Artsy~Fartsy

Showin' and a tellin'~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:35:00 +0000

Well, I didn't get toooooooo far on my Christmas decorating this year. I always have these huge plans..... and well.... I get busy. I did manage to put up the tree and hang the stockings I recently made, so I'm thinking this will have to do. Next year, seriously, I'm starting earlier. Soooooooooo here is my tree, it is white although it looks pink in the photos. Glittered balls, butterflys, stars, hearts, birds-- you name it, its on there. My husband asked me if I had enough tree to hold all of what I wanted to put on it. The answer? "No" I need more tree!The Christmas stockings I made~The fireplace mantel with white netting & lights and various flowers placed randomly here and there~Our magic elf that moves around the house when no one is paying attention. This elf has been in our family since our daughters first Christmas 24 years ago.I think the elf is feeding our cat Charlie on the sly as the two have a special bond. The hutch beside our kitchen table, nothing fancy-- greenery, lights and pinecone ornaments.The little mirror & shelf behind our table with pine boughs and glittered balls & red pinecones~No more room on the tree for any more glittered balls, so I've had to resort to placing them in containers.....more containers of balls, I made the tiny stockings using the scraps of fabric from the large Christmas stockings I made. I've got them stuffed with candy....Ohhhhhhhhhhhh and Santa's hat. He always leaves a spare at our house incase his gets lost while he is flying around droping off presents 'cause we're tight like that.The nativity set that was my parents when I was a child.Look at the beauty of this... amazing huh?A seashell wreath I made recently~My front door-- I made this last year~I had to resort to stacking some of the bazillion presents on the back of our sectional couch in our grandkids playroom as there is no room anywhere in our house for this huge mess of presents,presents, presents,and more presents... and even more that are needing to be wrapped. I'm getting tired of wrapping presents... I'm thinking of putting all the rest into gift bags!

You can see more Show & Tells over at Cindy's blog "My Romantic Home" Denise over at "Bella Dreams" is hosting her first blog party with the theme of everyone showing off their Christmas decorations and or craft ideas. Go check out the linky fun~ If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more, just click right here!

Cookie exchange!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:57:00 +0000

There is a cookie exchange party being hosted by Scrappy Jessi... if your wanting/needing some new cookie recipes go check out everyones recipes that they are sharing. I am reposting a FABULOUS recipe that I am over the moon for. Here is a wonderful sugar cookie recipe. It is absolutely fabulous, no lie. When you make these cookies you also need to make a bowl of air popped pop corn-- (for YOU to eat) and invite your super-skinny friends over because these suckers are loaded with calories! The cookies plus the frosting take a total of 5 sticks of butter!

Sugar cookies~

3 cups powdered sugar

2 cups butter or margarine, softened (thats 4 sticks!)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 eggs

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1. In a large bowl, beat together the 3 cups powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, 1 teaspoon almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
2. Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough into fourths. On lightly floured surface, roll each half 1/8 inch thick. I always add more flour to the dough as it is super sticky. I would say I add about 1/2 a cup to each dough (fourth....) so it doesn't stick to the rolling pin/cookie cutter and plastic cutting mat. Then cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. I put 8 on each cookie sheet~
3. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Did you know that a dark cookie sheet cooks things faster and darker? Anywho, once cooked, cool completely, about 30 minutes. Then frost away! Here is a wonderful frosting recipe that sets up nicely so you can stack the cookies...and it stays semi-soft.
Frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
food coloring of your choice & sprinkles if you desire~

Puttering~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:18:00 +0000

I've been puttering.... I changed this to look like this~

This...now looks like this~ These bird cages..... look so much better all matchy-matchy~ This little gold/plastic frame...looks soooooooooo much cuter painted white~I'm off to go play with some fabric scraps... I'm still in putter mode. Wait one second... December the 1rst already? What the heck??.... when did that happen??? nuts~

Happy Thanksgiving~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Wooden blocks~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:24:00 +0000

I picked up this bag of 80 wooden blocks about 6 months ago from a thift store for .50cents. I had no plan what I was going to use them for, but for .50cents I couldn't pass them up. Anywho, the blocks have been in and out of the "donation" bag for these past few months off and on-- so I thought I'd better think of something to use them for or out they go-- for real this time! I also picked up this wooden box with a hinged lid..... hmmmm then it hit me. duh~

Stringing beads!! Soooooo I drilled a hole in each one of them. Some are perfect :-) some not so perfect :-P but whoop-dee-doo right? After drilling holes in each one, I painted them with a flat black spray paint. Next comes the fun part~ I purchased these Disney Car stickers from Walmart for a dollar-- scanned them onto my computer, (I am so going to jail right?) printed them out itsy-bitsy size, cut each one out --- 160 in total (thank goodness I love to cut!) ... and then glued one onto each side of each block. Then I gave each block a coat of clear gloss. I painted the box black and added some car stickers and coated that with clear gloss as well. Now my grandson can lace them up to his hearts content.... so fun! Whew, a lot of work, but look how darn caute they are!

