a post, a prize and a peek...

Hey...it's the last post of this decade...

Whoever thought @ the beginning of THIS decade we'd all have so much technology available to us?

Certainly not me....

A blog? what's that?
A blue tooth?? HUH???

Blackberry? as in FRUIT?
I-PHONE?
YaHOO GROUPS?
more groups...
I had no clue...

All this techno stuff sure makes it easy & FUN to connect with others who LOVE this ART form...

So to whoever "invented" the internet...
THANK YOU! It's PURE GENIUS!

Now to set the record straight...

In my last post I said I was BUSY...

DO NOT FEEL SORRY FOR ME...

everyone is BUSY...

I was NOT complaining, I was just tring to let you know why there probably won't be daily posts until after CHA...

I absolutely LOVE the work (? play?? hmmm ?whatever) I'm doing...

I LOVE RANGER...

I LOVE MAYA ROAD...

I LOVE STAMPERS ANONYMOUS...

especially MY STAMPS...ha! and wait 'til you see the new ones.........yippee!

and I LOVE Tim's IDEA-OLOGY STUFF A LOT...

I LOVEEEEEEEEE DEMOING for RANGER @ CHA!!!

I LOVE traveling to teach...it's very inspiring and makes me happy...

I LOVE that I'm too busy to go for groceries ...an extra PERK!

I'm having FUN...and that's why I do what I do...

and when I'm not having fun...

then I'll quit.

Simple...lecture over!

Let's move on...

Now about that Christmas Eve peek...

the hand is a current stamp from the mail art set, not a new one...

Some of the stamps in the peek are obvious...

some...NOT SO...I planned it that way!

I guess you'll just have to trust me on this one...

there are 8...I know that for a fact!

I got several comments & emails too, when I mentioned "the move" in the previous post...

NO...we're NOT moving...

GOD FORBID!!! NEVER AGAIN...I HOPE!!!

I meant the cabinet move...

I mentioned we need to hire a painter before bring the cabinet home, but the other thing is that we need to find a new computer desk...

The one we are using is a vintage HUGE oak desk...

like 4 feet deep by probably at least 6 feet long...

we LOVE it, but a smaller one would look way better with the new cabinet here in the office...

and then it's probably time for a new computer...yuck...

One thing always leads to another doesn't it?

Moving on...

a few asked if I would be demoing @ the Grapevine Texas convention in January...nope...I'm trapped here in snowy UGLY Illinois 'til CHA...

But Ted will be there demoing...he's a TRIP!

PLEASE stop @ the Stampers Anonymous booth and visit with him...

his demoes are pure fun...I guarantee it!
Ask him to demo a flower...

It drives him NUTS...

I like that! It's a wonder I didn't get just coal from Santa...

I had a comment and an email asking if I make resolutions?
no...Not really...

but I do think about goals for the new year...

things I'd like to see accomplished...

DO YOU?

BOOK UPDATE...I don't have a "for sure" ship date yet...

My guess is sometime in February...but I don't have the official word from Ted yet...I'll let know know later...

but...it's coming along just fine...I'm pleased...and YES...I did use new distress ink colors...

I'm in LOVE...

you will be too!

and we have decided to NOT reprint book #1...

when it's gone...it's gone forever...

Book #2 ...according to Rick...is more advanced...

that's what he called it...I guess he means the projects?...

just thought you should know that little tidbit of info...

My dilema now is how to include the tips & hints from #1 into #2...

if someone doesn't have #1...they'll miss lots of basic helpful info...

if they DO have #1...it's a repeat...sort of...

but #2 will be updated with some new tips & hints...

I'm stumped trying to figure it out...

Hello...TIM? I think it's time for some EXPERT advice...

Drumroll...

...how about a prize for a RANDOM commenter?
Did you leave this comment???

if you did...

please send me your address & I'll send you a little goodie package!(wbv1213@hughes.net)

Well...u just crack me up! You type like I think! LMAO! Still love your blog and your work..cannot wait for new releases...luv the colors of the ink for sure...and your stamping! Jealous about that cupboard but dying to see it! You are so busy but so sweet to take time to type to us...luv that! I have to go read about random posts and packages...missed a few days over the holiday..hope yours was totally awesome! Cher

And since you ALL were SO VERY KIND to leave such nice comments...

Here's a little peek for (4) you! get it?

So the moral of the story?

*

Comments are GOOD...
Comments win prizes & more PEEKS...

