Rag Dolls

I'm linking up with Aimee for

With a new project...

"Make a childs toy"

I chose to make these dolls because

 it was one of those patterns

I found at a thrift store years ago and never used.

This was a good chance to use up

some extra fabric too.

Raggy Baggy Betsey and Buddy

Spring Bag #2

Thanks, Aimee, for getting me going on my

stash of projects!

Vintage Girl on Canvas

I can't believe this is the 3rd week of my E-course!

I don't want it to end, it's been a blast...

this project continues along the lines of 

previous ones with mixed media.

However on this one we used paints to 

complete the girl and her clothing. 

And used modeling paste to make her hair

so it has actual ridges and swirls that are

raised to the touch.

Because of where I placed her I was unable to

get her facial features to work so (as our

teacher says), "then leave it blank"...

so I did.

Chocolate Cherry Muffins

I wonder sometimes why I 

try new recipes with GF flour...

they never seem to be worth the time

and effort:( 

They came dry and tasted like paste...

hmmm and it got a rave review on the website

for GF baking? I wonder if maybe

people who have always eaten store bought

goodies are less picky than me...

Self Portrait

This is another project I did

for the E-course.

It is mixed media with a self portrait.

The photo was printed on regular paper 

so it would be very light and easy to cover, 

and then gone over with charcoal and graphite pencils.

Spring Bag

I'm linking up with AJ Crazies

for the Crafter's Weekly Challenge

 This week's challenge was to make a bag out of

fabric from your stash...because I have an obsession

with cutting out patterns and then not sewing the item,

I didn't have to look very far for a bag to sew!

This one was all cut out and ready to go, so I'm

so glad there was this challenge as now

it is done:)

"Marks-All" Painting

The 2nd week of the E-course is still focused on 

sketching over multimedia.

This is my 2nd project.

I used a vintage pattern figure to trace

and sketch over.

I used graphite pencils and charcoal to do 

the sketch.

Vintage Hardware Art

In our second week of the E-course

we are working with mixed media

and pencil sketching.

This is my first project.

Catalog Journal

I'm finishing up my first week of

the E-course with my last

project for this session.

It is a catalog journal. 

You use a catalog-in this case

 Anthropolgie -

and gesso, paint, embellish etc.

until it becomes a place to 

record your thoughts or to add in

other photos or inspiration.

 The front cover was very dark and only had
the girl on it with some baked goods in baskets
behind her. I added the rest.

 These are some of the inside pages.
The idea is to cover up what you don't like and
keep the parts you do.
Anthropologie is ideal because their pages
are like artwork to start with so I kept most of the
pics intact with clear gesso
and used white gesso over some.
Definitely a fun, artistic week-
can't wait until next weeks classes!

Altered Journal

Just finished my 2nd project in 

the E-course,

an Altered Journal.

This one was something I would

never have tried without a class and 

so I'm pretty excited about it!

The girl is a magazine image that you completely

redo to make it your own, just keeping the basic

shape and shadows.

This started as a basic Sketch Pad...

amazing what can be done with

different mediums!

Vintage Journal

I'm so excited to be joining in 

my first E-Course 

called "Creatively Made"

with Musings of A Creative Life

Our first project was a vintage journal

made from an old book.

We cut out a hole for the picture in the 

center and then added a mixture of

papers to make up the pages. 

It is a 4 week course with many different

artists teaching techniques....

super fun!

Color Room Scrapping

I've really enjoyed using The Color Room

for Scrapbook inspiration.

Each palette comes with a scrap layout and

card idea if you have extra papers.

Of course if you want to join in and do the 

challenges you need to stay in the palette exactly

which I have not done yet...just

kept it close.

Crafters Weekly #1

I'm joining in at AJ Crazies

with her new link party

The challenge was to create a scrapbook page

using leftover fabric scraps.

Here is my take on that, using strips of fabric

under the pic and sewing a zig zag stitch around the 

edges and through the middle to hold

them in place.

Anyone can join in so I hope you will...
she's got lots of different crafts coming up
so you may find one that inspires you.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

I'm linking up with Aimee again...

I'm not putting the recipe for these muffins

because they were TOO sweet!

I know that's hard to imagine but they had

honey and sugar in them and then

brown sugar in the streusel topping

and it was too much.

Laundry Room Redo

I think this post is a real milestone for me...

I have never left a room the same way 

for 12 years before redoing it, but

I did with this one!

Laundry Room and Entrance

from Garage

 My inspiration came from 2 thrift store purchases-

2 wire baskets and a black and white tablecloth.

I used the cloth for basket liners and had enough

left for a valance.

 I used jars I had already and made chalkboard 

labels and filled them with the necessities.

The laundry prints are free from

Graphics Fairy !

 The one original decor item in the room

(besides wall color) that I kept,

was the branch mural I painted when I first moved 

into this home. 

I also painted the bench white,

which gives the room a really fresh feel!

 My key wall with a great old window treasure

from Main Street Station.

It has a pen attached so you can leave notes

etc. for people to see as they grab their keys.

 And my fave find (also from Main St. Station!)

a yellow metal basket for "out the door" items.

This room feels so great now that I may actually

enjoy doing laundry...no, that would be a real stretch!

But it did turn out really "happy" and for 

such a reasonable cost, just a few thrift finds, and

some elbow grease. Plus I got 

it really cleaned and organized at the same time 

which feels wonderful!