Peddler girl

This is a 1950s Harriet Hubbard Avery doll that I found at a thrift store for $1.99.  Of course, I had no idea who she was when I first saw her.  

But her hair was a mess!  I think most people would donate a doll like this to the thrifty store!  Not me!  I love the challenge of trying to restore a doll to either it's original condition - or something completely different.   I did some research and found out that Harriet (in real life) lost her fortune several times, but re-invented herself each time and was a successful cosmetics manufacturer.  She went through great times of poverty and times of great wealth.  Interesting woman!

Remember Grandma's silver metal permanent rods?  Well, I still use them in my doll repair and I think her hair came out beautiful!

Hard to believe this is the same hair in the photo above!  The magic of Johnson's "no more tears"!  Yep - as simple as that!

I decided to completely alter her and turn her into a peddler girl.  Found the clothes on another doll at a thrift store for $4.00.  Yes, I paid more for the clothes than the doll....but I can't afford to sew them myself when I can find them for $4!

The little box is wood with holes drilled in the side for the jute around her neck.  Covered with paper and then distressed with ink.

I love all the little patches that came on her clothes - perfect for a peddler girl.

I left her barefoot - but she also has some vintage pantaloons on under her skirt.

I love miniatures and have been collecting them for years.  Went through my stash and came up with some totally fun things!  The "jack be nimble" is an actual working game - pull the lever and the ball bounces up to the top and  goes back to one of the little holders.  Had those as a kid but can't remember what they were called

Not sure you can see, but the little bear is holding a "Goldilocks" story book.  There's a ruler, pencil, scissors, and notepad on the edge of the box.  Lots of things to look at

  Harriet Hubbard Avery.  Restored. Remodeled.  Ready to be re-loved.  :o)

Without you.....

Two sets of Monkey stamps by "Talk About Images".  And Lucy.  I'm learning.  I used a medium weight copic paper....too thin to layer.  But I still like the concept.  Color the images with copics, then cut out and layer, then adhere to white cardstock and distress ink the edges.  The paper would be fine for just plain coloring, but it just doesn't work for layering.  

"Without you it's just a barrel...."  isn't that just the truth?  I went through a phase last summer of collecting ladybugs and putting them in a corner in my garden.  I think I'm going to collect sock monkeys this winter.  They are just so cute and they remind me a lot of my childhood.  Grandma Moore made me one once.  I'm sure it got loved to pieces!  We went to lunch at Cracker Barrel today and I found this little guy.  Wrapped him around a pen in my craft tool tote.

Did you know that Cracker Barrel has Moon Pies?  They taste just like they did when I was a kid!  Always good to find things that remind you of your childhood.  :o)

Let it Snow!!!

Brrr!!!  How on earth did it go from 100 degrees to just 25???  And the Denver area got 4" of snow?  I'm soooooooo glad I moved "south"!  LOL!!!  This is my "let it snow" card.  My flowers are all still blooming but I have a feeling after it drops to 25 tonight - there won't be much left.  And instead of making cards, I'll be outside prepping everything for winter.

This is known as a double slider card.  You pull the string at the top and both the top and bottom slide open.  The mechanism is made using a walmart type plastic grocery bag.

I really wanted to title this "butterflies in the snow" - because the butterflies ARE still flitting around today.....plus, I think it makes my imagination fly if I can stop and think what it means to have butterflies in the snow.  Early winter....late summer....or just plain odd weather?

I was going to write this:

butterflies in the snow
dear that glisten
the magic is here

but then I couldn't think of the 4th line with something that rhymed with glisten that I liked other than "tradition" - if you can come up with a line, let me know!

Needless to say, I'm happy with the end results.  Tis the season when just about anything can happen.  And what's happening is I'll be teaching how to make this on November's First Friday Art walk at the Marketplace shops.  Just $5.00.  Sign up quick - only 20 seats!!!

Easiest cards ever

So easy - emboss the dotted background, rub distress ink over it.  Diecut 4 circles, cut the edges off, distress edges.  Peel off ticker, diecut edge, add flower with brad and stickle everything!

This is from a HOTP kit....just cut it out, adhere to card and stickle.

Simple scraps that I inked, layered and put the peel off on white paper, then cut it out.  The metal inked diecut on the left was a scrap as well - leftover from another project.

I really think my favorite thing this summer was using scraps from other projects to make cards.  I sometimes think my scrap pile never ends....but it is getting a little smaller!  OK - I promise to blog something else tomorrow and take a break from all the cards!  But really, I think I made over a hundred this summer!  It was a great thing to do when it got so hot in the middle of the day I couldn't work in the yard.  Hope you have enjoyed the ones I've shared so far!

fun cards this time

When I was showing the differences in the 5 clear stickles that Ranger has, I used this stamp.  As you go from left to right, you can see how the color of the glitter changes.  But they are simply the 5 shades of clear stickles!  If you size your samples just right - you can turn them all into cards and there's no waste.

When I first saw this stamp at a show up in Denver, I absolutely had to have it!  I laugh every time I use it!!!  The "cup" is made using metal repousse techniques on Amaco's pewter.  Very dimensional.

