Branching Out

I found these 5.5 x 12 inch wood panels at Hobby Lobby and I thought they might be fun for something, just not sure what. After contemplating, I grabbed my water based oil colors and with a palette knife started creating a background. Next I added flowers using a spoon and sand texture paste. I painted those white after they dried and added the stem. I am celebrating because there is no way I would have ever envisioned I could do something like this. My weeks of art classes has paid off!!

I am adding this to Anything But A Card Celebration Challenge.

Time for A New Sketch!

It is time for a new sketch over at My Scraps and More Sketches!

Don't you love this design by Gina Lideros

As soon as I saw it, I had a plan!

I remembered I had some chicken wire and wood pieces that would be perfect! I stamped and altered and added different details. This photo is my daughter and her husband last year on their honeymoon. 

I hope this sketch inspires you and that you share it with us over at My Scraps and More Sketches! Did I mention this is a chance for a prize?!? You need to get busy!!

Fun Fact:  Banging your head against a wall burns 150 calories an hour.

Join Me

I hope you will join me for another new adventure! I would never have seen this coming in a million years!

I have been participating in a weekly art group. There is a woman who is an expert and she helps us with technique, design, mediums, etc. Mostly I have been working in watercolors and am enjoying learning and feeling a bit more confident each week. I showed her a Mixed Media canvas I had created based on one of my watercolors. She and another class member were convinced that I could sell them. So I JOINED the local artist association and will be selling my works at the Art in the Park Show in September. Since we are leaving tomorrow to visit our daughter for 10 days, I have been frantically trying to work on canvases so I have a supply on hand!

Here is a peak of what I have been working on! 

A quick tale of why this is so unbelievable. I have a twin sister. She and my mom are the artists. I got the math and science gene and stayed away from any and all things arts related for years. However, I have been scrapping since the 1990's which I guess could be considered art related. Two or three years ago I heard about  Mixed Media and took a small class. I began to play with canvases adding papers, paints, stamps, etc. I now also do art journaling and I find I enjoy this entire process! So, it is never too late to change your mind and enjoy something you always disliked! 

I hope you will follow along and join me as I begin this adventure! Thank you for your support and comments! 

Fun Fact: The Pineapple is a very big berry!!

Tie It Up

This week's challenge over at SimonSays is to Tie it Up! Who else is out there hoarding their twine!

Let's pull it out and use it!

Also played with Heidi Swapp Magic Medium and setncils!

A New Sketch!

Are you struggling getting that layout together? Not sure how to begin?

Then you need to head over to My Scraps and More Sketches! where a new sketch has been posted. Sketches make a great beginning point! You can create a layout following the design or you can tweak it by changing the orientation, adding additional photos, changing the embellishments, etc. Please take a look at the wonderful way the Design Team used the sketch!

Here is the sketch b y Audrey Yeager

And here is my layout. I am celebrating our new family. Each of my children (Jennifer - dress, Rob - Tall guy) has gotten married in the past year! We are now a family of 6 and we are so glad to have Shawn and Beth as part of the family!!

As you can see I rotated the design 90 degrees. I loved using one larger photo which was from the rehearsal dinner for my son's wedding. This is my new family - each of my children have spouses!
Instead of using embellishments, I used texture paste and a stencil.

I hope you will share your work with us at  My Scraps and More Sketches! Did I mention there is a chance to win a prize:) Better get busy!!

Adding this to Anything But A Card Celebration challenge!

Thank you for visiting today!

And did you know

Michigan is the only place in the world with a floating post office.  The J.W. Westcott II is the only boat in the world that delivers mail to ships while they are still underway. They have been operating for 125 years.

That is your fun fact for today!

Join Me For a New Adventure

Do you have junk mail and newspapers piling up? Coupons and flyers littering the counter?  I have an answer to these messes!!

I am happy to announce that I am joining the talented Design Team at

 Arnold Gummer's Paper Making!  We will learn to turn these piles into beautiful papers that we can use for scrapping, card making, mixed media and so much more!

I am looking forward to this adventure and hope you will join me!

Please like these important links!

Arnold Grummer's Blog
ArnoldGrummer's Facebook Page
Arnold Grummer's Website and Store

Stay tuned to see what I make with this!

All Aboard

I am happy to share that I have a layout in this month's issue of Scrapbooking.com. Each month Scrapbooking.com offers many pages of resources and inspiration! I hope you take some time to look through this issue!!

My layout this month is all about vacation and travel. In April, my husband and I went to Chicago to meet up with our daughter and her husband. The best way to get from our home in Michigan to Chicago is to drive to Michigan City, IN and take the train! No traffic, no worrying about directions! Just sit back and enjoy the sights!! Of course, I saved the mpa, ticekt stubs, etc. for the layout:)

Please check out the entire issue of Scrapbooking.com!!

Thank you for stopping by and for your comments!