What Have I Been Up To?

Good question!

Oh blog land I have missed you so! I have spent quite a bit of time taking care of business at home. I have found that I am only able to do so

many things at once. Can you relate? So rather than fight it and collapse in frustration and defeat, I am choosing more wisely. This means less time on the computer and more time in real time- kapish?

But, I have been up to some fun projects that continue to keep my creative heart pumping. Remember my mixed media altered bird book Livre d'Oiseaux? Well it will be exhibited with the Puget Sound Book Artists! If you are in the Pacific Northwest in the South Sound Region please come and visit!

Puget Sound Book Artists Opening Reception

Thursday, June 2, 2

011, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Exhibition Dates: June 2 –July 31

Collins Memorial Library, University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, Washington

http://pugetsoundbookartists.org

Please note: This summer, the library front entrance is closed for construction. Temporary access will be
on the east side of library building, in the library parking lot by the loading dock. Entrance is down the ramp.
Library Hours: http://www.pugetsound.ed/libraryhours.

Wee Little Spring Basket For Easter -Instructions

Happy Spring everyone! As promised the recipe how to's for my Wee Little Spring Basket.

This isn't a traditional tutorial with all the photos but more of all the instructions and supplies needed to make your own.

Let's get started! Yippee are you skipping with glee?

Here is what you will need:

• Sm. Peet pots from your local nursery or garden shop
• Robin Egg blue crepe paper Opaque Shrink Plastic
• Mocha Brown Chalk Ink
• Layers of Color Vintage Rose and Acanthus Leaves Stamp Set
• Silver German Scrap
• Teal blue Binding tape
• 5 in. your favorite robin egg blue wired ribbon
• Embossed wallpaper
• Robin Egg blue paint
• Brown paint
• Teal blue watercolor pencil or other coloring medium
• Glue
• teal glitter glue
• sm. hole puncher
• Something for the handle-I used bark covered wire- I know way cool stuff!

Step1: You will want to stamp image onto shrink plastic with brown chalk ink. At this step you could also color in the image as you please. I just left it plain-jane. Then shrink according to shrink plastic directions.

Step2: Using your embossed wallpaper cover the peet pot. Do this to your liking. I lined mine up at the top and then wrapped the paper around the pot, glued it. Then I took scissors and cut slits around the bottom and folded tabs towards the middle of bottom and glued down.

Step3: Make a paint wash by using a small amount of paint and double or triple the amount of water. Paint evenly over pot, then with paper towel dab off the excess so that the paint stays in the crevices but not on the raised portions. Let dry. Do the same with a wee bit of brown paint but, water down even more, so it is more like a stain. Repeat process to your liking.

Step4: Make bottom of pot by taking several layers of crepe paper(I used 5) and cut a circle at least 3/4 in. larger than the pot bottom. Staple together then make small cuts all around the outside of your pot. glue to the bottom. Ruffle and poof to your liking.

Step5: Make a rosette from your ribbon by pulling one side of ribbon wire tight, then glue seam to fully encircle. Glue shrink plastic roses to ribbon

Step6: Attach your German scrap trim to the top edge of pot and punch holes for handle.

Step7: Make a fringe fan with crepe paper and glue to the inside of pot where you want your rosette to go. Attach cut out of colored and glittered Acanthus Leaves on the diagonal as a back drop to your Rose vignette.

Step 8: Glue Rose vignette to front of your pot. Next attach handle and tie with binding tape.

Voila a wonderful Wee Little Spring basket to fill with goodies to give to a friend or to celebrate Easter!

Poem Canvas Art

Here is another project I completed for the New Release party that starts today! I have used Layers of Color stamps Acanthus Leaves and Backyard Birds. I mounted it on canvas by sewing it with decorative stitches ( oh do I love my Bernina!) The party has started with all the new release stamps so stop by for a visit and a chance to win. All the details are here. Have fun at the party.

Sneak Peak Spring Release-Fleur de Leaves

I admit it .... I was being sneaky.... well, you can hardly blame me since it is sneak peak week at Layer of Color! Here is how I used the Fleur de Leaves set along with the Vintage Roses set on my Wee Little Spring Basket. I think it frames it rather nicely and gives it the bling factor it needed.

Make sure to stop by the galleries and Abby, Kristine, Linda, and Patter's blogs, these gals are all cooking up magnificent inspiration just for you!