One of these days I'm going to make 2 of the very same card and show one with stickles and the other without.  Even adding just a drop on the background paper makes all the difference in the world!

This is a very simple technique.  Just distress inks on white paper.  I diecut out the dress form and put stickler, embossed distress paper behind it.  Then added the diecut arch over the "window".  I love the look and it's just so easy to do!

Are you starting to ask when the cards will end and I'll get on to something else?  Not yet!!!

Denim country journal at The Abbey Scrapbooking Retreat

First, I have to tell you about the food at this retreat.  WAY TOO MUCH!!!  A complete 20' long candy bar that they kept stocked the entire weekend!  I will not eat anything with sugar in it for a whole week!!!  The meals are included in the price and they are amazing.  I understand they are prepared on site by the Abbey's kitchen.  Well....you'd think we were at a 5-star restaurant the whole time!  The Chocolate Lasagne may have been my favorite, but I really liked those sandwiches we had.  The stuffed waffles were amazing - I will have to take photos next time!

I started out the weekend making this journal.  I had finished my denim towels last week and had pockets leftover.  Then I went to a garage sale and picked up some little kids denim shorts for 50 cents each and just wanted to play!

Sizzix dressform diecut and the flowers are another Sizzix die.

Bo Bunny paper - with loads of stickles all over it.  Made pockets that things can go down it.  Used my white pen to outline some of the items on the paper.

If you want to do this - you'll be cutting out a lot of the elements in the papers and putting them on other papers - something I truly enjoy doing.  But I know there are those who don't like to cut things out!

But when you take the time to cut the elements out - you can create whole new looks.

Lots of distress inking with faded jeans and vintage photo...

This one will go for sale in our new space in the Marketplace Shops.  It's ready for you to simply add photos and words!

The page on the right is actual denim.  On the left, I did a lot of doodling with my white pen.

and my favorite page - the chocolate page!  I may have to do this page in every journal I make - simply because you need a little chocolate in every day!

I had fun putting this together the first afternoon - it was an easy way to get into a creative weekend!  And easy to do while chatting with all the other gals.  Thanks to everyone for making this such a fun weekend!

If you want to order this paper, you can do so by calling Design U'R Memories at 719-275-2526.  We are truly blessed to have both a scrapbook store and a stamp store in this little town!!!

Zoo overalls

Here's the second store sample I did this past weekend.  Not near as thick as the dress, and I added more photo holders.  I wanted to show how different you could make these look.  Used Vintage Photo Distress Inks on this one.  Did not distress the girl.  Again, can be seen at Design UR Memories

Acrylic cover has just the 2 yellow monkeys on it

 Paper overalls.  Used a Ranger white pen to outline against the dark background and add the stitching. Used my "make your own basic gray paper" for the shorts.  Sort of fun showing the other croppers how to do this.

 The back side of the overalls with a photo holder

 Next is an acrylic shirt that only has the 2 tigers, 2 strips of ribbon and a bottom painted to look like grass

 this is the back side of the acrylic over the inside of the front overalls

 paper shirt

 The back of the paper shirt has a pocket with 2 tags inside it.  Showed the croppers these techniques.  The tag on the left includes the embellishment that I made out of the ugliest piece of paper we could find.  Turned out gorgeous!

 By now, I was getting tired and lazy.  Just a clear acrylic over paper

 Large photo frame on the back of this shirt

 Used acrylic paint on this acrylic shirt to frame the next shirt

 This is the shirt with a tearbear in a pocket.

 The back of the shirt with another photo place

 And on the last page, I made suspenders on the acrylic and left the overalls blank.  Just use your imagination!!!

Yep, after cropping til almost midnight on Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday, I came home and slept 10 1/2 hours!!!  Probably won't do that again!!!  But it sure was fun!!!

How do you meet local artists?

Take a class!!!  Which is exactly what I've decided to do and there is no place to start but the Stamp House.    Judi is just a hoot to be around and I've signed up for 4 more classes....and may add more to that.

In this class we simply took an ink pen and covered it with green glitter and stuck a flower on the end of it.

Then we tied tons of ribbon, fabric and lace to the edge of a journal.  I also used my distress inks to tone down the peach and bring up the pink in the rose.

Then I stippled on stickles glitter with my finger

and the finished product with the pen down inside the o-rings, quite fun!  Easy, quick, simple.

Maybe I'll donate this as a prize or something at mom's retirement center.  And I did meet some very nice ladies.  I'm looking forward to my next classes at the stamp house!

But I'm not just a stamper, so I'm heading down to the local scrapbook store tomorrow to sign up for a class over there!  Well, after I help Colleen move into her new duplex apartment.  You know, as long as that thermometer is upside down on the ground....I don't notice the heat near as much!!!

Taking a class is really a great thing to do when it's this hot!  I'm thinking I need to go to the thrift store and find more cheap journals I can embellish!  If you give it a try, send me pics and I'll post them here.

As an update to the Colorado fires - I just read online that the Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs has burnt to the ground and that the Air Force Academy is being evacuated.  This is truly sad.  I remember going to the Flying W back in the 70s.  Such a beautiful place and it had been in business since 1953.  May Jehovah Jesus Messiah be gracious and spare this state from any more losses.