The Days are Getting Cooler...

Love this cooler weather....wish it could stay like this all year round...slight chill in the air but not too cold. I made this little art canvas last winter and thought I'd get it out...."one winter day".....i used some torn bits of paper and some text from a vintage book. Once i glued all my pieces in place and my collage was complete, I added a thin layer of white paint for a wintry look...then i added a strip of ribbon to the top and a fancy, sparkly button from my jar. Lastly I aged the edges with a little black paint and added some homemade glass glitter....Christmas balls work great! So here it is, my "one winter day" on this cool autumn day. Enjoy!

Sweet, sweet music

My son Jakob came home from school a few weeks ago sooo excited...he wanted to join the school band, an opportunity available to fourth graders and older...."Ok" I said....."What instrument do you want to play?" A fairly innocent question, i thought.....His answer: the trombone. "OH, the trombone...ok. Are you sure?" His reply: Yup! with much excitement! Well, that night was a Friday night and we couldn't leave the house until the band teacher called, which she did a few hours later...and long story short, my little man is now playing (learning to) a big instrument...he's supposed to practice three times a week, 10 minute intervals.....So, as I write this post, i am serenaded by the loud.....hmmmm....how can i describe them???.....the loud....."sounds" of the trombone....I am proud to have a budding musician around the house....I'm sure i will get used to, i mean....I surely love that sweet, sweet sound.

Boo-tiful October...

Ahhh...the crisp October air...loooove it! Inspired by one of my favorite times of the year and one of my favorite holidays...I made this little Halloween Princess by recycling the packaging from some sugar cubes...yup, plain ol' sugar cubes....could use any type of box with a window on the lid or you could even cut out a window yourself! I gave her a pointy Halloween hat with a star on top and some funky black fur on the bottom. The pumpkin moon is a bottle cap that i filled with a little drawing of a jack o'lantern....think she is boo-tiful if i do say so myself...hope she inspires you to cast a few spells of your own!

Call me THE GODMOTHER...

Yes, I am the proud godmomma of little baby Asa Matteo...or as my Italian cousin calls me "grandma"....I keep telling him there's a BIG difference between GRANDmother and GODmother, but he doesn't seem to get it....i'll blame that one on the language barrier...but back to my bragging about little baby Ace....isn't he just adorable....just love the wee ones....that new baby smell, the little coos and ahhhs, the tiny fingers and toes, long eyelashes, unconditional love...AND i can give him back to his proud papa and mama...my cousin and wife...at the end of the day. Congrats to Diego and Katie and the birth and christening of their beautiful bundle of joy.

When life gives you bananas....

Make Banana Caramel Cupcakes....mmmmmmm....these turned out sooo yummy....used a sour cream cake recipe and added some allspice and a mashed banana to the recipe. Then, when the little cakes were done and cooled, i cut them in have and spread a layer of caramel ice cream topping and some banana slices...for the icing i whipped some fresh cream with a few spoons of the caramel added....mmmmmmmmm....then i shaved some dark chocolate on top....diet? What diet? These were sooo delish and pretty....had to share!

Wine-Oh!....

The place you have left forever is always there for you to see whenever you shut your eyes. ~ Ian Mydral

My inspiration for this funky little piece of collage art was a wine label...it was just too bea-U-tiful to throw away, so i painstakingly removed the label and decided to create a little bit of art around it...the quote fit so well with the label since the lovely lady had her eyes shut.

I added a funky hat cut from a vintage handwritten envelope and stapled a piece of ribbon to the top....I also added some painted blue circles and some hand-stamped images. Makes you wonder what she is thinking.... dreaming of? who?....hmmmmmmmmm....

Surprise!

Yes, this weekend was full of surprises! My best girlfriends surprised me with a 36th birthday par-tay at a little French place in the city....a little place that served only crepes.....yummmmmmmmmy. Friends and family truly touched my heart this weekend and I feel so special and soooo blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful people...so thanks to all my girlfriends, my sister and my momma for makin my special day extra-special...did I mention I've NEVER had a surprise party....I'm still tickled pink...say hello to my little birthday angel....party girl, whatever you want to call her....isn't she cute!

