Family Heirloom Calendar

So I have been creating these perpetual calendars for 2 years now, and I don't even want to think about how many of these little suckers I have created! Although it can be monotonous at times, occasionally I get to create one that means so much more. Yeah, there are tons of vintage pieces on each one with a secret history of its own, but never for us to know. We only can collect and appreciate its beauty for what it is. A few months back at the Girlie Show, I met such a passionate lady that truly treasures her history and family. After lots of phone calls and meetings, I finally created what I hope she & her family will treasure for many years to come. Rather than just having me create from my own stash of goodies, she provided me with MANY of her own to incorporate into the piece. How cool is that? Here are some of the absolutely fantastic trinkets of her family history she provided me...

-a Susan B Anthony $1 coin dated 1889 (the year of the Oklahoma Land Run) (day #1)

-an Indian Head/Buffalo nickel (her grandmother had been a collector of coins over the years and these were some of them from the collection) (used as day #5)

-an old wrist watch that her grandmother used to wear (used as day #12, added Prima gold flower to the base/band to give it more presence)

-an old glass doorknob that had been in her grandmother's old house (I used Prima diecut felt and a pokkadot cupcake liner to accentuate it at the top of the calendar for more visual interest) (see image at top)

-a little red glass knob (added a vintage #9 typewriter key for day #9)

-several letterpress numbers (used for day #4)

-a copper/wood letterpress block of Santa (used as day #25 for Christmas)

-as well as wooden letterpress letters that she had bought back when her son was just a baby, spelling out his name, Ryan (I used them to create/spell out 12 months of the year)

I will never forget creating such a special calendar for such a special lady. Thank you Cheryl for entrusting me with your keepsakes for awhile!

Twisted Card #038 & Joy to the World!

Twisted Card Sketch #038 is up over at http://www.twistedsketches.com/! What a fun sketch, and the twist is "chipboard." For my interpretation, I decided to do a Christmas themed card since the big day is only 1 week away! Yikes! Are you ready? I know I'm not! It's like everything else with me, I simply never finish...I just run out of time! :)

As for the actual card, I used lots of fun glittery details. My chipboard incorporation is the use of Pink Paislee's Glitter Chipboard Alphas in Limeade and the scroll shaped "raw" chipboard piece at the bottom is from The Paper Studio. Since the base of my card is simply kraft cardstock, I thought it would be a good idea to keep the embellishment, raw in it's natural state. I think it tied the card together nicely. The other goodies I used on the card are as follows....My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Portobello Road "Boy" Dapper Dots Paper, Creative Imaginations Art Wharehouse Epoxy Christmas Tree Sticker, Making Memories Vintage Findings Embossed Metallic Silver Alpas, CTMH Paper Tag & Love Letters Rub-ons, Baker's Twine, October Afternoon's Hometown Journaling Card & the lovely bird is a transparent shape from GCD's Melody Ross Homespun Chic line.

I have so much to do and so little time. If I get to post again before Christmas, that will be wonderful. If not, I wish each and every one of you a wonderfully joyous holiday. Merry Christmas and "Joy to the World!"

Twisted Card #035 "Alphabet"

The first time I saw this sketch & twist, I new right away what I wanted to do. The first thought in my head was the contagious Jackson 5 song, ABC. (You know you gotta love some Michael Jackson!) When I started thinking about the lyrics, I thought it was an absolutely perfect sentiment for an elementary school teacher! Teacher's Appreciation is in the early Spring, and I think this card has my son's 1st Grade Teacher written all over it. : ) So the outside is "ABC easy as 123" and the inside reads "or simple as DO RE MI." Then I modified the song lyrics just a bit and had Jack handwrite, "I'm so glad, you teach me!"

As for materials, I used lots of yummy new products....Pink Paislee's weathered wood alpha chipboard in cotton & scarlet, Webster's Pages' silver tinsel, KI Memories' School Days patterned paper & star lace cardstock, Fiskar's upper crest punch, Jenni Bowlin's chalkboard alpha in black, lots of foam squares, & kraft/black cardstock for the base. Other fun items I incorporated were red/white baker's twine, white crayon, red dymo tape & part of an old yellow measuring tape!

To see the actual sketch and other spectacular interpretations, please visit http://www.twistedsketches.com/. Come on, sing it with me now.... ABC, easy as 123, or simple as DO RE MI, ABC, 123 baby you and me....

