A Day of Fun Classes

Today we did the revised version of the Artful Dwellings with the Tim Holtz Alterations die, and the class was packed! So much fun.....and they all turned out different!!!

The girls at Creative Cuts and Crafts are OVER-THE-MOON wonderful...Linda and Claudia are the most gracious hosts you could EVER imagine.

We ate, we drank (non-alcoholic) we laughed and smiled...for 2 days the ink was flowing and the glue was....well....gluing! I couldn't get everyone in this picture of the class, but I've some more for later.

It was one of the best weekends I've ever spent in teaching. The last class was the picture above, but the most detailed. They worked soooooo hard and everyone was really happy with their results!

Thank you so much to the whole group who attended the classes. I met great people, and their ideas were amazing. We shuttled 59 projects out the door this weekend...a huge success!

We'll share some pictures later...Linda took a group shot outside the shop with our Chunky ATC class...too many to fit into a shot inside. So we'll snag that later and you'll get a glimpse of the girls and their projects.

Big hugs to ALL!

Linda

Vintage Men and Butterflies

Hey everyone, I've been cleaning out the Studio...waaaayyy too much old stuff that I'll never use in a million years!

But along the way, I allowed myself to take breaks and time to play.

I've had several people ask about the Distress Stains..."are they different? do I really need them?"

YES.....they are totally different and I LOVE them.....still love my Distress Inks, too, but they work so well together.

I started with a large Manila Tag, and added Wild Honey stain at the bottom and center, then the Peeled Paint to top and swiped over the middle. Let dry and add a second layer.

Let blend in and then add direct to paper the Black Archival Ink to the edges and roughly over the top.

Add the stamps from Tim's Steampunk set with Coffee and Jet Black Archival ink.

Then I used the Dusty Concord to pounce color onto manila card stock and added to the back of the tag. I also added Concord Distress Ink over the edges to blend.

The Rosette was cut and sprayed with Copper Perfect Pearls Mists....very cool look!!! I added a strip of Tissue Tape to break up the color.

Add the Bingo Game piece, a sticker from the Crowded Attic collection, gold sequin stars, and Pen Nibs for fun.

And here's the Butterfly part of the post. I made these butterflies cut with Tim's Mini Butterflies die earlier. I added Alcohol Inks and Copper Metallic Acrylic Dabber.

They were kind of dull.....so today I stamped on them! Now this I like!!! Sprayed some Turquoise PP Mist on black chipboard....is that cool, or what?

That's it for today....can' wait to get up to Creative Cuts and Crafts this weekend! Classes are ready to go....and so am I.

Do you think they'd like some butterflies to play with??? Maybe I should cut out a bunch to take along....sounds like a plan.

Linda

Packaging, Alcohol Inks and Butterflies and a SALE!!!

It seems like ages since I got to get my little fingers INKY. But here's a little something for you to try.

At Inspiration Emporium we are working on a theme....Packaging!

The Butterflies are cut from packaging you get from all the wonderful products you buy.   Here I used Tim's new Mini Butterflies Movers and Shapers die.

Then I used Alcohol Inks to color the backs...add permanent black pen to the body and Aqua Rhinestones from Kaiser on the front. I LOVE Kaiser's Rhinestones!!!!

It's extremely hard to shoot a good picture in the Midwest gloom recently. No sun today...just rain and more rain. So this is shot under and Ott light trying not to get any glare off the plastic...difficult for me.

The Large Manila tag is sprayed with Perfect Pearls Mists....Turquoise and Perfect Copper. I used the cutout section of the plastic to make a stencil, so the butterflies are shadows on the tag. They do not show up well here...sorry.

You have to have a very light background for the butterflies to show up well, in my opinion.

An old favorite stamp from Nature's Moments is used for the background with Jet Black Archival Ink. You can see the stamps right through the butterflies.

The Alcohol Inks I used on the Alcohol Ink Applicator Tool with Felt were: 
Cranberry, Bottle, Sunshine Yellow, and Wild Plum.  I started with the yellow first and added layers until I got the look I wanted. Just Play!

I also added this to a black chipboard cutout using Tim's Tag die. A Plaquette over some ribbon and a bow at the top.

