Saturday, January 26, 2013

It's Drawing Time !!!!

Hello hello, well it is time for a drawing.   Nope not the kind with a pencil and paper but the high tech ones I have.   You add a comment and need to be a follower either by email or the Google connect way  and that is it.  I write your names on a piece of paper , fold it up, chunk it on the floor or put in a bowl and the drawing commences.  Please make sure when I draw your name I have your address.   I have to get it to yo u via snail mail you know. 

Now I wasn't sure of what to make the prize but I got carried away and made two.    So you can use as an addition to a journal cover or something like that .     Here they are and I hope you like them .   If you like one better than the other be sure and let me know.

 
 
They are in the 5x7 family in size and a fabric page or something they will become.  Whatever you choose.   I almost kept them for myself but thought no I made these for two of y'all.   The event to prompt this?   Over 18,682 views.   I am so thankful that so many are viewing my little humble blog.   So THANK YOU !!!!
 
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is in my world today.   Oh the drawing is February 6th that night.   So good luck all my viewers and wishing everyone a great week.
 
We are going to have to leave so will have the drawing tonight Feburary 3rd.  I hope that does not upset anyone.  I will post the winners names and then if I don't have your address please post in comments, no one will see it except me.  : )
 
XOXOXO
Annette

Monday, January 21, 2013

Annette You are on a Roll

Wow here I am back again today.  I guess the computer keyboard and I are the besties at the moment.   Not sure if the computer and I are though.   You never know about those things, I think at times there is a little gremlin in it and says to it's self---"Lets see if we can make Annette pull her hair out today".   I know it is a machine but not sure about it. 
 
Years ago when I started photography DH told me in his patient way~Annette this is just machinery and it will break down.    No way Jose, it is a new camera, a new flash and everything new.  It won't act up.   Right?   Ha and Ha ha.   Usually at the most inconvenient times would it act up.   BUT to give it good praise it held up well and usually and always usually if was something Annette did, not the equipment.   Oh every once in a while  a sync cord would bite the dust and a battery needed replacing but sometimes I would forget to check them and thank goodness I always carried lots of extras if I shot on location.  
 
I have been using the word BEGIN  or it has attached itself to me this year but I did begin a new project.  I have seen the beautiful fabric books around   and  Pat Winter  gave the instructions so off I went to BEGIN a new adventure. 
 
I posted a peek at a page semi done.   Here is the whole book, now after seeing it on here there are a few things I am going to add.   Now one thing to do is  remind  ourselves is when you lace up the ribbon for the pages------- DON"T get excited and put the charms on the dangle ends and forget to tie them off at the top so they won't come undone.  Hummmm, wonder if Annette did that?   Bet she did. 
 
 
 
 
The front of the book, now I tried like crazy not to get to overboard on this whole book, you know me and beads are on the best of terms. 
 
 
The back of the book and there on both of these is the dangles and pretties I added to the ribbons,  that I forgot to tie off and the top.    Won't mention that again. 
 

One set of pages, I tried to make them flow -be the same but not be the same.  So the pages look like they belong. The sunflower is printed on fabric and is one of my paintings.  Might as well make them work for their pay.  Oh I don't pay them well, you know what I mean.    I hope you can see all the pretties and some of this is antique lace we have purchased at Estate sales, some was pretty tattered but can salvage enough so the lady, whoever she is, who made it will be remembered. 



The next set of pages with ribbon from a tag I received.  Gotta use everything.   The sequin pretties are from Flights of Fancy.   I had fun gathering this "stuff"  My art table was piled high with lace and "stuff"  

 
Now this set has to have fairies, and the one in green is from one of my paintings.    Jane do you recognize her?    I added a fairy charm to one of them and thinking now that the green in the lower left of the right page is calling for something.  
 

 
I tried to add a lot of texture to the pages and little sayings kind of an inspiration book -sort of.     My eyelets didn't want to stay put some some went to eyelet heaven. 
 
