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Showing posts with label magazines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label magazines. Show all posts

7.23.2020

up-cycled magazine page floral art

art, art class, boho style, color, crafting, DIY, dollar store crafts, garden art, gift wrapping, magazines, paper, paper crafts, re-purposing, spring, summer, trash to treasure, up-cycling, journals, notebook covers, journal art, mixed media art
you know how people always say 'let me sleep on it'?
that creative solutions come to them in their dreams?
yeah.... not me. my muses come at night and KEEP me from sleeping.

at the end of the day, i climb into bed, 
nestled up with a cup of tea and a good book to read - or my phone to scroll thru.
my goal is to slow my brain down, stop the flow of thoughts and ideas, so i can fall asleep.
and every once in a while, it actually works.
most of the time, though, i see something online or read a description in a book,
and my brain starts imagining wild creations and designs.
so i haul myself out of my comfy nest of a bed, run across the hall,
go into my studio, and scribble a quick sketch or jot a note to capture the idea
before it vanishes into the ether. 

i was today years old when i finally got SMART!
i decided that i need to have a small notepad and pen on my bedside table instead.
  a quick bit of mixed media art fun resulted - and now i've got a solution i can sleep with.

continue reading to see what inspired the design!

6.10.2014

Perfect Pastels

Spring. Summer. Ice cream.
They kinda' go together, don't they?!

When I was styling Rita Reade's Mammabellarte booth
for the Vintage Marketplace show this past weekend,
the pale pink, white, and aqua color scheme
reminded me of strawberry and vanilla and mint chip ice cream...
it felt a bit like I was inside an ice cream parlor!

Let these pretty hues inspire YOUR summer decor
for a Home SWEET Home...

This was the main visual draw in the booth - the back wall.
Furnishings create a setting, then details bring it to life....

A darling dining table, painted with perfect pink stripes, conjures up a sweet shop,
a theme reinforced by ironstone creamers, wire urns, and vintage teacups
to create a party setting.

the white milk-glass chandelier sparkles in the midst of soft pastels.
Rita's own photos (STUNNING!) are turned into her line of greeting cards
with pure vintage style.

[ psssst..... have you ever tried PAINTING a CHANDELIER???!
yup. it can be done!
I shared a few of my painted chandy projects in a past post...
click to check it out here! ]

 It only takes a touch of color to create a theme....
bows, ribbons, patina on old pieces of furniture, even paper lanterns
easily add personality and style.

At every show, Rita dolls up her two mannequins.
They always have petticoats on, and special corsets or aprons to coordinate with her theme.
THIS time around, the girls wore sassy, sexy pink and Rita's original mesh crowns...
[ you've probably seen her famous crowns in many magazines! ]  
... even the back of the mannequin is stunningly detailed.

One final detail that just made me SMILE:
 Miss Rita created this darling 'Baby Bunting'
by clipping baby clothes and shoes to a simple length of twine.
We hung it across the back of the booth and it just charmed the heck out of everyone.
It's a simple idea that can be easily changed,
and it works perfectly for party decor AND nursery decor.
When I was painting murals in a little girl's nursery many years ago, 
the client (who became a dear friend) did this and used hers as a window valance!

See more photos of Rita's booth on her Mammabellarte blog


3.25.2014

Tutorial: Recycled Paper Daffodils

I love turning scraps into decor items... paper, for example.
Whether it's leftover gift wrap, an old magazine, or a book of vintage sheet music,
I love looking at it and asking myself 
"OK, what can I do with THIS? (besides pitch it into the recycle bin)."

I did that today, and here's what resulted:
Happy Spring Daffodils, 
made from recycled paper!

