CCC #31-Rusted Enamel

On Page 41 of Tim Holtz' Compendium of Curiosities book you will find the instructions on how to make "Rusted Enamel".  And at Linda Ledbetter's Studio L3 you will find a challenge based on those instructions.  I'm not telling you any more.

You've got feet.  Check it out.

So THIS is what I made:

I used Wild Honey and Vintage Photo distress Inks.

Now here's the deal.

Look a bit closer:

When I got this done, I thought it looked a lot like leather.  and then I remembered that I hadn't done my purse yet for February's Artful Bag Challenge at Frosted Petunias.

The bag is supposed to be an altered object.

I had bought something to alter and it is in fact sitting on my desk looking at me woefully.

Change in plans.

You know how something just

evolves?

Well,. that's what happened with this.

It started out as a background for something I was going to make to the CCC Challenge.

I

altered it

to make it into a purse.

I'll admit, the purse police (if they do indeed exist) would argue that I didn't really

alter

an object, per se.

I don't care.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

And it's FULL of makeup and money, BTW.

Blackbird

I'm playing catch up today.  For the past couple of weeks I haven't been able to sit at the computer, (nor go up and down stairs, for that matter) due to an infection in my leg. I've just been sitting on the couch with it encased in ice.

 And TODAY I CAN BEND IT!

I am so happy.

So now I have a couple of things to post.

First

this week at Take A Word the theme is

Blackbird

As soon as I saw that I started singing the Beatle's song of the same name. 

(and I haven't stopped since)

OK, so here goes:

The background is by Doris Castle.

The flying mannequin (I think that's what she is called) is by Beth Rimmer.

The hats on both are by Fidlette Designs.

The Bird Cage is by Valerie Brincheck.

The blackbird (which could possibly be a crow, but who would know?) is by Lisa's Altered Art.

Didn't I do well remembering?

I'm impressed with myself.

Hold your applause, it probably won't last.

but thanks just the same.

Love is in the air

and in the home.

According to the Order of the Opus gluei, that is.

Their Challenge #89 is to create something for the home.

Now I admire all these pretty banners that everyone seems to be making these days and I say to myself, "Well, Self.  You have no need of one of those, you live alone.  Who would care?"

I'm happy to say, I have had a change of heart.

Well, an epiphany, actually.

I've decided

I

would care.

So there.

And

I

made one for

MYSELF

Yes, I did!

I've come a long way Baby.

Now, you need to go see the Poobahs at

The Order of The Opus Gluei

I'll see you there.

Friday Fill In 2011-06

1. Family _is all that really matters_.

2. _Life certainly does have its_ ups and downs.

3. Trust _your intuition, it will never lie to you_.

4. _I'm not sure it's all _ for the best.

5. Parents _have the toughest (and best) job in the world_.

6. _I will never deny_ what was said.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _some relief from pain_, tomorrow my plans include _being able to sit at the computer_ and Sunday, I want to _take part in the Digital Whisper Valentine's Party_!

See other Friday Fill Ins here.

see more dog and puppy pictures

My Workdesk

This is my new shelving unit.  Well, actually it's not really a shelving until, more like a drawer unit.  I built it meself.

But first I built it backwards.  The drawers would NOT go in.  I realized I had to take the whole stoopid thing apart and build it again.  PROPERLY.  So I did.

(Please ignore the overflowing drawer at the very bottom.  I'm dealing with that.)

Voila.

And THIS

is how my paper is now organized.

THIS

is another VERY organized corner of my studio.

And THIS, my friends

is my actual workdesk.  Are you impressed?

Hah!  I am.

That's the last time you'll see it this clean.

As sure as the sun will rise in the morning and set at night.

The LAST time.

Be sure to go see lots more desks, probably much more active ones here.

This pretty little girl is from Art Creations Friday'sChallenge #103.

And THIS:

is what I've done.

I would love to tell you where I got all the elements, but that just isn't going to happen.  I thought I would make this kind of warm and cozy, cus it's REALLY cold just about everywhere in the world right now, it seems.  Hey, here's a tidbit.  Last night I went out on the back porch for a minute.  I was standing there, minding my own business, admiring the Big Dipper, and I turned around to go back into the house and....

I'll bet you think I'm going to say the door locked me out, aren't you?

Nope.

My slippers froze to the floor.

So when I turned around, they didn't turn with me.

I'll leave you with that image.

Victorian Amusements

Jeanette of Soartful challenges gave us a lovely image of a carousel horse this week:

It's lovely, isn't it?  Well, the first thought I had when I saw it was of a photo I took of our old-fashioned carousel at the zoo this past year.  So I combined them. But then it needed something else, something like, um, I know!  Victorian children!  So I googled "Victorian children" and found this interesting shot of these little darlings.  Look at the looks on their little faces.  Do ya think they're a happy bunch?  Now if you know me at all, you know that I generally add some kind of caption to my LO's.  THIS LO, however, begs to be titled by you, dear reader. 

I think it looks as if the horse is sneaking up on the little buggers and is going to scare the be-jee---  OOPS!  I said you could tell the story. 

OK, you're on.

What's up with this?

I can hardly wait.

Altered Metal With Paint

That's what the Compendium of Curiosities Challenge #30 is.

