Seeds on a Breeze

The Creative Source

2011-09-25T06:41:00.000-05:00

I know. I've been MIA after telling you I was back. I've missed you and can't wait to tell you what I've been up to.

First, I'm learning not to beat myself up for having bad days- days when I barely make it out of bed much less get into the studio or write. I'm also learning to pace myself on good days. While this is extremely hard to do, it is a must to having more good days than bad. So, what have I been doing on those good days? I've been getting back into the 21 Secrets Art Journaling Playground. This year, instead of 8 weeks of fun, the workshops have been extended to the end of 2011. (You can still get in on the fun. Head over to Dirty Footprints Studio to sign up!). I'm using the wonderful techniques I'm learning there in my Promises Journal.

There is one thing that I've observed not only in the 21 Secrets classes but in most of the art classes and communities that I've joined. They all believe that art, in all of it's forms, is a spiritual gift and experience. However most think the source of this is either within themselves or from the Universe (celebrated as a deity). I for one, have a problem with relying on a created being for my spiritual growth and artistic expression. Here is a snippet from a blog post that I wrote on the 21 Secrets Ning site:

I have loved this round of 21 Secrets. I also went through 21 Secrets last fall. At the time, I was emerging from a pretty deep depression over my recent disability due to a sudden and mysterious illness. I was at the height of my corporate finance career, holding a CFO position at only 29. I was a great analyst, manager, visionary, accountant, and information technology specialist. I could prepare corporate financial statements with the software that I wrote to do it. I was on top...... And then, I wasn't. I couldn't bathe myself, dress myself, swallow food, see, think, or breathe well.

21 Secrets helped me get past the sense of uselessness that I felt, but I learned that I could not look to the universe for answers. It was created for a purpose just like I was, but still, it was created. Instead, I found that I had a direct source to the Creator. God not only made a way for me to have a relationship with Him, He wanted to have that relationship intimately. That meant that my illness was not the end of me, but the beginning. He's allowed me time to give my left brain a rest and let my right brain get a work out.

So, my big project for this round of 21 Secrets is to use all the things I learn here to create a Promises journal, an art journal filled with all the promises of God found in His Word. Hopefully, it will be a project that I can do over and over to share with those who need something to cling to, stand on, hope in, and claim before they slip into the darkness that I was in, or perhaps bring them back from a place that I became way too aquainted with.

I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones here.

God bless you all!

Luke 24:5 "...Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

Wedding Cake Challenge

2011-07-25T21:01:00.001-05:00

I've often said that I have creative ADD. It all started with sewing with my grandmother when I was little, then drawing and watercolor in highschool, then scrapbooking and card making, cake decorating, jewelry making, acyrlic painting, and collage. While this may seem like a progression, it's actually compounded. I never realize how bad it had gotten until I was asked to make a wedding cake for my cousin.

I haven't made a cake in a couple of years, so I had to dig out all of my tools and supplies. I mean literally dig. My 10 x 11 studio/home office houses all of my hobby supplies along with my coupon collection and business books (I'm also an accountant). So, out came the paint and paper scraps and the rolly cart with all my beads and wire. Then, I had to push aside the fabric scraps and collection of "I-can-do-something-with-this" items. Finally, I found my cart of cake decorating supplies, fondant, and icing sugar.

Now, time to make the cake. I actually had the cakes baked by Publix. This was going to be a monster 4-tier cake, and I didn't have the right pans to make every tier. The bride and groom left all of the planning to the groom's mother, my first cousin. So, I had complete freedom on the cake design. I wanted it to be elegant but simple. I found an awesome technique on I am Baker for a rose cake. This is the simplest technique imaginable and it was just the wow-factor my cake needed.

The 6" tiers were alternating chocolate cake with raspberry mousse filling and white cake with lemon curd filling. All of the layers were iced with homemade buttercream. The bottom and third layers were covered with fondant with a fondant belt embellishment.

It's obviously not a professional job, but everyone thought it was beautiful and delicious. I'm on a gluten-free/ sugar-free diet, so I didn't actually get a piece. My wonderful husband was so great to help me with the fondant, delivery, and set-up. But, strongly urged me to never do a cake this size again :). I will say that if you decorate cakes or want to learn, check out Sweet Wise. They have awesome technique videos on YouTube and you can order online from their store. I'm lucky to live about 45 minutes from them and have taken several of their classes. One thing that I cannot live without is The Mat which the owners actually invented.

Now, time to go put everything in my studio back in its place.

Etsy Treasuries

2011-06-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

I must admit that Etsy is my favorite online shopping experience. And, I'm not just saying that because I also sell there. (Warning: Shameless Plug!!! Dandelion Designs (dandedesign)) Browsing is easy, searching is fun, and finding treasures is exhilerating. You can chat with artists and makers, request a custom item, and chat with other Etsy users. You don't have to be an Etsy seller to sign up and experience everything that Etsy has.

One of the coolest features is Etsy Treasuries. Treasuries are lists of items curated by an Etsy user. They are often put together based on a theme, color, or keyword. For example, here is one of my treasuries that I put together. See if you can guess the keyword.

It is truly an honor to be featured in a treasury. As an artist and maker, I really get giddy at the thought that someone searched hundreds of Etsy listings and thought mine was the perfect fit for their treasury. It's like being featured in a gallery among so many wonderful pieces. I have been fortunate enough to be featured in several treasuries. Here are a few:

Be sure to click on these and leave the curators a comment that you saw their treasuries here. You can even make a purchase straight from the list. To see all the treasuries that I belong to, or to create one of your own, log on to Etsy and get your shop on!

Is Simple Better?

2011-06-13T15:04:00.000-05:00

I have been at work on my first commissioned painting. It is an abstract landscape of mountains and a field of wildflowers inspired by photographs taken in Denver, CO. I've been creating studies, trying to determine the best media and exploring all the ways that this landscape can take form. However, everytime I lay down what I think will be the underpainting, I step away and think, " Wow! I really like that." I'm drawn to the looseness and simplicity of it. It has movement and seems to already be telling a story.

As a new arist, I'm still developing my style and aesthetic. I have so many interests that my style seems to be all over the place. One day, I'm loose and working with wet paint and a big brush. The next day, I'm in paper, texture medium, and working almost exclusively with a pallete knife.

However, ever since my visit to Savannah, something about the loose paint with lots of movement just speaks volumes to me. Is this my signature style? Who knows. I'm not sure I definitely want a signature style. What I do want is to stay authentic to my muse and just go with the flow. I think that is what Savannah is all about.

I'm currently reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It is so full of the sights and sounds that I remember of Savannah and the characters are just like the city, full of old southern charm and larger than life. That is what I want to capture. So, perhaps my style will be more of a state of mind rather than a brush stroke or color story.

Improvisational Journal Page

2011-06-08T19:34:00.001-05:00

I just completed a journal page in one of the 21 Secrets workshops, "Improvisation Station".

Natasha Reilly is the teacher and her effervescent personality is infectuous! I watch her videos over and over. I actually joined her workshop and watched all her videos before we went on vacation, but I didn't actually do any of the journaling.

While we were in Savannah, I let the concept of the class really sink in and all the sights and sounds and emotions that I experienced there reveal to me who I really am.

The class started with us writing a standard introduction of ourselves. You know like, "Hi, my name is Jenn. I'm a wife in my 30's.....blah blah blah. After I was finished with this exercise, I couldn't believe how many labels I put on myself. Here is my first introduction:

After we wrote our introductions, we tore them up and wrote a new introduction in our journals. This one was an intro without labels and without limts. Everything that I had experienced in Savannah flooded back. Here is my new introduction:

I plan on writing this on a big sheet in my "big girl" journal (a 18 x 23 watercolor pad) and keep adding to it. Now came the fun improvisational part. Natasha provided prompts that we were to choose at random. I ended up with senses and the word "sensational". I decided that the sense that I wanted to journal about was my sense of sight. The things that I find sensational are all in nature. So, I took my torn pieces and created a rose and dragon flies.

I really urge you to try this process. Get out of the boxes that you put yourself in and discover who you really are. Then, play a little improv game to get your journaling going.

Promises Journal....Don't leave home without one!

2011-06-07T14:55:00.000-05:00

My first vlog!! I'm liking it. I'm working hard in the studio today and will have new works to show you tomorrow.

P.S. Blogger is not letting me upload videos, so I did it through YouTube. I know the video lags the sound a little, but I'll get the kinks worked out for next time.

Have a great one!!!

Re-Post: Father's Day Folded Shirt Card

2011-06-06T05:54:00.001-05:00

Father's Day is fast approaching.....June 19th for those who need a reminder. This folded shirt card was a huge hit last year, so I thought that I would share it again with you.

I am a Daddy's girl and proud of it!! The trouble is that I always want to do something special, but my Dad is tough. He hates ties, he doesn't have any hobbies--no golf, fishing, or tools--and the only thing he collects is Dallas Cowboy memorabilia. After 53 years, I think he has everything ever made with a Dallas Cowboy star on it.

So, I relied on my fellow bloggers for inspiration and saw the cutest card ever on Talk Crafty To Me. This was perfect for my Dad. He loves clothes and I can always remember that Dad had to have a shirt with a pocket on the left side for his cigarettes and pens. It was a really big deal. So, while in stash busting mode, here is my Dad's Father's Day Card.

See the little pocket? If your Dad is a tie-wearer, then it would be super cute with a little tie as well.

Here's how I made it. I started with a 12 x 12 sheet of scrapbook paper that I had in my stash. And cut it to 8 1/2 x 11.

Hint: Small prints work best!

Next, fold your trimmed paper in half and crease it well. A bone folder works magic with this project!

This will become your first valley fold. Create two more by bringing in the sides to your center fold. Be careful not to overlap the center fold line. It's ok to have a little paper showing between your sides. This will keep your card from having too many layers.

Don't forget to use your bone folder or ruler to really crease your folds well. Next, open up your paper and bring your right and left corners up to the outside valley folds.

Fold the sides back in, and then fold the bottom up just past the point on the triangle. For those of you who like to measure, that's about 2 1/4 inches.

I hope you are still with me because now comes the tricky part. Grab the point at the top of the triangle on each side of the center fold and bring it up and over to the outside fold. The bottom flap will come up a little. Don't fight it. It will actually help you get a better fold. Be sure to use your bone folder to crease the inside folds well.

While you are here, pinch the side flaps and fold the bottom flat. A little something like this:

You've just made the shirt sleeves! Cool, right? I know. It's a lot of work, but it's totally worth it in the end. You've made it this far, so let's keep going!

Let's move up to the top. Flip the paper over and fold the top down about a 1/2 inch.

Flip your paper back over and fold the top corners at an angle in to the center fold. You'll fold about three inches down the paper. This makes the collar.

One last step, then it's time to embellish. Fold the bottom up and tuck under your collar. Use your bone folder to press all of the folds and voila!

Now, raid your stash for buttons (I used brads), tags, ties or pockets. Embellish the inside of your card with a party invitation, a sweet note, or a gift card.

Here's the inside of my Dad's card. The tag reads: "My Dad didn't teach me how to love unconditionally. He lived and let me watch him do it."

I hope you stuck with this. As a "suppa-prize", as my sweet nephew calls it, go here to see a how-to video of the steps above and additional ideas on what to do with this unique little card.

LoVe YoU, DAD!

I'm linking to these parties:

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Yes, I'm Back!!!

2011-06-03T18:09:00.001-05:00

I know that I have been away for a while. I appreciate the time you have given me to focus on my physical wellness. I still have a way to go until I can be without a wheelchair or crutches, but I have grown tired of exercising my body and not my creative spirit. So, I will be posting about all of my new adventures here once again.

Recently, I have been most inspired by our recent vacation to Savannah, GA. Almost immediately upon entering the city, I felt that my creative spirit had finally found a home. The city is so beautiful, laid back, and full of artistic vibrancy. Not to mention, those who call it home are some of the nicest people I have ever met. Now, I live in Tennessee and we pride ourselves on friendliness and hospitality, but Savannah takes southern hospitality to a whole new wonderful level.