The other 40 are for my grandaughter, Chloe. For her set, I'm using Tinkerbell. I've got awhile before I'm needing to finish those up, she is only 10 months old~

Kimm is hosting a trash to treasure party on her blog: Reinvented... go check it out~ Kimba over at A soft Place to Land is also hosting a linky party~

Show & Tell~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:15:00 +0000

Well, I never thought I would get this garage finished... what a lot of time went into this! Anywho, enough moaning & groaning, its finished and I'm happy with it!

Here is the before and after photos.

I created the brick using illustration board. I've blogged about how I made the brick here. I used real grout to set the brick into place. I made a drawer under the garage floor by cutting off a piece of the wood base and adding foam core to create the drawer. Perfect for holding all the odds & ends that the garage is going to be needing. I've managed to pick up all of whats shown in the drawer from garage sales. I used a wheel for the drawer pull~

I used illustration board for the roof as well. I cut 1 inch by 1-1/2 inch pieces using my paper cutter and hot glued that in place all over the existing roof and then just painted it with nutmeg brown paint. For the inside I painted the walls white and used black & white checkered fabric for trim on the walls. Here is the down stairs.....The photo below is the upstairs~ I created the false wall using foam core. Those little cubbies will hold 5 cars.
I printed the car signs off of the web by googling "car signs" The neon sign that says "Hot Rod Garage" was found on a site that makes & sells neon signs, I just printed it out and cut it close to the image and glued it in place. I've still got a little bit more I'm wanting to do to this little garage. The door openings are the perfect size for a hot wheel track to fit inside of... I think it would be so neat to be able to have a car zoom out of the second story window, so I'm needing to make some supports for the tracks. Geeze, I can always think of more to do can't I.... anything to get out of housework!

You can also see more Show & Tells over at Cindy's blog "My Romantic Home" If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more, just click right here!

Bazillion...

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:26:00 +0000

thats how many projects I've got going on right now. A bazillion. Here is one that is almost near compleation... my grandson's garage. I've painted it inside and out (slight touch ups needed) added a roof, and laid the brick and grouted that. I added the name "Hot Rod Garage" in neon lights, nothing but the best for my grandson! I've even added a drawer to the underside of the garage to hold those all important car things~ (drawer not pictured)Now, comes the fun part, decorating the inside! I am trying to get this finished for this Fridays "Show & Tell" Its always nice to have a goal in mind... ignites that little flame under my butt~ I'll go into more detail of what I used, how I did it on Fridays post if anyone is interested.
Here is a photo of my grandson hiding in the base of my hall tree that I converted the bottom into a cat bed-- that they refuse to use~ Here is a link to that post...Ohhhhhhhh well... at least its getting used now!

Car shop~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:41:00 +0000

I picked up this miniature doll house at a second hand store for $6.I thought I could turn it into a garage for my 2 1/2 year old grandson to play with with his zillion and one match box cars. I'm wanting an old looking building with brick on the outside and maybe a brick floor as well. So of course, I'm needing some brick! I bought some illustration board which I cut into 1 x 1/2 inch pieces (This is not to scale, so for you purest miniature doll house builders-- sowwy) and painted them to look like brick. Obviously you wouldn't want to paint each one-- one by one... so I ran some glue down some sheets of paper and glued the "bricks" to that and just base coated everything with some terra cotta paint....Then a layer of sponged on black paint....then a layer of sponged on white paint...Taaaaaaaaaa daaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Brick! Now I've got to put the brick on the building. I'll just use regular elmers glue for that. Once that is finished and dried, I'll use real grout to morter the brick onto the building. (I've done this before, and it works beautifully!) Stay tuned for that part of the construction!