Back in the Saddle...Again

Ever heard of the 3 wells?...My son Jake asked me this today, so I took the bait...."3 wells?"...

Well, well, well....

I thought that a befitting start to this post, since it has been soooo long since i last wrote...and sooo much in my life has changed...fortunately my love for art and creating art has remained constant.....So, to celebrate my return to blogging, I am going to share a picture of an art card I created, I call it "determination"...used a line from a vintage book that really struck me:

So, this has been like-well, like flying in a dream, without any bumps to wake me up.

I added some crystals to her crown and wings (of course)...a beaded fringe hangs from the bottom. I'm hoping the road ahead will be "bump" free...and this little card is my reminder to keep flying and remain determined, my dreams for the future will come true.

100 Lashes with a Wet Noodle....

That's what i get for not keeping up with my blog...but i do have a good excuse....my computer died a few weeks ago and I lost most of my documents and photos....sniffle, sniffle. On the bright side, i have a new laptop and I'm back in the saddle....sooo, i just wanted to check in and wish everyone a happy Spring....it's finally arrived! Along with spring, came the arrival of a family of 4 little baby birdies....Robin Red Breasts to be exact. It started with a small nest inside the wreath on my front door...then 4 little blue eggs magically appeared. Those little eggs turned into 4 little ugly (sorry) bird creatures, i mean babies...then they got some hair and grew bigger. Now they barely fit into the nest. It has been such a joy to watch them.....It's almost like I'm the momma bird and I've watched them develop and grow....soon they'll be leaving the nest...sniffle, sniffle again.....kidding. I took some pictures to capture each stage of this little adventure....as soon as i can get them on my new machine, i will post them.

Unfold Your Wings....

Well, i went from birds to wings...yes, I'm on a wings kick and using angels, fairies and butterflies...pretty much anything with wings tickles my fancy.....and if it doesn't have wings, it will when I'm done with it...lol! Anyhoo, back to my wings "kick" as I like to call it....I made these funky little pieces of collage art with a really cool rubber stamp and lots of collaged bits of paper and ink. Unfold your wings and Courage....both inspirational.....guess part of my fascination with wings is being able to fly....but I guess we can all "fly" in our own way...hope these inspire you to do a little flying of your own.

Aahhhhhhhhhhh Spring....

It is finally starting to feel like Spring...ahhhhhhh...all the trees are blooming, the smell of honeysuckle in the air and I've seen quite a few butterflies fluttering around.....

this is my favorite time of year....Speaking of butterflies and beautiful spring days....they were the inspiration for this little Artist Trading Card....The queen's hair is a beautiful collage of glittery butterflies.....hope your day is dandy too!

Come to the Edge....Collage

It is amazing what you can do with some bits and pieces of paper, a rubber stamp and some ink.. take this little number, for instance - it started with this little bit of inspiration: "Come to the edge, life said. We are afraid. Come to the edge, life said. They came. Life pushed them....AND they flew." I just LOVE that...so I got funky with it and wrote it on a piece of purple paper and then layered it on top a torn bit of paper...and then atop a page from a vintage book that I collaged and added some sparkle.....I decided to put it in a shadow box, because i added a small compass at the bottom (hard to see in the picture)....on the sides i added some decorative cloud paper to give it an ethereal feel......I like the way it turned out....reminds me to take more chances.

Fairy Tails....

This regal little pooch is the lovable Max, aka. Boofy Boofay, Pooh Bear and Poochis as Jake likes to call him. He was perched on my ottoman the other day and the setting sun was casting just the right glow in the window, so I ran for my camera and snapped a few.....it was like Maxie was a old pro at a modeling gig....giving me just the right facial expression...either that or he was just too pooped out to move...lol! Anyhoo, he looks like a regal prince from a storybook fairytale, so I just had to share.....I leave you with a favorite quote (about fairytales, of course):

Sometimes, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairytale.

Fool Me Once....

