silly as it sounds...

origami ornaments

here's a fun way to use up a lot of paper scraps at TwoPeas today:

Japanese kusudama flowers

also, i'm thinking?
a "fun" way to keep little or kind-of-still-little hands busy as beavers
on cold snowy icy days....
*wink*

happy holidays!!!
xoxo
tia

globes

the genius ms erica hernandez did a really cool ornament project at two peas a bit ago, and in her samples, showed a humongous sized ornament variation....that i ADORE!

my friend amy and i are making a bunch of them to use for decorating some christmas parties we are in charge of this season, and i am so excited about how they are turning out! 

each one measures about 16 to 18 inches across.

we plan to suspend them from the ceiling as floating centerpieces at large round tables.
i can't wait to see how it all turns out!

anyway, i had them piled in my entryway and just happened to pass through with my
camera out, so i snagged a quick picture of them.  i ended up totally loving the shot!

tokens + jewelry

hooray!!!!!!!!!
it's finally here!!!!!!!!

i am so happy to share with everyone a project i spent many, many hours on this past summer.  i had the opportunity to design some jewelry for Blue Moon Beads for a line called "Tokens", sold exclusively at Michaels Craft Stores.  The line is brand new this month, and it looks like both websites haven't been updated to include the collections yet, but i have snapped a few photos of some of the charm pendants i made to share with you!  they are still in their packaging, my apologies, but i will share more photos again when i have jewelry creations finished to model!

the idea behind 'tokens' is the notion that you want a little token of something to remind you of special memories, be they people, places, hobbies, or things.  and that's what 'tokens' supplies!  there are a plethora of charm pendant pieces and just loads of really cute, trendy, fun charms from a huge variety of subjects to add to them.  there are also matching findings and such included with the collection to help you create a quick and easy jewelry piece on the spot.

i was at my local Michaels last night, and they are actually having a HUGE sale on beads and beading supplies right now, so now would be the perfect time to go!  i was both excited and sad to see that the majority of the Tokens collection i really wanted extra pieces of was sold out at my local store, so i am hoping they get more stock in soon so i can pick up a few more things!  :)

if you happen to pick up some of these and make a creation or two, send me an emailed photo and i will put your piece on my blog!  :)

birthday + recovery + artsy-licious

i had a birthday!

and i still have a silly little brother who makes faces in the background of my pictures.

that deliciousness in front of me is my favorite strawberry cake made from scratch; a super-special family secret recipe that i'm sure i'll remember to get one of these days...

we're having a crazy summer, like usual around here, but none so crazy as the last little while!  my health has been getting the best of me these days, but i finally had some surgery a couple of days ago that is hopefully going to fix all that!  there were a few scary moments afterwards with some complications, but all is well now and i'm on the road to a speedy recovery!

i wanted to share a few of the fun things i got to contribute for CHA!  it was a nice break to stay home this time, but i can't help but imagine all the fun eye-candy i'm missing!  here are a couple of layouts with some new acrylic stamps for Autumn Leaves:

and here is a delightfully decadent wig form and paper crown with Chatterbox Artsy-Licious goodies:

i've never been so goopy and glittery in all my life after i finished this puppy....but ooooohhhh was it ever worth it!  i totally enjoyed the results....still hoping to catch some photos online of how it looks in the booth!  if you've seen one, will you link me up?  i made the shape out of Peacock cardstock, lined the inside with vintage book paper, and then created a diamond tiled effect with Alabaster squares all individually inked and applied.  The whole thing is then adorned with Peacock and Alabaster Treasures and Ribbons, and there is a dainty embroidery floss string tied in back.  The wig form is decoupaged with layer after layer of itty bitty torn bits of Alabaster cardstock, mixed with sewing pattern scraps and glitter.  A little blush on the cheeks, a tiny velvet choker, and, Voila!  Done!  Oh...and of course, the peacock feather on top.  Because who doesn't need a peacock feather to top off her crown?!  Fun, fun, fun.  I totally enjoyed this project.

Here is another for Chatterbox...faux cupcakes!:

these were a ton of fun...obviously not Edible cupcakes, by any means, but delightfully textural nonetheless!  that is MY kind of treat!  and speaking of textural...i'll share one more goodie i sent their way for the show.  one of my favorite things...a "button" tree!  i was assigned "ruby" and loved using the sparkly treasures combined with the felt bits and brads to make this baby:

the pin heads on there are just regular corsage pins, but i succeeded in covering them with red glittery KindyGlitz (the Aussie version of Stickles, and in my opinion, much better--the colors are amazing!), so the pin heads were able to blend in better with the gems and jewels.  (oh...and in the background there is some experimenting i was doing with hand-cutting.  i was cutting out a dainty paper crown, but it just didn't suit my final vision.  whatever should i do with it now??? LOL) 

anyway, hopefully some booth photos will surface somewhere!

okay....back to bed for me!  this recovery business sure is a bore!!!  ;-)

INK + Fiskars

i've been having so much fun contributing to the idea base for Fiskars!

those iconic orange-handled scissors have been a part of my life for as long as i can remember, so having the opportunity to work with all of their many crafting tools has been such an adventure.

the above layout was made with the new INK by Steph line coming out soon.  what can i say?  i'm a sucker for virtual INK...like the digital lines i've been releasing over at 2Peas :D  personally, i'm just more about decorating with the option for removal, LOL!

OH!
and i wanted to share a sweet sweet pic i snapped of Amy and her Andrew yesterday...
she is such an amazing mommy!
amy, you totally inspire me.
:)

happy almost mother's day everyone!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

(uh, belated!) LOL

here i was on saturday during the maniacal festivities at 2Peas ALLLLLLLLLL day!

