The BEAUTY of Fall

I  LOVE the fall season... the colors are all so vibrant in the trees and it is yummy plus... the smells of fall arrive prior to the colors all being gone...  the smell of wood smoke, to keep the chill off in the morning, the smell of leaves and brush being burned by the farmers, as the season is over... cover crops are going into the grown... and the fall veggies are ready to harvest... with winter ones being covered up...  a whole new season of growing.. and in the south it is the time of the year when so many more veggies do grow the best, as the HOT HUMID weather is over.... you wouldn't know that today... it was very humid 80% and the heat was over 93.... very hot and humid....  time to gather up the fan and put one by the worktable and the computer... LOL... truth...  Our home is totally Air conditioned... but I dont' like to use the electric nor do I enjoy the falseness of air on in the house...  like to hear the birds singing... the winds coming up with a summer shower... and like right now all the night time insects are singing to out do the next... love it... 

Okay... so Yes I have been having fun all day... 

Wow... the first of the month and also a MONDAY... yikes... so many wonderful challenges... which to do first...

Well I write them all down on 3x5 cards... and see if I can match any up, and then I start to see what I have on my list to work on this week...  so many things... cards for an up coming sale... birthday cards...  Which... HEY JULIA... it is your birthday in 4 days... on September 5th... Happy Birthday to YOU...  I know you are only 29 this year... but a Happy Birthday anyway... hope if is a very happy one... 

 

Okay... so now you know... this card is for the

 Mixed Media Challenge...  #3... 

and the theme is  AUTUMN COLORS with options of leaves and metal...  I did the leaves.. and also some paper beads...  and of course the Autumn colors... and here is my CARD...

 

I had made about 50 envelopes from a wall paper book... and this is one of them... I tried to match up the cards with them... this one is so great for a fall card... love it... 

 

My butterfly is made from a stencil from Tims butterfly and then I used textured paste for the butterfly... cut it out and then painted it... and then I added glossy accent over it...  just for the luster...  the leaves are made out of kraft glassine and then inks are of course played with on them... to get the effect I want... 

 

I also used a little white tulle and of course also used my distress inks to dye it... you have to let it dry over night... but it does work...  most likely alcohol inks would be better... but I love the colors of the distress inks... 

 

So that is my card for this challenge... and I am sure I will most likely do something with metal too...  you never know... in fact something just popped into my head... LOL...

 

Hope you have a fun time making things for all the up coming challenges this fall month... it should be a very colorful month...  YEAHHhhhhhh ...  love it all.. 

 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit... and see you in a little while.. .I have a lot more to post... 
Love, Light and Peace...Bonnie 

Vintage Suitcases

A few weeks ago, I was chosen by Frilly and Funkie to be a Guest Designer.  What a wonderful honor to be chosen and to do a special project for you all to see.. I so hope that you totally enjoy all I have to share with you... Please go over to see my other pictures and write up over at Frilly and Funkie Site.  And stop by this GREAT store too while you are there... lots of goodies...  

When I was asked to do this project the theme given to me was VINTAGE TRAVEL.... so I instantly thought of my suitcases... I love making them... and have taught this class often.  Each person always adds so very much of themselves to their suitcase... making it uniquely theirs..  What fun is that!!!  

So here are a few that I have made...

This is the one I made for today... 

 

On this suitcase, I decided that I wanted a dual look... as when I did research on Vintage suitcases, I was shocked to see so very many different types and I wanted to make them all...  Oh how many can one person have???  So I thought it thru and came up with this one...  now for the papers...  Well Tim Holtz was the first place to stop...  and low and behold... look at this piece of paper... perfect for the vintage suitcase!!! 

 

 

Of course I had to add some WORDS...  so my Remnant Rubs worked out perfectly for this application...  even on the tag... 

And the corners... perfect Ideology for any vintage traveler's suitcase.   

 

Since this suitcase is more masculine, I had to add some tools to this man's travel... I know my hubby always has to travel with his favorite tools... just in case he might need to fix something along the journey...  This suitcase again is for a world wide traveler... with maps of the world on the inside...  Again some of Tim's Papers.... 

