Life Book Week Five

Oh boy, this week came by fast!  I can’t believe it’s almost February!  Where does the time go when you’re having fun!

For Life Book Week Five, we had the sensational Rachael Rice who instructed us on how to make a dream catcher.

I used a vintage doily I bought in Ruidso, New Mexico at an antique store.  I think I’ll be buying more of these to use in future projects.

Here is a close up of the doily.  I tried adding dimensional fabric paint, but I guess I didn’t wait long enough (Yes, one of my intentions for this year is to have patience) so it ran a bit.  I’ll let it go for now and see how I can fix it later.

The next project was a bonus by the ever joyful Tamara Laporte, who by the way, posted a most beautiful mixed media video on how to create whimsical florals.  It is in double time, but you can get lots of ideas from it and create your own.  So on to my project from Tamara this week:

I love the way this one came out.  I also used one of Unity Stamps quotes that fits perfectly with the intention of the feather.

Here is a close up of the quote:

There was an empty space there before, so even though Tamara wanted us to leave plenty of white space; I don’t think this quote will interfere with the rest of the page.

For more information about the projects I’ve been creating, and to sign up for this year-long class go visit Willowing Art.  She has a free four-week course when you sign up for her newsletter.  Great way to get your feet wet and see what Tamara is all about.

All the projects created for this class are on 11×14 watercolor paper.  At the end of the year, all the pages will be bound into a journal we will be making ourselves.

Thanks for visiting today!

Happy crafting!

Carmen

Life Book 2015 Week Four

Hello friends, today is Sunday and I’m getting over a headache.  I hadn’t had a chance to post my project because I felt it was not quite finished.

The wonderful Patti Ballard was the teacher on Life Book 2015 this week.  She posted a bonus project for us and I must admit, I had some issues with it because the girl she painted is not my style, but I decided to follow her video which was in fast speed and see what I could come up with.

I took some circus themed papers and used them as background for this tight rope walker.

I was a little bummed out because my watercolor paper got all warped, but I learned my lesson.  From now on, I will tape it to the paper pack and it should hold its shape.

By the way, I started a watercolor class at El Paso Community College and I learned several tips on working with watercolor paper and watercolor paint that will help me a lot during the Life Book class as well.

Here is the close up of the face:

The eyes are so small, I could get any details done on it; so I’m going to draw another one, just for me in my style and see how it comes out.  Yes, my inner critic is fighting with me – “no good, no good”  Arrgh  Must. Not. Listen.

Here’s another view of the top of the page.  You can see the collaged paper a little bit better:

And here is the bottom of the page.  You can see how I added glitter to her skirt and a close up of the quote by David Niven that I thought was very appropriate for this page.

Stay tuned for more Life Book.  Every Monday we get a new project!!  Yay!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Hugs, Carmen

Mixed Media Whimsical Cat

A Facebook friend/old classmate of mine saw one of the canvases I made for Life Book 2015 so she asked me to make her a whimsical cat.  I didn’t take a picture of the finished product, but I did before I added the sign and a butterfly.  She promised to take a picture when she gets it; in the mean time here it is!

This is an 8×10 canvas.  I collaged some designer paper, painted a tree with branches, stenciled in some modeling paste for texture and for the leaves, and added rub-ons.  I made a wooden sign that said “Cats Leave Paw Prints On Our Hearts” and hung it on the tree.

I also made a 3D butterfly and glued it on the trunk.

I will update the picture when I get a copy of the finished product.

Thanks for coming over to visit today!!

Create something awesome today!!

Carmen

Here’s the update on the Whimsical Cat.

I added a crown (Yes, cats think they are the masters of the universe), and the sign “nailed” to the tree

“Cats leave paw prints on our hearts”

I used balsa wood and stenciled in the letters and the paw prints

Thanks Marilyn Lefler Miller for sending me the pictures!!

Love your pets!

Sympathy Card and Teapot

 Hello everyone!  Today I am sharing a project I made for a dear friend of mine who lost her husband unexpectedly.  I made one for her mother a couple of years ago when she was going through Cancer and she loved it, so I surprised her with this one made especially for her.

I used the  Honey Bee SVG file from SVG Cuts

Her favorite color is burgundy and I was fortunate to find the K&Company paper that matched exactly for the panels

I also made her a sympathy card using a couple of Unity Stamps.

Beautiful Life Blessed Memories Sentiment Kit

I used watercolors to color the image and stamp the sentiment.  I also used one of the sentiments for the inside of the card.

Thanks for coming over to visit today!

Happy crafting!!

Coffee and Love

For today’s project I created a 12×12 mixed media canvas

 

Since love is on every one’s mind these days.  I thought I would combine coffee and love.  I collaged papers that had coffee related words as well as some pink dots and cupcakes.  I also used acrylic paints, glass bead paste, stamps, stencils, washi tape and glossy accents on the heart.

The SVG file I used was All I Need.  The description says “vinyl design perfect for your wall or to mount on a board, tile, or mirror.”  It was intended to be cut out of vinyl, but I used paper in different colors instead

I modified the file by adding the word LOVE to the bottom from

Blooming Love Card

This is a closeup of the top

This is a closeup of the bottom

There are so many ways to use these files, I hope I have given an idea so you can create something new today.

Thanks for coming by.

Go create something awesome!!

