a four letter word

its nothing too nasty - actually quite sweet...its the word

LOVE

 

I have been working on some cards and trying to make one extra special for my sweet hubbs...

Here is round 2..

 

sweet and pretty much says everything. He makes my life BLISSFUL - truly sounds super sappy but it's how I feel.



 

I gotta share something with you 

 it seems that the word DEPRESSION is settling nicely in various people in my life. To be totally truthful - I have never really understood how mental & psychological disabilities worked in people. I don't get how something can consume someones thoughts and mind and then affect their way of living. Before you think I am un-sympathetic - I feel - I do have a heart. I even have people in my immediate family that are affected with various illnesses such as bi-polar, depression, Alzheimer's and cancer. I have been affected directly - but I have never been able to wrap my head around how it works. With that said, I have never been affected personally, I don't ever feel depressed. Sure I have bad days but I never feel like all is lost. I never think there is NOT something better tomorrow...that's just me.

 

 I know life can't be great everyday, I know that my kids aren't perfect, I know that my house isn't close to well decorated or spotlessly cleaned. I know that I will never be a super-model (no matter how much weight I lose) I know I will never be anything more important than a MOM (I am totally o.k. with that) I know that I will never have thousands of dollars in our savings account, I know that the world is getting more violent, more deviant and will continue as my kids grow up, I know that I can't prevent all the evil in the world or even the evil surrounding my  kids....BUT even knowing all that, I am NOT scared - I am not fearful, I am NOT worried - I don't feel helpless, I don't STRESS about it all - it's NOT in my nature.

But truth be told - I have a secret weapon (sappy is on its way again)

My Husband. He keeps me grounded. He keeps me calm, He NEVER stresses, he doesn't get mad, he HELPS me when I feel overwhelmed (housework, kids, dishes....)

 

I know it sounds like I went off in a tangent but my point (didn't think I had one did you?) is 2 fold, you understand why it is important for me to make the PERFECT card...also I think anyone can get through anything no matter how tough if they have a SUPERIOR SUPPORT SYSTEM. Mine just happens to be my husband. {YOU & ME}

 

Here's wishing that you have a wonderful support system.

 

I truly believe we are all alright and that tomorrow HAS to be better than today!

 

stay strong

 

xo

tina

 

BTW- I am linking this card up to the following challenges:

 

creative belli - rhinestones

ruby's rainbow - valentine

sisterhood of crafters - hearts

aud sentiments - adult valentines

delightful challenges - red * white

going grey w/ scrap creations- valentines

little miss muffet - hearts & flowers

milk coffee challenge - valentine

sugar bowl - anything goes

 

 

 

 

 

 



Burlap LOVE

I know that I have shared my love for burlap plenty of times before...and I know I shared my cool little burlap pillows for the holidays.

Well here are 2 more burlap pillows for Valentine's day...

Small pillows that are sitting on my wicker chair in the front room. Cute right?

Super simple too....

• step 1: cut the burlap to the size you want to make,
• step 2: then sew around all the sides making sure to leave an opening for stuffing when you are done with that
• step 3: use some stamps & acrylic paint for the words and lastly
• sew up the hole and put out with the rest of your holiday décor or wrap up and give it away to someone special...

Anyway, just something I whipped up --- Hope you like it

Happy Crafting...xo--- I am linking this up to the following parties

flamingo toes-think pink sunday
the Saturday 7 - positively splendid
sew darn cute - sew many ways
sunday showcase
Saturday link & greet

feeling the LOVE

I have got the LOVE bug lately. Everything I make seems to be red, pink or Valentine-y!

take for instance this card...

 

 

Just something I threw together. I was making a paper bag album & a banner with these papers and decided they needed to be used as a card too.

I am thinking that perhaps this may be the card I give to my sweet beloved hubster...

 

Luckily for me this works for the following challenges:

 

bunny zoe crafts - anything goes

cheery lynn designs - sweethearts

created with love - anything goes

make it Monday - anything goes

stamp & create - Love

tammy's scrapin corner - red & hearts

victorine originals - valentines- red, white & pink

 

Happy LOVE prep...

xo

 

 



Creating Keepsakes

I love scrapbooking and I have declared that more than once here on the old blog, and as much as I believe that times change and things change and people ideas change with the digital era, BUT I think that scrapbooking is so important. Enough so, that I continue to make my small intimate paper bag albums...which start off with one of these...I sew the center of bags for extra reinforcement and durability for all the hand touching sure to be shared with these albums.

