Homemade Christmas

Now that Christmas has come and gone, I can show some of my homemade gifts.

This is one of three message boards I made for my Mom, Sister-in-law and Sister.  It is a Dollar Store metal serving tray spray painted with Chalk Board Paint.  I then glued the flowers on.  My husband drilled holes in the top and I threaded ribbon through them.  The cool thing about these message boards is that since they are metal you can use small magnets to hold photos or whatever and you can write on it with chalk.  Pinterest never lets me down.

This is a stretched canvas of burlap.  I bought a big "G" for my sister Gwen which I put all sorts of goodies on including a bit of dictionary page that is for Sister.  Then I glued it onto the burlap background.  I added a piece of ribbon that is attached at the back so that she can clip pictures or whatever to it.  Again I would like to thank my Pinterest addiction for this idea.

For my Dad the artist I did an 8x10 canvas.  I spread modeling paste through two different stencils with a pallet knife. I then embedded bits of watch parts like stems and bits of the inner workings into the wet modeling paste.  I used spray inks and let them drip and mix on the canvas.  I used gold glitter mist over all.   I call this "Losing Time".  Even though Dad is a pastel artist he loved it.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

An Attitude of Gratitude - Catching Up

Day 17 - Occasions

Day 18 - Positivity

Day 19- Questions

Thanks for stopping by.
~Pam

An Attitude of Gratitude - Days 15 & 16

I am really behind with my pages.  But, I have a wonderful reason.  My first grandchild was born on November 19th at 8:32.  I have been a little preoccupied since then.

Meet Lydia Alyse Haun

She has got Nanna wrapped around her teeny tiny finger.  I am smitten!

But, I have managed to get two pages done today to share.

Day 15  -Motivation

Day 16- Noise

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

An Attitude of Gratitude - Day 14

Life

The technique today is to use one of the resist techniques on the An Attitude of Gratitude challenge.  I tried the glue stick resist technique.  It didn't quite work out as I wanted but the background colors are really nice.  To get a bit more interest I sprayed white linen through a stencil.  I quite like the effect.

Thanks for stopping by.
~Pam

An Attitude of Gratitude - Day 13

Knowledge

Once again today the challenge is to use a resist technique.  I chose the wax resist technique from the YouTube video that was posted.  I cut a piece of light weight cardboard down to the size of my Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Then I used oil pastels to color the high spots since I don't have any regular waxy crayons.  After I colored the piece with the oil pastels I used my White Linen paint dauber to color in between the embossing.  I let this all dry and then went over the high spots again with the oil pastels just to darken it up a bit.

I moved on to the background.  This I completely messed up then tried to fix by covering it with gesso.  This didn't work out quite as expected so I put some more acrylic paint on the page and didn't like this either.  By this time it was late and I was just DONE!  So I brushed a light watered down layer of gesso on to mute the colors.  Then sprayed a little bit of white ink on just to be safe.  I had some white letters and stuck those down.  Cut out two oval shapes from paper to write the quote and verse on then stuck it all down.

Not in love with this page at all.  It actually looks better in the picture than it is.  But you can't have a masterpiece every time you sit down to work.  I am slowly learning that it is OK to not like something.  You just turn the page and you have a new white blank canvas to start again.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

An Attitude of Gratitude - Day 12

Today's challenge was to use one of the resist techniques.  While I liked the techniques and plan to try them that were provided on the webpage, I looked for other on YouTube and found this one:

I liked this and decided that I would try it.

I used one of the few embossing folders I have for my Cuttlebug which is a swirled pattern a lot like the one in the video.

 I decided to put this on a tag rather than the page in my journal.  I ironed the wax paper and my tag and the pattern stood out pretty well even before inking.

I inked the tag with Dylusion inks.  It was subtle but very pretty.  A darker color would have probably brought out the design better but I was satisfied with what I had.

I painted the background of the page with acrylic paints and a wash of watered down gesso then a quick spritz of white spray ink..

I think the overall effect of the pages with the tag turned out nicely.

Thanks. for stopping by.
~Pam

Attitude of Gratitude - Day 11

Ideas

For the texture on this background I brushed on a very heavy layers of gesso.  I immediately laid a crocheted doily on top of the gesso and pressed gently in several different areas of the page.  I let this dry.  I then sprayed the pages with several colors of Dylusions ink sprays in Bubblegum, Funky Fuchsia, and Dirty Martini.  Once this was dry I dry brushed a metallic acrylic paint randomly over the pages.  I stamped the header on a piece of white card stock, inked the edges, cut it out and glued it down to the page.  I cut hearts out of white card stock and two different patterns of paper and inked the edges and glued them down.  I had some random punched out hearts left over from the baby shower and decided to glue them on also.  I wrote the quote in one white heart and the verse in the other.  It is really hard to see but there is a lot of texture to the page.  I also "bubbled" the metallic paint in a couple of places by mistake but liked the effect.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

An Attitude of Gratitude Day 10

HOME

Today's page brought out the inner child in me.  I brushed on a thick layer of gesso and drew into it with the end of my paintbrush.  Then I brushed on paint and inks. This was a fun page to work on.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam 

Attitude of Gratitude Days 8 & 9

FUN

For this page I chose to use gesso through a stencil.  For the background I used Distress stains with one spritz Dylusions ink on each page.  Then I used the gesso though a flower stencil.  When I dried the page some of the gesso bubbled up around the edges.  I liked the effect so next page will be with the gesso bubble technique.

