Painting Tonight

          A quick post tonight.  Yesterday we got a message from the play director that they need a painting of a barn for the performance in a couple weeks.  D asked if I would mind painting one and of course I was hoping he would ask.  So while he was at practice tonight, I was at home getting a little creative.  As it is only the second painting I have ever done, there's not a whole lot of technique here.  However, my cat AJ, who died two years ago this past August, decided to show up.  She's sitting on the bail watching a mouse or a bird in the barn and her tail is just a twitching.  I miss my girl.  I'm glad she found her way into my painting.  I hope you enjoy.

Ghouling Around!

I swear to all that is holy that I had more fun this weekend helping the kids make ghosts than they did in the actual making!  From the last post, you know I found my idea for ghosts on Pinterest.  I really wanted to make the sitting ghoul, but I don’t have a baby doll (or a child that will sit long enough to let it harden – ha! Ha!) and neither does my Hannah.  I will have to make a trip to the thrift shop and find one.

Anybooo, (see how I did that?) we started out with a balloon, fabric stiffener, a couple of tall things to set the balloons on, and adhesive spray.  The last part wasn’t called for in the instructions, but I figured it would make the balloon stick to whatever it needed to, better.  More on that later.

First the kids blew up the balloons.  We used spray adhesive to secure one balloon on a tall skinny table.  NOT A GOOD IDEA!  That stuff is sticky!  It stuck to my hands and I had to wash them three times with different soaps until I could help with the project again.  Plus, it did stick to the table, but there is definitely some still stuck to it.  We put the spray away at that point.

Next we poured fabric stiffener in a large bowl.  They used two yards of cheese cloth in one yard pieces for each ghost.  That way they could drape it differently if they chose.  We tried to use gloves, we really did try, because the directions on the bottle said to – but we really couldn’t unbunch the cloth with them on!  So I tried it first without, just in case my hands burned and my skin started to fall off.  I was fine.  So were the kids.  Gaige wasn’t crazy about the goopiness of the stiffener but he got through it.

The draping was a trip but it was also the best part.  Cheese cloth looks like it is all straightened out and then you realize that it’s not and there’s more material to unravel!  Good times!  

After both ghosts were set up and drying the kids turned their attention to more important things – namely YouTube and funny cat videos.

Speaking of funny cat videos, this one is my favorite:  

https://youtu.be/0Bmhjf0rKe8

I hope this inspires you to try the ghost project.  It didn’t take long to dry and the mess really is minimal.  You don’t need a lot of stiffener, and I added some water to mine to make it easier to use.  I had a lot left over.  The kids had a good time and were happy with the finished product.

 I wish I had more cheese cloth.  I would have an army of these ghouls around the house.  Definitely a good project for a rainy or cold and windy day.  I hope you try it!  Post your pix – I would love to see them!

Spooky Speculation...

Halloween will soon be upon us and I’m getting a little excited!  I need to help the kids figure out their costumes this year, but even more importantly, Pinterest has some great ideas for decorating!  

We never do much at our house, just a couple of pumpkins and some corn stalks on the porch.  This year I want to do ghosts from the trees and maybe some gravestones.  We are smack dab in the middle of the block with two empty houses, one on each side of us.  We could totally be the creepy place!

So tonight I will traverse Pinterest, find all of the projects I want to trick the house out with, and make a list of what we’ll need to get started.  I can’t wait!

Oh the memories I’ll be able to scrapbook this year!!!

In The Meadow We Can Build...

A Snowman!

     Now don't get down on me because I'm feeling the warm fuzzies about Christmas.  I really do love the season, and although I complain every year about how the season is earlier and earlier it always comes too fast for me and I'm scrambling to make cards and buy or make gifts.  This year there is a gingerbread contest we have to enter because they are using the theme I suggested.  Which reminds me, I need to shop for animal candy molds...

     I'm getting sidetracked!  It was a busy day with a lot of spray painting - more on that later - and cleaning the craft studio - halfway, so I would have room to work - and hitting up a moving sale.  Tired is not the word, accomplished is!