Dad's Birthday Card

So my stepdad turned 49 on Sunday so I thought I would make him a sweet card. Imagine that! I have been a little fixated with the clear cards these days, so I thought I would create him one with bright, bold graphics and a simple sentiment. Supplies used: a clear acrylic card by CTMH, red houndstooth Hambly paper & a found clipart image of a VW bus. Don't you just love the wooden 49 in the center? It is actually from a vintage lotto game! The fun part about clear cards is that they have such a dimensional feel, and you can add your image to the front leaving the perfect hidden place for your personal message on the inside! Thanks for stopping by!

Alice in Wonderland Cake Covers?

So, I recently made several cake domes on pedestals. Here is a pic of the 3 different sizes I made as a trio. Obviously they don't go together collectively, but it was fun to have them all together for display purposes. When they were on display at the Girlie Show, several times I overheard people saying that they had an unusual, whimsical feel....they said they automatically thought Alice in Wonderland! That is funny to me now, as the boys were dressed as the Mad Hatter & the Rabbit for Halloween. (see post below) I guess when I am in the middle of a hefty production timeframe, everything around me influences my creations. Literally!

Advent Calendar Drawing @ Tulips!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! If you are in the Norman area tomorrow, definitely try and make a stop by Tulips on Campus Corner. They will be having an amazing Black Friday sale! Talk about savings on the most beautiful home decor items...30% off your entire purchase from 8-9 AM, 20% from 9-10 AM & 10% off from 10-11! Another incentive to stop by is this Advent Calendar! I have donated it to Tulips for a drawing to be held on November 30, just in time for Christmas! Every purchase made between now and Nov 30 will be entered into the drawing. For any custom calendars ordered between now and then, your name will be thrown into the hat 2 times! I hope everyone had a restful Thanksgiving, and may the festive, Christmas frenzy begin!

Twisted Card #034 "Edge"

So this week's challenge at http://www.twistedsketches.com/ was to create a card incorporating "edge" as the twist. The card I created was for my aunt's 65th birthday. I incorporated the "edge" in several ways. The card reads, "live on the edge" and on the inside it says, "have the best birthday ever!" In addition, I used lots of different "edge" punches on the card itself. Edge punches are all the rage these days, and they are so fun to use. The edge punches I used are Martha Stewart's Loop Edge & Double Loops, as well as the Scroll & Dots by EK Success. Additional supplies used were: orange glitter alphas by Little Yellow Bicycle, black Dymo tape, swimming pool Loopy Lou stickers by Doodlebug Design, Sculpey hot pink clay, a sweet flower created using my Cricut Paisley cartridge and the yummy Hambly overlay, Vintage Patchwork. As for the actual papers, I used several sheets from the American Crafts Teen line...Class Clown, Class President & Honor Roll. The cool background paper that has the composition notebook pattern, is by Carol Wilson Fine Arts. Lastly I used lots of pop dots to give everything dimension.

To see the actual sketch, and other amazing interpretations please be sure to check out http://www.twistedsketches.com/ today! Thanks for stopping by!

Scarlett Arched Window

I hope everyone is starting to get into the spirit of the holidays! I know I am! I can't wait to start decorating for Christmas! I love all the reds, funky greens & silver....I am getting excited just thinking about it!

Today I would like to share with you one of the largest, unusual windows I have created to date. This behemoth measures a little over 45" tall, almost 4' tall at its highest point. I found 2 of these super amazing windows for $35 a piece back in the Spring at an estate sale. Although most of the 100+ windows in my possession are either donated to me, or picked up off the curb; I occasionally can't resist shelling out some $ for something quite this unique. As I mentioned, I have been holding onto these babies since March and have been looking for the perfect papers to fill the panes. When I laid eyes on the recent Scarlett line by Glitz Designs, I knew it was it. The green paper with the flowers in the corner just kept beckoning me back. I waited for several months to get my hands on it, and it was well worth the wait. I truly love the way it turned out. I am a total sucker for damask patterns at the moment, so I knew such a large window would allow me to create one of such intricate magnitude.

I still have one of these beauties left to create with. Any suggestions on succulent papers out there I should use? My sister-in-law has first dibs, so I know she will want some deep reds in it for sure. I am really eying the new Circa 1934 line by Cosmo Cricket. Thanks in advance for all your wonderful thoughts and suggestions! Amy

For the Luv of Art Member of the Week!

