Thanks for visiting!


Welcome! This is the place where I share my artsy and crafty projects. I am an evolving artist these days ... finding myself enjoying less of the cards and mini albums that I have made for years, and turning to art journaling and more artistic endeavors. I have always enjoyed some craft or other, and some of my earliest memories of my mother helping me make paper dolls and other crafts. I am now in my 60's and finding myself more passionately enjoying creating beautiful things and learning new skills and techniques and products.

While you are here I hope you will find inspiration and ideas for making your own projects, however any images or projects you find here are my personal property and should not be used for your own monetary gain, or for contests or challenges. Thank You!

6/19/2012

Epiphany Crafts Color Challenge


I finally got to see an Epiphany tool - and all you can do with them - in action earlier this year, but I am now totally sold on them!  You can use the tools with the matching bubble caps and 'findings', or you can use them just as a punch!  Seriously, if you haven't checked them out, you really should, because the possibilities for using them are endless!  I am now proud owner of the round 25 and heart 25 shape tools, and the flower 20 button tool.


This week Epiphany Crafts is having a color challenge, asking you to use a 'rainbow' of colors on a project.  As soon as I saw the challenge, I knew what I wanted to do with it.  Can you say Simple Stores 'Summer Fresh' chevron paper???  What's better than a rainbow?  Well, a chevron rainbow, of course!!!

Here is my card based on the challenge ...




And here are all the details ...

Supplies:
  • Kraft card stock (base) - The Paper Studio
  • Patterned papers and sun element - Simple Stories 'Summer Fresh' collection
  • Flower buttons - Epiphany 'Flower 20' button bubble caps
  • Sentiment - SRM Stickers
  • Brown ink - Stampabilities
  • Stickles 'Diamond' and 'Platinum' - Ranger Ink
  • Brown corded twine - Maya Road
  • Red twine and bumble bee - my stash


Close up of flower pot using Epiphany Crafts 'Flower 20' Button Studio Tool and button bubble caps


Tools:
  • Epiphany Crafts 'Flower 20' Button Studio Tool
  • Martha Stewart / EK Success Paper Trimmer
  • Martha Stewart / EK Success Scoring Board
  • Scissors, Ruler, Craft Knife

Steps:
  1. Cut kraft card stock to 5" x 10".
  2. Score center line to make card 5" square.
  3. Ink edges with brown ink.
  4. Trim 'chevron' paper to 5" square and adhere to kraft card stock.
  5. Fussy cut sunshine element with scissors and adhere to card.
  6. Cut flower pot shape from burlap paper using scissors and adhere to card.
  7. Adhere sticker sentiment to scrap of kraft card stock.
  8. Trim card stock to slightly larger than sticker.
  9. Ink edges with brown ink.
  10. Adhere sentiment to card using foam dots.
  11. Cut basic leaf shapes from green polka dot paper and ink edges with brown ink.
  12. Adhere leaves to card, just above the flower pot.
  13. Make the flowers by using the Epiphany 'Flower 20' punch and buttons.  I used scraps of 5 different pages from the Simple Stories 'Summer Fresh' papers.
  14. Thread flower buttons using red bakers twine.
  15. Make a small bow from twine and adhere to flower pot.
  16. Adhere bumble bee to card.
  17. Using a black sharpie, make a dashed 'flight pattern' behind the bumble bee.
  18. Add 'Diamond' Stickles to the flight pattern.
  19. Add 'Platinum' Stickles to the rays of the sun.

And there you have a very cute card that could be for a birthday, congratulations, or encouragement card.  Please check out the Epiphany Crafts blog (link above) to find out more about this week's challenge!  Blessings, Becky


6/07/2012

Simple Stories 'Summer Fresh' and Maya Road Wall Hanging


I spent most of today at one of my favorite places ... my 'LSS' or Local Scrapbooking Store, Altered Angel near Alpharetta, GA.  There were just a few of us there playing and chatting and laughing and just having a good time.  The owner of the store, Mary, came in for a while and brought with her a box of new goodies from Maya Road, and as she pulled them out of the box and priced them, I grabbed a little cellophane bag that caught my eye.  It was the "Mini Rectangular Chipboard Accordion" ... a set of six 2 1/2" by 4 1/2" (approximately) chipboard rectangles connected by fairly heavy duty jump rings.  I immediately saw a wall hanging, told Mary there was no need to hang that one on the rack as it was MINE, and got busy!