Ahhhhh....April Fools Day has come and almost gone.....the one day of the year when everyone turns into a prankster....although many tried, I can smugly say that I was not fooled once, well...at least not yet...lol! But Jake sure was and it was a doozy....as I was brushing my teeth this morning, the phone rang and Jake unassumingly answered with a "Hi Dad." That was followed by an excited "We are?!!!!" and then a "Guess What Mom." I rinsed and took the bait. "School's closed today!!!!" Hmmmm....that's strange....so why is school closed I asked this happy little face beaming at me....."Power outage." Now this is just cruel (none-the-less funny, but def cruel)....Jake then put our phone on speaker and told his dad to share the good news..."Tell Mom why school's closed." And just as I raised and eyebrow and opening my mouth....I heard those two little words...."APRIL FOOLS!" Yes, Jake had been fooled and we both got a chuckle out of it....poor little thing....to get sooo excited and then have it all come crashing down so quickly. But, it was all in good fun. Happy April Fools Day to you!

Variety is the Spice of Life....

Variety is life's spice and speaking of spices...I was playing around with this old salt shaker and the next thing I knew, well....it turned into a charming little angel.....complete with glass wings, a rusty wire halo and a belly full of sparkles. I took an old metal bottle cap and found a sweet face for the inside. I sealed it and added some brick brack (that's what i have always called it, I'm sure there's a more technical name ~ like trim or something simple like that)...the cap stays atop the salt shaker lid with a small round magnet. I filled the inside of the shaker with some chunky white glitter, a vintage key and the word "giggles" printed on some vellum paper. Yes, i was in a silly mood....how could you tell. The glass wings came from my uncle who used to do stained glass and i attached them with the same rusty wire i used for her halo.....She sits in my art room window and when the sun catches her, the glitter just sparkles.

Just wanted to share some of my whimsy with you....you may never look at a salt shaker the same way again....so go ahead and spice it up, or in this case, shake it up.

Easter greetings...and loot...

Wow, Easter came and went...rather quickly...hope you had a wonderful holiday. Jake made out with buckets and baskets of Easter loot...from the bunny man and family, of course....how much chocolate can one boy eat, i ask?! Dyeing and picking eggs has become a tradition that Jake adores...he couldn't wait to take his dozen and a half of colorful eggs to my parents to pick with Uncle Tony, who in years past has passed off a marble egg, ceramic egg and most recently a giant dinosaur egg...go figure...each Easter we look forward to what the "fake" egg will be this year....fun times...My favorite part of the holiday was enjoying the company of family, wine and good food....my mom makes three staples each Easter: Ravioli, Baked Ham and Asparagus Fritters.....yummmy......well, even though Easter has come and gone...the chocolate and the memories will last forever...lol!

Bird king....atc

More bird love coming your way...I used another blue bird from my decorative paper and turned him into a charming little ATC (Artist Trading Card)....actually i turned him into the bird king by stamping a crown above his head...i cut an old ticket into a wing and attached it with a grommet....along with some text from an old book... little glitter and voila...another charming little piece of bird art....tweet, tweet.

More birds...on a box...

Yes, my infatuation with birds, bird nests...all things winged; it continues....Along with my need to give new life and repurpose something headed for the trash. I made this little treasure box out of a recycled ALTOID mint tin.....I sanded the tin a bit to roughen it up so my silver paint would adhere. Then I added wooden knobs for feet(glue) and painted them black with a thin stripe along the top. I collaged the inside and out with whimsical images, stickers, glitter and a coat of glass sealer to finish it all up. Inside i tucked a vintage key with a collage art funky tag. Who would of thought a little mint tin could be transformed into a miniature piece of art?! Reuse and recycle....and think of me when you take that last mint from your ALTOID tin.....happy recycling!

Fly...

Birds are flying back into my artwork....there is something about these charming little creatures that can spread their wings and fly....well, they've flown right into my heart....I was inspired by some beautiful paper i purchased and this little canvas was a byproduct. I painted and collaged on it and tried something new....I found a pack of those fuzzy iron on letters in my closet the other day, soooo i decided i would try ironing them right onto my canvas....and I am happy to say IT WORKED! The words FLY are fuzzy to the touch....how funky! I also added some twisted wire and beads, along with an old key...i think it turned out smashingly.....

Really, really want a......