Julie Ann Shahin, an extraordinary mixed media artist chose me as the Member of the Week over at http://www.fortheluvofart.com/! What a wonderful honor, and Julie Ann's write-up about me was more than complimentary! Be sure to check out all the fun and inspiring creativity; the girls are so talented and I'm sure once you check it out you will be hooked! Definitely take time to see Julie Ann's amazing creations too! Her blog is http://julieannshahin.blogspot.com/. Here are one of my mermaids she featured in the post...I haven't created this little lady in awhile. I have a custom mermaid I am currently getting ready to create just like this. It used to be so much fun to create, and I look forward to making one more exist in this world! : )

Architectural Salvage...

Have you ever enjoyed an afternoon scouring an antique store or an estate sale rummaging through old architectural pieces? I LOVE finding such unique remnants. They are so old, and serve such an elegant piece of history. Occasionally I stumble across such pieces, and I do literally stumble in excitement. I found these lovelies at an antique store in Bethany, OK called The Rink. If you have never been there before and live in Oklahoma, it is definitely worth the drive. If you go,plan to spend an afternoon there. When I say an afternoon, I mean an ENTIRE afternoon. It is 27,000 square feet of the most unique, ecclectic, antique collectibles you can find. Check it out at http://www.rinkgallery.com/antiquemall.html

Now onto the details...

I took the architectural pediments and used them as the base. Already painted white with many, many layers of paint peaking through in shades of pale yellow, pink & mint green these babies were calling my name as soon as I saw them. To start with, I stamped text all over the center of the block using StazOn ink. For the center, I took a red/white pokkadot cupcake liner and cut out the center. I then, formed a smaller circle and made larger accordion folds. I applied silver Stickles around the outer edge of the liner and adhered it to the center of the board. Next I took a 4" cast iron star and topped it off with a vintage bingo marker. To accentuate the carved indentions in the wood, I took kraft paper and cut/glued it into the leaf shapes. At the bottom, I used vintage black wooden dominoes. To complete the found ephemera look, I decided to play along with the star since it is after all the focal point of the piece. Each wall hanging is intended to be separate with the titles of "SHINING," "SPARKLE," & "TWINKLE." At first I thought they had a festive Christmas feel. The more I think about it, how cute would one of these look in a child's room? I hope to make more of these very soon. As soon as I can find some more of these pediments! All 3 of these pieces are available for purchase at Tulips on Campus Corner, Norman, OK. Have a great evening, and as always thanks for stopping by!

OklaVision features Amy Baldwin of Curly Q Mosaics!

I am telling you, I can't even express the gratitude I have for all the media attention I have received these last few weeks! Yesterday, OklaVision featured the Girlie Show from Friday night on their daily TV show. If you live in the OKC or Tulsa, OK areas you have probably seen the tv show on Cox Communications, channel 3. If you haven't watched it before, it is a great resource for checking out arts & entertainment in our area. If you didn't see the segment on tv yesterday, it's okay! You can see it in it's entirety by going to http://oklavision.tv/#/home. Go to Program Guide, and look under Nov 09. The Girlie Show segment begins at 00:04:53. It will be permanently archived on their website after this week. Be sure to check it out to capture the pure essence of this year's show. Enjoy!

The Girlie Show 2010 = Huge Success!

Well, the Girlie Show has finally come to an end and it is time for me to finally stop and take a deep breath. Talk about lots of work, but so much fun too! Thanks to my many supporters and fans of Curly Q Mosaics for helping it to be a continued success. Having so many of you stopping by just to meet me or to let me know that you were there just for my art, was so wonderful to hear! I sold lots of pieces at the show, and have many custom pieces in the works. With all the heavy marketing & advertising the Girlie Show does, it creates such a buzz around OKC. This last week I was a featured artist in the article titled, "Powered by estrogen, 'The Girlie Show' enters it's seventh year of offering female artists a platform to sell their wares." Having been in the show 4 years previously, they wanted a seasoned artist's perspective. What great exposure for me! To see the exciting article in the Oklahoma Gazette, please visit http://www.okgazette.com/visualarts/11-03-2010/Powered_by_estrogen_The_Girlie_Show_enters_its_seventh_year_of_offering_female_artists_a_platform_to_sell_their_wares.aspx