 

I also make accordion albums that also hold photos and are ready to go - just add photos and your scrapbooking is done.

 

These types of albums are fun because they fan out and are double-sided and look great spread out like you see below

 

These look great on your desk at work and invite people to check out your family photos.

 

See there plenty of room for photos...

 

Cute, easy & pre-made - can it get better than that.

 

Another type of scrapbook I make are made of chipboard and I usually bind them either with book rings or coil bindings - I love to coordinate my papers and my embellishments and make my albums look like something that anyone would love to GIVE as a GIFT or keep for themselves.

 

This album is a bit rustic & shabby-ish wouldn't you say?

 

 

Love these papers and the colors in chartreuse, grey & yellows...LOVELY

 

I like to add minimal embellishments but still fun & matchy so that your photos make the album POP!

 

 

As you can see I am all about CREATING KEEPSAKES and because most people don't feel that they can make one I do if for them and I absolutely LOVE doing it.

 

I guess that's why I say with times changing and things going digital and things get easier then ever - I am glad to know that there are a few of us left that are still holding on to the hands on approach to scrapbooking.

 

I think its important to create those keepsakes and when they are this small it makes them easier to finish and much less stressful and hey they make a great gift.

 

If you are interested in any of these albums I have them listed in my ebay shop...

 

Here's wishing you a happy journey in your own personal scrapbooking projects.

 

I am linking this up to the following parties:

 

MARKET YOURSELF MONDAYS

CRAFT-O-MANIAC

MAKE IT PRETTY MONDAY

JUST SOMETHING I WHIPPED UP

ONE PROJECT AT A TIME

TOO CUTE TUESDAY

 

XO

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helping

I sometimes wonder if there is such a thing as kismet or is it just co-incidence? Are there 2 people in the world thinking,doing or saying the same thing at the exact same time? We'll today I realized that it is absolutely possible for 2 people to be thinking the same thing at the same moment....

The scenario starts like this... My kids & I are walking into mcDonalds tonight & we see a young man sitting by the front door counting his money - he didn't ask for anything but you could tell he was counting his change for something to eat.

As I waited to pay for my food - the lady before me grabbed a cup & walked it to the guy outside....as she came back in I asked her if she bought him a meal? And she said yes...great see there both of us were on the same page - feeling for the guy & making sure he would eat! Not knowing each other but both of us being aware & wanting to be kind to someone less fortunate! Co-incidence????

Being totally truthful - I sure hope there were others thinking the same thing & ready to act on those thoughts! I hope!

Here's wishing more people are acting on their kindness...& helping!

xo
Tina

Painting 101

I am not a paid artist in the sense that I get paid for giving lessons however, I do paint & create often and I DO sell my stuff and do make money on it. With that said I wanted to share my way of painting - I start alot of my collages this way and just went on this amazing binge---on INSPIRATIONAL paintings... so here is where you start:

grab some large canvases then grab your paint colors - choose and stick with what you like, I love robins egg blue  so I painted on some turquoise blue then added some white in the center...sort of dry brushed it which means a paintbrush with very little paint on it...get it dry brushing

 

Here is another beginning shot of adding paint to the canvas.

Here I just sort of squirted the paint onto the canvas no real pattern.

 

 

 
 

This piece here I added several paint colors in like a pattern --then I used my paintbrush and painted in a diagonal direction to blend the colors - together.

On this piece I added some bits of paper with some Modge Podge. Then added some paint in different areas of the canvas.



 

On this piece below I added yellow paint then dry brushed some white paint across the whole piece to mute the yellow a bit and I got some bubble wrap and added paint to one part (in a comntrasting color) then layed the bubbles over a corner of the dried paint then pressed and quick and easy texture was added...

 

 

I added some fun pinks and red paints and added some letter stickers to the center of the canvas then painted around them then I removed the letters and a quick and easy canvas for my mantel.

 

Here is a smaller canvas I made with the same methods as above...those circles you see there I just used the paint caps - dabbed some paint in white to the edge of the caps then pressed them onto the canvas

 

This canvas below was the red, white & pink canvas from above... I added some white scallops at the top then used a black graphite pencil to add depth to the sides and to the scallops.

