Sweet Sentiments ATC tutorial for Graphic 45

In the dead of winter when someone sends you a package of pretty spring themed papers it's best to take full advantage. Graphic 45's Sweet Sentiments is just that... sweet... and it's awfully cheerful and endearing too. It turns my mind to the blossoms and buds that I have been repeatedly assured are on the way (though I am beginning to wonder).

Today my springy little ATC is featured on the Graphic 45 blog. AND if you're tired of the white wintery stuff too and want to make own bright and springy ATC, here's how:

Materials List:

 Sweet Sentiments
> All My Love
> Perfect Petals

> Sweet Sentiments

> Violet Bouquet
> Spring has Sprung

Sweet Sentiments 8x8 Pad

Sweet Sentiments Tags & Pockets

Sweet Sentiments Chipboard

Artist Trading Tags-Ivory

May Arts Ribbon
Textured Elements from Petaloo

 

 

1. Gather all of your materials. I like to fussy cut a whole bunch of elements to choose from and always more than I think I’ll need. Here I’ve used Sweet Sentiments All My Love on an ATC staples tag for the base.

2. Next I start to layer elements like the “Spring” tag from Sweet Sentiments Chipboard and Sweet Sentiments Tags & Pockets.

3. Using foam dots, I create depth to my fussy cut pieces. This rabbit but from Sweet Sentiments will be the focal point of this ATC tag.

4. Slowly, I build up my design, filling out the space.

5. The layers of fussy cut flowers add visual interest and dimension.

6. With all of those little pieces now in place, I create texture by adding petals from a Textured Elements flower from Petaloo.

 

7. Now some coordinating May Arts Ribbon.

8. And finally some little butterflies cut from Heart Song to finish off the piece.

And that's it! You're all done!

A creepy little something

I really shouldn't be showing this off because it's for someone nice that I suspect will visit this blog and peek BUT I CAN'T HELP MYSELF. There are a number of projects sitting here that can't be posted yet and it's driving me a little nutty.  So, I'm tossing my hands in the air in surrender and giving in to my childish need to show off with this one. Forgive me.

The exterior, a wee wooden coffin. I always go shopping after holidays like Halloween. There are great bargains to be had and I load up on things that might come in handy. There's no telling when you'll suddenly need a tiny coffin in February.

Wonder what's on the inside?

Everything a fairy sized vampire hunter could possibly need! A mirror, holy water, stakes and mallet/hammer, silver cross and chain, tiny bible and... of coarse, garlic. The bulb of garlic almost didn't make it in.

My kid saw this piece this morning as said "That's so cool! ...but where's the garlic?" And because I always take the advice and critiques of children seriously, I promptly made a little bulb of the smelly stuff.

Overall size? 6" tall x 2.75" wide. Includes: Thin Looped Dresden Borders, 
Graphic 45's new Shabby Chic Ornate Metal Key Hole and Ornate Metal Brads, as well as matchsticks, bb pellets, beads, paper and other bits and bobs.

A brief walk of appreciation

This morning I saw a weather warning for a giant storm. The blizzard won't even hit near home and yet I cringed.

Normally I am a huge fan of snow. The clean goodness of it. The fun to be had playing in it. I suppose I've been snow-blind the last little while because lately, when I've looked out my window, I've only longed for green.

This mornings dreadful sigh was the last straw. I decided to go outside and find beauty in that cold wet white.

 

And it IS beautiful, in it's bluish morning hue.

 ... that is reflective of the grand sky above.

Even Padfoot took notice... and he never notices a thing!

That white stuff that glitters in the light, and comes alive with sparkles as you walk through it.

That expanse of snow where there's a thousand stories to be told in tracks that lead up to old trees...

 ... and holes burrowed beneath wooden stairs.

And if I hadn't taken that small walk of appreciation I would have missed entirely this tiny ball of snow, which I am sure was made by pixies trying to build a snowman before the sunrise.

Maybe I can endure the white stuff just a little longer.

Time warps and moon beams

I posted this picture the other night after working on these little faces into the wee hours. I love watching other artists work so it occurred to me this morning that you might like to see one of these moony fellows being sculpted.

Typically I do not work this quickly. I'm a bit of a slow poke and enjoy sips of tea and nibbles of cookies as I do my mess making. I am fairly certain I've hit some sort of time warp making this video because it's completed in a 1/3 of the time it usually takes me.

Let's blame it on the 3 cups of coffee this morning.

An odd bird crown to cheer a girl

I've been rather glum the past few days. Perhaps it's too much snow and not enough green. Maybe it was the bickering at the dinner table the other night (yes, the Pixies do bicker from time to time). The fact that the milk turned and there was none for my tea this morning certainly didn't improve my mood.

Something did cheer me a smidgen: a crown. An Odd Bird crown to be precise.

This months Alpha Stamps theme is inspiring me. It could be the fact that I identify with it, being a bit of an odd bird myself, or that it tugs at the soft spot in my heart reserved for fellow strange ducklings. Whatever the case may be, my plans to make a little brooch got out of hand and I've ended up with a crown.

I wore the thing around the house for quite some time. It cheered me. I'm thinking of tucking it somewhere safe so that I can pull it out when a morose Monday or terrible Tuesday rolls around. I'll wear it with my pajamas and drink root beer floats.

If you're keen on making your own, here are some of the supplies I used in making this little piece of lofty head wear: Mini Red Pip Berry Garland, Tiny Green Leaf Garland, Red Glittered Holly Berries, Bird Trinket Keepsake Kit , Petaloo Botanica Chantilly-Hydrangeas in Cream
 

Reality check: I never ever actually look like this. I'm always smudged, tumbled and befuddled.

Cake for lunch

I don't buy all this 'childhood is the greatest time of your life' nonsense. At least when you're a 'grown-up', if you're having a rotten day, you can eat chocolate cake for lunch and no one can tell you that you can't.

Works in progress and a strange riddle

This post is a mess and all over the place, please excuse the disaster and try to muddle through with me.

I finally finished off a batch of little Sherlock chairs for the new 221B tins. They seemed to take forever but they're a big improvement over the original. Here's a the new version...

Based on the The Le Corbusier Grand Confort LC3 chair used in the BBC series (Note: The below picture is swiped from Sherlockology which you should absolutely visit!)

They aren't an exact match but I'm pleased with how they've turned out.

I've also started work on this little painting. It's just a little 4x4 canvas. That's a mockingbird flapping about, a little nod to Littlefinger, my favourite GoT character (Tyrion, I love you too). The piece isn't finished yet and I'm not sure how I'll finish it off so it'll have to sit aside for a while...

Finally, the riddle.

A friend posted this photograph, challenged to identify the object. It is not sharp. It's parts do not move. Any ideas?

ETA: It's a button polisher!

I haven't a clue. I looked through an old catalogue I have here from 1904 to see if I could spy a similar object, but no luck. I did however find these gems...

A bit much, I know, but I have the sense of humour of a 12 year old boy.

30 gallons of pickles for $8.50? Bargain!