*

I'm just sayin...

THANK YOU ALL for making 2009 so much fun...

THANKS to everyone who took classes...

THANKS to my blog friends...

*

NOW...

A HUGE...CHEERS!!!

Here's to 2010...

a whole new decade...

My wish for you?

Plenty of time to...

MAKE ART!

wendy

ps...take care...be safe...stay warm

and for those of you who are actually WARM already...

I'm jealous!

little things make me happy...

Stop the press!
YES...I'm OK...
just SUPER busy...

I KNOW I ALWAYS post on Monday...YIKES!!
I didn't & you sure let me know!
I'm so SORRY...

I hope your Christmas was PERFECT & fun...
It kills me that the prep takes so long & it's over in a flash...why is that?

NOPE...no new cabinet photos yet...
see #4 below...
plus with CHA deadlines...it may have to stay there 'til February...

plus...that will give the painter time to get here & repaint before the move...

mum's the word...that's a surprise for Rick...
I had this idea...
I think he likes surprises...
hmmm...sometimes NOT!
Maybe not this time...

I KNOW you want to see more color comparisons for the new distress inks...but the camera battery is DOA...
I waited an hour to post, but it's still charging...
so............stay tuned...

***there are 8 peeks in the Christmas eve photo***

Now... the little things that make me happy...

#1...you missing me...or my usual goofy Monday post!
THANKS!

#2...Rick going for groceries AGAIN...
I haven't been in MONTHS. I LOVE that guy!

#3...the BEARS FINALLY WON & played a decent game last night...SHOCKING!

#4...the snow has stopped...
we got 4 inches of RAIN on Christmas day, followed by 6 inches of the white stuff...
enough already!
We don't own a boat!

#5...the SUN is out...
FINALLY...
I'm so much more productive & inspired on sunny days...

#6...we're one day closer to spring...YIPPEE!

#7...FATE...I designed this certain new stamp & Maya Road sent a PERFECTLY coordinated little...can't say.
I used them together yesterday...PERFECT!

You'd think both were designed by the same someone & meant to be used together...
not so...

It's just FATE!

#8..sending loaded goodie boxes to random commenters from the group here...



#9...sending 3 book orders today too...
Christmas cash was burning a hole in 3 someone's pockets!


#10...reading all the BD comments to Rick...
THANK YOU!!!
He LOVED them & it made me oh so happy!


So the moral of the story today...
as evidenced by the photo above...


comments are good...
very good...


Time to...
make (CHA) art!
wendy

it's CHRISTMAS EVE!

YIPPEE!
FINALLY! I LOVE this day!

First on the agenda...
Let's go back to the new distress colors...
several asked (BEGGED) about the new distress color...
rusty hinge.
Sounds like you guys have been waiting for a color like this...you'll LOVE it for sure!

Here's my attempt @ showing the colors...
you can see they are 3 distinct colors...
So for Jill who asked if it matched the U of Texas color...
I hope this helps you decide...

Oh...and look...Wild Honey is so YUMMY TOO~!



Now about the surprise from my brother & nephew...
PHEW...I was totally blown away...sniff sniff...

Rick drove me to his mother's home, where Paul & Brian were waiting...
They opened the garage door & inside was a BEAUTIFUL antique cabinet...

When they found it...I guess it was totally black with old varnish, but in perfect condition...
not a crack or ding anywhere...

they saw a tiny spot where the varnish was rubbed off & knew it was walnut.

They bought it...and had it refinished by our friend who is a master @ refinishing furniture.
He said it was 150 to 175 years old and was shocked @ the great condition...

I don't have a photo...but I will when we get it here.

It's GIANT...about 7 feet tall, so I need to make a place for it, first of all...

PLUS...we had major rain & sleet yesterday, so not a good day for transporting it.

PLUS...it's so large it has to come here in Rick's horse trailer...

I can't wait...hopefully the weather will clear a bit & I'll get it here in the next week or so...
I'll show you then...

so...picture me...sniff sniff...trying not to loose it...PHEW!!!

NOW...
as promised...
a studio 490 4th release PEEK...

look closely...
there are LOTS of peeks in the photo...



The blue on the lower right is the new tumbled glass...
you'll also see rusty hinge & a hint of wild honey in the top right corner...

I'm anxious for you to tell me what you see...
how many new stamps can you spot?