I dream of living there one day, but my husband does not share the same dream, so in Tennessee we will stay. I know it might sound quite silly, but I am most broken-hearted over the situation.

But, I am not letting this inspiration go to waste. I have vowed to paint every day. I hope to even begin to sell my works beginning with an artist's reception in late summer or early fall. Hopefully, pouring myself into my paints and brushes will being to heal my broken heart.

Before you go, take time to check out some of the wonderful artists we met:

A. T. Hun Gallery
Carrie Kellogg
Savannah City Market

Thank you for allowing me share my heart with you. Until next time...

Pressing Pause

2011-01-29T17:21:00.000-06:00

This blog has been an amazing outlet for me over the past several months as I came to terms with my medical condition and transitioned from being a corporate accountant to a full-time patient and part-time hobbiest. When I was lonely, I could always blog about my latest project attempt or check in on your creative genius.

There has been a lot of healing on these virtual pages. Thank you for being a part of that. Now, I feel it is time to press pause on Seeds on a Breeze. I am not abandoning the wonderful world of blogging. I will always be the one lurking on your pages, borrowing your ideas, and leaving you some comment love. However, as I move into another phase of my new life, I feel the need to focus on my rehabilitation and getting as much physical strength back as possible.

At some point, I hope to return again to this blog stronger and more creatively fit as well.

Seeds on a Breeze is all about inspiration. I hope I have inspired you to create at whatever skill level you are at. I am a firm believer that the process is more important than the outcome. A good piece is one in which the viewer can see the artist's creative process, both technical and emotional, in the final product. I also hope that I have spread the simple message of God's love for each one of us through the gift of his son, Jesus. He is the Great Creator, the only one to have created everything from absolutely nothing.

Be inspired by His creation and make something beautiful!

Sunday Art Therapy #20

2011-01-22T22:11:00.001-06:00

I have been quite under the weather this week, and I have not been in my little studio in several days. Hopefully, this week will be more productive. Let's see how creative you've been this week. I need some inspiration to get me going!

Also, the series of classes, 21 Secrets: An Art Journaling Playground, hosted by Dirty Footprints Studio is coming to a close this week. I'd love for any of you that participated to share your pages in the Sunday Art Therapy Flickr group. You can upload your fabulous works by clicking the link inside the slide show.

1. Tiny key stamps

2. Carved button stamps

3. Crochet scarf

4. Doodles : )

5. Simple Fabric Wreath

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Sunday Art Therapy #19

2011-01-15T21:34:00.002-06:00

I was drooling over all the great projects you guys linked up last week. I hope you all visited each other's posts, learned something new, and left nice comments. Our feature this week comes from Claire and her blog, Saraccino. Claire has had our feature project before, but I had to share with you her great tutorial on acetone transfers.

Acetone transfers by Saraccino

I've never thought of using acetone as a transfer medium, but her projects turned out great. For those of you who use gel medium as a transfer medium, like I do, you will want to try this. Think of all the money you'll save!

I love the vintage look of these and can't wait to use this process on my next project. Be sure and check out the tutorial here.

It's that time again. You can add photos of your projects to the Sunday Art Therapy Flickr group by clicking on the link inside the slide show. Also, you can link up at the party below. Be sure and visit each other and leave some comment love. The party will be open through Saturday, so link often!

1. Window Art

2. My Love Has Wings

3. Upcycled Wreath

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Resolutions

2011-01-12T14:21:00.000-06:00

I've never been much for making New Year's resolutions, however, I've also been a big goal-setter. The trouble is that I'm an over-achiever. I will make myself sick trying to reach a goal, which was usually way more than any human could do in the time frame I gave myself, and then be absolutely devasted if I didn't make it.

This year, though, I thought I would use the New Year to turn over a new leaf. I'm going to make only three resolutions and give myself room to achieve them and forgive myself if I fall short. So, here they go:

Jenn's 2011 Resolutions:

1. Spend more quality time in prayer.

2. Walk, unassisted, to the end of my street and back.

3. Try something new.

These are not the type of goals I usually make. No time frame. Other than #2, nothing detailed or measurable by gathering data and analyzing trends. (You wouldn't think that a creative soul could be so analytical, but that's the battle that I fight daily!) But, that's my new leaf. To let things happen and develop as they do. Slow down and learn from my experiences and enjoy life. Hey, maybe I can go ahead and mark #3 off the list! No, no, no. The spirit of these resolutions is for them not to be completed and forgotten, but to be a continual journey that I can look forward to.

Did you make resolutions this year?

Sunday Art Therapy #18

2011-01-08T19:14:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year!!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I had a great time with friends and family and even got some crafting in. Here are some fabulous infinity scarves that I made:

I apologize for not getting a picture of them being worn.

I saw this idea on TLC when they did a special on homemade Christmas gifts. These scarves were made from 100% acrylic sweaters that I found at Goodwill. (I made sure that I bought the ones that still had tags on them). I also upcycled one of my own acrylic sweaters that was already destined for Goodwill.

Here's the simple how-to:

1. Make sure your sweaters are 100% acrylic so that they do not ravel. Any time of wool, cotten, or other natural fibers will need to be hemmed.

2. Decide how wide you want your scarves to be. I cut these 5 inches wide. The length of your scarves will depend on the size of your sweater. Try to get some extra large or big & tall sweaters for longer scarves.

3. Use a rotary cutter and a large ruler and cut away.

This was a great no-sew project and was a huge hit at my family Christmas.

Can't wait to see what you've created!! The link party will be open through Saturday, so link away!!

1. The Littlest Button

2. Little tiny inchies

3. My filofax page 1

4. Tags and paperstuff

5. Silhouette cards

6. Cool wrist corsage

7. Daughter of Time

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Sunday Art Therapy #17

2010-12-19T07:09:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, my best friend from college invited me to a ladies' Christmas brunch. She had planned to play dirty Santa with small gifts. So, I scouted out Etsy and found this coffee coozie from one of my favorite sellers, PoshPaisley:

Isn't it adorable? I had to make sure that the wrapping for this little gem was just as lovely as the treasure inside. I thought that I would create a little envelope out of my paper stash, or maybe use one of my recycled boxes and wrap it in paper. As I looked around my studio, I found the perfect piece.

This little bag once held two chocolate chip cookies from a hotel in Cleveland, OH. I couldn't just throw it away. (To be honest, I kept the little cookie wrappers, too!) But, it didn't scream Christmas, so I dressed it up.

The little carriage in this scene was part of the print on the paper. I loved it and incorporated it into my painted scene. I scrubbed white gesso over part of the paper, and used watercolor crayon to paint in the house and the trees. I added in some cute little stickers and finished it off with a decorative tape.

Although it was the smallest gift on the table, it was the first present chosen and loved by its final owner.

Don't skimp out on the wrapping. It's the details that make even the simplest gift very special.

If you haven't already done so, check out last week's Sunday Art Therapy submissions. Claire from Saraccino has really been busy with some awesome projects! Love all the pink!

Now, it's your turn. Link away!

NOTE: There will be no Sunday Art Therapy link party for the next two weeks as we celebrate the holidays with family and friends.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

1. Star or snowflake?

2. Little felt bird

3. Flowery pincushion. .

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Sunday Art Therapy #16

2010-12-12T06:40:00.001-06:00

7. Pink volcanic rocks?

8. More of pink!

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Sunday Art Therapy #15

2010-12-05T15:12:00.001-06:00

UPDATE: Due to some technical problems, this linky party will be open through Wednesday!!! Keep linking!

Everyday is a great day for crafting, but it gets even better at Christmas. Christmas is all about family and going home around my household. So, I wanted to share my "Home" collage.

I created the background from leftover paint from other art journal pages, then I raided my Better Homes and Gardens collection for some photos. A tree cut from an old dictionary page, some oil pastel, and a picture of me (second from the left) and my neighborhood girl friends and we have Home: Where Life Happens.

So this is my first major collage that I've ever constructed. Please critique! I'm desparate to get better at this because I think it is an important skill for me to incorporate into my mixed-media art.

Now, it's your turn to show us what you've been up to this week or any other time. Older projects are welcome as well as your latest endeavors. Remember, that you can link up below as well as add to our Flickr group by clicking on the link inside the slide show.

1. Peacock's feathers

2. Pink tentacles!

3. Glass Slides Pendant

4. A fun gift to draw

5. Vintage Yarn Tree

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JunkDog Design Seed Beed Bottles

2010-12-01T09:16:00.001-06:00

Have you all started decorating for the Christmas season? It is on my to-do list this weekend along with a lovely ladies brunch to ring in the holiday season (yay, Allison!). Another thing on my to-do list is this project from Denise at JunkDog Design. Aren't these bottles to die for?!

Denise used old empty bottles she had laying around. The middle one is an old Log Cabin Syrup bottle. Add some dismantled seed beed bracelets, aged printed numbers, drawer pulls and earrings from the eighties and you've got yourself some very cool decor. I could see these all year round on a bookcase or mantle or even in a bathroom.

Denise is working through her "Craft A-Day while Colt's Away" series. Be sure to check out her blog so that you don't miss a single one!

Later this week, I'll be sharing some of my collage attempts that I've been working on. So, stay tuned and have a creative day.

Sunday Art Therapy #14

2010-11-28T09:22:00.001-06:00

I hope all of those who celebrated Thanksgiving this week have had a blessed time with friends and family, managed to travel safely, stuffed yourself with holiday fare, and hopefully was able to be a blessing to someone else.

I also hope you were able to get some crafty creativeness in this week. I am excited to be featuring Michelle from Mich L. in L.A. Michelle creates the most amazing jewelry out of the oddest things. For example, wouldn't you love to have a pair of these?

Courtesy of Mich L. in L.A.

I am a sucker for anything that is (or even looks) vintage. These chandies are right up my alley. Who would know that Michelle paired the lovely ornate findings with the plastic centers from........Q-Tips???!!! I'm not kidding! Michelle has made gorgeous jewelry from plastic fly swatters, badminton birdies, broken hoses from her car engine, and breath strip packets.

Michelle is an artist, a visionary, and an engineer. Oh, to play in that brain of hers.

Michelle, darlin', you are truly one of my favorite artists and greatest creative inspirations. Thank you.

So, let's see what your amazing creative minds have been up to. This week, feel free to post anything your kids or guests may have created during this holiday weekend. I can't wait to see what you've been up to.

Remember, you can post to both the Flickr group (by clicking the link in the slideshow) and the linky party below. Please check out each other's projects and leave some comment love.

1. Waterproof pool jool

2. Catherine

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Enamered with Collage

2010-11-22T06:07:00.000-06:00

Lately, I am completely enamered by collage. I have been a scrapbooker for what seems like for-ev-er. But, I just can't seem to get the hang of collage. I mean, I know the basics...gather various "found" objects, cut out pictures, and glue to something, ie., paper, canvas, an altered book, or any other surface for that matter. I get all hung up on what I can and can't use (copyright issues), what's a good composition, what story do I want to tell. UGH!

So, I'm on a journey. I want to be a mixed media artist that is really good at collage. To reach this goal, I've started with a little inspiration. Take a look at this slideshow.

Have you ever tried collage? Got any tips?

BGC: Just Keep Diggin'

2010-11-22T05:32:00.007-06:00

Here's an inspirational thought straight from the Brave Girls' Club:

"See……my compost…the scraps and waste of my life has been put deep into the soil and now it’s rich and fertile….just like a field or a garden that has been filled with fertilizer and compost that was made from things that we thought were nasty and stinky trash….it is going to be used to make the seeds grow…whatever we plant there, it will be ready to grow."

I've never thought of it quite that way. God uses the scraps and trash in our lives to make our soil more fertile so that He can grow in us a great harvest.

courtesy of the Brave Girls Club

Right now, I feel like God is turning my compost, getting it ready for the Spring planting. I have great expectations of what He is going to do. The Bible says that He is made stronger in our weakness. Physically, I have never been weaker. Sometimes, I feel the same way about my emotional state. But I know that I when I completely depend on Him, He can reap a great harvest in my life; a harvest that is nurtured by the compost of my shortcomings, my weaknesses, my pain and anxiety, and even my tears.

courtesy of the Brave Girls Club

Time to plant your dreams and let God transform them into beautiful Spring blooms.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! No matter what your situation, we all have so much to be thankful for. Take time to write down your blessings, you'll be amazed at them all!

