Journal

I made a cover for the  stack of painted pages I painted when I was bored  journal pages I had amassed.

I reinforced the side of the book cover with thin chipboard covered in metal tape. I attached the dragonfly brooch to the cover with E6000 and then for added cuteness I used thin copper wire and stitched it to the books cover. The large silver dandelion embellishment is a Darice embossing folder imprint which I used metal tape with as well.
I do not like to journal at all, but I do like making things.... so I guess I would put this book into more along the lines of being a glue book... or even a smash book.

Yes, that's my story and I am sticking to it...
I added an old vintage letter to one page that I simply sealed closed against the page with a sticker.... you just know at some point someone is going to peel off that sticker and read the letter... I would.

I also added an old envelope to one page and stuffed an old art piece of mine I had in a box into it....

I like the process of making something....  cutting, gluing, painting, distressing... you know.
I added a lot of scrap booking paper to this book as you can see. No excuses, I just love the images on the paper.... I buy it then never use it, I am sure you can all relate! I decided to start actually using it! *gasp* I added some velum over some of the pages for writing, and some I am planning on doing a white-wash finish over the top making another area for writing... (not that I am going to write in it)

 Recently though, I am especially fond of being able to set something aside and work on it at a much later time when the mood strikes. Although I don't consider any of these pages "finished" as of yet... I am happy to set them aside for now....
 I have other thoughts on my mind..... As part of my Birthmonth gift to myself (starting in September) I have decided I want another pirate store in my backyard. I have been looking online for some plans to build one and I think I have found the perfect plans for building such a store.

Isn't it fabulous? It is a biggie, 10 x 12... I may have to make it 10 x 10 to fit the space I was wanting it to fit.... but it looks easy enough to shorten. (I hope!) Of course my version is going to be a pirate store not a green house, but the basic frame is something I can use.
So, now comes the HUGE domino effect that is going to be underway in my backyard with all the plants needing to be moved and transplanted, along with finding new spots for the pirate props. Adding more drip irrigation... and then of course the actual building of the pirate store itself. All doable... but eiy-eiy-eiy... what am I getting myself into?
big hugs,
 

Paintin'

Still feeling artistically restless... I pulled out my acrylic paints thinking that might soothe my artistic soul...

It didn't.

Although, it was nice to paint...for a while anyway.

The upside? I now I have a huge stack of painted papers to do something else with. *wink*
 
I think next I'll try my hand at making some art journals.
big hugs,

Keeping Busy

I have been busy in my studio making some new necklaces. I whipped up an Alice in Wonderland necklace~
Here is a close up of the fun dangling charms.

A blue necklace made with glass beads and a piece of a blue dyed abalone shell.

I feel like I should be "doing something"... I have no idea what that is--- and until I figure what it is, I thought I'd keep myself busy.

Here is another necklace with some abalone pieces and pearls worked into it...

I love the image of the Virgin Mary inside the rose. Beautiful~

I also made a Holy Cross necklace using some vintage pieces of a rosary and some glass beads. The gold plating on the Cross itself has worn away. I wonder if the gold on the Cross was worn away because it was held often in someones hand as a source of strength and comfort... I'd like to think so~

Maybe I'll try my hand at doing some painting next.... Its like I have a creative itch I just can't scratch!
big hugs,

San Juan Batista

This past weekend we went to San Juan Batista to par-take in the vintage street market they host every year. It was lovely, cool weather perfect for walking through the streets of the town hitting all the local's yard sales before going to the vintage market itself.

I just HAD to get this three tiered raccoon objet d'art seeing how there was "the mother of all raccoons" in my backyard this past year. *wink* It was only $8-- that is practically free!

 At one yard sale I spied this bag full of treasures...
I was intrigued... a dollar you say? Whatever they were... they were going to be MINE.... so, you ask, what are they?
Bamboo and fabric lanterns. Twenty one of them.... mine-mine-mine. Perfect for my pirate yard!
*slight pause for major cuteness* Here is my neighbor's cat Bear hanging out in amongst the plants in the lagoon watching me playin'... cute...
 I also scored another block, this one was only $6... and is the heaviest one I own to date. I also scored on the anchor for only $4 and the little aged brass pot for $1. What treasures!
I also got to visit with my friend Susan and my new friend Stephanie (who is now the co-owner of Bella Dona in San Juan Batista. They are both so sweet and it is reflected in the great vibe their store has.
 They swung open the gate to their stores courtyard which was filled to capacity with vintage treasures. This gate is located on the main street of the vintage market and it was so cute, it just pulled the people from the street into their business. Smart thinking girls! It took me forever to get a photo without any people in it *wink*

I managed to find some treasures locally...  I scored two wrought iron candelabras for only $7 for the pair.

These two masks were a little pricey... The large one was $10 and the smaller one was $6. C'est la vie~ I buy things so cheaply all the time, I can occasionally spend a smidge more than I normally would on a few things--- and it makes good business sense in the long run when you keep your "pickers" happy. 
I scored on the huge Asian statue.... it was only $10. The little carved wooden statue $1, and the huge shell $3~
 Next Saturday I am going to be having my own yard sale... *sigh* it is totally going to bum me out as I'd rather be going to some then having one!
big hugs,

Repurposing Altoid Containers

I recently bought a large lot of empty Altoid and various other tin containers. Forty-one tins for $3.00... how could I not buy them?
 
 I also bought myself a Sizzix Big Kick for my upcoming birthday month.. which actually starts next month. But why procrastinate right? Of course along with the Big Kick... I had to buy a bunch of embossing folders which would be ideal to use on the tops of all those tins I had just bought. Hmmmmm that $3.00 investment in those tins just cost a heck of a lot more. *wink*

The first thing I did to repurpose the tins was to spray paint the containers silver, this gave every tin a nice uniform look. Plus, the silver would go perfect with the metal tape I was planning on using. Here are the tins with the embossed lids without any distressing. Super caute!

 Here are the Altoid tins after I distressed them with paint. I used black and copper acrylic paint to give the metal an old aged patina. They never photograph as nice as they look in person. I used mostly Darice embossing folders... and a few Tim Holtz folders too.

 I am loving the Big Kick machine I bought! Oh.My.Goodness. I've got the embossing down... now I am looking forward to die cutting and finding other uses for the machine as well. So far this has been the best birthday gift I've gotten this year--- and my birthdaymonth doesn't start until next month! *wink*

This week, I am eagerly awaiting a shipment of die cuts that I just bid on and won off of Ebay. lol... don't judge me. *wink*
big hugs,