That's it for today...gotta run... (I still have more to wrap YIKES!)

from Rick & I to ALL OF YOU...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS...

I hope it's THE BEST EVER!

Safe travels...enjoy your family & friends...

Remember that desserts have NO CALORIES on holidays...trust me! ENJOY!

I hope Santa brings you lots of goodies to...

make art!

wendy

ps..HAPPY BIRTHDAY (tomorrow) to my bestest friend & sweet hubby...he's a Christmas baby!

after 47 tries...

this is the best I can do...

BECAUSE...

#1...my photos skills suck
#2...there is NO SUN again today in cloudy UGLY dark & DREARY Illinois
#3...I think computer monitors don't show true colors...

So...keep that in mind...
Here's my combo of the NEW tumbled glass distress ink & pumice stone...

It IS much prettier in person...trust me!
It REALLY looks great with vintage silver...


Yes...that tim's new SIZZIX ALTERATIONS flower die...
OMG!!
I'm seriously...in LOVE!

The other dies are serious drool material too...another TRUST ME! I NEEEEEEED ---MUST HAVE them ALL!

Hey...I haven't lead you astray so far...have I?

Continuing with color...

I got emails asking to do a color comparison chart to show the difference in distress colors...

Please refer to #1, 2 & 3 above...

Here's one...that's fairly decent...

the others got trashed...

I'm NOT good at describing colors...
but trust me...
they are even better in person than they look on a screen...

The most frequent question yesterday was about rusty hinge...
NO...It's NOT marmalade...
it's more of a beautiful RUSTY color...
bet that's why tim chose that name...

it's AWESOME...
I used it yesterday...& LOVED IT!

I might use that as the sneak peek for tomorrow...or again...maybe not!

Guess we'll just wait & see what photo is acceptable...

And for those of you who think I'm showing you everything tomorrow ...

WRONG!

A peek means a peek...not the whole shebang...
we still got a month 'til CHA!
SHEESH.....

And speaking of teasing...
my brother called yesterday...
the conversation went like this...
his name is Paul...

Paul...hey Wen...what are you doing @ 4pm on Wednesday?
Me...working in the studio, making samples for CHA.

Paul...well you'll just have to take a break...Brian (his son) & I got you a combined BD & Christmas gift & you get to see it tomorrow @ 4pm...
Me...WHERE?

Paul...just get in the car @ 3:55 & Rick will drive you to the location...
Me...your house?
Paul...NOPE & NO HINTS...
the end...

So I texted him a few hours later asking if he or they made me something...
he's an AWESOME carpenter...
His response...no hints...
I used to like him a lot...

So think of me @ 4pm...
I have no clue what's going on...
rick does & has for 6 weeks...
he's really ROTTEN...
I used to like him too...
I'll deal with him later...

More tomorrow, as promised...

Now...
I'm off to...
make art!
and (starting to)wrap gifts might be a good idea too...
YIKES!
wendy

after 47 tries...

no photos...so I'm not jailbird...

Ok...sad to say, I was a good girl & didn't sneak any photos @ Anthropologie...
I almost did...I REALLY wanted to...
but there were too many witnesses..
and I doubt rubber & ink are allowed in a cell...

Their decor ideas amaze me...
take for instance a HUGE display...
maybe 12 feet by 8...
hanging high above the checkout counter...
it kind of looked like a cloud & it was all the bottoms of wine glasses...edged in blue ...paint?... a huge wow...

then there was a framed quilt...sticking out of a huge frame...looked really cool too...

I made a vintage ruler frame ages ago, but their displays were made from new unfinished rulers...
dimensional flower pots...loaded with stuff for sale...very interesting indeed...

what a fun job that must be...making art on a giant scale...

NEXT...

YIPPEE...tim showed his new inks yesterday ...then the emails started here...
I got this one from Nonnie...
Happy Birthdays!!! Happy Shopping!! OK, on to inkie things....now that Tim has released the 12 new Distress colours on his blog, curious minds want to know which 2 you kept reaching for at the holiday happening!! merry christmas to all....nonnie

I IMMEDIATELY fell in love with these 2...
They are great alone, but when combined...you get an awesome smokey blue...I LOVE IT!!!

Pumice stone will coordinate with EVERYTHING!



But then Rick pointed out that I must be IN LOVE with the new red (barn door)...really?

I didn't realize it, but I used it on 3 book projects already...
it is a very cool red!!!!!!

So are these greens shown below...


