Been a busy bee creating

Hi there! Wow, it's been a couple of weeks since we've visited. Sheesh where does the time go? I never wanted to be one of those people that acknowledges the older you get the quicker time seems to go by, but I'm there now and it's true. I'm sorry to say.

I have been busy making things for my poor neglected shop. Above is a wedding guest book alternative. It's a box I made that can hold 100's of my postcards.

I also will be making these table numbers in various frames. I've made these 6 to show some of the options. They're aren't over the top frou frou. They are simple and low key.

I made several of these wedding guest book alternatives, as well. I think having something pretty to display long after that special day is over is a fun idea. And I don't know about you but something in crisp white satin with lace and roses would not go with my decor or stay white in my home for that matter, so I started thinking outside the box. Well of a box, actually. Pardon the pun. I know, I know. Not funny. I couldn't help it though.

You all know that in the past I have made many wedding guest books and I do truly love making them but I thought I might try something new and a little different. I wanted to make something fun and put a twist on the traditional guest book. These are different than anything I have seen out there. The wedding day should be fun and carefree. I have more items in the works. Let me know what you think so far and if you have any fun ideas, please do share them. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Design4u

Hugs!

Tammy

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!

Happy Thanksgiving friends! I hope those of you that celebrate Thanksgiving have a blessed day full of good cheer surrounded by those you love! For those of you who do not celebrate, I wish the same for you.

Good ole' Norman Rockwell, American Illustrator, 1894-1978. He painted such picturesque scenes for the Saturday Evening Post about everyday life.. Love his work! Here is a link that showcases a lot of his works. Check it out. A lot of it will make you smile, if not laugh. Hugs!

Happy Monday!

Tarnished and Tattered. Love all things that encompass these two words. Here I made a "Skinny" which is a 3"x5" card as the basis and then you run with it. My swap partner loves green, Paris, script writing and vintage. She loved it.

What is it that draws us in when we see chippy paint, raveled edges, yellowed pages, vintage linens and anything special from a bygone era. I know for me, I love to imagine that the recipient treasured the item and that it was well loved. Age gives character. Well that's what I tell myself when I am doing my makeup. lol Fine wines get better with age and I think you do too.

Happy Monday!

A very special Veterans day

I'll never forget the day I was working in the floral department of Harris Teeter, and a little girl and her mother came up to the counter to pick out a special balloon for her father. The little girl picked out the perfect Fathers Day balloon and she was so proud. As they were walking away, I said I hope your daddy has a happy Fathers Day and she turned back to me and said her and her momma were going to his grave to send a letter up to to him in heaven. She said every Fathers Day she writes a letter and attaches it to the balloon and she lets it go all the way up to heaven so her daddy knows she still loves him. I smiled at her and told her how lucky her daddy was to have a daughter that loved him so much. Oh my gosh, I was a puddle when she walked away. It broke my heart. How touching. This one little thing meant the world to this little girl. Imagine if she still had her father. He died serving our country.

Remember this Veterans Day to be thankful to all whom have served our country and all who are serving our country. Freedom is not free. It is not just the men and women in the armed forces that this service affects but their friends and families, too.

A month of thanks

In the land of bloggers you sometimes come across those whom share your interests, who inspire and encourage you. I have been blessed to find so many of you that do just that. Thank you for being you. You never know when someone might need to hear what you have to say or write or when you may trigger another persons memory or maybe when you will inspire someone to make some art or take a step forward or to be brave.

I love that we can pop into eachothers blogs and become a part of something much larger than anyone ever dreamed would be possible. It's amazing how we can make friendships with people across the globe and in the same town. We may never have had the opportunity otherwise. I am thankful for Blogger. :)

Tea anyone?

Won't you join us for some tea Dearie? We have some lovely spider, I mean spiced cake. Your favorite. It'll give you something to crow about.

Easy and Yummy Spiced Cake Recipe

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1/3 cup oil (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1 1/3 cups water (or as called for by your cake mix)
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. Combine cake mix with spices.
2. Prepare cake mix according to directions on box.
3. Bake according to cake mix directions on the box.
4. Frost with your favorite icing or frosting.

A secret garden & a freebie image

We found a wonderful place called Architectural Antiques & Garden Elements a couple of weeks ago. I fell in love. Who wouldn't? There is a shop with store rooms full of all sorts of wonderful things from rehabs done here in Charleston.