And I have made a self portrait:

I've used the technique on my lovely body. 

In it's former life it was an earring.

The arms are by Rian of Freubel, the legs and my lovely head are by Julia of Cemerony, the "artful Me' quote is by Lisa's Altered Art and the rest of it?  Well it's from my humungeous stash of course.  I had to tell you that?

She looks exactly like me, dontcha think?

Well, yes, her eyelashses are longer.

 Much, much longer.

But,

I wear that kind of skirt too.  Every day.  To work.

Belly dancing music follows me everywhere I go.

Are you still with me?

Well have a lovely day then.

Unless of course, you're making other plans.

TTFN

Charming

is this week's theme for Dezinaworld's Spot Prize Challenge and I made this.

I think this lady is fairly charming-do you?

I also think this is kind of Vintage-y

Do you?

Well, no mind , I've going to submit this for this week's challenge over at

Take A Word

So there.

Oh yeah, in my continueing mission to identify the sources of the elements I use in the stuff I make:

The background is by Catherine Designs, the charming lady is by Dezinaworld, the hot-to-trot dude is from Sum of All Crafts, the couch is from Deviant Art.  I must apologize, I can't tell you where I got the old-fashioned elements such as the suitcase (which is packed with sheer negligees, BTW), the fan and the screen.  Just somewhere on the 'Net.

Have a funny weekend, everyone!

Friday Fill Ins #4

And...here we go!

1. Up stairs there is all sorts of stuff going on.  Lucky we have cameras_.

2.  There is a nasty flu_ going around.

3. Coats and scarves, mittens and boots: _It must be winter_.

4. _I wish I had someone to give me_ a nice back rub.

5. I'm thinking about _that back rub now_.

6. _A back rub would_ be _so good right now_.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _my daughter coming home for the weekend_, tomorrow my plans include _some improvement in my infected leg_ and Sunday, I want to _visit more One World,One Heart blogs_!

There are many more Friday Fill ins here.

Wordless Wednesday

Shhhh, have you ever seen a chandelier in a Macdonalds?  Well, now you have but shhh, don't tell anyone.

See more Wordless Wednesdays here

Can't talk. Too late. Past my bedtime.

Challenge #88-Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

at The Order of the Opus Gluei

The little tot and her chickens are from clipart by Lisa's Altered Art.

Before the kid got hold of them, that is.

One World, One Heart begins today!

It's time!

The fifth and final One World One Heart

I have a giveaway as a participant!

Here it is:

It was kind of hard to photograph.

What it is, is

PINK!!

Some pink things to hang on your wall, a pink mini-carry-all, pink ribbons, flowers, fun flock, pen, stamp (well, that's clear, not pink) and all sorts of pink goodness.

All you have to do to win this is comment on this post.

I will draw for the winner on February 17, 2011 and announce the winner that day.

(Oh yeah, while you're here, don't forget to feed Lucy.  Let's see if we can fatten her up over the next 18 days!!)

Over 900 bloggers are taking part in this event and you can meet each and every one of them.  The majority of my bloggy-buddies, I met through One World, One Heart 2010.

Expand your horizons and make some new friends.

Check it out!

I'm caught up in my blurfing

so I made this for Peggy's Friday Foto Collage Challenge.

It's my parents on their wedding day.

Christmas gift for my daughter

My darling girl always says "How come you never make me anything cool, Mom?"
So I did.

and I'm just getting around to posting it for you to see.  I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

In case you don't know, all the papers are from Graphics 45.  Oh, I LOVE their stuff.

Remember the Titanic?

Well, of course you don't, you're WAAAAY too young.

For this tag, I used an image provided by Jeannette of Soartful Challenges.

The background is the weathered wood grunge technique from Tim Holtz' Compendium of Curiosities book

Here is a closer look:

.I won't tell you how it's done, but it's in his book.  Wander on over to StudioL3 and see lots more wonderful examples of this technique.

I'm leaving now.  See you over there!

I'm Home

and creating again.  Gee whiz, I found it hard to not be able to make anything the week I was away. So I shopped instead. lol

Today I combined a couple of challenges and came up with this:

It's an ATC for the Order of the Opus Gluei Challenge #87 Key to My Heart and for Art Creations Friday Challenge #102.

I call it "Why Do I Have To Do All The Heavy Lifting In This Relationship?"

It's good to be home.

(Added later)

When I went over to Art Creations Friday to post my link to the above photo, I scrolled down and learned that I had missed THIS

part of the instructions for this week's challenge.

(sometimes I wonder how I got to be the age I am)

ANYWAYS

(as my mother liked to say dismissively)

Here:

is my second attempt, using ALL of the parts I was supposed to use in the first place.

Can you believe me sometimes?

ROTFLMAO.

Friday Foto Collage

 

Isn't she cute? She's the image I've used from Friday Foto Collage this week.

THIS

 

is her re-incarceration.

In case you think I don't care about my blog anymore, I will tell you that for the last week, I have been 1000 miles away from home, dealing with some family stuff.  I fly home this evening, so the plan is to get back on track blurfing at all my friends' blogs.

Until then................ 

Did you know?

that today is 

Bubblewrap

Appreciation

Day!!

 

Having said that, this is my creation for Take A Word's BOTANICAL Challenge for the week.

Now go pop some bubble wrap.