a new kind of art school...

I signed up for Jeanne Oliver's Creatively Made e-course

awhile ago, but with everything going on over here I didn't 

really have time to do more than glance at it.

Until the last couple of weeks when I realized that my time was about up 

and I better get busy!

I am so glad that I didn't miss my chance.

From the art lessons to the guest artist videos

and mostly the heartfelt conversations from Jeanne.

I felt like I could relate to so much of the insight from all of them.

The main idea that Jeanne shared in the course,

 is something that I have said to anyone that would listen...

in times that I could not create art, I felt that I was not complete.

I was not using one of the most important gifts that I was blessed with.

my creativity defines me in many ways.

(thankfully it trumps my ditziness!)

Thankfully those times of a lack of creating art in my life did not last long!

I didn't do this art lesson exactly the way it was taught, I have a difficult time not 

incorporating a vintage photo in my work.

That is the beauty of a class like this, nobody was expected to create

the same piece of work as their 'neighbor'.

Mine started with a layering of vintage papers, just as we were shown,

much like this bigger piece that I will be working on next...

but it was smaller and quite a bit of it was covered up with the photo.

As I searched the workroom for a frame that would work,

my eye was drawn to the stack of grain sack scraps, and I had

recently dug up this vintage metal embroidery hoop for Danielle and she didn't use it,

so there is sat on the table begging to be brought back to life!

add a rusty key and  what you see here is the end result of digging through the workroom!

Now what will I find to add to this one?

Stay tuned...

I would take this course all over again.

If you want to be inspired,

feel the freedom to find your voice,

learn a good many incredible tips, tricks, tools, and the many

ways for you explore new techniques for your art,

then the next time you see Jeanne offer an art class

jump right in!

Thank you Jeanne and all of the amazing artists who shared

themselves with us in this course!

love,

Theresa 

xoxoxooxoxo

linking to:

Transformation Thursday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

weekend plans...

I'm thinking more of this...

I'm sorry for the grainy pictures, I was losing daylight quickly as I tried to snap a few for you!

I'm still investigating but I think that i got this altered photo from 

Gaby Cajubrasil

she has some really fantastic freebies for us!

vintage bark cloth under glass.

still beading...

I've combined my love of collage and soldering into new necklaces.

I am loving the process, picking vintage costume jewels to add to new

glass seed beads.  My brain is spinning!

We are supposed to get some snow tonight,

so that means more beading tomorrow too!

Picture me cozied up on the couch surrounded by beads with a fire going in the fireplace,

and movies on the t.v.

sounds like a pretty good Saturday so far!

I'm thinking beef stew for dinner for the carnivores and vegie stew for us herbivores,

yup that's a good Saturday!

Have a wonderful weekend!

love, 

Theresa xoxoxoxo

linking up to:

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Thanks Debra!

Pin It

rain rain go away...

All of the dreariness of the day has me wishing for more motivation than just trying out different settings on my camera... but there you have it.

along with the rain, John has just left to go back to school and I'm not going to mince words here people, as I watched him and Cam pull away the tears flowed like the rain outside.

I think the idea that he graduates on Sat. and then will be moving across the country has hit home and hit home hard.  :(

that is life and I want nothing more than to see my birds spread their wings but it doesn't make it any less painful when they do.

(sorry just keeping it real.)

back to the collage...

All four of these shots were done with the manual setting.

I am ashamed to say it (but I will anyway) but I didn't even know my camera could take a sepia or B&W shot without editing on the computer!

I bought some dill from Aldis and thought I would use it for Easter dinner. I was unsure what I was going to make with it at the time but it just smelled so good!  Then wouldn't you know it,  I made my "moms famous dilled carrots" but used the dried dill I always use in the recipe because I FORGOT that I had bought fresh dill.   ugh.

I should be ashamed to say that too, but there you are... apparently I have no shame! LOL
so now I have a little pitcher of it to use as a photo prop!

(the carrots were delicious by the way)

you are welcome Boo! xoxo

While I was playing on Picnik I made a couple of thank you cards to go in my packages from

the old white house

I actually turned them into collages so that I could print off more than one at a time.

For some reason (the reason being that I need MY computer fixed because I had that one figured out when dealing with the printer and I don't have Cam's figured out at all!) I can only get Cam's computer to print one at a time so the collage worked great for the cards.  I will just cut them apart to add to the package.

