Long day..long winter

A few days back, I mentioned the friggid cattle drive we had bringing the cows home from the Montana side of the ranch to the headquarters in Wyoming. It's almost calving time and the cows are heavy bellied old gals, so the trip is not rushed. We let them trail at their own pace. I thought I would share some pictures...not alot of interest in horseback cowboying this time around...just put the tractor with hay in the lead(my job)and head 'em out!!Over 500 head going 7 miles per hour, 7 degrees and stretched out over 3 miles... glad we don't have much traffic in our neck of the woods.
Thank goodness I remembered my giant thermos of coffee and bag of Somerset Magazines!!

ONE World-ONE Heart Blog Giveaway

Lisa Oceandreamer from Heart of the Nest and Imagination Cafe is having the 2008 One World-One Heart Giveaway to unite friendly bloggers around the world.


Here is my blog give-away for the One World One Heart
event!


ANYONE can Play! EVEN IF you are not participating with a giveaway you can still ENTER to win on the various blogs. The point is to find new blogs, meet new people. Just Click on the comment tab below, leave link to your blog if you have one and tell us where you are from! Winners will be announced Feb 14th!
Click here to see all the bloggers in the One World One Heart
event!

Brrr!!!

To jump start the arrival of warmer weather, Nancy decided to do an "Easter Basket" give away!
I have always enjoyed her Papier Mache artwork and her wonderful way with vintage decorations...be sure to see all the wonderful creations for Spring!

I can only hope for warmer weather. Yesterday, right in the middle of a cattle drive, it dropped from 42 degrees to 7 degrees within a half hour...made for a long 7 miles. With windchill, it was 23 below...BRRR!
Notes and News From Nancy

Good Friday Altered Book

This a 8 page collage book I did Sunday. I was in a gloomy mood and
somehow this is what seemed to emerge. It's titled 'Good Friday' and
along the way I also enjoyed a bit of Art History of Leonardo and
Michelangelo.

I used recycled chipboard covered in black gesso for a base. I layered red, golds and white for my trinity of colors. Bible text and select segments of photos of portraits by the Masters were added. I stamped in black, embossed flourishes in gold and bound the pages in light leather and beads.

ArT FrOM the HeaRt!!

Just in time for Valentines! This book is a gift that Auther, Catherine Matthews-Scanlon is giving away!
She is offering two of her new books, so check it out and make sure you tell her I sent ya :)

Romantic 'Gift Giving Cones'

I have a new favorite blog to visit!
A wonderful and fabulously creative person, Ruth Rae, had a fantastic article in the special publication Quilting Arts Gifts. (Holiday issue Winter 2008)
She described how to create these wonderful fabric and paper Cones.



This is my attempt....Perfect for Valentine's Day or May Day surprises of a gift where the container or vessel holding the gift could serve as the gift itself.

In the article, Ruth presented the directions and example in her own glorious style and I knew immediately that this was a process that I was going to enjoy!



I used pink felt as the interior core and then layered on tea dyed batting, cheesecloth, organza, tulle and silk, vintage girl photos, sheet music and text from vintage books. I stitched pockets to tuck vintage pearls into. The center focal point is a vintage rhinestone flower button and then silk Oliver Twist One-Offs complete the closure down the front.
After pinning all of the layers together, I machine stitched hearts and practiced my free motion embroidery stitching to add even more texture! Fun!!

http://ruthrae.blogspot.com/

You Make My Day!

Let's just say...you made MY day. I was just nominated by
Inka
for the "You Make My Day"award and I am so honored and pleased to be noticed.
I am suppose to nominate 10 bloggers that I have enjoyed reading their blogs and have inspired me. I will attempt to pick out 10 from the long list of blogs I read. Here goes....

1.Teresa
who inspires me to sharpen up my blog skills.

2.Lana
Talented...just love her 'simple joys of bygone days'.

3.Vanessa
...it's always a pleasure to visit this fun blog!

4.Heidi
shows us all how to mix family, bizness and art.

5.Jane
A sketcher/journaler that truely inspires.

6.Suzanne
a homey farmgirl that has a great way with words...and great recipes.

7.Roni
always sharing great techniques and tutorials.

8.Sandra
who has a great way with the Shabby and Prim!

9.Megan
a sweet young talent who loves color...wish she was my DIL.

10.Melissa
a great friend who always makes my day!

Thinking of a Valentine gift?

I've been busy putting some new things on Etsy. Funny how the time flies when you are over there. There's alot of talented people and it's fun to see all the Handmade things.

