Thank you Laura at 52 Flea!

I was so happy to have won Laura's giveaway at 52 Flea.   As the lucky winner, I was able to create an 8 x 10 custom canvas from Easy Canvas Prints.  It was very easy to use their website and the canvas arrived within a few days. I selected this older photo of Kara and Shelby that I just adore.  The canvas looks crisp and clean. I actually took it outside to photograph so you could see the texture. Hanging on the wall, it looks like it was printed on photo paper.  I really like the look.

I chose a wrap around design.  The picture actually wraps around the edges of the canvas. It looks great hanging on a gallery wall I have in the kids play room.  I'm hoping to snap a picture of my son, Jack, with our other Basset, Zoey, to add to the grouping.  I feel a photo shoot coming on! 

One last thing...I am VERY excited to be attending a bloggers luncheon tomorrow here in Orlando.  Super home stylist,  Shelley, of none other than Sweet Pea Home has offered to host it at her lovely house. I've met Shelley a few times recently at sales and we chat via email from time to time. I am really looking forward though to chatting with her and the other blog friends over lunch.  Shelley has also given us the blessing to bring our cameras.  You see Shelley's home is AMAZING.  As in Fifi O'Neill amazing... Check out the Italian design magazine article that Shelley's home was featured in after Fifi discovered it - click here!  I'm sure I'll have a few pics to share too of my favorite rooms and vignettes. I'm also looking forward to introducing you to a few local bloggers you may not know yet. Until then...xoxo!

Very special rooster gift!

A HUGE thank you to Jan at Punch Drunk Needleworks for making this adorable yarn hook pillow for Kara. Jan spotted this painting Kara did on canvas for me a few months ago. I had blogged about how much I loved it...

She contacted me and asked about using the image in a piece of her artwork. I said sure! Then, she kept in touch while she was making it.  She decided to do a yarn hook to practice for some rug hooking she planned to do with wool.  Take a look at the work in progress from Jan's blog...

The best part is when she was done, she made it into a pillow.  Isn't she so sweet!?  Kara loves it. She won't let the Bassets near it! lol   Take a look at this lovely piece from Jan's blog  -

There are so many art forms out there. I realize the mediums I like to play with just scratch the surface. I love meeting anyone that enjoys getting their hands into a project.  It has been a pleasure, Jan. Thank you so much for this little treasure.  

Tutorial - Making bird's nests

Some of my best days creating are the ones I didn't plan. No project idea in my head that I'm painstakingly trying to recreate on the project table with what I have on hand. No expectations or deadlines.  It is all about being spontaneous. Something just inspires me, and I sit down and start creating.  Last week, Kara (my daughter) and Sydney (her BFF) were making birds out of clay at the dining room table. I sat down to check things out. I decided the birds needed a nest, so I began to play too....

I had some wooden spools on hand. They seemed the perfect size and proportion for the birds being made. They would make great little stands for my nests and bring in the wooden element of a tree.  Next, I grabbed some 30 gauge floral wire. I wanted to be able to bend and mold the nest as I was constructing it. Anything similar will work. I actually wrapped it around two of my fingers. I started with a tight wrap and released the tension each time I wrapped around to get the bowl shape you see here. I added a heavy dollop of EX6000 (EDIT: This is a craft glue found at Michael's. Holds heavy embellishments and great for metal) to the top of my spool and placed the nest on top, holding it a minute or so until it set. Time to pull out your floral moss and grass.

I started by adding EX6000 again to the center of the nest on the spool. I then placed a clump of green grass to the top center and held it until set. I then added glue directly to the spool again but this time around the top edges. I added small bits of green grass here to the outside edges to help cover the wire. Now, don't worry about all the excess.  You will trim that later. Be sure not to trim it perfectly.  For a realistic nest, leave long pieces here and there. Create texture with different lengths.

Adding some moss will really make your nest realistic! I added EX6000 all around the outside edges of the nest (wire) this time and added clumps of green moss.  I also added moss in the center of the nest.  I used my fingers to mold the shape. Again, I trimmed the edges at different lengths to create texture.

