Vintage-inspired ATC Tutorial on Crafts Unleashed today

Hey peeps - make sure you head over to Crafts Unleashed later today to check out my tutorial on how to make this super cute, vintage-inspired ATC!!  (And if you head over this morning, you can read all about what ATC's actually ARE and the "rules" for ATC's!  Kind of interesting!)

New posts...and why I haven't been blogging...

I seriously cannot believe it's been a month since I've posted here!!  Ack!  So...I have been VERY busy creating for the Crafts Unleashed design team, and doing product reviews for Craft Test Dummies (would you believe I *still* have products from Winter CHA to review, and it's almost June?!).

Check out my scrapbook layout up at Crafts Unleashed today -

And here's a review I recently did of the Pitt Artist Pens by Faber-Castell...one of my new favorites!!

And yes, I'm still working on my online classes - Soul Restoration with Brave Girls Club and Melody Ross, and The She Art Workshop with Christy Tomlinson.  Loving them...but having a really hard time fitting them into my schedule at the moment!!  I'd show you a pic of my first She-Art canvas, but it's a birthday gift for my sister (a very belated one...because I STILL haven't put it in the mail!!).  *sigh*  I'm terrible about that!

Not sure if I shared this in my last post or not...but the other reason I haven't been blogging is that I was recently (well, a couple months ago) diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.  I've been in a lot of pain for the last several months, and it has taken the doctors a while to figure out the best medications to treat it.  It's sort of a trial-and-error method, I guess.  I just started a new medication last week - and while the jury is still sort of out on whether I'll be able to take it on a long-term basis, I *am* able to curl and uncurl my fingers when I wake up in the mornings for the first time in months, and it's not excruciatingly painful on my feet the minute I step out of bed!  I consider that a huge improvement over the way things have been.  So I'm at least hopeful that this one will work!

Obviously, all of the pain and joint stiffness has impacted my ability to create art and blog about it - so I've sort of just been doing the bare minimum...meeting my obligations and other than that, just taking time off to take care of myself, because I haven't really been able to do much more than that.  I won't sugar-coat it...it's been very disheartening and downright depressing at times, not being able to do the things I want to be able to do or feel I should be able to do.

But when it comes down to it, I have been forced to ask myself if I really believe the things I confess to believe.  Is the God I say I believe in really big enough to handle my questions, and my anger, and my hurt?  Yes.  Can I trust Him enough to believe that this path He's chosen for me is the best path FOR ME?  Yes.  Even if it includes illness and pain?  Yes.  Does that take away the pain?  No.  Does it help to know that I'm not alone in my pain?  Yes.  Does it help to know that there is some purpose to my pain?  Yes.  Does it help to remember that in life, our biggest lessons are always learned through times of pain and hurt?  Yes!  Has this brought me back to my knees, where I belong?  Yes!

And the best thing I think I've learned through all of this...repeatedly over the past couple months, in many different ways...is that rather than focusing on everything that's WRONG with ME, I need to be focusing on what's RIGHT about HIM.

So anyway, I felt like I kind of owed you all an explanation for why I've disappeared...hopefully this new med will do the trick, and I'll be back in business soon!  Right now I'm off to give my fingers a rest!! ;)

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming...

I'm so sorry I've been absent lately.  I just wanted to pop in and let you all know that I'm still alive!  I am in the midst of taking not one, but TWO online classes right now - both of which are COMPLETELY AWESOME - but which are consuming ALL of my time...leaving me little time for blogging!!

However, you can catch me on Fridays (sometimes it's Thursday) over at Craft Test Dummies, and every so often over at Crafts Unleashed, in the meantime.  Here's a preview of what I'll be posting this Friday on Craft Test Dummies...

And I *highly* encourage you to check out both of the classes I am taking right now!!  The first is one by Melody Ross and Brave Girls Club, called Soul Restoration I.  It is already in Week 4, of the 8 week class, but they are keeping registration open through May 1, and are keeping the classroom open for an extra 4 weeks after the 8 weeks are over to give late starters a chance to finish the class material.  It is truly a wonderful class and I cannot say enough positive things about it!  Watch Melody's video intro HERE.

The second class is the She Art Workshop by Christy Tomlinson, and I just started it a couple days ago...but I am already LOVING it!!  I was only introduced to Christy's work in the last couple months, but have admired her from the beginning and had hoped to one day be able to take her workshops.  When the opportunity presented itself, I couldn't pass it up!!  I am learning so much!

I am definitely being bombarded with art, art, art right now...but it's been so good for me.  It's been refreshing and rejuvenating...challenging and stretching...faith-building and growing.  I've been reminded of things that I'd forgotten, urged to let go of things I'd been holding on to that I needed to let go of, and have had my eyes opened to new things altogether.  (And I'm talking both literally and spiritually.)  I needed this break right now, just me and God and some art.  (If only I didn't have all these other responsibilities...right?)

