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?