Just Journal!

My goal for this new year is to try and journal/post every day on my blog. I'm finding it difficult to "talk" on the page. I worked on several pieces of art today, nothing is completed. Several birthdays of friends are coming and I'd like to finish their cards, we have a couple of wonderful swaps to participate in the ARTHaven Friendships Yahoo group and I'd like to learn a new and use a new technique every week. I'm going to use Tim Holtz' book, "A Compendium of Curiosities" - his book is full of great techniques to help you grow in your creative journey. So, I'll work on a project and take pictures along the way to show you my progress. I was given the link of a wonderful craft store that sells the most beautiful flowers -www.theFranticStamper.com. I bought some beautiful flowers and I'll attach pictures of a few of them. Till tomorrow!

Missing but Found!

My goodness. I realize I hadn't updated my blog in a while, but wasn't aware that long. A lot has happened in the last of 2010. My mother passed away, there was a lot of work settling the estate and getting things moved around. We had to make several trips to Florida to accomplish all this. Little time was left to create. I tried though!

Christmas rolled around and while it was difficult to get into the mood without my mother, I did manage to participate in a couple of swaps with the group I belong to ARTHaven Creations and Friendships.

I haven't made any New Year's resolutions in many years but I really do hope to become a little more organized and spend more time in my ARTHaven doing the one thing I love to do - work on my art.

The swaps I participated in were a Christmas Tag, an Ornament, gift bag and a recipe card. I got pics of all but the gift bag! That was my favorite too.

What a Charmer!

Four days ago a wonderful little 17 month old golden retriever named Buddy became part of our family.  Buddy, Budster, or Butters has quickly wormed his way into our hearts and also has formed a tight bond with Meggie, our 3.5 year old golden.   Meggie was devastated when our male golden Barney suddenly collapsed and died July 4.   We decided she needed a companion and went to GRREAT, Golden Retriever Rescue, Education and Training in the DC/MD/VA area to adopt.  She and Buddy have quickly become fast friends but she’s watching him – he’s quite puppy yet and it’s funny to watch his antics with her.  I have a few more photos– mostly when they are on the bed because any other time I can’t get them to hold still long enough to snap a picture.  

                           

This was an ATC I made for a July swap with my ARTHaven Yahoo Group.  The requirement was to add a funny hat to the picture!   This is my first ATC and I really enjoyed making it. 

        We also had a Monthly Lottery and our theme was My Fair Lady this month.  Winner would receive all the items that were entered into the lottery!   Below is a picture of a purse card I made!  I really had fun with these and found them perfect for my granddaughter!   Surprisingly, I won and was the recipient of several journals, wall hangings and some lovely earrings.   As the winner for the lottery, I also got to select the topic for next month’s lottery.  I thought “Roaring 20’s” would be fun! 

                             

The last swap for the month was “Christmas” in July.  Make a Christmas card and matching envelope to swap.  This was my entry for the swap – difficult to think of holidays in July?

That’s it for today.  Several projects in the works.  See you soon.  Thanks for stopping by.

Kerry

Technorati Tags: ATC,purse,Christmas,Buddy,Meggie,adopt

New Addition

A little over a month ago, my male golden retriever suddenly collapsed and died.  It was devastating – to me because I just adored Barney, but to Meggie our female golden retriever who had become inseparable since the day they met.   I must admit that I’ve never seen a dog go into a depression, but that is exactly what happened with Meggie.  So, we decided we should find another companion.  We’d never find another Barney but we could find another companion and playmate.  So we went to GRREAT (Golden Retriever Rescue Education and Training) to adopt.  We were very lucky to find Buddy, a 17 month old male golden retriever.  Buddy is actually from Serbia and because his owners over there decided they couldn’t take care of him,  the vet knew someone in the US Embassy who knew someone in GRREAT, and GRREAT decided to sponsor Buddy to the states.  I applied to adopt him and here he is.    

Buddy is in front, Meggie is in back.  They met yesterday and immediately started to play and haven’t been apart since.  When Buddy wants something, he kind of gurgles, growls, howls but it is his way of talking to us.  We think he is a perfect match for Meggie!

I am also a member of ARTHaven_Creations and Friendship, a Yahoo group.  Usually I have some pieces of art to upload, today is not one of those days.  But I do want to mention that a very good friend is celebrating her 100th Blog post and I’d love to direct you to her blog to see some absolutely fantastic pieces of art.  She can be located at http://elaineakers.blogspot.com and I’m sure you will enjoy looking through her blog.   Until next time. 

Kerry

Technorati Tags: Art,ARTHaven,Buddy,vet,adoption

Hello Again!

