Christmas Wreaths

I was perusing around the interwebs a couple of days ago and came across a wonderful tutorial for making a wreath, at the red thread.

Needing a few more Christmas Presents I decided to give it a try.

Here's my finished project:

They were so easy to make! The blue one is made from scrapbooking paper, and the green one from the pages of some old books I had cut up for other projects. However, the paper in the two books wasn't quite the same; one of them was much more brittle and tended to rip when curing it. It required a much more delicate approach than the blue ones.

The entire process took about an hour and a half... the longest step was choosing which papers to use!

Weekend Work...

Just wanted to give you a look of what I created this weekend...

First up is a layout about my One World One Heart experience. {It looks a little wonky because I used my camera instead of scanning it like I normally do!}



Next is a layout using a photo I took this week for my One a Week photography challenge...



And finally, an altered Printer's Drawer...



To see the details you will need to click on the photo and view it large.

I tried to have each rectangle relate somehow to my life.  I love it and can't wait to get it hung up!  I still have one more drawer to do, I just need to wait for inspiration to strike.

The photo I promised...

Erin, if you are reading this and want it to be a surprise, STOP NOW! If not, then read on...


This is a close up of my standard signature. I sign all pieces I complete with a DH (Dollar Hammonds) and the date.

And this one is a small detail that I love love love!  Underneath the journalling card (blank so that Trin can fill it out)  I wrote secret wishes for her.  The title of this page is "When I grow up..."  The book is a "Book about me", with spots for her to fill out the answers to each question.  That way when she grows up she'll have a little view into her young mind.    I have two more books to do - one for each of her brothers, and then I'll drop them in the mail for them.  Very late Christmas presents... But you can't rush art! (It had been established prior to beginning that it was going to be late... I'm not a bad Aunty!)

If you want to see more pictures, you can check them out on my Flickr page.

Off to a good start...?

Last night T and I decided it was time to move the base cabinet into the house.  Not a difficult task, one would think.  So allow me to add some details, the most important of which is this:  the thing weighs about 250 pounds.   Without the drawers.  And it is in the garage which means it must be maneuvered out the door, across the walkway, up 4 steps, thru the kitchen, turned around in the living room, and into the scrap room.  After clearing the path, I must say I had some apprehensions.  My shoulder has been jacked up for a while now - I suspect my rotator cuff is torn, but have yet to get a Navy Doctor to diagnose it - and I was nervous about lifting so much weight.  So T devised a plan using a tie-down strap, in which it was wrapped around my waist and then under the cabinet, and then around his waist.  All we would have to do then is stand up and guide it thru the house... HA!   I am most grateful that no one with a video camera was around to record this debacle.  After a few rest stops  and one significant moment when I was sure my leg was not going to go up the stair, we managed to get it in the room.  Which then takes me to my next dilemma... 

So, let me explain how hard it is to get spray paint to dry when the temperature is below 50 degrees:  it is, in fact, damn near impossible.  I have rigged up a complicated system of halogen flood lamps and portable heaters in the garage to try and accomplish this.  If it works, the new cabinet I have for the scrappy room is going to be fantastical!  It should solve a number of storage problems I am suffering from currently.  

Once this has been completed ( I have 4 or 5 more drawers to do...) I can then do the 2 challenges I have to do.  One is to create a charm, and the second is to use something new.  Perhaps I can incorporate them together...  

I also have some pictures I have to take of the mini-book I completed for my niece.  It turned out great.  Once I finish her brothers' books and send them off I'm sure they will LOVE them.  Plus they allow for them to write in them, which I especially like.  

Never a dull moment, let me tell you!

Happy New Year!

So, in order to have a reference for later in the year, I will now write the traditional New Year's Resolution post:

1. I resolve to live a healthier life (cliche, I know, but I need to write it down for the guilt factor later!).
2. I resolve to give Tony a great garage to work in.  
3. I resolve to take at least one great picture every week, and will post it here for you.
4. I resolve to participate in the Awfully Big Art Adventure (see: http://bigartadventure.blogspot.com/)
5. So 3 and 4 are the 2 major parts of this one:  I resolve to work hard on my creativity.  

I think that should about do it.  Oh, and I resolve to be content with what I have.

I think I will revisit this quarterly to see how I am doing - so the first marker will be in April.

I'm back~

So, I think I can go down as one of the world's worst bloggers. Maybe not the worst, but one of them, I am sure. I returned from my cruise (of the Navy kind) about 3 weeks ago. It was an arduous 6 months, let me tell you. But we did go to some cool places, most of which I hadn't been to yet, so that was awesome. Most memorable was our stop in Isreal, where I had an opportunity to go to Jerusalem. I have yet to work up words on how that experience was. I've been mulling it over for a while.

But I have been busy since I've been back. Working on my photography, scrapping the tons of pics I took on the ship, trying to teach my undisciplined black dog to walk on a leash properly... never a dull moment! I have attacked life anew, just trying in general to be a better all around person. And not so selfish. Baby steps...

So today is my 34th birthday. Not that old, but somedays it feels like ancient. I have spent the day taking pictures, playing with the dogs and tidying up around the house. Not a real memorable birthday. Tony got me a fantabulous Canon Macro lens for the camera - and I'll have it in a few short days. I can't wait to play around with it! It is going to awesome, I'm sure. If spring would, well, spring, then I can take all the flower shots I am looking forward to taking! Fun!

Here is some of the stuff I've been working on:


These were taken when my sister and her kids were here for my homecoming. We went down to VA Beach because they had never seen the ocean before...




And this is what I did with the pictures:

I know, the background is distracting, but that recliner and curtain are pulling double duty until I get a photo studio set up! (dreaming big, now!)

Here are some silly photos Tony and I took last night:

Holy crap, we laughed so hard we almost cried while we were messing around with the camera!
You can check out some of the other stuff I have done by going over to 2 Peas in a Bucket and taking a gander. http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/userprofile.asp?user_id=222065