vine/Leaves and the Border stamp is from Ranger Dylusion by Dyan Reaveley a set called "Further around the Edge".

 

I always find it so amazing that my projects never turn out in the way that I first think that they are going to! And usually in a good way. At first I wasn't sure if I liked how this one  turned out, but that may have had something to do with the fact that it was 2:30 am when I finally decided I was done with it! LOL! But now I think I like it! :D

I hope that you have enjoyed looking at it as well! Thank you for stopping by and allowing me to share with you what is important to me in my Home!

 

Blessings and Hugs for a color filled week!

 

Mary

 

Let your Spirit Fly!

Hello Everyone!

Well I guess you could say that I have been taking a break for awhile from the Blogging world! (Obviously! LOL) But I am back today!
Many things going on that needed and still need my attention, but I want to start getting back into the swing of things! It feels very good to do so! :D

I have some projects that I would like to share with you over the next week and today I am here to share my July Creative Dare for our Monday night Mixed Media with Tracy Weinzapfel! You can find her blog here. And the link for our Ustream class on Monday nights is here. The August challenge will be up soon and we would love to have you join in with us!

Okay, so my project! The July creative dare was to pick a favorite project that Tracy had done so far this year on Monday night. This is the project that she did that was ONE of my favorites:



And this is what I created from her inspiration! :

 

 

 

I love the colors of the buttons in her project and the playfulness of it. It just made me smile every time I looked at it! I used a twist on her sentiment from last week which was "Grow your Spirit", and since my Spirit has needed a little lifting lately, and the hot air balloons seemed to speak to that I decided to let it go and allowed my Spirit to fly while I was creating this piece. I felt like I was 5 years old again gluing all those buttons! LOL....and maybe that was the point! I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't suppose to fit together perfectly. I knew I had wanted to do a split canvas and thought that off-setting the 2 would add to the visual interest and give the feeling of movement .In looking at it right now I think I need to add a cuff at the bottom of the balloon, but I'll have to think about that! ;)

The smaller balloons I used stamps from Unity Stamp Company for the outlines, and then filled them in with gesso ( Claudine Hellmuth, but deco arts makes a good one as well ;), and then used deco arts paint to fill them in. The small balloon under the bird I used 2 piece of cello wrap that I had from a bouquet of flowers and used decoupage to attach them to the canvas. On the stripes and polka dots I used Art institute fine glitter for some sparkle!  

There is Distress ink in Dusty Concord and Vintage Photo around the edges. The Buttons are from Buttons Galore (who was a sponsor  in which I won the drawing!) and also from my stash. Montana paint pens in black and white, and a charcoal pencil all made appearances on the canvas!

I hope you like it, and maybe will find some inspiration in it for your own Spirit!

 

Thank you for stopping by! I truly appreciate it!

 

 

Blessings and Hugs,

 

Mary

 

 

P.S.  Please look for a  post later this weekend on some ippity inventory that I still have available!

As you have probably noticed, if you are a loyal Unity Fan, there has not been any new ippity releases in a very long time! Angela has made the decision to combine the lines all back into Unity  for now. A new program is suppose to be developed but we don't have word yet as to what that will be. For now ippity is still available on the Unity website. I will put the inventory together and let you know what I have if you are interested! They will be listed at 25% off the msrp. :D

 

April Creative Dare!

Hi Everyone!

How is everyone??
I know it has been awhile again! ;)

I am here to share with you my Creative Dare for Mixed Media Mondays! Our April challenge was to pick 5 words that you would want to be remembered by....(Tracy makes us think!! lol)

Here are my words:

A Gentle Heart ( I know not really one word! haha)
Encouraging
Optimistic
Friend
Strong in Faith (Okay, I know not a word again! lol)

Here is my page:

 I used gellatos for the background...they are like playing with crayons! Love them!!

 The stamps that I used were Tim Holtz, Stampers Anonymous. And the Border stamps and the little house were from Dyan Reavley, Dylusions.

I used some dylusions ink to water color in the bird,with a water brush.