Christmas stockings~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Well, I finally finished this years Christmas stockings. I used a white embossed coverlet for the main fabric and I went with a pink insert for the inside of the stockings. I really love how they turned out! Simple, clean & shabby-ish~ I picked up these pearl letters at Michaels for $1 each. They have them every year in the dollar section. Of course, I can never just leave anything alone for long-- I may add a cuff to them~ maybe next year instead of making new stockings, I'll add the cuff! But for now, I've hot glued roses onto hair clippies covered with ribbon for a little soft touch above each letter. I think I'll make a bunch of little stockings to pass out to friends as well!

Mmm Mmm Monday~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:19:00 +0000

Here is another tasty easy-peasy recipe. It is a take off of Monkey bread. Well.... I made it into Monkey muffins! I used an apple slicer to cut up the biscuits into little cute bits which I then placed into muffin cups. Here is the recipe:

Monkey Muffins~
4 tubes refrigerated biscuit dough (get the cheapest)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix 2/3 cup white sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl. Open 1 can of biscuits and using one of those apple cutters that cuts and cores an apple into 8ths... cut each biscuit. I placed two cut up biscuits at a time into the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Once those were tossed and totally covered with the sugar and cinnamon I placed the biscuit bits into one muffin cup. So, two biscuits equal one muffin...(my muffins are biggins!) If your wanting a normal sized muffin, I would suggest only putting about 1 & 1/2 of one biscuit into each muffin cup. One biscuit per muffin cup would work as well... but then you'd just have to eat twice as many now wouldn't you~ Do this for all the remaining biscuits. Once the muffins cups are filled, bring to a boil the butter and the brown sugar and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spoon the butter/sugar over the biscuit pieces-- it was about 1 tablespoon per muffin cup. I also added walnuts on top of each muffin... might as well right?
Heat up your oven at 350 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Sure the paper sticks to the muffin here and there... but just consider that exercise while your eating it. Good thinking huh~

Fa-reeeeeeeeeeeee~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:03:00 +0000

Look at all these boxes of fa-reeeeee stuff I got today. Box upon box of neat craft stuff that I'm needing to sort through.....I went to a yard sale that had just wrapped up and the gal said, "Take what you want, its freeeeeeee" -- so, of course I did! Just take a peek inside some of these boxes... holy-moly! I didn't dig deep into each box, I just peeked and placed them in my truck! Whatever I don't want I'm going to donate to one of our local thrift stores :-)I'm never going to get my Christmas stockings finished as I've got all of this fun stuff to sort through!Unused patterns, paint, flowers, straw hats, bells, new stuffed animals, crocheted trim, ribbons, fabric, velvet, wooden things, floss, glue sticks, stickers, markers, transfers thats just what I've come across so far! Free, freeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, faaaaaaaa-reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~

O.M....

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:38:00 +0000

Gooooooooooooodness....November already??? But-but-I'm not ready for it to be NOVEMBER! I've got a zillion things in various stages of compleation~ oh who am I kidding, I keep starting things and stopping them the very same day! Personally I think it is low blood sugar as I'm trying to watch my calorie/fat/lard intake so I can really load up at Thanksgiving. Don't even think there is going to be anything green or healthy on my plate that day. Anywho, I started making new Christmas stockings, (I do this every year) I only need 6 and I'm making 8-- thats just how I roll. I'm using a white embossed coverlet that I picked up for $2 at a yard sale. It smells like bleach, one of my favorite fragrances. I do tend to work best under pressure, but I'm trying to ween myself from that wild lifestyle. I mustGet things done.... but for now-- I'm going to bed~

Banner day~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:43:00 +0000

Well I have finally finished the banner for over my grandkids baby crib in the nursery at my house for when they need a nap whenever I babysit them. It reads...I used some shaggy yarn that is so popular-- yet soooooooo hard to crochet with (at least for me) One of my girlfriends uses this yarn all the time but combines it with regular yarn, so I did the same with fabulous results! I crocheted a long chain and hung the banner from that, with some of the stringy/shaggy yarn hanging between each pennant. Love-love-love how it looks! Here is a close up of one of two fabric flowers I made. I had originally made 10 flowers for the banner but decided they were to big to use all 10.Here is a long view of the banner... I really like it, it looks like a celebration! Ehhhhhhh gawds... Look at the mess I've made! I pulled out some presents from ONE of my many-many gift closets that I'm needing to start wrapping up for Christmas. I'm slightly overwhelmed~ 'cause this is just the tip of the ice berg. It seems I've already bought 4 Barbie's for my 9 month old grandaughter :-P

Return labels...

