Garnet 10

Another sketch by the incredible Kristy Lee.

Garnet Baby!!!

10 mid week mojos from scrapbooksteals

Valentine Canvas

I am loving making altered canvases.  This one was made for my husband on Valentine's day.  There is something fun about mixing media, and I adore how this turned out.

Supplies:
Paper- Authentique Journey
Paint- Daniel Smith Acrylic
Ribbon: May Arts

Mid Week Mojo- Biloxi

Scrapbooksteals.com offers its weekly challenge, and for this layout, one of my favorite scrapbook artists, Charity Becker designed the sketch. 

I tried to capture the feeling of the south with this layout that shows the family my eldest visited in Biloxi.  Only after I photographed this LO did I realize a scrap was hiding by one of my buttons.

Papers:
Basic Grey and 7 Gypsies

Work.

Another Mid-Week Mojo sketch. My eldest was teleconferencing with another agency on bring your child to work day.  She truly enjoyed the opportunity to boss a state tech guy around. 

I love how happy she looks with the headset and cord.  It was a fun, if not exausting day for her and I.  Can't wait until this year.
Papers:
Basic Grey
Crate Paper
My Minds Eye

Ribbon:
May Arts

Buttons:
Basic Grey

Oktoberfest

I love this layout of Oktoberfest last year.  The postcard is of the festival girl who swings above the crowd.  Our husbands thought she was hot, so of course we had to take advantage of their Oktoberfest state.

"That's a man" I point out 
"No.  She's hot" Greg answers
"Really? Then why is she like 7 feet tall?" I ask
"She's in heels" He answers as he and his buddy continue to revel in her awesome hotness.
"Well, look at her name MAN-uela HORN? Come on! That's a drag name!" I jab the postcard accusingly.
"Oh No!!! It is a man" (insert disgusted guy noises)

Now Manuela Horn is not a man based upon her profile on her website.  I publicly apologize for slandering (and now libeling) her good name. She was a lovely swing girl at Oktoberfest, and I would feel privileged to see her at another festival.  If she visits your neck of the woods, you should go see her.  She was great, but if your spouse thinks she's hot, go with the "MAN-uela" argument. 

I love my Valentine

I made this sweet valentine for my husband.  I wanted something that was not too girly, but still looked like a valentine.  I hand stitched the heart that I freehand cut out.  The pattered paper needed a rougher edge, so I went and backstiched around my stitching.  This left a rugged feel to the card that I felt fits my hubby just perfect.

Paper:
Authentique
Free Bird
Journey

TAGS is awesome

I wanted a stamp for ATCs and cards. TAGS Awards and Trophies is in Lacey, WA and they do custom stamps. I did the art, and they made me a custom stamp! It was under $30 for both stamps, and well worth it.
http://www.tagstrophies.com/

Spring

I have wanted to do a canvas for a while, and I got the inspiration to honor my favorite part of spring, the cherry blossom.

I collaged the background and the branch, and punched the blossoms.

Paper:
Authentique
Free bird
Uncommon
Gathering

5 Things inspiring me

I thought I'd share a few things inspiring me recently.

www.manuelahorn.com or dreams.zinzanni.org/stpattys

1. Manuela Horn
Look at the Awesome Sauce that is Manuela.  This lovely lady is 6'2'  before heels.  As you may have seen in a previous post, she was the swing girl at Northwest Oktoberfest, and she is a featured performer at Teatro Zin Zanni.  She is freaking gorgeous in person, and a truly sweet person.  When she read my previous post, she tweeted it, and accepted my apology. I was floored that she was so gracious.  I was a fan before, but now, I am totally inspired by this woman. Look at those costumes, the mix of colors and the fun use of pattern.  I love the sense of whimsy surrounding her stage persona.  But, that's not all, Manuela is wicked talented and hilarious.  She sings, she yodels, and she is a comedienne.  I suggest you check out her "America's Got Talent" appearance, and her dominatrix cooking show.  How can you not love a yodeling dominatrix? You have no soul.  That's how.  Manuela Horn is worth a few minutes (or more) of your time.  Thanks for all you do, Manuela, keep up the inspiration.

http://thevintagetraveler.wordpress.com/2011/01/05/using-color-in-dating-vintage-clothing/

2.  1920's Color Pallate
The vintage traveler shared this 1920's color pallate on their blog, and look at the flow and the feel of this.  I love the Coralish reds, and the muted blues.  This whole pallate is calming, but I can still picture a thoroughly modern flapper sporting these colors on the way to a speakeasy.

3. Cherry Blooms
Maybe I am anxious for the start of spring, and the regrowth of green.  Or maybe I just miss the giant cherry tree that used to be in the backyard of my first house.  In any case, the contrast of dark to light, and the range of white to pink is just beautiful, and honestly, there is nothing more magical than a wind blowing the petals around you like a blizzard on a warm spring day.

4. Art and Design of India

I love the vibrant colors, the mix of gold, silver, and gemstones, and the unapologetic beauty that is in Indian art and design. 

http://www.pentel.com/store/pentel-arts/pens/stylo-sketch-pen

5. Pentel Stylo Sketch Pen
My new sketch pen.  This has a flexible nib that allows both a fine and a bold line.  I suppose one is either a pen person, or is not, and I fall fully on the pen junkie side.  My life is going to change due to this pen.  I just know it.

Be Mine?

Valentine for a co worker. I wanted to try to crochet on paper. I punched the heart and then pierced it. Next I went around the edge and blanket stitched. I used that stitching to single crochet around the heart. It was fun to try a new technique.

Papers: Authentique Uncommon, Splendid and Free Bird.

Birthday Card

My dear friend celebrated a birthday yesterday, so I adapted a Kristy Lee sketch to make this card.

Her daughter stole it, so I suppose the card was a hit.

Paper: Crate Paper Farmhouse
Ribbon: May Arts