And I have these 3 colors all ready for another project that's in the works...



So, the moral of the story?
You'll want them all...I'm just sayin' it like it is...

There was also this email...

as you say, tim SPILLED the beans...you should follow his lead & show us your stamps...pleeeeeeez? hey, we are your friends & won't tell a soul...

YIKES...I'm drumming my fingers and thinking...

how about a PEEK on Christmas Eve morning?

I LOVE Christmas eve as much as or possibly MORE than Christmas day...

and the last email for today...

will your new book be like the last?
will you show us how to use the new inks?
My fingers are crossed...I want MORE ideas & examples how to use the colours too! daria

Ah...the book...THANKS for asking!
it's the same format as the first...
but for this one we'll take it up a notch...
more collage...more artsy...a little more funky...
more Stampers Anonymous---ISH...

YES...I'm using the new inks for some of the projects. Some projects were done BNCA...(before new colors arrived)

I hope you're enjoying the season!

I'm headed to the studio to...
make art (with the new inks!)
wendy

Woodfield or BUST!

Woodfield Mall
Holiday Hours 7am-11pm -Monday December 21st...

We decided to celebrate our BD's & head to the Schaumburg area, spend the night & be there when the mall opens @ 7am!
YIPPEE!
Hopefully most folks will still be in bed for a few hours...

Priceline got us a great price for a GREAT hotel...YIPPEE!

Remember all those days when I was a cheap date?
This may NOT be the case.

They have Anthropology...an amazing store...
the decor is so very inspiring...
I might be in trouble...

I'll see if I can sneak a photo or 2 with the Blackberry...
I've heard they don't allow them anymore...
so...
if I don't post on Tuesday...
I may be in jail!
I'll plead insanity...

See you on Tuesday...
until then...
shop &
make art!
wendy

it's like the twilight zone around here...

first...
someone STOLE some December days...
HOW did that happen?
It's the 18th already????

SERIOUSLY???

That makes Christmas NEXT Friday...
Is my shopping done?
well...NOT EXACTLY...
YIKES...

Then I look outside & see this...
I couldn't open the patio door...
it's too frigid...
it looks like these guys escaped from Alfred...

or possibly a twilight zone episode...



I took this one from the office...
they're EVERYWHERE!!!
MILLIONS of them...

Better stop before we all have nightmares...

On to real business...

I have a guest artist for you!

Her name is Eileen Bellomo & she resides in NYC.

Eileen was the grand prize winner here of EVERY Ranger product that I used in my first book...

remember that giveaway?

Then I got to meet her in real life on the Mexico cruise...

She was wearing an AWESOME bracelet, adorned with grunge roses...

OMG...

Serious drool material!

So Eileen has been playing along with tim's 12 days of Christmas tags...

and...

she uses my stamp to make her roses...

First...her art...

then below, you'll find a great tip from Eileen...

She said...
Since I mostly make roses for bracelets, I came up with an idea for attaching them, and I used this trick here. Before adding the additional layers, poke a brad through the first (the largest) layer, then glue all the other layers as per the directions on Tim's blog. When it is time to assemble your tag, all you have to do is put a little hole where you want the rose, push the brad through, and it is attached....no glue, no waiting for glue to dry!
After my roses were fully assembled I did give them a quick spritz of spray....I used gold perfect pearls and water; no reinker because I only wanted to add sparkle to the paper, not change the colors.

I did add an additional layer (using part of the large flower from Wendy's Flower Art set) to the red rose. I also added a third rose. I use Wendy's flower from the Rose Art set to make my roses, and it is smaller than the flower that Tim uses. So I thought I'd need to either beef up my roses or add another. I guess I wound up doing both, though I don't love that added layer on the red rose. However, you can't really see the petals, and it does make the rose a bit larger, so it's OK.
I continued my Wendy theme by using the leaf from Rose Art and one of the flourishes from Flower Art; both are stamped on grungepaper, inked and cut out.
The tag is finished off with some bling as Tim did, and done!

Pretty cool huh???
THANKS Eileen for sharing your art!

And speaking of roses...
bigger IS better...

I'm just sayin'...I've been playin'...

I've been working on book projects...

I got some new ideas...

some different stamping surfaces for us...

FUN STUFF...

But...
I can't spill the beans just yet...and it's KILLING ME!

Happy weekend...
I need to get going and...

make art!
wendy

where do I begin...

to tell you all about Holiday Hideaway?