Twisted Cards #032 "Punch"

Let me start by saying that when I first saw this sketch, I thought I would have difficulty creating something exciting and different. Wow was I surprised! I think I must of had some major creative mojo going on that day! I made this card for my mother-in-law's birthday and I think this has to be my FAVORITE card I have ever created. I tried to think outside of the box, and pulled out all the stops on this one. From stitching to layering and "fussy" cutting, I think I covered almost every technique I know. (I would have to say that my cousin inspires me to go the extra mile, and do the very best I can.) I am sure most of you know this super amazing chick, Nancy Hanttula. Yeah, she has been on the Twisted Sketches team for over a year now creating the most unbelievable layouts known to womankind! If not, you MUST check her out at her blog, http://www.justaboutthedetails.com/. I warn you now, you will be jaw dropping and drooling like crazy!

Okay, here are all the yummy details about the card. First I started with just your basic kraft cardstock. I folded it in half and cut it down to a standard 5 X 7. Then, I took solid red paper (My Mind's Eye) and punched 4 "Fancy Squares" at the top and bottom of the rectangle. (McGill) After mounting it to the cardstock, I punched holes and stitched around the squares using black embroidery floss. Recently purchasing the new Basic Grey Jovial papers, I knew I wanted to incorporate them into this card. Using the Winter Garden paper, I chose to cut out the flowers & leaves. To accentuate, I found a black & white patterned cardstock to create some contrast. (Crate Paper's Crate Avenue Collection, Simple) To make the flowers and starbursts, I used the Martha Stewart Daisy Fan Deep Edge Punch. As you can see in the images, I took 2 punches and put them together using a brad. The flower was then done. Taking it one step further, I cut the scalloped edge off to create the starburst. For the last finishing touches, I used pop dots to give everything dimension, Pink Paislee's Cherry Chipboard Alphabet for "happy", Stampin' Up's Happy Everything for "BIRTHDAY", Ranger's Black Embossing Powder for intensity on the leaf, Swingline's green staples, & CTMH's Liquid Glass & Prisma Glitter to give it extra sparkle. I hope you truly enjoy this as much as I do.

Anam Stubbington, creator of Twisted Sketches creates the amazing designs that inspires us to create. Won't you stop by and check out all the other wonderful creations? http://www.twistedsketches.com/

Homespun Chic Calendar

Just in time for the new year, I have been creating more of my fun perpetual calendars. Sometimes a new line of paper comes out and I know right away I am going to put it to great use somehow, someway. When GCD came out with the Homespun Chic line this last summer I went crazy for all the fun patterned papers and embellishments. Here is the calendar I created using it, don't you just LOVE the vintage sewing patterns and the chic women? I know I do! This calendar along with many others will be available for purchase at the upcoming Girlie Show in just 2 days! After that, you can find many of my creations at Tulips in Norman, OK. Please stop by sometime, I know you would love it! http://www.tulipshome.com/

Featured Projects in Scrapbooking.com

As a follow-up to my post back on September 24, Scrapbooking.com asked me to be a featured artist in their online publication for November. The projects they chose were my Brotherly Love & Happy Mother's Day layouts as well as the frame/card I created for Ms. Lizzie. Scrapbooking.com maintains a comprehensive directory for just about everything in the scrapping world. It is a great source to go for ideas, tips, & how-to's. Please check it out over at www.scrapbooking.com. Thanks for stopping by!

Papaya Peace Window

Have you ever heard of Papaya? It is a company that creates and sells the most delightful array of merchandise that includes giclees, prints, cards, stationary, and so much more. One of their newest items is their specialty wrapping paper. It is heavy duty, high quality. It is not just paper, it is a masterpiece all on it's own. The way it is packaged is indescribable beauty. All the pages are bound together by thick velvet ribbon and come in 4 different sets. The set I purchased is the Flower Paper Wrap Set by the phenomenal Anahata Katkin. I knew that this paper was the exact quality I was wanting for one of my larger paned windows. With it, I have created another one of my popular Peace Windows. I typically don't create much with the color purple, but this is one I am very glad I did. The plum purple in the tile really enhances the purple within the absolutely succulent paper. If you are looking for unique and superior quality products, I definitely suggest you check them out at http://www.papayaart.com/. Have a great Saturday! Amy

Happy Halloween!

