Work in Progress Sunday!

I decided to paint my clipboard....  Need to work on her eye.....

Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Miss Mia!!!!!!

Today, June 25th (or "half Christmas" as I just heard it called... LOL!) is my beautiful, gorgeous, phenomenal, awesome, sweet-as-a-peach niece's Birthday.  She's 8.  I cannot believe that she's 8!  I told her a few weeks ago that she's not allowed to get any older. She just smiled, and then tried to (accidentally) drown me in the pool.

Anyhoo, I made a bracelet a while back that I finally finished last week, and my mom commented that Mia would like  it.  So I made her one of her very own.  And, because I love to stamp, I made her a special card to go with it...

Here they be!

This is actually one of the 2011 Sale-A-Bration Stamp Sets, Sweet Summer. I CASE'd it from a card by Amanda Coughlin here. It's a little girl for my Mia girl!

The focal is part of an old belt, that I painted, applied some punched flowers and tiny gems, and stamped her name on it.  I like this because it allows me to combine all my crafty projects into one! The chain is my first ever daisy chain! I hope she likes it! 

 Happy Birthday, my gorgeous girl!  I love you!!

Painted Bracelets

Awhile back, I got the nifty idea to paint this weird little wood-like thing that used to be part of a belt I had.  I'd already made some of these things into jewelry (you can check it out here), but I was bored, so I decided to take it to another level.

So it took me a while, but I finally managed to get the first one I did onto a spiral rope bracelet:

Paint, punches, and sparklies! What more can a gal ask!

Here's some more, waiting to be bracelet-ed up:

Kinda like the flowers my old nail tech used to paint on my nails! 

This one is actually all done, but that's another post...

And finally, the one I painted tonight:

I painted another dolphin! And I have an AWESOME plan for the bracelet!!!

As you can see, it's rather smallish! 

Eventually, these will be making it into my Artfire store. I only have 2 done so far, but I have ideas for several more!  Stay tuned!

My Piscean Nature is Splashing about.....

So, I actually love the mountains.  North Carolina, Tennessee, etc.  Love love LOVE that area....  So I find it very amusing that my first 3 real paintings have all dealt with the sea.  Must be my piscean nature....  Take a look!

First, the dolphin:

The photo....

My Painting...

And now, an island:

I visited this little island on a trip from the Clearwater Aquarium.  There's literally only these 2 trees on the whole island.  Well, and a chair on the other end....  

I painted it!!!! 

Here's some tree close-ups.  I'm rather proud of these trees! (My art teacher, Susan Kubes, said if she gave grades, I'd've gotten an A!!! LOL)

And finally, a storm.... No real location for this one--I was just playing around....  Can I just say--I love fan brushes!!!

I'm pondering adding a boat....

Thanks!

Gators, Florida, and stuff...

So, as you all know, I live in Florida.  About a month ago, the St. Pete Times posted this rather awesome video.  I meant to share it then, but, well, I'm a slacker.  and pokey.   Enjoy!


Thanks!

New Goal

So, I have a new goal.  As you know, I'm a Stampin Up! Independent Demonstrator.  Actually, lately I've been calling myself a "struggling Stampin' Up! Demonstrator." LOL!  (You know, like a "struggling artist"?  getit!!! Yeah, I'm a dork....)

Anyways, I really, really want this to work, because it's fun, I love the company, I'm good at it, and I love sharing the awesome things I can make with Stampin' Up! products...

So, my goal for this coming year, is to attend the Stampin' Up! Convention in 2012.

Doesn't this look like fun!  I soooo want to go!

But I don't just want to attend; I want to pay for the trip with funds I've made from being a Demonstrator.

I'm having my first party to meet this goal this weekend.  I hope I do well, and I hope I get more bookings from it.  Regardless, I'm going to keep plugging away, and I will make this a success!

If you're interested in helping out, check out my website here, and let's have a party!

And don't forget--the Retirement list is available, as we make way for some very awesome new products!

You should check this out!