 And to seal it I used a new product to me,but one that Tracy had used last month, it is a liquid spray Decoupage,gloss sealer! It was so fun to use,and I love the finish that it gave my project. It is by Beacon. (And actually I think they are one of our sponsors for this month )

 

Well I hope you like it! Thank you so much for stopping by! It would be great if you could join us on Monday night at 6p.m (pacific time) for Mixed Media Mondays!

We have a lot of fun chatting,and there are prizes to be won by participating in the monthly challenges! :D And this month is Tracy's Birthday (43!) and she is giving away prizes all month long! The Girl knows how to celebrate! LOL Tracy Weinzapfel Studios !

 

Blessings and Hugs,

 Mary

Wishing you the Blessings of Spring!

Hi Everyone!

Today I have a card that I did for my Dear, Dear Friends that live in Minnesota! They are so wishing for spring right now, so I thought instead of a Card that said Happy Easter on the outside I would do one for Spring! ;)

The front of the card I used Unity Stamp Co. Stamp of the Week for the flowers,and the basket is a stamp from the Unity Feb. 2012 KOM. The sentiment is from Verve.( I love the font!)

I used a Spellbinders die for the mat and then attached it to a white cardstock base.

The flowers were fussy cut,as well as the basket and I used dimensional foam squares under them both to add a little dimension. Then I glued along the edges to hold them down.

I used a Butterfly stamp from the Rubber Cafe in memento dandelion ink and stamped onto the designer paper from a  DCWV paper stack for the background. The card stock is from GinaK. I used copics to color the flowers.And the grass at the bottom is a Sizzix die that I cut down to fit the size of the basket a little better. ;)

 

 The sentiment on the inside of the card is from GinaK designs, a set by Rupa Shevde called "Easter Blessings".

I did and another strip of grass across the inside bottom of the card just to add a little color.

 

Well, I hope that you like it! And I really hope that my Girlfriend will like it! It will be late in arriving for Easter, but I think it my arrive before Spring does to them this year! lol

Regardless it is beautiful with all the snow around them and on the lake! We sure do miss them!

 

Wishing you all the Blessings and Joy of this Easter Season!

 

 

Hugs,

Mary

MMM Creative Dare!

Hi Everyone!

I hope that you all had a great weekend! We spent time with friends and it was wonderful! :D

Today I want to share with you a canvas that I did for Mixed Media Mondays!
Our creative dare for March is to use a favorite song and buttons! ;)
We are being sponsored this month by Buttons Galore and Viewtainer. :D

So I know many will think my song choice is silly especially considering how old I am, however I am probably going to do another canvas for this challenge as well so this song just seemed like it should be my first choice!
Now before I tell you what it is let me explain it just a little ;D My Husband and I met in high school, just before my 15th birthday. And I loved Winnie the Pooh (where others loved Micky Mouse, I was all about the bear! tehe) and we also loved the group Loggins and Messina. And just about that time they came out with an album called "Loggins and Messina Siting in" (I think)...Kenny Loggins use to right songs for his Children and then put them on the albums,so on this album he had written  one for one of his Children and it was call "House on Pooh Corner". So that song somehow became "Our" song!
So here is my Canvas!

I used a lot of different products and Stamps. Paint is from Decco Arts and Claudine Helmuth. I used gesso and a template from Crafter's Workshop for the tree and then a stippling brush for the leaves.

The butterfly is a stamp from the Greeting Farm. Buttons from my stash. The words to the song as you can see are cut apart and then under the paint.

 I did try to find stamp images that reflected the words to the song. The Bees and the beehive is from Unity as well as the brick border that I used for the stepping stones from the little houses. I did paint those in with Studio Acrylics and india ink pen from Copic. The lamp post is from Stampendous, and the Flourish border and leaf is impression Obsession.

I also used Glossy Accents in the light of the lamp post and well as the windows to make them look like glass. I did use it on the butterflies as well after I colored them with copics.

I hope that you like it. I know that painting really isn't my strong area, or Mixed Media for that matter. But I am trying to go outside of my comfort zone and explore!
Thank you for stopping by and following me on my journey with Mixed Media!

Here is hoping that you have "chased all the clouds from the skies" in your lives!

Blessings and Hugs!

Mary