Wings of a Diva

Hi Everyone,

I made this canvas frame for myself. I love the thought of angels watching over us.  Especially since it is a truth that comforts my spirit confirmed in the Holy Bible and a command spoken by God :

Psalm 91:11-12

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

I love the thought of myself being a Diva so my angels wings and its background had to represent sophistication.

I also did not feel like cluttering the canvas with words..I felt it spoke for itself with a clean elegance.



This is the final look with a four layered matting placed in an 8x10 frame.

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I started with a blank 5x7 Artist canvas, recycled corrugated cardboard, Sizzix Wings, Gesso, The Paper Studio/Sophisticated Safari Design Paper, USArtQuest Inc. Mica Flakes/Essence of Pearls, Tim Holtz Idealology.



Before Look: natural then with Gesso

I have been wanting to make something special with these wings and glad the inspiration finally came.  Here is another version I have not completed..but you will get the idea.
Hope this inspires you to do your version of this.


The Wing cut is at a different angle and I hand-cut for feathering...I used USArtquest Watercolors Metallic pallette/Macropearl. This is a pearlescent watercolor effect..I love it!
I love how the natural cardboard color peeks out here and there to match the Safari Design Paper I will be using.

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Until next time this Frugal Grannie is out.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas.

 

Encouragement In Tragedy

Hi Everybody,
I created this card as a gesture with heartfelt condolences for the Connecticut families.

It has been such a heart wrenching time to have seen ,heard and feel the loss of family, friends and  little innocent children  in the horrific tragedy that has happened in our United States of America.

I pray we grow to yearn more each day to seek and lean on the one who comforts the broken-hearted and answers prayer. As hard as it may seem right now..God is a God of loving-kindness and will never leave us or forsake us. The sad thing is He will not pressure you to receive him...he is standing at the door always ready to be invited and allowed to be a part of our walk in our life journey...afterall he loves us so much he gave his only Son to die on the cross for us.

Until next time this Frugal Grannie is out...I am still trying to get this emflamed Crohns disease by body is battling under control.  Working through new meds to get there.

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This is a popular picture of Jesus Christ at the door.  If you notice...He is there knocking (whether it be through the birds singing to you, tears of a broken heart, or abuse & hurt that have been trying to break you...the door only opens through our end...Let Him Show YOU how much he cares..

Satan is a liar who tries to beat and bruise you ...God wants love, heal and use you.

CuttleBug Christmas II

Hi Everyone,
I wanted to share another Cuttlebug card design I did for Christmas for some special friends. The flowers were done ahead of time with Christmas in mind not knowing yet I was going to put them on this already embossed card I wanted to design with a Christmas look. I am happy the way it all came together. 

I am having issues with severe Crohn attacks lately so its been hard for me to go to fancy so I am choosing my battles throughout my daily actitivities and this was a fun one.

I'll be short and sweet this visit...but know I'll be back.

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 I am learning more and more to enjoy each day and moment while battling this terrible Crohns disease. I have learned the hard way...a little to late not to take it for granted.

Times goes on whether you are ready or not and I have to say I am still learning to be more appreciative of the people around me... say "Hi & smile" more often to a stranger. 

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Until next time this Frugal Grannie is out.

Cuttlebug Christmas

Hi Everyone,

I am going with simple and neutral tones for my Christmas cards this year...as you all have seen through my previous blog posts I love using my Cuttlebug.  These are the first Christmas folders I decided to purchase from Oh My Crafts!  they have some great bargain prices so I decided to cave in and get some of these Sizzix folders used with some of my already Cuttlebug folders.

the torn edge background is a predesigned Anna Griffith paper.

this one is just layering with gold paper being the layer separting the beige



the torn musical background is a stamp I covered with gold embossing powder



The Merry Christmas is what I used on the previous cards I decided to handcut the words.

These were quick and easy..compared to when I am determined to hand make my own flowers and intricate details...This year is seeming less stressful on making these in bulk for family and friends.  Guess I'll leave the really intricate ones like the previous  Poinsetta Flower cards for extra special receivers. This was a good learning year..my second Christmas year to officially say I'm an card artist in the making. I hope you all enjoyed..until next time this Frugal Grannie is out.
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Hopefully I will not have such long breaks between posts..been having a little more physical issues and craftroom rearranging...but Praise the Lord...I'm breathing..moving and getting back on track of creating with paper and altered fun things...I have so many ideas and not enough time and can't wait to share.

Altered Mousetrap

Hi, Everyone

I know...you are saying. !What? did you say mousetrap? 

 Yes..I am wanting to share with you today my altered mousetrap inspired by a challenge I decided to take on in building my creativity to another level with other fun crafters in a new created VLVS! Swap Group.  THis is the second swap segment and they chose to alter mousetraps with the theme 'Bold Woman' and of course the use of at least one Viva Las Vegas Stamps!

Step 1: Dip & Dye


I used my dip & dye technique..You can check out directions on my previous post called "Project to Dye For"
Please note I tweaked the dyeing process for my benefit on wanting the 'Black' coloring the original Blogger on my post gives you ideas for all other colors you might want

 If you notice on the picture below...I bent the piece that sticks up on that middle flap so when I am ready to place my stamped artpiece it will lay flat...I also wrapped beaded ribbon on the latch and superglued down. It doesn't show on this picture..but once completed I added a black pearl bead on the bottom of that latch.



Viva Las Vegas Stamp! Products Used:
Lady with Hat/Item #18542
Inspire stamp/Item #18888
Miniature Bottles pk of 4/ BottlesCorkSm

The complete transformation of the mousetrap was a fun and inspiring project. Especially when it came for me to decide on choosing my 'Bold Woman'.  I hope this encourages you to step out the box and see where your creativity will take you. I surprised myself..and enjoyed it.