Sneak Peak Spring Release-Wee Little Basket

What fun it is to play with new stamps! I don't know about you but my brain just gets going so fast with creativity sometimes I think I might explode! Especially if the images are ones that look like wonderful old faded roses! I am excited to announce that Layers of Color is having another new release on Mar.15th! But to get you excited and whet your appetite here is what the design team: Kristine, Linda, Patter, and Guest Designer Abby and I made with one of the four, new sets called, Vintage Rose.

Mine is made from....hey wait a minute...oh that is right, I am not suppose to burst out just yet*smile*. But as you can see my Wee Little Spring Basket is very cute. I will post the recipe how to's on the official release date Mar. 15th!

I hope you will check back, until then check out the other designers, boards and all their finery! I know you will be inspired. Happy Spring!

A New Year

A new year, a clean slate, a blank page. I am so grateful for this time of change. Just last night my sweet husband took me out to a fun, lounge-y, coffee shop so we could set some goals for 2010. I was trying to remember the last time we had made our list and neither of us could remember. Oh dear! How life gets in the way and often distracts us from what is truly important...so, 2010 is the year of the new list!

I am a list maker by nature. It really does help me stay focused and steer free from distraction.

Here are some things from our list:

1. Be good stewards of what we already have.
2. Don't over commit our time
3. Prepare our children for the next season of life-big changes are on the horizon
4. Stick to priorities
5. Have more family fun

Personally:

1. I want to start a regular routine of practicing and doing my art.
2. I also want to streamline my time on the computer and be more affective in my day.
3. I also will be giving more time to my online business and liquidating inventory.

This is good news to those who like a good garage sale! In fact I will be having a Winter Attic Sale starting next week so stay tuned! All kinds of bobbles, bits and bundles of treasure and at a good price -what a great way to start the new year!

Salvage Savvy Pincushion

Repurposing at its finest! Well here is the other project for the LOC Fall Release, its called Salvage Savvy Pincushion! Isn't it so cute? I just love how it turned out! I will have this available on the website as an e-pattern too. If you would like the pattern head go here: wwwthepatchworkheart.com

details of the edges

details of the top using LOC Flowering Gems Stamps

Another Look

Well as promised I have another sneak peek on the Fall Release Stamps.

This is the same project but just another piece of it. Can you guess what it is?

Also here is another piece to the 12 days of Christmas project too.

I hope you find these inspiring.

Remember to go to Layers of Color for the Fall Release Party starting Nov. 14th and 15th!

Simple Beauty ~ 2009

I have been staying indoors and slowing down lately, due to an abundance of snow in our area. I was looking at this bright red Amaryllis flower that was given to me by one of my dearest friends, and it got me thinking about growth. Such beauty growing while the world is frigid and dark. How does it know that it is safe to grow and break out of the norm? What causes the roots to reach deep and the stem to soar? How do the petals get so red and know when to open it's opulence? Mysterious...what a wonder!

It got me to thinking about my own growth? An Amaryllis is unique because man takes steps to "force" it to grow...intentionally. Rather than waiting for nature to take its course in due season. Do I "force" myself to grow intentionally? Do I stretch my roots deeper to steady myself? Do I reach and challenge myself to do something different, break through life's hard, dark, wet soil?

Sometimes I think I achieve this and other times I feel lost and throttled by the winds of life. I don't want the later to be the norm for my life, maybe the exception. So, how can I nurture a life of beauty and opulence that I see in the Amaryllis?

God is the ultimate gardener and He will be the one to "force" this life into growth. I am grateful I can be tethered to His stake and lean on Him. For me, this new year will bring nurturing, breaking new ground, pushing past obstacles, and reaching high, all with a spirit of intention! I will yield to the hands of the gardener as well and,

I might even... wear more red!

Spring Sale

Spring is Bursting into Bloom with some great sales!

I have been a busy bee trying to get all things ready to burst forth alongside of spring and I am really excited to bring to all some New items available at my website The Patchwork Heat Co. I hope you will grab a cup of tea and come on over for a visit. But in case you are short on time here is a sneak peak at what is New for Spring.

Wouldn't it be lovely to give your Mom a special corsage for Mother's Day that would last for years to come? Well, you can! For the month of April in plenty of time for Mother's Day, all my Ribbon Rose Pins are 20% off!


Here is another great sale beautiful reproduction vintage needle cases for the special Mom that sews or quilts! Vintage needle cases will be on sale for the month of April at 10% off. Happy Spring! I hope you will come by for a visit leave a comment! Happy Spring Blessings!