Favorite Blog Giveaway!

Happy May!  This has been a crazy spring eh?  I have been behind on just about everything but I wanted to offer my readers a special opportunity to read about some amazing artists.

If you blog I am sure that you put a lot of time and thought into your posts and photos.  It can be pretty depressing if you go to all this effort and don't even get a comment or two.  Right?


For this give away I will be asking that you visit and befriend at least one of my favorite blogs.
Just leave me a comment below of which one.  And a comment on the blog itself along with a friend request.

I love blogging and have many friends that love sharing their creations.  I have chose a few below with links so you can see the wonderfulness too!

Shannon at Tin Roof Studio

Carole at a Finer Crafty-Ness

Amanda at Marryth's Creations

Now for the good part!  At the end of May I will hop over and check out you comments and friend requests and then draw a winner.

I will send the winner of the drawing a Small Priority Mail box stuffed full of goodies!

Thank you all for your consideration. Have Fun blog hopping!

Vintage Fabric and Notions Needle Books.

Needle Books!  Well now seems I have gotten a bit obsessed with these. I love making them, they are quick an easy.  Creating different styles with vintage scrap fabric is the best part.  Oh and the buttons.  Ah buttons!  I love them too!  

These are mostly shell or MOP buttons, some of my favorites.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I have sharing them with you.

Needle Book SWAP

Here is the darling little needle book I sent Michele my swap partner.  I loved it so much and she was delighted to receive it.  

Hop on over to her blog for some lovely altered perfume bottles and pins.  They are absolutely gorgeous. 

Also do not forget to take a peek at the Button Floozies Blog.  Lots of fun gals to share buttons with and swaps!

Etsy Listings

Check out these fabby shabby pocket pillows at my Etsy Shop.

Mixed Media Burlap Sachets

I made these burlap sachets featuring images from my friend Kim.  I purchased little paper envelope sachets at the $ store and sewed them right in to the burlap sachet.  I embellished with laces and roses.  They smell wonderful.  I sent one off to a swap friend and the other might find its way into your package you never know.....

Vintage Muslin and Lace Pocket Pillows

Stamped ATCs

Set of ATCs

What I found on Pinterest!

So you Pin?  It is so fun and addicting.  I have a whole new TO DO list now!  Here is a neat Idea I came across.  Recycling new mice traps into wonderful little fridge clips for coupons and notes.  Here is the original post Suzys Atsy Craftsy Sitcom.   Very Fun and practical too!

Mixed Media Mini Book

Had to get back to paper crafting again.  I was itching to get my sewing machine out and here is a little mini book I created.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have sharing it with you!

As you can see it is an 8X10 piece of double sided card stocked folded to make eight sections.  Each section is stitched down the fold lines.  I added bird image and nest cut out from other scrap book paper.  Buttons and blossoms for the front and a cute pink little tie.  I love how it came out and will be trying a few more here soon. 

Summer Nights Hankerchief Box

My friend Kim always sends me the most thoughtful gifts  She keeps a box open for me and throws things in she knows I love. 

In one of her recent goodie boxes was a neat cigar box that appeared to be made from Balsa wood.  (duh never took a before pic).

This is my first attempt at altering a box.  I painted it white with gesso then black with acrylic paint.  I then used silver rub and buff along the edges.  Then a vintage doily and mica flakes.  I added a little clasp and Here it Is!

Now the focal image  is a collage of paper,  tea stained paper doily (also from one of Kim's boxes) and melted Tyvek.  If you would like to know how to create collages with melted Tyvek check out my Squidoo lens HERE.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have sharing it with you!

P.S. Focal image from Kim.

SheArt

Girls 1,2 and 3.

She ART

My friend Shannon and I are taking a very cool SheArt workshop together.  So far here is are some of my canvases and One finished girl. 

Pretty pleases with the way she came out.  Its funny but I never thought I could paint hair and doodle.  But here you go Christi makes it easy peasy!

Heart Passion Pins

Altered Clothes Pins

An idea rolling around in my head for a while.  Her is what I came up with.  These pins are so fun to make and can be quite addicting!~

Hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you!

ATCS

Lovely Winter Cards

Set of three cards.  Slightly inked and embellished with glittery snowflakes.  Images courtesy of Kim Newberg.  The images are printed on presentation card stock for a rich soft look.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I have sharing them with you!

Tag Book

Tag book for Alveen at Bower Bird.  I used German children's images.  Added wings and hearts made from felt and stitched on with black embroidery thread.  Added lots of little buttons and flowers.  Pages are distressed with ink and embellished with vintage sheet music and lace. 

Tussy Mussy

Altered Matchbox

 

Altered matchbox #3.  

I have learned a bit about altered matchboxes.  First of all when you paint over the part that you strike on the side there is a strange odor.  Secondly it is very important to score the outside sheet that you are covering your matchbox with.  If you measure and do not score the corners the outside sleeve will buckle and not give you a crisp clean cover.  The inside of the sleeve can be painted and distressed with ink as well as the drawer.  Make sure everything dries well before distressing with ink.  I used an cream colored acrylic paint on this one with tea stain distress ink.  The paper for the outside is from K and Co.  I then distressed all the edges with tea stain distress ink. The lace for the cover is also stained with a terracotta walnut ink spray.  The flowers are handmade from book pages and other vintage trims and buttons finished off this piece.  I sealed the paper and image with gel medium.

A Tag Book Swap it is!

Hello!  Thank you all for joining my very first blog swap!  I am so excited to have you all and I have taken time to look at each of your blogs and they are beautiful and so inspiring.  Here are the lists of participants along with blog names if you would like to wander over to each others blogs and read a while. 


1. Donna at Red Apple Junction
2. Jo at Lilly Pilly
3. Michele at Michele's Treasure's Teacups & Tumbling Rose Cottage
4. ValerieAnne at  It's an Alien Life
5. Alveen at Bower Bird
6. Jean at Lilac Lane Livery
7. Jessica at Kids Napping? I'm Scrapping!
8. Mercedes at All Things Pretty

Swap Instructions:
Make a tag book with at least 3 pages. Embellish With buttons.  Shabby Vintage Cottage Chic.  (This is a new style I made up because it seems to include all the things I love! And hopefully you do too! )

Keep this generic no seasonal items.

Standard size shipping tag reinforced to be sturdy.  2.5 by 4.75 or 5"

One container for your tag book with charm closure.

Partners:

Donna and Jo

Michele and ValerieAnne

Alveen and Jean

Jessica and Mercedes

Have fun swapping and Watch this space for some beautiful tag books!

Colorful ATCs

PDA is my hangout most of the time.  A place with lots of inspiration, friends and fun!  Come join in the tag swaps, artist creativeness and Atc challenges.
This month's ATC challenge is Colours.  I am not a big fan of bright colors, artistically that is.  I find muted soft colors easier to work with.  But, despite my apprehension I came up with three ATcs for this challenge.  I have only pictured 2. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you!