I remember leaving there last year & telling Tim that he couldn't possibly out do himself the next time...
let me say...

I was TOTALLY wrong.

It was really an absolutely ink-redible weekend.

I felt very @ HOME...
I LOVED seeing my friends...
I LOVED the gifts...a MILLION of them...
I LOVED Mario's food...
I LOVED our projects...really LOVED them...
I LOVED the SHOPPING...

It's like an art family...just a really special group.

The only room for improvement would be to control the weather...30 degrees????? SNOW??? GEEZ!
I like 80 better...maybe we could do HH in July???

And speaking of ink...
here's what the new distress pads look like...

ha!!!
They're so new the labels aren't even ready yet...
We got them HOT OFF THE PRESS...

As for actual colors, I can't say until Ranger gives us the OK...

But I will say, I LOVED them all...
they are the perfect compliment for the 24 we have...
and these are colors we have NEEDED for a VERY long time...

I think I discovered a new favorite or 3...
I kept reaching for the same 2 colors over & over...

They're all ready, except the labels...
they'll ship right after CHA...
so the wait won't be horrible...

THANKS AGAIN to Alain for the extra effort he made to get them to tim for us to play with...

We got a TON of stuff...
I can't even begin to list them all...

Our final gift was the Big Shot express...
each person got one...

Thank YOU Ellison/SIZZIX!!!!!!!!!!
And best of all...
they gave each of us a new TIM DIE...
from his new line, called Alterations...

Can you imagine???
That baby got shipped along with 50 pounds of other gifts...
The boxes are scheduled to arrive on Friday.

It will be like Christmas all over again...
when I dig in...

One other HUGE surprise was this Ott light...
I didn't realized that I NEEDED one...
but now that I tried it...
I DID!!!
I LOVE IT...

We got more products from Ranger,
the I-top brad maker (COOL) from imaginesce...
cool stuff from...
Jenni Bowlin
Cosmo cricket
Hero Arts
Basic Grey
graphic45
a cool trimmer from Fiskars
Melissa Frances
Advantus
MARTHA STEWART...
a GIANT tote bag FULL of every glue Arts product...
it is HUGE!
NEW STAMPS FROM STAMPERS ANONYMOUS!!!
NEW RUBBER........makes me so happy!

There's a ton more...but my little brain can't think of them...
more when the boxes arrive.

Another highlight...

when we went to tim's, we got to see his new idea-ology stuff...OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ALL his dies for his NEW die cutting machine...

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

his new book...OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't sleep that night.....dreaming of the possibilities...

I'll share my projects later...

some I shipped...

some need more finishing touches.

And in other breaking news...

MY NEW STAMPS ARE HERE!!!

YIPPEE!!!!!!!

I made my first project (for the new book) yesterday.

I'm pleased!

I also came home to a box of new MAYA ROAD CHA products...

Let me just say...WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's FATE that one of my stamp sets is perfectly coordinated with one of their new releases.

They didn't say what they had planned & I didn't share my stamp set with them...

it's amazing that they will work together so very well!

OK...
now there are 2 million things to get done here before CHA...

I spoke with Bonnie from Ranger yesterday...
I got a BRAND NEW RANGER product in the mail...

now I get to make some samples...
I think you'll LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas party tonight...

SHOPPING all day tomorrow...

Happy Holidays...

make art!

wendy

an INK-credible day...

Hey...
here's a very quick update...

DRUMROLL...we got to play with tim's 12 new distress ink colors...

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Better than you could ever hope for..
colors we have REALLY NEEDED!!!!!!!!!!

How many will you want?
Believe me...all 12!
WOW!!! We'll have a whole new color palette...to make art!

A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALAIN Avrillion (co-owner of Ranger) for PERSONALLY making the new pads...
and overnighting them to tim for us to play.

ALAIN...you are THE BEST...I wish you could have heard the cheers & excitement in the room...
you would have been very pleased.

And...
we got to use tim's brand new dies for cutting grunge...paper...whatever...

OMG...I had to get a kleenex to mop up the drool...
SERIOUSLY!

Again...BEYOND COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I could barely sleep...
I was dreaming of all the possibilities...

We made 5 projects yesterday...and had a total blast...
We had awesome food again provided by Mario & Michele...
THANK YOU GUYS so much...
I hope my jeans fit when I leave...

It's getting busy & I'm still in my nightie...so that's it for now.

