I WON AGAIN !! AND THIS BANNER LOVE !!

I can hardly believe it -- I won another blog giveaway -- from
LOuise of "KARD KRAZY " -- such a talented lady and a great giveaway
She designs for a rubber stamp company - and helps HOst
a fun place "THE VINTAGE VERANDA " - another fun place -
fun swaps , ideas , challenges and chat !!
MY swap partener for a banner swap -- on the WOrld of Color swap --
"Sugared songbird " ( visit her for the dreamiest handdyed ribbons
and pretties ) made me my request a nest idea -- in -blue grays --
oH she had it more than perfect !! aren't I the lucky girl - this week
Well, so blessed by GOd and family and friends - in Ga and the blog world
all the time -- but sweet paper things -- sure make my ♥♥♥ -smile !!
Trying to get some spring cleaning done -- uh can we say long overdue -
my art room is a disaster ! Gotta work on a space to be creative in ,
Will post this weekend the EGGS , from VIVS whimsy -- we sent two and received two - but we don't know from WHO !! So Saturday we will post what we wsent and what we received - VIV will have a linky thing and we will go on a EGG HUNT to see - who created our egg giftys -- MINe are adorable -- but have to wait til Sat to show -
also will post those I made -- too fun . Here is a pic of my banner -- to die for !!

Finishing touches --

Sometimes I make something and then can't get the right elements
for the finishing touches -- Sometimes I don't know exactly what I am
looking for in my stash , but will know the right thing when I see it .
It is frustrating to have the right type of element , but the
wrong size -- Guess that's why i have lots of stash --
It is so hard to have favorite elements that you may use
on lots of projects and then they stop manufacturing it -- and on to the nexrt big idea -- Course I am like that too - Wnat some current ideas --
That is why I am a magazine - book - aholic-- I can't seem to throw them away
Been raining for 3 straight days -- good days to stay in -- so was glad to see the sunshine break through for a minute on the way to church
but the wind is fierce and the temp got colder as the day went on !
WE have a coffee night at our church at a cute little coffe shop -sandwich shop - once a month on Sundays -- as I have been cutting down on sweets --I have
decided to treat myself to coffee and dessert -- yumm !!
Here are a couple of little things I put the finishing touches on this week
-yikes camera still a little fuzzy sometimes -- was not wanting to get another camera with this crazy economy -- Have a bLessed evening - Kathy -

Easter Hanging and a sneak peek !

Wow !! have been on bunny overload -- and can you believe it ? Have not made one thing for my family yet !! -- Do you as art creators -- have days of
things just not coming together -- I guess we all do .
Was making a banner for a swap -- and for some reason could not get my
ideas to jell - had several - Well , got thru that problem and got it made
and sometimes you like things so much , you wish for one yourself - but
usually no time and seems the Holidays roll by so fast -- Course I guess the second one you make would go faster . I always really want it to be something that fits
my swap partners taste.
Was looking at a fave site and saw that they were a part of a flat paperdoll
yahoo group site -course they are anything but flat can we say mermaids too -- so cool -- always have loved -- "Character Construction " stamps - So of course ,I had to join and there found one of my favorite
artists - So i joined and so guess you guys will be my guinea pigs --
for my paper doll creating , also they make and swap atc's -- HMMM a bunny paper doll -- well need to get things packaged and mailed -- trying to
control my swapping -- so I can create some cute things fo my sweeties here -- Hope all you guys are dry - it has been raining a lot here , but we need it !
blessings _K

Winning is wonderful !!!!

How exciting !! _ I won the giveaway of one of my
favorite artists-- Jeanette Janson -- of
( carolinaartist.com - my blogger will not let me do the link thing ?) She has been
published in Somerset Studio and other mags --
She makes beautiful jewelry and altered art pieces
as well as some of my favorite Bird and Nest
creations -- Thank you Jeanette , I was so excited
to win her giveaway -- so many awesome pieces to use in my
altered art . So don't miss seeing her blog -- and it will direct you to her etsy
shop also
Here are a few pics of my great items !!