Alright--so over on "Read-Write-Blog" I just did a post on proofreading.  Because proofreading is soooooo important.  And I admit, I don't always proofread everything I write, but I proofread most of it....  So, I thought I'd share this one across the blogs!


Here's the link: http://readwriteblogprof.blogspot.com/2011/06/why-proofread.html


And here's a sneak peek at one of the tips I include:

• First, look at sense and completeness.  
• So, what does that mean?  In your first reading, look for omissions--missing letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, etc.  Then, review the draft for consistent format.

Want more? I hope so! You'll need to go over there and read the post!

And thanks to my good friend LaRita for both allowing me to sit in on her Proofreading seminar, and for allowing me to borrow (steal) some of her ideas! 

Thanks! 

I painted!

Yup, yup I did!

This would be my first ever painting.  And it looks like what it's supposed to be! I did good!  LOL!

With guidance from Susan Kubes (you can also find her on Facebook), a local Largo artist who teaches classes as well, I managed to give my dolphin buddy depth and movement.  Thanks, Susan!

Thanks!

I did the coolest thing today!!!

So, I live in probably one of the most beautiful places in the world, and I freely admit, I don't enjoy it nearly enough (I mean, seriously, it's hot out there!!!!)

But today, my good friend LaRita and her hubby invited me to go on the Dolphin boat!  Okay, it's actually the Dolphin Racer, and you can check out their website.  Oddly enough, or possibly it's completely understandable, I'd never heard of it!  But I agreed to go, and I had a blast!  Check it out!

This guy was hangin' out at the doc....

See?  It's just gorgeous!

There's another pelican...

squeeeee!!!!!!  The cuteness!!!! That's the baby!!!

Okay, so my picture takin' isn't that great... but I got most of 'em! 

A bit calmer...

and...... another pelican....

I even got a video (and just took a crash course in iMovie! lol!)

Thanks!

Stampin' Up! Love Scrapbook Page Idea

June is here!  For me, that is a time for family and fun, and love.  Seriously. I have 2 anniversaries on June 10th, and a psuedo-anniversary on June 2nd (what's a pseudo anniversary, you ask?  well, it's the day my friend had the party for the wedding....)  Plus, I have a whole mess of friends and family with birthdays this month!  So, I thought it might be fun to share some Stampin' Up! projects throughout the month!

First up, in honor of all the people I love, here's a nifty Scrapbook page you could create to celebrate the people you love!

LOVE SCRAPBOOK PAGE (12" X 12")

Supplies:
Paper
• Playful Polka Dots Simply Scrappin’®*
• On Board Alphabet Soup

Ink
• Old Olive Stampin’ Write® Marker

Accessories
• Old Olive 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon
• White Baker’s Twine*
• Brights Designer Buttons
• Subtles Designer Buttons
• Stampin’ Dimensionals®

*From 2011 Summer Mini Catalog

Contact me today to schedule your party!

Can't wait to hear from you!

Lookit the pretty!!!!

I made a pretty!!!  With skulls!!!

It's a set, with earrings and a necklace (I may make a bracelet later, but I'm currently out of skulls.. sad...)

Both pieces

earrings

Close up of the necklace.

The skulls are TierraCast Black Finish Pewter Beads from Artbeads, and unlike a lot of the other skulls I seen around, they're top-drilled, which I much prefer.  


I just love this set, and even though I already have skull earrings that I love (Beautiful Death, and you can read about them in this post), I'm thinkin' I'm gonna keep this one.  But I'd be more than happy to make something else with these beauties! Just as soon as I get some more....


Thanks!

Oh boy!!!!

I just got a Sneak Peak at some new Stampin' Up! products coming in the new 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog, and I cannot wait until July 1st to share them with you all!  It's going to be so, so, soooo fun!!!!!

In the meantime,

I can share with you the Retirement list!  Lots of wonderful new things are coming, so we have to make room for them!  Click here to check out the retiring Stamps, Accessories, and Definitely Decorative items that are going, going, (not quite yet) gone!

Contact me today to schedule your party!