     Because I promised myself I would, I grabbed some paper, dies, embossing folder and my Big Shot and set out to make the card I have been thinking about all week.  

Here is the prototype I found on Pinterest:

     Here is my finished product.  It was really pretty easy and I think it will be one of the major cards we put out this year to friends and family.  The only change I would make is the size.  This is pretty square and I'm afraid it will cost more to send out than a standard sized card.  I think I might also add some bling.  A little sparkle here and there to give it a polished look.

Hope you enjoy!

Back In The Saddle Again

     This is the weekend.  No kids, no pressing urgency to clean, no real gardening where I HAVE to get something out and put away for the winter.  I will begin my Christmas cards!  I will finish the journaling for 2014!  I will start it all right here:

     I am refreshed!  I opened a drawer in my filing cabinet last night and saw paper that needed to be used.  I saw doodads and geegaws that begged to be used, at least once, so I could decide whether I liked them or not.  I saw the photo of my beloved cat AJ and her eyes were saying “Girl, you need to do something for you!  Grab some tea and scrap with me!”  Her photo often talks to me.  In my head, not out loud.  She’s been gone two years now, don’t judge me!  When she was alive we would hold conversations.  They sounded like this:

“What are you doing AJ?”

“Meow”

“Meow?”

“Mew”

“I love you baby girl”

“Puuurrrrrrrr”

     I still miss her so much.

     I did a page for her.  I should do another one.

     I’m looking forward to using the new products I ordered from HSN several months ago at the insistence of my boyfriend.  You heard that correctly.  Months.  I’m getting back in the saddle again. Here, take a listen!

https://youtu.be/E5F-O_19lSI

     He has such a nice face!

     Maybe I'll even have time to catch up on a few episodes of Mad Men!  Love that show!  I just started watching it on Netflix and I can't get enough of it!

I LOVE Don Draper!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

Christmas!  

Yes, it IS just around the corner and will be here before we know it.  Which means, in card making terms - you're late!  You better get moving now in case you haven't started already - and by you, I mean me.

I'm really excited this year because I've been hitting up sales and I've picked up some new (to me) embossing folders that scream "Use me!" and I've been scouring Pinterest for ideas.  Just the other day I laid out all 30 or so choices and told my boyfriend to choose the ones he would like us to send.  He gets this choice because he actually helps me make them.  He's so good about that!  I, however, get final say.  

He chose several that I thought he would.  I was very surprised by some he didn't choose and when I asked him why he said he thought they might be too hard.  Sweet boy, don't challenge me so!  Anyhoo, I reminded him that my choices trumped his and that maybe the hard one wouldn't be as hard as we thought.

As I was searching the internet the other day I found another card that I just fell in love with and I think it is going to be THE ONE that I'm going to love.  I'm going to change out the background, add some texture and possibly some bling but I think this will be our go to card this year!  So excited!

Have you started your cards? Where did you come up with your ideas?

Scrapping 2014!

     I am almost done scrapping 2014.  Finally!  I stepped out of my comfort zone of standard 12x12 pages and worked with some clear photo dividers.  I received this album through my SEI membership.  It came with the initial page dividers but as I started scrapping I ran down to the local big store and picked up more – larger pages with different blocking. 

     As I started this endeavor I realized that I couldn’t stay all cookie cutter – photo here, journaling there.  Some pictures begged to be in a certain spot on the page or with another photo that screamed “We’re together!!!!”, so I started some cutting photos in half.  The first one killed me.  After that it was easier.  Check out the weirdo with the mohawk!

     I love using the white gel pen with the black background - it looks so cool!  Plus, it reminds me of the scrapbook my mom had from her youth.  Black pages, white writing.  Something old that binds us together...

That's a snowy owl looking at you right there.

 

The miscellany page... (There's always one... or two!)

Check out my pages!  I even got some journaling done (the bane of my existence)! 