The moral of today's story?
Save your Christmas cash/gift certificates for these new inks & die's...
I'm just saying...you WILL want these REALLY bad!

OK...let today's fun begin!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND...
I AM...
mak(ing) art!
wendy

Hello from sunny warm Arizona...

well...WARM, if you consider 30 warm.
There is actually ON THE GROUND STICKING snow...
yuck...

I got here just fine...no weather delays...YIPPEE!

I met up with my friends from St. Louis (from For Keeps Sake) on Wednesday & Debby Schuh for a little marathon shopping in the Phoenix area...just a little...

Then...

We spent yesterday...

SHOPPING
in the adorable town of Prescott. What a FUN place.

Was I a cheap date??
KIND OF.....it could have been worse...
but wait...
we still have more time to SHOP before this event is over.

I found a few Christmas gifts...YIPPEE!

I helped Nancy & Sue find the PERFECT gifts for their hubbies...PERFECT finds!

The kind where you just get the feeling...
You know that it's the PERFECT gifts...
You can't look for them...they just have to be FOUND...

and...
what else???
OH...
NEW SHOES??? YOU BET!!!
With flowers?? YOU BET!
BLACK? YOU BET...
That's me...predictable!

Then we came back to the hotel for the official 5pm start of Holiday Hideaway.
FINALLY...it seems like I waited a year...
Oh wait...WE DID!!!

Mario & Michele had a yummy spread for us...
gotta eat to have energy to create.

We had time to visit & reconnect which was REALLY FUN!!!!!!!!

Then we had a challenge...our table lost...boohoo...but it was so fun.
Our table of 6 consists of my St. Louis friends, Timi, Nancy N, Nancy W & Sue & Michelle Cutts...
PERFECT for lots of fun & laughs...

Next we did a mini project (memory frame/capsule pin)...
got some of Michele's YUMMY treats as a bedtime snack...
Tim thinks of EVERY detail...I kid you NOT!

visited more with friends & then hit the sack...

I CAN NOT WAIT to get started today....

I snuck down to the lobby to post (in my nightie)...
scarry for sure...
so I better head up & hit the shower...

Have a great weekend and remember...
make ART!...I WILL!
wendy
ps...back when I can...with updates, but no photos...
THANKS so much for checking in!

Arizona or BUST!!!!!!!!

We're off in a bit...

I'm supposedly hooked up for mobile blogging via the Blackberry...
we'll see...
I will try to post something...
TRY is the key word here...

If you don't see any updates...
you'll know for 100% sure that I'm techno illiterate!

One quick thing...
Several of you have been looking for tim's film strip ribbon.
Daisy said they just got some in today...
get it before it's gone again.

So... headed west...
weather permitting.

I'm typing with my fingers crossed.

Take care...
back on Tuesday with a Holiday Hideaway report...
While I'm gone...
YOU...

make art! (I WILL for sure!)
wendy

and the winner is........

you MUST be kidding...it's way too early in the post to announce the winner...



Ah.........
the anticipation....

I got this email again...& she asked "where really do you make your art...you tease alot...is that magazine really your studio?"


YEP...the photo on the right sidebar REALLY IS my studio...no joking...this time

Believe me...I LOVE IT!

And several asked for updates on the wool projects...
those are coming next week...

I'll have plenty of airport wait time this week to get something done...
so...stay tuned on that front...

Here's another fun holiday project...

a bonus of sorts... because I LOVE YOU GUYS...
a little inspiration for you...I hope...





The supplies are all available from my 2 favorite on line shopping hot spots...

eclecticPaperie ...they have the Maya Road scallop chipboard base

and...

Simon Says Stamp ...they have ALL the archival inks & reinkers now!

Both have all my stamps too.

And speaking of Simon Says Stamp...
remember this???


Well here's the random comment drawn....

C
O
N
G
R
A
T
S

T
O......................

Here's the winning comment...
sound familiar to anyone?


Ooooh, I loooove that box....it is beautifuls...now .. you said a simple comment is all it takes...how about...a comment from someone simple? **that's me BTW** ROFl...have a good weekend hun x
December 5, 2009 11:26 AM

It was...

written by...

Hels ...

So Hels...let me know that you saw this...and CONGRATS to you!

I'll pass your name onto Heidi & Terra @ Simon Says Stamp & you're all ready to...

have one "HELS" of a SHOPPING SPREE!!!
CHEESY...but I just couldn't pass that up.