Sunday Art Therapy #13

2010-11-21T00:01:00.002-06:00

Good Sunday, everyone. I trust you all have been blessed with a fabulous week full of creative adventures. I have been snuggled up with my pups during our cool days and am finally all healed up from my little surgery.

I hope you all checked out last week's Sunday Art Therapy feature provided by Saraccino.

I am in love with all of her tentacle pieces!! I hope you all stopped by her blog and left her some comment love.

Since I totally dropped the ball last week and didn't host a Sunday Art Therapy, our feature this week comes from our Flickr group. Flickr is a great way join an art community and be inspired. Remember, our Flickr group is always open for your submissions.

Anita Davies is our most prolific group contributor. I am always in awe of the quality and quantity of her sketches. Anita hails from the UK and is a self-taught artist that works in a variety of media. However, as you will see in our Flickr group, she uses mostly pen and watercolor in her sketches. According to Anita, "her inspiration drawn from a passion of light and vision; seeing the "hidden treasures" in everyday life and each subjects beauty, seeking to capture character and emotion in her work."

I marvel at her ability to capture the beauty of architecture in her scketches, but more than that, her abilty to capture expression an mood in her portraits is exceptional.

Anita is addicted to shoes and coffee and is my kind of woman!

I hope you have lots of goodies to link up this week. You can add your projects to both the link party and the Flickr group for even more exposure!!

1. Birthday Pawty Cake

2. Seed Bead Bottle

3. Crazy Q-tip jewelry

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Feature: Saraccino Tentacles

2010-11-16T11:54:00.001-06:00

I have a motto: I don't eat anything that can reach out and grab me back!! So, no calamari for me. However, I fell in love with Saraccino's Tentacle Cup and Saucer.

I would love to have a whole set of these! The vibrant colors are amazing and the texture and movement she is able to achieve gives these tentacles a life of their own! One commenter on her blog mentioned that she loves the way we never see the rest of the octopus, but we know that he is lurking just around the corner. I couldn't agree more. Saraccino also has jelly fish that she lovingly creates as well.

Be sure to leave some comment love for Saraccino and let her know that you saw her featured here.

Sunday Art Therapy

2010-11-14T21:55:00.000-06:00

Ok, pain medication obviously gives you brain fog. I'm sorry that there was no Art Therapy Sunday!! I hope you all will link up more than one project next week. And, I will have the feature project from last week for you on Tuesday. Promise!

Seed of Inspiration: Brave Girls Club

2010-11-11T15:51:00.000-06:00

I recently joined Sarah Whitmore's Soul Journaling Yahoo group. One of the things that she has there is a Daily Truth published by Melody Ross and her sister Kathy Wilkins. Melody and Kathy have started an online community called the Brave Girls Club. It is truly an inspiration. Their workshops use art to bring women to an awareness of the lies that we are bombarded with daily as well as the truth that will set us free from those lies and false expectations. While their message is awesome, I was concerned that perhaps it was born from a New Age philosophy and not truth from the bible. So, I emailed and asked them. Here was their response:

Hi, Jenn -
We don't generally bring scripture directly into our workshops as we include women from a wide variety of beliefs and backgrounds, but they always end up being very Christ-centered in a natural way. We talk a lot about our Truth Teller, and we teach that for us our Truth Teller is God (as for most of the women who attend our workshops).
Thanks for being involved with us in Brave Girls Club! We’re so glad you're here.

warmly,

kathy

So, I suggest that you check them out. I believe they offer a positive message that many women, young and old, need to hear. Also, I have been especially touched by their bold move to try to make a difference in the world.

My own journey to find God's purpose for my life has been working itself out in fasting, prayer, and through my art. I have started a visual prayer journal, and the results have been a closer, more personal walk with my saviour. Here are a few of my pages:

If you are interested in learning how to create your own visual journal, I suggest that you start with the 21 Secrets online workshop. It will only be on sale through November, but the community stays open through January 2011. You can learn more about it by clicking on the 21 Secrets button on my sidebar.

I hope you all are having a very creative and productive week!

Sunday Art Therapy #12

2010-11-07T00:08:00.002-05:00

Good morning, all of my lovely creative readers! I am so excited about this week's feature artist, Denise from Junk Dog Design. I recently stumbled across Denise's wonderful blog and have quickly become an avid follower. She specializes in repurposing items into beautiful pieces of art. Don't you just admire that kind of creativity?!

Last week, she linked up this gorgeous mixed media piece made of polymer clay tiles, metal, and recycled canvas, all displayed in a repurposed frame. Everytime I look at it, I see something I hadn't noticed before. The depth and texture are tremendous.

by Denise @ Junk Dog Design

Be sure and check out Denise's blog, Junk Dog Design, and leave her some comment love.

Now, a little update on my own creative adventures. I am still working through the 21 Secrets Art Journaling Playground online workshop. I've hit a bit of a creative wall, but I think that is what art journaling is all about, working through those creative blocks until the dam breaks, and then watch out! I got a little present in the mail the other day that came just in the nick of time-- my first moleskine journal. {***sQuEaL*** with excitement!!} I'm having a little out-patient procedure this week and I can't wait to take this baby along with my Travel Bag of Fabulousness and do some art journaling while waiting and recovering.

So, it's your turn to show what you've created this week (or any other ol' time). Be sure to view the Flickr slideshow for more amazing inspiration. The Flickr group is always open and ready for you to add your lovelies. Just click the link inside the slideshow to join. And, as always, the linky party is open through Tuesday, so link often!

1. Collage Frame

2. Secret Message Box

3. No end to tentacles!

4. Tubular bracelets

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Learn to Draw by Drawing Upside Down

2010-11-02T10:46:00.001-05:00

Upside down?! Worried that you can't draw a stick figure right side up? So was I. I actually learned this technique in my high school art class, but had forgotten about it until a few months ago. I went out and bought the book my teacher had taught us from, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.

The trick is to turn your drawing subject upside down and draw what you see. This tricks your eye into drawing lines and shapes and not recognizable objects. For example, here is my latest upside down drawing. I turned it right side up in the photo so it would be recognizable to you.

Pretty fancy, huh? I added the shading after the line drawing was finished. The left side of your brain tries to dominate everything you do. It deals in memorized facts and known values, while your right brain deals in perspective and shapes. Your left brain would never let you foreshorten the knight's hands or the horse's body. However, your right brain knows that this is necessary in order to properly convey perspective.

Drawing skills enhance all of our arts and crafts. It improves our compositions, allows us to create different moods in our work, and enhances our creative experiences. So, take the time to engage your right brain by looking at things differently. Turn things upside down!

Sunday Art Therapy #11

2010-10-31T00:00:00.002-05:00

I love Sundays!!

You guys really get my creative juices going. I love seeing what you've been up to each week.

I am still working through the 21 Secrets Art Journaling Playground, and enjoying it every second! I have a couple of more pages to post next week. A little show and tell to show you what I've been learning and what you are missing if you're not involved. 21 Secrets is open through January 2011, so you still have plenty of time to join in the fun. Just click on the 21 Secrets link in my sidebar.

This week's Sunday Art Therapy feature is from Just Jingle. Meet George.

George is a beautiful mixed media pendant. Doesn't he just make you smile? I love the name, too. When I was a kid, every tree frog, bull frog, lizard, baby rabbit, or squirrel that I caught was named George.

Great job, Jingle!!

Be sure to stop by Just Jingle and show her some comment love.

Now it's your turn to show us what you've been up to this week. Link up to the party and join the Flickr group. Be sure to click each other's links and comment on other's projects.

1. Salt and pepper

2. small chameleon

3. Poly. Clay Tile Pic

4. A mystery jewel

5. Spooky Sticks

6. The Reader

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Dryer Duct Pumpkin- Country Style

2010-10-25T20:53:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've seen the dryer duct pumpkins all over blog-dom this month. As a matter of fact, I introduced them to you when I saw them originally on House of Hepworths. You can catch up on them here. I couldn't wait to make some of my very own!

I bought a small package of 4" dryer duct at my local Lowe's. I got it for about $4. It was only enough to make a couple of pumkins, but that was enough for me. I also picked up a can of Krylon Pumpkin Orange spray paint. What a gorgeous color!! My dearest hubby didn't want me to get the paint everywhere (I can't imagine what would give him that idea), so he offered to paint them for me. He did a great job and it only took a couple of coats each.

Allison at House of Heworths used cinnamon sticks for her pumpkin stem. They look lovely, and I'm sure they make her house smell delicious, but yours truly is allergic to cinnamon, so I had to go a different route. I shuffled my way out to the wood pile in our backyard. I call it the boneyard of my beautiful curly willow trees that were cut down last summer. There weren't any branches that were the right size to use as stems, but there were several cool pieces of the bark laying around.

I picked out the best shaped pieces of bark and brought them inside. I was able to glue the pieces together with hot glue to make the stems. Then, I used silk leaves, craft wire curly-ques, and acorns picked up at the park to fill in the gaps between the bark stems and the pumpkin.

This one is on my dining table. I love how it looks with my table runner and little pilgrim people.

This one is on my bar. I didn't want it to scratch the top, so I put some crumpled tissue paper under it. This one might be my favorite. After making the one in the dining room first, I didn't have enough bark left in the right shape to use by themselves. So, I cut one of the cardboard toilet paper rolls from my stash and hot glued smaller pieces of bark onto it both inside and out. I know that sounds like overkill, but I didn't want someone looking down on it and seeing the cardboard.

Thanks for this awesome project, Allison! I will use these year after year.

Don't forget that the Sunday Art Therapy link party is open through the end of the day on Tuesday and the Flickr group is always open!

I'm linking to these parties:

Sunday Art Therapy #10

2010-10-24T00:08:00.003-05:00

Good morning, my lovely creative readers. I hope you all have had a wonderfully creative week and are enjoying this beautiful autumn weather we are having. This week, I'd like to feature one of the fabulous projects that was linked up last week.

This awesome envelope was created by Saraccino all the way from Germany. I love how the internet makes us such close neighbors! She used the skull graphic from The Graphics Fairy.

Don't you just love how she used the speach and thought bubbles for the address and stamp markers. Be sure to stop by her blog and let her know you saw her here. While you're there, browse around and check out her other creative projects.

Now it's your turn. Link up your artistic endeavors from this week. You can link to your blog post containing the project below as well as to the flickr group. Just click the link inside the slideshow.

1. Mosaic Window

2. jelly cuff bracelets

3. Bones under glas

4. Vintage lace scarf

5. Little frame + bag

6. Lace wrist warmers

7. Bones - mail art

8. George

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Taking It to the Streets- Portable Crafting

2010-10-22T11:48:00.000-05:00

Do you have a Travel Bag of Fabulousness?

A Satchel of Sanctuary?

A Bag of Bliss?

What else would you call your portable studio? But, I don't travel, you say. Neither do I very much, but sometimes I like to take my art outside on the patio. Sometimes, I don't have the strength to walk into my studio, but I still want to doodle, or do something creative. So, I put together my Travel Bag of Fabulousness. (The name is not copyrighted. You can use it too!)

My bag consists of this:

Small backpack with enough pockets to keep things organized
Sketchbook
2 pencil cases filled with small tubes of acrylic paint, watercolor pencils, coloring pencils, drawing pencils (2H, HB, 4B, and charcoal), pen nib and holder, oil pastels, q-tips, straight-edge, glue stick, cutterbug scissors, two paintbrushes (flat and round), pencil sharpener, eraser
plastic folder of magazine images and scrapbook paper pieces
small spray bottle of water
case of artist pens
box of watercolor crayons
pan of cake watercolors
small plastic palette
small bottle of gesso
cake of brush cleaning soap
bottle of india ink
couple of pieces of wax paper (to stick between my painted pages)
ziploc bag of baby wipes

I've never written all of this down before. I think I should go in and do a little editing. Needless to say, this might be a little much to take to a doctor's appointment or on a plane, but there's nothing here that wouldn't get through security as long as your bottle of gesso and india ink met the container and size requirements.