 

Now this is the back of the suitcase... during those years people were given decals to put on their suitcases and this was even popular when I was in college...  maybe it still today... not really sure, as I don't travel like that anymore...  have a farm is enough of a daily JOURNEY for me... 

 

Anyway... this is a very well used and traveled suitcase... and again it is a Tim paper...  and the word JOURNEY... it is again a Remnant Rub...  Using a tape measure for a strap around the suitcase and also the corners for the suitcase were all trimmings from Tim Holtz again...  love that ideology... 

 

Okay...  so if you know me at all.. .you know that I am very prolific... and have to have choices and all kinds of pretty and fun things around me... so I had to also do a feminine suitcase too... 

 

This is the top of the suitcase and I used seam binding that I dyed to match this paper etc... and braided it to create the handles of this suitcase.  Sheet music was used for the corners of the suitcase. 

 

 

I used a piece of Tim's paper for the body of the suitcase... but started to embellish with flowers and things from Graphic 45's pad called Diary of a Woman. 

 

I used tissue tape from Tim... as it was so perfect to give the look of straps on the suitcase..  and another flower. 

 

More Ideology... yes I happen to be a huge fan of ideology... it just always works so well for my projects and things I need to play with... 

Now for the inside... wow I really started to have fun...  grabbed another paper from Graphic 45 and then went to town adding laces, trims, bows and even a little mirror on the top of the suitcase.. which was a must for the lady of that time...  On this vacation, she took a lot of pictures... (another Tim paper)  and was also the 1912 Fashion plate...  LOL...  so much fun. 

 

I also had to make a little book for the inside of this suitcase...

 

 

 

This of course is all Graphic 45 papers and embellishments... so cute... and each page has a pocket for each day of the vacation... and the pictures for that day are in the pocket... 

 

 

Of course a little write is due too... and there is room on these pages... the pages are a paper from Tim and it is the days of the week... how perfect for a weeks trip someplace... 

 

 

Now since I love to make these... here are some others I have made in the past... 

The other two you just saw are 4X5 inches... and 2 inches deep...   the top one here... the blue one is only 3x4... much smaller and so cute...  love all sizes... and you really can make these any size you desire... as they are simple to make.  once you have made the first one... that is... 

 

This was a special one I made... made out of Suede cloth paper...  so your hands had to be CLEAN at all times... and if you had any glue the suede cloth would pick it up... I was amazed that I was able to do it... not only once... but I made two like this... with matching books... 

 

Of course you can embellish these anyway that you choose to do so... with catches... etc... I also embossed the suede cloth here so that it looked like a special leather... 

 

 

 

For those that LOVE Tim's papers... I know you know this one..  all the license plates... how special for a trip... 

 

I used dyed ribbon for the handles here... 

 

My Mother had traveled all over the world... and I one birthday I really didn't know what to make her... at 93 it is difficult... and so I made this little suitcase and the book inside... I made it for each country and state in the US that she had been to... she was ecstatic with this special little gift...  loved it and showed (of course) all her friends what I had made for her... and.... where she had traveled in her life...  I used K and Co paper on this box...   

 

I made this one in a class...  nothing really amazing.. but I did use plain white paper and stamped using 6x6 stamps...  loved it...  (at the time...) 

 

 

Had to share this little folder book with you that I made for the blue suitcase... it has seahorses all over it... (done with texture paste...)  Love it... still has some more embellishments to go... and hopefully I will be able to use this for a challenge soon!!!  Maybe not...  but I did have fun making the book... again Graphic 45 papers.. 

 

So there you have a VINTAGE TRAVLER, as I see it... 

I could have made a tag, or a card... but wanted something special for all of you... so I do hope you have enjoyed this...  I love making these special little suitcases as presents, and for special people...  hope maybe you will too...

 

Have a wonderful day... and thanks so much for stopping by for a visit... hope to see you again soon...