As we all know Halloween is just around the corner, in just 5 days to be exact. My how time flies. I thought I would share with you these goodie bags I created for my son's upcoming Fall Party at school. I found the cutest orange & black polka dot bags at Hobby Lobby. I used a scalloped circle punch on black cardstock as well as on an irresistible Hambly overlay. It is the lime green damask pattern I love so well. I used pop dots to give them dimension and then topped them off with glittered pumpkins and some with a little kooky eye. Lastly, I used all kinds of random letters to create the kiddos names...chipboard, stickers, rub-ons, you name it! Very fun to make, and I'm sure the kids will enjoy. I also wanted to say Happy Halloween! Well, so long for now as I have many more creations I should be making at this very moment. As my children would say, "you're late, you're late for a very important date!"

Twisted Cards #030 "Music"

It's rainy and dreary outside , but that's not going to get me down. I am excited for today is my debut on the Twisted Sketches Design Team! The card I created was completely inspired by the wonderful Anam Stubbington's design. The twist was music, so I decided to create a card for our niece's baby shower. The title on the outside reads, "rockabye baby" and the inside reads..."may you hum this sweet song from your heart forevermore." I also incorporated music paper to go along with the theme. The list of materials I used are as follows...American Crafts: 5X7 Card Lip Gloss, Thickers Scroll Accents, Thickers Candy Stripe Alphas, Creative Imaginations: Brown Glitter Foam Alphas, Making Memories: Spiral Journaling Book, K Company: Brenda Walton Madeline Die Cut Cardstock, Love Elsie: pink music paper, & Martha Stewart's Cornice Edge Punch.

I truly appreciate you stopping by and all the wonderful feedback you leave. To see the actual sketch and other amazing interpretations, please go to http://www.twistedsketches.com/.
Amy

The Girlie Show is just around the corner...

I can't believe The Girlie Show is almost here! In less than 2.5 weeks, the big show begins! I am busy cranking out lots of mosaics for the upcoming event. I have tons of ideas reeling in my mind, so much to do and so little time. Oh well, my creations happen during the 11th hour. Doesn't the same hold true for all creative minds out there? Last week we had our annual pre-party for the show. It was nice getting to meet some of the new artists and of course chatting with the lovely Dawn, Marilyn & Erin, founders/creators of The Girlie Show. They unveiled the poster for this year. Super cool isn't it! I am getting excited with butterflies already! Attached are my gifts for the opening night goodie bags. They are pinked out bling domino necklaces! That's right, the first 50 lucky people in the door will get a bag stuffed with all kinds of wonerful goodies from the artists, food vendors, and local retailers. Keep in mind, you will want to get there early to receive one of these coveted bags....the line usually starts forming 3 hours prior to the doors opening! Isn't that crazy cool! Believe me, when I show up 45 minutes before the show and see all the people and excitement, that is the one time I feel like a superstar! (at least for the moment!)

Baby Gwendolyn

So our niece Britane' had her baby shower last week. Her baby girl, Gwendolyn is due in December. Britane' is doing the nursery in chocolate browns and light pink. She is a lover of horses, and has blown up a giclee image of her own childhood horse above the crib. I can't wait to see it in person, I am sure it is absolutely precious. Wanting to create her something for the baby, I decided to do a diaper cake and a "Gwendolyn" banner that she can hang in the nursery. I created the banner using the Maya Road Mixed Scallop Triangle Banner Album. I covered all the pennants with assorted patterned papers from Basic Grey, Anna Griffin, My Mind's Eye & The Paper Studio's Flutter Loft. To give it extra interest, I ruffled pink tissue at the tops of alternating pennants and created crimped medallions to all the other ones. The name was created with pale pink chipboard from the Li'l Davis Designs Charming Love Affair line. An absolutely adorable font I think! Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Saturday everyone!

Vintage Chalkboard Calendar

So a few weeks ago my mom and I were driving around with the kids, and we stumbled upon a garage sale that enticed me to stop and look further. I found this amazing, old chalkboard for $1 and just knew I had to have it. Not sure what I was going to use it on, and my mom came up with the great idea of using it as the base of one of my many calendars. Although it is quite large, measuring 24" X 24" overall, I absolutely loved the way it turned out. I purchased some metal sheeting and cut it down to 16" X 16". My super talented hubby helped me to attach the metal to the board using rivets. How cool is that! (My favorite new tool by the way!) There is something so satisfying about incorporating the past into the present in a new way. As many of you know, I get butterflies whenever I get a find of the day on one of my many excursions. Have you ever bought something old and gave it a new life? I challenge you to stop by a yard sale or even the thrift store and transform something old into something super cool. Please share your great inspiration, I would love to see!