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My Personal Walk on the theme 'Bold Woman'
I knew my Bold Woman was going to portray a Godly Woman of Proverbs 31..not to mean she has a specific look but in my Artpiece show 'emblems' of her life..for instance the stained paper cutout cross--where she got her salvation...the 'mini-bottle of mustard seeds'--faith..."For me that tiny mustard seed has taken me through a sometimes rough but now rooted journey once I knew it is my faith through trusting the Lord that helps me stand...boldly..each time something tries to attack my being." SO in a sense this 'Bold Woman' has become ME in coming to know I can stand BOLDLY in knowing, believing, walking and trusting God is God.
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Until next time...this Frugal Grannie is out...

Maple leaf into Poinsettia Flower

Hi Everybody,

I am sharing a Christmas flower project by using what I have on hand to create a Poinsettia flower.  I used the Cuttlebug Maple leaf diecut to create it.

Here is how I began. 

• I used Recollections Cardstock Paper - Red.
•  McGill 1 3/8" Alpine Snowflake as my petal base.
• 7 Maple leafs are needed
• Glitter leafs as needed..I used Martha Stewart Glitter pen
• let glitter dry
• two layers each having 3 Maple leafs..
• Lay 2nd layer offset from first
• the 7th leaf is cut up and glittered to lay as layers



Eample: First layer of  3 Maple leafs


I used green glitter pen to make stamens for center of flower. 



I did use my McGill 'Shaping Tools & Molding Mat' to give it a 3D effect

Here is the finished product.

I hope you enjoyed my Poinsettia Flower and take the challenge to make your own with what you have.
This Frugal Grannie is leaving you with Blessings for a safe Holiday Season. 
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FYI..these Tiger Lillies on this card below were also made with the Cuttlebug Maple Leaf Diecut.

Until next time...be Blessed of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Altered Birdhouse Plaque

Hi Everybody,

I am here today sharing "Part Two" from my previous post "Paper Roses" which were made for this Birdhouse Gift project.  I altered a natural wood two story birdhouse plaque by first dipping it in color dye which you can find on my post "To Dye For Projects".   What I enjoyed about dip dyeing was that I was able to dye several items I new I wanted black and have readily available for when I was ready to work on them. This birdhouse was one of them.

The before and after look after dip dyeing..love how the dye potion gave the tin birds an oxidation finish.



These are paper roses from recycled pulled cardboard strips painted with USArtquest Mica watercolors.



I added some Sixxiz swirls and embossed some of them to give texture. I used Spellbinder Shapebilities to cover the birdhouse entry and antiqued.

I added touches of  mauve colored lace on the bottom border of each house along with pretty pink bling swirls here and there.

I hope you enjoyed. Until next time this Frugal Grannie is out..

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'Paper Roses' Recycled Cardboard Strips

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to share my 'Paper Roses' made from recycled pulled paper strips from cardboard boxes. I love the texture the paper gives. I have also recyled and used the corrugated part of the cardboard box which you can see on my post 'Play with Corrugated cordboard strips' .

Paper pulled from cardboard boxes.

 

Step 1_ Have a pulled strip of the cardboard paper
Step 2 _ Fold in half.
Step 3_ Start to roll in to make a firm center
Showing you on the ruler so you can see the length and width of the paper I am working with for these particular roses. The end doesn't have to be pointed like this one..it was just torn that way.

Step 4_ then you twist/flip the paper strip and wind around continuing the process then hot glue

On this project I even left some of the strip out to look like a leaf on a couple..or you can just take the last little section of the paper strip to use as the foundation to glue the body of the rose down.

I started watercoloring one pink before I took the picture.

I scored lines on the leaves before but was better to do after watercoloring.

I painted all these with USArtquest Mica watercolors. 

These are for a particular birdhouse project I am putting together. I will share that on my next post.

I hope you enjoyed this bit of recycled use of all those boxes we get from orders.

Until next time...this Frugal Grannie is out.

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And hopefully not such a long time lapse on posts... there are just so many changes going on at home..nothing bad just adjustments in lifestyle and reorganizng time.

Tag & Artist Trading Card

Hi Everyone,

Sharing a Tag & Artist Trading Card I created for a swap with Viva Las Vegas Stamps Forum which anyone can join. They share stamping techniques, tips and have open discussions on stamping. 

I used the 'Bird Head' stamp by Designer Mary Vogel Lozinak on the tag along with a 'Zentangle' stamp by Designer Sandra Strait both available at Viva Las VegaStamps! You can look on the tabs for the sections of interest. And FYI..they are having free shipping for the month of October and check out their Facebook page. 

I am hooked on and love using this 'Bird Head' stamp and love what USArtquest watercolors does with the detailed design. I used embossing powder once stamped and also used the same 'Bird Head' stamp to create a design on the sides using the top of the 'Bird Head'. I embossed the tag with Cuttlebug 'Dots' & 'Numbers' folders and then used Tsukinek Walnut & Eucalyptus spray Antiquing Solution to make the embossing pop. I placed some score lines between the embossed 'Dots' and the other techniques.

The flowers were created with the McGill 'Floral Petals/Rose' Punch.

I did a lot more watercoloring with USArtQuest on the Artist Trading Card. The sentiment and the background stamps are also found in the Viva Las VegaStamps! Store/Online. The background stamp is a Zentangle stamp designed by Sandra Strait. I have to show you this one on its own along with one of Sandra's Zentangle art pieces she has done. SHe is on Facebook under Life Imitates Doodles.

Hope you enjoyed my sharing..Until next time this Frugal Grannie is out.