Another Metal Cover Book

I really love teaching and making these books. They are really small, pages measure 4.5 x 3" and are made from watercolor paper, colored with distress stains, Inca gold used as watercolors, twinkling H2Os and Luminarte acryllics, Viva embossing paste used as a resist, stencils and stamps.  Again, layering colors and textures..  The cover fabric on this book is linen (which shrunk! but I cut the cover boards too big so it worked out) dyed with Distress Stains and Luminarte Acryllics (don't know if these colors are available anymore), embossed with Viva Embossing paste and then further highlighted with Gilder's paste and Copper Inca Gold.  Love doing all the layering.  Adds such interest.  The overlay is cut from Soda Cans, embossed with the Cuttlebug Fleur de lis folder then I loaded it up with embossing powders so it would have an old Hammered tarnished brass/copper look.  First layer of embossing powders were Judikins Rusty Tin and Hammered Nail (LOVE THESE) that I placed in the recessed areas.  Then using Ranger Copper and a perfect Medium pen, did the Fleur de lis.  Added some Ranger Gilded Gold embossing powder highlights, and also Krylon Copper Pen.  Finishing touches Patina Gilders paste. The metal was then glued to double layer of chipboard and all the edges covered with Judikins Embossing Powders.  The strap was from a leather mini skirt I held on from my youth.  I sanded it then hit it with Rust Nail Distress Stain and various colors of Gilders paste.  The clasp is a new finding from The Artsy Soul, Manahawkin, NJ as was that awesome heart lock that actually opens!  LOVE it.  The key is Tim Holtz Ideaology and the cross on the binding is from the Clearance section at AC Moore about 2 years ago. One of the students, Serena, did a beautiful book with  music notes on the cover.  She colored her embossed metal with Ranger Metal Patinas then sanded it to reveal the Music in silver.  Interested in a class?  Contact me or the Artsy Soul.

Spreading my Wings

Last Saturday I took a class at the Artsy Soul with Clay Artist Doreen Kassel.  Her small dolls and ornaments are just wonderful.  I don't work in clay - just can't stand the feel of it, but loved her dolls enough to be motivated to take the class.  It certainly was a learning experience for me learning what I can and can't do with clay (of course I was more in the can't do arena!) and Doreen was a patient and considerate teacher.  I did tell her I was Clay Challenged!  The head was sculped over a glass ornament.  I also had a calamity with my doll (so what else is new) which meant I didn't get the opportunity to finish her using the oils furnished by Doreen, so I improvised when I got her repaired at home.  I used Luminarte Perfect Pigment Acryllics which gave her a shimmer.  Considering her theme, I think this was appropriate.  I think I will try a clay project - maybe book covers - with polymer and oils. I named her "Lucy in disguise with Diamonds" originally but may change that to "Sunny disguised in the Stars".   I like the doll, may make it in cloth. I also included a pic of her without the mask too.

Wonderful Class at the Artsy Soul Yesterday

Taught a wonderful group of ladies from a local Quilt Quild.  The chose beautiful fabrics and made wonderful dolls.  Thanks again Judy, (me) Joan, Diane and Phyllis.  And again, special thanks to Colleen, Miss Artsy Soul.

Our Christmas Diva Drama

Shelter Pic.  Who could resist that face!

Vet Tech, Dr. Nalaurie who with Dr. Berg (not in picture)
 did the surgeryDiva and Ed

Saturday, December 22,  we adopted a   little Maltese, Diva, from a shelter. She is such a joy - so playful and LOVES my Ed.    We were both very sad and missed our little Diamond terribly.  I said we were going to wait to adopt again, but I just couldn't resist looking through Petfinder.  Saw a few rescues from puppy mills in Delaware but Ed said he wasn't ready.  Then I saw the picture of Diva and told him she was local and he said we could look.  Well, she came home with us.  She certainly made Christmas fun.  We gave her a bath on Sunday which we all survived!  On Christmas day, we blocked off the Dining room while we ate and the next thing we knew she was on the kitchen table looking at us!  She then became a napkin replacement on various laps around the table while we finished dinner.  We took her to the vet to be checked out on Dec 26 and was told she  was a very sick dog and needed emergency surgery. She was bleeding internally and had a uterine infection (she was never spayed,  is about 8 yrs old, and the shelter told us she was in heat). We left her there so they could do the surgery that afternoon and got a call saying her blood count was low and should be taken to an animal hospital that could do transfusions incase she needed one though they had her on IV because she was severly dehydrated and antibiotics because her gums and ears were infected too. We said we would pick her up and bring her to a hospital which was in tinton falls about 20 miles away. We called right back because we changed our minds when we realized it was sleeting and snowing out so I asked them to do the surgery.  She was so active and strong, I felt sure she would do OK without a transfusion.  She had the surgery on thursday am and she didn't need a transfusion. She came through great but still had to stay at the vet on IV and we wouldn't be able to see her until Friday.   We went to see her and she was on IV, very sluggish because of the pain meds but still wanted to be held by my hubby.  We finally got to bring her home Saturday - she stayed at the vets longer than she was with us! she has been spending most of her time laying between us on the couch sleeping after her dose of meds and pain pills and draping herself on my husband.  She just LOVES him and doesn't want to be far from him.  