Thanks to everyone for the comments & for making the celebration...
so very SPECIAL.

That's it for today...
LOTS to get done before I leave tomorrow evening...
as long as the weather cooperates...
we got about 3 inches of that white stuff on the ground...
YUCK!

I'm so looking foreward to this trip...
Phoenix is much warmer than here...
Prescott...not so ...
oh well...

friends...fun & yummy food...
and plenty of SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A MILLION THANKS again to all of you...
take care...
make art!
wendy

day 5...wrapping it up!

well...now I see photos...

GEEZ...

That wasn't an earthquake...

it was me saying BAD words...
My parents are probably flipping around in their graves wondering where I ever heard those nasty words...

Anyway...I know for sure I don't need a stress test...
the OLD ticker must be OK!
and..
Persistence pays off...
FINALLY...success!!
she said with her fingers crossed...


So day 5...wrapping it up.
I hope you've had fun...I sure have...
well not this morning, but you guys are so worth it!!

THANKS for all the comments...
I appreciate each & EVERY ONE OF them & YOU!

Tieing into the title of this post...

today's offerings are altered wrappings...
simply done & very cheap...inexpensive...

no...cost effective...
I like that much better...
and you can use up those scraps in the process.

Hobby Lobby has their holiday wrappings on sale this week...
50%off...
perfect timing for me!

So here's one little gift container...
it's generic...
but it has huge potential...





By adding just a few scraps of Maya Road crochet trim, left over stamped polka dot cardstock, a black cardstock scrap, some Maya Road gingham ribbon and a tim type charm...


it can easily be transformed & personalized to this...




Next, I picked up these cute boxes @ HL too...
50 cents each...
I LIKE that!
Again...they're OK, but they need some help...



So, for a December birthday gift...

I added a scrap of wide polka dot ribbon,
a Maya Road felt beaded flower, which I covered with rock candy distress stickles,

a stamped stem, some leaves(on grungepaper) & the NEW tiny heart trinket pin from Maya Road.

The leaves were added with the cutie tiny attacher...

ah...
Much better...



And here's another...
a generic square box...
but with a great base color for inking & stamping...

I pulled this out of the archives, but I think Michael's & Hobby Lobby always have them in stock...



I started by lightly inking the lid with brushed corduroy, then I stamped the polka dots with fired brick distress ink.

I used the gold paint dabber to edge around the top of the lid...

a little touch...
but the details do matter...a LOT...

The holly is stamped with jet black archival on grungepaper, cut out & inked with peeled paint & fired brick, then covered with rock candy distress stickles...

Next, using jet black archival, I inked the text stamp, layed it flat on my table & pressed each edge of the box lid onto the stamp.

It's so easy to get your stamping straight that way.

Next, I checked to see what scraps were available...
the red is jillibean & the black is graphic45....

I added those to the top of the lid, stamped a few scrolls...

and added my holly.

There wasn't room for the whole saying, so I chopped it apart & used just the words that fit...

A little pen stitching around the edge...
some accent dots...

I LOVE the Sakura glaze pen in black...

The finishing touch is a row of black pearls...
from Hero Arts.

Pretty quick & easy too...




Here's a look @ the stamped sides of the lid...

another small detail, but that makes it look more finished, I think...




So there you have it...
3 simple gift presentation ideas...
wrapping it up....

Drumroll...the winner chosen from yesterday's comments is...

pooky said...

Yummy!!!!!!!! What a cool idea! I have a jar just like that but no candle.......hmmmm...could use for buttons or something? thanks for the chance to win some goodies!Happy Holidays!

CONGRATS pooky...you have until 11am tomorrow to contact me with your mailing info...since this post is LATE...

N0w about that GREAT PRIZE...

How would you like a

ONE

HUNDRED (100.00)

DOLLAR

GIFT CERTIFICATE for...



I TOLD YOU...

What an awesome prize...

You can Christmas shop for...

YOU...

thanks to Heidi & Terra!!

Get yourself some art supplies...

something you've had your eye on...

whatever you NEED...

or just a total splurge...

I hope the winner will post & tell us what they chose...

MANY THANKS to Simon Says Stamp...

for being so generous!!!

We'll draw the winner @ 7am on Monday morning...
A simple comment is all it takes...
your odds are much better here than the LOTTO!

So...CHEERS!!!

Here's to 490 more posts.

THANKS AGAIN!

make art!

wendy