Where I Am Most Artful

I didn't get a chance to post for Artful Thursday, this week has been tough. I've been fighting a really bad cold all week and finally succumbed on Thursday morning. Bad week to have a cold because I was stage managing a ballet all week. Tech and Dress rehearsals then the first performance tonight. It's really a lovely ballet.

So in place of projects I thought I would show you pics of my workroom where I feel most artful. It is the place in my house where I am surrounded by things that I love. It is my room, (although the piano is in there too, so I share with Dotter #1, the pianist.) I am showing it to you in all it's imperfectness, but I love it.

Hope you've had a creative week!

The Valentine Birthday Queen

My friend Jen asked if I would make a crown for her daughter Emma's 7th birthday. She is a Valentine baby. I had such a great time making it. Red, Pink, cupids, hearts, you name it, it has it. Jen told me Emma loved it. Glad to hear it. She is so adorable! Happy Birthday Emma!

Artful Thursday

I've felt especially creative this week and productive. Nice to have both go hand in hand. I was really inspired by some blogs that I've been visiting these last few weeks. It's interesting how you go to one blog, then go to a blog on that person's list and then another and another. Sometimes you've traveled so far away from your original destination, you don't know how to get back. But the journey has been wonderful. It reminded me of when my husband and I went backpacking through Europe for 2 1/2 months. We had no itinerary, we just had our Eu rail pass and a backpack. We met many wonderful and interesting people along that journey as well. I'm always excited to see what my Artful Thursday friends have been up to.


This week I gravitated to things I love, first: jewelry and second: journals. I pulled out all of my jewelry stash, even some vintage jewelry I had torn apart and of course my beloved vintage buttons. I just started playing with color and ideas and came up with this:

Sorry, I don't have great tutorials like Julie, but most of these pieces are from vintage jewelry I've taken apart, vintage buttons, charms I've made (like the "pink" one), old chandelier pieces and some new things I've bought and had laying around. Dotter #1 said to me, "Mom these are so beautiful." It made my day. (I also love that they appreciate vintage too!)

I've had these journals in my mind for some time and just needed to pull out all the materials to put them together. Some things I used:

1. For the background, I used old curtain lining, that was already aged. No tea dying required!
2. I just randomly chose some old lace, dollies and trim and sewed that all on. I use clear thread so you don't see the stitches.
3.I used paper elements like the dove made from old sheet music and words cut from a old child's dictionary. These I glued on with tacky glue.
4. I used some vintage buttons, that I glued.
5. I made a flower corsage to put on each one. I ripped the vintage fabric (in this case, drapes) so that the threads hung off. I sewed a running stitch through the length of fabric and pulled to gather. I fashioned it into a flower and hand sewed it. I added a vintage button for the center. I then glued it on the journal.
6. I lastly added some tabs and cute file clips I've collected.

(okay, this is my attempt at at tutorial with no pictures :))

Happy Artful Thursday. What did you create today?


P.S. A fun idea I want to share. The dotter's loved it. I wanted to do something for them for Valentine's Day, but not candy, something heartfelt. I decided to give them heart attacks! They loved it. They asked if they could keep them up. Of course I said! I would recommend this fun idea. It doesn't have to be for Valentine's Day either. You could do it for a birthday.

OWOH Giveaway Winner

It has been fun visiting different blogs in OWOH and there are so many talented, interesting people all over the world! I wish I could have visited all the blogs, ( I think there were over 1100), but I needed a few more hours in the day to do that. Now to the winner.......I used random.org and the number generated was 192. So congratulations to:

Laurie at indulgeyourshelf ! If you get a chance, go visit her lovely blog. I know my fairy tokens have found a good home.