     I got a little crazy on the photo cutting but I wanted them a certain way!  I don't think it looks too shabby!

Notice the purple hair!

     I’m getting ready to move on 2015.  It seems fitting that the year is nearly over.  More on that later.  

     What have you done to shake up your scrapbooking, even just a little, this year?

Bake Sale!

     This past weekend I was asked to make something for a bake sale to support our local Historical Society.  I am always honored when I get the call to make something.  This is a small village and the committee is fairly full of the oldies.  They are hard to infiltrate.
     I knew I wanted to make cupcakes because you can sell them for more than cookies and bring in the big bucks! lol!  After cruising on Pinterest for awhile I did an internet search and decided on a butterfly/dragonfly cupcake.  I think they are the cutest little cupcakes ever!
     Although I didn't save one for myself, my boyfriend and kids went to the fire hall and bought their own and said they were very good!  I hope they all sold!  Here is a photo of one!

Helpful Hint From Jenny B!

Wow!  I’ve been really bad about blogging my creations!  I guess it’s because I limited myself to scrapbooking and crafts.  Truth be told, I’ve been planning a garden for months and started seeds a few weeks back…

Today I’m going to let you in on a secret – well, it was a secret to me, it may not be to you.   A while back I was using my Cricut and I used some paper on it that must have been extra fuzzy or something because it left an awful mess on the cutting pad when I pulled it off.  It was a brand new cutting pad!  I was so angry because it was darn near impossible to put anything else on it for fear of getting the remnants on new cuttings.

After cursing myself out – You should have known better!  Why did you do that?  Where is your brain???   And realizing I would never even think to say these things to a fellow crafter, I decided to try and fix the problem.  How could it hurt?

I thought and thought and then I grabbed cotton balls and rubbing alcohol, and started rubbing.  To my surprise, the paper came off and the sticky-ness stayed!  Not as strong as it was before, but I definitely could use it after the cleaning!  So if you get some paper fuzz on your cutting mat, and you decide you can’t use it anymore, try this out – it’s worth it and cheaper than running to the store for more mats.

Happy scrapping!

 

 

Birder Candle

        I started this candle a couple weeks ago, then got side tracked while life was going on around me.  I started with a clear jar, that may or may not have had a candle in it before.  I just take old jars and throw them in a drawer until something catches my eye that I can use them for.  I saw a great tutorial on the Plaid website: https://www.plaidonline.com/burlap-wrapped-candle-holder/4313/project.htm?utm_content=bufferd28f4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=plus.google.com&utm_campaign=buffer , so i decided to give it a try - Jenny style.

        I loved the little candle I saw on the site and I had some Modge Podge and some Tim Holtz Grungeboard (Nature) and some old burlap I picked up at a yard sale so I thought "Why not?".  It was definately something to add to my creative flow.  I've been practicing for a play the last six weeks and our final performance was this past Saturday.  Today was the perfect day to finish.

        The burlap was secured onto the glass with Modge Podge and then sealed with the Modge Podge as well.  I painted the grungeboard bird and glittered the dragonfly.  I added some raffia wrap-a-round and flowers and secured it all with hot glue.  The only time consuming part of this project was waiting for glue and paint to dry.  I plan on making more as gifts.  I think they'll be well received.  

        Here is my finished project.

Modge Podge
Tim Holtz Grungeboard
Galleria Acryllic Paint
studio G Glitter Glue
Colorbok Layered Flowers

Happy Birthday Kid!

This weekend was my grandson’s birthday party.  I had asked him several weeks ago what type of cake he wanted for his birthday and he said a Mario and Luigi cake.  Then, a couple days before the party he changed his mind and said a hot air balloon cake.  We stayed with the Mario cake because he got the hot air balloon cake the year before for his 9^th birthday.  Something new every year.  And maybe he thought we couldn’t do a Mario cake.  I don’t know.  It’s not like the kid to doubt me.

