Dandelion

This was wet on wet using masking fluid and Kosher salt.

Teacup ATC Exchange

Wendy made these gorgeous ATC cards for our trade.

These are the cups I made.  Lesley  is also in on this swap but poor Lesley is suffering from the effects of the Canadian postal strike; so she may not get hers for a while.  I slipped a digit and made cups instead of ATC cards!  They say the brain is the first to go.

I used an online template to cut the cups.  There are lots of great templates online!  Search Google images for tea cup template and you'll see what I mean.  After I applied the images, I covered all of the cards with Glossy Accents to give them a porcelain-like appearance.

THE LORD WILL PROVIDE!

Ruth Lyons was a Cincinnati radio and television personality who was one of the true pioneers of television.  Her trademark was her bouquet-covered microphone, which she always used.  Ruth had a saying that she loved:  "The Lord Will Provide!"  She loved telling stories of situations where people were in need in difficult situations and then something happened, seemingly out of the blue, that helped out in the situation.  I have a story today.

I'm unemployed and I figure that my unemployment check will almost cover my mortgage and utilities, but will not cover food, gas, or any medical bills or insurance.  So I'm going to have to get used to really tightening my belt until I do get a new job.

Yesterday I got a call from Fieldwork Atlanta.  This is a market research organization I have been involved with for years.  I have come in from time to time to do research studies - from 1-1/2 to 3 hours - for which I get paid.  Since I have been working full time, however, I have not qualified for studies that take place during the workday.  And these are the most lucrative studies. 

Fieldwork told me they had a study scheduled for Monday, July 11 for 3 hours.  They then took some specific info and said they would call me back if I was qualified.  I just got a call for them and I am qualified! For my participation in the study, I will receive $125 cash.  WOW!  This couldn't come at a better time!  Hopefully, I will be eligible and available for a few more studies in the next few months.  That would help out so much!

Fieldwork has locations in 12 U.S. cities.  Check out my link above to see if there is one close to you.  All you have to do is register with them, and then wait to get a call if you appear to be qualified for a study.  It's really a lot of fun. And if the study starts around a meal time, they have sandwiches, chips and drinks for you.  All this plus CASH!  I'm so grateful.

THE LORD WILL PROVIDE!

Monthly Themed ATC - "That Crazy Hat"

This month's theme is "That Crazy Hat," inspired by Princess Beatrice's incredible wedding hat.  I wondered if another royal lady might wear a crazy hat...

I received this incredible card from Esmeralda.

And here's the card with the little trap door opened:

Isn't this a great card?! I love it.

Vintage Dragonfly's Altered Matchbox Swap - June - Travel

This month our theme was travel - places we'd like to go, exotic and interesting destinations, etc.  I created the matchbox suitcase.  Instead of filling the box with goodies, I have a fold-out picture map of travel destinations.

Since I didn't have any goodies in my suitcase, I made some other items.  Karla, of Misses Peaches Meows, was my recipient.  I used two of her cats' pictures to create geishas (for when they travel to Asia), a key ring to hold important keys for car trips, and a button butterfly featuring Misses Peach.

52 Starlet Art Challenge - Mae West

This is one of my favorite Mae West quotes.  I've always wondered if she came up with her own lines, or if she had someone who helped her develop her persona.  I tend to think it was all her - just like her ample figure.  LOL.  My favorite Mae West movie is My Little Chickadee because I am a huge fan of W. C. Fields.  The writers used most of Mae's more famous lines in this movie and it is a lot of fun.

Postcard Exchange

I am participating in a postcard exchange. Each month one member of the group receives cards from all of the other members.  The next month, another member is showered with cards.  Lucky me - July is my month!  I have already received my first card from April.  I asked for cards that illustrated each artist's personal style.  I love April's style! Stay tuned as I receive more cards during the month of July!

Four Seasons

Spring

Winter

Fall

Summer

The Summer of Color - Week 3 - Pink - Two Studies in Pink

The Summer of Color - Week 3 - Pink

I painted this in watercolor - 5" x 7". 

Then, I decided I wanted to try a larger format.

Emily at the Beach

Here's my granddaughter, Emily, wearing the hat I made for her.

"Say CHEESE!"  Emily and her family

were vacationing last week at the Gulf Shores.

Command Central (My Work Room)

Here's the room where I work - in all its glory - LOL!

Here's one of my favorite things: my drying table.

Altered Spoon

This is the altered spoon I made for my partner in Tee's Altered Teaspoon Swap.

Here is the beautiful spoon I received from AJ:

I have received this beautiful book from Donna!

I received this gorgeous altered composition book from Donna!  This was from Tee's Altered Notebook Swap.  She also included a bookmark!  I love this so much!  Thank you, Donna!

Altered Composition Book Swap

Fun Summer Hats

I saw hats like this on someone's blog and I just had to make them! They were so simple to do.  I ironed fabric onto fusible webbing.  I used a petal template that I found on the Internet to cut out the flowers.  Then I folded each petal and ironed them to make them flare out.  I punched a hole in the middle of each flower and pinned them together with a brad.  I used needle and thread to tack the flowers to the hat from underneath and finished the centers with some large 'gems.'

This little hat is for Katie, my 2 year old granddaughter.  I was lucky to find a hat small enough to fit her, but since it had an image on the front, I had to use the flower to cover it up.



New Address!

To all those who trade with me from time to time - just to let you know that I have a new mailing address.  Formerly, I was having mail sent to my work address in Kennesaw.  My mail will probably not be forwarded to me from this address.

Now that I no longer work there, I am using a post office box in Smyrna.  Please see my profile for my email address and email me for my new address.

Sorry for any inconvenience!

Jeanie

52 Starlet Art Challenge - Greer Garson

Well, it didn't quite come out the way I wanted it to.  I covered the face with Glossy Accents and when it dried, it cracked a bit. Then I pasted it on little pads to make it 3D - but I'm afraid that effect is pretty much lost in this photo!

The Summer of Color - Week 2 - Green

I just wanted to celebrate the color green with leaves which are, I guess, my favorite green things.  I used brayered paper as a base.  The leaves were made of brown paper that was die cut, brayered and then hit with some mod podge to shine them up a bit.  A recent Gingersnap challenge featuring twine has made me eager to use it in many ways.

The necklace below is made from the same pattern that I used to make the blue pendant I posted last week.  The green version is the first time I used the pattern and I made it exactly as it was written.

Gingersnap Creations Challenge GC106 - Packaging Materials

Made from one of those boxes that contain brads and other small scrapbooking materials.

This week's Soartful Challenge

The lady in the original painting was holding a crystal ball.

I thought she should be holding something else.

It'll be way more useful.