Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Treasury Round Up

I've been featured in a couple lovely treasuries lately!  Many thanks to the treasury makers!
(All treasuries and items within the treasuries are clickable.) 


Kym of Fabric Fascination featured my hand dyed silk scarf Margarita in her treasury A Little Something for Everybody,  an all Blogging Business Artisans treasury.



Kym's shop is filled with fabric--quilting cottons, batiks, fabric bundles--as well as kits, books, and supplies.  She says, "If you love color, texture, and design, this is the place!" 







Sarah of Magnolia Surprise also included my hand dyed silk scarf Margarita in her treasury Luck O' the Irish.




Sarah crochets a wonderful variety of lovely items! --dish cloths, play food, scrubbies, and more!  How fun are these toast coasters?!







I'm linking up with Random Creative's Treasury Round Up.   For more awesome treasuries, go HERE!

PS:  Because of the blogger strangeness and the deletion of Google Friend connect for non-blogger blogs, please follow me on Linky in my right sidebar, just a little bit down from the top.  I love my readers and would be so sad to loose you!  Thanks! ♥ 

photos by each individual artist © 2011-2012  all rights reserved!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

napping


Tigra (my daughter's kitty) can fall asleep anywhere!

Oliver--sun puddle snoozing is the best!

Earnest loves to sleep in the middle of the stairs!  (that way he doesn't miss anything!  He's deaf.) 

Oliver and Earnest seriously sleeping.  Sun puddle snoozing is an art in this house.  As the sun moves across the floor, so do the cats!

I'm linking up with my favorite teacher, Ms Jenny Matlock!  See others' completed homework assignments HERE.  Come join in!  This week our letter is "N."



photos by me © 2009-2012    all rights reserved

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Treasury Round Up

I've been featured in a couple lovely treasuries lately!  Many thanks to the treasury makers!
(All treasuries and items within the treasuries are clickable.) 
 
 Audrey from Buffalo Creek Crafts featured my hand dyed and hand painted silk velvet zipper pouch in her appreciation treasury Thank You #19.  Here's what she says, "These are all shops that have added me to one of their treasuries in the last couple of days :)  Thanks so much!!"  
What a great idea for a treasury, Audrey!
I had featured her lovely ceramic LOVE coaster coaster (left) in my treasury Sweet Hearts.  This coaster is lovely AND she donates a portion of the proceeds to a Homeless Shelter and a Shelter for Battered Women!


Audrey makes lovely crochet items, cards, and coasters.  How cute is this bookmark?!  Really, you simply have to visit her shop to see the variety of lovely items she sells!










Heather from Blu Kat Design featured my hand dyed silk scarf Margarita in her treasury Cockatoo Margarita.  Here's what she says about this treasury.  "pantone 2012 cockatoo and margarita; reminds me of an updated version of the 70's blue and green combo!"
Aaaahhh.....Now I'm dreaming of frolicking in the sun on a tropical isle!


Heather's shop is filled with unique jewelry, much of it upcycled such as this lovely rhinestone and pearl flower necklace.  Visit her shop to see all her wonderful pieces!










Here are recent treasuries I made:
Sweet Hearts

and 
Sweet Love


I'm linking my Treasury Round Up with Rose's blog Random Creative.   Come see more treasuries here and link up your own treasury posts!  Rose will leave the linky up through this Saturday.

photos by each individual artist © 2011-2012  all rights reserved!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Radomly Favorite Ms

Today I give you some favorites, chosen very randomly, all because they start with the letter M.  (very important as you'll see at the end of this post!)

MAGNOLIA  MACRO
In this Wintery part of the world, who isn't longing for Spring and its lovely, refreshing beauty?! 

SINT MAARTEN
sunset on the beach on a favorite island in the Caribbean.  Does it get any better than this?!

MEOW
All through the night, the kitties bring us their favorite toys.  All the while they softly chant, "meow...meow...meow...meow...meow...meow."
These yellow strips are a current favorite because they're new!  They arrived wrapped around boxes I received in the mail. 

MESMERIZING


mmmm
My friends Claire and Marc got married last August and held the reception at their farm.

I'm linking up with my favorite teacher, Ms Jenny Matlock!  See others' completed homework assignments HERE. Come join in!  This week our letter is "M."



photos by me © 2010-2012    all rights reserved

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

It's Scavenger Hunt Sunday time! 
FACIAL FEATURE
cute little nose of Oliver kitty who is very busy today sleeping in a sun puddle!

SHADOW 
My husband was "thrilled" that I made him do this with me!  (not.  That's snow on the ground!  our second and "bigger" snow of the season.)

SPICY
nope.  not a photo from Summer.  I have a hot pepper plant growing in the house!

GOLD
Just what do you think this is? (*answer below)

FABRIC 
My good friend Sally made these wonderful fabric pillowcases for me as a gift!  There is a set of 2 for each of the 4 seasons of the year!  Thanks, Sally!  I love them!  They are such fun!  

*a packet of cane sugar (in the packet!  to answer a question posed below)

This is a very fun meme hostessed by Ashley Sisk in which 5 prompts are given and one must then take a photo to illustrate each one.  Come see how others have interpreted these words!  Join in!  HERE

Next week's prompts are love, duplicated, trend or trending, paper, plastic.

photos by me © 2012  all rights reserved.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

LOVE: a Challenge!


Ahh, February, the month of Amore!

"There are as many ways of loving as there are people in the world." 
~Mary Calderone
(more about this card at the end of this post)
Throughout the world, many symbols are used to express love.  Here, I concern myself with one, the most recognizable, the heart.