So...I'll be back soon, I promise!  With all kinds of new and fun ideas to share!  In the meantime...maybe I'll see you over at Brave Girls Club or in the She Art workshop!!

Bottle Caps, UTEE and Distress Inks - a new tag!

I had the pleasure of reviewing some great products from Bottle Cap, Inc., for Craft Test Dummies - you need to go check out my review posted today over there!!  They really have some cool stuff to play with, including some fun jewelry!!

One of my creations while doing the review was this tag, and I wanted to share it with you all.  It was super fun to make!

I started out by stamping the tag with the big background stamp from Tim Holtz's new stamp set, Papillon.  (LOVE this set!)  I inked the stamp with four different blue distress inks to get some variation in color.  Then, while the ink was still wet, I used a floofy brush to swipe some Pearl colored Perfect Pearl powder over it - the shimmer is just gorgeous!  (Though, in retrospect, the shimmer did dampen quite a bit after my further steps...)  Then, I used foam ink blending tools to add color to the tag - blues and browns.  I edged the tag with Walnut stain.  I sprayed some water in my hand and dripped it onto the tag, let it sit on the tag a bit, then used a towel to mop it up - it left a watery look on the tag that I love.  I used black Archival ink to stamp the butterflies, and I used my Viva Decor Pearl Pen in black to add the little dimensional dots to the butterflies.

I punched the side tag from some of Donna Salazar's Artistic paper.  I inked it, and attached it with my Tiny Attacher.  I colored some alphabet stickers from Making Memories, using Distress Inks, and put them on the tag to spell "Fly."  

For the bottle caps, the top one is a punched image from Bottle Cap Inc., covered by an epoxy sticker, and the lower one is a punched image from them as well, but I melted UTEE over it (in my toaster oven).  

I added fibers to the top of the tag.  I put one of Tim Holtz's tiny safety pins through the fibers, and attached one of his typewriter key tags to the pin; I added a tiny punched butterfly (from a Martha Stewart butterfly punch), and put the epoxy sticker over it.  

I had so much fun making this tag - I definitely will be doing more things with melted UTEE!!!  And this stamp set is quickly becoming my favorite...so you'll probably be seeing a lot of it!

Have you been making any art lately?  I'd love to see links!!

Easy No-Sew Tutu With Butterflies

With Easter fast-approaching, I know many moms who are looking for non-candy Easter basket goodies for their little ones.  This super sweet - and sugar free - butterfly tutu definitely fits the bill.  What little girl wouldn't LOVE to find this in her basket on Easter morning?!  To find out how to make this sweet fairy-tale tutu, at very little cost (both time and money-wise), head over to Crafts Unleashed today for a step-by-step tutorial.

And this doesn't have to be limited to Easter, either!  Dress-up trunks, birthday parties, tea parties...these are so easy and affordable to make, your little girl will probably want one in every color, for every occasion!

Winner of Elmer's Giveaway!!!

And this is no April Fool's!!  :)

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:1Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Okay - so seriously...I've never ever seen #1 win!  I never thought it happened...but apparently it sometimes does!  And who was comment #1??
*For some reason, I'm having trouble getting the random number thingy to copy and paste into the post properly, but I promise you, the output number was number 1!!*
Rochelle Jimenez said...

If I were to win this great box of crafty goodies,my kids and I would be able to have a crafting family night.We could make stuff for school,make some picture labels for our upcoming garden project and just use our imaginations.

Wed Mar 30, 08:12:00 AM PDT

Congratulations, Rochelle!!  I'll be emailing you shortly!!

Elmer's Giveaway for National Crafting Month!

So...I told you what a GREAT time my friends and I had crafting the night away last week with all of the awesome products Elmer's sent us, right?  Well, check it out.  Elmer's was SO generous in sending the crafty goodness that I actually had some leftover goodies after my party - and since we ARE wrapping up National Crafting Month, I decided I'd like to share the goodness with one of you, my readers!  

First - what do you win?  Everything in that picture above!  

• A pair of regular scissors
• Two pairs of decorative scissors
• An ergonomic delux craft knife
• A second craft knife
• A circle cutter
• A corner punch
• Two boxes of photo corners
• Two boxes of adhesive squares
• Two giant extra-strength glue sticks
• A quick-dry dual tip glue pen
• A roll of scrapbooking tape
• A box of glue spots
• Two boxes of 5 acrylic paint markers each
• A package of 18 gel pens

Whew...that's a LONG list!  I'm telling you - this is one AWESOME box of craft supplies!  Regardless of your level of crafting - even if you just have kids or are a homeschooling mom, you NEED this box!  You will be able to use everything in this box!

