The Giveaway, The Giveaway - Countdown to the Giveaway !!!

http://artfullyooglebloops.blogspot.com/2009/03/spring-giveaway.html


Just a few more hours- my Spring Giveaway closes at midnite (EST) tonite.
I will pick a name as soon as I wake up tomorrow morning- April 1st!!!

Become a 'follower' if you can, AND leave a comment. See the link above - make sure you leave your comment on THAT post!!!!

Fingers crossed for all of you - I wish everyone could win.
And thank you for reading my words, here and on my other blog, and for providing me with the chance to read your blogs and be inspired!!!

One More Challenge Piece

Ok, here is the last altered cutlery piece for the challenge - I was on a roll...!
A vintage iced tea spoon, with an Art Chix girl,vintage M.O.P. buttons, more painting, and some recycled tulle to finish it off!


The other item is a thrift shop cast off-I volunteer at the local thrift store and sometimes certain donated things are deemed unworthy for sale. I am well known for my dumpster diving there- I always check the trash before I start work - ya' never know!!! I guess this little gem was a napkin holder, very primitively made and signed on the bottom in pencil: 'Made by Wm. Clyde Baker -Dola Baker's husband'
It definitely was not perfect, but had enough charm that it needed to be rescued from the trash!!! It kinda looked like the wood shop projects kids used to do in high school years ago!

So, with a little paint (I am into green - can ya' tell?), edged with some pink trim, a colorized Art Chix girl, sea shells to cover the nail heads, and some faux pearl and beaded trim, and Wm. Clyde's handiwork has a new lease on life as a letter holder next to my computer!

I am having trouble getting my photos to sit where I want them on these posts!! It is not as easy as putting pix up on wordpress. So, I apologize for them being all over the place!!!

ABAA's Latest Challenge

Completed another one - woohoo!!! Got out of my sick bed, and got a little creative.I actually did 3 pieces of vintage cutlery, and one vintage wood napkin holder( I will show that later).
Patty from Magpie's Nest, http://www.bitze.wordpress.com, is the guest artist, so , of course, I had to give this challenge a try!! Linda and Rosie at ABAA are coming up with some great challenges.
I don't have a DH to bend the cutlery for me - well, I have a DH, but he just had wrist surgery, so bending cutlery one handed doesn't quite work!! So, I did what I could.
One ice tea spoon is waiting in the wings for its paint to dry - when it does, I'll post that pic also.
I decided to see how painting them would work - I kind of like it. These pictures don't really do it justice tho.
The flower fairy has bent tines with tiny flowers on the end, a leftover scrap of paper for her hat,velvet leaf, and her face is an image from Art Chix. I spray painted the fork,and hand painted over the fork's floral design.

The ' butterflies' serving spoon had been flattened and holes drilled by DH prior to his surgery!! The face is another Art Chix image, sculpy butterfly charm,glass beads, vintage faux pearls from a broken necklace, and vintage rhinestone paste adorn the spoon.

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Don't forget - 3 more days to enter my Spring Giveaway drawing - don't forget!!!!
See previous post!!!

I'm So Excited......

...every day I look and find a new 'follower'!! See, bribery DOES work!!! LOL
Only 5 more days til the drawing - make sure you become a follower and leave a comment on the previous post to enter!!!
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I was cleaning out some boxes, and working on the never ending organization of my studio, and came across this make-do pin cushion I made a few years ago.

It is hand dyed wool,, reversible, with little pockets that hold spools of thread. The spools are all vintage wooden with still useable thread. If all the spools had been the same size, the 'flower' shape would have been a little better. But, those were all I had at the time!

The wool 'flower' sits on top of a vintage sherbert glass, that is filled with vintage buttons. But it would be great storage for needles,seam rippers, etc.

Spring Giveaway!!!

OK- Here's the deal!!! I need more 'followers'- and if I have to bribe to get them- I will!!! LOL

I realize this is a relatively new blog, and creating a readership takes time - but patience is NOT one of my virtues!!!! I thank all of my 7 followers, and secret readers out there in cyberspace for dropping in! But, I'd like to know who you all are!!!

So, in celebration of spring, and my new blog, I am having a Spring Random Giveaway.

All you have to do to be entered is #1 - leave a comment on THIS post, and #2 and most important- become a FOLLOWER!!!

On April 1st, April Fool's Day, I promise you WON'T be fooled - I will randomly pick a name out of all who have commented AND become a follower.( If you are already a follower, you WILL be included in the drawing- just leave me a comment letting me know you care!!!! :>) )

I think you will like this little spring "package"with a flower theme! There is a magnetic poetry set- I am addicted to these! Also, a stemware floral teacup, 2 of my fav Yogi teas, a kneeling mat and gloves for the garden, along with a seed pack of night blooming Four O'clocks. I've added a blank journal for your thoughts, and a Mason jar vase, hand painted by a local artist.

I am looking forward to meeting new followers, and giving away this spring package!!! Spread the word - tell your friends and fellow bloggers!!!! The more, the merrier!!!!! And, if you 'follow' me, I promise, I will "follow" you!!!

Bookmark Challenge and Swap

This is my zentangle bookmark that I created for a swap with Linda from ABAA , http://bigartadventure.blogspot.com
She has already received it, so I can now show you!!

It has design on both sides, with vintage black rick rack, and I couldn't resist adding a little 'zen' to the envelope too! The postmaster liked it!!!

This has inspired a line of blank notecards that I will be introducing here and on Etsy very soon!! I'll keep ya'
'posted'!!!!

PS-See a previous post for the "WOW" package I received from Linda!!!

Bird House Challenge Complete- Can Ya' Believe it???