Now we just need to finish our birds and welcome them home!  I plan to dress up the spools a bit too. This is a work in progress. I wanted to share the nest tutorial though. It was so easy to do and can be recreated on a much larger scale.  How about you? What is on your project table this week? Have you taken any time to play lately? Tell us about it.  Until next time...xoxo

Gifts from friends

Hello everyone! I had a little birthday last month and my dear, sweet, vintage loving, mixed media art making friends Jodi, Kelley and Kim (girls I put you in ABC order...lol) each gave me something special to mark the day.  These girls really know me. Whether it is sharing a special find or making a handmade treasure, it makes me feel like a kid again when we exchange gifts.  This adorable tag above was made by Kim.  With it was this little cutie-

I had seen this on Etsy. Kim hijacked my favorites and found it. Thanks, Kim! I love it and looks great in the kitchen.

This beauty came from Kelley. Kelley and I have a mutual blog friend, Petite Michelle Louise.  We both love Michelle's blog and her fantastic Etsy shop!  One of my favorite finds in the shop would be Michelle's altered door knobs. Kelley got me one! Isn't this perfection?!

How about these two darling gifts? They are from Jodi and her daughter Sydney (Kara's BFF).  I can't stand how cute this little bucket is on my back porch. This hen pin cushion was a real surprise. Sydney also got me a gift. Makes my heart melt that she found this and thought of me. 

I had another sweet surprise in the mail. I fun filled package of little paper pieces, hat pins and organza bags from sweet June at Lina Beas.  June, I have already used half the envelope for teacher appreciation week! I dug in right away. THANK YOU!  Guess what? June has a giveaway here if you'd like to stop by and enter.  Take a look -

Life is better with friends at your side.  So glad to call these girls and each of you who visit, my friends. Hope you are having a great week and a safe weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Art Angels Arts and Antique Market Part Two

Are you ready to see some more shots from my recent trip to Art Angels?  We really enjoyed this store. I love this booth above with the gates and windows.

 This is the first store in Orlando where I've actually seen antlers for sale.  They were in several booths.

 I loved this old rusty mirror. I probably should have brought it home with me, but the piles of "projects" I have right now in the studio are already overwhelming!  I need to make some progress on what I have first.

My sweet friend Kim bought this great stamp holder.  The stamps had some sweet sentiments on them too which was a pleasant surprise.

 

My friend Jodi and I were in love with these barn doors. Aren't they great?!  Wish I had a place for one of them. My friend Kelley found this great fence piece below. She plans to layer it with a paper wreath or something similar.

 

A few more purchases my blue lantern (I have a small collection) and Jodi's fun loot.  We need to find her a giant cloche now!

What a great store. We will definitely be back. Some regulars told us that they turn their merchandise quickly so there is always something new to see. That is music to my ears!  I hope you get your hands dirty this week while working on a new project.  I have a few new creations I'm working on and one with Kara. I can't wait to share. Until then...xoxo!

Art Angels Arts and Antique Market Part One

I'm off to visit a new store (well, new for me!) here in Orlando. Would you like to come along?  Well, get ready because here we go! You know you are in the right place when you see an old bike and fresh flowers waiting for you at the door.  Welcome to Art Angels Arts and Antique Market.

I really enjoyed my visit here. This shelf, hutch, shadow box...whatever you call it...above was really, really neat.  They had several of these throughout the store.  EDIT:  They are made from old windows. A few of you have asked. They are pieced together from there with old wood. Notice the old, peeling wallpaper on the back panel.  I big puffy hearted this one but then I saw THIS one...

Oh my! So many wonderful things to browse in each and every booth. They have a nice combination of antique, vintage, repurposed and some new artsy items plus they sell fresh flowers!  Everyone was very friendly.  There is so much more to see.  I'll post the rest of the photos later this week.  Until then...xoxo.

Last Giveaway of April WINNER!

Congrats to Vicki from Paper Squirrel for winning my final giveaway of April!  Sounds like her mom has a rooster themed kitchen, so I could not be happier that her post was selected. She wants to give this as a Mother's Day gift. I think that is so sweet.  Vicki - email me your full name and address. I will mail this tomorrow so that you have it in time.  I hope you will stop by and visit Vicki at her blog. Here's one of her latest projects -

Isn't this beautiful? She has a tutorial posted right now so head over for a look. I would go ahead and give her a follow. I think we are going to see some really fun projects from this gal who has crafty in her blood!

Thanks to everyone that played along this month. I've really enjoyed it.  If I have not been by your blog for a visit yet, please be patient with me.  The entries were a bit overwhelming for this working mom!  I've got some fun posts coming up this week - pictures of b-day presents and lots of pictures of a new store that I visited in Orlando.  Until then...xoxo!