A Simply Artful Home

Hello everyone.  I'm really happy that you decided to visit today because I have a cute little project to share with you.  It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time.  After the Summer of Color3 wrapped up, I decided I was going to create A Simply Artful Home, for the birds!

Here it is!

 

 

I've had the bird house for quite a while and I decided to work on it a few months ago when I found these fantastic papers at my absolute favorite paper arts store,  The Queen's Ink.  I love poppies  and I loved the polka dot paper.  Both the house and the paper sat in my studio since May and last week I decided the time had come.  So, I got to work! 

 

I painted the house with red acrylic paint and then made a pattern for the front and back so I could cut the polka dot paper accurately.  That was easier said than done, but it worked out after a few adjustments.  The roof used a coordinating stripe and then it was time for the poppies.  I love making flat things dimensional so I cut duplicates of each flower.  I applied the first set to the front of the house and then cut the parts that were the front petals of each flower and attached them to the corresponding part on the flower with foam tape.  I then used a toothpick to curl parts of the edges.  I had already glued a die cut medallion with a hole cut in the middle around the opening.  At this point I didn't know how to proceed.  While walking around Michael's one day I came across these little picket fence pieces in the unpainted wood aisle.  I also found the little bird.  He was pink but a little Distress stain took care of that.  I painted the fence pieces and sponged some Vintage Photo Distress ink on them.  The little bird on the fence was a Tim Holtz charm that I painted to look rusty. 

A little moss at the base of the fence and the little newly colored bird completed the front.  The sides also had the fence pieces and the  moss.  The moss served to help glue the fence to the base and added a little shrubbery to the house. 

 

I then went to work on the back.

 

 

 

More fence and moss, of course, but also a sign to let everyone know that this is a simply artful house!   The key hole and key is in the back so that it's not readily seen from the front and other birds can't just go in and make themselves at home!!!  I don't know if you do that, but I often create a little story in my head when I'm working on a project like this.

 

 

Here are some close ups of the details.

 







 



The side and roof.

 

 

 

The rusty fence ornament.

 

And, the flowers.

 

I hope you've enjoyed the tour of the artful bird house.  I had a great time making it.  Thank you for visiting my blog today.  I hope you have a wonderful day and that you do something creative!

 



The Last Fall Post

We're into December and I'm busy working on Christmas projects, beading and paper.  I love making decorations, especially ornaments, for my family and for the house.  I try to start early in the year, but I don't get very far. I need the immediacy of the the holiday season to spark ideas.  But, before I put Fall behind me this year I wanted to share some of the tags I've made for the Fall/Thanksgiving season since it's one of my favorite times of the year.   There will be several pictures but not much commentary.  I'm just sharing!







Two Thanksgiving Tags, one from last year and one from this year.

The metal leaves on this one have been enameled with embossing powder.  A cool technique!



Well, that's it!  All the Fall things have been put away until next year. I'm on to Christmas and I'll be sharing some of the ornaments and other things I've made and am still planning to work on. 

Have a great Sunday and thanks for stopping by.

Time to Think of Hearts

This time of year, late January, when everything outside is wearing it's subtle winter colors, I start to think of Valentine's Day with it's bright happy red hearts and flowers!  I've loved Valentine's Day since I was a child because it injected a bright spot just when I thought the sun was gone forever!  My mom always made my cousin and me heart shaped cakes and gave us little gifts with hearts on them!  I've continued that tradition with my family. 

This year Michelle Mach has a challenge going on her blog.  She has been embossing cards and offered 25 people the oportunity to receive one of them and then alter it for Valentine's Day.  She'll post pictures of all the cards on her blog on Valentine's Day.  Since I've decided to finally act on my love of paper arts I decided to ask Michelle for one of the cards.  Everyone had a choice of 3 different cards and I chose the one with the embossed leaves. 

It's so pretty and I had an idea for what I wanted to do with it as soon as I saw it.  This just a tease.  The card will be revealed on Valentine's Day.  So, stay tuned.  I've got some other Valentine projects in the works as well.

Not much bead jewelry going on right now.  I've been doing some wirework and I'll post my latest pendant in a few days, once I have it completed.  I've also been working on a knitted birthday present for a friend.  So, can't post that until after she gets it!  Just in case she decides to check out the blog!  But, I have to get started on the Beading Babes project soon.  So, lots to come. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you have a wonderful day and that you get to create something you love.



Little Colonial Christmas House

One of several paper art projects I managed to work on and finish in the weeks before Christmas.  It was part of a competiton Patty at The Queen's Ink in Savage Mill thought up.  The houses are on display in the store until January 15, 2012.  

This little house was a challenge for me to start because paper art is something I love, but I don't do as much of it as I would like.  Once I started, with some prompting from my husband and daughter, I really got into it and thoroughly enjoyed the time spent creating it. It didn't start out to be a little colonial building, but since that's the architecture I'm drawn to the most that's what it became!  

Here's a front view: 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  We did at our house, family and dear friends, what more can you ask!

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy the remainder of the the holiday season!