I'll share with you a couple of products that I learned about from Sarah Whitmire's 21 Secrets workshop called Jet-Set Journaling: a watercolor brush pen and peerless watercolor papers. They are already on my Christmas list!

So, whether you knit, scrapbook, art journal, sketch, or any other creative endeavor, how do you take it to the streets?

I'm linking to these parties:

Up-cycle Pen Caddy

2010-10-18T19:35:00.002-05:00

I get so excited when I have an epiphany! How about you? I have invested in some new pens for my artistic endeavors--brush pens, gel pens, metallic paint pens, markers, glitter pens. They are fabulous! One thing I've learned, though, is that pens like to be stored laying down rather than standing up in a cup. Hmph, who knew?

Since I want my new lovelies to be happy, I made them a new home. I searched my stash and found a shoe box and several cardboard toilet paper and paper towel rolls.

Here's how I did it:

1. Primer. I used white gesso as my primer. I applied a generous coat to all of the outside surfaces, leaving as much brushstroke texture as possible. (If you are going to cover your shoebox in paper this step is not necessary.) Allow to dry overnight.

2. Paint. I used watercolor crayons, cake watercolors, and distress ink.

3. Cover the inside. In my experience, painting the inside of shoebox is not easy. So, I went with paper. I found this cool alphabet paper in my stash. It reminded me of practicing my letters as a kindergartner.

4. Window. Some of my brush pens were too long to fit into the tubes, so I cut a window on either side of the box to let them lay across it. To finish the edges and to make a little shelf for them to sit on, I cut plastic canvas. (I bought this at a yard sale. I'm not sure what it's really used for.) I used E-6000 glue to attach it.

5. Cover the cardboard tubes. I had some black spray paint in the garage, so my hubby strung the tubes on a large dowel and painted them for me. You could also cover them in paper. I cut ruled notebook paper to fit on the inside.

6. Assemble. It's not necessary to glue your tubes into the box. My box was large enough to fit three tubes across, but I liked the pattern of staggering them. Load your pens, and voila.

I'm linking to these parties. You should join them, too.

Sunday Art Therapy #9

2010-10-17T00:01:00.013-05:00

Happy Sunday, everyone. I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. We are really enjoying the fall colors here in middle Tennessee. Truthfully, it's about two weeks early, but I love it!! Today is a special day. It is my parent's 30th wedding anniversary! It reminds me of how lucky my sister and I are that our parents have stayed together when most of our friends' parents have not. We witnessed how much work marriage is and how wonderful it is suppose to be. Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad. I love you very much!!

Thanks to everyone who has been joining the Sunday Art Therapy link party and Flickr group. Last week, Linky Tools had a little hiccup, so I was not able to comment on everyone who linked up, but I have been assured that all is well now. If you'd like to link up last week's projects again, feel free.

I am loving the 21 Secrets online workshop! I have even met a few artists who live in my area. There are wonderful people from literally all over the world and at every skill level participating in this workshop. If you haven't already joined, please do so! You really don't want to miss out. Connie from Dirty Footprints Studio, the hostess of 21 Secrets, was suppose to guest post last week's Sunday Art Therapy, but was unable to do so due to all of her other commitments. Hopefully, we can have her here soon.

Here is one of the journal pages that I did this week for the "Everything but the Kitchen Sink" workshop. I used a really cool technique where you drip rubbing alcohol on wet watercolor or water-based ink to get the great droplet/spatter texture.

Loving it!!

I've also been working on a little mixed-media, up-cycle project that I will share with you this week. It's functional and beautiful (if I do say so myself ;). You won't want to miss it.

So, let's see what you've been up to this week. Remember, any visual art is welcome, whether it be art journals, paintings, collage, fabric, jewelry, sculpture or anything else that you've let loose on this week.

1. Little skull picture

2. Bronze tantacles

3. Talking skull

4. Mermaid envelope

5. Gift Card Portfolio

6. Household Notebook

7. Grunge Card

8. Vampire Card

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Art Journal as Soul Mirror

2010-10-14T06:00:00.002-05:00

Last week, I participated in Effy Wild's 21 Secrets class called "Art Journal as Soul Mirror". She took us through a wonderful meditation process that helped us find our passion. Honestly, that is something that I have been seeking for a very long time. The word that came out of my process was Creativity. This was what I journaled before I started my page:

My soul's purpose is creativity in all of its wonderful and beautiful forms. Creativity is not creating. Only God can create something from nothing. Creativity is bringing elements together and making them into something they were never meant to be, giving them new life, making them into something larger than the sum of their parts, honoring them by believing in what they could be. Creativity is gathering together the outcast and the popular, marrying them together and letting them create their own harmony. This does not only happen with pen and paper, paint and brush, or other elements of the visual artist's mind, but it also happens with entrepreneurs, teachers, social workers, pastors and community workers--servants of God.

Lord, may I be creative in all that I do. I want to serve You, to be mature in my faith in you, and never be scared to BRING your chosen TOGETHER to BEGIN AGAIN, to create a new life, a new program, a new friend, or a new heart from all that was broken or cast aside. I have not lost my usefulness! Create in me a passion fueled by love and a servant's heart. Show me the path that I am to take, and give me the strength to walk down it.

Amen!

Here is my page. I really enjoyed the journey of its creation and I was amazed at all of the layers that emerged.

If you haven't already created your own art journal page, I hope that I have inspired you to try it. If you feel like you need some help to get started, be sure to check out 21 Secrets hosted by Dirty Footprints Studio.

Fall Home Decor by Mandy's Yellow Corner

2010-10-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

Well hello!

I am so excited to be here at Seeds on a Breeze!
Thanks so much for letting me visit, Jenn!

I'm Mandy, and I live in Colorado Springs with my dear husband and our puppy, Ali.

I write a blog called Mandy's Yellow Corner where I share my crafty endeavors...

Like my recreation of a beat up door that I was infatuated with...

Or my tutorial for making an Anthropologie Knock-off Necklace

Today I want to share something that I recently made for my mantel.
I wanted something that would remind me of fall and of God's goodness...

So I took a couple of pages from my old ruined books stash,
And burnt the edges a little bit
[I'm really into burnt paper at the moment]...

Then I cut some black paper to be the same size,
ripped it at the corner,
and burnt the edges...

Then I printed out 1 Chronicles 29:1
"Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name."

I ripped the page around the text and wrinkled it up to make it look old.
I even took a lit match and barely brushed it against the paper to discolor it slightly...

I glued all the layers together,
and here it is framed on my mantel:

If you enjoyed that tutorial, you may want to come over and check out some of my other tutorials.

Thanks again for having me on your lovely blog, Jenn!

♥

Sunday Art Therapy #8 with Dirty Footprints Studio

2010-10-10T00:01:00.003-05:00

1. MrsM

2. Surviving in Mom-dom

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Inspiration Board Tutorial

2010-10-08T14:11:00.000-05:00

Greetings to all my wonderful readers. I have a couple of great things for you today. The first is an announcement. I have scheduled three unbelievable guest bloggers for next week. Beginning Sunday, Connie Hozvicka from Dirty Footprints Studio will be featured for this week's Sunday Art Therapy. Remember the art journal workshop I have been raving about, 21 Secrets? She's the hostess with the mostess. Then, on Tuesday, Mandy England from Mandy's Yellow Corner will be here with an awesome tutorial for some fall home decor. Finally, on Thursday Jennifer Neil from Hope Studios will be stopping by.

I hope you are excited as I am!! Be sure to make them welcome and let them know what awesome, creative people you are!

Next, I have a tutorial for an inspiration board. I have been wanting this forever for my studio and finally took the time to put it together.

I was able to make this board from things I already had in my stash plus a yard of fabric from Joann's (which was 40% off!) The base of my board was a large cork board that I had from a previous home. It's been in the closet in what is now my studio for the last 4 years. Lucky for me that it was already framed and had hangers.

1. Decide how you will attach your fabric to your board. I had several different types of adhesives handy, but you could also use a staple gun. I ended up going with hot glue.

2. Cut the fabric about 1.5 inches wider than your cork board. I used pinking shears so that I didn't have to deal with fraying.

3. Flip your fabric right side up and center on the front of the board. You could take the time to pin down and iron a hem, but I didn't want to drag all of that stuff out. So, I started in the center of the bottom side and finger-folded the fabric and glued it down with the hot glue.

4. Be sure to keep your fabric tight. When you get to the corners, leave yourself enough room to fold the corners into a tight point before gluing them down.

Voila! There you go-you're very own inspiration board. So, tell me. What do you find inspiring? What kind of things do you keep on your inspiration board?

Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes with Custom Wrappers

2010-10-05T06:30:00.000-05:00

As promised, I am sharing with you my Chocolate Ganche cupcake recipe and a tutorial for the custom wrappers.

I love to bake, but when it comes to cakes and cupcakes, I must admit that I use box mixes. I know that some of you are cringing, but it's true. I often doctor them up a bit, but I have had great success with keeping them moist and delicious, so why mess with a good thing? So, for these cupcakes, I used Duncan Hines Devils Food mix. I usually buy the extra moist variety. You can also add an extra egg to a regular cake mix to make it more moist. I'm all about using what you have on hand. I lined my muffin pans with white liners. The liners will be covered with our custom wrappers, so just use whatever you have.

I made two versions of the cupcakes. One box mix will make 24 regular sized cupcakes, so I kept 12 of them plain and filled 12 of them with raspberry preserves. When filling cupcakes before baking, be sure to allow for the amount of filling when adding the batter to the cups. After filling the cups, I placed a 3/4 teaspoon of raspberry preserves in to the center of the batter. As the cupcake bakes, the batter will rise above the filling. Cherry pie filling would also be delicious with this recipe!

Now, the ganache. Ganache is very easy to make as long as you have the right ingredients. What you need is:

8 oz of dark chocolate pieces (you can use chips or shredded baking chocolate)
1 cup of heavy cream

Please note that you need heavy cream. I have made this before, but somehow thought that I could get away with half and half. You can't. Take my word for it. Pour the chips in a medium bowl. Pour the cream in the saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly. Keep a watch on it. Cream will boil over very quickly. After boiling, pour the cream over the chips and stir until smooth.

I frosted my cupcakes by dipping the cupcakes in the ganache and then refrigerating to allow them to set up (not really necessary if you use the right ingredients). The decoration on the top is a chinese symbol for love that I piped using Wilton melting chocolate meant for candy making.

The custom cupcake wrappers were made from thick asian-themed card stock. The paper I used was actually a little too thick, in my opinion. I got the template from Skip to My Lou. You can find it here. Once you choose your paper and cut out the template, wrap the cupcake with the shorter, convex side on the bottom and secure with tape. Now your cupcakes look special and gourmet. No one has to know they came from a box.

Sunday Art Therapy #7

2010-10-03T00:01:00.002-05:00

Good Sunday all you crazy creative people. You might notice my cheery dispotition today. I would like to say that this is my usual state, but I must admit that I owe this all to the awesome pain medication prescribed to me after a little oral surgery. Since I was not bequeathed this wonderful stuff until Friday, I have been in too much pain to create much this week, but I do have a couple of projects to share with you. One is a tutorial on an inspiration board. The other is a tutorial and a recipe in one fabulous post.

I have also begun 21 Secrets, the amazing online art journaling workshop hosted by the Dirty Footprints Studio. You can read all about it here. I really encourage you to join. I've only just begun and am loving every minute of it. I'm also still working through Whitney Ferre's book, Creatively Fit. Have I mentioned that I have creative ADHD? One project is just never enough.

So, now it's time to show me what you've been up to. You can link up below and/or add to the Art Therapy Flickr group. Be sure to spread the love by grabbing the Art Therapy button on the sidebar and comment on each other's projects. If I haven't commented on your project from last week, please give me a little more time. I promise to get to every one.

