March Book Give Away!

This month we are giving away an autographed copy of Jill K. Berry's fantastic new book!  I have had the pleasure of reading about all the wonderful creative maps that have been created over the previous years and Jill based her book on these wonderful historical images.  She challenges us to create our own maps, using her book as a guide.  Fun, fun fun!!  Leave a comment below for a chance to win this month's book giveaway.  One entry per person please and I will have a winner chosen on the 15th of March.

For a sneak peek-click the book cover in the left sidebar, to go to Amazon.com where you can view some of the pages in this book.

(Note: I am an affiliate of Amazon, which allows me to offer these amazing books to you, quickly and easily.  In return, I get a few cents for each purchase you make.   So far, your purchases have allowed me to buy this book!  Thanks!)

Do You Play Bunco?

If you like to play Bunco and if you are hosting a game soon, here are some printable score cards and tally sheets that I created for a friend, that you can print off, cut apart and decorate for St. Patty's Day.   Simply click  the image and "Save As".  They print to a regular 8.5 x 11" sheet of cardstock.  Have fun!

Book Reviews

I recently had the opportunity to preview some recently released books and a few that will be coming on the market soon.  In the right sidebar, there are links to two of these books.
Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts is an inspiring book that features over 200 craft projects.  Her creative teams, never cease to amaze me with their creative projects from new & recycled materials over and over again.  This book is fabulous for quick and easy projects, including: hand-dyed eggs with natural dyes, banners, greeting cards, holiday decor and so much more.  I am again inspired by the projects shared in this new book, published just a couple of months ago.
Beyond Snapshots: This is a fantastic book for the beginning digital photographer.  It covers everything that you could possibly want to know or need, to take great photos.  As a photographer of old-using 35mm film, this book inspired me to grab my digital camera and try out a few of the suggestions made.  Take a walk around your house and see what you can find that brings a smile to your face and while you are at, learn how to make the necessary setting changes to your DSLR camera for indoor shooting!  Fabulous book!  Available next month!!  Put it on your wish list!

Creative Shapes Workshop! SOLD OUT!

Sorry, this workshop is now SOLD OUT!  For information on upcoming workshops, please follow the workshop blog:  HERE!

And the Winner is!

Our 11th comment is the winner of this fabulous autographed book from Nancy Curry and that person is: Carol B.  Congratulations!!

This is the book giveaway for February and it is a fabulous book!  There are 40 projects that can be used for rubber stamping or incorporated into your mixed media projects.  Over in the left sidebar, I also have a link to Amazon, where you can purchase this Oldie but Goodie!  I am featuring it as this month's book giveaway because Nancy Curry will be our Guest Author over at Arttechniques and Latest Trends yahoo groups for the month of March.  Come and join us!  (The links are provided in earlier book give away posts and at the bottom of the left sidebar).
The winner of this book giveaway will be announced on Feb. 15th!!  Good Luck!!
You must leave me a comment with a way to reach you if you win!  I cannot approve any comments that do not offer me a way to reach you!  Try again!

February Book Technique

We have just gotten our February book technique under way: "Self Portraits" following the instructions in Pam Carriker's awesome book: "Art at the Speed of Life".  Here is my final "work in progress" portrait that I adapted from a vintage image.  This was so much fun and super easy to do!  I hope you will join us for some fun mixed media projects this year!

January Book Winner Announced!

"Art at the Speed of Life" autographed book from Pam Carriker was our bookgiveaway for the month of Jan. I had only 34 comments, but I contribute that to the fact, most of us already had this awesome book. Those who left me comments, thank you! Hubby selected the winning number this morning based on our temperature outside, which was 22o and snowing! Urgh! That means: Sandi (SugarbushFarms) is our lucky winner!  Thanks everyone for leaving a comment!  The next giveaway will be Feb. 1st!

Another Book GiveAway!

Our guest author for the month of February is none other than Pam Carriker author of this fabulous book.  We have selected the mixed media technique that she will share with us and it is going to be a riot of fun.  If you would like to win an autographed copy of this book, please leave a comment below with a way for me to contact you if you should win this awesome prize! 
If you would like a sneak peek at the techniques this book offers, click the link over in the left sidebar. 
If you haven't joined the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Arts, you can do so by clicking the link at the bottom of the left sidebar.

The winner of this book giveaway will be announced on Jan. 16th, so leave a comment!