The pen marks just add something extra. I'm sorry, I don't know who made the little words stamp...if you do, let me know.

There's $5 shipping to the US and $10 international right now at Inspiration Emporium!!! Take a look and shop. AND because it's Joy's and Jay's mother's birthday...

enter "bigmama" in the coupon code area and get 15% off your entire order until April 30th!!! And don't forget to check out the blog for tips and tutorials!

Have a great EASTER!

Linda

Just a few more pictures of New Orleans

The Angels of New Orleans fascinate me. This is another one, and someone asked which cemetery we were in, and all I can remember is they have numbers and this is number 5. Sorry. Should have taken notes, but I didn't.

But this is the interesting part to me....you MUST not open the mausoleum for a year and a day after the last entombment. Therefore, if someone ELSE in the family plot dies, they are STORED in the area in this picture.

It was likened to a microwave in the tomb, by the guide, since the summers are so hot, it really bakes the person. Then they're swept up and put in a niche leaving room for the next member's wooden coffin to be placed in the entry room for a year and a day.

Very different from the burials in the Midwest.

The park we visited was completely restored after Katrina by volunteers from all over the world. Trees replanted, gardens restored....and it's amazing. This it one of the columns at the park.

We also visited the World War II Museum in downtown NO. This is my sailor walking around in the Naval area. The movie shown in 4D there with Tom Hanks is a must. Sad, overwhelming, but a must. It will make you cry, but be so proud and happy to live in America. The sacrifice was something we all should know.

And speaking of Movie Stars..........yes, we ran in to Nick Cage in the French Quarter about 5 hours before he was arrested!!! He was in the building behind where we ate dinner at Ralph and Kacoos...and some of our friends saw him. I didn't.

They are making a movie there with him and I kid you not....they said the name is Abraham Lincoln the Vampire Slayer.....of course you never believe anything from Hollywood. They change the name when they're ready.

Some more of the French Quarter and the carriages that line the streets. All very colorful and newly painted. It was a treat to see how the area it coming back. All the ironwork is wonderful.

And yes, I had oysters and shrimp.....piles of shrimp!!!

One of 4 only in the world of a certain table and chairs for playing cards at the plantation.

And the hand carved ceiling piece and chandelier.

  

The beds fascinated me at the plantation. See the with the ROLLING PIN on the headboard....it detached so you could ROLL the feather bed smooth when you made it up.

The one on the top has the netting that surrounds the bed at night. A necessity during Yellow Fever times.

This is a marble hand-carved tub that weighs a ton. Thieves tried to steal it when the Plantation was unoccupied. They had a winch to lift it into at truck, but when authorities caught them, they dropped it....see the chip on the bottom?

This is Bill and Harry after the Mardi Gras dinner and dance we attended, hence the beads around their necks.

And lastly, Bill and I at the plantation under the large Live Oak tree hundreds of years old. (the tree, not us!)

So my message to you all is to visit New Orleans. It's alive, well, and a wonderful place to see. The people are wonderful. The food is amazing. The gorgeous sky scrapers are so cool to see. Many, many were damaged, with windows completely wiped out...but you would never know it now.

The Super Dome is so big and overpowering, it does not look real. It looks more like a Spaceship that just landed in the middle of town. ALL restored.

And for those who like to gamble...there's Harrah's HUGE Casino.

Take care and have a great week. Got some new Tim goodies from Joy and Jay to play with....back to the real world.

Classes were nearly full at Creative Cuts and Crafts  in Elmhurst before I left...REALLY!!! So thrilled. Can't wait to see you there!!!!

Linda

Fun Editing Pictures

St. John's Cathedral in Savannah, Georgia that I used a photo editing program to enhance. Artistic Sheet Metal....huh?  Yeah, kinda weird!

I thought it was "pretty cool" to quote Myley Cyrus. Yes I watch SNL and Hannah Montana with Emma. Or at least I have to listen to the insufferable laugh track from Hannah.



This is another shot I took while on vacation in the South. Wish I could tell you where exactly it was.

If anyone recognizes it, let me know. It was definitely Pink, but not "the Pink House."

So that's just a little bit of fun for the road.

Have a great one!!!