 

Love, Light and Peace...Bonnie 

 

An Ode to the Wonderful BUTTERFLY

With Nature all around us... or at least around me... out here in the boonies... with all the critters and trees.... we tend to forget about how it all happens... and we need a reminder...  the sweet little butterfly that just flittered by... how did that come to happen??? Well one of the magnificent happenings is that the butterfly will lay its eggs on a plant ...and then next spring... they will hatch and create little tiny caterpillars that will turn into these magnificent BUTTERFLIES...  so our part is not to destroy all the 'weeds' or plants that we think are weeds... because then the butterflies will also be destroyed as well... one of these plants ( of many) is the Milk Weed plant...  if you are not sure what it looks like... please google it make sure you leave it alone if it is growing in your garden or yard...  Butterflies are a very essential 'critter'  to our well being...  just check it out... thanks a million...

So today, my piece is called an ODE TO THE BUTTERFLY... 
I have been playing with Tim Holtz's butterfly die cuts... the border and the little mini movers and shapers...  and have been having fun with them... tangling, painting with watercolor techniques... zen tangling them and also layering them in all kinds of ways...  needless to say, I have been having a blast with it... 

Well... being FRIDAY... it is A VINTAGE JOURNEY... and the challenge was a really fun and easy one for me...  do something that is TIM HOLTZ...  using dies and distress...  well that is easy enough...  this whole piece is that... oh well I did add a few pieces of Tissue Mélange... and a piece of plastic????  I think that is okay...  right??? 

So here is my finished piece... 

An Ode to the BUTTERFLY... 

 

size about 12 inches tall and about 9 inches wide... 

Lots of fun and layers... which also were fun to find, create and layer... 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see I used the tissue paper Mélange... and adhered a piece to a piece of paper..  and then colored the butterfly...  with DISTRESS Markers...  I also colored the Milkweed plant with Distress inks using a water brush and an ink pad...  the little flowers on the milkweed are from the Tattered floral strip die cut...  love it... and have been using it more often than I ever have... you really have to use a die cut quite a few to get use to the items on it...  so I have gotten to use all the different types of flowers on this die now many many times... and love them all..  this little one was perfect for my milk weed plant.. the leaves, I inked some paper... and cut them out freehanded... 

 

Now the BUTTERFIES...  oh my goodness alive...

I have been having fun with these... first off.. I got a new can of embossing paste... and have been having fun with that... I took my MINI Movers and Shapers BUTTERFLY dies, and cut a piece of plastic, using each one... then used that as a stencil and made tons of little plaster butterflies... they are all over my studio... I love them all...  I have painted some, to look like real (?well sort of real)  butterflies... and some just have color added for the color... yesterday I used a few on my butterflies that I used for the challenge Frilly or Funkie... and I just colored them... what fun... check them out... on my previous page...

 

But the day prior... I cut out a stack of the same butterflies with white card stock... and started to paint, zentangle them and color them with Distress inks... having a blast... so I was well armed with a lot of butterflies by this morning... I also had been playing with the border Butterfly die cut... I cut it out of many different papers and layered the butterflies as they took off from the strip of paper... what fun they are having flying all over the page...  LOL.. 

 

 

BUT here is the best part...

I had bought this BELL JAR die cut... in the fall.. and had never used it... that is so unlike me... and when I saw this I was shamed...  so I HAD to use it today... so here is the bell jar...

 

Please don't let the butterfly become an extinct insect... allow it to fly free... google and see what you can do to help this happen in your area...  it is really something that each of us can and should do... 

 

 

We planted a butterfly garden... full of wild flowers and also other things... milk weed grows wild there... and there are a lot of other butterfly plants there... like Queen of the meadow, phlox and also cardinal flower...(beautiful RED flowers) and lots of other showy flowers for the butterflies to enjoy... 

 

So I used a piece of scrap plastic and cut the bell jar... and then the pedestal is cut from card stock and embossed with a frame embossing folder... love the way it turned out... and yes I will use this more often too..  The background paper came from Tim's paper stash called Wallflower... love that paper stash... so many different LOVEs  in that pad...  great selection... 

 

A butterfly painted using Distress mini pads to color it and then distress pens for the accents... 