I am a TWISTED SISTER!

Yeah, yeah I know that some of you already think I am a little "twisted" in the head but this is the real deal! Anam Stubbington, the amazing designer/creator of Twisted Sketches has officially given me the privilege of being on her Design Team! This is my first time on a team, so I am very excited. To find out all the details, please visit http://www.twistedsketches.com/. I hope you will check out all the other amazing artists and consume the wonderful inspiration! Thanks for stopping by!
Amy

Happy Birthday My Sister & Friend

Today is my sister's birthday, and I decided to create this card for her. She has always loved earth toned colors like harvest gold, chocolate brown, orange/red, etc. Whenever I think of Julie and her birthday, I always think of the fall and thought it would be fitting to make her card in the rich colors she loves so.

The card design was inspired from the very clever scrapbooking website, Twisted Sketches. The twist was "friend." Make sure to check out their wonderful sketches over at http://www.twistedsketches.com/.

Happy Fall to Everyone! Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time,

Amy

Exciting NEWS!

I was contacted the other day from the Editor-In-Chief over at Scrapbooking.com. It is a huge worldwide online magazine. They have chosen 3 of my projects to be featured in their November Publication! As I understand, it will go live on November 1st. I will keep you updated, I promise! In the meantime, go over and check them out and be sure to sign up for their weekly newsletter for all kinds of tips, ideas & products at http://www.scrapbooking.com/.
Have a great weekend!

Crimson & Cream

This is my newest baby, hot off the press! The girls and I were talking up at Tulips about doing some unique "red" pieces to attract that huge group of OU fans out there! I plan on creating several different works using the Crimson & Cream motif, and this is just the first of many. Stay tuned for future creations. Besides, who doesn't need some red in their life? I know I do! As for specifics on the pedestal cake cover, it is the 2nd one I have created. The piece itself is very time consuming, but very satisfying once it is complete! : ) The holidays are coming up, and you will be the queen of the party when your guests arrive and take notice of this delectable kitchen accessory! Be on the lookout for more of them to show up at Tulips on Campus Corner, Norman, OK. Good luck to OU on Saturday, GO SOONERS!

Clear Cards

Lately I have found myself playing around with clear cards. Have you ever tried using clear acrylic for your cards or mini albums? Talk about challenging yet so fun at the same time! Not only are you thinking about how the top layer is going to look, but also needing to remember the under layers as they show as well. Here are 2 birthday cards I created for some of my kids little buddies. The Olivia Card was created for a little 4-year-old sweetheart named Sarah. Her mother says she loves watching Olivia, so I thought I would make her a card to match her birthday presents. It was so fun creating this card, as I didn't stress and redesign it over and over again. I somehow let the pieces fall into place, and enjoy the way it turned out.

Here is how I created it...First I searched Google for images of Olivia. I found this sassy one and saved it to my computer. I then printed it out on white cardstock. After diecutting around her, I assembled assorted papers & ribbons I thought would emphasize and flatter Ms. Olivia. The base card is from CTMH. It is a round scalloped 4.5" clear card. It is covered with a clear film to protect it prior to using. Here is a great tip for you cardmakers out there: whenever you have a clear film, make sure to keep it as you decide how to assemble the design. I was able to put my "happy" stickers down on the clear film to determine placement without destroying the paper underneath. Once I knew what I wanted to do, it was pretty easy to peel the stickers from the film and place directly onto the card. Back to the project details...I traced around the scallops of the card onto the red dot paper. I then used the xyron to adhere the paper to the inside base of the card. This allowed a place for my kids to sign the card, and it not interfere with the overall design of the card...it was secretely hidden behind Olivia! I used a silver paint pen around the edges of the scallop. On the top flap of the card, I cut out a circle on the white/red paper and adhered to the card using foam dots. I tied red/white candy striped ribbon and blue/white postal string to the top half of the card and tied into a bow. After that, I glued Olivia down with foam dots and stuck the "happy" stickers accordingly to the very front. To dress Olivia up a little more, I stamped a crown from Autumn Leaves onto white cardststock and embossed it in silver. I found a round white metal rimmed tag that was perfect to complete the sentiment. One side I stamped BIRTHDAY, stuck on a candy striped thickers "2" and then wrote YOU in Sharpie.