I searched on-line for a decent, simple drawing of Mario and Luigi and found one that I thought I could draw. 

Since I am in play rehearsals nearly every night, and I work during the day, I enlisted the help of my boyfriend to make the cake.  I had made cupcakes the week before using a recipe from the latest AllRecipes magazine and the cake was awesome so we thought we could convert it to a sheet cake, which he did very well.  So we started out Friday evening with a super moist chocolate cake.

At 9pm, after the kids were in bed we began the frosting part.  I made up the frosting using the classic Wilton Buttercream Icing Recipe.  Never fails – I love it.  Then I mixed up some black frosting to outline the guys.  We followed the colors for Luigi and Mario and then my boyfriend suggested we use their shirt colors on the opposite sides of the cake instead of having one solid color for the background.  It was a great idea because it totally makes the cake pop!  We took turns doing the piping.  The first time I made one of these cakes with my boyfriend he was shocked at how easy it was to pipe – and fun – so now he helps on every single cake.  We finished at 10:30pm. 

 

 

         The next day we celebrated at Pizza Hut Wing Street and the cake was a hit.  The kid loved it as well as the waitresses.  I left some cake there for them because they were awesome and so accommodating!  I think this is the best cake we’ve done for either kid so far.

Apologies All Around...

     I would like to apologize for my lack of creativeness on paper (or anything else) the last several weeks.  I have joined a theatre group and we are getting down to the last several weeks of rehearsals and once I get home from work I spend time with my guy and turn around and leave again!  Busy, busy, busy!

     I got home the other night at 10pm after a complete show run-through and the dogs were absolutely going crazy!  He told me they had been watching for me since 8pm, wondering where I was, why I wasn't there with them.  My boy (Toby, the beagle) was all wiggles and howls when I walked through the door.  It was like I was gone for a week instead of four hours!  It's nice to come home to that, even if I hate that they're so upset when I'm not there.

Not everyone has a Barrot (A Beagle-Parrot)!  But we do! 
Here is Toby on my boyfriend's shoulder.
It's usually mine so I was lucky to get this shot! lol!

     This weekend we are having a birthday party so I will definitely get some good photos to scrapbook and make some great memories too!  I hope everyone has a warm and creative weekend!  Sub-zero weather is being served up here, maybe I'll have a chance to create after all!

DCWV January Stack-a-holic Challenge

   First, this is not the project I was going to try to get to today.  The first project I wanted to do was to sand and paint this great bird feeder we have - except I can't find the sand paper and my boyfriend has the flu, so I am out of luck on that one til I get to the store or he gets better.

   I've been wanting to get to the DCWV challenge so this evening seemed like the best time.  Although I'm not sure if I will be asked to drive said boyfriend to the ER.  He should have gone earlier but he thought he'd be ok.  He's got a temp of 101.2.  And he's a man.  And he's sick.  So I'm basically living with an oversized child right now.  I just hope he feels better soon.

   Anyhoo, I got down to business and took the card challenge.  Here is the challenge drawing:

   Here is my interpretation:

   I used plain cardstock, patterned paper (Switchboard)  from Pinkpaislee, burlap paper from DCWV, and dimensional hearts by Pebbles.
   
   The notebook border was made by using my Creative Memories border maker and the tag was made with the Creative Memories Shape Maker Circle Tag.  I used my Fiskars 3-in-1 Tag Maker that I won several months ago.  I do love that little piece of equipment!  Actually, I love everything I have or I wouldn't have it!

   We just received Christmas gifts from my bf's sister this past week and I thought this would be a great opportunity to tell her thank you!  I will be writing her a personal note and then sending this out and I hope she likes it as much as I do!

New Posts Soon!

   I apologize for not posting lately!  Getting cleaned up after Christmas and now coming down with some kind of flu-ey thing has kept me from the studio longer that I expected.  If my nose dries up today I AM starting a new project and will post photos.

   More to come...

   Meanwhile, take a look at my partners for the last couple of days!