One World One Heart Giveaway

UPDATE -- Comments are now closed at 226.  See Feb. 15th blog for more information.  This has been a lot of fun!

One World One Heart was created by Lisa Swifka in 2007. It was created to bring bloggers together from all over the world. I discovered it last year and was disappointed that I hadn't participated. This year I am VERY EXCITED about participating for the first time and getting to know other bloggers all over the world!! You can read all about it here or by clicking on the link on the right side of my blog.

I have two of my creations for the giveaway. First is a rustic Valentine made from vintage fabric and paper. Second is another more "traditional" Valentine made from papers, lace, felt, and a vintage piece of jewelry.

The drawing will be held on February 15th. Winners will be chosen by random number generator. All you have to do is leave a comment.

Please be sure that I have a way to contact you either by
email or blog link if you win!!

Thanks for stopping by to visit!
I know this will be fun!!

Cloth Paper Scissors Challenge

A few days ago I entered the Cloth Paper Scissors challenge set forth in one of their recent emails. The challenge was to send in a picture of art that depicts one of your New Year's Resolutions. I had read an article by Beryl Taylor in a recent CPS issue about making embellishments for art work. After I read that I decided that my resolution would be to make embellishments for future projects while working on current projects. I sent them this picture.
And the latest email came with my embellishment featured in it. I was delighted to see this! Check it out here. My friend Susan Tidwell saw it, too, and sent me an email. Thanks, Susan!!

Embellishments 2

I think that taking a strip of fabric, and adding sewn buttons, bits of other fabrics and safety pins is a neat way to add texture and interest to a piece. Also a fun and unexpected addition could be a watch face with the gears and arrows of Tim Holtz bits. Putting that on lace just makes it interesting! This vintage orange velvet corsage is attached to a tiny doily piece. I tied long threads to it to hang down like a ribbon from the corsage.
The fridge is fixed! The repairman found the problem (bad capacitor, relay and overload parts) right away and had it running again in a matter of minutes. And he even had the repair parts on his truck! Can you imagine that??!! I lost most of the items in the freezer. However, the entire fridge is now clean inside and the food that couldn't be salvaged is gone. Feels like new!

Embellishments

I recently read an article in "Cloth Paper Scissors" written by Beryl Taylor. It was entitled "Building Upon Layers" and featured some of her sewing creations. Several items in this article caught my attention and I would like to share some of my thoughts with you.

Beryl recommends creating a stash of embellishments. I recently put together a large altered book full of pages made from an antique photo album. Embellishment is one of my favorite things to do in my artwork. Here are a couple of things I did in this altered book.

First is a flower embellishment. It is made from black dress trim, vintage black ribbon, black hat netting, white tulle, pieces of white lace and a doily and a broken pin I acquired while treasure hunting. I love this piece!
This next embellishment is made from a piece of ribbon! The ribbon actually came with the ribbon roses on it. It is glued to the back side of a bit of old fabric, has two old buttons sewn on, and a trinket pinned to one of the roses. I found this ribbon at Ruffler's Roost's new shop at Ray and Alma School in Chandler, AZ. This place is full of beautiful ribbons, lace and some pretty ready-made things to add as embellishments. I prefer to create my own!!
One of my resolutions this year is to create a stash of embellishments as I work on other projects. I will share them with you in future blogs.

Today I am really stressed! My freezer quit working yesterday and today the fridge part is slowly warming up. The warranty repair person cannot get to me until tomorrow!!! I have already thrown out a lot of stuff and I know more is going to go to waste! Neighbors have loaned me big picnic coolers, but those won't save the frozen foods. I am on my way to buy more bags of ice in hopes of saving some of it. Thank goodness my homeowner's insurance will cover the loss.

Recent changes and thrifty finds

Been making some changes on my blog. First thing is the background. Even though I have some "cowgirl" things posted, they still can be romantic. In fact, I like to call today's blog "romantic prairie." You can be a cowgirl at heart as well as carry it to how you may want to dress from time to time. Also changed many of the "Blogs I Read Regularly." Took some out, put a lot more in. Check them out!

These are some of the latest thrifty finds of the past week. I love this prairie skirt made of velveteen in a peachy pink. How romantic, how cowgirl! Then there is the pink kerchief and dark pink rose. That necklace is way cool!! This close up gives you a better look at the vintage rose corsage, tiny pink crystal earrings, that great necklace, and the vintage tiny paper fan marked "Made in Occupied Japan."

Here are two more prairie skirts I found recently. One is very lacey and feminine and the other is more cowgirl style. Very pretty! All these skirts paired with girlie cowgirl boots would look fabulous!

The last day of December 2009 featured a "blue moon." I tried to get a picture of it, but realized, too late, that I should have set up my tripod and set the camera for a longer exposure time to capture this since this event happens only once in a blue moon. It was a bit too cold outside for me to go to that length.

Do you know what makes this a blue moon?? It is the second occurrence in the same calendar month of a full moon. That only happens once every few years. The next one will occur in August 2012.

Saddle up for an adventure!

Saddle up and ride over to KC Willis Collage Camp! The Collage Camp is wonderful!! And KC she has reduced the original price of the camp from $98 to $75!! But you must act quickly because this offer will expire soon! Ride on over to KC's Collage Camp here and take a look around the camp. Or you can click on the KC Willis Collage Camp button on the right of my blog.If you have been reading my blog regularly over the past year, you know how much I enjoyed Collage Camp! And you will enjoy it too! KC packs her videos with all her techniques for creating the fabric collages she is famous for. You don't have to be a cowgirl to enjoy this Collage Camp!!! The techniques she shares with you are applicable to any artwork that you may want to have a vintage time-worn look! Or not!! The collage techniques are good for any fabric collage art work!

So, don't let the prairie grass grow under your feet! Ride over to KC Willis Collage Camp and have a look around the spread! Join in the fun! You won't be disappointed!!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to each and every one of you!
May your New Year be bright! Thanks for reading and following my blog! (((Hugs!)))