What do you call an empty hot dog bun???

...A HOLLOW WEENY!!!!  There's your cheesy Halloween joke for the day, peeps!

Since we're on the subject of Halloween, thought I would share a tag I made for the monthly mailer for the Yahoo group I belong to, All Things Tim, or ATT for short.  It's en route to the partner I was given for the month, but I'm fairly certain she doesn't read my blog, so no worries about ruining the surprise or anything.

I found a picture of the grim reaper in the local newspaper, and decided to do an acrylic paint transfer on a tag, see him peekin' thru there?  Scary, huh?  I'll list the other elements I used:

black window screening on the right side and for the bow

cut grungeboard flourish from Sizzix die then covered with Cosmo Cricket Halloween paper (which we received on the ever so special aforementioned cruise, I might add)

grungeboard BOO covered with acrylic paint, bronze Distress stickles and dotted with Black Diamond stickles, LOOVVEE the black diamond stickles

skull/crossbone from Tim's grungeboard set, covered with black paint dauber, then coated with rock candy crackle paint, then used black diamond stickles for the eyes and nose holes, I guess you call them nostrils, even on a grungeboard skull, ha!

 didn't have grungeboard bat shapes, but improvised and stamped them from Tim's stamp set, cut them out, covered with black paint, then coated with the black stickles

found a cool poison label somewhere, mounted on torn cardstock, then covered with rock candy crackle and rubbed black soot distress ink over it to enhance the lovely crackles that rock candy brings


Then, since the back of the tag was looking kind of messy at this point from being pushed around on the craft sheet which was covered with various inks, glue, etc., decided to mount the tag on some more of the Cosmo Cricket paper, put some ribbon and more screening thru the hole in the tage, and VIOLA, done.  

And here is the monthly mailer I received from the lovely and ever so talented Allie Gower:

 

Check out her blog, here to find out how to do this awesome technique using alcohol inks AND, are you ready for this? HAND SANITIZER.  Yes, you heard me.  It is totally cool in person.  Sheesh, there were gallons of hand sanitizer confronting us at every turn on the cruise, unfortunately, they didn't allow alcohol inks to come on board, otherwise, we could have totally turned the ship into one big alcohol ink project!

Tired of hearing about cruise stuff?  Too bad, here comes some more!  Last night I worked on finishing the MEGA project we had with Wendy, which was a bulletin board.  Started out as plain wood, but we covered it with sewing patterns, then added a lot of grungeboard and other cool stuff.  Here's my board:

I love using the Maya Road trinket jewel pins as tacks, and one grungepaper rose came with the kit, but I needed a little something to fill in a space, so I made another one.  I did rub some acrylic antiquing paint all over the board first to tone down the pattern paper and give it a more distressed look.


When we were in Puerto Vallarta, Maurene and I decided to just wing it and head downtown.  We took one of the many taxis that were waiting on the pier.  It would have been quite a walk.  Anyways, we stumbled on a gallery that showcased several area artists, where I bought some really colorful hand painted  4 x 4 tiles and a beaded egg.  The beading was done with wax, according to the owner, and very time consuming.  Then, as we were walking, we came across an art supply shop, uh oh.  "Do you have handmade paper?"  "Why, yes we do.  Made out of the bark of a local tree."  "ok, we'll take one of everything you have".  No, not really. But it was really cool and I did buy four or five sheets.  We finally make it to the nicer beach area, and I decide I'm going to try parasailing.  Yep, didn't book an excursion, just walked up to the dude on the beach with the parachute and said, "How much?"
"$30 U.S. dollars. "
"Beam me up, Scotty."
And away I go!

Look out below! Big American chick comin' in for a landing!

I know, you can hardly see me, but it really is me.  Thanks to Maurene for taking such great pictures, (she was enjoying a nice cool drink and some guacamole at the time).  It was awesome.  Then we had had enough of the heat, and decided to head back to the ship.  So we ask the bartender, what's the best way to get back to the mother ship?  He says, take the blue bus.  No green bus, blue bus only.  He points to two coins in Maurene's hand and says, "these will be enough to get two people back to ship."  Ok.  Maurene and I look at each other, why not?  Cheap enough.  So we find a blue bus, which actually turns out to be a blue and WHITE bus.  Driver opens the door, and I say, "Walmart?" (the WalMart was right across the road from the ship).  He nods.  Everyone understands the universal language of WAL MART.  This is the only English he knows, I'm fairly certain.  So we hop on and Maurene hands him the two coins.  And as we're heading towards what I am sincerely hoping is the pier and Wal Mart, we stop often and pick up the local people, who, when they step on, just kind of look at us as if to say, hmm, you don't see that every day.  So, we did eventually get off and right across from the ship, I might add.  Later that day when we told people we took the city bus back, they just looked at us like, "and you're still alive to tell about it?".  Really, it wasn't bad.  The local people I met were very nice and accomodating, no worries, and I didn't feel threatened at any point.  Besides, I had some tiles, a beaded egg and some handmade paper that in some combination could be used as a weapon, not to mention you just don't mess with a chick that has been parasailing.