Carmen

Forever & Always Blog Hop

Welcome to the SVG Attic–SnapDragon Snippets Forever & Always blog hop!  We are so excited to have you join us today!

At each stop of the hop we hope you will be inspired by the creativity of the design teams of SVG Attic and Snapdragon Snippets. You are sure to find many wonderful projects that will be at the top of your crafting lists!

 

You should be arriving from Courtney ‘s blog. If you happened across this post out of order, please head to the SVG Attic blog to start at the beginning of the hop.

Here is the project I created for this hop:

A Happy 50th Anniversay card

using two different SVG files the Vintage Valentine Pyramid Card

and the cake from the Classic Wedding  file.

I used Graphics 45 paper Le Romantique Collection

This is the left side

and this is the right side

The Vintage Valentine pyramid card is easily folded and fits just right in the envelope provided

This picture shows the flap with the hearts

and this is the inside of the envelope.  I also used the same papers.

I hope you have enjoyed my project and please follow my blog .

Now how about some blog hop prizes??

$15 Gift Certificate to SVG Attic

and

$15 Gift Certificate to SnapDragon Snippets

What do you need to do to be eligible for these amazing prizes?

1.  Become a follower of each blog in the hop, if you aren’t already. 

2.  Leave some comment love at each stop.

3.  If you do both of the above, check back here at the SVG Attic blog and/or the SnapDragon Snippets blog for the winners on Monday, January 19th!  You have all day today and tomorrow to hop. 

We would also love it if you would stop by the SVG Attic and SnapDragon Snippets’ Facebook pages and give us a “Like”!

Here is the complete blog hop lineup:

SVG Attic blog

Cyndy

Angeline

Beth

Courtney 

Carmen  (You are here)

Jodi (Go here next)

Esther

Debb

Julie

Valou

Shary

Rhonda

Gaby

SnapDragon Snippets blog

I hope you have enjoyed this stop on our hop!  Be sure to head on over to the other stops for more love/Valentine’s Day inspiration, comment and become a follower to be eligible for the prizes!

Life Book 2015

Back in October 2014 I left a message on Patty Ballard’s http://www.pbsartstudio.com/#! blog hop for a chance to win a spot in Life Book 2015.  I didn’t win – at first – but the winner did not answer Patty’s email so she chose an alternate – and that was me!!!

Life Book 2015  is a year long, chuck full of artsy stuff, art class organized by Tamara Laporte from Willowing Arts .  Twenty five artists post wonderful videos with “how to” projects.   LB started January 1st, and I’ve been having the time of my life learning new techniques and making art projects to fill a journal at the end of the year.  I used 11×14 140# cold pressed water color paper.  I have plenty of room to create!

Tamara Laport started us off in Week One with a whimsical girl, which I enjoyed drawing:

My Beacon of Light

Close up of the face

What really guides me is God’s work from Psalm 119:105

Week Two

Roben Marie Smith – www.robenmarie.com showed us how to create an awesome tag.

I used some of the paper I created with my gelli plate.

Tam also posted a video on how to make a happy jar which I tagged as “My Jar of Awesome Happiness”

This will hold small pieces of paper with all the different awesome and happy events in my life.  The idea is to open the jar, unfold the papers at different times of the year, and remember those times – what a great idea!!

Week Three

Joanne Sharpe – http://joannezsharpe.blogspot.co.uk

I’ve been admiring Joanne’s Sharpe artful lettering for years.  I even have a video with her techniques, but never even opened up to see what it was all about.  Fortunately, she was one of the instructors.

I made two different versions:

I used Koi watercolors on dry paper in this version so the colors are very bright and not well blended, but I did add some Zentangling to the letters, and

this is the second version:

I used the wet on wet technique and the colors came out very subtle.

Even though I thought the first one was too overpowering, I tend to like it much better.

What do you think?

Leave a comment and let me know which one you like best and thanks in advance!

Thanks for visiting and be sure to come back because I’ll be posting my creations every week!

Make art everyday!

Feel Better Box

It’s flu and cold season once again this year and what better way to make someone feel better than to give them a box full of tea and chocolate.

I took a cigar box, like the one here: 

and transformed it into this:

I mod podged designer paper on all sides, pink and white doilies, and added stamped images and molding paste through a snowflake stencil.  I added some distress ink to the paste to make it pink, ribbons, and bakers twine for the banner.  I also added some pearls to the snowflakes.  The clear knob is from my stash as well as the metal corners.

The Get Better banner is from the Nested Alphabet file.  I resized the letters to fit the front of the box and layered them with three different colors of paper.  

 The bear on the front is from the Frosty Friends file.  I added felting powder to the bear paper to add texture.

For the inside of the box, I added a tag with a sentiment from Unity Stamp to cover up the knob’s screw and stamped snowflakes all over.  I also added a piece of felt to the bottom of the box.

I also made a bear card is from Frosty Friends.  I stamped a sentiment from Unity Stamps inside.

I covered the tea bags with tissue paper, added a snowflake, and ribbon through the hole.  I did the same for the chocolate bar, yumm!

And so there you have a  feeel better box full of tea and chocolate for someone under the weather, or make it for yourself; it should make you feel better every time you open a tea bag and boil yourself a cup!

 

Until next time, keep warm and cozy!

Carmen Lucero