5. Inspiration Material

6. Jellyfish teaser

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Sunday Art Therapy #6

2010-09-26T00:01:00.002-05:00

Hello all you creative people! I have been so inspired by all of your creative adventures that you've shared. Here is one of my favorites from Jenny at The Homemade Diva.

Silhouette Art by Jenny at The Homemade Diva

I love the way that she paired her papers to create the perfect amount of contrast and movement.

I've added a few of my own creations to our Flickr group. My sweet hubby took me to Michael's today where I purchased new watercolor crayons, cake watercolors, and new artist pens. I've been like a kid with new school supplies!

I can't wait to see what you're up to! And, thanks to Saraccino for noticing that the link party button pointed back to my photobucket site instead of the blog (and for telling me how to fix it). It's all fixed now, but if you do notice something hinky with it, be sure to let me know.

Now, show me what you've got.

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Canvas Art- Fire Storm

2010-09-22T14:06:00.000-05:00

I have been working on several projects that have focused on my love of texture. This piece is a 16 x 20 inch acrylic painting on artist-wrapped canvas.

Fire Storm 16 X 20 acrylic on canvas (c) Jennifer Seratt

This canvas was already primed with gesso, but I wanted to add more tactile and visual texture to it, so I put another thick layer of gesso on. Then, using my paint brush and a plastic mesh screen, I stamped and pushed the gesso until I achieved the textured look that I wanted. After letting it dry for 24 hours, I started laying down the color.

I did not have an image in my mind that I wanted to paint. Instead, I knew the colors that I wanted to use. So, I started with an orange that I mixed and a fairly dry, coarse brush and brushed the paint on the canvas using strong upward strokes. I softened some of the strokes with a clean damp brush. Then, I layed in a wash of very wet blue at the top of the canvas and allowed it to run down into the orange. I loved the illusion of sky this gave.

After letting this dry overnight, I came back to the painting and immediately saw a fire storm with the flames licking the sky. With the background finished, the painting needed a foreground and a focal point. I decided to ground the painting with a strong burnt umber color and painted in charred timber.

After letting the final piece dry, I noticed something special about it. In the upper left corner was a distinct, but ghostly, figure in the fire. Do you see him?

This painting is for sale and ready to hang. Please email me at jenn_seratt@hotmail.com if you are interested in this piece or would like to commission a special piece.

Sunday Art Therapy #5

2010-09-19T00:00:00.003-05:00

Sunday Art Therapy is all about finding respite from your stress and troubles by letting go of your left brain and embracing the right brain, letting all of that frustration out on paper and letting the creative process bring you fresh ideas and a connection to something bigger than yourself. Once you get in the habit of doing this, you just might find that you really enjoy it and that your creative pieces are telling a story much like a diary or journal.

This is true art, and if you want to be even more inspired, I suggest that you check out the Dirty Footprints Studio's 21 Secrets: An Art Journal Playground. Connie Hozvicka has gathered so many great artists to provide you with videos, downloads, and mp3's to show you how to connect to your inner artist.

I'm especially excited to see Connie's class called "Get it out:Get it Down". I often have trouble getting what is in my head onto paper. I sometimes feel like my creative ideas far out shine my actual artistic abilities. Connie is going to show us how to be fearless and create our own masterpieces.

Dawn Sokol from D'Blogala will also teach how to use all those old hotel room keys, expired credit cards and insurance cards as tools and embellishments. And, Lisa Wilson of Life Unity will be teaching us just how to begin art journaling. Sometimes getting over that hump of looking at the blank page is the hardest thing. I know your creative juices will flow like rivers after watching her.

So, don't hesitate. All 21 on-line classes are available for only $59 and registration begins Monday, Sept 20.

So, it's that time again. Show off what you've done this week. I have been very busy creating but have not had a chance to get the pictures uploaded. Be on the lookout for them this coming week.

Here are the submissions to the Art Therapy Flickr group.

Submit your creations to the Flickr group and/or add your link to the party below. Can't wait to see what you've been up to!

1. Swallows

2. Your own stencils

3. Glas nuggets

4. DIY Silhouette Art

5. crayon etching

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Dryer Duct Pumpkins

2010-09-14T11:20:00.001-05:00

Oh Fall, thank you for coming early to TN. We so needed the relief from the heat. My neighbors and I are already planning an Oktoberfest party and I can't wait to get all of my fall decorations down from the attic.

While browsing around blogland, I came across this awesome project by Allison at House of Hepworths. Her blog is hilarious and educational at the same time. She has made pumpkins out of dryer duct.

Project by Allison @ House of Hepworths

Isn't this seriously cute?! I can't wait to raid my garage to see if we have any dryer duct. You could get this at any hardware store, but also check out your local Habitat ReStore (benefitting Habitat for Humanity) or maybe even Goodwill.

I won't be able to use cinnamon sticks thanks to my crazy allergy, but I could see twigs from my yard. I think I even still have some dried curly willow branches left from the trees my hubby cut down (sigh).

Be sure to go over to Allison's blog and let her know that you saw her here.

Also, if you like this project, also check out the rope and wire pumpkins at Someday Crafts.

Happy Fall, everyone!!

Sunday Art Therapy #4

2010-09-12T00:00:00.003-05:00

It's that time again. Show off what you've created this week! All of your great photos, wall art, art journal pages, scrapbook pages, quilts, and other visual creations are welcome! Here is one of the things that I've been up to this week.

As you know, I've been working my way through Whitney Ferre's book, Creatively Fit. One of the creative workouts in the book is to make a mask. She walks the reader through the importance of masks to ceremonies of many different cultures as well as the artistic significance of their creation. They were designed to bring the attributes of the symbols to its wearer. For example, for a people about to go to war, a tribal dancer might wear a mask that might have images of eagles, gazelles, and bears, bringing out the qualities of awareness and stealth, speed, and strength. She challenges you to make a mask using scraps of paper that shows traits or strengths you wish to have. I chose a mask that brings out the qualities I want to have as a friend and a woman of God.

My journaling around the mask reads: May my eyes always be joyful and attentive. May my face always be a reflection of Christ, and may my mouth always speak words of beauty and enlightenment. May my mind always be on the word of God.

I'm still getting the hang of collage, but I do have a tip on the cool writing I used for the "hair". Take a pencil and draw pairs of "parallel" lines. Give them some shape and the lines do not have to mimic each other. Then, take your pen, maker, paint brush, or whatever else you are using and use the lines as a guide for your letters. Let the edges of the letters touch both lines, following their shape. You can erase the pencil lines when you are done.

I plan on making more of these and hopefully getting more adventurous as I go.

Now it's your turn. Link up your projects below and/or add them to our Flickr group.

5. Hand Painted Pillow

6. My Military Homes

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Texture: My Beautiful Muse

2010-09-09T18:33:00.000-05:00

I have been on this creative journey literally since my childhood, but full-time for the last three months. I have had a lot of fun with projects, art journaling, and jewelry-making, all the while sharing ideas with my wonderfully creative readers. However, I have struggled to find my niche, my muse at it were.

After reading a beautiful post by Holly Schlickbernd at So Chic Decor, I realized that I am most moved by texture. It all seemed to be so clear. Fall is my favorite season because I love all the textures of the fallen leaves, the gourds and pumpkins, the hearty comfort foods, the sweaters and coduroys. Texture is what makes me want to scrapbook, paint, and make jewelry.

This, my friends, is quite liberating! I have already been working on a painting and a journal project with my muse. Actually, I've been so excited about this that I've been working feverishly on them at the same time, switching between projects while the other dries. I can't wait until they are finished so that I can share them with you.

So, to pay homage to the beginning of fall and my muse, here are some pics to get your creative juices going.

Be sure to link up your projects on my Sunday Art Therapy linky party and Flickr Group. The link party is up from Sunday through Tuesday, but you can post to the Flickr group anytime!

Now, get creating!

Sunday Art Therapy #3

2010-09-05T00:01:00.003-05:00

I am loving my art journal. I know that my pages are not as professional looking as some of the ones that have been posted to the Art Therapy Flickr group, but I am having a lot of fun!

This week, I was able to get Whitney Ferre's book, The Artist Within, from my local library. I had to travel some this week, so I haven't gotten very far into it, but I have already learned a lot. Whitney begins by laying out the eight principles of design. They are emphasis, balance, proportion, unity, harmony, contrast, rhythm, and repetition. She makes great parallels between these design principles and areas in your life that may need attention, which is your life's untapped potential.

Whitney takes you through different creativity workouts meant to give you confidence in "making your mark." The first one was doodling non-stop for five minutes. This was my doodle.

I started with a pencil and added color later. I realize that my left brain is still trying to dominate as I struggled to doodle for the full five minutes and made marks that were very representational. I can't wait to see how my art grows as I work my way through the book.

Now, it's your turn. Let me see what you've done this week to tap into your inner muse. Click here for the rules. Click here for the Flickr group or add to the party below.

1. Fire Storm Art

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Art Therapy Review

2010-08-31T08:11:00.027-05:00

This week's Sunday Art Therapy submissions were awesome! Take a look at our Flickr group slide show. I know you will be as inspired as I am. I have just begun working through Whitney Ferre's book, "The Artist Within". I'm so excited! I have also just met an new blogging friend, Kristin Renee' Wynegar from Live, Laugh, Craft. She is working her way through Crafter's Devotional and has issued her own challenge to her followers. Make sure you hop over to her beautiful blog and check it out.

Thank you all who are taking this journey with me. I know that it will open up endless possibilities as you begin to see the world through artist's eyes.

Sunday Art Therapy #2

2010-08-29T00:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the 2nd Art Therapy Sunday. This is a link party and Flickr group. You can post to either or both. This party is for all of your visual art endeavors. I am doing an art journal for the first time and have found several great artists who create in their art journals nearly everyday. Today, I'd like to introduce Lynna Goldhar Smith of Morning Star Studio.

I have really enjoyed getting to know Lynna through her blog and I really connect with her artistic style. On her 'about me' page entitled "The Dream", Lynna gets to the heart of the matter when she says,

I believe that Art in all it’s many forms is the embodiment of the human spirit dreaming in full color. We all need creativity and imagination, because we all need to dream and imagine and envision new possibilities. This is how we will grow and transform, ourselves, and the world around us.

This is what I have wanted the mantra of this blog to be. We are all made in the image of God, the creator of the universe. So, I believe that we all have the ability to be creative, drawing inspiration from God's creation.

My art journal entry for today is inspired from the anticipation of the fall season (it is so hot in TN!) and some new pens that I have. Please forgive the photo quality. It was taken with my Blackberry as I was laid up in bed when I did this.

Be sure to check out all of our other wonderful contributors in our Flickr group.

For all of my blogging friends out there. Be sure to link up to the party below. Here are the rules:

The art must be created by you.
It can be any size or shape. It can use any materials and can be about any subject. Explicit adult material will be removed.
Art journal pages, sketches, digital creations, and scribbles are perfectly ok.
Please link to your project post and not to your blog home page.
The Flickr Group will always be open for submissions.
The linky party will be open from Sunday through Tuesday.
Link back to this post in your blog or put the part button in your sidebar.
Be sure to visit and comment on each others submissions for both the link party and Flickr group.

1. Mail art

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Party Trays: Sophisticated & Cheap

2010-08-27T11:52:00.000-05:00

I love to throw parties! Even while I'm in the throws of planning one, I'm thinking about the next one. Creative displays for my food are my favorite thing, but party trays, cupcake stands, and hors d'oeuvre tiers can be crazy expensive. So, what is a girl to do? Well, make her own of course!

I have been so inspired by my fellow crafting bloggers. I took my inspiration for these trays by Julie at Joy's Hope. Her trays are colorful and festive, but I wanted something a little more sophisticated but still fun. I found a great set of plastic plates and cups at Target. I got the plates 4 for $4 and the cups were about $2 each. I used one tall and two short cups because I wanted some variation in height, but if do this again, I will go for all short glasses to make stacking easier. I didnt' take pictures at each step becuase there are really only two.