 

The fall leaves... the reason for the fall leaves is a reminder for the fact that in the fall the butterflies lay their eggs... leave your milkweed and other weeds do the natural thing...  so we can have butterflies next year...  the leaves are made from card stock that is inked with my mini misters that have perfect pearls in them.. and naturally distress inks... I love all my mini misters...  and the other leaves are the Kraft Glassine paper... which I really crumpled into the palm of my hand to create the fall look.. 

 

The Butterflies are escaping... 

 

Here is one of the plaster butterflies... painted with distress inks... and so much fun to have loose on this project... 

 

Well... I do hope that you have enjoyed this... I really had fun with this... and did use Distress inks and Die cuts...  I have a lot and am very thankful for all the ones I have ... I love using them all.. that is for sure..

 

Thanks for stopping by today... and please take a look at

A VINTAGE JOURNEY and see all the eye candy there... it is wonderfully creative... I think you will greatly enjoy it...

 

Have a wonderful day and week-end.. be safe and enjoy it all.   

 

Love, Light and Peace...Bonnie 

CC3 #6 Challenge...Altered Burlap Panel

This is the 6th Challenge for Compendium of Curiosities Volume 3...  and it is so very much fun... I hope that you have another book started TIM... as we are going to run out of new things to do pretty soon.. .and we need more challenges... LOL... 

Yes.. the truth is always STRONG...

Linda Ledbetter and THE CREW are always busy working on another challenge to tease us and encourage us to create more and more things...  this time is no different... the CREW really out did themselves.. more on that later... 

Here are some of the things that I need to tell you... ALSO  GO TO THE SITE AND SEE ALL THE ART THERE...


Happy July, and on behalf of the Curiosity Crew, welcome to the latest installment in our voyage through Tim Holtz’s most recent book! Whether this is your first challenge with us or you’ve been participating from the beginning, we’re so happy you’re here.
The winners of our Challenge 5 prizes will be announced in a new blog post next Saturday, July 12, so if you played along last time, remember to check back and see if you’re a winner!
Challenge 6 introduces Tim’s Altered Burlap Panel Technique, which you’ll find on page 37 of A Compendium of Curiosities, Vol. #3 (a.k.a “CC3″). You’re going to have all kinds of fun with this one, because you really get to make it your own: Incorporate memorabilia that’s meaningful to you, if you wish, or simply play! Please do note that you must use one of Tim’s Burlap Panels in your project in order to link to this challenge. You may use a District Market burlap canvas if you wish.
Everyone is welcome to participate in the CC3C, but you must work from your personal copy of the CC3. The Crew will not be posting technique instructions on our blogs, and participants must not, either. We require this out of respect and appreciation for all the work Tim invested in writing the book. If you don’t have a copy, you can order one directly from Tim, who will be glad to autograph it for you! If you have any questions about the challenge in general, check out the CC3C F.A.Q. here.
As always, we’ll select a “Curiosity Crew’s Choice” winner who will receive a fantastic collection of Tim’s products, courtesy of Tim himself and Mario Rossi, his business manager and everyone’s favorite “Behind the Scenes” social media luminary! Please note: In order to be eligible to win, you must visit each of our team members’ blogs and leave a comment there. You can easily access their blogs by clicking on their project photos (your comment on this post counts as your comment on my blog).

The Funkie Junkie Boutique is back to sponsor Challenge 6, and lovely owner Linda Coughlin is offering a fabulous $25 shopping spree to one very lucky CC3Cer! For a chance to win, link your project here and mention The Funkie Junkie Boutique in your blog post. Be sure to check out the shop– it’s great, and stocked to the brim with all our favorite crafting goodies!
 


Okay... now please don't forget to go to the above site to see all the goodies there... it is really special... also check out all the people that have left their art there too... a lot of FANTASTIC people creating and doing wonderful things... if you study it long enough...  you will find the need to join in...  so come on in... it is FUN...

This challenge was really a little bit of a challenge for me... as I couldn't find any burlap to play with... finally after digging thru three bins of fabric... I found a small piece... just large enough to cover a small panel and get a few flowers out of it...  yikes... 