January Monthly Book Technique

We officially started our monthly mixed media art techniques today over at The Latest Trends in Mixed Media and Arttechniques yahoo groups. 
Here is a sample of a finished textured panel that I made using the instructions from Mary Beth Shaw's book of the month, "Flavor of Mixed Media".  If you would like to join us, the link to LTT is at the bottom of the left sidebar and the link to AT is in the post below.  Please come and join us for a whole year of fun mixed media techniques. 

Congratulations!

Wowsers-we had 36 comments for the book giveaway for Mary Beth Shaw's amazing book: "Flavor of Mixed Media".  I asked my hubby to choose a number and he chose #32!  Our 32nd comment was left by...drum roll please.... Ina Ftack!   Congratulations!!  You are this month's winner!
Be sure to check back again soon, as I will be hosting more book give-aways in the coming months.  If you love mixed media, please come and join us at the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Arts or Arttechniques (Links are below.) for some fun, new and unique mixed media art techniques and/or art projects throughout 2012. 

Book Giveaway!

It's time for some fun and what better way than to give a wonderful book away, just in time for Christmas!  You've seen this book cover before-it's there in the left sidebar and if you haven't ordered your copy yet, here is a chance to win a copy signed by the author herself!  Mary Beth Shaw is our guest author for the month of January 2012 over at the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Yahoo group (link is in the left sidebar-scroll down to the bottom) and is offering us a chance to win her book!  It is chock full of wonderful eye-candy and great mixed media techniques!  On Jan. 2nd I will be posting the tutorial for a wonderful fun technique and sharing a link to a video that will show you exactly how this fun technique is created.  If you are a member of Arttechniques, you will also get to play, as this technique will also be posted for your enjoyment.  Here is the link to join: arttechniques if you are not a member and would like to join., Sherre has hosted lots of fun techniques over the years and together we will host more in 2012!  Come join us!
For the book give-away, leave your name and a way to contact you in case you are our Winner!!  I will use a random generator (my dear hubby-will pick a number) and I will be contacting the Winner on Dec. 15th and posting the Winner's name here!  Good Luck Everyone!

Tragic Events

The Powell family has suffered several major traumas and a great loss this past week. Your prayers are needed. You can read about the events here. and please leave comments for the family.   We will all be reading them and gaining support from you.  Thank you my friends!  Cindy

Paper Ornament Tutorial

Today I found a wonderful site the has some printable Christmas templates. along with a variety of other interesting art projects and coloring pages for your kids.  I downloaded the Bethlehem star template and made a conversion to allow me to create this ornament in 3 layers and 3 different papers.   Here is the altered template I made, for you to download and print to create your own ornaments.  Once you have the template printed, select a variety of scrapbooking artist papers or cardstock.  I made a cardboard pattern to use over and over again, as I made quite a few of these ornaments to use as gift tags as well.  Trace your pattern pieces on the papers you have selected and cut them out. 
I ran all my pieces through the cuddle bug to dry emboss them and give the ornament more dimensional effects.  I also lightly sanded the #1 template pieces after they were embossed, giving more texture to the ornament as well. 

 Layer the different templates starting with #3, add #2 and finish with the #1 template, holding them together, create a hole in the middle to add a brad.  I chose to use several purchased paper snowflakes for the center adding a 3-D feel to the ornaments.  Then I used a ribbon hole-hand punch to thread ribbon through to create  hanging loops.  Mine are pretty simple, but you could definitely jazz these up with some glitter, tinsel, additional embellishments, etc.  Don't forget to sign your ornaments and hang them on your tree, use as gift tags, embellish packages or swap with friends.  These are headed to Bea for our LTMM yahoo groups November swap.  There's still time to play-come and join us!  The link is at the bottom of the left sidebar (I think-LOL-I know it is in one of the side bars!)

Events for 2012

Starting in January, I will be hosting monthly mixed media techniques based on instructions from new and older books on mixed media art.  Over in the left column, you will see a book titled: "Flavor for Mixed Media" by: Mary Beth Shaw.  This book maybe the first one featured and one technique from this book, could be used for our January workshop.  Mary Beth and I are working out the details but to join in on the fun, you just need to sign up as a member at: LTMM  Once your membership has been approved, you will start receiving messages posted at this yahoo group and you can access the files which are loaded with past workshops.  (All files are copyrighted-but you are free to follow the instructions to create your own artworks.)  More info later so stay tuned...Do you like collage?  I will be offering a few book giveaways here as I clean out my personal library to make room for some new releases.

Update!  "Flavor for Mixed Media" by Mary Beth Shaw is the book I will host in Jan. 2012!  With Mary Beth's permission, we will be doing one technique from her fabulous book during the month of January.  I will be posting more information and a giveaway soon!  Come join us!

Happy Halloween-2011