A wonderful youtube crafter, named Larelle, nurselarelle on yt...threw down a challenge for February this year...

• Make 3 stickpins
• Upload a video of them
• Share with her where you get your supplies

Well, being compulsive like I am
I couldn't stop at 3.  It was too easy, too much fun and I had toooooo many beads...




 I displayed them in the "tussie mussies" I made last week and just love how the look together.
Can't wait to use some of them in upcoming projects, even share some with friends.  Gosh knows, I have plenty more beads to make more!









Well, just wanted to share...now gotta get back to creating...


Here's my youtube video:

Have fun

Molly D

A 12 x 12 Layout

Well, I had scraps from the toilet paper roll project on Lydia's TP Challenge I recently joined...sooooo....they were on the table...I really liked how the Tussie Mussies came out, so what else was there to do, but make a quick 12 x 12 layout. 

12 x 12's are actually my favorite paper crafting style...quick...you can put them away and not worry about dusting or finding shelf space and enjoy them with family and that one moment in time story they tell  for years to come...

I don't think these pictures are doing the color of the layout any justice, but this was some beautiful old paper I had saved, scraps really, that I just couldn't throw out...

So I just used the ribbons and trims from my recent Flights of  Fancy Boutique purchase, some old buttons and lace, I sprayed with Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays and bigger blooms pulled from a flower bush I had bought on sale at Micheal's to "repurpose".  

 

Added a few pieces of metal, a corner and beautiful filigree clock charm, both I had rubbed with gold Rub n Buff.  The corrugated cardboard piece behind the mat, well I stamped that with a beautifully detailed flourish stamp and used Tim Holtz Weathered Wood Distress embossing powder with it.

 

 

Last, but certainly not least, I think, I tucked a few feathers under the ribbon and was happy with how it turned out.  Perfect for a sepia family photo....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to everyone for joining in and especially for the wonderful comments you leave.  They really brighten my day!  

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend so far and enjoy some creating!  Have fun....Molly  



Think I'm finished...

Well, my friend Jean said..."you'll know when you're done...then stop".  She was talking about working on her artwork...well, I think I will say this one is done....

Here are a few closeup shots... please let me know what you think...  I found a cache of leaf charms and more metal pieces to add depth and warmth...think it helped... then dyed some lace for the "grass".










Then  added another cloud, sprinkled in more water and finally felt like Jean was right...you'll now when it's done....











just uploaded a youtube video sharing this...

thanks for taking a moment to watch....have fun creating, Molly D

 

 

First Attempt at "Mixed Media Canvas"

I have been watching some incredibly talented youtube artist create mixed media canvas pieces of art.  They used imaginative techniques, many different types of gels and gesso and paints...and most importantly a spark of boldness, a freedom to experiment and "play" until a magical finished piece was created, looking just perfectly balanced, not too much, not too little just rich with details and balance...it looked so hard, but I couldn't resist..

I had first tried my hand at painting while on a trip to Florida to visit friends with my hubby.  Jean, our friend, loved painting and talked me into giving it a try.  I was actually scared to ruin a perfectly white, clean canvas.  I just brushed and sponged on some paint and started to like the outcome...it took on the feel of a warm fall day...I could "see" the lake, the golden sunset and the rich fall tones of leaves aflame with their last hurrah of color.... but that canvas has laid quiet for over 4 months...

Finally mustering up the courage, I took the darn thing out....and turned to one of my best friends in the creative process...  Lindy's Stamps Gang Sprays and turned the dry looking paints into just the fire drench explosion of fall I was seeing in my mind's eye. 

 Now what????  Wanted to make a tree on one side and perhaps a waterfall on the other...soft clouds in the sky? But did I mention... I don't paint... so again, now what...well it's mixed media I'm going for, so I just pulled out some Tim Holtz and Michael's metal accents and of course Lindy's Embossing Powders plus some from my stash and got to work.

So do you see it?  The strong tree, giving into the colors of fall, the water pouring over the stones, and the cloud, softening the sky... just the perfect fall day.

Okay, now all that was pretty corny, but that is really what I see...and the process was so much fun...I don't think I'm done yet.  My friend Jean told me..."you'll know when it's done and then stop...." .  Well I don't think it's done, but I love where it is now.  You should see it when the sun hits it...I swear you can feel the last of the warm breeze, hear the babble of the pond, the rustle of the leaves....okay, sorry, getting corny again...but I think I  might like this whole mixed media thing...thank you youtube artists.....Marlene and Rachel and Leeanne. You all are such wonderful artist and so generous to share your talent!  Now I've got to get back to my gel medium...I think I have more to add.....

Have fun crafting today!
Molly D

Calendar Album 2013

Here are the photos of the desktop calendar album I just finished...well almost finished...
I used 8 1/2" x 11" chipboard as the base and dug into my hoard of Anna Griffin papers to use as the backgrounds...and was so happy to use the little calendars I created in photoshop elements. I'm not showing every month...didn't want to bore you to death, now, teehee...I have to admit I was so proud to have made the little calendars and just love how this calendar turned out...hope you enjoy...

January features soft blues, greys and snowy whites and just loads of flowers and beads....I made the the snowflakes from textured plastic I cut with a Sizzix die and "stickled" to add sparkle...




 

February show cases beautiful pinks and creams.. I am such a sucker for these beautiful vintage prints and Anna's layers stickers.
A dear friend, Sue, gave me the heart piece I used near the bottom.















April has the soft look of artist's watercolors, and I can't wait for the beautiful spring blooms to appear...

The beautiful ombre organza ribbon is from Michaeals....and I'm thinking I can't possibly live without going get another roll of it before they run out...hope I am not too late already...

















