Twelve Days of Christmas and Happy New Year

Hi Bloggers...
Bet you thought I had dropped off the Earth...Nope just up to my eyeballs in Christmas creating and teaching at The Little Blue House.
This year I have resolved to blog on a regular basis and also to do a couple of other things that will help me get a little more organized as well as get some of MY creative stuff done.  But first I wanted to show you a project that I created with my friend Hilary.  Each year we do a special Twelve Days of Christmas for our Moms and a few other special folks in our lives.  Usually we create a cute tag and the I create poems --yep-I'm a poet too and we gather together some cute little gifts that are somewhat related to the Twelve days of Christmas verses.  But this year I decided to adapt a project I did at the Collins show in Houston this summer.  Yep the project was taught by the man himself - Tim Holtz!!
He taught us how to make one of the configuration boxes...so much fun and so creative I decided this had to be the Twelve Days Surprise this year. 
So Here It IS!!

The box is covered in paper from one of the Ranger seasonal paper stashes then coated in Glossy accents and sprinkled with a combination of Sugar Dust and Diamond Dust - I love this stuff--so sparkley.  The tree is just one of those green bottle brush trees sprayed with gold spray paint and then glittered with ultrafine gold glitter.  You do it Shake and Bake style...spray the tree and while it is wet dump in a ziploc bag and add glitter and shake.  The pears are the petals from a silk hydranga flower

The bird cage is from Idea-ology and has two miniature doves in it.  Day six is a beautiful origami swan that Hilary folded and sits on a lake of blue glitter.  The laid eggs are just little plastic eggs covered in ...you guessed it..antique glitter.  Now box three is the French "N's" - get it not French hens--Okay it made my Mom laugh!!

Check out the miniature phone in the bottom left hand corner--calling birds !!??!!

Box 5 is the Golden Rings - yep those little bells do ring and Box 8 makes sense when you read the poem that comes in the bag - here it is
The eight maids were a milking
But little did they know
If they left the milk on the porch
It would turn to Christmas snow

Here's a close up of the origami swan

The Ladies dancing are just cupcake toppers...and box 10 Lords a leaping --here's the poem to explain
The ten leaping lords have vanished
- Oh No –
Could something be amiss?
Nay…the princes will return
It will only take a kiss

Hilary created these cute bagpipes from tartan plaid ribbon and part of a styrofoam ball.  The pipes are woodlike pipecleaners I had in my craft stash.

We had an extra box so we added the title..
And the Twelve drummers..well this one makes sense

We ended up making six boxes and then my friend Laurie W saw them and she is going to create for her family this year.

So thatis one of my Christmas projects..

NOW THE NEW YEAR's RESOLUTIONS

I have just a couple..One is Declutter...I am just tired of not finding stuff and keeping stuff around that I really don't need or want and some of it others might use.  And as part of this process I am gathering all those unfinished projects and I resolve to finish one a week.  Some are just layouts that need pictures added. My first one is a canvas I had not finished at the Collins show.  I got it out and finished it.

This was another Tim Holtz class.

The tiles were made using shrink plastic and melted Utee powder - inked with alcohol inki and then backed with images.  It has been sitting in the bag from the show.  So I finished it and even put it on the wall.  It feels great to get something even if it is small accomplished.

For household decluttering I am using Beth Dargis' declutter calendar.   I am a little ahead of schedule - but this weekend cleaned out my closet - now I am not a shopper or a person who has a lot of clothes ...but I pulled out 82 items to donate ...and get this 175 empty hangers-AMAZING how much room I have now.   I have so many hangers because I iron almost everything and my DH has his work clothes drycleaned so I have had a never ending supply of hangers.  The guys at the cleaners will be glad to get those back...

A task was also to clean out expired medications- can you say cold medicine from 2004 REALLY!!  I was told by my BF Holary that you can put medications in used coffee grounds and it breaks them down. 

Anyway...thanks for putting up with this LONG post.  I will chat next week with a new finished project and let you know how the decluttering is going.  I hope you have a blessed week and make sure you smile-it adds SPARKLE to the world.

Elaine

PS Excuse any typos-not going to sweat the small stuff when it comes to blogging!!

Don't Join Me On the Naughty List!!

Yes I was on the Miss Tracy's "Naughty List" because I was late getting my blog post done for this month's fantastic Front Porch Kit.  Why you ask...because I was having so much fun designing my projects...that's why.  You can stay off the list by placing your order right now.  You will not be disappointed, I promise. 