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Have you ever made your own return labels? Oh my goodness they are so easy to make with your very own computer and printer. I often find loads of blank return label sheets at yard sales and I always buy them. I've even seen them for sale at the dollar store. Anywho, if you go to Avery.com they have all kinds of templates that you can use for free. Now, of course, they want you to use the brand that they sell, but I've used different brands and they all work just fine! You can print in color or just black... even add some clipart or a monogram! They also have free templates for business cards, greeting cards, mailing labels and even some craft ideas as well. Well worth checking out the website and trying a few for yourself~ I must go print off some more labels!

Before & After~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:37:00 +0000

I picked up this metal cherub at a second hand store this past Wednesday for $1.99. Isn't it adorable! The part that you hang this cherub from is missing, who knows what it looked like... but I figured I could fix it. I mixed up a few tablespoons of cement and poured that into the hole (I previously stuffed the hole with paper so that the cement would only go down about 2 inches) and set an eye hook into the cement and let it dry.Once the cement had hardened, I spray painted the entire thing with flat white paint. Once that was dry, I used nutmeg brown paint to bring out some of the detail and to give it an aged look. I then covered the molded metal drapery that the cherub was hanging from with pink fabric. I covered the wings with real white feathers and down feathers. I also added a wreath of small yellow flowers to the cherubs head and taaaaa daaaaaa instant caute! This photo doesn't do it justice, the feathers arch with the wings, and the painted aged patina isn't so obnoxious --in person it is so cute! Caute! Just look at that cherubs face, adorable!! I think a true angel posed for this cherub statue~I've got this little darling hanging in my bathroom from a ceiling hook that was doing nothing but bothering me! I added about 8 inches of chain to the eye hook and covered the whole length with more of the same pink fabric so it does indeed look like the cherub is holding on to the fabric and just dangling there...I used hot glue to attach the feathers, fabric and wreath. It came together really fast once the cement hardened up. Not to shabby for $1.99~
You can see more Before & Afters over at the blog "Thrifty Decor Chick" blog. Kimba is hosting a D.I.Y. linky party over at her blog "A Soft Place to Land" go check out everyones projects. There is also a Trash to Treasure linky party over at the blog "Reinvented" well worth a lookie-lou~
If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more you can click right here.

Happy Halloweenie~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 21:50:00 +0000

LOL....

Show & Tell~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:16:00 +0000

This week I'm showing my cameo collection. Now, none of these are super old or worth anymore than what I paid for them (about $2 bucks each-- tops) But they sure do look nice when all grouped together in a little bowlie on my bathroom counter. Here are some vintage inspired two sided pin-keeps that I just made. I really like how they turned out. When I had completed one I thought to myself, "These would be great at showcasing an old piece of jewelry"....Soooooooo taaaaaaaaaaa daaaaaaaaaaa now I've got some vintage inspired jewelry holders! The jewelry piece in the center of this one pictured below is a pin-backed piece that is indeed old... I found it in amongst some buttons in a tin that I picked up for $2~ ~~If ever~~ When I open an etsy shop, I'd like to make & sell these.... What do you think I could charge for them.... $10 bucks each? Or do you think thats to much???? Input would be greatly appreciated :-)

You can also see more Show & Tells over at Cindy's blog "My Romantic Home" If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more, just click right here!

W.I.P.

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:23:00 +0000

What on earth do you do with those darn baby bumpers that are for baby cribs. Who uses those? Sure, they look cute when placed in a baby crib, but personally I never used them, I think they are dangerous. With that said... I cut apart the bumper that goes with the crib linen set (Brandee Danielle) for the baby crib I have at my house for when my grandbabies come over. Once I had the fabric pulled apart from the batting, I ironed it, sandwiched a piece of white fabric between the layers of pink and blue gingham and cut out 10 triangle shapes with my rotary cutter. Then I stitched around all 3 sides of all 10 shapes leaving about a 1/4 inch edge-- then I snipped all around the edges of each one, then I tossed them in the dryer to fray the edges. So far so gooooooooood! I decided to put "I love you" on the banner~ I had to make my own letters since I didn't have any. I used illustration board for the letters, then painted them all pink... Now, I just need to add some glitter. Here is some of my stash, yes, I am a hoarder~ Well, thats as far as I've gotten on this project. I am also making some mitten ornaments, some vintage inspired pinkeeps... and I'm thinking with some of that left over bumper material to make a cover for the changing table pad :-)