You can find lights, tiles, pillars, furniture, windows, doors and so much more.

But for me the most intriguing area of all was the wonderful hodgepodge backyard with oodles of wonderful rusty bits and fabulous garden fountains, planters, urns, statues, furniture, columns, etc.

Such a lovely place for a treasure hunt with wild flowers poking up here and there and a lazy black and white cat curled up in a place with dappled sunlight, not in the least bit bothered by visitors.

We bought this cast piece above for one of my living room walls among a few other items. We will definitely be back for more goodies next spring when it is time to start the garden out back. We have big plans for the small space we have to work with.

This statue below is a close up of the tall statue you see in the photo above with the pillars resting up against the building. See her? She's nearly dead center. She is your freebie if you'd like. I added a map overlay to her just for fun.

I have had a lazy morning and now I must get a shower. Yes, it is 12:20 but I've only had this one day off in the last 7 days and not another until Friday so I feel entitled. :) Never mind that I have been dealing with a cold all week long. Now a flipping cough is trying to pry it's way in. I need to run to the drug store to buy some zinc lozenges and eat 1 of my Flintstones. lol I am not going to let it win! Swords are drawn. Well enjoy your Sunday. Mom's coming to make fried chicken and baked macaroni and cheese. Haven't had those things for years. This was Jack's request when she offered to make dinner for us. He wants her recipe, hence her making it here. He's becoming quite the chef.

A pathway well traveled

Recently we decided to visit the Magnolia Plantation, a favorite place to stroll. You can see a lot more color in the spring when the Azaleas are in full bloom, but the Camelias are a favorite of mine and they are all in bloom right now. They give such a romantic feel to the pathways and arbors. They look very similar to a rose with layers of soft petals in a variety of colors. This is a pathway that I fell in love with because beyond the arbor there are 2 paths and you must choose, much as in life but here you can come back and choose the other, as well.
You can never go wrong in this gorgeous place because at every turn their is a secret garden, a beautiful pathway with bridges, cypress swamps, statues and wildlife. Yes, we saw an alligator and a gorgeous crane, a few peacocks and one that was all white. So regal looking.

For the IAE team blog party, I hosted one of the giveaways and this is what I made. It measures 9-1/2 x9-1/2". I started out with a plain wooden frame with the heart and wings. I wanted to give it a copper patina, so I used my favorite turquoise paint (Jamaican Sea by FolkArt) to paint the entire thing. I then went over it with a Burnt Umber on a dry brush keeping it light so as not to have the brown too saturated. I did use a bit more around the heart and wings to highlight them. Next, I used a Cranberry red on the heart and wiped it off immediately and rubbed a bit of antiquing glaze on it and wiped that off right away,also. Next a white pearlescent paint was applied to the wings and I came back in with the burnt umber rubbing it on the raised areas only and wiping some of it off until I achieved the look I wanted. I then sealed it with a satin polyurethane.
Lastly, I made the collage in the middle using some scrap booking papers that complimented the color of the frame. I must have had 30 sheets pulled out to find the right ones. I wanted them to be whimsical and yet had a patina of their own. We all know how much I love vintage, distressed edges, torn papers, etc.

Tell me what you've been up to lately.

Inspiration

This week at Inspiration Avenue Etsy Team Blog there was a Blog party and a challenge theme of "Inspiration". What, Who or Where inspires you was the prompt. Well since this is my teams blog I decided to let them all know that they are an inspiration to me. Each of them are lovely ladies and wonderful artists. Each has their own style. Some are painters, some are mixed media artists, some are photographers, others graphic designers. We are quite the mix and I love it. The last 4 images are of what else inspires me and that is nature, color, vintage ephemera, trims and papers. I love you IAE ladies!! XOXO

Each week we host an art challenge and each week the works of our followers and members alike are displayed so that everyone can view each artists interpretation of the challenge theme. It is such fun. I hope that you will pop over some time and participate. We always link back to your blog post so that our followers can discover more about you. Hope to see you there. Oh and there is a giveaway drawing for those whom participate in the challenges.

