seeing good...

it's time to play catch up on my blog!!  about a  month ago, my cute friend sherri's husband had to have unexpected eye surgery.  so i made him this card.  i love the glasses and i just adjusted the saying to fit the card!!

seeing good
stamps:  unity
cardstock: white, crumb cake, authentique pp
ink: walnut stain, early espresso

face the sunshine...

do you ever work on a project and you have something in your mind as to how it will turn out, but then it turns out a bit different? that is how this set of atcs worked out for me. it's the first time (i think) that i haven't made every one exactly the same. i got some cute 6x6 paper in an order from unity (love the freebies!) and i love the paper. so i used it on some of these. i gotta say, i may mix it up a little more often. i think they turned out pretty cute!
.

face the sunshine
stamps:  phyllis harris, susan weckesser, unity
cardstock: white, echo park pp, authentique pp
ink: onyx black, daffodil delight

girlfriends...

it's the middle of winter.  blah.  anyone who knows me knows i'm not a fan of winter.  and give me a scene like this any day.  sitting, laughing, chatting it up, preferably with a tasty umbrella drink in my hand with some girlfriends by a pool or beach.  

girlfriends
stamps:  art impressions
cardstock: my mind's eye, simple stories, authentique, lilybee designs
ink: onyx black, tumbled glass
embellishments:  prismacolor markers

thoughtful...

it is the last day of august.  AUGUST???  where has the summer gone?  shut the front door!  it's time for friends with flair, peeps.  and this fwf is showing off one of the new {ippity} sets that was released yesterday.  i'll admit i didn't love this set when i first saw it, but now i adore it!!  be sure and check out the rest of the awesome projects starting at the unity blog.  and don't forget there is a prize, too!

thoughtful
stamps:  ippity
cardstock: authentique pp, fancy pants pp, walnut cream, early espresso
ink: gathered twigs, broken china, soft suede
embellishments:  sticky back canvas

there's a sale going on, too.  don't know if i may have mentioned that or not.  click the link below to shop!!  don't forget to pick a {chick} before you checkout!  or just add my name in the comments section.

wine time...

it's been a while since i've played along with the challenge over at  the chick challenges blog.  i guess i've been too busy getting my paint on with the mixed media bug i've caught!  so i decided to make a card for the current challenge.

wine time
stamps: ippity
cardstock:  walnut cream, echo park, authentique pp
ink: soft suede, walnut stain

here is the sketch for the current challenge.  don't forget you can win some awesome prizes when you play along.

and...

next week there it's time for a new release of awesome {ippity} stamps!! and a blog hop to get you all excited for the release.  so be sure to come back and check out the new stamps.  they are a.m.a.z.i.n.g!!

life brighter...

so are any of you fans of the show, next food network star? i love it. i know...what does this have to do with crafting? well, on this season, the room where team giada goes after the competitions, there is a lamp. and it's the coolest lamp! and every time i see it, i love it more. so when i saw this quarterfoil stamp, a light bulb went off! (hehe) i used this stamp from the stamp of the week and created a card inspired by the lamp i love from the show!  now it's time for friends with flair friday on the unity blog! 

life brighter
stamps: unity
cardstock:  not quite navy, summer starfruit, white, authentique pp
ink: not quite navy, onyx black, walnut stain, spun sugar, black craft
embellishments:  clear embossing powder

ps. i was able to copy a picture of the lamp from the show! 

one moment...

i hate when i need to send sympathy cards. and i don't keep a supply around for that reason. but i needed to send one to a friend's sister.  i used the new {ippity}set dream to be and one from unity (with sympathy) that is awesome for sympathy/condolence cards.  inside sentiment says:  with love and hugs.

one moment
stamps: ippity, unity
cardstock:  crumb cake, white, authentique pp
ink: soft suede
tools:  distress markers, corner chomper

one cool pop...

happy father's day to my cute dad!

i love you!!

one cool pop
stamps: unity
cardstock:  crumb cake, walnut cream, my mind's eye pp, authentique pp
ink: soft suede, onyx black
tools:  silhouette sketch pen (font: ck becky)


and happy father's day to all the other dads out there!

night owlie...

so i have been off work for the past four days.  it's been great.  the mister has also been off work.  we were going to go away on vacation, then decided to stay home and just hang out.  so we've done a lot of just relaxing.  he found a new game he likes (he's a little bit of a nerd, but who isn't?) which works for me because it gives me lots of time in my craft room!

i was obsessing over discovering new things on pinterest the other day and saw a cute owl canvas that was adorable.  so it gave me the idea for this  8x8 canvas.  consequently, this one looks nothing like what i thought it would, but i'm still happy with how it turned out.