Show & Tell~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:12:00 +0000

This week I'm showing my newly covered mannequin torso that I picked up at a yard sale for the whopping sum of $20~ You can read all about that and more treasures I picked up here. I painted the wooden neck piece and the metal stand with wooden legs with white spray paint. Next, I used spray adhesive and covered the blow mold form with a thin layer of quilt batting. I then made a fabric pattern with 5 sections to cover the torso...I then made a paper pattern out of that.... thennnn I used the pattern on a thrifted Shabby chic curtain panel (I got two for $6) stitched up the entire thing on my trusty sewing machine then placed it on my mannequin. Taaaaaaaa daaaaaaaaaa instant caute! Okokok, not so instant~ but definitely caute!!

Lastly, here is a photo of my birdcage from last weeks "Show & Tell" with a newly made seed catcher and fabric roof. You can read more about that here and here.

Jen is hosting her "Before & After party" on her blog Sanctuary Arts At Home... check it out~ You can also see more Show & Tells over at Cindy's blog "My Romantic Home" If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more, just click right here!

Thrifted treasures~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:31:00 +0000

I had a lot of fun searching for the following treasures that I hauled home, the weather is getting cooler/colder and that of course puts a spring in my step! This Saturday I'll be springing up and down a mile long yard sale! *woot-woot*
I got this basket with six large emu eggs for a $1... I know, what on earth am I going to do with them??? But goodness, a buck? Couldn't pass 'em up!Here is a photo of what I did with the eggs (for now)... very halloweenie!Linens... I love linens! The white coverlet was $2, the old-old quilt top was $1, the crochet white tablecloth was .50cents (crazy!) the doiles were .25cents each. The goldtone rosary box was .50cents.The pumpkin basket was .50cents. Wouldn't this be fabulous filled with pumpkin cookies?Some odds & ends for my studio... all of this on the tray for $3.These dishes were practically free. The saucers were .10cents each, the cup & saucer was .75cents... the two sectioned bowlie thingie was .25cents... the larger plate was .25cents. The three circular doilies were .10cents each~ A box full of flowers & greenery... most of which will be cut off of the stems to be used in some future project/s this stuffed box was $3~

What do you get...

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:42:00 +0000

when you spend one dollar and one evening sewing? Why you get a fabulous made-over birdcage of course! I picked up a thrifted curtain panel (for one whole buckeroo) that had fabulous crocheted trim along one long edge and across the bottom. Using said panel... I made a fitted seed catcher for the bottom of the birdcage...and a little fabric roof as well...At the point of each crocheted triangle I stitched on a little white pearl bead~ The flowers on top are hot glued to a fabric covered foam core "hat" of sorts that sits on top of the fabric roof. It is easily removeable without any damage to the existing fabric. Now, I am needing to find more crochet panels to fix up some of my other birdcages-- last count I was up to 31-- and thats just the ones inside my house!
Swing on over to Kim's blog to see what other girlies are working on~ Kimba is also hosting a D.I.Y. linky party... stop over there as well! I also linked up to Metamorphosis Monday over at Naps on the Porch nothing like browsing blogs! If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more just click "here."

Mixed Media Monday~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:28:00 +0000

This weeks theme is: Mothers & daughters~ I used a photo of my daughter sitting with her daughter on her lap.The original photo was taken poolside... my daughter was in a swimsuit with a towel wrapped around her waist.... I printed the photo in black & white and it made it look like a black skirt-- perfect! I popped it out of the picture & frame with some sticky backed foam~ It sits with other things I've made on my entry hall "halloween table" Isn't that cauldron fabulous? The "smoke" is just that spider web stuff...I've got little skeletons inside the bowlie~ Anywho, the frame was a .50cents thrifted find. I spray painted it black and rubbed my embossing ink over the raised areas then applied silver embossing powder. Once all that was finished, I added orange glitter. I have sooooooooooo much glitter that in order for me to use it up, I first have to start using it! duh~ lol
You can view more art pieces by checking out the weekly challenge site for mixed media art here---> Mixed Media Blog. If you have linked to my blog and wish to view more you can click on this link right ---> here.

