My Mommy's Irises

Happy Friday everyone!! 
It looks like we may get a little rain here today. Nice and overcast
with grey skies! We sure could use it!

It is tome for another Fabulous Friday Challenge at Frosted Designs and this week
 the challenge is Office Supplies. You know you get all
excited when the stores start putting the school supplies out!
All those aisles of paper, pens, markers, and other great things!
 Back to school was the best time of year for me!

I whitewashed my top sheet, to give it a distressed feel. I mixed 1/2 gesso & 1/2 water and brushed it on pretty heavily. I used the same stuff on all the flowers. To make the "grass" at the bottom of the tree, I rolled seam binding, then snipped it all over to fringe it.
I used staples on my photo strip and I journaled on a Post-It note.
 I cut the tree out of thin chipboard using my Cricut, then painted it using Jenni Bowlin Dabbers. I used a dry brush to give it the woodgrain look. I used Mini Glue Dots to stick the buttons on. Because I wanted to tree to have some depth, I also stuck buttons on the BACK side too,
The frame cut from the CI paper is also popped up, so it has some depth too. 
My butterfly is embossed with 3 colors, I started with gold, then used a green on the tips of the wings, 
then used my VersaMark pen and black for the body and wings.

I used the colors and prompts from CSI Case #34 
You have until Sunday the 2nd to come on over and play along with us.

I am linking up at the following challenges:
Southern Girls - It's All About The Flora

Thanks for stopping by today!
Have a great weekend
Anita

A Celebration of Texas

Howdy my blogging friends! 
It is no secret that I am a Texan, born and raised.
Love this place. The only State in the nation that has the 
ability to cede from the nation if we ever get really mad. 
Yes, we are just that special!

I got this album from The Crafty Scrapper a few weeks ago and knew 
that I would have a great time with it. I have been collecting Texas 
stuff for a while now. 

The album comes with the plate already cut in half and the chipboard pages inside. 
The big red flower here is from Canvas Corp. 
I bought this acrylic shape so many years ago I cannot tell you who makes it. The flowers I cut using a Tim Holtz die and vintage sheet music.
 I used a variety of beads including hand blown glass hearts from Murano, and some 
charms I found in and antique store.
Paper is from Authentique, WRMK, Pink Paisley, and Pebbles.
I used washi tape here to make a hinge for the tag.
I used my Cricut to cut the chipboard star on the left. For the right page I used a Sizzix die and cut two of the chipboard pages. I sandwiched a piece of acrylic in between them and and reassembled to put back in the album. I colored the acrylic with alcohol inks to look like a sky.  I bought that armadillo YEARS ago. The journaling says "if you are from Texas, you know that armadillos are not born flat on the side of the road"!
On the other side of the acrylic page, I made my bluebonnets. I used a McGill punch for the bushes and beads for the flowers themselves. I love that you can look back through each side of the page to the picture before/after it. Cool huh???
Seriously,, we have a ranch here in Texas that is bigger than the ENTIRE state of Rhode Island.
We love Whataburger here in Texas and it is pronounced "WATERburger"
So there you have it,, my ode to Texas. If you are in North Texas and want to take a look at it, 
you can stop by The Crafty Scrapper. They have it hanging out for display. 

I am linking up today at the following challenges:
Catered Crop - Distress, kinda all over
Use Your Stuff - Polka Dots - Paper and washi tape
Divas By Design - Celebrate
Southern Girls - Chipboard - album pages, die cuts
4 Crafty Chicks - Back to School - my cutie pies in Cheerleading uniforms
Unique Crafters - Sparkle and Shine

Thanks for stopping by today!
Anita

Our First Trip

Good evening blogging friends, I hope you had a great weekend!
The summer is winding down here and all our schools start back tomorrow.
My DD2 goes back for another semester of college, one more year
to go on degree number two. Light at the end of the tunnel, I see you!!

Tonight I have a layout with no photos on it. 
This is a first for me. Years ago when my DH was still in the Marine Corps,
the movers lost an entire box of my photos. So I have none of the 
photos for the first 5 years or so that we were together :o( 

For my background I used watercolors and painted in the water and the sky. I used Distress Stains to blend into the water to give it a little more depth. I painted the waves with heavy body acrylic paint. The sand dunes are made from kraft paper that has been torn, inked and then stickled. 
I also used Maya Road, Aunthentique, Jenni Bowlin, Just For Fun Stamps, 
Tsukineko, Glue Dots 3-D,  and my sewing machine.

I made this for the challenge over at CSI
If you have not joined in the fun over there, you are really missing out.
Be sure to check it out.

I used the sketch from Kraft It Up and the "extra" was to use layers
I loved the sketch as soon as I saw it. You have until August 30 to hop over and join in the fun.