 

 On the canvas below you will see the end result which started off with the large robins egg blue background canvas from up top



 

A bit of advice if you are planning on adding a saying then paint 1 solid color first on the whole canvas then wait for it to dry then add your stickers over it then paint over it till your hearts content.  Once done or at least to a stopping point  peel off the stickers. Then add your white accents and go over it all with black charcoal pencil and SMUDGE!

 

See what fun painting is and there are NO rules - you just add paint and scrape some off then add more and some paper - use stuff around the house to add texture to the canvas.

 

Have fun with it!!!

 

I am linking this up to the following parties:

 

sumos sweet stuff

craft-o-maniac

handmade Tuesdays

one project at a time

too cute Tuesday

show me what you got

the creative spark

wicked good Wednesday

whatever goes Wednesday

a creative princess

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playing with TAPE

Boy this is a slow start to the new year and my plan for blogging more...but I just don't feel it - I guess to be totally honest --- I have decided to blog when I have something to share - to share things I think others could do and benefit from. I don't want to feel obligated or pressured. It's part of my New Years "GOALS" to LIVE for now - to NOT stress about the little stuff. To do what I like to do and share it when I do. Easy Breezy

ok back to crafting:

So I have 2 girls and they love to wear their hair in all different ways - sometimes up - sometimes down, sometimes braids sometimes pig tails...if you have girls you feel my pain :)

I recently found some cute hair bows at a craft show and decided to try them myself...so I went out and bought some fun DUCT TAPE...did you know that it comes in a TON of amazing colors and patterns??? Who knew....so I went a little crazy and got about 6 rolls

 

I mixed up the different tapes and created a bunch of matching but NOT bows...that my girls can wear together or wear them separately.

 

So here is the HOW---

tear or cut off about 6 inches of tape - then fold it in half so you'll end up with a 3 inch bow - cut it larger of you want a bigger bow. then cut a small piece of tape just the width of the ribbon and about 1/2 inch that'll be your wrapped center and where the bobby pin will push through and attach to the hair.

 

I usually scrunch the bow in my fingers to get the look of the bow I want then wrap the middle with the cut piece of tape (in a different pattern)

 

Not a hard thing to do and imagine the variations

Your girls will be the coolest and hippest little chicks out there. At least I think mine are.

 

hey and if you use a 40% coupon then you can get a roll of tape for about 3.00 not bad...eh!

 

I will be linking this up to the following parties:

 

make it pretty Monday

market yourself Monday

masterpiece Monday

made by you Monday

one project at a time

too cute Tuesday

from dream to reality

 

have a great week

 

tina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's Scrap

One of my goals this year is to scrapbook more - and more meaningful layouts - not playing catch-up on years past but on the NOW...after all everyone should be living in the NOW.



 

Here is my first scrapbook layout for 2013

 

 

I used 12 x 12 sheet of paper - by Sassafrass Lass

made my own embellishments

 

Here is a total shot of my layout.

 

I used some plain card stock and added my title and then my journaling along with some star stamped images and some of my homemade punched embellishments.

 

Here is another view of the whole page.

 

I used some fun banner stickers to add a small detail in the top corner. My journaling is about us visiting the BEACH the day after Thanksgiving and while the sun felt hot the weather was breezy and the water was cold and my three kids played in the water for a few hours without complaining.

 

I swear that after buying those boogie boards in October and going to the beach a few times since then - they will NOT get out of the water - all they NEEDED was those dang boogie boards...note to self the more play toys they have the MORE they play - duh,...

 

Here's wishing you are getting a good start on your New Years GOALS

 

xo

tina

 

 

 

Happy New Year -the WORD

Well, here it is a Brand Spankin' New Year - time for fresh starts and new GOALS to make and new Adventures to have...I feel good about this YEAR - 2013....I am excited. I have some plans and some new Ventures to jump into. Can't wait.

First order of business --- my WORD for the year

 I decided to go with the word MORE ----

love MORE, play MORE, give MORE, do MORE,

be MORE, try MORE,

do you see how great the WORD could be? Excited -- really - this is going to be a good year.

 

Can you feel it?

 

 

Here's wishing you the very best for the New Year and a year filled with true happiness.

 

xo

tina