TAG ART

My HAPPY HERBS SOAP friend, Nina, had asked me to make her some Art Tags for her herbal soap/oil/incense gift baskets that she is taking to the Holiday Market at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

And since I already had the scraps out from the last two projects, (oh yeah, creative chaos is my middle name) I just kept on going. Here are some of the hang tags that she will be using on her little gift baskets!

 

I love making these.  Using up all those scraps helps to clean up the space.  Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

 

This is a fabulous ATC that I just received as a gift from my friend, Kitty, and it screamed at me to be used in a project. And since I had already made this mini hang tag, I though they would look really great together!

I'm keeping the ATC, but I wanted to show you this cool collaboration of pieces.  The mini tag will go on a basket.  

 

Now this little beauty is also a collaborative effort, because my friend, Andrea, gave me some of her paper beads to play with. And, I just love them!

And this one is going to a young friend of mine, who just wants everyone in the world to BE KIND!  She's so sweet!

 

NEVERENDING BOOK HOP/SWAP...STILL!

Lucy's Book

The Neverending Art Journal Book Hop/Swap continues, as Lucy is the next one to claim her well traveled treasure!  This is her work on the cover.

Her inside book cover.

The inside is covered in vintage lace with sparkling glitter, complete with a pocketful of tags for each of the participants to use.

On this page she adds all the names of the talented chics of the
Arty Tea Party Guild.

My page usually has some RED!

I let some of the text on the page sway me in the direction of Love and Passion!

This is my RED page, because to me passion is RED and flaming hot! And with the text already reading..."Hello, Love...Thanks, Love...Cheerio, Love"...well you can let your imagination run wild with what is going on here!

For the rest of the pages in Lucy's book, pop in over at the ARTY TEA PARTY BLOG. 
 Lots of fun with those TALENTED CHICS!

Thanks for stopping by!  ALOHA!

Pay It Forward...with Art

Yesterday at the lovely gardens of Happy Herbs Soap at Two Crow Cottage, the Arty Tea Party gang dabbled in Water Color Batik on Unryu Paper.  This lovely paper is light weight and translucent with fibers, and is quite strong. 

Under the instruction of our Dear Rosebud Sandy, we took the watercolor to the paper, brushed on spots of melted soy wax, more watercolor layers...and while hanging to dry, we eat, drink and become quite merry...(Sangria helped with the merry part).  

This is my first layer of watercolor.

My next layer after I brushed and blotted abit of wax.

This was such a fun project because I am not a painter.  I also cannot draw.  I am missing the part of the brain that sees with depth and detail.  I am more abstract with my art, and this was perfect because you really can't mess this up.  Just splash some paint around, splash some wax around...more paint...WAX ON...WAX OFF!  The final step after all the paint layers is to iron the wax off between layers of newspaper.  You are left with a very soft see-thru work of art.  I'm going to make a card out of mine.  Easy peasy! 

These are the two I made.  I like them!

For more of the Water Color Batik, visit the ARTY TEA PARTY blog!

And now, because I am in such a happy state, I wanted to share a new project I have signed onto!

PAY IT FORWARD ART MAKING PROJECT 2014.

I promise to make a small work of art for the first five people who comment on this post and say “YES, I want in”. A ‘like’ alone is not enough of a commitment, nor is a comment about thinking Pay It Forward is a great idea. You must in turn post this as your status update and make something for the first five who comment on your status. The rules are simple: – It has to be your work, made by you, and the recipient must receive it before 2014 ends. – It can be anything art-based: a drawing/illustration or a conceptual work of art, a photograph, a knitted item, cross-stitch, paper maché – or anything in between. I’m paying this forward thanks to Deborah Weber.  

Perhaps a Water Color Batik card is in your future...ALOHA!!!

Journals

Some more journals...

Just finished 3 more journals from the book ends that I saved from the dreaded recycling stack.  I have jazzed them up abit using some of the end papers as well.  With 50+ pages, with pockets and tags and other paper ephemera to help tell a fantastic new tale.  Might even make a cool new art journal.  Lots of surprises within...  I have many more on the work table; some headed for my etsy shop, and some headed for the local Spring Fair.  That is if Spring actually shows up! 

This one is decked out in knit with a vintage pin.

Burlap flowers for this baby.

More burlap and a denim flower...yep, more upcycling!

And a great BIG shout out to Kelly for her awesome monarch photo postcard, and to my Dear Friend Nina of Happy Herbs Soap for the AB FAB stones she gave me for my newly fired clay meditation plate.   The tall point is Phantom Citrine and it is beautiful right next to the perfect specimen of Black Tourmaline, both grounding and protective stones that transmute negative energy. 

These are beautiful...thank you Nina!!!

Book Ends~Beginnings

A real beauty of a book cover.

This beautiful hardcover book, originally "Death of a Salesman", was shoved into the corner of a box at the library book sale, destined for the recycling bin.  Its innards were yellow, all torn and tattered.  The covers were in pristine condition, and holding onto what was left of the story.  They were whispering to me, as I walked by.  I heard them calling my name.  And now, these beauties are about to become a brand new personal journal.  With new pages just waiting for someone to write a new story...give it a whole new life.  As for the aged, and tattered pages, well the death of them is another journey to a new life with a new story as it will be recycled into new paper.  I think its new story will be titled, "Birth of a New Tale".