If you get a chance, head on over there for some great ideas for Valentine's Day!



"My Etsy"

4 x 6 Heart Quilt Journal

by Connie Hippen Altered Route

Belinda Spiwak, also known as Crazyartgirl made a call-out to fellow artist for a collabortory project of a fabric Art Journal for submission to Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. We were to incorporate silk Oliver Twists One-offs and have hearts. Above is my 4 x 6(both sides)page. Belinda will make covers and bind all the 8 other girls pages to make the journal...the 9th to go to CPS.

The lady stamp I used on this was one of the prizes from Inka at
Inkastamps
for my shrine challenge entry...Thanks Inka!

Quilt Journal page...
2 layers of 4 x 6 muslin, one painted and stamped with swirls, the other left plain. Back is a print fabric used in reverse.
2 layers of 3.5x 5.5" heavy pellon sandwiched between layers for stiffness. Front has text and Bird stamp on muslin pieces that are chalked, machine stitched on, then One-Off threads are used for heart that is french knotted. Back has the Lady stamp on muslin piece and a heart couch stiched with metalics and One-offs. All fabric edges are unraveled and machine stitched random quilt style.

Women in Art

"So much has been said and sung of beautiful young girls, why don't (sp) somebody wake up to the beauty of old women?" Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1811-1896, abolitionist author.

This quote was added by Sherry Hulbert at Arttechniques and I thought it went with this YouTube, although many of these women are old in a different way.

The morphing of the portraits of Women through the last 500 years...is Hypnotising!!
The talent it takes to create this is an art in itself.

Resolutions

New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes.

'resolution' n. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination. A resolving to do something.

I usually make at least a couple of them as the new year approaches. These are just informal, in my head, resolutions. Made with good intentions, but usually easy to accomplish so there's no disappointment.

Over the years, I have found a better way that gives better results and makes more sense to me.
As the calendar turns every new month all year long, I always ask myself 'what' I am going to accomplish this next month that is 'extra'....extra something. Something healthier like less cookies, pop or chips. Something financial like less paid-per-views or to visit the public library more than Borders. Something exciting like a date with hubby, a fun trip or interviewing for Survivors or Amazing Race...lol Something challenging artistically and that list could be anything....something for ME time.

In general, I plan to do more in 2008 than I did in 2007, and make this next year more productive, profitable, and memorable for me on a variety of fronts.

Gearing up for New Years!

I used to hate the lull between Christmas and New Years...the quiet after the storm. But now I love this brief break from family activities, gobs of rich food and the general hurry up, get there or get that done.

I never realized it, but I really do like New Years.



When I was young and pre-21, the closest thing to a full fledge adult party were the trips we made many years in a row to Pasadena for the Rose Parade. First we stopped at the salvation army to pick up an old couch. We arrive well before dark to find a great spot along the route to park our couch, sleeping bags and coolers on the curb. This would save our spot throughout the night. Church & Youth groups from all over S. Calif would come in buses and livestock trucks covered in banners. These would drive the route all night long and you could jump on for a ride up and down the 5 mile party zone all night long. All the great car clubs gathered to 'cruise' and show off...that was a parade in itslf! 12:00 would come, but the party wasn't over till the sun came up. Back at the ol' couch we would bundle up and wait for the best parade ever.




I'm sure things are different now, but back then...it was the best Youth Rally and most memorable way to celebrate the New Year other than the thrill to be 'in' the parade!

p.s. I think Angela Cartwright was 'in'....riding on a Lost in Space float with Will and the others. That would have been around 1971-72'ish I believe...correct me if you see this, Angela.

I would like to wish you all the Merriest of Christmases
and the Happiest of New Years!
Thank you for visiting me here and being so kind and wonderful and supportive.
Enjoy the Holiday!!!!

BRRRRR!

Honey, it's cold outside! Just the kind of weather we should be getting, so I can't complain. At least we aren't getting the ice-storms and the power outages that others near here are getting.
I would go nuts!
It's been a while since posting...would that be considered 'naughty'?? Hope not.
I've been enjoying all the great blogs out there of people sharing all their collections of Christmas decorations and 'Hand-dids', so I am going to share a couple and maybe I will get more in the Holiday spirit. I can't show projects I have been making for gifts...someone might peek!


These are some fun paper icicles covered on in mica that look pretty realistic, but primitive. The paper comes from the paper coiled rope that comes net wrapped and is like tissue paper thightly twisted. I cut them in different lengths and dip in white glue that gives them almost a translucent look when dried, then I brush with another layer and roll in mica. They are simple and give the tree a vintage look. Below are a few pics to share.

