BIRD SONG TAG SWAP

This is the Bird Song Tag Swap that Karla from http://karlascottage.typepad.com/ had over the summer. I joined in and had mine sent to Florida and it was waiting for me when I got here. The first tag is the cover tag that Karla made. She then sorted them and sent them out. That was an undertaking of the large size! There were over 100 participants. We each had to make 7 tags to send in and got 7 back. A fun time for me. Karla's cover tag. See the cute little bird cage charm?Pattie made this cutie.Elizabeth made this one with a fun nest!No name on this cute little birdie!Another Karla made this it has a lot of embellishments. lovelyTina made this tag with a hand crafted paper flower. Sweet.Leanne made this with lot of lace! Very nice!Debra did this tag with stamping and embossing. Nice texture.
Well that's it, I posted on mine here last summer you can scroll back and take a look. Mine was not near as elaborate as these, I had no bird embellishments at all, but did find a few while in PA but it was pretty scarce pickings. No Micheal's or Hobby Lobby. But I still had fun doing them. Now I am playing with embellishments to finish making up some mini chunky journals I made last year. Now that I found You Tube, lots and lots of how to video's there. I can watch them on my phone so as not to use up all my GB's with Verizon air card. All for now thanks for looking and come back soon..
Blessings Donna
PS I dont know how this pic got on this post but I cant get rid of it. I posted about this swap yesterd day so look at that post to see what it is about.

ATC FALL SWAP

Tee over at http://creationsbytee.blogspot.com/ hosted a Fall ATC Swap. I got this in the mail this weekend from my partner Elysia at http://mischievouscrafts.blogspot.com/ . She sent this lovely card. Great detail, like the filigree leaf,the spelling of nature, tags, etc. I love it! So glad she swapped with me. This is the one I sent to her. The fall queen. Made a quick envelope for it also.Here is the whole card and a few other things that went along for the ride. Used a shipping tag, crackle stamped, lace and some bling with a rusty tin bird house. Cut the queen from a magazine. Not much art work done this weekend. Rearranging my room again. Pearl gave me a few wheels to put on my stacking drawers that I got at yard sales last year. So I took them off the table that I made from saw horses and 1x12's. I like it better, can roll my supplies right up to me. I have too much "stuff" anyone out there what to do a swap with me? With some of my excess. Feet had one day of no pain. The 24 hrs after I got my last shot in them. Was short lived. I finally got some pic's taken of the Bird Song swap that I was in. Will post that next time
all for now
Blessings
Donna

GRAND OPENING HAUL= HL

When I stopped in Winchester on the way to Florida, my daughter and I went shopping on Monday. We stumbled on the grand opening of the new Hobby Lobby there. Everything in the store was at least 50% off. Got these rubber stamps. I only buy stamps when I can get them at least 40 - 50% off. Or when out thrifting and yard sales.More stamps. Got this bead crimper also, I have been looking for one. At Pat Catan's they were $9.99, at Micheal's they were $14.99 and here at HL they were $11.99= 50% off they were only $6.50! Glad I waited.A bunch of bling also. Some off this I got in the 1$ bin at Michael's.
I also got a bunch of those popular scrapbook paper, K& Co, Graphic 45 etc etc. This is really the first time I bought those paper in tablet form. On my budget I could not justify getting them. Now if I were doing shows and making money I would. Don't forget to go over to Tee's and join the stick pin swap and other swaps she has going on. http://creationsbytee.blogspot.com/ I am still not caught up on all the things I want to post about. LOL maybe it will never happen! I did get all my stick pins done for the swap. Had to make 10 but they are easy, the most time consuming part was the cards to put them on and packaging. Well that's it for now thanks for looking and come back soon.
Blessings Donna

ABOUT STICK PINS.................

