Thursday, December 1, 2016

Tis the Season

Fa La La La La....

As usual, the Christmas season is here and I'm looking for the pause button.

Oh well - there's always next year.


So - for the December Mixed Media Monthly Challenge, our theme is "Merry and Bright". The design team members are using Sizzix die cuts from our sponsor this month Eileen Hull. The winner of our challenge will receive one of her dies.



I made a gift box and treat tray using some various holiday papers from my old Christmas scrapbook paper box, and some ribbon and trim I had. I also have some older Stampin Up stamps and punches that I still love using.



I hope you can play along. Make sure you visit each designer's blog and leave some comment love for them... we LOVE hearing from you all!


Please follow these rules to be eligible for placements and prizes. Entries not following our rules will be deleted.

* You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post.
* You must comment on at least 3 design team member's blogs. * Your post must link back to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge post
* Add a link to your direct post, not your entire blog, a YouTube Video or a Pinterest Board
* You can combine with up to 4 other challenges.
* No Backlinking (linking a project completed before the start date of our challenge) allowed! Any back-linked entries will be deleted.
* You can enter up to 5 times, create whatever you want, and HAVE FUN!


You have until 11:55 pm EST on December 31th to enter!

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Back at the Coast one more time...

The Mister and I enjoyed our second time at Cruising the Coast this October. We enjoyed watching the car parade along the Beach Boulevard as well as visiting the various car shows.





We got back and had another art crawl, then a haunted house at the youth theater, then my daughter was in Romeo and Juliet at the youth theater. I helped paint some of the set.






Then it was November and it's already Thanksgiving. Art crawl is this week and I'm so behind.

And now the Christmas Season is here! OH MY!!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!



Saturday, October 1, 2016

Louisiana Life and Cool Breezes!

I'm loving the cool breezes that have been working their way into Louisiana. It's been a hot summer, as usual, and the nice chill in the morning is so welcome. My husband's co workers decorated their breakroom with Halloween decor back in August - so I think they have been ready for cooler temps, too.

The theme for October is Fall/Halloween Mood board:


and the Sponsor this month is Stampotique. They are giving a $30 gift certificate to the challenge winner.



Stampotique sent me some of their stamps to use on this challenge. I received  C.U.Later Gator, Picket Fence, Vintage Script, 3 Daisies. I love the gator because I live in Louisiana and so I went with a Halloween theme.


For my "Bayou Boo" wall hanging, I used scrap wood (6" x 12"), papers, paint, stamps and ink on this. The tombstones were cut from patterned paper that had alphabet on it. I added some ribbon to the back so it could hang. 

Here are some closeup images.




I stamped the picket fence stamp directly onto the scene. Somehow, all these images flowed together with the theme.

I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To play along with the October challenge, post your entries on the link at the main challenge blog page.

Please follow these rules to be eligible for placements and prizes. Entries not following our rules will be deleted.

* You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post.
* You must comment on at least 3 design team member's blogs.
* Your post must link back to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge post
* Add a link to your direct post, not your entire blog, a YouTube Video or a Pinterest Board
* You can combine with up to 4 other challenges.
* No Backlinking allowed! Any back-linked entries will be deleted.
* You can enter up to 5 times, create whatever you want, and HAVE FUN!

You have until 11:55 pm EST on October 31th to enter!

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Coastal Wall Decor Mixed Media

Summer is never over for me, at least in my heart. I'm winding down as school starts up by making this coastal themed wall canvas.

The theme for September's Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog is "Rustic".





Our sponsor this month is Canvas Corp.  Since my scrapbooking days, I have loved Canvas Corp's products. (Tattered Angels, 7Gypsies, etc).



In addition to scrapbook products, they have canvases, totes, fabrics, etc! They send me a generous supply of products that are just up my alley. One of them was a 12" x 24" burlap covered canvas and some heavy weight paper that looked like worn wood. I used some of the coastal themed patterned papers, glimmer mists and paints and created this fun coastal themed wall canvas.



I loved using the glimmer mist products. I "dyed" the "paradise" tag turquoise with it so it would coordinate with my color scheme. I even used it to "paint" the sides of the canvas. So much fun. I went through my stash of "summer 2016 seashells" and found some with natural holes in them and strung them up and attached them to my canvas twine. I glued another shell on one of the tags. So many endless possibilities!!

Want to play along and have a shot at winning a prize? Please follow these rules to be eligible for placements and prizes. Entries not following our rules will be deleted.