September may be my favorite month in the year...and I love how this page turned out.  Just love the fall and the rich colors it brings..

I had made a recent online purchase from a wonderful
shop called "flightsoffancyboutique".  Those beautiful peach chiffon flowers near the bottom were a wonderful surprise the owner sent as a gift with my purchase!  Will definitely be buying from her shop again...













Okay, I said September might be my favorite, but then again...the colors of this October page are just as warm and rich...hmmmm...maybe it's just the fall in total that I love...




















And this last page I'm sharing today is for November.  A time to count our blessings and wish for a wonderful holiday for our family and friends.  So this Anna Griffin sticker traditions and family seemed just perfect for me to use on this gorgeous paper.












Well, I hope I haven't bored you to tears.  Remember these little calendars are free for you to download (you'll find them on the "things to share" tab above or in a previous post) and use in any of your personal projects.  If you do and you show online, just please link my blog to your video or blog. 

Best wishes and a year full of blessing to you and yours throughout this wonderful new year,
now get back to crafting and have fun!
Molly D

Tutorial on Making Flowers with Silicone Spoon

I thought I'd post the video tutorial I made to show how easy it is to make fabric flowers without candles, lighters or any type of open flame...I am definitely not to good at playing with fire, so this was just a real easy alternative for me...  enjoy!

Well that was pretty easy, huh!  Hope you give it a try!  Have a great day creating!
Molly D

In a blue...and green....mood

 

Well I saw a video on youtube, one from Sybil at jandsib80, inviting viewers to enter a giveaway contest celebrating her upcoming birthday.  One of the ideas she asked viewers was to make a card, either a birthday or valentine and show it in a video.  So I pulled out some pretty papers from Me and My Big Ideas, and got to work...  Used my Tim Holtz Sewing room die for the dressform and spool and then had fun just layering on flowers, leaves and bling.  But, I had paper left over...hmmmm

 

 

         SoI made a 12" by 12" layout.  I had just made a flower with some old ribbon to experiment with a new technique ( prior post)...didn't think I would use it...but it might just match this paper... plus I had just a little bitty piece of the ribbon left so I made 3 little rosebuds and added a Prima crepe paper flower and things started to click. I dug through my old metal pieces, found one from Making Memories that said "always live in vivid color" and this was really starting to come together.   I broke a beautiful piece of filigree from FabScraps into four littler pieces and put small green rhinestones on them and just love it!  But I still had paper left over. 

 And you and I both know, you cannot waste pretty printed paper, so I looked around and found a very very old clipboard I had stashed and got out the xyron 9" adhesive machine and just layers some of the papers on front and back and really like how it turned out. 

With just a little more of the paper, I know, huh?

 I altered a wonderful little cigar box and made a sewing box  and lastly, I layered some paper on an old tool carousel and turned it into a piece perfectly coordinated for my craft room....which I still have not finished cleaning....teehee





 I hope you all are having fun crafting...

Molly D

Now back to cleaning that scraproom...

Here's the youtube video I did of these projects...hope you enjoy!





Okay, I didn't say it was a small haul, did I?  Well, anywho, I went to Michael's on a quest to find the big metal charms in the now $2 bin, (used to be less?) and found all I wanted and more.  Even two beautiful fleur di lis styles!  Plus, of course loads of other little $1 treasures, ceramic drawer pulls, a wooden ruler , loads of flowers and bling....ahhhh.  But then I had a few extra minutes to kill, so of course I spent the next couple of hours, slowly scouring every aisle for more treasures and found more than anyone should have.   Starting with beautiful silk flowers, on sale! 50% off. 

So I bought just a few...carefully picking out the ones that I could "deconstruct" and "repurpose" into beauties for scrapbook pages or altered craft items.  Once I started playing with those, I got the bright idea to try may hand at making some flowers with burnt edges you see so many talented crafters doing on youtube.  But I don't have the patience of safety skills to singe each petal with a candle....soooooo I thought why not use my heat gun.  Like that wouldn't burn the heck out of ya...teehee.  So that's when I thought about using a silicone spoon from my kitchen, and eurika!!!! my answer to the whole open flame issue!  Love them!Here's the picture of how I spent a couple of hours playing.  First used the silk flowers I got from Mike's...and put beads in the centers. Then pulled out some ooooold ribbon (the blue stripe and brite blue/green plaid) and tried my hand with the heat gun and spoon and just love the outcome.  While I had the beads out, why not make some coordinating stickpins...what fun!  

 

 Now one of the other treasures I found...on sale, of course, what this gorgeous shabby chic birdcage the fleur di lis on top...to die for!  The minute I laid eyes on it, I knew it had to be mine and it was just what I was looking for the hang my collection of charms on.  Just imagine it glistening with the sunshine from my window...of course we are under flash flood warnings today it is raining so much...oh well, tomorrow maybe.  Well I hope you liked my flowers and silicone spoon idea!  Have fun crafting...   Molly D  

 

2013 Calendars ...just in time...Happy New Year

Well I finally finished my 2013 calendars I was making in photoshop elements.  I used gorgeous clip are from 4 wonderful online blogs. I will post the links below for you.  Please feel free to copy and use the calendars for your personal use.  Let me know what you think...and yes I know I "colored outside of the lines" in a few spots, but I'll just cut away the boo boos...teehee.  But I was in a hurry to get these finished and get off to bed know that the new year has been rung in...

 

Happy New Year and have fun crafting,

Molly D

 

 

If you would like to see where I got the gorgeous vintage florals from, just visit these great blogs:

The Graphics Fairy
Vintage Images
Lilacs and Lavender

and the calendar I used came from:  Crafty Secrets

again, the best to you and yours in this exciting new year...