MatchBox Necklaces

Now these are addicting!!
I think they might just fit pretty good in a few stockings!
It was fun embossing in the clay and doing the old finish on them.

Coffee Filter Angel

I've been wanting to do something with the coffee filters I'd been saving since they were talked about on a couple of forums last month...so when my son said he needed an angel for the top of his new Christmas tree that he and the boys were going to set up for the first time...I said, "Let me make it!"
I stamped old words and memories, three crowns for the three kings and other Christmas stamps all around the filters. I used a muslin body and lots of lace and tulle and she came together in less than an hour. I used two little dolls with the boys names on the front to make it personal,James called them,"chocolate boys". Then I attached her with wire from her halo to an old bedspring that fits nicely on top of the tree...wish the pictures were better!

Black Pete..Naughty or Nice????

A sinister assistant called Black Pete proceeded Sinterklaas in the Holland tradition to seek out the naughty boys and girls who would not receive gifts. Black Pete, to the delight of all the American children, was left behind in Holland by Sinterklaas. By the late 1600s and through out the 1700s Sinterklaas would be known as Sancte Clause who would arrive on Christmas eve, December 24.
It was not until the 1800s that the Santa as we know him today started to emerge. Writers and artist depicted a lovable jolly fellow, small in size with a giving heart. On Christmas eve he would ride in a magnificent sleigh pulled by eight reindeer over the treetops and roofs. He dropped gifts down the chimneys of good boys and girls.

Sinterklaas

The Feast of Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas, is an annual event which has been uniquely Dutch and Flemish for centuries. St. Nicholas' Feast Day, December 6th, is observed in most Roman Catholic countries primarily as a feast for small children. But it is only in the Low Countries - especially in the Netherlands - that the eve of his feast day (December 5th) is celebrated nationwide by young and old, christian and non-christian, and without any religious overtones.

Tradition demands that all packages be camouflaged in some imaginative way, and that every gift be accompanied by a fitting poem. This is the essence of Sinterklaas: lots of fun on a day when people are not only allowed, but expected, to make fun of each other in a friendly way. Children, parents, teachers, employers and employees, friends and co-workers tease each other and make fun of each others' habits and mannerisms.
Another part of the fun is how presents are hidden or disguised. Recipients often have to go on a treasure hunt all over the house, aided by hints, to look for them. They must be prepared to dig their gifts out of the potato bin, to find them in a jello pudding, in a glove filled with wet sand, in some crazy dummy or doll. Working hard for your presents and working even harder to think up other peoples' presents and get them ready is what the fun is all about.

On the day of the 5th, most places of business close a bit earlier than normal. The Dutch head home to a table laden with the same traditional sweets and baked goods eaten for St. Nicholas as shown in the 17th-century paintings of the Old Masters. Large chocolate letters - the first initial of each person present - serve as place settings. They share the table along with large gingerbread men and women known as "lovers". A basket filled with mysterious packages stands close by and scissors are at hand. Early in the evening sweets are eaten while those gathered take turns unwrapping their gifts and reading their poems out loud so that everyone can enjoy the impact of the surprise. The emphasis is on originality and personal effort (HandMade) rather than the commercial value of the gift, which is one reason why Sinterklaas is such a delightful event for young and old alike.

It were the Dutch settlers who brought St. Nicholas over to
New Amsterdam...the USA.

Holtz has made my Holiday!!

Tim Holtz is such a sweetie!
I have been playing while gathering supplies so I can join Tim on his "Twelve Days of Christmas" that he is having on his blog. Not only is he doing step by step tutorials for 12 days...he is also giving a huge prize 'blog candy' each day!! My new GrungeBoard supplies should arrive on Monday according to UPS tracking and then I can follow along and PLAY!! Click on his link over on the left column to go and see his blog.
Below are some tags I made with the supplies I have on hand.

Where did Fall go???

I know it's almost December and I should be pushing the whole Christmas decorating/shopping mode around here, but geeze, what happened to Fall? It has been crusty, crunchy & blustery cold here for over a week. It snowed about 3 inches before Thanksgiving and hasn't been warm enough for even a slight melt. Hope it's not going to be one of those TUFF winters that we all dread.....

Here's a shrine I did for a Trends Challenge. We were to use a past ATC that we made and make a shrine using a box, sardine can or anything. I had this small old New Haven clock case that was empty and waiting for some altered use and thought I would try it....wasn't brave enought to slap paint on the nice wood though. It's a Mom and Me tribute, hope you like!