First, use fine grit sandpaper to rough up the bottom of the plate and cup. Then, glue the plate to the cup. I used E6000 glue.

Let dry, and that's it. They are ready to use.

I'm linking to these parties:

Faboulous Fridays at Frou Frou Decor

Strutt Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple

http://decormamma.blogspot.com/2010/08/frugalicious-friday-giveawayphotojewelr.html

http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/2010/08/feature-yourself-friday_26.html

The Answer to Your Cake Decorating Dilemma

2010-08-25T12:34:00.004-05:00

Baby Bottom cake covered in fondant and buttercream by Jenn Seratt

I know that I've mentioned that I have crafty ADD, and one of my favorite things to go back to again and again is cake decorating. It is a delicious art form. My friend Allison and I have been decorating cakes together for the last three years and have taken many different classes, but our favorites by far have been at SweetWise in Nashville.

Kathy Gentry is one of the best teachers I've had. She and her team have developed a fool proof fondant covering system called The Mat. It is so elegant in its simplicity. I have a physical disability that makes it difficult for me to roll out fondant and get the cake covered before its all dried out. However, with The Mat, I can take all the time that I need to roll out my fondant and when it's time to cover the cake, I can reposition the fondant as many times as I need to before I'm ready to smooth it down.

Check out Kathy demonstrating The Mat.

If you don't live in Nashville, don't fret. You can call the SweetWise shop and order your very own. SweetWise will also open their online store on September 20. Go check them out at SweetWise.com.

Happy decorating!

I'm linking to these parties:
Anything Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts
Trendy Treehouse
Hoo Are You Tuesdays at Night Owl Crafting

Being Inspired is not Being Perfect

2010-08-23T20:19:00.004-05:00

This week was our first Art Therapy link party and Flickr group feature. I have committed to journaling at least once per week, but the link party and Flickr group is for any visual art piece that you have created.

For those of you who want to try an art journal, I thought that I'd explain a little about what it is. An art journal is

a place to record personal activities, feelings, etc. Bottom line is that a journal of any type is PERSONAL. If you choose to share it with others, you might find comeradery. Rest assured that you will not be ridiculed here.
a place to try new things--new techniques, new color combos, new products. Practice makes perfect!
a place to have FUN and be CREATIVE.

An art journal is not

a masterpiece. Have fun and try new things. You'll be amazed at your growth as you look back.
always a place for writing. Others may not be able to know what your page means by just looking at it without writing, but who cares. This is your journey and you will know exactly what you meant to convey.
only for professionals. You don't even have to have artist quality materials. If you have an old book of any kind, some magazines, scissors, glue, crayons, pens/pencils, or even just photo editing software, you can create an art journal.

If you need more information or inspiration, I highly recommend that you check out Rachel Whetzel's blog, A Year in the Life of an Art Journal.

I hope you will go on this journey with me. The Flickr group is always open, and for those of you that blog, the link party will be open from Sunday through Tuesday.

I'm linking to these parties:
Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays at New Nostalgia
Anything Related at All Thingz Related
Get Your Craft On
Anything Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Sunday Art Therapy #1

2010-08-22T00:01:00.002-05:00

It's the first day of what I'm calling our Sunday Art Therapy linky party and Flickr group. I have been thinking a lot about the circle of life this week. I know this may sound a little cheesey, but stay with me here. I have neighbor and friends who lost their daughter this week. She drowned in a local lake and the divers still haven't recovered her body. She was artistic, fun loving, and engaged to be married. She and her mother had just picked out her wedding dress a week before. Tonight, the community had a prayer vigil for her and her family.

Life truly is a circle, and as the bible teaches us, there is a season for everything. So, using this as inspiration, I decided to do my first mandala as this week's art therapy piece. Mandalas have had great artistic significance in many religions and cultures. Basically, mandalas are colorful images based around a circle. Here is mine. I hope this alleviates any of your insecurities about your own drawings.

Here is a slideshow of some of the images that have been uploaded to the Flickr group. Be sure to visit the group and comment on the submissions.

1. Vintage Eye Chart

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New Flickr Group & Linky Party

2010-08-19T20:18:00.000-05:00

I have always wanted to be an artist. I have always been "crafty", but how does that segue into real art? I have asked that question to myself so much since my health has forced my exit from the [left-brained] corporate accounting career I enjoyed. In doing so, I have been evaluating exactly what my definition of real art is.I have determined that everyone is an artist and that all manner of creativity is art. Whether each of us decide to recognize and appreciate our own art is what makes the difference.

A friend of mine introduced me to Whitney Ferre's Creatively Fit program several months ago. She was fortunate enough to actually participate in one of the workshops before Whitney relocated from Nashville to Oregon. I have followed Whitney's website as well as the Cloth, Paper, Scissors site and am an avid Etsy stalker. These sites have inspired me to jump in feet first and just go for it.

So, I am making a commitment to create a piece of non-jewelry visual art each week. I will be posting my creations on Sunday of each week. To keep me accountable and to get some inspiration, I'm creating a Flickr group for all of my readers who want to take this journey with me. There will also be a linky party for those of you who also blog.

Here are the "rules":

The art must be created by you.
It can be any size or shape. It can use any materials and can be about any subject. Explicit adult material will be removed.
Art journal pages, sketches, digital creations, and scribbles are perfectly ok.
The Flickr Group will always be open for submissions.
The linky party will be open from Sunday through Tuesday.

If you need a jump start, I suggest that you join the Creatively Fit Meet Your Artist Within program. It's online and very affordable!

Wild For Style

2010-08-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

The end of the summer does not mean the end of great fashion. I have added the perfect pieces to take you from the final days of summer right into the new fall fashions.

First, my Millefiori glass necklace is perfect for those late summer days at the lake or back yard parties. It can be worn as a necklace or as a bracelet

Next, this necklace makes a bold statement with its asymmetrical design featuring a large fucshia shell focal surrounded by animal print ceramic beads.

Lastly, the Girded Silouhette necklace features a large semi-precious black stone wrapped with silver wire in a geometric patter. The pendant is hung from an 18 inch silver chain. Perfect by itself, or make an even bigger statement by pairing it with the animal print necklace.

All three of these necklaces feature a handcrafted 20 gauge silver wire hook clasp. These clasps create great versatility in these pieces. Use the clasp to hook these pieces onto other chains to create a fashion-forward layered look or to wear the pieces as bracelets, sweater links, or eye glass chains.

Don't wait! Grab these from my Etsy shop today. Each piece will arrive in a gift box with coordinating card ready to give to yourself or someone special.

I'm linking to these parties:

All Thingz Related
Anti-Procrastination Tuesday
Tip Me Tuesday
Get Your Craft On Tuesdays

Romance in a Box

2010-08-16T14:24:00.000-05:00

One of the sweetest memories I have is of my keepsake box--a shoebox filled with love notes, movie ticket stubs, and pictures of me and my highschool sweeties. I decided to make one for my sweet neighbor and bible study sista. She and her hubby are highschool sweethearts. She has been feeling a bit overwhelmed since they adopted their little girl from China. So, I thought what better way to help them keep that feeling of "first dates" than a box full of romantic notions.

My box is sweet, but if you are more of a "wild child", then check out The Dating Divas' "Wild About Him" post for a little more steam.

I started with a simple shoe box and a couple of sheets of scrapbook paper which I tore and used Mod Podge to cover the box.

I decided to paint the inside purple using acrylic paint. It covered well but did take a couple of coats. I covered the holes in the box with prima flowers and added a ribbon to make the top box edge look a little more finished.

I printed date ideas from the Creative Stirrings blog onto card stock. You can download my template here.

I also wrote romantic notions onto strips of card stock and rolled them up. I made a box from scrapbook paper following instructions in this video that I found on Etsy.

Here is my finished product:

I'll add a little journal for them to write love notes to each other and some scented candles to the box. I hope she likes it and it gets tons of use!

I'm linking to these parties:

Fabulous Friday at Frou Frou Decor

Scrappy Saturdays at Scrappy Gifts

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Made By You Monday at Skip To My Lou

Templates Galore & My First Etsy Sale!

2010-08-10T17:21:00.000-05:00

I just made my first sale in my new Etsy shop! I literally squealed with excitement. Now I need to worry about packaging. There are several Etsy articles on the importance of branding and packaging, so I know that I have to set myself apart but still be cost and environment conscious. So, I've decided to package the 3-strand Ivory Pearl Necklace purchased by a wonderful Etsy shopper in Florida in a pillow box.

Check out these boxes here.

I'd really like to use paper that is embedded with seeds that can be planted like the ones shown here, but I don't have any of that paper handy at the moment. So, I will pull from my stock of beautiful scrapbook papers and use the template found here. This link is chocked full of templates for envelopes, cards, and boxes. Be sure to check them out!!

Receive your own beautiful pillow box filled with beautiful jewelry items from my Etsy shop. Visit me soon at Dandelion Designs.

A Great Lake

2010-08-09T12:14:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, we had no appointments a the Cleveland Clinic, so we decided to see the city a bit. We went through Cleveland's Little Italy. It was a very cute area with shops and bistros. We didn't stop because the entire area was on a hill that was way too steep for my wheelchair.

We meandered through the city until we came to Lake Erie. I was so excited to see my first Great Lake! Lonnie was born in Michigan and has traveled in the area a lot for work. But I could tell that he was excited to see me so excited. Cody loved it, too.

The sea gulls kept hovering right over us. I thought they were either going to swoop down and pick up Cody or poop all over us. We were able to get out of there clean and with yorkie in tow.

It was a lovely day and a new experience for me.

Chili 3-Way

2010-08-05T09:28:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I had my first taste of the famous Skyline Chili. I ordered chili 3-way which is chili, spaghetti, and cheese. I also got a Greek salad.

When I took my first bite, that distinctive taste hit my tongue. What was it? After several bites, I think I have it. Cinnamon? CINNAMON!! Guess who's allergic to cinnamon? That's right, this guy!

Do I stop eating? No. I take a Benadryl and keep going. My reaction is usually mild with just some itching. The worst reaction I ever had caused blisters in my mouth and vomiting.

I didn't finish my lunch and we started back to the hotel, and then it happened. My tongue started blistering. A couple more Benadryl finally calmed it down.

Little did I know that incident would be the beginning of a really bad day. More on that later.

Cleveland Bound

2010-08-03T13:52:00.001-05:00

We are on our way to Cleveland, OH to visit the Cleveland Clinic. We just came through Cincinnati and I saw the Bengals' stadium. Can't wait to get some Skyline chili.

Best Pal Scrapbook Page

2010-08-01T10:15:00.001-05:00

love my kids. My little ones are playful, snuggly and loving, and sometimes a giant pain! However, I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. I keep everything from them and wanted to share with you a scrapbook page I made using some of their things.

Did I forget to mention my kiddos are "fur babies"? Believe me... they still eat, drink, poop, and whine!

The think I love most about this layout is that I used a large section of a treat bag that I kept. This bag was from a gormet shop in Franklin, TN. I actually bought them when we had Baby, an elderly, blind Maltipoo we adopted. Baby passed away shortly after we got Cody. Sadie came along a couple of years later.

Cody aka "C-Note"

Sadie aka "Doodle-bug"

I haven't put their pictures in this layout yet. I've thought about framing it and giving it to our neighbors who also have fur babies.

I'm linking to these parties:

Handmade Cards: Love Birds and Layered Hearts

2010-07-26T15:24:00.001-05:00

I love making my own cards. Whenever there is a special occasion coming up, I usually sit down and make several so that I have some choose from. But maybe my favorite thing to do is make Just Because cards. These are a couple of 'Just Because I Love You' cards that I like to keep around for my hubby.

The layered heart card has bright colors and would make any loved one happy! You can easily achieve this look by choosing two solid papers and a coordinating printed paper.

1. Choose one of the solids as your base card. Remember to double the length of the card so that you can fold it in half.
2. Cut the other to pieces slightly smaller that your card face.
3. To make the layered hearts, fold the patterned paper in half with the print to the inside. Draw half a heart on the fold and cut out just like in elementary school.
4. Do the same thing to the solid paper, but cut the heart slightly smaller.
5. Layer the printed paper over the solid and glue down to the card.