I am also linking up at the following challenges:
Kraft It Up  - Sketch/layers
Use Your Stuff - Water/Beach Theme
Divas By Design - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a fabulous week!
Anita


Dancing in the Rain Altered Canvas

Post #2 for today!
This canvas is for my DD2 - it is her favorite quote. 
She wanted me to buy her a picture frame with a printed version
of it in the store the other day for $50-!!!
I told her no way, I would make her a way better looking one 
for way less than $50.

Sooooo, off to the craft store I went for canvas.
Note to self. Take a square with me next time to make sure that
the canvas is really square. This one is not.


 This canvas is 1/2" shorter on the right side than the left. :o( 
I started with gesso on the whole thing, then came papers, which I inked.
after those were dry I used a stencil to paint the background. I used 3 shades of paint 
to vary the way light reflected off of it.
Next I used bubble wrap to add metallic color in random places, then white paint with the bubble wrap.
I used spray inks in progressively darker colors to bring out the metallic colors, spraying really heavy in some places and letting it run down the canvas.
I added bling, some butterflies, and accents with a white paint pen. Lastly, I added piles of crystal beads layered with crushed glass and glitter.

Supplies used:
Heidi Swapp papers, Tattered Angels, paints, gesso, Queen and Co blings, 
Bazzill black cardstock, Modge Podge, crystal beads, crushed glass, fairy glitter,
Glue Dots and Glue Lines, Melissa Frances Trim.

Thanks for stopping by today!
Be sure to check in over the weekend. If the sun peeks out so I can get some photos
I am going to post the fabulous Texas album I finished up recently.
Anita 

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Girlfriends Cigar Box

Thank Goodness,, it is Friday again!!
I am ready for the weekend. I have had a great
scrapping week, so I have two posts going up today.
and if the sun will come out and I can take some photos,
I have 3 mini albums to share too, so be sure to check back over
the weekend.

This morning I have an altered Cigar Box. I made this to hold
little file cards. And on the file cards I am putting little snippets of 
things that remind me of my Posse. Little quotes, photos, collected
things - anything I run across that reminds me of us. 

 I decided to leave the box unpainted, and just add my decor to it. 
I really like the way the box looked, and it was in really good shape.
This collection of stuff came from our travels mostly,,, the flamingos are from a charm bracelet I bought the first Girlfriends weekend we took, the crown is for Cheryl's famous quote "if I have a bow on my a$$ I want a crown on my head" (long story there!), the crocheted flower from Creative Escape with Janiel,, so many memories piled on top of this box!
I used two ribbons to go around the box, I used Glue Lines to stick them both down.
I so love those little lines, so much less mess than liquid glue!
 I painted the inside of the box with Glitter Modge Podge,, because we all know that
everything is better with glitter!
 Here are the little cards,, I am trying really hard not to put a ton of stuff on them. 
I want to save space for the cards! The backs are blank, so I can add photos if I want.
I cut the cards using my Cricut.
For the front of the box I added some bling, some flowers and 
a red dress I got from the jewelry department.
I wrapped the bling around the side, but I didn't want to put a ton of stuff on the sides, because I know I will be handling it quite a bit. I am hoping to get 75 cards in the box before it is full. 

For this project I used:
MME papers, May Arts ribbon, bling, Glue Lines, Mini Glue Dots,
Craft Glue Dots, Glue Lines, 3-D Glue Dots,
and for the cards I also used Scotch ATG, more Glue Dots, ribbons,
flowers, Viva Decor, Washi tape, and stuff I had laying on my table. 

I am linking up at

Thanks for stopping by today
Have a great weekend.
Anita

Paco Kitty- ColourQ #151

Howdy Bloggers!
Wow - it is only 78 degrees here in Dallas today.
A high temp of only 78 degrees.
In August. In Dallas. 
Unheard of!

Today I have my DT project for ColourQ and the fall colors were gret
but I wanted to use them in a non-traditional way. I really wanted to play up
the blue so that the layout looked more summery than fall.

Look at my pretty kitty! Isn't he sweet???? 
I used Echo Park Chillingsworth Manor, Prima, Viva Decors Modellier Creme
some bling, the stick pins I made myself, and the ruffled paper is from a sheet 
of KaiserCraft paper. I also used Glue dots (3-D, Craft and Glue lines), Quick Quotes Powder Puff
inks, my sewing machine and Tattered Angels ink.

I love to make my own stick pins and if you want to learn
how to do it I have a great tutorial HERE on my blog. Super easy.

I used a Crafters Workshop Stencil and Viva Decor's Modellier Paste to make this 
awesome background.
 I cut the edge from a die cut KaiserCraft sheet, sprayed it with ink and 
scrunched it up to make the ruffle.