Generosity 

On to the gesso bubble technique.  I applied my gesso fairly heavily to the page.  Then "bubbled" it with my heat tool.  Cool effect!  Then I used pastels since I don't own any pan pastels.  I sprayed the pastels with some hairspray to set it.  I went over the high places with some bronze distress ink.  I brushed thinned gesso over all to tone down the colors.  I like the muted colors.  

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Pam 

An Attitude of Gratitude-Day 7

Experience

I love finding ways to use things on my pages that I find like the cardboard packaging I found at work today.  I'm not sure what it was used for but someone was throwing it away and I saved it from the trash.

After using distress inks to ink up the background I cut the heart out of the cardboard.  I sprayed the heart with distress ink and dry brushed it with bronze acrylic paint.

I cut 1" circles with my punch out of newspaper and scrunched them up and made a couple of flowers to add to the ribbon and attached a butterfly.  I am pleased with the overall effect.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

An Attitude of Gratitude - Day 6

Declaration

I am really loving using all my distress inks and paints.  I have used new techniques that I didn't know about and the effects they create are so wonderful.  Now I'm wondering do I even need paints?

Today's page came together fairly quickly.  I didn't use any one specific technique.  On my drive home from work, I was enjoying the fall leaves that are left on the trees.  The sun was shinning in just such a way that they seemed to shine on the trees.  I wanted to try to recreate that look and feel on my page.  Not sure I am satisfied with the effects but it looks pretty.

For the background I inked using red, pink and black distress inks.  Then I stamped the leaves and using water I tried to take the color out of them.  Then I recolored them with distress markers.  I stamped over a few of them with clear embossing ink and clear embossing powder to produce some "shine".  This didn't produce the effect I was really going for but it worked somewhat.  I stamped and cut out the tittle and printed out and cut out the quote and verse.  I inked the edges and glued to the page.  

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

An Attitude of Gratitude-Day 5

Community

Today's page background is made using Ranger Distress Stains swiped randomly over the page and then sprayed with water and wiped with a baby wipe.  The idea for the tag was taken from a tutorial by Tammy Tutterow.  She makes the loveliest tags and posts a tutorial each Tuesday. 

I really love how this page turned out.  I am loving these pages using Ranger inks and stains.  I have never explored all the techniques you can use them with.  The effects are fantastic.

ThAnks for stopping by.

~Pam

Attitude of Gratitude - Day 4

Bucket List

Today's page background was done with random spraying of Ranger Dylusions inks.  I don't have a bucket stamp but I do have the cute jar stamp that I stamped on watercolor paper and cut out.  I stamped the tag and cut it out and used twine to "tie" it to the top of the jar with the words "Bucket List" printed and cut out then glued to it.  I stamped a random swirly stamp on the background then cut out and inked the verse and quote.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

Attitude of Gratitude - Day 3

Acceptance

The technique I used for today's page was to stamp squares of distress ink from the pad directly onto the page.  Then I spritzed with water, dried and spritzed again.  I sprayed white linen across the page to tone down the colors a bit. I stamped the page randomly with a script stamp and black archival ink then stamped the flowers and leaf patterns. I cut out and inked the banner, quote and verse and glued to the page.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

Attitude go Gratitude - Day 2

Attitude

I decided to use Distress Stains to make the background of this page.  I don't have many but I swiped them all on the page randomly then spritzed with water.  A quick drying and then another layer, dry, repeat.  I think I did a total of about 4 layers.

I stamped the word of the day using stamped letters from Dyan Reavely.  Instead of inking them I brushed them with Distress markers.  After stamping the letters I cut them out and inked the edges.  I decided to hand write the quote and verse.  I added the heart cut from card stock and voila....done!

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

Attitude of Gratitude-Day1

Permission

I'm participating in An Attitude go Gratitude 2013 this year over the month of November.  This is hosted by Bernice Hopper.  The challenge for the next couple of days will be to use one of the Ranger Distress techniques.  Bernice has posted videos of a whole pot full of them.

I watched every one of the videos and it was really hard to decide which one to use first.  I love the idea that Bernice has come up with using the same type of technique over several days.  I settled on the Making a Scene technique.  

I began by cutting down a piece of watercolor paper to fit my journal page and then started by swiping the distress ink pads across the paper.  Then I sponged and swiped different inks using a torn piece of paper as a mask.  I stamped the bare tree using Rich Cocoa ink.