The symbol has long been used to express the core of a human--physically or emotionally, spiritually, and morally.  Even farther back in time, the was used to express the intellectual core of a person, the seat of the human mind.  Today, in our culture, we associate the with love.  

So without further ado, I introduce you to my favorite etsy team's February Challenge:
"In February we celebrate Valentine's Day.  My challenge to you: Create a love-themed item.  You can write a creative love letter, make a valentine, make a love-themed home decor item, etc.  Be Creative and Have Fun!"
This Challenge was presented by Edi of Memories for Life in honor of the Month of Love

I was inspired to get my fabric dyes out and create some heart shapes on clothing.
THIS
and THIS


 
became THIS
became THIS

and
THIS


















I recently purchased cotton wash cloths and had already tie dyed some.  I wanted to create painted ones, too.  So I started the process of dyeing 4 cloths:
1.  tie 3 circles on each of 2 cloths
2.  soak all 4 in solution; wring out
3.  dye the circles and background color
4.  cure for 24 hours
5.  untie and wash
6.  soak all 4 in solution; wring out
7.  let dry
8.  paint
9.  let cure for 24 hours
10. wash and dry
That is the process in brief!

To paint, I laid out my towels (lovely, aren't they?!) and set up my supplies.
I mixed powdered dye with thickener and water and began to paint!  (You can faintly make out the 3 circles--soon to be flowers--in the photo above.)
the flowers start to take shape
and more hearts

hearts
 At this point the cloths are still thick with the dye paint.  After curing and washing, they look like this:
All the above can be found in my etsy shop, Splendid Little Stars
(In answer to a question in the comments below:  No, my dyed items do NOT bleed!  I use professional dye and have perfected my processes over a number of years!) 

To see what other teammates have created for this challenge, check out our team BLOG at the end of February.

LINKS: 
2013a Blogging Business Artisans monthly Challenges
2013a Blogging Business Artisans February Challenge
 
more about the team and monthly challenges:
A new etsy team--Blogging Business Artisans--was launched last October. This team was formed to support and help its members grow artistically and professionally.  It's been a great joy to be a member of this team!
The idea was conceived of holding monthly challenges to help us grow and stretch our imaginations.  Team members must complete 6 of the 12 challenges within a year.
The first challenge, "
New Techniques," was presented by Deb of storybeader  See my entry "New Mittens, Old Sweater!  a Challenge!" HERE. 


I'm linking up with my favorite teacher, Ms Jenny Matlock!  See others' completed homework assignments HERE. Come join in!  This week our letter is "L."





more about the card:
I put this card together at my friend Ginny Lee's house last night.  She made the wonderful heart with the flower.  The glittery red felt heart has a front and back hand stitched together.  The white heart is hand stitched to the red heart.  The flower (She made it!) and pearl are glued on.  The heart along with its attached paper clip is a bookmark that can be removed!  A lot of work and love went into this!  Thanks, Ginny Lee!
photos by me © 2012 all rights reserved

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Treasury Round Up

I've been featured in some lovely treasuries lately!  Many thanks to the treasury makers!  
(All treasuries and items within the treasuries are clickable.)

Nicole of Knit Nicole Knit featured my snowman T shirt in 
Grape Jelly.





Nicole knits lovely Items such as this blue infinity scarf.  She also makes very pretty earrings.








Judy of JN Originals  featured my pink silk scrunchie in her treasury 
Pink and Blue Just for You.



Judy makes lovely knitted and felted items such as this pretty blue bowl.  In her shop you'll find head warmers, flower brooches, needlebook covers






Judy also featured my tie dye washcloths in another treasury entitled 
Chasing the Rainbow.




Judy has a shop called Mister PenQuin where she sells her wonderful handmade journals, cards, and clipboards such as this mini brag book.










Gayle of Home Style Market featured my moss green and soft turquoise silk scrunchie in her treasury 
My Favorite Color.





Gayle makes beautiful pillows such as this one.










Jewelry by Annemieke featured my margarita hand dyed silk scarf in her treasury 
Margarita Green.






Jewelry by Annemieke sells lovely earrings, bracelets, and necklaces such as this blue Picasso jasper with Tibetan silver and hand linked Romanov chain bracelet.








Sinéad of Irish Viking Designs included my tie dyed wash cloths in her treasury 
colors colours everywhere.



Sinéad's shop is filled with her photography and original art  such as this fine art print "festive."  She sells cards as well.  









Sarah of Magnolia Surprise featured my red silk scrunchie in her treasury
My Love is like a Red, Red Rose.



Sarah has wonderful crocheted items in her shop such as this cute set of play heart cookies.










Linda of lindab142 included my red silk scrunchie in her treasury 
Valentine's Day Gifts.


Linda makes lovely secular and Jewish jewelry, beaded wire kippot, magnets, beaded bookmarks, and accessories.  These heart earrings are lovely!









Janet of Honey From the Bee included my pastel tie dyed washcloths in her treasury 
Valentine's Gifts for Me.



Janet sells lovely handmade jewelry, inspired by her passion for nature, travel, and the creative life.  This shabby chic vintage button bracelet is very pretty!









Sarmite of Sasa's Handcrafts created this lovely treasury  
Red.  


Sarmite's shop is filled with beautiful knitted baby booties, blankets, cardigans, and sets.  I love this sweet hand knitted booties and bonnet set with crocheted flowers and edging.






I'm linking my Treasury Round Up with Rose's blog Random Creative.   Come see more treasuries here and link up your own treasury posts!  Rose will leave the linky up through this Saturday.


photos by each individual artist © 2011-2012  all rights reserved!