There are a few things I would change about them and I could dr. them up a bit but I can only justify so much play time on the computer.  And I NEEDED to talk to all of you today, it has been a week since I posted last!  Where oh where does the time go?

So do you all PICNIK? 

I still haven't upgraded to premium but have been tempted on more than one occasion. For now the free version works just fine.   (I like anything that is labeled FREE)... just saying.

 and just in case you thought that maybe I haven't had my hand in any creating... I did manage to make a couple of market totes.   I had an order to take care of and while I was printing on that miracle transfer paper I thought I would make something new.  Love the bees, of course not really fond of them when I'm relaxing outside, but they are cute with crowns, are they not?

Then I went crazy big with one of my flowers.  

That's how I roll, once I make enough of something I have to play around with all of the sizes it could be!

So this one is enormous!

Guess what?  While we were visiting. the rain stopped!

thank you. I needed that!

Come by and work your magic anytime!   ;)

love, Theresa xoxo

I am linking up to , White Wednesday,  Wow us Wednesday, Link Love, Running With Glitter,

Transformation Thursday

playing with my silver stash...

     The story goes something like this...

I cleaned the workroom...

 and as I was looking for something to play with,

(I can't remember right now what it was, and probably forgot while I was looking!)

;O

I spotted some silver trays that I have been saving for a collage or two.

It has been a wonderful couple of creating days for me.

I had so much fun making these!
In fact, Duane came home from a meeting and asked what we had to eat and I looked up from the piece I was soldering and actually uttered the words...
"I can't think about it right now, I'm in the zone"
Never fear people, I did manage to help him make a nice salmon dinner!
It being warm enough outside and him being the chief griller here @ 612 will make my job list a but shorter! yay spring!

No innocent children went hungry
 but I was in the ZONE  ~ ya know?

Every Good Will has these siver trays, and for a song too!

They really make wonderful backgrounds. 

They can go from whimisical ~

peep! peep!

to a bit more serious ~

I think these men look like they are beginning a new business venture together and that their photo was taken after the ribbon cutting.

~ just a little story I'm giving them!

I even had the soldering iron on today and added soldered rings on the back for hanging crystals and the number 3.  There is also a twisted key ring soldered to the back for hanging.

Back to the Easter theme I put this rabbit on top of some ledger paper and used a rub on R at the top.  I aged some seam binding by soaking it in tea and scrunching it up and baking it in a ball.  When you take it out of the oven it has the coolest aged appearance.

Try it... you'll like it!

(oh man, how old am I?)

I just put a seam of glue along the edge and ruffle the ribbon into the glue as you go... easy peasy.

Then I made a rosette with some of it and glued it in the center.

 I glittered the flowers with clear glass glitter and his hat has black glass glitter on it, I'm disappointed that it doesn't show up very well in the photos but I promise it's all sparkly!

So then Max had a good idea for this umbrella, so I stoled borrowed his idea and put it in this birds nest.

He is resting under his umbrella in his cushy nest in the 'penthouse' of the croquet ball :)

I always bring a craft or two when we go away, and this past week I brought some clay with us to play with.  The kids each picked out a couple of colors and I brought white.

go figure. :)

I wrapped a rhinestone strand around the bottom of the nest and strung a bell, a jewel and the tag on it.

Thanks Max! xoxo

Wow, I didn't realize how tired I was until I sat down to write this...

Now that I am proofing it I realize how tired it even sounds!

sorry :(

Tomorrow I will show you some of the soldering I finished and maybe interject a bit of the fun I had into the post!

Happy Sunday!

love,

Theresa xoxo



I'm linking up to Beth's Silver Sunday over at Gypsy Fish.
and Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

Book Cover Party over at Amys!!!!

I love Amy's BOOK COVER PARTY idea! I use book covers all of the time. They make a great canvas for my altered projects... I am so glad I finished this when she announced the party because I haven't been able to do another like I thought I would. And I'm sorry to say I have to make this short and sweet because I have to be somewhere...
so I will let the photos do the talking...
and I will visit again soon!
the next one is like cheating, you've already seen it, but the party inspired it so here it is again!
Have fun at the party!

Thanks for stopping by! Theresa xoxo