Oh, such are the dreams of the everyday housewife...

You see ev'rywhere, any time of the day.....sing it, Glen Campell!  Love this song!  So much so that it seemed quite fitting to adapt it to Tim's May 2015 tag.

#8 tag, burlap, card stock scraps, old photo, paint chip, zipper, ribbon, tea bag

Ranger:  Multi-Medium; Texture Paste; Black Enamel Accent; distress markers (Tattered Rose, Black Soot); distress inks (Fossilized Amber, Abandoned Coral, Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain)

Idea-ology: Salvage Stickers (Crowded Attic, Lost & Found); Remnant Rubs

Sizzix:  dies (Tattered Floral Garland, Spring Greenery); layering stencil (Bricked)

I can just imagine this vintage housewife's daily life...a bit of sewing, certainly a cup of tea, sending her cook to the fish market for the catch of the day, tending to her garden, all the while keeping a watchful eye on her social calendar.

Memorial Day and freedom to fly

Today is Memorial Day.  We have a 20' flag pole that proudly flies the American flag.  Because we have it lit, we are able to fly it 24/7.  And we do so with great pride.  Many members of my family have served in various branches of the military as did my husband.  Early this morning I lowered the flag to half-mast, as per protocol, then raised it back up at noon, again as per protocol. 

Today was also the day we became empty nesters.  Or rather, the robin's nest on our drain pipe became empty.  I was able to witness the first fledgling plop out of the nest a few days ago.  I missed seeing the second but saw the third and fourth as they took their second flights from our back stoop to the fence.  As big as they were in the nest I have no idea how the four of them stayed in their so long!  And even today they were still showing little wispy feathers around their heads.  See them?  They looked rather comical!

This was the first one to leave the nest.  The vinca vines and mulch helped provide a comfy mattress for his first landing.

Here's #3 on the back fence.  I talked to it quite awhile and explained that it couldn't stick around for long because the neighbor has 2 outdoor cats.  'nuff said about that!  He seemed to be listening, too, but still wasn't sure about this flying stuff. 

So I looked down the fence line and here's his sibling.

He bird-talked to his sibling and in no time they were off!  I look forward to seeing another family grow up in the same spot next year.

So all this brings me to my entries for Claudine's altered puzzle pieces.  The first piece commemorates Memorial Day and the second the robin's leaving the nest.  Perfect timing!

Ingredients:  white/black/red/orange Sharpies; white/black card stock scraps; Dylusions sprays (Postbox Red/London Blue); Hero Arts stamp D2401; archival inks (Jet Black/Potting Soil/Tree Branch); Tim Holtz stencil (Tracks); Tim Holtz stamp (Bird Crazy); Studio 490 stamp (Let Your Art Have Wings); white gelly pen; distress inks (Spiced Marmalade/Fossilized Amber/Tea Dye/Brushed Corduroy/Walnut Stain); Tim Holtz die (Alphabetical)

So enjoy your day of freedom...but remember how it was achieved.

 



 
 



 

Altered puzzle pieces - week 4

Playing catch-up!  Claudine's work can be seen here.

I thought it would be fun to use the same theme (cats) on both.  Sure look different, don't they?

Ingredients:  Paula Best sentiment (0611-B); Silver Fox Stamp (cat); Ranger archival ink (Fern Green); Hanko Designs (Poised Cat HF075); gems (painted pink); Ranger distress paint (Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade); Deckle Edged scissors; Studio 490 stencil (create a wreath); Ranger clear embossing ink; Ranger embossing powders (Antiquities-Rose Quarts/Adirondack-Cranberry); patterned paper; Tim Holtz Halloween stencil; Studio 490 black embossing paste; black card stock; Tim Holtz Alterations Typeset die; unknown spider punches

Wonder what she has in store for next week?  Maybe something patriotic because Monday is Memorial Day.  Hmmmm.....

Altered puzzle pieces - week 3

You can check out Claudine's blog to see the inspiration pieces.  I use her work as a guideline; I don't intend to copy her idea.

Ingredients:  Tim Holtz distress paints (Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy); Claudine Hellmuth Blank Canvas paint; Antique Linen Distress Glitter; colored pencils; Another Stamp Company "Timeless" sentiments; Just For Fun "Color"; Tim Holtz Star stencil; Ranger archival inks (Jet Black, Potting Soil, Tree Branch); Tim Holtz Alterations Labels die; Tim Holtz idea-ology star colored yellow with Sharpie; Tim Holtz tissue wrap; white card stock scraps

Dog tag necklace and earrings

When I saw Shelly Hickox's dog tag tutorial I just knew it was something I wanted to create for myself...and maybe for future gifts.  I used an old Sizzix big red scallop combo tag die and the same metal flashing.  For safety I did sand the edges a bit to ensure there were no rough spots to cause problems later.

I used Tim's Wildflower Stencil and Wendy's gold embossing paste.  My base embossing powders are Wendy's Sky Blue and Cornflower Blue.  They really resemble the sky, don't they?  The golds are from Ranger - Tarnished Gold (more brown in it) and Pale Gold.  I wanted a bit of contrast between the two. 

The dragonfly charm was silver but Cornflower Blue archival ink changed that quickly...along with a bit of Tim's gold paint.  I didn't like the way it dangled on the jump ring so it was adhered to the tag with Multi-Medium.

When I was at the thrift store not too long ago I spotted these pearl earrings for a quarter.  Archival inks wouldn't stick to the slick surface so I added some alcohol inks, more archival ink and some dabs of gold and tumbled glass distress paint. 

Can't wait to wear them this weekend when I attend my youngest niece's high school graduation and my youngest nephew's medical school graduation. 

Dragonfly makeovers

This is one of my hose guards.  It's supposed to keep the garden hose out of the beds and away from the plants.  However, it doesn't seem to deter some people from cutting across the internal corner of the sidewalk and manages to trip them up.  You'd think people would learn once they've tripped over it a few times.  Not so.  

 

Hence, a bit of gesso and Ranger archival inks to the rescue!  And now they should be able to spot these beauties and NOT go where they shouldn't be!

I put a light coat of gesso on them; let dry.  With a sponge I dabbed on French Ultramarine, Aquamarine, Leaf Green, Viridian and Watering Can archival inks.  Even if they don't keep people out, at least they're more colorful!

 

 

It's puzzling...but these are a few of my favorite things

Time for a new challenge!  Claudine has issued a challenge to alter a 24 piece puzzle.  The first week we primed all the pieces with gesso so they'd be ready to go.  It was suggested that we also have a theme in mind so the pieces would flow when finished.  I chose "These are a few of my favorite things."

The first puzzle I found was about the right size but had w-a-y too many pieces.  I also paid too much for 4/package.  Then I hotfooted it to our local thrift store and found the perfect one for 50 cents!  There's a 25th piece plus the frame; how cool is that!?!??
And here are the first two pieces of the puzzle.  I used Studio 490 stamps, stencils, embossing paste and archival inks.


Studio 490 stencils: Honeycomb, 2 Fancy Florals

Studio 490 embossing paste

Studio 490 stamps: Nature's Art, Busy Making Art

 

Ranger:  archival inks (Pale Ochre, Saffron, Dandelion, Orange Blossom, Monarch Orange, Venetian Orange, Fern Green, Potting Soil, Jet Black0; Adirondack Acrylic (Butterscotch); Gold Perfect Pearls

 

Black StazOn; acrylic packaging scrap

 

So find yourself an old puzzle...check out thrift stores, garage sales, your kids' toy boxes or game shelves and get busy!