VISION OF THE HEART

Windows of your heart !!-Vision of your heart SWap

There is a saying that your eyes are a window to your soul
I am not sure where it came from --but Several years ago I
bought a half face stamp , and the thing that seemed prominent to
me was the one eye as I began to think how I would use it -- a song we sing at church came to me --and the beginning words were "Open the eyes of my heart Lord " OPen the eyes of my heart , I want to see you , I want to see you .
So thereby this art idea came to me -- I have shown it before as a pin - -that i put on a small heart pillow that I had stamped in gold and also use Lumiere on
a golden sheen - I am in a swap that we were supposed to do a Twinchie - (a 2x2 piece
of art ) then add charms -- we send 5 get 5 different back -- so I used the main concept and added a wooden heart that I put paper on and used dabbers with distress
ink to give it the antiqued look - then made a tag to explain t that -- the concept -- Is what is the vision of your Heart -- Is everyone a stranger -- or someone you nedd to tell about God --
I have met so many amazing women on our art blogs -- there is joy , and caring rejoicing --prayers and sadness when someone has a problem . Truly a community of people I have come to care about ..
I do have a very full and rich life -- But all of you who visit make it even
more so -- Sometimes i wish we could all meet -- I am a hugger in real life -
So today I am sending out a BIG HUG -OOOOO- to all -- May you have a great weekend
Blessings < Kathy -ga

SPRING _ Has arrived -I think ??

Just a quick post to show you our beautiful
trees bursting with flowers - the little tiny buds
that grow in the grass in the field -- and the last of the beautiful
Camellias that only bloom in cold weather -- they are
double blooms --
and a couple of Bunny pics , couldn't resist --
the hanger . bunny and egg are from last year --
and the two Bunnies by the Bay--( sorta expensive ) --
sweet girls were a cheap find at a junk shop !
a good one !!-- They have been hiding out waiting for Easter -
I can't resist bunnies !! will show some other ones later --

EASTER EGG BANNER PICTURES

Trying to link up pictures for my EGG Banner swap
with our host site - artrageousafternoon.blogspot.com.
You have to check her site -- she is a dear and teaches
art - very talented . WE send 5 eggs and she sorts and designs
which go together and we get 5 back on a little Ribbon with clothespins
too cute !!
Since i am generally the vintage girl - and a little quirky
also -- these are what I came up with -- I have done lots of variations
, that I will be sharing with other bloggy friends , that are not in this swap .
You don't want to miss seeing all the cute ones -- I can't wait to see them myself
-- Been raining here for 3 days -- A true Blessing as we have had a drought situation in Ga for several years --our old trees and landscaping really has suffered . OH what beautiful blooms we have this week -- ALL the dogwoods and jonquils and bradford pear trees -- such a delight --
Have a great Day !!! _ Kathy - ga

STt.Patrick's Day "ATC Swap" with Vintageveranda Girls

What fun I had yesterday -as my atc swap came in the mail -
They are so great and the girls have such talent .
The vintageveranda.blogspot.com ( remember -blogger won't
let me do the link thing ? ) is a place for _ALL - who like things vintage
no cost to join -- Lots of ideas and fun --so go by and give it a look see !
Last night I started a book to catalogue all my ATC'S--
I only put what was at hand , not all the ones I have stashed away --
so I want to get those organized in the baseball card style collector sleeves -
min were made by avery -- but I think you can find them at most stores
OH by the way !! Do any of you collect ="TAGS" if so how do you store them ??
Gotta get busy , and pack some "STUFF "to create with -- I am going to a
benefit scrap day omorrow -- an all day scrap -craft day of food fun
and prizes !! They tease me ( good naturedly ) about never having made a scrap page lol -- BUt as far as cutting paper --rofl ! I have them beat by a mile -
cause of Vacation Bible School craft Lady --for 30 years LOL !!
Have a great weekend -- Kathy - ga

