William Henry Margetson LFB

Artist of the Month for July LFB Front

Artist of the Month for July LFB Back

Here is the little fat book page that I made for my sister Elise's Artist of the Month Swap. This month she did a spot light on William Henry Margetson. I think the ladies in the group were better able to tackle this one because the focus of alot of his art is what we all like: vintage ladies in hats with ribbons, and everything is so full of light and beauty. Quite the extreme from last month's Frida Kahlo. :o) I enjoyed working on it last night after the art party at Lori's. I was inspired AND in a time crunch because I forgot it was due tomorrow!

I used a real mirror on the piece and enlarged the frame of the original work to fit it on. I cut out the reflection from a second print out to glue on the mirror. I used CTMH's liquid glass to fill in the vase to make it look glossy and glass-like. The lady is cut out and pop-dotted to stand up off the page and outlined in a glimmer dust gelly roll pen. Other accents include tiny pearls, eyelash fibers, brads, and prima flowers.

Lori's Art Party

Group Shot @ Lori's House

My Altered Tin (project compiled by Lori & Miriam)

Today was sooooo much fun. I have been looking forward to my art group's get together at Lori's for weeks now. We had a nice sunny day, great food (I liked the quiche!), awesome friends, fun little altered tin project, inspiring altered butterfly swap, and I passed out the Mixed Media Mystery Mission packages. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my Saturday off from work!

Congrats Marilyn!

Marilyn, you are the winner of my Blog Reader Contest! With a stroke of luck, I believe I will see you at Lori's art party today so I will bring your prize to you this afternoon. Thank you for your ongoing interest and supportive comments on my Blog. It's nice to know someone is out there enjoying what I do! Thanks again and Congrats!

The View Outside My Living Room Window

Believe it or not, I lifted the blinds in my living room and stood on my couch to press my camera lens against the window to get this shot of the momma bird in her nest in the tree outside. Jeff told me he noticed her there yesterday, and the cats have been sitting on the back of the couch looking outside more often. I can't wait to see if I can catch a glimpse of some baby birds soon too! Gotta love nature right in your own backyard!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Me & the Birthday Boy

Jeff's Birthday Card

My boyfriend Jeff's birthday was Friday, July 17th, and we had a BBQ with some friends and my sisters and played Cranium. That game is so much fun, I can't remember laughing that hard in awhile. Overall the night was a hit, he really got along with my friend's boyfriend, and all the food turned out great so I think he had a good time. I made his birthday card using a photo we took of Brinkley at my grandma's camp a few weeks ago. It definitely made him smile that I added paw prints to the back and the envelope like the dog helped make the card.

I've made it past 50 blog Entries!

This is my 52nd Blog Entry! I have to thank Ginger for inspiring me to take the time to start one. It has become a wonderful way to document my artwork, as well as make connections with a multitude of fabulous artists. I am enjoying the opportunity to learn new things from others, and to share my art for feedback and growth.

To commemorate my 50th entry, I want to offer a drawing for anyone who posts a comment to this blog link by Saturday July 25th. You will be eligible to win a surprise product from Close To My Heart valued at over $20. I look forward to seeing who checks out my blog!

Summer Birthdays!

For Jeff's Mom's birthday today

For Jeff's twin sister's birthday Friday

Wow, the occassions this summer that have called for a card seem to be endless. My parents' 26th Anniversary was yesterday and I never even got a chance to make them a card! Jeff just reminded me the other day that his mom's birthday is today, and of course his and his twin sister's birthdays are friday. I can't keep up! I love to make cards, but I've felt a little rushed a pressed for time lately with me working more. I still have to make Jeff's birthday card while he's outside mowing the lawn...I better act fast!

Patriotic LFB

Lady Liberty LFB Front
Lady Liberty LFB Back

This is the little fat book page that I created for next Tuesday's swap at Stampassion, in Latham, NY.

Let Freedom Ring ATCs

"Red, White & Blue"

"Fourth of July Greetings"

"Children of the Flag"

Here are the ATCs that I created for my July ATC swap themed "Let Freedom Ring." I didn't have much of a Fourth of July weekend, I worked both Saturday and Sunday and spent my Saturday evening catching shoplifters and signing police reports...so yesterday I spent a little time getting in the patriotic spirit to create these. I also created a bonus card, which I won't post to surprise a special winner of a mini-Eye Spy contest I posted to my yahoo group. Two of the artists of the swap so far have used the same images, but in different ways. I asked them to tell me which two artists it was. Fun fun!

