A boy and his daddy♥

This layout is over on the Viva Las VegaStamps! blog today 

Using the Chicken Wire stamp, May Arts ribbon, Prima goodies, UmWowStudio flowers, Silks paints by Luminarte, a stencil by Creative Imagintions, Paper by BoBunny and Echo Park, Distress ink, a brad, eyelets, and floral beads.

Background Tutorial

This baby has a background tutorial up on the May Arts blog today!

Instagram + Pillow = LOVE

Tonight I'm sharing a 12x12 layout I did that was originally going to be kept a secret until a bigger reveal.. but I've since worked up a different project so I get to share this one early! 

This photo is a picture of Gabe loving his first personal pillow! I don't think I have anything specific to share about how I made this layout :) Ask if you have questions, though!

Supplies:

Viva Las VegaStamps! Pen tips, arrow and pointed pen tip, Writing Background, May Arts ribbon in ivory and black stripe. Recycled cardboard, Tim Holtz Tag and bookplate die, Basic Grey epoxy brad, Prima canvas resist flowers, Ranger Archival Ink, vintage buttons and pearls, paper clips, faux stamen, a sewing machine and black thread, Creative Imaginations Stencil, Luminarte Silks in Solar Gold, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Roll top desk, MM eyelets, Gauche Alchemy Punchinella, Distress Inks in Black Soot, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo. 

The linkup party at Paper Issues is tags, so I'll link up there! Other than that it's just for viewing pleasure ♥

Dear Child - Let your creativity SOAR tag

I recently got the chance to work with some fabulous Gauche Alchemy pieces.. they put together vintage and ephemera kits. Super fun!! I teamed up the VLVS! DT with the GA DT and fun was had by all :)

here is my finished piece for the team up:

p.s... yes.. that is my Goobaloo bent down coloring with chalk :) he loves it so!!

I used the Bird In Flight stamp from VLVS! and I used a star punchinella from GA as a mask. I also used some beads from a trim they sent me to form my clouds. Which by the way are held together using Gel Medium! What a super neat effect it is has so thick and "gloopy".

I also used Distress Ink in walnut stain, broken china, and pine needles, the TH ray embossing folder, TH soar alphas and bubbles, TH tags die, memento ink, white cardstock, an american crafts pen, turquoise wire, water, crystal lacquer, pop dots, hot glue and recycled packaging.

I'll be entering this in the Layered challenge @ SimonSaysStampandShow as well as the pastels with a pop of color challenge @CropChocolate.com 

Family - Journal Page #2 - a little history

(It's totally worth it getting through this post to the journal page!!!)

First of all.. I love Tim Holtz as much as the rest of the world (I think..) but I've found much more inspiration in other crafters (Sorry, Tim!!) ... two of them seriously astound me with each and every piece of work they produce. 

I've always been involved in the fine arts... then I went to school for Industrial Design.. trying to make sure I'd never be the "starving" artist my parents warned me about.. I messed around for a few months after college and then went home to mommy and daddy. Best decision ever.. a friend in college had introduced me to crafting with paper goods and adhesive.. while I learned about metals, woods, plastics, and other various materials and manufacturing processes from professors and industry professionals. 

So now under my belt I've got painting, drawing, ceramics and some graphic design from high school, a little bit of dabbling in paper goods from a very close friend whom I still hold dearly in my heart, and industrial knowledge from college. 

I arrived at home and promptly got a full time job at a local craft store.. got introduced to my father's secretary who is the DEFINITION of Crafter and then the red carpet of crafty goodness unrolled. Then crafting became a way of life for me. 

So now I've got all these experiences, wants, have to dos and haves and just IDEAS rolling around in my head. I've been collecting bits n pieces, spare parts, pop tabs, packaging, papers, embellishments, foreign coins.. you name it I've probably got a collection for it! But I couldn't necessarily make it work together FOR ME. 

Insert Finnabair (Anna Debrowska) and Louise Nelson. 

these two ladies (whether they know it or not) have helped me put all the jumbled mess in my head into a neat and organized pile. That's the best way for me to explain it. Whether it was.. being unsure of myself, or hesitant to try something new.. I can't put words to it exactly.. but whatever it was. It's over. and I'm so happy! I've yet to meet Anna or Louise, but I'll be seeing Anna in California at the end of July. and I cannot wait to say THANK YOU in person. Louise -- girl -- you're next! The two of you just taking the time to share your work and be so supportive of others.. sharing your ideas and being so giving of your knowledge - it's just AMAZING. 

and here... after the last few years of crafting and being proud of my work but always slightly unsure and not really "me" is a page... that is at its fundamental core.. "ME" 

products used include: A Clairefontaine art journal, Inchworm and Charcoal tattered angels glimmer mist, tim holtz ideology clock face and game spinner, Imaginarium Designs chipboard, Gel medium, memento ink in tuxedo black, Viva Las Vegastamps! Feather stamp and Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder, TH distress tool, diamond glaze, basic gray brad. 

I'm also really loving the no title necessary feel of these pages. =)

I'll link this bad boy up to Simon Says Stamp and Show for "distressed" - it may be minute distressing.. but it plays a huge roll in this piece. 

My World..

..is up on the Basically Bare Blog today - check it out :)

Around Blogland!

Hello friends! Today is my first post as a Basically Bare Art Assembler!!

Check out my project on the BB Blog!

and I've also got a post on the Amazing Mold Putty blog.. detailing the process of making the mini spoon for my Proper Gentleman exploding box featuring Goobzilla! Check that out here :)

do you ever just go "BLAH!" ?!

I feel like I've been running around with my head cut off and ten extra arms.

I have so many PLANS. and IDEAS. and just not enough t.i.m.e. I've entered contests, and made promises, and taken orders, and written down snippets of things I Need to do.. SHOULD do.. and then the things I /want/ to do but don't NEED to.

Then there's the things people SUGGEST I do, that I don't even really want to.. on top of all that I DO want to. 

And there are things I'd like to do for personal crafting.. things I'd like to change around the house.. and things I'd like to do for the etsy shop (I've been contemplating taking it in an almost completely different direction). Then there's the "real" job. and maybe finding a second "real" job.

and oh yeah. christmas is coming up.

Plus we just did our three day cook-off for thanksgiving.. and we've got to plan the xmas one and figure out presents.. hand made vs store bought. easy choice ;)

And I will always find the need (no matter what) to incorporate my schooling into my every day passions.. because for heaven's sake we can't "waste" that $100,000 piece of paper. No no no!!



At the end of it all I just thank goodness for the Husband I have who puts up with all my "crap" and the little bundle of joy we have that is now 10 months old.. the one who walks like a pro without stumbling... feeds himself.. and "ROOOOOARS" after the dogs with his arms in the air.



Expect more CRAFTY goodness blogging over the next four/five weeks!!!

10 Tiny, Perfect, Cute as a Button Toes

Based off the sketch @ SketchyThursdays
Click to enlarge, it's oh so much better bigger!!



Products used: EP paper, glossy DMC floss, distress ink, beads, pins, organza, satin, a pop tab, Dymo label maker, Cosmo Cricket rubon, Don Juan Cricut Cartridge, adhesive, vintage bingo marker, dictionary paper, studio G stamps, FancyPants clear bracket piece, gesso, hot glue and diamond glaze.



Gabe got his daddy's long, skinny, oh so kissable toesies. ♥♥♥