 

The Autumn foliage in New York state is a beautiful sight. 

This was a great book I found at a library book sale up in the Catskills. How perfect because it is full of the beauty of nature...especially in the  Fall.  

"Walking" by Henry David Thoreau

Recently, this giant steamer trunk was looking for a new home.  It belonged to a good witch who had to leave it behind when she flew off and headed out west.  She left it with a friend in the hopes that it would eventually end up in a good home, with good people, and good vibes.  I am very happy to say, that it is fulfilling all of her intentions for it!  Including sharing a space with Rosebud Sandy's sign declaring that, 

"Yes, indeed, It's All Good"...

It's always "all good" by candlelight!  

And one more thing...another friend, Nina has the very same trunk decked out at 

Two Crow Cottage.

 

Linking up today for Random 5 Friday.  Stop by and say "hi" to Nancy and the gang!

Art Journal Hop/Sneak Peek

Lucy's book~her pages!

Here is a sneak peek at one of the books in the Art Journal Swap/Hop...oh and HAPPY SEPTEMBER!!! This is a collaboration between 10 of the talented chics of the Arty Tea Party.  Each member chose a book from the used book sale of the local library, and using whatever our little hearts desired began to alter it creating a 2 page spread along with the decorated cover.  Then, once a month when we gather, (though the swap times have been off thanks to someone who shall remain nameless that can crank them out at will and passing them on before the next meeting time...so some of us have ended up with 3 at a time...) where was I???  Oh yes, we exchange them at our gatherings,  add our little bit of creativity to the book, and then pass it on again.  At the end, each Art Journal will have the talents of all participating members as it makes its way back to the original owner.  What fun!  

A peek at Nina's purple page of plumes...

The very cool thing about Nina's page is that it is scented. Incorporating her ground herbs that she uses to create her incense
crows (you can buy them online from her etsy shop) into some paint and then applying it to the page...well, just as soon as you turn the page, your senses become awakened!

One more peek...the beginning of my addition as I looked for pages with words that I could use to tell a story of love...lo and behold ~

Passion ~  It's all about passion!!!

Anybody who knows me, knows that passion is my middle name! Ok, right up there before "Creative Chaos", and to me the color of passion is RED...AND BURNING HOT!  

"Thanks, love."

Now since we are members of the Arty Tea Party it only seemed right to use the label and packaging from my PASSION tea that I have on hand.  The tiny teabag tag will become a mini journal with a tiny love note scribbled inside.  The image I have chosen comes from an old magazine of a couple headed off to the drive-in in one of those big old vintage automobiles, like one of these babies at the car show...did I mention passion???

For tips on how to start your own Art Journal Hop, visit Lisa at 
Priti Studio.  And stay tuned for more Sneak Peeks of our Art Journal Hop.  Thanks for stopping by.  Pop in to say hello to Nina of  Happy Herbs Soap at Two Crow Cottage and to see what the Talented Chics of the Arty Tea Party are up to.

Wordless Wednesday

Nothing like a good old fashioned country fair in the Catskills...Grahamsville Little World's Fair!

Cruising in a vintage automobile in the fresh clean mountain air...nothing could be finer!

(AND NO CELL PHONE SERVICE...YAY!!!)

sorry for the words...shhhh

Wordless Wednesday

The lovely gardens of Happy Herbs Soap

@ Two Crow Cottage

OUT WITH THE OLD...BRING IT ON 2013

one of my "old" faves

This is an "old" altered book I made with matchbox drawers...

letter charms were sewn into the pages...

very sexy, yes???



And for 2013, I vow to complete some of the many altered book projects that I have started and pushed aside while dealing with everyday life...

BEST WISHES TO ALL FOR A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND

PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

and if you want to be inspired with "prosperity" incense for your own ritual,

visit Nina of Happy Herbs Soap.

CHEERS!!!

Handmade Stockings

Look at these lovely handmade wool and felt stockings from Dear Andrea over at Indian Springs.  Her appliqued cardinals are so divine with incredible details.  I just had to have one for a special person who is located in the Pacific Ocean and does not experience the cold, snowy winter months like we do here in the Northeast United States.  I believe she has some more of these beauties for sale...Andrea's Cardinals.  Fa la la...

Woodland Spell Incense Crows

You can even fill up one of those fabulous stockings with the great Woodland Spell Incense from Nina at Happy Herbs Soap @ Two Crow Cottage and some of her wonderful herbal soaps.  My personal fave is the Lavender/Patchouli blend, along with her pulse point roll-on scented oils.  I always feel AB FAB, "ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS" after using one of those...I am a very "scentual" person!  So please visit my friends...you will be happy you did!  Fa la la...and all that jazz!

Hot Fun In The Summertime

Another lovely tea party at Dear Sweet Nina's Two Crow Cottage. 

                                 A creative day all around.                                          

Nina's grape arbor just whispers...

"Come, come into the garden...come see what awaits!"

 

      

Good Friends, Good Food, Good Cheer!  Nina is the BEST!

Check out more at http://artyteaparty.blogspot.com/

http://happyherbssoap.blogspot.com/