My panel is 5.5 X 8.5... a nice size to play with...  and I of course could have covered the world... but kept it nice and small...  Wasn't really sure exactly what I was going to do... 

Well I have to back up a minute... THE CREW all did really nice pieces this time...  not that they don't always.. but each one of the pieces had something that I REALLY loved and wanted to remember for future use...  well how else to better remember than to do it now... so I did... 
I will tell you as I go along thru the pictures why I did certain things...  okay... so make sure you can see all the NINE things that were really special to me... (actually there were more... as I AM going to do a book like Anita did... that is really super... love it...  ) 

anyway... here is my project... 

You know I love FLOWERS... so I had to have some flowers on this panel... no two ways about that...  but what kind of flowers to make... I wanted something a little different this time... so I used  BOOK PAGES

BURKLAP

MUSLIN 

And a vintage earring...  100% RHINESTONE... 

I know for a fact that it is over 85 years old... any older I am not really sure of... it was my husbands Grandmothers earring... and there was only one... so ... it was perfect... 

 

I have to say at this point ... that I really enjoyed making this panel.. it was a lot of fun and technique I know I will use over and over... collage and this kind of thing is just wonderful to me... a great way to create... thanks Tim... 

 

 

 

I will start with the lower left corner... where My Maternal Grandmother is sitting in her wedding dress... she  was married in the early 1900's..  like around 1910...  give or take... I have her on here, as I loved the picture of Susan's Grandfather... My Grandmother was a pianist... and made her debut in Carnegie Hall NYC... very prim and proper and shy on top of it all.. 

 

The fleur di Lei is for Annette's piece... as I loved all the ideology that you used...  Mine is on a dangle that I made from beads and charms...  along with a heart... which I love these hearts and all the pictures that come in the set...  Ideology from this year... 

 

 

 

And Linda used her letters in such a creative way.. .I really loved it... and so I had mine turn the corner...  FREE LETTERS...  love it...  what fun.. 

 

I have really gotten into making paper beads... and these are two that I made... but they are straight beads... no shape... but I had to make them that way... as I wanted to put words on them... one has the word memories... and the other one has chit chat... like Marjie's piece had... mine says Artist with in...  You might be able to see With in... if you look close enough...   And the 'THOUGHTS' is for Anita's piece... I love the way she used them to hold the panels in look together... great going with that...   

 

On this area... I have two gals... Candy... the rose is for You.. and Hels... you said you were going to put three diamonds on each piece of your work...  so this diamond is for you.. only one though... 

 

This paper actually had the CC3 on it... funny huh...  a little off.. but still there... 

 

Now you can see the old earring...  pretty... a large stone in the center and many around it... small.. .but pretty... 

 

The NUMBER 6... Yvonne... I told you I loved the number 6... here it is... 

 

 

 

Cheryl, I didn't forget about you.. .the lace is for your background of pretty black lace...  Here I also used it for a topper and a place to attach the kilt pin...  and the other dangles of beads... and it needed something else... so what better than a little metal flower... colored with embossing powders... 

 

I use a lot of these foliage flowers... they are really pretty and you can put them in all kinds of fun places...  just add that needed punch... like that corner...  love it.. 

 

I had to add some of my favorite little flowers...  that I made... and if you are interested there is a story about them a few challenges ago...  like in late June..  I love making, having and using these little flowers... 

 

I used my mini distress ink pads to color the petals of the muslin flowers... as they were very delicate and the small pad allowed me to gingerly color them...  I love the way they came out... 

 

So here is my panel again... and I think I will go hang it up... where I am not sure... I think we have to move, so I can have some more wall space...  or maybe I should take some of the older pieces down and recycle the space... NOT!!  I love all my wall stuff... 

 

Oh well... my problem...  Thanks for stopping over today... and hope to see you again soon... 

 

Have a wonderful day... enjoy it all and create something fun and join in on the fun...

 

Love, Light and Peace...Bonnie 

 

Sunday Stamper GREETINGS!

