March Flower of the Month; Daffodil

March flower is the daffodil.  Daffodils are one of my favorite flowers and here's why:  My mom had planted bulbs in front of our home when we were young and over the years, these bulbs multiplied and multiplied.  Every spring, there would be tons of daffodils popping up in front of the house. 

When hubby and I bought the house from my parents, I added more bulbs and again each spring, they would pop up.  When we sold the house in 2000, I dug up a lot of these bulbs to plant in front of our new home in Patterson.  The first few years, they grew and I loved seeing the familiar site of blooming daffodils.  And then one year, hubby decided to dig around the area and pulled out or killed these bulbs.  WTH!  I was so upset!  Apparently, he didn't realize how important these were to me.  I have purchased bulbs since then, but it's just not the same.  They are no longer my mom's.

I'm entering this in the Happy Little Stampers March Challenge too.  The challenge is to use water.  Their website:  Happy Little Stampers.  I was selected as one of the favorites for this challenge on Happy Little Stampers.  Click here to see the winners and favorites.  HERE

And Anything But Cute challenge site.  Use bright colors Anything But Cute

The Art:

Supplies:
Wild Washi, Going Grey, Whisper White Ink Pads (SU!)
Ultimate Metallic in Silver (Encore)
Daffodil Delight and Basic Black Re-Inkers (SU!)
Bright Blue, Pink and Yellow Watercolor Markers (Tombow)
Sahara Sand Marker (SU!)
Cracked Pistachio Distress Spray (Tim Holtz)
Black Fine Point Pen (Paper-Mate)
Hot Glue Stencil and Punched Circles Stencil (homemade)
Doily (Martha Stewart)
Script Stamp (Rubber Paws)
Transparency, Stipple Brush and Sponge

Steps:

• Mask flower using masking fluid.
• Scribble watercolor markers on a piece of transparency.  Mist with water and apply.
• Place hot glue stencil in left corner and spray distress spray.
• Randomly stamp script with gray ink around page.
• Use sponge to apply white ink using the circle stencil on right side; draw fine lines around the white circles.
• Apply silver ink directly from pad to page making line marks in random places.
• Sponge white ink using doily
• Remove masking fluid and color flowers/leaves; using a water brush & yellow reinker and green ink pad.
• Outline with shadow marker.
• Dip stipple brush in watered down black ink and splatter around page.

To purchase this digi stamp from Lila Grey Stamps, click HERE

Scrapbook Expo This Weekend!

Woo Hoo!  I'm so excited that Carly and I are going to the Scrapbook Expo this weekend.  This year C and I will be attending the crop as well.

The Expo is always a little overwhelming but hopefully with the crop, I won't be tempted to spend so much money.  LOL.  I do plan on attending a class or two.  I could kick myself because I should have pre-registered for a class for the savings and expo admission.  Oh well.

My sister is going out of town so Carly and I will spend the night at her home (20 minutes away from the expo) on Friday, attend the Expo/Crop all day until midnight and then spend the night again at her home.  I'm so glad I didn't get a hotel.  This saves over $100 bucks and a long drive home so late.

Thanks Caroline!!

I'll take a photo of my haul when we return!  I don't have anything I NEED to get.  Last year we concentrated on Disney and Harry Potter items for our trip.  This year...whatever catches my eye!

I tell myself every year to purchase something that is out of my norm, but I never do it...maybe this year I will.

Crafty Countdown to Christmas Month Two

Month Two for my work craft days.  Thanks to Rubber Paws for most of the hardware, these key chains weren't a lot each.  I had to purchase the key rings and the eye hooks but that's all.  We all had corks.  These are a few photos.  LOVE!

You're Such a Deer (Literally)

While we were in beautiful Wyoming, they had these CUTE decorated deer heads at many of the gift shops.  They were $50 each for the kit!  After picking my jaw off the floor, I said I can make that.  And that I did!


I found a free pattern on Pinterest; gathered cardboard and scrapbook paper (Tim Holtz paper pad) and made THIS:

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how it turned out!!  He's now hanging in Carly's room.


I feel the need to make many more, but have no idea why!


$50?  Free?  Hmmmm guess which one I chose.  LOL


Don't you love it?

We are Giant!

I got this sketch from Splitcoaststamper's weekly challenge.  I love a good sketch especially one using 4x6 photos.






Here's my two page spread:

 

I love the zoom lens of my camera, I got some really good close ups!  This is Kenny, Carly and LeAnna's first game at AT&T Park.

This page is basically paper and a little bit of stamping.  It's so funny because I can get really creative with my mini albums and other projects, but when it comes to scrapbooking, I'm usually pretty tame and non-adventurous.  I have two more pages of this game.  Yup, I took and printed a ton of photos.  Sometimes I can get a little crazy!  LOL

America the Beautiful

What happens when your office is getting rid of old framed art?  I get to upcycle!  This piece was an old 80's print...very dated and not pretty.  I adhered scrap pieces of blue papers randomly around the piece.  Then painted a layer of gesso.  From there I just did a little this and that to get to something I liked.

In the meantime, I used other scrap papers to cut out each state.  I found a state puzzle on Pinterest and used those to put the U.S. all together.  Inked each state and then the entire U.S.  

I made more changes to the background (added more blue) and finger-painted a border around the U.S. with white paint.

After putting the frame on, I decided to hang this up in my bathroom...yes, I said bathroom.  Lol

It adds so much color in there!

I labeled this Apricot Fiesta because I'm considering this as my Fiesta contribution to the Art/Crafts Exhibit.  I didn't participate last year and I'm thinking about doing it again this year.  I'll keep y'all updated.

Craft Countdown to Christmas 2016

Yes, I said Christmas.  My coworkers decided that I should schedule monthly craft projects to get them ready for Christmas.

I laughed it off and then of course took it seriously.  So off to Pinterest, Google and YouTube to search easy DIY gifts.

January's project:h

Watercolor Mugs!

I made this quick video so you don't have to search but there are plenty on YouTube. 

Here are a few tips from me:

• Do not use nail polish with glitter; it sounds pretty, but it only clumps
• Work quickly especially when using quick dry nail polish
• Use lukewarm water for best effect
• Some polish will clump, do not use unless you want a "clumpy" look on your mug
• Swirl a skewer or paper towel into the container to remove remaining polish
• Nail polish remover can be your best friend.  Use it to remove unwanted areas and to clean the inside of the mug (if you get some in there) and rim.
• Use the polish you already have.  No need to purchase special supplies for this project.
• Hand Wash Only!  I even made tags to go on the mugs with this info.
• Have fun! 

Here are photos of the mug I made to demonstrate to my coworkers:

And the finished mug from my video:

Pretty cool!

As I'm writing this, my heart is heavy.  My cousin, Dee Dee passed away last night.  My cousin was one of those people who lights up a room.  I don't care where, why, what, but if she's there, you are having fun!  I was feeling sad yesterday but when I started thinking about her and all those times we had together growing up, I couldn't help but laugh and smile.  There's so much to say, but for now I'll just say Rest in Peace.  She deserves it.  Love ya Dee Dee!