Well, ok....i really, really want a nice, hot cup of tea...yes tea....and the reason I want a cup soooo bad is that i gave it up as my Lenten sacrifice......and wouldn't you know that as soon as I did, I started with my cravings. Yes, I could have a cup a joe, but it just isn't the same...not for me anyway. Now, no worries, I've been a good girl....haven't cheated....but I have to say that I am soo looking forward to the arrival of Easter so I can sip a piping hot cup of English breakfast....mmmmmmmm......

In honor of my love of tea (and Paris...that rhymes)...this picture is a sign I cut from wood and painted a la francais....Cafe de Paris...it lives in my imagination, of course....but I'm sure there is some quaint and cozy little cafe on the left bank where this sign would fit right in.

I have to give a shout out to the Emperor, you know who you are.....mad props for the collage....merci!

Charmed...by the little things....

Well, today was a school holiday...something about teacher meetings...soooo, Jake was soooo happy to get out of school. He spent the day with his Nana and her usual spoilings...which he of course just adores! For me, on the other hand, today was just a regular ol' Monday...with it's usual business and distractions....so who would of thought when i got home this afternoon my nine year old would have a special surprise waiting for me...much to my own surprise and delight, I was greeted with the usual "hi mom", but it was followed by a "Stop!" and a "Cover your eyes!" and then a "hold out your hands" command. Ok, sure......and there in my hands, when I opened up my eyes were.............wait for it........a pair of beautiful silver dangly earrings! Jake had surprised me with a pair of earrings he bought with his own money while shopping with his Nana! Now, I know they aren't diamonds or anything fancy but the joy that I had...and still have...knowing my little guy thought of me and wanted to surprise his mom far outweighs any material item i could ever want....sooo, i just wanted to share my little, joyous moment with you... the small things really do mean sooo much!

Me and my funky self....or not.....

Hello there, just wanted to share a little....not alot, just a little...seems i've gotten sooo busy with life and all of its wonderful distractions, I haven't had a moment to do much art or blogging...uggghhh. Anyhoo, i wanted to share this little canvas i finished last week...just started doodling on it one day and then filling it in with acrylics another...and voila. I added some glitter to make her little round cheeks sparkle. I think of it as a funky self portrait but i really had alot of fun painting this little treasure... Now the fun part....where will she call home?!!! Hmmmmmm.......

Girlfriends ATC...

Ahhh...the Artist Trading Card (ATC)....as a tribute to girlfriends, I made this funky little card from an old picture from way back in 8th grade...that's me on the left and my best bud in the middle ~ we've been best girlfriends for over 25 years....can you believe it?!!!!!!! Anyhoo, I was in a funky mood myself, so I added some crazy hats, lots of glitter, a few rhinestones...and voila......my girlfriends ATC. To give it a worn feel, i sanded the image a bit.....I layered it on top of a number 3 playing card....what a fun tribute to friendship...each time i look at it I get a warm, fuzzy feeling, a giggle and of course....a big smile!

Rise and Shine...

I was up early enough to catch the most beautiful sunrise the other day...The sky was ablaze in shades of purple, pink and orange.....imagine my joy in seeing these colors light up the morning sky.....ooooooooooohhhhhh.....aaaahhhhhhhhhhh......Of course I ran for my camera so I could remember it always....

And today we welcome a light dusting of snow and freezing rain (so much for come on SPRING!!!)....think I'll start a new art project today.....Jake's been wanting to paint a birdhouse for his Nana.....should be fun! TGIF!!!!!

Come On Spring...Tussie Mussie

The days are getting longer and I am longing for spring time. Soooo, in order to bring some early spring I decided to make a funky paper cone and fill it with a birds nest! What?! Yup...(I know you're probably thinking "this girl is crazy!")....I was inpired by another Sweet Bella project, but instead of filling my unfussy mussie with flowers, I decided to fill mine with a small birds nest (I bought at the craft store), some gold raffia and a lone blue wooden robin's egg.
The cone was easy to make...I twisted a couple sheets of paper into a cone shape, taped it all together, tore the edges...added some ribbon and voila. And, I finally put some of my estate sale pearls to good use...dangling on each side and sparkling in the light....how pretty!!! Soooo, come on Spring already!
Thanks to Teresa McFayden for all her wonderful inspiration!!!!!!