Here is the fabulous palette from ColourQ - be sure to join in the fun. 
You have until noon on Sunday to link up your project over at the blog.

I am also linking up at the following challenges:
Catered Crop - Distress(the center doily and the ruffle)
Quick Quotes - Handmade Embellishment  (stick pins)
Use Your Stuff - Let Summer Inspire You 
Sketches With A Twist - Paint/Mist with the sketch

Thanks for stopping by today!
Have a great week.
Anita

Fabulous Friday - Scholarship Time

Happy Friday everyone! 
Are you ready for the weekend???
I am!

Since it is Friday, it is time for a Fabulous Friday Challenge at 
Frosted Designs and this week the challenge is Ribbon.
I have used a ton of American Crafts ribbon here.
I love those little spools you can get for $1 - how handy are those things???

I have used papers from MME, American Crafts ribbon, Leaky Shed Studio Chipboard, 
Prima Stamps (thank you Two Peas in a Bucket!!) and embellishments from MME.

 I layered lots of ribbons and I adhered them using Glue Lines - I FINALLY used the last of my old 
Glue Lines, the ones that were little pieces,, and I got to open the new pack I
got in the mail from Glue Dots this week. I LOVE that one continuous roll.
I heat embossed my chipboard, but I can't remember what brand I used!

The crocheted flower is made by my friend, stick pins made by me and you can see 
the tutorial here - they are super easy.

I am also linking up at Southern Girls Challenge - Chipboard

Be sure to join us at Frosted Designs for our Fabulous Friday Challenge
where our goal is to use up what we already HAVE. 

Thanks for stopping by today
Anita

Halloween Babies

Good Monday afternoon my blogging friends!
Did you have a great weekend? It was pretty nice here,
my Mom's birthday, and some relaxing time. Nice.

I have been waiting since last week to tell the news,
I am on the new DT at Sketchabilities !! So happy about that, and there
are some familiar faces on the team to work with too.

Today I have a layout I made with the sensational prize pack I got from
Two Peas in A Bucket - it has a whole pack of papers from Echo Park, one
of my favorites, so out came the Halloween photos.

Chillingsworth Manor papers & die cut stickers from Echo Park, Prima, Viva Decor, Leaky Shed Studios, WOW Embossing Powders, Maya Mist, doilys, Tim Holtz die, Queen & Co pearls, Glue Dots, Scotch ATG, and some random things from my stash.
I layered strips of the paper behind the photo, and sewed a few of them down.
I added some sparkle to the circles with Viva Decor's Glitter pen.
Here I used Viva Decor's Pearl Pen, drew out a design, let it set for a couple of minutes, then drew the color out with my paintbrush. The flower is made with a Tim Holtz die, and the brad is Cosmo Cricut.
 The chipboard is from LEaky Shed Studios, and I have heat embossed it with two colors of WOW embossing powders, then added some Shimmerz on top.

Sad to say, this is the only photo of my cuties from that year, I lost an entire rubbermade bucket of photos in a military move years ago, and most of my DD's baby and early year photos were lost :o( Of course, this was way before the digital age!

I used the sketch from Sketches In Thyme for this 
I flipped it 90 degrees to fit my photo. 

I am also linking up at:
Thank so much for stopping by today. 
Have a great week!
Anita

Butterfly Mini - Jade

Happy Friday Everyone! 
So happy the weekend is almost here :o)
I hope you have great plans to relax and have fun, I think
the entire USA is burning up!

Today I have a super cute mini I made with Prima papers and
embellies that I got from  The Crafty Scrapper - if you are in
North Texas, be sure to stop by. It is really worth the drive.

I made this project as a way to use up those wallet size photos we all
have laying around. I know I always had way more than I gave away, so I
have bunches of them in my boxes from when the girls were little. 
The overall size of this book is 3X4 - that includes all the stuff sticking out
and the binding. Nice and small.

All the pages of this little album were made with one 12X12 piece of paper. 
It was a journal sheet, and has 12 - 2X3 spaces on it. I cut them all out, matted them with
more Prima papers, inked them all up and added some embellies.
I also used a coordinating sheet of die cut sayings and just a bunch of random things
that I had in my stash. I used Viva Decor Pearl Pens, Maya Road, 
Prima flowers, lots of ribbons, punches, etc. 
The transparency here is from Maya Road and I dressed it up
just by going around the edge with a gold paint pen.
The butterflies I fussy cut from the scrap pieces of paper. 
Seriously, you can punch anything with a Cinch - if you don't have one of those, you
should consider getting one. I love mine - I use it all the time. 

I am linking up at Divas By Design where the theme this week is "Female" and I think 
this qualifies! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a great weekend.
Anita