Now you have a card to treat your special someone as soon as he does that thing you like just right (like hanging is wet towel after a shower or rinsing the dishes before he puts them in the dishwasher) ;-)

The next card is great to have on hand to invite your man on a date or remind him of the anniversary of your first kiss. This card makes great use of your paper scraps. The more striking the contrast between the papers, the more modern it looks. Less contrast creates a softer feel.

You can download a pdf template for the birds here. Layer these birds on a circle background to draw attention to their loving gaze. Draw their sprightly legs with your favorite pen and ruler.

Never waste time looking for just the right card in the drug store again. Show your love with a handmade design and a sentiment straight from your heart.

Craft Fair

2010-07-23T12:17:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to find a lovely note in my Etsy mail box. The art teacher at Elzie Patton Elementary in Mt. Juliet, TN found my little Etsy store and asked if I would be a part of their annual Art Expo in October. I've never participated in any type of craft fair, but I'm seriously considering this one.

I went to elementary through high school in Mt. Juliet, which Ms. Ruble had no way of knowing since I don't live there anymore. The proceeds of the event go to help the school purchase special leadership curriculum for the kids. For me, the greatest selling point is that it's all indoors. That will make it easy for me to get in and out if I have to use a wheelchair.

So, any advice for a craft fair newbie?

Happy Birthday!

2010-07-21T20:19:00.000-05:00

It's my birthday and I'm here sick. Covered up, coughing, fever, nauseated sick. Happy birthday to me. I've been icky since Monday, so I don't have any new projects to show you, but I do have an inspirational word to share from Rick Warren.

Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. Proverbs 4:23 (GNT)

The Bible says our thoughts influence our lives. For instance --

My interpretation influences my situation -- It's not what happens to me that matters as much as how I choose to see it. The way I react will determine whether the circumstance makes me better or bitter. I can view everything as an obstacle or an opportunity for growth - a stumbling block or a stepping stone.

My beliefs influence my behavior -- We always act according to our beliefs, even when those ideas are false. For instance, as a child, if you believed a shadow in your bedroom at night was a monster, your body reacted in fear (adrenaline and jitters) even though it wasn't true. That's why it's so important to make sure you are operating on true information! Your convictions about yourself, about life, and about God influence your conduct.

My self-talk influences my self-esteem - We constantly talk to ourselves. Do you run yourself down with your self-talk? Stop doing that: "As he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV).

God always know what I need to hear. This is how I know that I serve a living God and he cares for me.

Have a great day everyone!

Adoption Scrapbook: Worth the Wait

2010-07-18T19:56:00.004-05:00

Happy weekend, everyone. I know that I've been quiet this week, but for good reason. I've had my head down and my scissors flying this week finishing a scrapbook album for my newest neighbor, Miss Riley Grace Campbell.

Riley was adopted from China by my neighbors, David and Deanna. She is a beautiful and vibrant little girl. The Campbell's kept a blog during their adoption process and loaded it with personal stories and great pictures. I couldn't pass up the chance to surprise Deanna with a scrapbook for her long-awaited family addition.

I posted the first couple of pages during my Stash Busting series a couple of weeks ago. You can revisit that post to find out how I hid journaling spots throughout the book so that the Campbell's could tell their own story for Riley.

So, here is one of my favorite layouts. You can view them all in the photobucket slideshow below.

I'm linking to these parties:

Finding Inspiration

2010-07-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

Do you remember being a kid, laying on the grass and looking up at the sky trying to find familiar shapes in the clouds or stars?

Face in the clouds over Hawaii

Well, I had a similar experience as an adult. I was 24 when I flew on a plan for the first time. As we started our descent into Nassau, Bahamas, I looked through the break in the clouds and could see straight through the clear water to the "face" on the ocean floor. Do you see it?

That trip was 7 years ago. I hadn't thought much about that picture until I saw this beautiful agate pendant listed by one of my favorite suppliers. As soon as I laid eyes on it, all of the memories of that trip and that monumental moment of breaking through the clouds and seeing that beautiful ocean came flooding back.

I have tried several compositions to reflect the beauty of this piece, but none of them have been successful. Even stringing it by itself doesn't work. I can't seem to find a suitable stringing material. I welcome your ideas.

If I use your idea, I will give you 50% off of the finished piece.

Just because I think it's cool, here's another "face" picture for you from another trip to the amazing Atlantis hotel in Paradise Island, Bahamas. I saw this "face" in rocks that bordered a waterfall at the hotel.

I'm linking to these parties:

Blog Hop

2010-07-11T20:04:00.001-05:00

I'm participating in this blog hop. Add your project here and it will show on all the participating blogs.

Folded Shirt Card Featured on Scrappy Gifts!

2010-07-10T11:47:00.001-05:00

It's my first feature! Thanks to Maryanne at Scrappy Gifts for featuring my Folded Shirt Card tutorial. Scrappy Gifts is a wonderful papercrafting blog. You'll find great ideas on scrapbook page layouts as well as other memory arts projects.

Thanks, Maryanne for the great honor. I'm shouting it from the mountain tops!

Topsy Turvy Birthday Cake

2010-07-08T18:49:00.001-05:00

My birthday is coming up and I usually have an awesome party. I love hosting parties and really get into the planning, decorating, and cooking. However, this year has been let's say challenging. Since I don't have the energy to plan a big party or can even guarantee that I will feel like attending it if it was planned for me, I've decided to forego the shindig this year.

Still, it is my birthday. My bff, Allison, and I are going to take a topsy turvy cake class on my birthday weekend. Allison and I have been decorating cakes together for about three years (girl, time goes by so fast!). If you are in the Nashville area and would like to learn to decorate cakes, I highly recommend Sweet Wise.

The cake we will make in class will be a two-tier topsy turvy cake. We usually decorate the cake in class using her suggestions. However, I plan to go another way. I'm going to make myself a birthday cake. Here are a couple of sketches that I have:

This one is a sophisticated take on a whimsical cake design. Each cake layer will be covered in white fondant and each will have a different fondant ribbon detail. The top will be a gathered green ribbon with a royal icing blue brooch in the center. The bottom tier will have a green ribbon and large two loop bow with a royal icing blue monogram in the center.

This one keeps with the playful theme of the cake shapes. The same blue and green colors are used. The bottom tier is covered in white fondant and is embellished with white circle cutouts in alternating colors. The top tier is covered in marbeled green and white fondant. For the topper, I have my monogram and fun fondant balls.

So, what's the verdict? Which do you like best?

The plan is for the bottom tier to be chocolate cake with my famous Baileys Irish Creme buttercream filling. I'm thinking that the top tier will be french vanilla cake but I'm not sure what the filling should be. Any suggestions?

I'm linking to these parties:

Inspiration and Truth: A Royal Adoption

2010-07-07T10:33:00.000-05:00

I have always wanted this to be more than a craft blog. I want this to be the place my readers run to for inspiration, a pick-me-up, and a good dose of confidence that you can accomplish anything. So, today's post is about what God has been teaching me.

1 Peter 1:18-19 tells us that we were purchased by the precious blood of God's son and that made us heirs with Christ to the kingdom of heaven, adopted into God's family.

I have been sick for a year, and I don't have a firm diagnosis. My illness has changed my entire life. Everything revolves around it. Over the last year, the person who I thought I was-smart, successful, energetic-has been stripped away and I have been left with what I thought was a shell of who I was and wanted to be.

The truth is that my identity is not based on my physical existence, but in my relationship with Christ. I am an heir with him to the the kingdom of God. I have been bought with royal blood and given access to the power of God.

No matter how weak I feel or how much my body lets me down, I am still a child of God--strong, beautiful, and confident.

Thank you, Jesus!

Etsy Shop Now Open!

2010-07-05T12:05:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July weekend. Some of you, like me, are still enjoying it. One productive thing that I did get done this weekend is opening my new Etsy shop. I have been addicted to Etsy for some time now and it's great to be a part of the handmade movement.

So, come on over and visit my shop, Dandelion Designs. Anyone who makes a purchase in the month of July and puts "Seeds" in the notes to seller section will receive a 20% discount. To receive the discount, please wait for a revised invoice from me before paying by Paypal.

Here is a small preview:

Stash Busting: A Journaling Journal

2010-07-02T11:21:00.001-05:00

A lot of people have trouble when it comes to journaling on their scrapbook pages. If you're like me, sometimes you can't seem to capture the emotion of the photo or what you were feeling when you took it when it comes time to journal. Other times, I set down to scrapbook but need some inspiration. So, I created a journal to record my feelings, notes about events, and just funny things said.

This is a great stash busting project. For this journal, I started with a spiral notebook, but any type of book with blank pages will do. Next, I covered it with a piece of scrap Basic Grey patterned paper from my scrap folder. You can see a little cutout on the right side where the cover of the notebook shows through. The purpose? None. The scrap paper was just cut that way and I didn't mind it.

Then, I added some letters. Some were stickers. At least one was a chipboard letter that I didn't even cover. I liked the neutral color against the patterned paper.

Leaving it this way would be fine if you had a notebook that was already sectioned off like one of those 3 or 5-subject notebooks. This one was not, so I decided to embellish a little with some tabs of my own. You can see them peeking out of the top.

I used some little chipboard embellishments. I think they came from a Scrapaganza kit that a friend gave me for my birthday. Some of them were meant to be tags and already had holes punched, but some of them weren't, so I used a paper punch to punch holes to add brads.

The tags were a little heavy for the notebook paper, so I added a small piece of cardstock to the paper and then attached the tags.

I keep this journal in my studio for moments of inspiration, but I think a pocket-sized one would be great to keep with you always to jot down funny things the kids say or your sentiments when taking a photo.

Happy journaling everyone!

Stash Busting: Adoption Scrapbook

2010-06-30T14:09:00.002-05:00

I know I've been gone for a few days. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball and I've battled one over the last week. I've found that the more that I lose myself in my studio the less I focus on my pain. So, while I missed you this week, I spent as much energy as I could muster in my studio making a scrapbook for my neighbors who just adopted from China.

I haven't met Riley Grace yet, but I have followed her journey from China to Tennessee through her blog, Ramblings Regarding Riley. The family's posts are filled with pictures and details of their journey that definitely tug at your heart strings.

I took a chronilogical approach to Riley's memory book and used paper and embellishments that I purchased years ago to scrap my hubby's trips to China, South Korea, and Taiwan. I wanted Riley to know the journey that her forever family went through to get her. However, I knew that I couldn't tell their story for them, and I firmly believe that the most important part of a scrapbook is the journaling. So, I created hidden journaling spots on nearly every 8x8 page. Here's a sample:

I started with Die Cuts with a View Far East 8 x 8 paper pack. I then added my title, 'God's Plan', using Basic Grey letter stickers. I cut a sweeping wave out of a light blue piece of card stock from the pack, glued it in place, and machine stitched it to a bamboo-colored sheet using a zig zag, leaving a pocket in the dip of the wave for our tucked-away journaling tag.

HINT: To keep the stitching looking cohesive, I used a needle to pierce the paper where my stitches would have been and then used blue pen that matched my thread to draw in the stitches. Can you tell? I didn't think so.

To make the the hidden tag, I cut a shape from orange stock from the same DCWV pack to look like a rising sun when tucked into the blue wave. This piece should be almost as wide as the blue piece and the bottom should match the shape of the bottom of the blue piece.

You could tuck this tag in and leave as is for journaling. But, I wanted more surface area and thought that it would be better if the journaling spot was white. So, I fan folded a large strip of plain white printer paper and attached it to the tag. Fan folding white card stock would create too much bulk.

Honestly, that wasn't quite enough for me. So, I also created a journaling spot under the picture of the "before" family. Here, they can record their prayers for the little girl that God would bring into their lives.

To do this, cut a piece of light colored card stock the same size as your photo. Attach it to your background where you plan to place your photo. Then, cut a narrow strip of paper the same width as your photo and fold it in half. This is your hinge. Glue one side to the card stock and one side to the photo.