Another card I created a week ago was for a 7-year-old "mad scientist" named Lorenzo. He had a super cool party at the Oklahoma Science Museum where all the kids were decked out in lab jackets and goggles! (His mama is a birthday party nut like myself! ) To stick with the theme, I found a great collage image on PowerPoint of all places! The galaxy, the telescope, the earth...perfect for what I wanted! I printed out the image, and adhered it to the inside of a square CTMH 4.5" clear card. On the outside, I traced around the galaxy using silver Stickles. Talk about giving it some sparkle! I then stamped BIRTHDAY accross the telescope, and hand wrote part of the message. I created "THIS" using red dymo tape. The "world" is Making Memories silver stickers. Something cool about this card is that the birthday $ is hidden at the back! When gluing the image to the inside, I only adhered it on 3 sides creating a pocket that the dollars slid into perfectly! I hope the kids enjoyed these little cards...surely not as much as I enjoyed making them! : )

Oh yes, have you heard of Twisted Sketches? If not, you should check them out! They have weekly challenges for both cards and layouts. Check out the "clear" card challenge they had last week, and see what other great sketches they have to spark your inner creativity! http://www.twistedsketches.com/

It's Official! I am going to be a Girlie!!!

Every year I anticipate applying for the Girlie Show in Oklahoma City. Every year I hope and pray that I will be lucky enough to be chosen again. I am ecstatic to say that I am in!!! For those of you that have been, you know where the party is at! For those of you that haven't, what are you waiting for? I can tell you that it will be the time of your life! From the most delicious food, to the hippest rockin' tunes, and the most unique, and unbelievably cool artwork...this is the place to be! This is my 5th year, and I enjoy every single minute of it. Mark your calendars for November 5th & 6th, 2010. Check out the details @ http://www.thegirlieshow.net/.

Also, attached is a documentary clip of the Girlie Show created by Ackerman & McQueen out of OKC. I am so proud to say that I am in it! Check it out... www.am.com/#/home/VideoModule/2181

Lastly, make sure to become a fan of The Girlie Show on Facebook. It has the most up-to-date info about the show, you won't want to miss! I am off to start creating some masterpieces...I hope to see you there!!

I'm so EXCITED!

Yesterday afternoon I found out that I am the winner of the August Hambly Contest over at For the Luv of Art.com. What an inspiring website, and a bunch of super clever, cool chicks reside there. Come check it out and share your inspiration! http://www.fortheluvofart.blogspot.com/

Tooth Fairy Love...

Okay, as usual I am fixating on the innocence of childhood. Remember those days when we thought of the tooth fairy often...it seemed like once we started losing teeth, it would never end. I love those memories as I child, to this day I still remember seeing the sparkling tooth fairy flying up to my window when I was about seven. Being my anxious self, I ran to my mom to tell her all about it. Needless to say, when I got back to my bed the tooth fairy had already paid a visit! What an imagination! I love telling my kids that story, and I love hearing the thoughts and images that go through their minds. My oldest turned 6 back in March, and has yet to lose his first tooth. Unlike anything else in my chaotic life, this is something I want to be prepared for...the first loose tooth. For quite awhile, I have been in search of the perfect tooth fairy pillows for my little ones. I found the sweetest little birds & elephants a few years ago on etsy and stored them in the back of my mind since then. The creator of these adorable creatures is an artist named Melody Miller. I contacted her a few weeks ago to see if she would make some of these for my kids....

Yesterday I received a package in the mail and was overjoyed with its contents. Melody Miller you rock! Her presentation, packaging, merchandising & marketing of her products is insanely cool. Not only were the sweetest elephants wrapped in funky tissue and ribbon, but she has designed her own temporary tattoos with her signage. Too cool for school I say! She is currently creating a new fabric line called Ruby Star Rising. It is supposed to debut this fall. I can't wait to see it! To check out more about this super clever girl, here are her websites... http://www.melodymiller.typepad.com/ and http://www.lettermdesign.com/

Eat, Drink & Be Merry!