PS...I WON!! I received a great gift certificate to InkaStamps.com Thanks Inka!!

Christmas Brown Bags Albums

I have been busy making some Christmas Brown Bag Albums for eBay. I have found that once you have all the materials out it just gets addicting and the mess just gets bigger and before long you end up with 3 or four books going at the same time. Then there's the picture taking and it takes so many that the auction template ends up with a ton of pictures that you end up scrolling and scrolling before you see them all.... So, I have been having fun making little photo slides. Here's my first one and I will be adding more here on my blog as I go. Click over to my eBay button to see the auctions, if you want.

Turkey Day Thankfulness

I am thankful for the little things....
boys, giggles, horsing-around and HUGS!


"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get."
(Frank A. Clark)

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." [H. U. Westermayer]

"Thanksgiving is nothing if not a glad and reverent lifting of the heart to God in honor
and praise for His goodness." [Robert Casper Lintner]

"Without Thy sunshine and Thy rain
We could not have the golden grain;
Without Thy love we'd not be fed;
We thank Thee for our daily bread.
[Anonymous]

What clears your creative block???

The dreaded block happens....when we least expect it...like the FLU!
A cure for "creative block" for me is to take a small break from whatever my current ART passion is....currently Altered Art. I have several UFO's here (Un-Finished Objects) such as a couple partially naked theme dolls, some boxes to decopage', the assembling of the quilt block swaps, a couple suitcases and 8 pairs of iceskates to think about. Oh, and a large floorcloth all base coated and ready. ( notice they are all Big items that take up precious space.)
Digging through supplies to attempt this will lead me to new projects, I'm sure. Just the elimination of the 1/2 finished stuff can help find more room to work on the future projects that I want to do and help my mind to wind down for more tunnel vision on projects I want to spend more time with....know what i mean? But...I won't touch a thing or Alter Anything until those other projects are done and the creative pallete is clean. Remedy: Starve the passion, Feed the piles of projects!

While this is all going on...I will still be in Hunter-Gatherer mode!
With Altered Art you need a stockpile of emphemera, trinkets and distressable junk, so .....Grab inspiration from weird locations...
Magazines are good. But not the 'usual' favorite magazines. Try Ancestry or Bridal magazines, go to the library and use their copy machine to gather cool clip art of your own. And for fun try "Boutique" catalogs - the ones that carry odd "artsy" type pictures, knick-knacks and such. All magezines are a great source for weird fonts and wordage. For trinkets...go thru your junk drawer. Antique shops have tiny junk grab bags...head to the garage or better yet print out a wish list. All kinds of mini junk like game pieces, jewery, old vintage gift cards and hardware pieces can be gathered from friends and family....sometimes they bring you the perfect off-the wall items!!
For Themes... you can take one inspirational item: a photo, trinket or ephemera piece. Go online and search keywords related to it for great ideas for adding more to it and get a direction to take. History, a historical event or significant link to provenance gives the finished item more value or an interesting write-up in your listings.
For Color...I need to experiment and stretch from the norm, so I get out and look at "real art". If there's no museums or local galleries, thumb through books or go online. The whole objective is...don't be afraid of color in your art-pieces! Be an observer...take notice. Take a walk. Even in winter, you have colorful birds, great sunsets and snow shadows.
I myself, with pressure to create a lot of art in a short period of time, found myself running short of creative fuel. When this happens, it's all about stepping away from the "canvas" and "seeing" what's around me or look to outside influences in theme and color. This recharges me and my output is much improved.
Here's hoping you find out what clears your creative blocks!

Tip Ins

I just had to share these 2 sets of tip-ins from my angel friends...these fit right in 2 different altered books that are works in progress. Sarah Whitmore made the first one for my 'Old West' theme and Michelle Bonds did the second set for my 'Garden' book. Both sets are awesome in person and thankyou angels for the wonderful tips!!

Trick or Treat Winner

The Halloween Blog Party was such great fun...and it's not over yet. I was on the computor for most of the day and I didn't make it through all the blogs on the list....so I am headed back today! There are some fantastic blogs out there and I guess that is the purpose of such a party ...to get to know and visit with other neat people and see what all their interests are.

I had a great response to my blog candy and the winner picked by the hubby was NINNIE!! I will be contacting you to let you know and to get an address. Congrats!!
"http://samiamcreations.blogspot.com/"
I have been asked to share more fun Blog Candy...Better click on the link above and GO SEE!!!