How to win?  Just leave me a comment on this post telling me what you would do with all of this crafty stuff...that's it.  Please only one entry per person.  The giveaway will be open through Friday, 4/1/11, at 7:00 a.m. PST.  I will choose a winner that morning (after I've had my coffee!) and post the winner that day!  Good luck!  

Elmer's Craft & Tell Party - Altered Cricut Cartridge Boxes

While I was at Winter CHA 2011, I had the opportunity to meet Meghann Heft from Elmer's and learned of their new Craft & Tell program.  Basically, Elmer's wanted to send some crafty bloggers like me a big box of crafty goodness to use for hosting a craft party, and then tell the world all about it!  Since I am certainly not one to turn down free craft products, I signed on the dotted line right away!

I decided to invite my friends over for a craft night this past Friday, and planned a project involving altering old Cricut cartridge boxes.  I prepared an example box, and I incorporated a few flowers that some of my friends had been wanting to learn how to make so that I could demonstrate how to make them.  (And check out these GORGEOUS new Pink Paislee House of Three papers - from the Daily Junque line!!)

My sample - an altered Cricut cartridge box

And boy oh boy did Elmer's send the crafty goodness!!  Check out my friend Shelia and me setting up for my party...there were circle cutters, craft knives, swivel knives, scissors, corner punches, glue pens, glue sticks, glue dots, adhesive runners, scrapbooking tape, adhesive squares, photo corners, decorative scissors, gel pens, paint markers, gel pens, foam board, liquid glue, and paper cutters.  There were even a few extras thrown in...some scrapbooking paper, ribbon, sequins, pom-poms...so much fun!

My island looked like an Elmer's and X-acto store display!!

Sheila helping to pack the VERY full swag bags

When my friends arrived, I had everything set up for them - an empty Cricut cartridge box for each person, a huge stack of scrapbooking paper and cardstock, paper punches, flowers of every kind, my Big Kick and Sizzix dies, and all of the Elmer's and X-acto products.  We got so busy crafting that we almost forgot to take very many photos!  Everyone wanted to learn how to make the rosettes using the Sizzix dies, so I demonstrated that, and almost everyone added one to their boxes.  Everyone also wanted to learn how to make the crinoline rose from my box, and I had received prior permission from Tammy Tutterow to use her tutorial to teach them how to make the rose.  It was fun watching my friend Monica, who thought the rose would be "impossible" to make, actually make one of her own for her box - and then take several more die cut crinoline flowers home with her to make more at home!  

Me demonstrating the crinoline rose and new Distress Stains

Kathye covering her box with paper

Allison's box - rosettes, crinoline rose, and layered butterflies

Shelia punched the top layer of her butterflies
from a soda can

My kiddos were appreciative of the sturdy
boxes the goodies arrived in!

All of my friends had a GREAT time - and so did I!  It had been a while since I'd hosted a craft night (I used to hold them regularly, though they used to be "everyone bring your own project" types of craft nights).  All present were in agreement that I needed to start hosting a monthly craft night again, but they'd like them to be more project-based like this one was, so that they could continue to learn new techniques and how to use different tools.  They want next month to be a spring banner!

I'm SOOO thankful to the folks at Elmer's for the fantastic products they sent - and because they were SO generous, I actually have some extra goodies to give away here on my blog!  So...this being the last week of National Crafting Month, you just might want to check back here TOMORROW to see what's in store!!  Just sayin'...

Sewing Tag using Distress Stain and Embellie Gellie

Just a quick post to show you a little sewing-related tag I made today using some vintage sewing pattern material and vintage buttons.  I also used a new accessory called Embellie Gellie by Scraperfect - check out  my review coming tomorrow on Craft Test Dummies!

I also got to use my new Spun Sugar Distress Stain on the tag, plus Distress Inks in Victorian Velvet, Crushed Olive, Vintage Photo, and Walnut Stain.

Friends and Family Event at Consumer Crafts!

So...you're ALL my friends and family, right?  Right???!!  Of course you are!

Well, since you are...I wanted to just let you know about a special savings event coming up in a few days at Consumer Crafts!  You know that I'm on the design team for Crafts Unleashed, the project blog for Consumer Crafts...well, from March 24 - March 27, Consumer Crafts is going to share the love with all of YOU too!

That's right...from March 24 - March 27, you too can receive 25% off all your purchases from Consumer Crafts!!  Just enter the promo code "FRIEND2011" at checkout to receive your discount.  

And, just to give you an idea...at Consumer Crafts, the Cricut cartridges are 40% off of Michaels and Jo-Ann's everyday prices, already!  So, imagine getting ANOTHER 25% off!  What a deal!

So head on over there and check it out...and load up on all your craft supplies!  Just remember - the promotion doesn't start until Thursday!!