Not a BOX -- a sharing of the HEART ♥

THis pic is not just a box -- when it arrived I knew
there would be very special things inside from
my sweet friend Vikki - of humble-heart.blogspot.com
( sorry blogger will not let me make it a link ?)
But i did not know what a beautiful expression of the heart
it owuld be -- Even the papers are old publications -- very dear to the heart pf a mixed media -person -- ah but these were shared from family items -
I treated each with reverence and will use for very special
items I make -- Each will be a remembrance of my special ♥-Friend Vikki -
SO many lovely buttons -- and MY FAVOrite TAG -EVER !!_ i have
serious tag - love -- some the old quilt tops will be in a special book
I wan to make -- and the music wonderful and so Many things I cannot even list -
and the pics are not all of it - or do they do justice to the wonderful things
Thank you my dear friend !- Vikki has such a wonderful vintage touch --
she teaches me new ways of looking at things -- but most of all she has such a sweet faith - and such a loving and kind heart ! -
I am blessed to call her friend -- Blessings -Kathy

BUNNIES OH MY !! they are Multiplying -- YAHOO !

I do so love to make things with cute bunnies --
These are some of my favorites this year -- except for the Cutesy bunny with the flopped ears , which I have had for a long time - he is so cute , so I pull
him out every year to make a new idea with him !
Really loving these vintage bunnies this year -- They are multiplying ,
just not fast enough for all my swaps -- Hope you are having some fun filled Bunny days !! Blessings - Kathy ♥

Easter swaps and whimsey !! UH ! pardon my Bunny HUMOR !

THis is one of the eggs <>

for an egg banner -- on My friend Jen's blog

see the little banner on the right --

We make and send five and receive - five back on a ribbon

It opens to reveal this little chick !!

It needs a little banner inside with sweet Easter words - so will add that also

Decided to not add too much on the outside -- Got a few more

different ideas to make -- i love to make all

different, if I can think up that many ideas lol !!

THis little tag was inspired by a little plastic pin ,

one from years ago -- I am not sure where

it is residing . right now ,( hmm need to check

out all that costume jewelry - wow

I had some great Carved pins from talented people )-- I loved to

wear it near Easter -- altho people did look at me funny

as I would chuckle to myself --

Don't know how clear it is -- but it says

This type of senseless violence must stop --!!

signed - E . Bunny -- ( hope you can see his ears

are nibbled off --) it even makes me laugh to

type it - you can see I am easily amused -

and maybe , not quite right ! lol .

this is not exactly finished in the way I want --

methinks , I need to pop off to get the tiny

>need both <>

bunny punches from Ms Martha - that I deliberated

over -- too cute -and the chocolate bunny -

with EARS !! was a freebie from someone ?

Ok need to scoot -- have to pack up all my bunny gear -later for the

once a month scrap

fun with my church girls at FBC - they

are too sweet -

Gonna be a heat wave tomorrow -

will be 75 - here - what a difference a week can make

from Snow to Spring -- Oh well - <>

certainly enjoy it --

Blessings , Kathy ♥

What does it mean ??? and a few idea odds and ends !!

this shows the boot stamped on the fun foam
for a western bible school name tag for my craft team -
of course this was mine - the charm was a hat -
sorry the pic not very good .


zzzthis was one of the first tag ideas I made
it was a vbs - called SCUBA - a beach theme
i adhered the foamy scrap thingsto a ready made
plastic sleeve name tag from staples and added the bead
ribbon


sepia tag -- love the sparkle

one of my first tags

------------------------

Ok , just asking - because I have been returning e-mails and blog hopping

and going through bunches of stuff - the only problem nothing went

into the -donate or throw away pile yet !! What is a girl to do ? --i love it

all . *** OOPS that is not the real question lol -- Is there an old wives tale about

snow on the ground for 3 days -- ?? Like it will snow again ? oh well ,we still have

it after 4 days -yikes - It is still cold here -and they say it will be almost 70

this week - Hope (THEY ?) are right lol.

Gotta get productive the rest of this week - the monthly scrap that

just started last month is Fri - so need to organize and not take the kitchen

sink -- lol .