I hosted a Chat one hour, and held some really fun classes two other hours:

The downloadable PDF is FREE for the class, and is still available!

We talk about the ways we can enjoy our hobby and craft in responsible ways, and I walk you through a (very remedial!) tutorial on making your own paper from your paper scraps.  It is a very rudimentary method because:

1) I didn't want to have to go out and BUY anything to accomplish the paper-making (I thought this would be opposing the main objective of eliminating waste in the first place), and

2) I wanted to make it totally accessible to anyone who wanted to try it out; I tend to get intimidated by crafts that require me to go out and purchase a whole set of new tools or supplies, and didn't want that to get in the way for others!

To download, go here 

And the second part to the class, were we actually make a mini-book from the hand-made round papers was offered FREE as well:

You can also download this class PDF here

Saturday was a LOT of fun....tiring, but FUN!  Thanks to all who participated, HOWEVER you celebrated!!!

felted fun

thank you for all your orders so far!  i am so excited to see all these priority mail boxes sitting by my door waiting to journey on to you!  i plan to add my 'needle felting' kit today or tomorrow, as well as some other felted springtime fun...

i've been holding onto these eggforms for a year now, just waiting for spring to arrive!
they are completely needle felted (dry felting technique) and just soooooo soft and lovely
to hold and pet.  they make me smile.  :)  i'll be adding some embellished ones to my
shoppe, too.  :)  it's about TIME i start putting into action all these grandiose plans i
have for that place! LOL  :)

oh! oh! one more share for now....a blanket for a friend
her sweet babe will use it for a lap blanket or a dolly blanket in later years...
the colors just make me so happy!  :D
baylor also decided that 'bumblebee the transformer' needed to pose with it...
aaaaand
a close up of the yummy scallop border i crocheted on it
:)



happy happy new week in spring!
i may be back later this afternoon with more felt kit info...
and other random schtuff.  :)
xoxo
t

craft + magazine

i'm so giddy with excitement...
craft magazine's uber cool blog
posted about my wreath today
:D

this is one of the coolest mags ever...

i get their blog updates in my inbox
every day...

total inspiration fest!

hopefully it will help redirect a few bags
that would have been destined for a
landfill...

what do they say with kids' nutrition?
every bite counts?

every bag counts!  :)

xoxo

block print

so, remember that plaster mold i was carving earlier?

got to play with a print from it today--
(red acrylic on vellum)

"g chord"  photo corner by fiskars, 'g' letter by li'l davis designs, rubons and felt by autumn leaves, red glass brads by creative cafe & torn paper behind 'g' is from a die-cut frame by BAMPOP!

i am really loving this block print thing :)
think i'll cast another tonite...
hmm.  maybe it will be an actual tree this time...
:)

next on my self-taught agenda...
silk screening
:)

table drowning 101

**photos by Amy Grendell

we had a book club dinner this week, amy, rachael, jodi, anna, kathryn and me at amy's house.
we'd all finished up the three books in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and,
always looking for a good excuse to have a mom's night out, decided to do a little book club dinner!

when i told amy i'd do the table decorations, (poor amy) i don't think she understood... ;)

in my husband's words, i took half the stuff out of my house and dumped it on amy's table. ha!

the theme ended up being "Old World" glamour, and though the pics are taken with the lights
on, just imagine a candle-lit table full of shimmering ruby ware, glittered birds, mirrors layered
with old window frames, strings of silver chain and pearls, and deep rich satin cloth.  YUM!

the light fixture dressing was my FAVORITE part of the table!
it was completely macguyvered.  i swear. i bought a random remnant at
the fabric store in a pretty deep red sateen, pulled old vintage lace bits
and pieces from my lace bin and stitched them randomly to
the bottom edge, looped 3 french sateen ribbons around it
all, then secured it to the light with office binder clips!
i was worried...in my head, it kept working out all wrong,
but irl it ended up turning out great!  i was going to disassemble it,
but i think i'll keep it around for awhile for MY table at thanksgiving dinner!  :D

oh, yeah.
and we talked about the books.  ;) 
if you haven't read them, i recommend them for a fun, quick, highly
addictive read. 
if you have read them, well, what do you recommend for us next? :)

sweater + chalk

i did it!  i finished my sweater and finally got my pics loaded and put up in my etsy shop...
it was so much fun to rework this and transform the image i had in my head.  here is the final outcome

if you want to see more images, they're here:  Vintage Cropped Sweater Jacket -- Refashioned

i'm finishing up a re-purposed wool sweater next...it is getting a new life as a felted, lined purse.
i only need to add the handles, and then it's done.  i'm loving all the red in this one!

i'll be back later to regale you with the details of the classes i'll be teaching at scrapbowl '08 in february...they are killer!  they were a blast to create, and will be so much fun to teach.  with health and family taking priority, i don't think i'll be doing much more teaching next year, so this may be it...it will be a fun event to remember!  :)

oh....but one more pic for now...baylor and i took advantage of the little piece of sun that popped out today by making sidewalk chalk art on the driveway.  he commanded i make a 'tree for madelyn' (his neighbor friend), so this is what emerged...

this is after i made him a tree of his own, which he promptly dismissed (so finicky! sheesh!) lol...

then we kicked it old school with a vintage tattoo motif...the 'mom heart'. 
"because i wuv you."  baylor said, as he pointed to the finished character.
what a sweet little dude.  :)

kat von d would be so impressed.  HA!  lol
don't mind me...i'm infatuated with la ink right now.  :D