There you go my first fabric book.  I have some ideas for another one, Pat said it was habit forming and I believe it is.  Oh my another habit, but can use this wonderful lace I have and been saving since forever ago.  
 
Oh my it is smelling so good here, trying another crock pot dish from the Six Sisters.  Yummy.   
 
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.
 
XOXOXO
Annette


Sunday, January 20, 2013

Two more CQs

Man Annette you are on a roll here, two blog postings back to back.  I just had to share these with you, I am getting behind.   All I can say good job night time TV is not the best because that is when I do these little creations.   Well, I take that back some of the TV programs are wonderful, but don't take constant watching to keep in the groove of them.   Oh I can remember when you would sit and watch the test pattern on the TV, just in case the station came on early, be it noon or one o'clock.  The Black and White days of TV.   What an event that was. 

I have been playing and playing with the CQ, so what is new? You all know I am so in love with this form of art, it does indeed get into our blood. I did these two little blocks , they are 8x8 . They are a little bigger with the velvet around them but the block itself is 8x8.  



I did add some stitching to her bodice, it just called for some bling.
The second one was fun to play with. I wasn't sure what to do with the center applique but after sewing it on thought it needed something. I cut the tulle out of the centers and added some beaded leaves. I am thinking you can never have to many beads. Can you have to many ?
These are hung on a crystal chains and proudly displayed in my guest bathroom. No one goes in there but I do daily just to check them out.
 
There you go, gotta catch up on my posting. Not that the blog police will come and take my blog away or anything like that.    
 
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.  
 
XOXO
Annette  

Saturday, January 19, 2013

A Little Bit of This and That

 
Well do I look like I have pulled out all my hair?  I can imagine seeing the cartoons with the woman's hair standing on end and pulling out her hair left and right.  Blog spot has been not letting me post pics so I have gone to Picasa-another learning curve.    I certainly prefer the way I was doing it but I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.  Not tricks I want to learn but I guess Woof Woof is the word of the day for me.
 
OK, where was I?   I have been just playing to my heart's content in my art room.   Funny they look so nice and semi neat if you aren't doing anything in there but Katie bar the door when you are creating.  Yesterday Lace and fabric we piled 12 inches deep on the table, but now all cleaned up now.  It is waiting for me to finish the book and go to another project.   I guess a good fairy came in and cleaned it up, well don't get your hopes up I hate to tell you but don't think there is a good fairy.  Just ourselves.     I think it was day before yesterday Pat Winter had posted a wonderful lesson on fabric books.  I have admired them so much thought why not?  The first one will be mine, just in case I bomb on this project.  I have 8 pages in it and having a blast.  Well, the first pages are nothing to write home about but then I got to playing and sewing and just seeing what I could do.  Here is one page almost finished, I have to bling it up some.  Maybe not as blingie as my CQ but bling it some.    As soon as I get them all pretty will show you.   This would be great with family pics in it or anything to your imagination.
 
 
 