What Summer is all about...

After so much stress at work and so many rainy days this summer, I consider myself blessed to have been able to go and spend some time at my grandma's camp with Jeff and the puppy. We went up Thursday at lunch time and came back this afternoon. We took a walk around the lake, played some card games, did some reading, some swimming, some grilling, and my personal favorite: some smore making. Although I kind splurged on my Weight Watcher's points with having 3 of them...I couldn't quite resist the taste of camp. Swimming with the puppy in the lake for the first time was a blast too--he loves the water. Thank goodness for some time to step back and relax, and laugh a little.

Ginger's Vintage Women LFB Swap

LFB Front

LFB back

Here is the little fat book page that I made tonight for Ginger's Vintage Woman swap for In My Vintage Room Yahoo Group. The clipart is from a Luna Girls CD of vintage cigar labels that I purchased off of Ebay (great source for images if you don't mind printing your own collage sheets). It's tough to tell in the photos, but I used gold and glitter gel pens to jazz up the images. The embellishments are copper wire curly-q's that I made awhile back and I discovered them, the elephant charm and the mother of pearl beads in my bead bin recovered from my parents storage closet. Fun to breathe new life into old goodies from my jewelry making days. The quotes are from an old page-a-day calendar.

Dog Days of Summer Birthday Card

Jenn's Birthday Card

Detail shot

Jenn is the pharmacist at my CVS and she's also the best listener and advice giver I could ever ask for. When the store is slow and I close with her, she is always there to let me vent about the insanity and aggrivations of my day in retail, and in my life. Her babies are her labs Chile and Cayenne, and I stole the pictures of them off of her facebook to make her birthday card more personalized. I recreated their day at the lake, and what do you know, I found a use for those glass gems from the antique store already. The clear one made a perfect sun center, and the others made the rock bed of my lake. I extended the dock off the photograph onto some cardstock and then attached it with double-sided foam squares for dimension. Mulberry paper water and sun, and stamps are Close to My Heart complete the scene. Inside says, "I hope you enjoy all the dog days of Summer, but have an especially sunny birthday." Cheesy, I know, but I think she'll think its cute.

Diamonds in the Dust

My antique store treasures

Cup full of glass jewels, some rimmed in copper tape $6

Set of two British military crown buttons $7

NYC Church Post Card, $1

Radio City Music Hall Post Card, $1

Even though Jeff and I have lived in Gloversville for over a year now, I haven't really taken time on my own to explore much. I just do what I need to do at the grocery store or Walmart, and I drive to work and school. I finally went into "town" today and parked and walked up N. Main Street and discovered a little antique store. I spent $15 on a bag full of treasures to use on my altered art, and I just had to share. I'm excited to see what they will become!

Lilies in Bloom

Jeff and I have eagerly anticipated the blooming of what we have been told are "ditch lilies" along the side of our garage and the front corner of our house. Next year I want to photograph them first thing in Spring as little shoots coming out of the dirt until they become giant leafy bushes, and then stalks with buds, and then finally these gorgeous full bloom orange flowers. It's been amazing to watch the progress of their growth. For the past few days with all the rain we could see the bud was itching to bloom...I photographed three days in a row to show just how quickly they went from tight green little buds, to absolute beauties. It's so nice to have a low maintenance splash of color in the yard. I don't have a green thumb, but I do have some great orange lilies!

LOVE on Canvas

LOVE on Canvas-16" x 18"

I have had this blank canvas kicking around my art room for over a year now. I don't paint often, and I purchased it to try something I saw in a scrapbook magazine where you essentially decoupage a scrapbook layout onto a canvas for home decor. Jeff and I were bored last night trying to kill time before our show (So You Think You Can Dance), so I asked him if he wanted to help me use up the canvas for something to hang on an empty wall in our dining room. He didn't want to help, but he was willing to watch--so this is what I created within his half hour attention span. No grand work of art by any means, but a decent wall accent for a half hour's time.