I printed out the verse and quote.  I cut out the word of the day and tore around the verse and quote then inked all edges.  After fixing them to the page I wrote my journaling.

I'm very happy with the way this turned out.  I'm always amazed at the effects you can get with distress ink.  I guess I'm grateful to be able to buy and create with these products.

Thanks for stopping by.

~pam

Tiny Crafting Matchbox Size

Yesterday I made the altered altoid tin after seeing the challenge to go small at Anything But a Card. Then I started looking on (you guessed it) Pinterest where I found some amazing tiny treasures made from matchboxes.  Then I found that they weren't actual matchboxes but were home made using a template.  We'll mind blown!!!

I had to try this so I googled matchbox template and found several but decided I liked Rachel's matchbox template.

Outside cover...

Inside vignette.

I can't tell you how much fun I had making this tiny treasure.  I will be entering in the mini challenge "small is beautiful" at Anything but a Card.

Thanks for stopping by.

~pam

Paris in a Tin

I had an empty leftover Altoid tin and some new stamps.  Hmmm.  Now what can I do with these?

Here is my little altered tin that I created
.

I had fun making this little beauty.  Someone asked me what I was going to do with it.  Do?  With it?  I don't think about that when the inspiration to make hits.  I guess just put it on a shelf and look at it now and then. What do you do with all your little goodies?

I think I will be entering this in the Anything But a Card mini challenge Small is Beautiful by MrsBeez otherwise known as Lisette.  Although this is a bit bigger than a matchbox it is still small enough to qualify I think.  It is smaller than a large box of kitchen matches....LOL.

I believe I will also enter this in the Anything Goes challenge over at Simon Says Stamp challenge.

Thanks for stopping by.
~pam

Halloween Tag

It's getting close to Halloween and I wanted to use my new stamps.  The challenge for this month at Anything But A Card is Black &Orange.  I haven't made a tag for awhile so that is what I decided to do.

At Simon Monday Challenge Blog the challenge is Spooky.  I think this will work for that challenge too so I am entering my little beauty there also.  It was so much fun making this tag.

Hope you have a spooky Halloween!

~pam

Busy In October

I haven't had much chance to post this month.  My hubby and I have been busy every weekend.  So this weekend is a do nothing weekend.  We celebrated my parents 60th anniversary with my brothers and sister.  Last Sunday was the baby shower for my son and daughter-in-law.  We are expecting our first grandchild in December.

For the shower I made sashes for Mommy, Nana (that's me), and Mimi (Lisa's mother).

I painted some wooden owl boxes that we used for the plastic utensils.

 And since this was a couples shower, my son set up a TV in a little room in the back to show manly movies so the guys wouldn't lose too many points on their man cards.  He wanted a sign to say "Man Zone so I painted an owl on a piece of lumber my husband found in the garage.

Thanks for stopping by.

~pam

Heart Art

I'm not sure why but the last few journal pages have had a heart theme.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pam

12 Months in View-September

I've fallen behind in the 12 Months in View challenges.  At the start of the month, we were challenged to make a Fall introductory page.  I haven't played with my Faber-Castell gelatos but the colors seemed perfect for this page.  I also got my August Kit of the Month stamps for Unity Stamp Company that had some wonderful leaf stamps.

It has been a great day.  Worked in the yard and cleaned up the deck and patio.  Put out some mums and hung the Fall wreath.  I made some of the most delicious pork chops for dinner and then played in my art journal.  Now if Marshall University will only win the Battle of the Bell football game against Ohio University the day will be complete.

Thanks for stopping by.

p j Haun

Time in a Journal

Working in my newest journal, I decided to do a page with a Time theme.  I found all these great time quotes.  I also have several different clock stamps.  I made the journal page and an ATC with this theme.  I stuck the ATC on the journal page just for some dimension and texture.  I used both black and clear embossing powder for the clock stamps.

I am entering this page in the Simon Says Stamp blog challenge - Embossed.

Glad you stopped by.  Come visit again soon.

~p j haun

Hit the Books

The challenge this week at Anything But a Card challenge #27 is Hitting the Books.  

My interpretation is this little tag.

I used a Kraft tag and adhered part of an old dictionary page.  I used the page with words that are associated with books. 

The home made rolled flower is supposed to represent an apple but not sure if it translated too well.  And crawling up the side of the tag is a little book worm.

Hope you enjoyed your visit to my little blog.  

~p j Haun

Gift Card Holder

Tomorrow is my boss Carolyn's birthday.    Several of us went together and got her a gift card.  I wanted to make acute holder for it.  I played with papers and inks and came up with this cutie.

I think she will like it.  I do!


I am entering my gift card holder in the September Challenge "Layers" at Country View Crafts Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam

Journal Love

I found this great quote on Pinterest and it inspired this page.  I had some newspaper that I had previously used to cover my workspace while spraying inks on another project so I cut the hearts from that.  It's a pretty simple page but I like how it turned out.

I am going to enter this journal page in the mini challenge at Anything But a Card this week with Julie Short.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Pam