This month's kit is called Time to... and the possibilities are endless.

 Here are a few sneek peaks...

I was so excited when I saw the kit contents. The color palette is beautiful and the papers have a modern yet vintage feel. I recently lost my "Little Granny" she was 102 years young.  I was so excited to create two projects that honor her.  She was a lifelong crafter and I have so many wonderful memories of creating with her.  The Gallery will be available to view later next week...and you will recieve full tutorials for 5 projects on the Instructional CD which will be included in your FP Kit! You will love scrap-lifting these wonderful creations and hopefully add your own unique spin on them!

The full kit and contents will be revealed this Monday 8/22.

Don't end up on the "Naughty List"...order yours today online at http://www.frontporchkits.com/ or you can order by calling or stopping by the LBH.

http://www.frontporchkits.com/

http://www.frontporchkits.typepad.com/

http://www.thelittlebluehouseblog.blogspot.com/

P.S. Be sure to check the Front Porch blog and the Front Porch Design Team's blogs...

they are posting sneaks too!! Post your comments for a chance to win a FREE kit!

Have fun creating...

Elaine

Inspiration at Its BEST

 

Have you ever seen something that absolutely takes your breath away to the point that you feel you must try it NOW.  This is what happened to me when I went to Christy Tomlinson's Blog and saw this canvas.  I kept hearing about She Art and finally had the the time to go check it out.  Christy had just posted this Summer Challenge and Inspiration. Christy had been inspired by Junelle Jacobsen and I was inspired by Christy.

Fortunately I was able to find a canvas that I had stashed away and then I just started pulling out paints, stamps and inks. It was so perfect because it was my BEST friend Hilary's birthday and I wanted to make her something so she would know how special she was to me.  Let me also state for the record that in all my years of crafting I had NEVER EVER painted a canvas.  At first I was oh so controlled but then it hit me and I decided to let go.  The center of the canvas is made of rolled paper, at first I so wanted it to be the perfect heart, but then I realized that no heart is perfect it is what is in the heart that is perfect.  Love, friendship, laughter,hurt and all those moments we share.  After I constructed the paper rolls and attached them I began the process of decorating the canvas.

I painted a free form heart (seriously - no template) and I stamped wish  inside the heart.  The other heart is cut from a cardboard box, inked with several colors of ink. and then I attached a few small pieces of music paper.I attached a key tied with twine.

The pearl drops are Ranger Perfect pearls and the butterfly is a metal embellishment from my stash.

I stamped in the corner with several stamps and attached a metal heart charm.  I then took out my doodling pens and began to write in various places on the canvas.  Special words to descibe Hilary and our relationship.

I stamped an "H" for obvious reasons and added a few other swirls to enhance it.  You can see I wrote Faith on this paper roll. 
I can not express to you the sense of joy I had creating this canvas.  I want to thank Christy and Junelle for sharing their inspiration.  And to take it further I am going to proof this post ONE time and then hit publish - It's not about PERFECTION - it is about the JOURNEY.

Elaine

Hot Glue and Alcohol Ink Tutorial

This is the technique I used on the June Front Porch Kit layout -
A Place in the Sun. 
It is for the blue wave pattern you see going across the two pages.  You will see below you can form the hot glue into any shape you wish.  

 Supplies:

Craft mat that will hold up to hot glue - I used the Ranger mat

Hot glue gun

Ranger Alcohol Inks

Pencil

Ranger Glossy Accents

Draw your shape on the craft mat or go freestyle

Squirt hot glue over the shape - I found this works on larger patterns but is difficult to control on finer details

Let the hot glue cool - this only takes a few minutes

Stem and leaf pattern

Flower pattern

Scroll pattern

Flourishy Pattern

Side view so you can see how much glue

Now dab with alohol inks

Peel from mat

Finished Product will be attached to project with Glossy Accents

Make sure you check out the great projects at The Little Blue House and check out the gallery and projects at Front Porch Kits and the new Front Porch Kits Blog.
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Have fun trying different shapes and post and let me know what magical glue designs you create.  The Howell family is heading north to Michigan for a Family and Friends Fourth of July.  Stay safe and God Bless the USA and our Troops