Home at last. Stitches out Jan 7.

We knew she would need some medical attention, but didn't know how much. The shelter doesn't have the funds to have the dogs checked out by a vet so everything they told us about her was wrong. She also has tumors on her belly.   The vet removed and tested the largest for cancer and luckily it was benign. It is hard to believe she was that sick because she was and is so lively-scampering around and playing.

Took her back to the vet yesterday because part of her incision looked red and swollen but vet said she was fine - I am such  a worrier. The people at the vet office loved her and refer her to her as the fabulous diva.

 

I am glad we adopted her -she would probably be gone is we hadn't.  So far it's a very happy ending thoughI am not allowed to access Petfinder anymore or adopt older dogs. :-)

Jake meets Diva on our way home from the Vet.

Sleeping Beauties  She loves to drape herself over Ed

 

 

2012 Christmas Cards

 I was a bit behind in getting my cards out this year because I lost my mail lists when my computer crashed and they couldn't be recovered.  SOOO I had to recreate them and I know I left a lot of people off and for that I appologize.  Here are some images of the cards I made.  The basic designs didn't change, just the papers I used did so most were different but there were some duplicates.

Used LOTS of die cuts, inks embossing folders, ribbons, paints and crackle paint, and printed papers.  Really enjoyed making them.  Hope my recipeints enjoyed them too.


One More

Don't tell anyone, but my favorite is the snowflake on the white background with believe in the center. That is a Sizzix.Tim Holtz Alterations Strip die.  I used printed paper and then added white paint and blue ink and lots of Stickles glitter glue.

The Altered Bride

Her top skirt is silk upoltery
fabric with the backing
removed.  Her underskirt
is reembroidered Alcyon
Lace that was gifted to me.  I
antiqued it with Distress Stain
Her "slip" is feathers..

On facebook a very talented doll artist, Dallas Sills posted pics of her lovely doll she was submitting to the Bride doll challenge of Art Doll Quarterly.  I had let my subscription lapse so wasn't aware of the challenge until she mentioned it - though I did purchase the issue I was missing and renewed my subscription.  I had made a few brides to honor my neices in law but while at The Artsy Soul owned by my dear friend Colleen, a client came in and we were talking dolls.  I have a few Steampunk and showed her pics and found out she would love to have a Steampunk wedding but her fiance wasn't too keen on the idea.  So then I got to wondering what would a Steampunk bride look like?  Well I finished it in time to submit it.  Not enough time and money ($70! YIKES!!) to send the doll, but I will send jpgs.  So here she is in all her glory.  I used my Flirty Flora pattern mainly because I had a head already made.  Don't know why I didn't use it on another doll, but I rejected it for some reason. Like it now!

Her corset is painted ultra suede - didn't like
the original color.  The front is a key hole
from Tim Holtz Ideaology.  The charms
are from my collection.



Her Hat started out black but with
a few coats of gesso, paint, crackle
finish, and gilders paste, it is now
a lovely antique white,

Her boots are faux leather I created with
acryllic paints, crackle finish and gilder's
paste.  More tim Holtz tassels, wing
charms from my stash, little flowers
and scrolls around her ankles
from my friend Colleen.

She is holding a birdcage with love bird
charms.  It is made from Grunge
Board cut with a Tim Holtz
Sizzix die.

Hope she gets in the magazine!

Working on Christmas Gifts

I am so enamored with the little suitcase die from Sizzix!  I decided to do one in cloth.  To siffen it up, I used fusible web to adhere cotton fabric to both sides of stiff felt - the kind you can get at any craft store in 12 x 18" sheets.  I was going to use Timtex, but it was too thick and didn't fold very well.  The felt has some issues too, but it is better.  Next one I do I am going to adhere the fabric to chipboard.  I made the suitcase into a mobil sewing kit.  I put a scissors holder on the top, a pincushion on the bottom and left enough room for bobbin size spools.  I used other Sizzix dies to cut out the flowers and lots of pearl buttons for fasteners and decoration. I used distess dies on the edges of everything including the ribbon.  I added Dimensional Pearls to all the edges to keep them from fraying.  The stamp is from My Mind's Eye and the tag is a cut down version of the book plate from the Alterations large tag die.