Girls Night Out...

I need to gush about the infamous Girls Night Out....or as it is often referred to: Mom's Night Out! Getting together with a group of girlfriends for an evening of food, drink and good conversation...how fun! Somehow, all of the worries and expectations of daily life seem to melt away. All that matters is enjoying the company of the girls. Of course, there's some gossip and the men bashing (kidding!), but it's like you're taken back to an 8th grade slumber party....talk of boys, make up, movies....girl talk. I'm glad that we take and make the time for the women in our lives....how would we survive without them.
This picture is from a Mom's Night In....instead of going out, we got together to swap some cookies around the holidays! Girlfriends and cookies....very sweet!

Melts in Your Mouth...and your hands.....

Well, what a sweet Valentine's day this turned out to be...literally. I was lavished with the gift of chocolate today from my boys. I got a chocolate fountain (LOVE it!) and chocolate dipped big juicy strawberries and milk chocolate hearts, both from Glarus Chocolatiers.....how YuMMmmmmmmY! I've been admiring those chocolate fountains from afar for a very long time....can't wait to try it out!!!! My first chocolate fountain experience happend about two years ago on a company trip to Cancun....dessert one evening was a tall fountain of molten chocolate, it seemed to flow endlessly and the smell.......Ahhhhhhhh.....I had to wipe a little drool from my lip as I watched the chocolate cascade into the bottom of the fountain. And the assortment of goodies for dipping....well, let me just say, there were many...too many. I first dipped a strawberry and then a marshmallow and then a hunk of moist yellow pound cake. I must have shared this story with my hubby and my son as they had a huge smile on their face when they handed me a big red bag earlier..."We hope you love it!" And how could I not!!!! I think a dipping party in the near future! Sweet dreams!!!!!!

Oh, My Sweet Valentine....

Valentine's day is only two days away and ...check out this sweet old fashioned Valentine I made, with much inpiration from Sweet Bella, of course. I layered some patterned paper under an print out of a vintage page from a book. Then I stamped all over it and wiped some away...gives it that worn and faded appearance of a vintage Valentine...and what would a Valentine (or any art project for that matter) be without embellishments? I have to say, embellishments are my FAVORITE part! I usually go crazy with embellishments, but I tried to keep this one simple and sweet...a buddle of paper posies tied with a polka dotted (my fave) ribbon...a little heart in an envelope charm dangles daintily. Not sure who will get this special Valentine...I've made so many lately, I think I'm going to keep this one for myself.... ;-D!!!!!!!!
Here's a quote that really speaks about LOVE:
Love is not blind ~ it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less.
- Julius Gordon

More Tea Party Pics...

Here are a few more pictures from my tea in Paris...I used some of my Eiffel Tower collection and a some estate sale pearl necklaces as my centerpiece...tres chic.

Tea in Paris....

Well, this French chickie (I may be pure Italian, but I'm a francophile at heart) has been busy with a little Tea in Paris I put together, in honor of Valentine's Day, for some gals that I love...a few amies, my mom, sisters, niece.....and yesterday was the big day. It turned out magnifique if I do say so myself and I had a blast with my french theme....take a look at the little menu card I made with Marie Antionette and my "let them eat cup-cakes"......The Vichysoisse was a big hit too ~ who would have thought a cold potato and leek soup could be sooo yummy! But I have to say my favorite part of the tea was dessert, with a hot cup of orange white chocolate tea with a heart shaped espresso brownie....mmmmmmmmm....
Today is my day of rest, putting on a tea party, even if it was just an intimate gathering, takes A LOT of work and much preparation.....so today I rest and enjoy the fruits of my labors, otherwise known as left overs or in this case...lots of petite bite-size goodies. Au Revior.

The Heart Wants What The Heart Wants...

Funny thing about hearts isn't it? The heart really does want what the heart wants...and boy there sure isn't any controlling it, or telling it not to want what it wants....or for that matter, telling it to want something different. I started thinking about this today while I was making some valentines. The heart sure is a powerful muscle....and mysterious....and complex. No wonder we need to take good care of it and keep it healthy. I could ramble on and on, but I'll keep it short and sweet. Here's to hearts....may yours beat to the sound of your own drum...in life, in love and of course, in art!