Viola! Now you have two large journaling spots on an 8x8 page. I can't wait to give this to the family and meet their newest addition. Welcome home Riley Grace!

Stash Busting: Fern-inspired Necklace

2010-06-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

I actually made this necklace a few weeks ago, but I did create it from items in my stash. I used natural green shell beads and antiqued brass chain to create this lovely 16" necklace. But, my favorite piece is the steel fern frond that I purchased on Etsy from Black Sheep Beads.

I have been very inspired by the ferns I've seen this summer. In the south, you can usually find them hanging from nearly every porch. I can remember my grandmother bringing her ferns from their winter hibernation spot and hanging them from hooks on her front porch while telling me how they were about as old as me (around 5 at the time) and who she got them from. Ah, summer.

photo by maryruthrowell on photobucket

I'd love to hear what you think of this project. I plan on making it available in my Etsy shop opening in July.

I'm linking up to these parties:

Stash Busting: Mod Podge Nursery Wall Art

2010-06-23T15:54:00.000-05:00

During the first week of May 2010, Nashville suffered a devasting flood. We now have a new measurement: a 500-year flood plane. Homes and businesses were destroyed. The Opryland Hotel and Convention Center still has not re-opened.

I'm proud to live in Nashville. No matter how large and diverse our community gets, we are all still family and have rallied together to rebuild.

Our home was not harmed, however I did personally know a few people whose homes were. One is the Dunn family. Mike and his wife had just welcomed their first child a few weeks before the flood and after a difficult pregnancy. I'm happy to say that Mike and his family got out safely and are rebuilding. Our company is hosting a housewarming party for the Dunn's and this is my gift.

This nursery name plaque is the second in a series of many. I hope. Carson's room hasn't been painted yet, but I think this would go with any decor they choose. If not, I'd be happy to do it again!

All of the materials came from my stash except the hanging hardware. You can read my tutorial for this project here .

Stash Busting Challenge

2010-06-18T05:31:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I think I need to go through a 12-step program for crafting. My name is Jennifer, and I’m a craft-a-holic and a supply hoarder. I guess there are worse things that I could be addicted to. I just can’t help myself. I must have crafty ADHD. I decorate cakes, draw and paint, scrapbook, make jewelry, crochet, and whatever else I can get my hands into on any given day. Whenever I’m in a hobby or craft store, or a thrift store, or even the dollar store, I’m inspired by everything I see. I don’t always know what I’m going to do with any given purchase or find, but I know that it can become something great.

Today, my stash is neatly organized in my studio. I’m not sure how much longer I can fool my sweet hubby into thinking I’m using a just-in-time (JIT) crafting process. So, I am committing to an all-out, free-for-all, stash-busting crafting marathon over the next two weeks. I am allowing myself a budget of $5 each week to purchase any “finishing” supplies.

I’d love for you to participate with me! Email me with your stash-busting projects and you could be featured in future posts or even be asked to do a guest post.

Let’s get busting!

Fiddlehead Ferns:

2010-06-16T06:21:00.013-05:00

I am an avid blog reader. One of the blogs that I love to follow is Ruffled. It is a blog for vintage-inspired weddings. I love to see how modern brides are combining colors, textures, DIY projects, etc. I came across a picture of a bride who used fiddlehead ferns in her bouquet and boutonnieres. I loved the graphic nature of them. They have a very modern, simple shape and beautiful colors.

Immediately I began sketching. I wanted to capture their geometry as well as the interesting negative spaces a grouping of them made. I know that a painting is in the future for these guys. My mind also quickly leapt to the jewelry design possibilities. I scanned Etsy to see what others have done with these beauties. I knew that I wanted to make an asymmetrical necklace with a grouping of fiddlehead ferns as a link. I found these gorgeous vintage glass beads from Black Sheep Beads and had to have them.

I used my WigJig Delphi to make the fern shapes from copper wire and paired them with the green beads. Here is the result. This lovely piece will be available in my Etsy store opening in July.

I’m not finished with this seed of inspiration! Stay tuned to see what’s next.

A Second Chance

2010-06-11T06:12:00.000-05:00

Robert Frost is one of my favorite poets. I love his fluid style and ability to paint a picture with his words. One of my favorite Robert Frost poems is The Road Not Taken. Megan, at the Brassy Apple, posted this beautiful picture with a line from this poem as the heading. It prompted me to go back and read it again. Here it is for you:

Robert Frost (1874–1963). Mountain Interval. 1920.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

After reading this, I realized that I had the same choice in my work. I had the choice of building a career in business (the path with the “better claim”) or studying art and literature. I chose business. But now, I feel like I have the opportunity to go back and take the other road. Unlike the speaker in the poem, I will not have to sigh when I tell my story. For me, two roads diverged in a wood and I had the unique opportunity to travel both, and that has made all the difference.

Always look at obstacles as opportunity and life’s downs will be doors to new adventures.

The Ripple Bracelet

2010-06-09T05:33:00.002-05:00

It's definitely summer time in Tennessee, and for us that means weekends spent on the lake. There is no better place to get inspired. We've been getting those pop up summer showers on the lake lately and I wanted to capture the beauty of the ripples the raindrops make as they hit the water. Nature can be organic and geometric at the same time. The perfect concentric circles of the ripples was the inspiration for this bracelet.

The bracelet is 8 inches long and made of silver-plated metal. The clasp was handmade using a WigJig. At first, I wanted to use a toggle clasp, but found this clasp to be much easier to close. I'll have this item in my new Etsy shop opening in July.

I hope this will be the first in a series inspired by the weather, specifically storms. I have tons of ideas and sketches and can't wait to get creating!

A Bracelet Idea: An Epiphany in Sherbet

2010-06-06T22:02:00.000-05:00

Ever had an epiphany? One of those moments where you could almost see the light bulb switch on above your head? That was me last week. I had an epiphany in .....drum roll..... sherbet. That’s right, sherbet. Orange to be exact. I’ve been hooked on the stuff lately. When I was making myself a big bowl of it before lunch this week, (yes, BEFORE lunch. I love being an adult!) I got a very interesting shape when scooping it with a spoon. I took a picture of it before I finished it off. Wouldn’t this be a great look for a bracelet? I’d love to be able to pull off this ruffled, or ruching, effect with paper but fabric might work best.

This is going to be fun. Don’t discriminate when a seed of inspiration finds you. It just might be in your next dessert.

Digital Scrapbook Page: Needle's Eye, Rock City, Chattanooga

2010-06-04T06:15:00.001-05:00

I don’t do much digital scrapbooking, but this is one page that I really liked doing. The picture was taken in Chattanooga when my hubby and I spent a long weekend there to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. It was the most relaxing weekend that I could remember in a long time. The journaling reads: Inhale, breathe, meditate, simply feel, envision, relax, slowly let go of all the craziness of life and hear the sounds of God’s creation…now exhale and start again.

I believe scrapbooking, digital or paper, is a very personal form of collage. You get to capture a memory while creating beautiful art that has tremendous personal value and the ability to translate the same message from viewer to viewer. Scrapbookers, even newbies, tend to quickly develop their own style. That's why I believe any scrapbooker could transition into collage, for art sake, very easily and successfully.

So, my next canvas project will be a collage. I'm not sure why I'm so nervous just thinking about it. Hopefully, this will get me out of my analytical rut and free my creative genius :)

Background paper: Corina Nielson http://www.funkyplaygroundesigns.com/

Embellishments: Amy Teets http://www.scrapix-design.com/

Fonts: Shabby Princess www.shabbyprincess.com

Yes, that’s Cody in his bag. He loves that thing. He went everywhere with us: Rock City, Ruby Falls (yes, down into the cave), and even restaurants (shhh…don’t tell). He’s a little big for it now, but he still loves it. Check out this pick taken this year on our way to Jacksonville, FL.

Photo Inspiration

2010-06-01T06:13:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I get in a creative rut. My inspiration seems to just run dry. Amy at Mod Podge Rocks posted about this in her Cool Photos post. So, I hopped over to Flickr and Photobucket to get my creative juices flowing. Here are some of my favorites. Click to go to the image and view the credits.

Child's Name Plaque

2010-05-31T07:56:00.006-05:00

Everything I ever needed to know, I learned....from my hairdresser :) My hairdresser, Brittany Stanley of Beauty Boutique (check her out if you live around the Murfreesboro, TN area) is always full of inspiration. Last time I visited her, she told me about a friend of hers, Kim, that paints canvases for children's rooms. Her blog is called Small Words, and it is fabulous! She inspired me to do my own version. I don't have a steady enough hand to paint my own letters, so I decided to capitalize on my mad scrapbooking skills and stash instead.

I used a white drawer front that I found at our local Habitat ReStore. I used Mod Podge to cover it in scrapbook paper and used my Slice to die cut the letters. I had some fabric remnants that I found at Old Time Pottery years ago (and have never used) that matched my friend's nursery perfectly. So, I cut out some of the flower motif from it. I Mod Podged it on top of the paper and then added the letters. Another coat of Mod Podge and a coat of spray clear varnish and this is the result.

A few tips:

1. Spread Mod Podge on your paper and let it dry for a few minutes before adhering it to your surface. This will keep it from bubbling and buckling.

2. Let your top layers of Mod Podge completely dry before adding a second layer.

3. Mod Podge for fabrics is out now and may work better if you are using fabric pieces like I did.

4. Sand the edges of your paper to give it a softer look.

Check out the Mod Podge Rocks blog for more tips and great Mod Podge projects.

I will definitely be making more of these. If you would like one for your child's room or any other room in your home, please email me at jenn_seratt@hotmail.com.

Contrast:The Art of Adding a Little Interest

2010-05-28T12:49:00.001-05:00

I receive a newsletter from Creatively Fit, a venture of Whitney Ferré, and decided to spend some time on Whitney’s website today. You have to visit her site. She is definitely a seed of inspiration! She got me all jazzed to do some painting. So, I pulled out an old canvas of a painting I had done a couple of months ago just to pass the time. I painted right over it. Here’s the new piece.

I used some of her techniques, such as creating texture with tissue paper that is stuck right on the canvas and using household items as a “stamp”. The whole process was quite liberating, but after it was dry, I realized that there was not enough contrast.

Contrast creates interest. We all need a little contrast in our lives. Food tastes better, your home décor is more striking, your outfit is more memorable, and friendships are more dynamic when there is contrast. Where can you add a little contrast today?

Be sure to post your contrast creations.

~Jenn

Seeds of Inspiration: Taking Time to Create

2010-05-26T10:06:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you slowed down long enough to be overwhelmingly inspired by your surroundings? A sound? A smell? The color or texture of a rock, plant, or building? The movement of a cloud?

For me, I never felt I had the time to stop and “smell the roses”. I worked constantly. Even when we would spend the summers on the lake, I would spend my lake time on the boat with the laptop and a calculator. Then, 3 days before my 30th birthday, it happened-- chest pain, shortness of breath, unbelievable fatigue, and test after test after test performed by a myriad of specialists. I was literally stopped in my tracks. Nearly a year later and we are close to a firm diagnosis.

God, in his infinite wisdom, has given me a gift with this illness. Time. I can no longer work in the fast-paced corporate field that I excelled in before. Now, I have time to explore the wonderful world of His creation and the creative drive He has given me, and I am completely dependent upon Him for the strength to create everyday.

My new adventure is inspired by the lowly dandelion. My hubby hates them. They seem to spring right back up before he can even finish mowing the lawn. However, they bring back great childhood memories for me. When the wind blows and you see dandelion seeds floating like little parachutes on the breeze, you know that they will spring up soon in someone else’s lawn. It’s a miracle of design. That little yellow, edible “sunflower” turns into this perfect sphere of hundreds of white fluffy seeds that are carried by the breeze to the far reaches of the land, each waiting for the perfect spot to land and spring up to start the cycle again. Dandelions evoke great emotion as well. They anger and annoy the lawn worker, they entertain children (and the child at heart), they liven up salads and other dishes, and they remind me that I am alive and still have a purpose.

~ Jenn