Shamrocks, Glitter and Faeries

Here we are  already into March...have you gotten use to writing 2012 yet?

It is rapidly approaching "WEARING O' THE GREEN" day...yes you may decorate your house with shamrocks, Irish lace and leprechauns and pour green food coloring into all your baking.   

In honor of St. Patrick's Day  I have created three new tags:

Talk about "bling"... this GLITTER LACE tag is  covered entirely  with extra fine glitter using a resist technique. Embellished with a large glitter covered shamrock, green Stickles and green rhinestones.

 The background of this tag is patterned paper that has the appearance of Celtic Knots.The vintage image of this little Irish Lass is embellished with flowers, distress ink and green Stickles to give her a bit of sparkle.

Ireland folklore is full of faeries of all kinds. The faerie on this tag has butterfly wings, embellished with black, crystal and blue Stickles,  green rhinestones, gold braid and flowers.

You want to come play "tags" with me? I will be teaching these St. Patrick's Day tags this week at Scrapbook Barn. Friday March 9th  10:30am to 12:00 noon and  5:00pm to 6:30pm. You can call the store and sign up for either class.

Here comes another one!

Here we are two and a half weeks into the New Year and it's already time for another holiday... we have 27 days until VALENTINE'S DAY. True, it's not as big a deal as Christmas...but one that needs your attention anyway. Cards, candy, flowers, and decorations.

In honor of VALENTINE'S DAY I created three tags to teach at Scrapbook Barn. I have never gone for the traditional red and white color scheme...these tags are  a bit on the wild side.

I like the vintage look of the  Frances Brundage harlequin children images. The background of the tag is a collage created of different rubber stamps.

I have wanted to design a tag using a cup cake for a while now. Valentines Day was the perfect occasion. I asked my friend Wendy, and her husband Bill, owners of Leaky Shed Studios if they would create a chipboard die cut of a cup cake that could be covered with festive patterned paper  and embellishments. I used the Ranger Liquid Pearls in White Opal to frost the top of the cup cake and finished if off with a  large red heart rhinestone.

THANK YOU WENDY AND BILL!

The background of this Cupid tag was done using a Sizzix Embossing Folder and a mixture of 

Perfect Pearls and Distress ink re-inker...very shimmery. The Cupid was embellished with Stickles and hot pink rhinestones.

Let's face it...LIFE IS ONE DARN HOLIDAY AFTER ANOTHER!

Christmas Tags, Tim Holtz and Toy Envy

Tim Holtz  started his 12 tags of Christmas this week. He is creating and sharing some

wonderful treasures over at his blog. 

While Tim is just getting started on his tags, I have been teaching my tags the last few weeks at

Scrapbook Barn.  Tim will be making 12 tags (hence the name "12 tags of Christmas") 

I designed and have been teaching 3 tags. 

Tim has always been an over achiever...but I do envy all those wonderful 

toys he has to create with.

These tags are fun to design, they can be used to decorate a tree or a grape vine wreath,

tie them onto a ribbon to create a banner, add one to a package or a gift bag, trade in a “tag swap”, 

mail a tag instead of  a Christmas Card 

or you can design these tags for yourself... just collect and enjoy them.

I will be teaching 2 more  tag classes at Scrapbook Barn, 

December 5th, 5-6:30 pm and December 6th, 1:30-3 pm. 

Birthday, Wedding and a Shower

It's "tag" time again...

This Birthday tag is a bit on the Shabby Chic side...using patterned paper, a vintage image, ribbon and rhinestones.
This Tim Holtz "Sewing Room" die cut was fun to play with. This tag was designed with a Wedding Shower in mind. A dress form with the beginning of a bridal gown

After the Shower comes the wedding, this bride and groom were "Just Married"

I'm teaching these tags next week at Scrapbook Barn. Tuesday the 10th 5:00 to 6:30pm and Wednesday the 11th 10:30 to 12noon.

Decorative or Useful

At Scrapbook Barn we have be playing with canvas. We each received a Donna Downey canvas apron, butterfly and flower iron-ons plus some canvas flowers. We painted the canvas flowers and apron using Claudine Hellmuth Studio paints...created fabric flowers, added ruffles and ribbon...each apron showed off the different style of the designer. My apron was displayed in the store on this lovely dress form.

Having been a floral designer in a previous life I went wild with the flowers...

I kept adding more and more. You can never have too many flowers!

I have been asked how I plan to wash the apron... I don't cook, so it will never need to be washed.

Somethings are decorative, somethings are useful and somethings are both.

Spring has Sprung!

Spring is here and Easter is not too far off...in honor of the season I have been working on some new tags ( and you were wondering what had been keeping me away from bloggin') This Spring tag is created with Tim Holtz's Caged Bird die cut, and Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime collection. I placed the "blue bird" outside her gold embossed cage...Hey, it's Spring...nobody should be inside!

I used an embossing folder to create the leaf pattern for this tag. The little girl hatching out of the egg is from a vintage postcard.

I had used these chicks on my last years Easter card. The are so cute they are making another appearance.

I know you are saying to yourself..."these tags are so fun, I wonder if they are a class?"

Yes, the tags are a class! They will be taught Thursday April 7th 10:00am to 11:30am and again Tuesday April 12th 5:00pm to 6:30pm at Scrapbook Barn...give them a call to sign up!

The most wonderful time of the year?!?!