* You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post.
* You must comment on at least 3 design team member's blogs. 
* Your post must link back to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge post
* Add a link to your direct post, not your entire blog, a YouTube Video or a Pinterest Board
* You can combine with up to 4 other challenges. 
* No Backlinking allowed! Any back-linked entries will be deleted.
* You can enter up to 5 times, create whatever you want, and HAVE FUN!

You have until 11:55 pm EST on September 30th to enter!

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Upcycling with Indigo Dye Part Two

Yesterday I started a post about the shibori tie dye method using natural indigo dye.

Today I'm showing more photos.


 I wore gloved because this will stain your skin.



In this photo, I'm cutting the strings on one of the pieces I tied.


Rinsing the pieces in clear water.


My Lucky Brand shirt after I dunked it briefly for more color. Still in oxidating stage.


My sister-in-law gave me most of these items to play with. My backyard looked like a hippie village. LOL. 

So, everything had been laundered a second time (to make sure the dye was washed out) and here are what my new pieces look like.



This is my Lucky Brand shirt. I just love it. It's so soft.

This is the Old Navy cami. I wore this to a store right after taking the photo and the clerk immediately said "I love your outfit". 

And so for the final photo - the sale rack cold shoulder dress that started it all. I had decided that I wanted a coral color for my clearance rack ivory dress. I picked up some Rit dye colors that should have given me a coral, but instead came out pink - still pretty.  My daughter was intrigued with this, so she wanted a dress and believe it or not there was ONE LEFT at the store (Target) on the clearance rack. Since I had already used the indigo kit - she wanted - you guessed it BLUE - so I went with more Rit. (note -after the fact, I realized that I should have bought the dye for synthetic fabrics since the nylon slip it came with would have taken the color. Still learning!)  So here we are on Father's Day with our (first ever) Mother / Daughter dresses. 


This whole adventure was so much fun. I will be keeping my eye out for a great bargain on white cotton sheets so I can transform them into something - just for fun. 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope I have inspired you to try something like this. Let me know if you do.


Monday, August 8, 2016

Upcycling with Indigo Dye Part One

I recently bought a dress on a clearance rack. It was ivory and adorable, but it's pale color made me think of a night shirt, so after I wore it once, I decided I would dye it. While looking at various options and fell in love with the indigo dye kits I saw. I mean - fascinated! I think it was because it was the beginning of summer and I had just returned from the beach. I was in love with blue and white.

So, I ordered this indigo dye kit.  I liked the fact that it was all natural and so ancient. While I waited for it to arrive, I went to the thrift store for some white pieces to experiment with.

I found a white Lucky Brand long sleeve shirt that I loved just as it was... but alas, I had to offer it up for the experiment. I also found an Old Navy spaghetti strap cotton cami . Again - I loved it as it was but had to use it. 

Aren't they just gorgeous? When my sister-in-law heard of my adventure - she offered up several willing victims. So, I read up on the Shibori tie die methods. The folding, the wrapping on poles, the threading - all of it. I gathered all my pieces up one morning and began folding, wrapping and tying everything up. A friend gave me a large PCV pipe to use, and I found a smaller spare rod so I could try different things.  Here's my pile of willing victims.

So, I moved this experiment outside. I had a tin tub, and a large white bucket. I mixed the dye according to directions and let it set.  The following are some random photos my daughter took while I worked.


Notice the green color? It changed color as the air gets to it.



Below is one of the pieces I wrapped around a large pole. 



When I removed them from the dye - I placed them in the tin bucket and rinsed with water. Then I set them out to dry while other pieces where placed in the dye. I had an assembly line going!





One of my helpers inspecting everything.


This is my Lucky Brand shirt. Isn't this stage pretty?


 This is a pillow case. I plan to do an entire sheet set just for fun. :)



I put my Lucky Brand shirt back into the dye briefly to make it more blue.

That's all for today!
Check back tomorrow for more photos and final pictures - including the dresses that started this adventure! 

Monday, August 1, 2016

Travel and Summer

Summer is a wonderful time for traveling. My favorite place to go is to the beach - any beach, but I love Florida's Emerald coast.

The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog has embraced the travel theme for this month's challenge. I found this one quite easy to do. I went with a simple beach scene. Who wouldn't want to be there now?



I found the red reclaimed frame in a thrift store and just had to have it.