 
Here you go, one page of the book.  Two fairy's getting ready for the day and then going to spread some magic around.
 
~~~~~~~~~~
 
Sea Turtles,   now what in the world does that have to do with fabric books you ask?   Not a thing but I did warn you this was a this and that post.   Guada has a new little monthly project for us and it is FREE.  Yep you read it right.  She does the line drawings and her friend  Jay does the animal drawing and we play and color.   I did in the crayon watercolors and did add the do dads in the lines and painted the turtle and backgrounds and all the color.    Every month she is going to have a different totem animal Mandala  for us to paint.   Should be a great collection by the end of the year. 

 
 
 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Now what does tissue and foil ( in the olden days use to be called tin foil ) have in common?  It makes pretty flowers and three dimensional pretties     Now I can remember that eons ago we had to save all the foil and even the foil in gum wrappers, I was very young.  Not sure why but do remember doing that.  This was along with the memory of when we got to take turns and mush this package of white stuff and in the corner of it was a yellow square of something.  We mushed and mushed it,  I always remembered when it was my turn.  What came out of this?  Margarine.  Don't know why it was that way but it way.  Wonder if it has something to do that Daddy was in the Army and maybe it was for the place where we got groceries?  Guess I will never know. 
 
Anyway here is what I created from Life Book this week.  A lot of texture and creating.
 

 
 
Here is the word BEGIN again, maybe that is my word for the year.  It keeps popping up.  
 
 
There you go----Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.
 
XOXOXO
Annette

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Beginning with the Gelli Adventure

Here I am using that word again Begin/Beginning.   Humm wonder if my muse is telling me something.   Bless her heart sometimes she has to just hit me in the head and say ANNETTE !!!!    So consider that done.    Now this could be a lot of things to begin and in my world, as you may have noticed covers a large area.  I figure you have to use and stretch your brain or it may turn into Jello.  Now I am not saying Jello is bad, yummy in many ways but your brain?  Nope no Jello.  
 
It is funny though how simple Jello is and you just stir water in it and add "stuff" if you want and chill it but it is indeed something I forget to do.  I even have an eazy peazy cheesecake DH's mother gave me that is so good.  OK I am straying.  More on that at a later date. 
 
Soooooo, I am beginning another year with Life Book with Willowing .ning.  ( I have a littel clickie thing on the side bar ) One of the lessons so to speak,  guess you could call them lessons.  Just some fab Videos and PDF's from I think this year 24 teachers.  Wow what a learning experience. 
 
We are making what we think our Fairy Art Mother looks like and she can encourage us all year.   So here she is.   I first made the background, first one with the Gelli Plate, it was kind of gummed up but I don't think my Art Fairy cared.  I sketched her and did the watercolor crayon business on her and some acrylic paint.   I don't think she wanted to be left forever without bling.  A girl has got to have bling.   Now her crown turned into a little hat so I had to add some bling to it and a poof of tulle and a fairy charm.   Earrings of course.  Every Texas Fairy has to have earrings. 
 
 
 
I don't know if you can see but she has bracelets on also and a poofy skirt of pinkish tulle with glitter.  I thought this little gal will proudly guide me all year.   And of course her wings have bling-AKA Mica flakes.
 
 
The GELLI PLATE !!!!
 
Man alive this is indeed habit forming I just played and thinking I will look more intently at some videos but the Fairy and I just played.    After adding paint and printing off with the old finger rub on the plate, high tech here.   I then added doodles and do dads with my pens.
 
So here ya go,   they were fun .  
 





 
I am looking forward now to adding "stuff" to these for my art journals and tags and whatever I can come up with.   
 
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.
 
XOXOXOX
Annette

Thursday, January 10, 2013

JUST DO IT !!!

For years I have seen the Nike Ad of " Just Do It".   I certainly know what it means --- just get in there and do it Annette.  No dilly dally for you.   I do know how to do that well.   Should I paint a room or not?  What color? Will I like it?  Sort of indecision is I guess more like it.    Now our bedroom, a monster room I have already painted twice since being in the house for 4 years now.  What am I fixin to do?  Yep you guessed it paint it again.  So Mr. Nike I will "Just Do It".  I mean it is just a couple of gallons or so of paint and Mr. Graves moves the 8 foot ladder for me and up and down it I go like a monkey climbing a tree.  But not today.    My new Gelli Plate just came in, part of my Christmas present from Grandson and I have to make my Art Angel.  The cutie that she is.   Now I am teasing you aren't I?   More to come on them.   