How about a tutorial, you say? OK!
Materials:
scissors. masking tape . glue stick . bamboo skewers . paper
 .
 Step by Step:
1. fold sheet of paper (music, construction, magazine page) in thirds as shown.
2. fold in half where the two sides meet in the center.
3. draw half a flower shape with four, five, or six pointed leaves at the double -folded edge of the paper.
4. cut the flower shape out - this will create TWO flowers because of the double fold.
 5. cut a strip of another kind / color of paper - @ 1" wide and 4" long.
6. fold 1/3 of the strip toward the center, lengthwise.
7. unfold the folded third of the strip, and cut slits into it (creating a thick 'fringe').
8. roll the strip over on itself @ the size of your finger, and glue the rolled portion to the flat portion.
9. continue rolling and glue the end of the strip to the roll to secure it.
 10. fold the fringed ends together and glue into place.
11. then add glue to the outside of that end, and 
12. place the rolled section in the center of the cut-out flower shape, with the glue down. 
press to secure.
Now you have a daffodil!
You can glue this to a magnet or card, or shadowbox frame.
To add a stem and leaves, continue....

13. and 14. from the leftover scraps after cutting out the flower shape,
cut a circle about the size of a quarter.
15. secure the back of the daffodil to a bamboo skewer, using a small piece of masking tape.
16. glue the circle you cut out OVER the masking tape, using the glue stick.
 17. cut a leaf-shaped strip from the leftover paper scraps.
18. push the bamboo skewer 'stem' through the paper leaf.
19. put glue on the leaf and wrap it around the bamboo skewer once.
20. wrap the other end of the leaf around a pen or pencil to give it a curling shape, 
like a real daffodil leaf.

 display and enjoy your paper daffodils!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's another method for making them that should remind you of elementary school:
 when you get to step 5
use a cupcake or bonbon paper liner instead of rolled paper for the flower's center!
[ I cut and glued a second circle shape INSIDE the paper cup on this one ]

 using colorful cupcake papers & pages cut from magazines 
results in bright, happy flowers!


11.09.2013

Gilt Complex?

Metallics are a hot trend this Holiday season,
showing up in magazines, television decorating specials, and ads. 
 From copper and bronze to silver and crystal (which is sort of a metallic finish), they're everywhere

But the big deal this year is Gold!
It's the colour du jour in fashion and decor, adding warmth as well as sparkle to the season.
Over the years, I've included gold in the products I have made and sold, 
so I've pulled some images of those to inspire you as you decorate for Thanksgiving
and the coming winter Holidays.

It's simple to add a golden touch to your decor:
* try using metal photo frames and candlesticks [found at the thrift shop] on your mantel,  
as ornaments on the tree, and place setting markers at the table.
* adding a quick spray of glistening paint on a small piece of accent furniture or lamp
can give new life to an old, dated item
[check out some pics of stylish gold accessories from Michael at Inspired by Charm!]
* include your grandmother's costume jewelry on your tree and wreaths, 
as an embellishment on napkin rings and candles (rings slip right over tapers!)
* place a large gold crown on top of topiaries, or your Christmas tree, instead of a star!
 
* use a gold crown-like light fixture as a cloche or dome, over a nest
As I shared in my last post, it's entirely possible to transition between your Fall and Holiday decor
by choosing elements that work with your decor to 'bridge' the seasons.
The hand painted ornaments with autumn leaves on them shown in these images 
are a perfect example...
tucked into tiny nests made from day lily foliage, they add a natural touch
to Thanksgiving AND Christmas!

You can extend the gilt-y pleasures into your gift packaging, as well...
here, a handmade crown with vintage embellishment is tucked into a vintage gold embossed cookie tin,
also embellished with even more vintage trims!
[I think they call that 'Gilding the Lily' ...]

This weekend I am at the Remnants of the Past Antique Show
in San Luis Obispo, California,
helping my friend Adrienne with her booth design, setup, and displays...
I was a vendor at this show for several years, though, [with Retreat, our former business]
and one year, my booth featured a LOT of GOLD!

My booth was photographed by Jenny Malott, official Remnants photographer,
and later, some of her images were published in a story about the show:
Many thanks to photographer Jenny Malot for the gorgeous images
published in Where Women Create Magazine, Spring, 2012.
As you can see, it's not always a BAD thing to have a Gilt Complex!