Yo ho ho~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:16:00 +0000

Its a pirates life for me~ Ahoy, me Hearties! Welcome to the last known pirate ship to fall prey to Davy Jones' Locker (a fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailors and pirates to die) ... Shiver me timbers! it was a sight to behold all the Hornswaggling (cheating you out of money or your belongings) and the Pillage-ing (rob, sack or plunder) going on. Some were Hang 'im from the yardarm, while others were Hempen Halter (hung).. and those less fortunate had to endure the Keelhaul (punishment in which a person was dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel) The Landlubber (big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail) who was sailing the "Chloe Rose" had a tad to much rum in his belly to command such a mighty vessel....See the empty bottle of rum? See, I'm not fibbing, see the bottle?...Now, just you watch, someone is going to steal that bottle for the 10 cent deposit! Mark my words! Ahhhhhhh the mutiny that goes on hourly on this mighty ship is sheer terror I tell you. Each buccaneer has stolen pieces of eight... nine and ten! Everyone is three sheets to the wind, walking the plank for fun! We are needing to sober up one of the old Salts to get things under control before the ships going to Scuttle (sink)
Down in the bowels of this pirate ship... in the narrow galley the ships cook, Stu Burns has been cooking up a storm. MMMMM my favorite, pumpkin cookies! Such a sweetie.... making them fortified with calcium.... and whats with these needles? B vitamins I image, the dear~Everyone else on this pirate ship has parrots. But not dear ol' Stu... he has these exotic birds that are the color of pitch black night! Okokok, we must leave Stu in all his baking glory as he is giving me the ol' pirate sneer... which you all know is followed swiftly by a kick in the butt~ Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! I was wanting a cookie!!Whats that I hear?.... "Thar she blows!" Oh my goodness... that means there is a whale sighted! Hmmmm which side of the ship.... oh my goodness, the ship is listing to the port side-- Blimey! Avast ye everyone, thats not a whale, thats a storm a brewing! Batten down the hatches! Close all the lids to all the pirate chests! Give me that Cat O'Nine Tails, I'm needing to whip these buckos into action! Well I must sign off for now, I must go store my laptop in one of those pirate chests before someones bottle of rum gets its spot~ Here is a film reel of todays adventures, sorry its blurry and shakey-- but you know, thats how it goes on a pirate ship.

If you would like to see the above slideshow larger & faster... you can click on the "view all images" button under the slideshow~
If your wanting to join in on more Halloween festivities... go say hello to Vanessa and all the lovely party guests she has listed for you to visit~ If you have linked to my blog from the party caravan and wish to view more of my blog, click here to visit.

Recipe books~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:10:00 +0000

I was commissioned to make 4 Spell books into recipe books. The gal was wanting these for herself and her three sisters. How fun huh? This is something I was already thinking of doing.... for myself! I couldn't find any vintage book covers to use-- isn't that how it goes? Anywho, I used brand spanking new books that were once blue. I distressed them and made them brownish... I love how they turned out. The silver and green you see is the embossing I did on each book, it isn't as vivid in person as it is in these photos~For the inside of each recipe book I wanted the client to be able to insert recipes easily, so I placed inside the covers a 3 ring snap holder. I covered the shiny silver with some burlap~Here they are packaged and ready to go~Here is a close-up of one of them.
Caute!

Halloween swap~

noreply@blogger.com (Cheryl) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:14:00 +0000

I joined a Halloween swap-- I've finally gotten everything boxed up to be shipped out. The swap was to revolve around an adult trick-or-treat bag. Now, I'm no dummy (or is that know? lol) ... but us adults, we need a BIG BIG trick-or-treat bag now don't we~ *sigh* I can remember way back when... when I was a child we used pillow cases... those suckers would be backbreaking to carry home filled with chocolates and the like. The good ol' days huh~ Anywho, here is the bag I made...

Here are some other things that I'm sending.... A vintage tin and a paper flower I made. There are some things inside the tin as well~ Nice fall colors! (I just opend up a cupboard yesterday, I think I am the "tin container queen of the world!"A vintage pumpkin-head-knee-holding ornament. I call these "I'm bursting for the bathroom dolls." I am sending the plastic r.i.p. sign as well. I just added some more white paint to really make it POP!I decorated this tin and filled it with chocolate.... I didn't even eat one-- I did lick them all and put them all back in the wrappers, but I didn't eat any~A little witch caught in a jar. A black glittered skull (with a party hat of course) sitting on top of a book of spells~A large furry spider, a wooden toy that you hold and it looks like the little birds are eating seeds. (I've got one of these... they are so darn caute!) The "B" is part of a "boo" banner I made.A Yankee Candle spiced potourri filled pumpkin.

There are some other things as well, but they got cut out of the pictures when I was cropping.... I hope my swapping partner likes her stuff :-)