Elaine

Tags ...Tags and More Tags

I hope you are all having a great summer.  The Texas heat is definitely upon us...my car thermometer read 107 when I left the Little Blue House yesterday.  This is a good time to be inside crafting.  At the LBH we have our wonderful Blocks and Base with Tag sets as part of our Creatuive Buffet classes (check out the website for pics).  We started the tag sets last October and have released some really cute ones with each new season.  Don't despair if you have not started yours, it is not too late and we are planning to continue them as each new season approaches.  I needed a way to store mine and since we could no longer get the Maya Road tins - I found this option instead.  The box is from the Container Store and costs about $1.99.  They come in several colors but I really liked this chocolate brown.  The box is about 8" x 4 1/2" x 9"

Of course I could not just let it be plain :( what fun is that?  So I took a piece of paper I had left from the Prima Crad kit class.  You will need three 12" strips that are about 2 1/2" wide.  Wrap them around the box making sure the front piece is centered so no seams show.  Continue around to the back of the box.  I wanted the edges to be pretty so I attached some ribbon to the top and bottom of the paper strip.

I then added a few Prima Flowers from my stash and also a beige felt rosette that I made with the Sizzix 3D Flower die (you can order from the LBG because we are a Sizzix ordering site). I then added a few leaves that I sprayed with Tattered Angels Hula Hoop mist. Stuff (very technical term) some ribbon loops behind the flowers for some added dimension. I then cut a tag - and cleverly wrote "Tags" on it and attached just behind the flowers. We are working on new tags so check the website for announcements.
Post a comment on what you think the new set will say...
Stay Cool
Elaine

BLOGOPHOBIC!! That's my problem....

Before I explain my title I wanted to share with you my layout from this month's Front Porch Kit One Sunny Day.  The kit this month is so amazing and you will have such fun creating out of it - I know I did.  The Gallery will show you all the projects that the Fronch Porch Designer Gals created but remember the bonus in our kit is that you get a CD that has detailed (and I mean detailed) instructions (measurements of papers, ink and paint colors,etc.) on how to create the featured projects.  To help clarify the featured projects - when you go to the website - click on Kit of the Month - you will see the design board with all the items that are in the kit.  Then scroll down to see the list of all the papers and great "stuff" you will receive - and...right below that is the featured projects- these are the ones on the CD.  Personally speaking if you see something on one of my projects that you have a question on - shoot me an email - ehowell0324@att.net or post on the blog and I will gladly answer any questions you might have.
 My featured project this month is the "Beach Baby" layout.  This is one of my favorite pictures of Kristen (even though the photography is not great) that I have of her at the beach.  When we lived in Boca Raton, Fl a group of family and friends would go to Marco Island Beach for a long weekend in July.  It was such a fun time and so many memories were created there.  On the CD I have the instructions on how to make the beach scene at the bottom of the layout - shells made from flowers, sandcatles from sanpaper, pylons from the box and finally our little crab friend from chipboard flowers and frames.

OK...so what is BLOGOPHOBIC...well it's me. 

I have been so worried about posting the perfect blog posting that I completely psych myself out - and end up not posting at all because I want it to be perfect.  My daughter Kristen is in China and she is posting on her blog and I love it - that's what made the light go on - PERFECT it is NOT but I still enjoyed it -so...I hereby promise to post.  So now that I have told you about my phobia - post yours.  Thanks for continuing to follow and especially for your patience ...Miss Tracy :)

I hope you have a great day.

Taxes hmmm ...or Front Porch Kit... YIPPEE!!

   

It is finally here - the April Front Porch Kit. As you can see it is entitled Fresh From the Garden. Don't be left out this month - pre-order your kit NOW!!  at http://www.frontporchkits.com/.

There are so many beautiful things in the kit for you to create with. Below is a sneak of some flowers I created with my kit. This is one of the projects that will have step by step instructions for you to follow.

Take a break from that tax preparing (UGH!!)and make sure to catch us LIVE!!! From the Little Blue House on Ustream fror the big reveal.  Here is the link that you will need http://www.ustream.tv/channel/front-porch-kits. 

The Broadcast is Firday April 15th at 8:30PM CST.

Tune in to the show early and be sure to join in the chat for a chance to win fun prizes! You need to create a log in to be a part of the chat. If you live in the Keller, TX area and would like to join us that night for the behind the scenes crop, give The Little Blue House a call to reserve your spot! The number is (817) 431-7930!