Happy Sunday!!! 
Well enough of all these holidays... back to playing, right..???
In the USA everyone seems to be taking a holiday for the 4th of July celebration...  and tomorrow is MONDAY...  back to work... or play as the case may be... (that's what I do... along with a lot of other things... have to can beans this week...  bought 30 quarts... hope it is enough for this harvest of Green Beans... LOVE THEM) 

Okay...so on SUNDAY STAMPER   Hels ask us to do ANYTHING with a greeting... so since I have been working on these sets I  thought I would get one more done and also do a challenge at the same time... 

You know how things sort of explode at times... well Sheila (a student of mine...)  has a friend that can get all these delicious wall paper books when they ready to go into the garbage... so instead of them going into the 'landfill'  Sheila went to this friends and picked them up... and it just so happened that she also on her way here to a class...  SOOOOO..... Sheila asked if I would like some of them...  I HAD to help her, didn't I???  So I took 2 of the 15 plus she got...  and I started to create with them... but my favorite thing to do is to make beautiful envelopes from them... and that is what started todays card off... 

I made about 30 envelopes...  maybe more but I am not telling you any more at this point...  obsessions are nothing to brag about.. ... so 30 it is...  LOL...  and then I pick out some papers that I have made and some pictures that I love, stamps to use etc... etc...  and this is one of them that I made today... 

 

I have to warn you... there is not a lot of stamping going on here... but you will see it...  I will point it out to you... LOL.. the butterfly is stamped and is watercolored using Tim Holtz's Watercolor method in his newest book volume three of Compendium of Curiosities...  it is a wonderful technique and I actually like it better than with other methods... I had more control with this...  try it... 

 

I also used some of Tim's papers from Wallflower...  love that paper too.. My greeting is the little tag... Sending Happy thoughts...  as I hope this will go to someone that needs to be cheered up... 

 

In the back of the card, is the envelope.. you will see more of it later..    

 

I made a gate card for this envelope... as the paper was something I really loved... and wanted to use that on the inside of the card...  so this was the back of the piece of paper... and it was a mess... oh well... a little distress ink and it was all better... and then some paper to cover up all the ink messes... LOL... I personally love them... but know that not everyone does... I also totally covered up the back too...  Love that little bird at the bottom.. 

 

Close up of the butterfly that I water colored.. 

 

Okay... when you open the card... this is what you see... a little pocket... left over from the piece on the back of the card... and I put a little bow in it... just to dress it up a little bit...    In side the pocket is a Graphic 45 card to write a message on... and on the left is a piece of paper I made... with STAMPS and distress inks... 

 

The Spackling paste and a stencil made a nice home for this honey bee... speaking of honey bees... please help protect these delicate little ones... don't use chemicals or things on the plants at all... it just kills them... theory is that when all the bees are gone in the world... people will then only have about 2 years to live... so lets keep our eyes on these little friends... besides... I love to eat and they do pollinate our plants for eating... 

 

I did use distress glitter on this little guys wings...

 

This is a piece of paper that I have been wanting to use for a LONG time...  Last fall my husband, Glenn brought me in this really fun plant... he thought I could use it in my art... so I put it on a piece of card stock and sprayed it ... I think I only did it three times... wish I had done it more.. .I love these ...  anyway.. that is the wash of this plant...  isn't it pretty.??? 

 

The card and the envelope...

As you can see the envelope gets lined also with the Wall paper... 

Thanks again Sheila...  I love these envelopes... 

 

How pretty is that... I would love to receive that in the mail...  and it is saving our landfills... so if you can... find a store that sells wallpaper and see if you can get a book to use for envelopes... save our landfills in this world of clutter... 

On the front of the envelope, I made a tag to write the address on... and use a return address thingy for my address... how neat is that...??? 

 

So thanks Hels for the challenge... and also hope that you have been able to get back into your schedule after a lovely vacation... what a trip that must have been ...

 

I do hope you all have had a wonderful week-end and that if you are traveling that you do it safely... 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit...  and please return.. I have a lot of fun things to share with you this week...

 

Love, Light and Peace...Bonnie