I decided to use some of the 'leftovers' from the Simple Stories 'Summer Fresh' collection that I used for the mini album I made a few weeks ago.    And this is what I had a couple of hours later  ...




And here are the first two sections of the wall hanging ...




And the next two sections ...






And the final two sections ...






I love it, and I think it's going on the wall in my kitchen ... I have it decorated in a 'farmhouse' style with lots of red, blue and a mustard-y yellow ... so I think it will look cute on the wall in there.  Here are all the details ...


Supplies:
  • Chipboard base - Maya Road 'Mini Rectangular Chipboard Accordion'
  • Patterned paper, and coordinating sticker - Simple Stories 'Summer Fresh' collection
  • Other stickers - SRM Stickers
  • 'Bubble Caps' - Epiphany Crafts
  • Red Twine - May Arts (I braided three strands to get a heavier hanger)
  • Pleated Denim Trim - Maya Road
  • Brown ink - Stampabilities

Tools:
  • EK Success Corner Rounding Punch - Small
  • Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio Tools - Round 25 and Circle 25
  • Martha Stewart / EK Success Paper Trimmer
  • Scissors, Ruler, Craft Knife

I thoroughly enjoyed this project, and it went by in a flash!  I've already made up my mind that I want to buy another one when I go back on Saturday, but make it as a mini album ... I think it would be really, really cute used for an album, too!  Thanks so much for visiting today!  Blessings, Becky




6/05/2012

Authentique Paper - Fresh - June Sketch Challenge



Hi there!  Welcome to Camellia Cottage!  I hope you are ready for something a little different from me today, because that's what you're going to get!  I have made a few 12" x 12" layouts, but my area of expertise is cards and mini albums, but I just bought the new 'Fresh' collection from Authentique Paper, and then I saw their June Sketch Challenge, and I have lots of beach pictures, so I decided to give a layout a whirl!  And I'm quite pleased with how it came out!  First, take a look at the sketch ...






I stayed fairly true to the sketch, so here is my layout ...




The two pictures that I used were taken at the same place - Gulf Islands National Seashore - but about 4 1/2 months apart.  The lower picture - the 'sunny day' one was taken May 4, 2011 when my husband and I stumbled upon this amazingly beautiful place.  The upper picture was taken as the same place on Sepbember 22, 2011 when we took my Mama to see it for  herself.  But the rain was torrential and the wind was strong and the clouds were dark, low and heavy.  As we got into the car to leave, Mama saw the rainbow, so I jumped out of the car to get pictures.  One place, two days, two totally different types of weather.

Supplies:
  • Patterned Paper and Stickers - Authentique Paper 'Fresh' Collection
  • Card stock - Bazzill Basics
  • Stickles 'Star Dust' - Ranger Ink
  • Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad 'Brushed Corduroy'
  • Bubble Caps - Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio 'Round 25'
  • Vintage lace and ric-rack - my stash
  • Tan with red and white trim - May Arts
  • Twine - October Afternoon 'Sasparilla' Collection

Epiphany Accents - The Fleur de Lis paper came from the back side of the labeling for the 'Fresh' Collection.


Two Days, One Beach!

 
A Sunkissed Day!

Tools:
  • Martha Stewart/EK Success Paper Trimmer
  • Carl PRT-100 Rotary Paper Trimmer (decorative edges)
  • Cricut Expression with Plantin Schoolbook and Songbird cartridges
  • Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio Round 25 Tool
  • Scissors, craft knife and ruler




Here is the layout with the journaling tags showing ... they are tucked in under the photos and can be pulled out using the twine pulls.







I hope you like my first layout in a long time!  Considering I'm so out of practice, I am proud of how it turned out!  Please take a minute and leave a comment to let me know what you think!  Blessings friends!  Becky