Art and a Blog Party

I have been MIA and I am sorry. My computer is not connecting to the internet because the internal Wi-Fi switch broke off. I guess I am going to have to get a new one within this next year. Mine is in sorry shape. The space bar is broken and I have to hit it 1-2 times between words and my on/off switch broke a long time ago so my husband had to drill a hole so that I can use a toothpick and hit just the right spot to turn it on. I have not had to use any duct tape thus far so we are good there. lol They duct tape is the cure all. Men that is. At least my men. :) This is an ATC I made for a lady who challenged me to use tattered laces and trims, old book pages, script writing, Tim Holtz elements and a vintage image in a beach theme. The sand is comprised of many elements including tattered seam binding, book pages, script writing pages and grains of sand from Aruba and bits of seashells. The water is tattered rick rack, tissue paper and silver glitter to represent the sun dancing on the water. The background is a map of the Indian ocean and the Tim Holtz elements are the tag and the buckle under the ladies image and his distressed inks. I hope she likes it.

This is a September Tag. I included a quote "No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face" by John Donne Such a pretty quote, don't you think?
This is a bird tag using vintage elements. Old book pages, and tattered vintage lace, along with some pretty feathers on a turquoise paper with eggs.

Inspiration Avenue Etsy Team is hosting a blog party this Sunday, October 16th. Go by and check out the fun giveaways, tutorials, art challenge and freebies HERE. It should be a fun week long party.

Gypsy Dreams Party

Ah, you've come to join the gypsy caravan. Please do come in and enjoy a cup of your favorite beverage. French Designer Jeanne Bayol designed these lovely outdoor settings and the lavish bedroom below. It feels like a hug. The bold use of color and patterns along with textures just seem to meld together perfectly, don't they?.

I collect lanterns. We have them all over our backyard and on the tables. There is nothing quite as romantic as candlelight. It just makes the setting feel magical. Apparently Jeanne feels the same as I do. Imagine the sweet dreams you could have while floating above the ground in this cozy bed. You can watch the fireflies dance by, count the stars and listen to the leaves rustle in the trees. aaah... Learn how to make one yourself Here.
This pretty blue and green gypsy wagon, above was made by 2 traveling artists. Their blog is called The Adventures of the Wandering Book Artists. They have done a fantastic job making it quaint. Their blog is a travelogue of sorts. They are out on the West coast and share lots of images along the way. Fun stuff. Well have fun visiting the other gypsy caravan parties HERE.

Fun ATC's

I've been making lots of ATC's lately. The first was to make my swap partner laugh. She likes nature and it was senders choice. The second and third were for a Things with Wings swap. Both ATC's were for the same partner. She likes vintage, hearts, flowers and her name started with the letter E.

If you have not tried making an ATC (Artist Trading Card) before, it is fun and freeing. It measures 2.5"x3.5". It is a small space to create on. They have no limits and they aren't expensive to make. You get to use all of your scraps, stamps, paints, embellishments, ephemera, etc. They can be flat or dimensional. The base (your canvas) can be made using card stock, metal, stiffened fabric, cardboard, leather, etc. There are no rules except for the size. That has to be 2.5"x3.5". If you feel like it try it. It's fun! Everybody's doing it. lol

How to make an envelope and Bird ATC and Tag

Things I've been making.

What to do with an antique book of French fables

I was making some art today and while going through some of my antique books to find some words to cut out, I came across this French book of fables. I love the illustrations on these pages and the elegant written language found within them. I have used these book pages in many art pieces over the years. I especially love using them as backgrounds. While perusing through my collection a light bulb came on. Why not use the pages to write letters on?

Remember the days when penmanship and spelling counted. Now we have email and spell check. I use these methods myself, don't get me wrong but I do still enjoy sitting down and taking out my smooth writing pen and letting the flourishes of cursive dance across the page.

So from the pages of a French book of Fables comes an English hand written letter to a friend.

I love a fresh piece of lined paper. It beckons one to write. The smell of a freshly sharpened pencil is invigorating. The sharp tip is ready to do some composing. Did you know that most pencils are made from cedar. No wonder the shavings smell so good. Here's a YouTube video of how a pencil is made. Here I know I'm a nerd.What can I say? I love learning how things are made. I know some of you are mortified that I would tear out antique book pages but it is in the name of art and repurposing. Otherwise they would simply sit on my shelf and collect dust. Okay a compromise would be to make a colored copy of your book pages and then use those.
What other fun things can you think to do with antique book pages?