night owlie
stamps:  unity
patterned paper: lilybee designs, authentique, we are memory keepers, american crafts
ink:  shabby shutters, walnut stain, seedless preserves
paint: gesso, acrylic
other: india ink-black, mod podge, modeling paste, bubble wrap

i have had a few goto places for insiration for all this mixed media madness. i have to credit my friend, cindi, for prodding inviting me to monday night ustream with tracy weinzapfel.  that pretty much started the spiral down this path!  so kuddos to tracy and cindi!  i also love things by donna downey and christy tomlinson.  those women are so crafty!!

a few people have asked to see how i do my canvases.  so i made a little video of one.  i made another butterfly canvas that i used from the mystery project to show what i do.

and if you are still with me after all of that...don't forget tomorrow is the {ippity} new release blog hop.  i have to say, once again, that i love this month's release!!  so stop on by tomorrow at 6pm mst (that's 7pm cst) and check out the new goodies!  there might be a prize involved!  

and don't forget i'm giving away some unity goodness with this post!

the mystery project...

what happens when you make a stranger's day?  that's the question that the people over at the art house co-op wanted to know.  so they created the mystery project.  each participant received a little package that contained  the following:  a thank you for signing up, a new prismacolor art marker (side note:  this made my day since you all know i love my prismas and  i didn't know they have prismacolors with a brush tip.  BRUSH tip!!), and a card with your chosen theme.

i excitedly ripped open my package the day it arrived and checked out my theme.  and my excitement was quickly deflated.

if tomorrow came yesterday

what the cuss?  what in the world does that mean?  i was stumped.  i had this phrase running through my mind for weeks.  i had no idea what it meant or what i could do with it.

then it hit me.  it meant going back in time.  and one day i was working on my art journal and had a butterfly in  mind.  and like a ton of bricks the idea came to me.  if tomorrow came yesterday...there wouldn't be butterflies.  because the caterpillier would  never change in to a butterfly if tomorrow never came.  right?  well that's  my take on it anyway.  so here's what i created.  a little 4x4 canvas.

butterflies
cardstock: authentic pp
paint: gesso, acrylic
embellishments:  butterfly cutouts-making memories,
other:  prismacolor marker, india ink

the other thing that stumped me was where to leave it?  i had no idea...i've been thinking about it for days now...where to leave it.  as i was running out of time, i decided to leave it at a park near my house.  i figure lots of people visit the park.  so i drove up there tonight as the sun was setting, and planted my little butterfly piece.

i attached a little note that says "read me."  inside explains a little about the mystery project and telling the finder to keep the canvas.  hopefully it will find a good home!!

one shot...

here's another installment in the mixed media file.  on monday, tracy threw down a challenge.  she dared us to do something out of our comfort zone.  we had to create something using this quote, "let go of whatever holds you back and no longer serves you because you only get one shot in life."  check out her blog post here.  i saw a mixed media canvas the other day while surfing the web (my guess is on pinterest!) and of course can't find it now to save my life.  but what i got out of it was inspiration for this.  and i thought the quote went well with it.

strength

stamps: hero arts

cardstock: fancy pants pp, basic grey pp, authentique pp

ink: burnt umber

paints:  acrylic, gesso, gelatos

embellishments:  glimmer mist; cardstock stickers-october afternoon, authentique, dear lizzy-american crafts

other:  india ink

here's a little more detailed view.

you should join along with the dare!!

tiny book...

i did it again.  joined a swap that was so outside my comfort zone.  and after i got over the initial drama of dreading it, i actually loved it.  one of my favorite swaps, i dare say, ever!!  it was a one on one swap, so we got a name of the person we were going to send our project to.  the thing we had to do was make a tiny book.  there were only a few rules.  one-had to be tiny.  less than 3 inches.  two-had to have six pages.  three-had to have stamping on it somewhere.  seemed easy enough.  right?  no way.  i thought about it forever!  (ok, not forever, but a while...)  and i finally quit thinking so much and just started making it.  then it just sort of ended up being finished.  and i think it turned out pretty good.  i love the colors.  and i have a good idea that the recipient (who i can't say yet!) will love it, too.  at least i hope she will.

it's friday ('bout time!)  so don't forget to visit the unity blog.  a lot of great projects to look at and you may have a chance to win some unity goodness!!   so go see what the friends with flair peeps have going on!

notes to self
stamps: ippity, unity, melody ross, iron orchid designs, brave girls club, simple stories, authentique, jillibean soup, marah johnson
cardstock: my mind's eye pp, echo park pp
ink: peeled paint distress, seedless preserves distress, early espresso, crumb cake
embellishments: ribbon

(click on each picture for a larger view)

ps if you are julia (who won a prize from this post) please email me to get your prize!!