The sponsor for the Mixed Media Challenge Blog this month is Lindsay Weirich. She has a HUGE You Tube Channel. She is known as The Frugal Crafter. She is offering a free spot in her new online Craftsy Class called Mix It Up Mixed Media for our winner!  She is ALSO offering a half off code to her class to all our viewers. Here is the code for the discount


Be sure to enter the challenge for a chance at her prize.

Please follow these rules to be eligible for placements and prizes. Entries not following our rules will be deleted.

* You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post.
* You must comment on at least 3 design team member's blogs. 
* Your post must link back to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge post
* Add a link to your direct post, not your entire blog, a YouTube Video or a Pinterest Board
* You can combine with up to 4 other challenges. 
* No Backlinking allowed! Any back-linked entries will be deleted.
* You can enter up to 5 times, create whatever you want, and HAVE FUN!

You have until 11:55 pm EST on August 31 st to enter!

Friday, July 1, 2016

July Mixed Media and Stars

Mixed media is one of my favorite things to work with as of late. I also love words and letters.  I have had the background on this piece for several months and the letters for "dream" sitting on it waiting for some time to devote to it and actually finish it. This month's Mixed Media Monthly Challenge "Reach for the Stars" was perfect. 

If you are new to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog, it's just that - a challenge to get you motivated to create - anything - using mixed media. This month Seth Apter is our guest designer and sponsor. He will be giving away this stamp set from Impression Obsession called Faded Fragments. So, I hope you can play along. Instructions on how to play are at the bottom of this post.



So, for this month's challenge, I found a wonderful quote relating to dreams and stars. I used patterned paper, chipboard, stickers, paint and stamps and ink. 


Please follow these rules to be eligible for placements and prizes. Entries not following our rules will be deleted.

* You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post.
* You must comment on at least 3 design team member's blogs. 
* Your post must link back to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge post
* Add a link to your direct post, not your entire blog, a YouTube Video or a Pinterest Board
* You can combine with up to 4 other challenges. 
* No Backlinking allowed! Any back-linked entries will be deleted.
* You can enter up to 5 times, create whatever you want, and HAVE FUN!Please follow these rules to be eligible for placements and prizes. Entries not following our rules will be deleted.

* You must use our challenge graphic in your challenge post.
* You must comment on at least 3 design team member's blogs. 
* Your post must link back to the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge post
* Add a link to your direct post, not your entire blog, a YouTube Video or a Pinterest Board
* You can combine with up to 4 other challenges. 
* No Backlinking allowed! Any back-linked entries will be deleted.
* You can enter up to 5 times, create whatever you want, and HAVE FUN!

Monday, June 27, 2016

The Beaches of Summer

Summer is here, but for me - summer was here way back in the spring. It started off in early May with a few of my girlfriend's from high school. We rented a beautiful condo on Seacreast Beach just west of Panama City on the beautiful 30A scenic highway. We spent most of our days talking and laughing on the beach that was almost empty except for a few people. I took my morning walks completely alone on the beautiful sandy beach. Here are my foot prints. 


One set coming and one set going. I never met anyone while I was walking. Just a few sandpipers who I enjoyed annoying by following them.



Crystal blue waters that on some days didn't even have a wave. I picked up large seashells just by looking down and seeing them in the shallow water. 


We didn't get out and explore the beautiful community like I would love to do, but I did go to Grayton Beach area to visit Andy Saczynski's art studio. I bought this beautiful print. He's such a nice guy. Drop in and see his beautiful art if you are in the area.


Evenings were cool but beautiful. And yes, we saw dolphins.

These photos were taken from our balcony with my telephoto lense. So magical to see them.


Then a month later I went to Orange Beach in Alabama as the photographer for a ladies retreat. I got up around 5:30 every morning to see this beautiful sunrise.


Sunrise on Orange Beach


I had the most wonderful mornings on Orange Beach. I found a sanddollar, starfish and an embarrassing amount of seashells. I have never in all my beach combing days have seen so many shells in one place. I had the ladies so excited they all came out the last morning to collect shells. 




Another stage of the beautiful sunrise. 


Just example of the shells laying on the beach and if you look in the background, you can see the clusters of shells along the shore. Amazing.





I had three very wonderful ladies agree to be models for me one evening at sunset. I had to let my creative juices flow and I think people on the beach thought they were models - well, they were. It was so much fun.


I'm already looking forward to going back to the beach. I love summer.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!