Lots 'O Pockets

Today I thought I would share a couple of sewing/quilting projects with you.  I made this tote especially for the cruise, and used it as a carry on for the plane and a purse.  I picked the pattern because of all the pockets that are on the inside, as well as two zippered compartments. (Yes, I know I should have taken a pic of the inside, oh well, deal with it.)  The lighter colored fabric on the side is also a pocket, with a matching one on the other side.  It worked beautifully for the trip.  Loved all the pockets, which were chuck full 'o stuff.  Another thing I liked about this pattern was the zippered top.  When I got on the boat, excuse me, SHIP, we all received a canvas tote with the Artful Voyage logo on it, and I preceded to use that to haul all the goods to and from class, as I didn't want to get INK or GLUE or FOOD on my quilted tote.

My Mom helped me out a lot with the instructions on this, as they were, umm, not well written with poor pictures.  Right Mom?  And she has made several totes before, so she had EXPERIENCE.  This was my first tote.  Not to mention she let me come shopping at "Mom's Vast Quantity of Quilt Material Store", which is housed in her basement. He He.  Thanks Mom!  Aren't the materials just GORGEOUS!  And here is a tote that she made for me, last year I believe:

She's too good to me, no?
More cruise stuff coming...just need to get projects done, which starting this blog will force me to do, oh, I think I said that before, didn't I?
And a big thank you to those who have looked at my blog and are leaving such nice comments, didn't I tell you that artist's/crafter's are a nice bunch of people?
Thanks to ScrappyPam for her comment about my collaged shadowbox, I'm going to rip that clear label off the front, she was honest about that, I didn't think it looked good, and I was RIGHT.  I for one appreciate those types of comments. Am I the only one that is so critical of my own work?? Or are we all that way?  'Till tomorrow......

Artful Voyage to Mexico 2009, with TIM..and WENDY!

Yes, finally! Many others have posted their version of the VOYAGE, and I will try to link or mention them along the way. I'm not very good at pictures, mainly because I forget to grab the stinkin' camera, LOL. I've looked at others pics, and I think, DOH, why didn't I take that? So, my pics are the Reader's Digest condensed version. Anywho, let's get started.
Tim Holtz, whose work I have followed since I first saw him demo at Scrapfest in Minneapolis back in 2004, began to host "art" cruises in 2008, the first destination being Alaska. Sadly, I didn't go on that one. Then, I find out late last year, that he is going to Mexico in 2009, and with a guest instructor, Wendy Vecchi. WHAT?? I had been following Wendy's work since about 2007, when I first saw her blog as a link from Tim's, loved it, not to mention we are from the same geographical area and I have taken several of her classes from the local stores. This is too good to be true. I mean, if I were asked to pick my "art dream team", so to speak, it would be Tim and Wendy. I knew I had to go! A cruise, with ART! as Wendy has said. Oh yeah, check out their blogs, links are to the right. Wendy's is Studio 490.
So, we have classes the days at sea, and some short workshops at night when everyone is back on the boat from the port stops. I didn't notice that anyone was left in Mexico, by the way, the classes appeared to be fully attended. There were four groups of students, I was in Group B. In the first day of class with Tim, we made a cool journal made out of grungeboard and sticky back canvas. PLUS, we received all the little doo dads to embellish it with, and then some. Unfortunately, I don't have a pic of it yet as it is sadly, not completed yet. However, this blog thing will force me to complete it, which is good. Yes, accountability can be a good thing. So, on to the next day, which was Tuesday and had to be switched with Friday because of the tropical storm nearby. So, on Tuesday, the MEGA workshop, with Tim. Yes, 3 and 1/2 hours of art and craft goodness. We created a very cool shadow box. What is amazing is that everyone is given the same ingredients, but then they all come out very different.
Here are some closeups of the different areas:




I'm not sure if I like the clear design label in the front there. I think it looks a little busy and detracts from the piece. Let me know what you think? Because it can easily be "altered". That's the whole point, right? LOL. The bird was a plain wooden bird that we covered with old paper, I chose music sheets and then covered with distress inks. There is a mini canvas in the upper right corner that we also covered with old paper and beeswax, as well as the backer board. The white rub ons are Basic Grey, love their stuff, and I applied a partial one to the glass covering the front, and the rest of it to the actual frame of the shadow box. It was very fun, it was nice to see everything come together. Ok, I think that's enough for this installment. My friend Eileen, whose blog link is at the right under ArtSavesLives, is doing a fantastic day by day break down of the trip. Also, check out Wendy's blog post from a couple of days ago, she had a short list of peeps who are blogging about the trip and doing a fantabulous job at it. Yep, that's one of my famous "put a couple of words together and see how it comes out" deals. Later!

My English really isn't that bad...

...but I wanted to think of something unusual to get this blog thing started. I'm only 5+ years behind things, you know. Ok, maybe 10+, whatever. So, for those who cringe when they read the apostrophised title, that's my excuse. Also, I preface my sentences to my significant other, friends and family members with that phrase, "you know, I've been thinking...", which usually elicits rolling and glazing over of the eyes, because they know it's another one of my harebrained ideas which seem to be constantly rolling around in my head. So, now I've decided to torture the general public with them. This blog was created mainly to share ideas of a "craft" nature, you know, things people like to make with their own hands. A lot of people call it "art", too. Whatever you might call it, I have found that artists' and crafters' alike are for the most part, very sharing and generous with their ideas. I am into or have been into just about every type of craft out there. Here's the list, albeit, not inclusive, I may be missing something: cross stitch, decorative painting, quilting, scrapbooking, stamping, metal working, wood working, the list is endless. So, for those who would like to follow along on my "I like to make all kinds of stuff" journey, welcome, hopefully I will be able to keep your interest, and stay tuned!