Ti's the season for being extremely busy...and NO I'm not ready! And YES I have been busy, decorating for Christmas...which didn't get done, making divinity, shipping packages, making and sending cards, decorating the tree, wrapping gifts and shopping for stocking stuffers, working at Scrapbook Barn, free lancing as holiday help at the flower shop and teaching classes. I haven't had a day off in weeks. I have promised myself I will start earlier next year.

I have been teaching an Heirloom Tag Class at Scrapbook Barn...these are the tags for Christmas...

The angel tag is a re-mix of a Christmas card I made a few years ago...

The lady on this tag reminds me of a Poinsettia...

Of course I had to get some Tim Holtz onto the tags...the red glitter paper reindeer is from his die cuts...

All the tags are made using distress ink.

Bees and Embroidery

We carry some wonderful Maya Road mini albums at Scrapbook Barn...made from wood, canvas chipboard in different shapes and sizes. I was given this Bee Hive album to design. The first page of the chipboard album has a arched opening and a "bee"...(if you squint you might be able to see them in the photo) the back of the book has a honey comb design.The challenge was to find a great paper worthy of such a fun album. Sassafras Lass has a patterned paper line called "Mix and Mend" that looks like embellished vintage embroidered tea towels, note paper, doily's , little blue hearts and yellow roses.

This is a GREAT paper...worthy of a FUN album!

New Class

I have put together another class to teach at Scrapbook Barn. I will be teaching a "Heirloom Tag" class. These are vintage style tags to add to you holiday heirlooms. The first offering will be Halloween tags. The classes will be held October 13th 10:30 to 12 noon and 5pm to 6:30 pm and October 27th 10:30 to 12 noon and 5:30pm to 7pm.
In the class you will learn how to use distress ink, stamps, glitter glue, die cuts and vintage images.

When you are finished you will have three tags that can be used to decorate a tree or a grape vine wreath, tie them on a ribbon to create a banner , add one to a package or a gift bag or traded in a "tag swap."

Call Scrapbook Barn to reserve your seat...hope to see you in class!

Exhausting Work

I have been creating!

In case you haven't heard Scrapbook Barn now has a Boutique. Just as you walk in the door there is a display of wonderful one of a kind projects designed by local crafters and artist. I brought in some of my cards and a couple of mini album to sell.

Which brings me back to...I'VE BEEN CREATING! I locked myself in my wizards room and pulled out a few of my "someday" projects to add to the boutique.

Remember the "head" for my shopping trip to Savers a while back?

It was transformed into this wild woman...

A rhinestone and glittered scrapbookers treasure chest to store supplies, sewing notions, old photos or a stash of chocolate.

Ooh-la-la...a girly girl pink and green mini album.

And of course a few more cards.

Who would have thought all this designing could be so exhausting!?!

Gypsy Girl

The Kaisercraft "Lush" patterned paper on the third pages is not as WILD as the other ones I have used in the book...which of course called for a lot more embellishments! The decorative photo corners are transparent overlays from Tattered Angels...called "Glimmer Glass". These photo corners are from their "Regal" line.The Gypsy Girl (notice the suitcase she is carrying...you think she is running away from home, off on a big adventure?) is layered on top of some patterned paper and another piece of ephemera from 7 Gypsies.

Prima flowers are adhered near the page tab...and the clock was found in a corner of the Scrapbook Barn embellishment drawer.

Then again...maybe the Gypsy Girl is just going to the Laundromat.

OH NO...NOT ANOTHER ALBUM!!!!

YES... another album...and this one is REALLY cool. I used a Kaisercraft Beyond the Page is a "tab"album...
The Kaiser patterned paper I selected is from their "LUSH" line...very yummy paper...and it's double sided. You are digging the colors already aren't you?

It gets even better...7 Gypsies Ephemera!

With all those amazing goodies...NOW are you interested in seeing "another"album?

Back Porch

From the back porch of the house you can see the beautiful English garden. We can take a stroll through the day lilies, lupin and prim roses out to the gazebo...you can't see the garden? Close your eyes and use your imagination...now can see it?

At Scrapbook Barn we have sold out of this Kaisercraft Beyond the Page house book. BUT... we are getting some more in soon. This book would be great made up with the Graphic 45 Alice in Wonderland Halloween paper...a haunted Alice house...with Alice, the white rabbit and the Mad Hatter looking out the front windows...now I've got you using your imagination!

Wish

Now we come to the sun room...or maybe the conservatory part of the Kaisercraft Beyond the Page house.

With fancy lattic work, scrolls and layered flowers...
and one more bird cage.
Follow me and we will take a look at the "back porch"...

Happiness

Don't you think everyone should have a huge birdcage hanging from the tower room of their house?
There wouldn't be much room for anything else...except maybe a picture.

This birdcage has been "blinged" with black Stickles and black Bazzill Basics jewels.

The "happiness" room in the house is a bit more understated...

a few layered Prima paper flowers with a single black jewel in the center.

Paper, Ribbon and Bling...

The finished house...and all without a contractors license!
Kaisercraft patterned paper is double sided...this black harlequin pattern that I used on the roof of the house is the reverse of the paper with the large birdcages.
Ribbon and lace...in brown, black, and turquoise, are tied to the book rings.
The bling are black Bazzill Basic adhesive jewels...and a few rub-ons from the Scrapbook Barn embellishment drawer.
Black braid was used to frame the windows, while blue patterned paper inside the windows has both birdcages and chandeliers.

Want to see the inside of the house?

Come on in...