Here are two more of my newest pieces. Once I again, I have incorporated those yummy ceramic letters I told you about in the last post. On both of these, I used black grout. Very unlike most of my creations, I typically use a dark tan grout. For these, I decided I would try something different, something unexpected. On the wall piece, it was so fun playing around with different materials...a large black baroque frame, vintage psychadelic gift wrap from the 1960's, a cork coaster, and some glitter green tile. I wish you could see this paper in person, as the picture doesn't capture the true vivid colors...super rich hot pinks, fuschias, lime greens, funky yellow and black, all wrapped up into a disco frenzy of beautiful swirls and flowers. Enjoy!

Dream A Little Dream...

Here is one of my newest creations. I saw something similar to this in an old craft magazine, and gave it my own "mosaic twist" if you will. The black frame is actually a deep window box. At the back I created a mosaic of dominoes, all vintage with varying color, widths and lengths. All the images I stamped onto the back of the dominoes are comprised of many different textures, patterns, and wonderfully inspiring words like joy, celebrate, believe, happy, cherish, imagine, etc. The word DReAM in the forefront of the box is very interesting. I wish I knew all the history behind the letters. All I know is that they are made out of some type of white ceramic/bisque from the late 1940's...they were sold at a chemist's estate sale, lots of vintage goodies from his lab that had been stored in a basement for decades! There were tons of numbers and letters for sale and I managed to buy most of them at $0.50 a piece; a small price to pay for something so unusually unique from the past...treasures I can incorporate into my work to give it that extra wow!

Thanks again for stopping by!

Brotherly Love

This layout is featured on Scrapbooking.com's online magazine! (Nov 2010) Please go to http://www.scrapbooking.com/ for all the details!

I created this layout using the wonderfully vivid new line by My Mind's Eye called So Sophie. The layout is about our adventure to the annual Medieval Fair this last Spring. Neatly tucked away under the image is another image of the boys holding hands as they walk up to the fair. Also included is my narrative about the day and their silly hats.

The insert reads as follows...The annual Medieval Fair at Reeve's Park. What a festivity of eccentric sights and fantasies all wrapped into one. There is tons to see, from fairies & mermaids to knights & kings. Jack tackled the bungee jump again, completely fearless. Add to it, the elephant & camel rides and the oh so yummy food, you guys never wanted to leave. The weather had been very cold, rainy & windy on Saturday, so we decided to take a chance and go on Sunday afternoon. Talk about PERFECT weather, we all had a great time. You both were bundled up in your matching red sweaters and those oh so crazy & colorfully fun beenie hats. Daddy found those for you guys at an antique store down in McAlester this spring. The hats are extremely old and very unusual. Made out of different panels of tan, aqua and red leather, they are covered in tiny trinkets that apparently would have come from old Cracker Jacks back in the 1940's. Daddy did some research, and we also found that the hats were possibly sold at the World's Fair back in the 40's as well. Either way, the hats are so cool and we hope that you all will treasure them for many years to come. Not to mention that you both look like the "Little Rascals!"

As for this picture, all I can think of when I look at it is pure LOVE. Jack you are such a nurturing big brother to Sam. Sam looks up to you for everything. He copies everything you do, and goes to you for protection. I hope that he always feels that you will be there to protect him as I hope he will always be there for you. Talk about a troublesome duo when you are together, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Our Little Monster is 3!

A few days ago we celebrated Sam's 3rd birthday in true monster fashion! I know I have an obsession with my children's birthday parties. I completely go over the top. From the invitations and goodie bags to the cake and birthday attire, I cover it all . My poor children fall victim to my excessive behavior when it comes to such grand events but they sure make for wonderful memories, fun and GREAT pictures! I typically plan the party theme almost a year in advance. Then, my mind starts reeling with ideas from what the theme will be to party colors and entertainment for the children. My mother and I collaborate and have a sometimes stressful but great time doing it. She bakes the cake, and then we decorate it together...yes, another one of my obsessions...making fondant cakes. My mother and I have always dreamed of having a "birthday" business that includes every detail...almost like birthday planners instead of wedding planners if you will. In the future I might post images from the infamous Fred Flinstone & Sam I Am Green Eggs and Ham parties just to name a few. Enjoy some of these sweet images of Sam's party...