Amazingly, I completed another one of the challenges from Awfully Big Art Adventures-http://www.bigartadventure.blogspot.com

I used a thrift store wood box, with a tiny Art Chix shrine (see the little woodpecker inside?), and antique ceramic clip bird in a yarn nest, prints of vintage calligraphy swirl birds, a tree with a wooden leaf, and little vintage doodads here and there!. Linda, you might recognize a thing or two in the birdhouse :>)

I don't quite have the inventory of inks and paints that these other talented gals have- so I guess another trip to the art supply store is in order- if I plan on doing these challenges!!!

Fun With Copper

I remember doing copper 'etching' - if that is the right word, EONS ago (it seems) in high school. I wish I still had the piece I created back then! I still see it in my mind's eye - but the real deal disappeared many years ago.

While on a trip to Charlottesville, I discovered a wonderful art shop - I think it is called Art Studio Supplies. Oh, if I had had more time - and money!!!!Being of scattered mind - I want to try everything at least once!!!

But, I did have a mission - to find thin gauge copper sheeting, to try my hand at etching again. I found sheets of .005 thickness - a package of copper, brass, and aluminum, and couldn't wait to get home to try it!!!
I was sure I had a stylus in my studio - but apparently it is still among the unpacked and hidden!!! Necessity is the mother of invention, and I couldn't wait, so I cut two tiny squares with my fabulous, will cut anything, Cutco shears, and got out my seam ripper- which, by the way, makes quite a satisfactory etcher!!!

My first tentative attempt was just a simple heart - just to get the feel of the copper. The 2nd try was one of my 'temari zendala' zentangles. I'm really liking this!!!! I guess you can use patterns to get a perfect design, but I prefer to stumble along with my own freehand images!
The other day,by chance, I found a local art supply house in town - never knew it was there - and it is closing the end of the month!! Just my luck!! But, I was able to get a roll of thinner guage copper and a proper stylus.
There are endless possiblilties for these little copper gems - I need alot more practice, next, I'll have to figure out how to put a tiny wash of color on them!!!

A Wonderful Swap!!

Linda, from Awfully Big Art Adventures, http://www.bigartadventures.blogspot.com
was kind enough to swap with me in their last challenge - creating a bookmark.
If you haven't seen their weekly challenges, you must drop in!!
Being a newbie to this swapping thing, I was just overwhelmed by the generosity in my little package from England!!!
An outstanding bookmark- that may never see the inside of a book - it will have a place of honour on my desk!!!!
Lots of other little goodies toppled out of the envelope- what a surprise!!! A lovely little ATC, paper and trim, flower petals and buttons - woohoo!!!
I feel so guilty sending just my little zentangle bookmark with no extra goodies!! I will make it up, I promise!! :>)

Thought For The Day

Each day starts out as a blank slate................



Imagine the possibilities!!!!

A Contest, A Contest, We All Love a Contest!!!

I discovered a GREAT giveaway this morning. I suppose by advertising it - I cut down my chances to win (LOL) But, tell you about it, I must - it was one of the requirements!!!By commenting, mentioning it in your own blog, and writing a little poem- gets you 11 chances to win the goodies!!!

I will definitely become a regular visitor to this blog-I love it!!

The prizes are awesome - and the table runner is an absolutely beautiful little quilt!!!
Bright and cheery and oh, so spring like!!!!
If it is meant to be - I will win - but if I don't - I hope YOU do!!!! Just click on this link:

http://simplythisthatandtheother.blogspot.com/


That giveaway has inspired me to have one on this new blog of mine. I've put my thinking cap on and will get back to you later today or tomorrow with the details!!!!!

Bookmark Challenge

I finally finished a challenge on time!!! Of course, it was a small one - that helped!!
Rosie and Linda decided we should create a bookmark. Theirs are beautiful- check out their blog- http://www.bigartadventure.blogspot.com

I love to zentangle, so this was the perfect choice for my bookmark. I have done them before, but for this one, I decided to use a hang tag, edged it with fancy scissors, and replaced the cord with a piece of coordinating vintage black rick rack.
I threw the bookmark in a piece of pottery, while cutting the rick rack and getting the camera ready - and it looked kind of nice in there!!!

Next month, I am hosting a tea party/book exchange, and I'm thinking these bookmarks might be just the thing for everyone's "new" books!!

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Find your joy in something finished, and not a thousand things begun..............unknown author.

The Shadow Knows..........

A tip of the hat to Angela Cartwright for giving me the idea for my new default pic!

We have all taken shadow pictures at one time or another- I know I always have. But Angela has taken shadows and made them an art form. Be sure to check out her site-

www.acartwrightstudio.com


I vaguely remember a childhood chant- 'i have a little shadow, he goes in and out with me, and what can be the use of him, is more than i can see.....'

Anyway, this one shows me in standard pose - camera in hand!!!!

A New Venture

A friend of mine is into dance - ballroom, salsa, foxtrot, whatever. She retired from riding horses, and decided dancing was good exercise, and alot safer than being on the back of a horse!!!
She came to me one day with an old bag that she carried her dance shoes in, and asked if I could come up with something that she could use and sell to the other dancers.
I do make bags from recycled things, like placemats, curtain tie backs, vintage fabric, so I took her ideas and came up with this.

She loved it, and the shoe bag/carryall is making its debut at dance class tonite! I am working on some other styles and ideas,with brighter colors, so she can take a selection to class.

This lined bag was made from a table runner,with a curtain tie back handle, and vintage rickrack and beaded trim. It is a split design, so you can put one shoe in each side.

I guess I'll wait til tomorrow and see if they liked it!!! Fingers crossed!!!