I decided that I’m enjoying this hot, hazy and humid weather we’ve been having because I can stay indoors in the a/c and not feel guilty!   Since the group I’m with has been working on an Altered Book project, several of our members have been sharing and showing us many of the  techniques used achieve a variety of looks.   I am learning so many new things but what’s really fantastic is it has given me this immense appetite for experimenting.  I also found that I had many of the items needed – I had bought them long ago and stuffed them in drawers, only to forget about them.   It’s been wonderful to be able to pull these items out and use them.  So, the past several weeks have been filled with trying this color and that color, or ink, or spray, and finally trying transfer techniques I’ve wanted to try for years!  I used the packing tape transfer technique on my  Eiffel Tower tag (I’m into tags now) – it is very light but maybe you will be able to see it.

 

The tag is still a work in progress! 

The group I’m with has several swaps this month and we’ve all been busy with that.  One of the swaps was using a template from Stampington.com, Domestic Goddess Apron and to make an apron and decorate it.  I had such fun, I couldn’t decide which one I liked the best, so I made three!   So my partner won’t know which one she’s going to get! 

 

We also have another swap – to make a tag with a theme of “Call to the Sea” – I had a particularly hard time with this – I just couldn’t seem to come up with anything.  Finally, this came to me but I’m not real happy with it.  Would love to hear what you think.

The next couple of tags are ones that just came to me.  I hope you like them.  I’ve enjoyed working with color, or staying within one shade.  As always, I’ve had fun going through my boxes and boxes of embellishments, trying to find the perfect ones for each project.  So while I was searching, I was also organizing and reorganizing. 

The first  “Road to a Friend’s House is never long”, then “Dream and finally, “Far East”.

     

 

I think that’s about it for now.  I have several tags I’ve been playing with the color.  But I still have two items to go for this month’s swaps!  Guess I’d better get busy.  Thanks again for stopping by.  I love to have visitors!

Always,

Kerry

It’s Been a While!

Oh my.  When I logged onto my blog I was shocked to see that it’s been a month since I was last here.   I certainly didn’t mean to be gone so long.   I’ve kept busy in my ARTHaven working on various projects.  A couple of years ago I happened upon a blog of a woman who decorated wooden purses.  She had many, many styles and they were all decorated so brightly and with various themes.  I decided I’d give it a try.  So I researched a couple ways to cover them, using paint, paper or material.  I found some lovely material that would work. 

I then remembered some paper I ordered and never used.  First I had to find where I put it and finally, in a corner there it stood.  The pictures aren’t the best – hard to hold rolled up paper and the camera! 

These are all oriental papers.  I make a copy of the paper and use that, saving the original for other projects.  Paints used can be any type of craft paint.  I did one purse in oriental paper – red, and forgot to take a picture of it.  The next purse, still in progress, is the same type but by changing the paper can change the style of the purse in a flash. 

I also worked on some decoupage, one of my favorite crafts to do.  Sometimes just sitting and cutting out the little flowers can be so relaxing.  This is a chest I’m making, just about finished.  Wouldn’t it make a cute box on top of your dresser to hold your treasures?

Those are just a few things I’ve been working on.  I’m also working on a board book, a book of memories for a very special person in my life. 

And on a very sad note.  July 4, 2010, my beautiful golden retriever, Barnabus, aka Barney, collapsed and died.  The vet said it was a massive cardiac episode.  Barney was only in my life for a short six years – but he made a big impression.  He left a large hole and an empty spot for his companion, our female golden retriever Meggie MaGee. 

We are currently going through the process of adopting a rescue dog through GRREAT – Golden Retriever Rescue, Education and Training – the local golden rescue in our area.  We’ve been through the interview and home study and are just awaiting our letter of dogs that are available. 

Gosh, now I know why I haven’t updated the blog – I’ve been busy!  I worked on this card, which I thought turned out to be one of my most favorite cards – it is for my mother, who is very ill and is now in hospice.  Dementia has taken over – how I’ve come to hate that word.  She doesn’t remember many people at all and at times doesn’t even remember me. 

That’s it.  I’ve held you captive long enough.  I have more but will make that another entry.  Thank you for stopping by and gazing at the pieces I’ve made.  I’d love to know that you were here. 

Kerry

Buttons and Bows

The  group I am with ARTHavenCreations_Friendships has several swaps every month.  Another one that I signed up to participate in is Button Fairies.   It is such a simple project.  You take a picture of anybody – it can be family, friend or unknown.   Make some wings however you wish, place your picture on the wings and attach some buttons or other little embellishments.  Attached is my interpretation of my button fairy --

Hope you enjoy my button fairy.  Thank you for stopping by.