On Roses on My Table the January prompt has something to do with beginning.  So I found this little saying and used it on my page/pages.  I always try to do two pages so my art journal will flow better.   Learned that in scrap booking years ago.  I have even made a two page spread in my scrap booking using one tiny photo.  This made me think, I will tell you for sure. 

So using the best cheap cheap craft paints I have, I did lots of layers on the pages.  Used stencils and plastic wrap and anything I could think of.  I then printed off lots of flowers on my cheap Wal-Mart copy paper and cut them all out.   Then I drew this big eyed girl, the better to see you with  said the wolf to little Red Riding Hood.  Really though so she can see clearly what is going on for 2013.   Did a little gluing and pen work on it and I was good to go.  I love the doodles and pen work.  I guess to me it is like putting the 9,000 beads on my Crazy Quilting work.  I used some Gel Pens and some pens I bought probably nearly 20 years ago for my scrap booking.   I cannot imagine why some of them are drying up.  : )





Here she is Miss Big Eyes, but fun to make and I know she is pushing me in the back saying come on Annette.  Just BEGIN!!!!!!

Now also on Roses I have joined the ATC group with my friend Janet being the hostess.  A great one I might add and makes it so much fun.  So  the theme was or is Love is in the Air.  So to me that yells and screams Valentines.  so here we go.  Thank goodness for paper lacy doilies and a little fancy smancy ribbon and some glitter paper I bought years ago. 

So here you go my ATC's for January.  


    Thanks so much for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 

XOXOXO
Annette 
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Friday, January 4, 2013

A New Year and A New Block

Well Happy New Year to you all.   Here we are starting a new adventure again.   2013.   I am not a  resolution maker but do sometimes write down on a piece of paper of things I would like to accomplish.  Goals I guess, most of the time I misplace or lose the paper but in a year or so it appears.  Like OK Annette, you forgot about me but here I am.   I haven't done that yet this year, don't know what I am waiting for.  A vision I guess, not a vision but just a time when I sit still and start writing down things.   You know there is a lot to the thought of writing down in a journal or what have you, just a healing process I guess.  OK I am straying now.   

Last year I took several online classes and friends that is the way to do it.  You can do the classes whenever you want and just dilly dally all you want.  You don't have to wait on anyone that is late to the class or anything.  Just play to your hearts content.  I do hope to sharpen my skills with the classes I did last year, kind of do overs if you will. I have the notes, well my notes---not the best BUT on Life Book they give you PDF's and they are great.  I am taking that again this year  Life Book 2013.   I was not the best student and didn't do all my lessons but may or not be better this year and get more done.  I will not promise.  

I have joined a group, on my sidebar is the link thing, and it is CQ 2013.  Wow what Kathy has done is bring lots of CQers together.   Where you make a block at least 6 inches and decorate it as you please and just kind of a motivation to do it!!!!  Lots of ladies over the world are doing it and it is fun to see the different stitches and designs.   See pat Winter what you created in me?   A CQ wild lady.  Being as it is the first of the year I did this square to celebrate Happy New Year !!! Some bling if you will.

I do hope you can see the detail in these.  The center color is a deeper Rosy pink and a beaded center piece is a treat to own from the glitzy days of yon. 












Now here is some horn tooting but Pat Winter made me feel pretty special adding me in this Winter issue of her magazine.  I think I mentioned it earlier but had so share pics with you.  

I just had to share the pages Pat showed in her beautiful magazine. It was certainly an honor to be included in it. Now Pat did include our photos in the last magazine with our class work we did in Artful Gathering.


The cover is aways eye candy to the CQ lover of anyone else that likes to see pretties and creative work.


 
The first part of my featured pages.  Oh I did feel so honored when I saw this.   My friend and owner of  Lytle Cove Cottage in Abilene Texas is offering these to her brides.  Now wouldn't those be a wonderful first stockings for a young bride and groom?  I did one with denims for the handsome guys.  

 
"THE PILLOW"  was also featured.  I have made a couple more of these but lighter colors.  They are indeed habit forming to make these.  Humm guess better than chocolate, almost. 


 
The last but not least showcase was a purse that I made for a gift.  I love mine and hope they did also.
 
So there you go welcoming in the new year with some bling, Texas style and instead of tooting the New Years horns I tooted my own horn.  Such an honor to be in the magazine but just had to share and hope all of y'all have a wonderful and creative 2013.  
 
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.
 
XOXOXO
Annette