New ATC, using polymer clay

I wanted to try my hand at using a Polymer clay push mold. I hadn't used one before. I LOVE all of the art doll faces, so I bought one of those. The one that I chose to use first reminded me of being at complete peace. As a result, I decided to make an ATC using that face, that had PEACE as the theme. This is what resulted:

Where I work, we always celebrate the Olympics, by having our own Olympic Games at work. Each of the teams in our building gets assigned a country. We represent out country in the opening ceremony, games and closing ceremony. It seems that I ALWAYS get volunteered to create our team's (country's) banner. This year, our team is Team USA. Below is the banner that I created for our team. It has to represent out team and also contain at least one 'symbol' of the Olympics. I chose to attach this year's Olympic Logo to our banner.

Finished my ATC swap items and made a tiny Crazy Quilt for my sewing room door

First of all - watched Grey's Anatomy last night - love that show!! The 'overly happy' woman about made me want to puke, was glad to find out that it was an increase in serotonin levels and she wasn't really THAT happy - otherwise, I was feeling that something was wrong with me to not be THAT happy! I'm happy, but geez...... she was 'scary' happy! lol

Okay - so I finished my ATCs for the 'free for all' or 'anything goes' swap. Since I prefer to work in fiber, I tried to do something different this time - in order to get out of my comfort zone. I'll tell you, being a scrapper helped, though. Had some neat 'stuff' to add to the ATCs as a result. Anyway, here are the results:


I also made a small crazy quilt to put on the door to my sewing room. It was done quickly and isn't perfect (I even decided to not bind it - but, rather, just put small cording around it). I figured, it was just 'something to do' - no need to worry about doing the part I HATE (binding)!
Anyway, here is a picture of the quilt!

ATCs for Valentine's swap

I finished up my ATCs for a Valentine swap that I am in. It's a 3/6 swap, and I decided to just do 3. I think that they turned out cute - hopefully, the recipients of them will agree. For the group that I am swapping with, I think that my style is quite different. I mean, most of my ATCs are fabric, and most of the others are not - so, I hope that no one in this group will be dissapointed.

I have some more to finish for another swap, I'm going to try to get them all finished in the next couple days. I will share them when I finish them.

Now - off to watch Grey's Anatomy!!!

Fabric and yarn and beads, OH MY!

Fabric, yarn and beads - without a doubt, 'these are a few of my favorite things!' So, last night at midnight (okay, really EARLY this morning), I was thinking that I wanted to do something with all of these 3 things. Now, I've done projects before where I've utilized them all - but, not with each having equal billing, so to speak. So, off to my fabric stash, yarn stash and bead stash to figure out what to use. I decided I wanted something blue, with bits of pink. Then, I went to the sewing machine.

And here is the result:



When I finished that I went to bed. Then as I was tossing and turning, trying to go to sleep (I have the hardest time, I tell you!), I remembered a stamp that I bought two vacations ago of a palmetto tree and crescent mood. That is the logo, of sorts, for out state. So, I decided that today - since I haven't in TWO years! - I needed to either use that stamp or give it to someone who would. So, I created a little beaded art piece to give to a friend who loves the 'Carolina Girl' theme ;-). So, here is the result of that - it took me a while to do the beading on this one! But, it added a nice effect, I think. I used ink for the letter stamps, but paint for the palmetto tree/crescent moon stamp.

A few ATCs

Well, I've had a TERRIBLE week at work (and one day home sick) this week. And what really sucks is that the day I was home sick, I still worked from home. Why is it that when you feel your worst, everyone needs SOMETHING from you???? I don't get it - it's like the world just plays tricks on you and sits back and laughs as you're coughing your head off. On Fridays I am supposed to get off work at 4pm. Of course, so much crap was going on at work today that I didn't get to leave until WELL after 6. Oh, well - what are you going to do? (aside from coming on here and complaining - which does NO ONE any good! lol)

So, after I had my dinner and spent a bit of time with my family, I decided that I was going to make a few ATCs and share them here.

The first one is one that I made just because I had some beads that I found as I was cleaning off my scrapbook table. I like it. I've never finished my ATCs with a cord edging, but, I like the effect. I tend to make more fabric ATCs that paper - and I thought that this might be a good way to 'finish' it off.

The second one is one that I made for my daughter for Valentine's Day. She LOVES glitz, so I had to add the rhinestones for her. I'm going to make a similar one for my other daughter, but using purple fabrics. I have no idea what a 5 and nearly 3 year old will do with them, but anytime I make ANYTHING, if I don't make one for them - it's not really well received. LOL

I have to get busy and make some ATCs for a swap that I'm in for Valentine's Day. Maybe having made these will inspire me. :)

New stuff to share - painting, postcard and mixed media art

Well - I've kind of been MIA on here, but I have been working on some stuff. I only have time now to write this blog because my husband has gone to pick up the kids from their grandparent's house. As soon as the girls get home, I think that we're going to try to paint a bit before it's time to get ready for bed.

Okay - the first thing that I want to share is a painting that Sarah (my 5 y/o) did for me. I love it so much. Being the 'saver of all items' that her Mother (that's me.. lol) also is. She had a cute little sticker that she wanted to use on this painting (I guess it is sort of mixed media, huh? ;) ). Anyway - this is a picture of the painting that she did just for me!! :) She did such a lovely job. She is REALLY into watercolors right now. Though, for this particular painting, she thought that it'd be cool to paint her hands with the watercolors and apply the paint to the canvas in that fashion. Needless to say, she was right! It made a very cute painting! She also did a painting for her Daddy and her baby sister. If I can talk them into it, I'll have to get their paintings and take some pictures so I can share them.