This picture is a bookmark I made with the words: MY HEART IS EVER AT YOUR SERVICE. So true, so true.

Valentine Hearts...

So I made this sweet little pillow hanger during the game last night. I'm not much of a sewer and I don't own a machine, but I can do a few simple stitches with a needle and some thread. That's really all you need....I thought this would make such a charming valentine for someone special....and it was fairly easy to do. Simply cut out your heart from your favorite material ~ I used a polka dotted felt. I hand stamped the words onto some plain pink cotton ribbon: If my heart had wings, it would fly to you. (LOVE THAT!!!!) I simply sewed them into place and began stitching, placing your wings and sewing until almost shut, leaving enough room to add your stuffing. I finished it off by adding some chunky glitter to the wings and a rusty wire hanger with a vintage key. I was so happy with this one, I made another. I left the wings off and embellished it with a vintage key and wrapped it with a flea market pearl necklace....funky valentine hearts = fun!

Super Bowl Snack = Toffee Trail Mix Touchdown

WARNING: HIGHLY ADDICTIVE DELICIOUSNESS AHEAD (below...whatever...)...
Ok, so I'm not a real big fan of football, but I do love a good party and a good party snack. This is one of my favorites...TOFFEE TRAIL MIX....I make it ALOT and it gets rave reviews. Plus, it is soooo easy to make and soooo delicious to snack on. Here's all you need:
1 bag of dried cranberries
1 bag of Scor toffee chips (in the baking section of grocery store near choc chips)
1 bag of chocolate chips (I like to use half milk, half semisweet, but use what you like)
1/2 bag of flake coconut
1/2 bag of pretzel wheels
Dump them in your bowl and mix it all together with your hands......then wait for the MMMmmmmmmms. I use a little scoop and little plastic cups to serve it. I made some of this the year before last as teacher gifts and bagged it up in pretty clear cellophane bags with tags and a small ornament....too cute and too yummy ~ just like this picture of Jake when he was a wee little tike...sticking his tongue out. Enjoy!!!!

Rain, rain, go away...

Well, with the first day of February comes a freezing rain that has closed schools for the day...sooo instead of a snow day we have a rain day....equally as nice, I guess....just not as fun as being able to play in all the white stuff. Needless to say my nine year old son Jake is ecstatic....a whole day of video game playing and NO spelling test today....Hoorah! What could be better?!!!!

Hmmm...My quiet day of "me time" has been slightly altered but now I have no excuse as to why I can't straighten up my art room and do laundry...ugghhh. So let me leave you with one of my favorite quotes by GK Chesterton:

If seeds in the black earth can turn into such beautiful roses, what might not the heart of man become in its long journey towards the stars?

DIY Valentine Card

I recently participated in a short discussion with some Winter Bellas about Valentine gifts for girlie friends....and I thought I'd share my simple idea with you too. Making Valentines for friends, family and loved ones is soooo much fun and we're going to be much more imaginative that big red hearts and white doilies (lol, i know you know what I'm talking about...) So these little pretties are quick, easy to make and lots of fun to give! Here's what you'll need:

• A vintage Valentine ~ I usually scan mine, then shrink it to about 4 x6 and print multiples on heavy card stock


• Glue Stick


• Decorative Paper


• Glitter glue


• Tea Bags ~ I like the Tazo Chai because it is in a nice, graphic envelope and it's RED!

If you haven't already guessed, I love tea.....hence the vintage Valentine I chose! Copy and cut out your valentines. Make a pocket on the back using squares of your decorative paper ~ this will hold your tea bag. Once you fit to size, simply glue around the 3 sides with a glue stick leaving the top and middle of square unglued. Once adhered, slip a tea bag into your pocket and voila! Oh, I almost forgot about the sparkle.....I embellish the front of the card with some glitter glue to give it some extra pizazz! What a fun and whimsical little valentine! Would also make lovely tea party favors! Would love to hear what you are giving or making this Valentine's Day!!!!!

Just found this Valentine on Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Website and you can download it for FREE ~ here's the link: http://www.homecompanionmag.com/web_only_extras/from_me_to_you/from_me_to_you.asp