Linda

Graphic 45 Metal Rose

After I saw Charee's gorgeous flower (she's the Director of Customer Service/Dt Coordinator @ Graphic 45) using the new Staples from Graphic 45, I knew I had to try it.

I found out why she had to stop after playing for quite awhile.

You just keep messing with it, and messing with it.

Very fun, but I definitely could not do many of these in a day.

I did try stamping on it, but it just kind of got lost in the petals. But BOY was it a cool piece when it was done.

She really had a great idea....give it a shot!

Linda

Another Day in New Orleans

Yesterday we visited the Destrehan Plantation. The Live Oaks are some of the oldest in the US.

The lower floors have the hearth and supply area for the home. No, I didn't get a picture of the plantation home itself!!!! It was no good....sorry.

But this is the back porch area of the home.

 In comparison, we also toured the Lower 9th district... in a word....devastating. The homes are being rebuilt and repaired. But many, many, are just as they were left by Katrina.

These 2 strangely designed, but modern homes were built by Brad Pitt's organization. They are scattered all throughout the area. Designed specifically for the area that is built BELOW sea level.

The poor had so little to work with, many times no deeds, as the building that housed many of them was destroyed, and many left, never to return. Then there were the hundreds that died, most drowning in their attics with no way to escape.

Another of the newly built homes by Brad and Angelina.

Then on to the River Walk and the Cafe du Monde for a cafe au lait and Beignets. What a treat!!!

Some of the fantastic architecture that's been restored along the River Walk. 

The canon along the walk.

We then took a trip on the  SS Natchez, the last working paddlewheel on the Mississippi. Do it if you go.

Among the many things we saw and learned on the trip was the enormous amount of oil refineries along the river. Amazing shot here, like temples to the industry.....

We had a wonderful dinner at Ralph and Kacoo's Restaurant. The Mardi Gras costumes and props are all along the walls.

A night shot of our hotel.....really a party last night with the New York group!!!

Another Civil War statue in the city.

And I'll leave you with a parting shot.....always an Artist myself, I found this wonderful statue in the Art in the Park section that had many wonderful pieces to browse through and enjoy!

Have a Great Day!!!

Linda

A Day in New Orleans....Swamp!!!

We arrived in New Orleans and got up bright and early to start our day.

I was not really excited about going on the Swamp Tour. I'll admit it. But I'm amazed at the number of people out there going on these tours!!!

Maybe it's all the new Reality Shows on now. But I'll tell you, it was a Blast!!! We had a great time. The tour guide was outstanding, a REALLY hysterically funny kid. We saw beautiful sites and wildlife.

He laid down on the deck and hand fed a 9 foot alligator, and then held her up by her neck!!! The kids on the boat had a fit!  Then we all got to pass around a baby alligator.

 I wanted nothing to do with the critter, but after all the little kids and older ladies on the boat held the darn thing, I did too......not a very flattering picture of me....but I knew you guys would get a laugh out of it.

So here I am in the New Orleans Swampland holding a baby alligator.....I hope you apprecitate me at my worst!!!

 Lunch was fantastic at the old Cafe in the French Quarter....you could have fed a family of 4 on the Shrimp Platter that I got.

Then we took a tour through the French Quarter. Here is Jackson Square with the statue of General Jackson established in 1721.

 We went to one of the Cemetaries that are all above ground burial sites due to the high water table there. The statues and sculptures are quite breathtaking.

 The burial details are facinating to me, I won't bore you with the stories, but you should check out how they accomplish burying so many in a small place!

The iron work is so amazing here.

The homes built during the civil war were beyond belief to me. This is only one that was on our tour.

Next we were back in the French Quarter at the Cresent City Brewhouse for dinner. Fantastic food! This is a shot of the 3 brew chambers.

We had a long and enjoyable day...then we walked the very interesting Bourbon Street for a few hours of unimaginable entertainment....most too over the top to show in pictures!!!!

Have a great week....we are!!!

Linda and Bill

Had to show you this!!!!

Isn't this just too fun??? And so ME in colors I love.

My daughter Michelle sent me this for my birthday last week and I just had to share. She made this!!!!


She does some really fun pieces and I love to see her wear her own jewelry.

Mine is going with me to New Orleans.

Take care, and have a great day.

Linda