Okay, the second thing that I want to share is a quick fabric postcard that I made. I painted some more fabric and it reminded me of a sunset, so I thought - why fight it? Make a sunset.... lol. So, here it is:


The last thing that I wanted right now, is a mixed media piece that I did. I saw this picture of this woman and was inspired to create SOMETHING with it. I didn't know what, but I just kind of started. Do you ever do that??? Not know where you're going, but just start doing SOMETHING and end up with something that you love? I must admit, I plan very little. Most of what I do is the direct result of spontaneity. I'm not sure that I could actually implement a 'PLAN'. I suppose that is what separates a 'crafter' (me) from a real artist! Although, I'm sure it is more than that! ;) Anyway, here is the piece that I did.

My daughter's altered lunchbox

Well, I finished it - I made an altered lunch box for my oldest daughter (will need to make a second for my youngest). The idea is that they'll take these boxes to school with them and collect their valentine's in them on Valentines day. I thought that it was a cute idea. On the inside, I'm going to write a little note saying why I chose the elements in each of their boxes and include the year. I figured this would be a cute way for us to keep their valentines from their friends from this year.

I will show my daughter tomorrow - I think that she'll be excited. She was fussing at me the other day because I hadn't made her anything in a while. Keep in mind that 'in a while' to her means that I haven't made anything for her since Christmas! lol ;-)

Altered CD - I need a vacation ;-)

This is an altered CD that I recently made. Clearly, I am in need of a vacation. Why else would I made a CD collage centered around the BEACH? Well, maybe because I like the beach, but I'd rather day dream about a vacation. This is the first CD collage (or altered CD) that I've made using copper foil. I really like the effect. I still may, yet, drill some holes and attach some fibers - not sure. That is the biggest problem that I have when it comes to collage art or altered art - WHEN DO I STOP?? I never know. I've been known to let a piece sit for months and then embellish some more. I may have a problem....... lol ;-)

A cute little 'box' to put some ATCs in.

I have a few ATCs that friends have swapped with me. I wanted a unique way to keep these little gems safe ....... so, I thought that I would create an altered lunchbox to keep some of them in. I'm relatively happy with how it turned out. It's my first time doing an altered lunchbox, so I guess I did okay for the first time.... lol This lunchbox is smally, I guess around 5 1/2 X 4 inches. I figured this size would be perfect for storing ATCs in. I was also thinking of making a cute one for my daughter to take to school to put her Valentines in. I know that she'd be happy about that. Maybe that is something that she and I can work on this weekend. Hmmmmm, now the wheels are spinning..... lol

Made with the fabric my daughter and I painted this afternoon

I'm so happy to share this little wall hanging/art piece that I made using the fabric that my 5 year old daughter and I painted this afternoon. It's about 5X7 in size and I attached a hook to the back, though I think that I'll likely place it in a stand on my desk. I'm so happy with how it turned out. Sarah did such a good job with painting the fabric, I couldn't imagine doing anything with it other than something that featured my daughter. I still have a good bit of the fabric left over, so I think that I might let Sarah make something with it this weekend. We shall see! :)

Painting fabric

Well, I picked my daughter up from school today and it was VERY warm outside, so I thought that we'd do a little project. She LOVES to do artsy stuff.

I thought that since it was so nice outside that we'd cut a big piece (well, sort of big) of muslin, take it outside and paint it til our little hearts were content. So, that is just what we did - it's outside drying as we speak. Sarah, my daughter, is playing Barbie on her computer and I'm here sharing this. I can't wait til it dries, so I can see just how it turned out. Sarah had a blast helping (well, really, I helped her - she did most of it) me paint the fabric. She has already decided on way too many things that she'd like to make with it. I'm not sure, however, what we'll do with it.

As soon as it is finished drying, I'll post a picture of it. :)

This one might be my favorite

This postcard might be my favorite postcard that I've done. I couldn't find the right fabric for it, so I made the fabric myself by painting muslin with watered down acrylic paints.

I thought that the 'night sky' needed some stars, so I attached some heat set rhinestones.

This is another one that I painted the background fabric... just wanted to play with some of the specialty stitches on my machine.

A few pendants that I made out of glass slides

For Christmas, my sister in law gave me a soldering iron. I have been wanting one so that I could try my hand at making a few jewelry items. So, finally, this weekend, I had a chance to break it in. I just wanted to share a few of the items that I made.

Fabric postcards

I thought that I'd share a few fabric postcards that I've made recently. :) The first one is a Fender guitar girl.... this was one of the first ones that I did using beading. It's not very good, but I'm still pretty proud of it! :) I really like the idea of the fabric postcards. I don't, however, like to part with them. So, I have a box full of postcards that I've made and have not sent.... hmm, this could be a problem. LOL


This second one is one of my favorites - I just love the colors. They are some of my favorite colors and I love them together.

On this one, I embellished with some crystals. A nice effect, I think - not sure how they would fare going through the mail (not that I need to worry about that, since I won't part my my postcards) ;-)

My first blog! :)

I really don't know anything about blogging (is that even the verb that is used for what I'm doing? lol), but I thought that I'd give it a shot.

I was online (as usual - this is what I'm doing when my children are sleeping and I'm NOT at either my sewing machine, drawing board, or scrapbook/crafting area) the other night and was looking at some 'crafty' type stuff ..... quilting and such. I ran across some WONDERFUL blogs created by some extremely talented women. I couldn't decide, being such a novice, if I was intimidated or inspired. So, I slept on it. When I woke up the next morning, I decided that being intimidated was for wimps and I am NOT a wimp..... ;-) So, here I am creating my own little blog on the web.

I don't know if anyone will even want to read it, but maybe it'll provide an outlet for ME. As a mother of 2 small girls, I have very few outlets for ME (well, that's not really true - I have lots of outlets - I just don't have the time..... lol).

In any event - here I am - blogging (again, is that the correct verb? ;-) )

~Michelle~