Well I sometimes will be the answer man (woman ) for the store employees ?in our local Michael's - you may not know for yrs -have been the leader of the Crafts at our large

church for Bible school ( 500 children - yikes )- so -They have ordered bunches

of things for me over the last 8 yrs .

ahem ! where I was yesterday --*** GIrls check out those new dollar bins -

some fabulous and cheap things to alter - Great little wooden heart and squares(by the dozen etc - with a hole drilled and safety pins included idea shows beads added to pin . AND it is why I have so many

storage issues -- have to buy bunches -- especially if a good item -so all Michaels fault - if ha

$1 for everytime -- could build the wearhouse I need - rofl

- etc -- Anyway it made me think of several things -- I also work with making the craft each week for a mission church - so gotta save where I can

** MINI Tutorial of maybe useless info *

1. to get a great look for paper - tags , cardstock - to make a dimension

look to the paper - make paste paper

take extra thick craft glue- use spoon or two - and you can add a drop

of acrylic paint - mix with plastic spoon or my fav -popsiclestick -

then spread it on cards -tag etc - then use a plastic fork and make lines -or squiggles

or pencil eraser and ma ke - dots -- gives easy great dimensional look =can even use

two diff colors and make it plaid --many diff designs - I have a rubber triangle tool

that has three different designs -or use a piece of cardboard you cut with the decorative

scissors .

2 , If you are a stamper to make a dimensional look -- Use a bold stamp or a word

stamp is especially nice --and a piece of kids -fun foam - use a color to coordinate with

what you are making( of course lighter makes it show up better -- lightly heat the fun foam with a heat gun _ CAUTION CAREFUL HERE!

then immediately press the *inked stamp into it -- will have a great dimensional look -

I love the cream or white - then dust s0me perfect pearls on it_ -- cut out - and glue to projec

also can put some antiqueing or ink or chalks around the edges

3. This one coordinates with the hint above - if you run out of your fav chalks -- and girl

the little pack are expensive - go to dollar store for eye shadow packs -- can get lots of glimmer colors there also ,

4. Not sure where i found this idea maybe Tim Holtz - ?? hmm - anyway -- Make a fav lemon pie with the -- wonderful condensed milk -- then any left in can -- stamp into it with your stamp

and stamp on the paper -- then heat the with heat gun - will have a great sepia look /

5. MS DAWN of feathered nest -- has a great idea for making the cloth -to run thru the printer -

you can check it out on her blog -- YOu use spray glue to adhere the muslin to an 8 1/2 x 11

piece of paper then trim edges -- I was afraid , but know her personally so I trust and love her -- It worked like a charm '

Thanks Ms Dawn !!!- check her out in the Somerset MAGS __ she is awesome !!

OK enough of my nonsense stuff - be inventive -- you girls are all awesome !

Blessings - Kathy ♥

OH SNOW !!!

Would you believe the area near my side gate
underneath all that snow had jonquils
blooming - and by Friday will be 6o+ here

This is looking out at camellia bushes and across
the road to a pasture , hope all my bushes survive -
they are bowed low with the weight of the snow .
also we had more snow than the northern counties
because of the way the weather was tracking -
school out today and the children -are loving the snow
even tho the sun is out -still cold -so not much
melt and roads may be risky tonight - with the slush .


as you can see the flakes were huge and so beautiful

Well , started this post yesterday afternoon after church and lunch out with family and friends -- alas -- lost it all as the power grid in our

area went out after about 7 inches of snow fell here in the South

. Thankfully all our family arrived home safely - and onlyone was without power like we are -- ours came on after about an hourand a half - but theirs was out for about 4 hours and the temp here was down to 24- Thankfully -they had a fireplace

a camp stove - and sleeping bags --

Haven't seen this much snow here in years .It is such a rarity . I am

sure it is nothing to all you who constantly have snow in the winter .

No one here seems to know how to drive in it - many wrecks here in our small

county-- lots of just bump ins or slides off side of roads -- but unfortunate

none the less .

Our little dog - had no experience with it and didn't like it at all .

so was never out long enough to get a pic of him in the snow . Our sons dog loved the snow

and would scoop it up and eat it and as it was coming down chased the flakes and tried to bite at them = He loved that game !!

Here are a few pictures I took .