FLOWER CHALLENGE

At Steff's Stuff there's a flower challenge.  Since I wrote on Lora's blog about her not liking the color black, I felt obligated to design a black flower design.  So Lora, thanks for the inspiration.

Have a prosperous day.
Elaine

SNOW DAY AND CARDS

Another snow day, and tomorrow guarantees more.  Great day to work in the studio.  Still making birthday cards for family members. Here are a few...

Keep warm and keep the faith.
Blessings,
Elaine

SONG BIRD

Here's a brave songbird chirping along, in the cold New England winter.  She warms my soul.  My friend, Lisa, via Melissa introduced me to a wonderful place to hang, called Brave Girls Club.  What inspiration.  Check it out!

Enjoy hearing the sounds of life today!
Blessings,
Elaine

CARDS AND SNOW

71 inches!  Record breaking snow fall this year in Connecticut.  It's snowing right now, but only a soft powder and lightly, very lightly.  Here's a picture of what is left of my angel bird feeder, and to the right, my bird bath is under snow.

Joined a few scrapping sistah's on Skype last night; Lisa, Melissa and Susan.  Made two cards, while chatting away.  Nice visit with the girls.  I make cards for the person in mind.  Thus the, um, unique look of each!   

Off to studio, more cards to make.
Blessings,
Elaine

SNOW DAY

It's almost time, according to the weather folks, for up to 10 inches of snow to commence. These pictures were taken four days ago, after the last blast of snow.  This is a close up of a 6 foot icicle!  Mighty big and you hear them kaboom every so often, when the sun warms up in the big state of Connecticut. 

This is one of Connecticut's tobacco barns, down the road, all covered in snow.  They are the prettiest barns I've seen, distressed, rusty, all the down and dirty goodness that I love so in nature and art.

My snow garden, full of plants longing to bloom this May.  My chair, wonder if I'll see the top of it after this storm.  It was actually that dark and dreary outside, when I took this almost white out conditions, picture.

Keep the faith, keep warm

Elaine

CARDS

My New Year's resolution, to make all the family cards for the year.  And so far, so good.  I'm up to February.  With the snow storm about to arrive, I'll have more time to finish them.  Nothing like a good Nor'eastern to keep you in your studio.  I used Stampin Up stamps, Glimmer Mist and some pretty beads and flowers for these.  A bit of distress and they are ready to be mailed!  YEA! 

Blessings,

Elaine

Christmas 2010

Our daughter set up the Christmas tree this year.  What a wonderful surprise for us!  And, it is so beautiful.  What blessings we have, our children.

Christ is Christmas

Elaine

DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS

I need a new bumper stickers on my van.  I brake for tag sales, curb diving, gardens, churches, steeples, dilapidated buildings, scrapbook stores, etc... I'm sure my wonderful husband can name a few more things I've asked him to stop at.

This old building is so beautiful, cracked, crippled, peeling, such beautiful vintage colors to watch as the season's change in New England.     

 Doors! Old hardware, colors, adjustments, love them all.  I'd love to open that door and visit inside, but afraid the entire place would cave in.  But what colors, peeled paint, vintage styles I would find in there.  Inspiration for me.

 Steps leading up to who knows where. 

Steeples, rises, did I mention how awestruck they are.  Look at the colors, what an art palette!

I took 79 pictures around this worn down facility.  My youngest daughter sat in the car and actually counted and laughed while I was doing my thing.  She's the best, she know's her Mama well!

I hope you find inspiration in all you view.

Blessings,

Elaine

CREATIVE FRIENDS

Here my youngest daughter is wearing an apron with a print from "The State Collection."  Lori Matney Young is the talented artist.  How do I know her?  I went to school with her.  We sat in art class together, year after year, in high school.  Just a few years back, ha!  Her art work has been feature nationally in Southern living Magazine and Romantic Homes Magazine. 

Check out her Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lyoungstudio 

Here is an upclose of the print on the apron.

And I had to attend Sue's holiday sale at Moses Allen Collection, here in Connecticut.  She is a gifted artist.  I just love this one.  He's a cutey.  I bought him for someone, but decided I could not part with it.  You ever do that?

Those are my finds for the day, off to make more crafts, tags, and a few more Christmas cards for the family.  Happy Holidays to all.

Peace.

Elaine



Still ticking...

New Year's resolution, nah...just my own...to post on my blog again, and to a few boards.  I've been creating, but not posting.  For shame, I know.  But am correcting that matter, now that I am no longer homeschooling...

Here is just one teeny tiny portion of the studio, the entire 8 foot desk top is covered just like this, looks like an assembly line.  These are not the finished product.  As a true lefty, I work from right to left, so a lot of the supplies are on my left side, out of sight from the pictures.  These are some fun tags for family members, unique qualities for each of them.

 This is the naughty pile.  Naughty for me not to have them wrapped and ready for mail outs.  Oh well, it's always fun to get home made gifts after Christmas. 

May the blessings of Christmas be abundant to you.
Peace!
Elaine

Until Spring

This is the last of the Western and English riding outdoors until Spring.  It will be missed, but we will be back!

 Happy Trails,

 Elaine

Fall

A FEW THINGS I'VE DONE

Playing with some different background textures on a few of these pieces.  Also working with some new stamps from Stampington and Co.

Hope you enjoyed the visit.  Thanks for looking!

Elaine

VINTAGE WITH A DAB OF STEAM PUNK

I love steam punk designs, but also still like to throw a bit of fun into the mixture.  Here is another hat, with a bit of flair.  I don't think you will see it worn at the Kentucky Derby, but maybe Johnny Depp will wear it in his next movie!

Here's the top, there is a bird on the hat...

And a french Merci MOO card tag.

Have a beautiful day.  Thanks for visiting.

Elaine

A Few More Published Pieces

Tea Party!  Got to love those with the Mad Hatter.  Here are a few pieces of mixed media that were published.  I enjoyed the challenge of this, approaching it differently.  Hope you enjoy the view.

The Duchess.  A wonderful mixed media that was published this month.  It is a tea party menu!

Chartreuse.  A crazy chartreuse layout.  And a close up of the curls.

Here's the magazine that these were published in. 

Thanks for looking.  Have a blessed day.

Elaine

Art Work Published

Hey...I got a few cards published in the Stampers' Sampler Catch Up Issue.  Always a motivator to create more, even during the second heat wave of New England!

This is is a mixed media MOO card         Purple stamped friendship card

Thanks for stopping by.

Peace,

Elaine

Lady Shallot-Aubergine

Here's my take on Lady Shallot, Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem.  What can I say that I have not already said on this blog.  I love purple, hopeless romantic, my studio is stuffed with vintage mixed media supplies...just had fun making this for me.

Thanks for looking.
Have a blessed day.
Elaine

GENEALOGY AND SCRAP PAPER

I fell in love...

 with art, art supplies, paper

with genealogy, research, and...

I fell in love...again

Ancestory.com and K&Company made these papers!  Both my girls were with me at the lss and the oldest, who also researches genealogy, we just stared, blinked, gulped and grabbed them all. 

This is the family record...I've already used it in a few layouts, just cutting items out, but also planned to use it simply for genealogy. 

This is so cool, all you need is the research data. I've torn into other mixed media projects, also.

And the pedigree chart ...all my research, on one page, or rip, tear, cut, or use it as it is...isn't is so exciting...yes, I have a paper fetish, and I know I am not the only one...

and the family story, this is so versatile, I've used vellum and adhered it over the lines, cut out the frame, the words, etc...

Blessings,

Elaine