Valentine Day Party

I didn't post anything for Artful Thursday this week, I was getting ready for my Valentine Day Party Cookie Exchange. So...this will have to count as my Artful Thursday post. I had been wanting to host a cookie exchange for some time and thought Valentine's Day would be the perfect time to do it. I invited about 13 of my good friends and asked them to bring a favorite cookie to swap with each other. The party started in the morning, so I threw together a quick brunch. Quiche, Pear/Gorgonzola Salad and chocolate covered strawberries. The treat table was the most fun to put together. I had a definite look I was going for (ala Amy Atlas) but on a budget! I am going to share some ideas about the party.

Because of Valentine's Day I wanted everything pink, red or white. I was able to use my cute vintage glasses that I collect. All pink ones!

I made yummy treats, carmel/chocolate dipped pretzels, chocolate covered strawberries and rice crispy treats drizzled with chocolate. These are all treats that are super easy to make but pack a big visual punch.

I pulled out all my glass jars ( I use them all the time, for parties, displays, they are really handy and depending on size only cost $5-7 each.) I saw tags similar to these on Amy Atlas's blog and asked my hubby to design some for me. I am happy to share the template. Leave me a comment if you would like the template emailed to you. I chose all red,white and pink candy.

The bags for them to fill with candy. I got the bags at $1 store used the template my hubby made for tags.

I love cupcakes and bought these at Kohlers. The hearts are picks from the $1 store.
I also wanted a few extra white platters, so I made my own. I wrapped a can with cute heart paper and put a white plate on top. Instant platter!

These are paper flowers. A Martha Stewart Kit. They were so cute and something I will use again.
I made this cute dum-dum topiary. I had a little give-away and one lucky friend got to take it home.
They yummy cookies friends brought to exchange.
Thanks to all my fun friends for celebrating Valentine's Day with me! And we all got to bring home yummy treats to share with our families.
My friend Lisa's sweet little Madeline. After 3 boys she finally got a beautiful girl.
And one last Valentine tidbit.....on Thursday the dotter's and I made boxes for the school parties the next day. (Their hair looks all crazy because prior to that they were playing Project Runway and used 1/2 can of hairspray!)
The finished products......


I hope you had a fun and sweet Valentine's Day.

Happy Birthday Honey!

Looking ahead to 40 great more years!!

Today was my sweethearts birthday. It was a big one........40!! He couldn't believe it himself. He still is a real cutie, as cute as he was when he was 23. I bought him tickets to the Lakers/Jazz game tonight, but the Jazz lost. They played a terrible game. :( but we still had fun going.

The Dotters and I love you honey! Happy Birthday!!

Artful Thursday and a play

What Valentine Projects have you been working on?

I really look forward to Thursday's and seeing what my artful friends have been up to. This is a project I have been thinking about for some time. I love to make cuffs and started a few months ago. Just throwing (and sewing) together stuff from my vintage piles. I made some really cool ones, but I sold them before I took pictures. I was looking through the most recent Belle Armoire mag (do you have that expensive Somerset magazine habit too?) and found some gorgeous cuffs made by an artist in San Francisco. I pulled out the machine last night and got to work. She gave some really good suggestions, like sewing floral wire into the cuff to give it more shape.
For the cuff, I used 3 different types of fabrics and ripped them. I love the fringey look. The black lace with rhinestones is from a 1930's shawl I purchased at a costume sale. I know I will get a lot of use out of that, for a lot of projects. I added more rhinestones, vintage buttons, vintage earring and a cameo I had picked up for $1. (I love a good deal!) I pinned the fabric to the base of the cuff and then hand sewed everything on. Good TV watching work (I do love Thursday night TV....Project Runway, The Office....). I am pretty happy with the final product and might try a few more this weekend.
On another note, I wanted to share with you some other wonderful art happening around me. This is a production at BYU, it is Moliere's Tartuffe. It was just so beautifully designed and my friend and colleague, Stephanie Brienholt (the director) had this fabulous "Burtonesque" concept. If you love Tim Burton movies, you will love this production. It it really fun and so well done. If you live in the Provo area, the show is playing through tomorrow night. (I hear tonight is sold out.) For those of you who don't live around here, enjoy these fun photos, taken by another friend and colleague, Michael Handley.