Some where along the line...I read that some did not think that a stick pin swap was not much of a challenge. My take on it is a little different. It is just not putting beads on a pin. The packaging plays a big part in the whole over all craft of stick pin and charm making. Matching up the beads with what ever you choose for packaging is a bit of a challenge.Part of the package..... The card, some embellishment, some stamping, this flower will be the part that holds the pin. The paper flower is one I made. Then looking for the perfect beads to match up with what you have already picked out. Here are three different package's I came up with. They are not unique to me, I searched the Internet to find out what everyone was doing. There is soooo many more ways to package, unbelievable the unique ways people come up with. A small tag I made, you can alter a packing tag also, I used scrap book paper to make all the ones for this swap. Another paper flower I made to hold the pin. Join the swap that Tee is having http://thealteredpaper.blogspot.com/ This is another one. Some what larger so that it holds three stick pins. That is usually what you send in a swap that has more than one partner. This type is called match book holder. It is made like a match book and the pins are held in side.This is the inside of the match book. You can see how it hold the pins. I used pop dots under the flap to stick them in. So like I said there is more to it than just putting beads on a pin. You have color, texture, embellishments, etc, just like with any other piece of altered art. If you google stick pin swaps you will come up with a ton of ideas. And you will see what everyone else is doing in these swaps. When you do this check the You Tube links that show up also, check out 1966allyson on You Tube and see the swaps that she has done and shown on You Tube. Some very beautiful work done there. I hope this will help you when doing some stick pins. I love doing these and will join every swap I can find. Go over to Tee's and join! http://thealteredpaper.blogspot.com/ I also used alot of vintage costume jewelry just not the beads but brooches, earrings, used in embellishments on the cards. All for now thanks for looking and come back soon.
Blessings Donna

MY ROOM & BEHIND BLOGGING

Well I got my work space fixed up. The room is not like I want it, I have vision in my head, not sure it will come about. One thing about it there is plenty of light!I got the red and white plastic table clothes at Goodwill for 69 cents. I have moved these trays since I took the pic's. I wanted more table work space, so I can work on more than one thing at a time. I do like the trays right in front of me with all the embellishments hand so I don't have to search all over for something.Keys from an old antique typewriter. I have not used these yet.Antique glass knobs. The real thing not repo's. I have found these all over the place in PA. I found a lot of the along the street still on the dressers, waiting for the trash pick up. I am really behind in my blogging about my swaps. Bottle swap I was in. Tee hosted this bottle swap, in August I think.This is the bottle I received from Jen over at http://alteredspirits.blogspot.com/ . She did a great job altering it, better than I did on post on time. I love it! Thanks so much Jen and sorry I am so late blogging. Tee over at http://creationsbytee.blogspot.com/ is having a stick pin swap! Go over there and sign up. They are lots of fun to make and are addicting. They make up real fast also. I am working today on a altered match box for Christmas hope someone has one.
Anyone reading my blog in central Florida? Would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment or email me, I would love to get a group going to do some art work. All for now thanks for looking and come back soon
Blessing
Donna

MINI HURRCIANE - STIX PINS - CHARMS

I got this manikin this summer at a yard sale in PA for $5. I love it! Not sure how I will decorated her up , but for now she has a little jacket on that Pearl rusted in a bucket of bolts and nuts. She does a lot of rusting, I like it better than tea dying. I put all my pins and charms on her today.I made stick pins and charms all weekend since I could not get out. These are done with beads from mostly vintage jewelry. Now I wish I had all that I sold so cheap at the flea market.I love doing these little things they are addictive. Here are some that I used some fruit charms on them. I need to find more charms. Where do you all get them?Some blue charms using vintage beads. More charms, the dice are not vintage. Got them at Pat Catan's, but I seen that Jo-Ann's have them if you want some.More stick pins. I made some pins and charms to matchThese are some longer charms. I have seen these in most swaps. I can use the small ones I made , hook them together and make them long for the swaps. Now I just need to find some swaps. If you know of any please leave me a comment. Over the weekend we had what they are now calling a mini hurricane. Rain straight for 48 hrs. Winds 40-60 mph. with some 80 wind gust. Did not like it at all, if we have a full blown hurricane I will be heading north. Yesterday went to Jo-Ann's looking for what else "beads" found a couple packages. Today had to rest my feet. They are better but do not like alot of walking. I now need to make some cards to put my pins and charms on so I can swap. I want to put some in with my other swaps. I keep looking for swaps but seem to miss them, they are all full by the time I find them. All for now thanks for looking and come back soon.
Blessings Donna

MAIL= SWAP

Got this in the mail on Sat. What a great surprise! From Christine at http://ipokedabadgerwithaspoon.blogspot.com/ my other swap partner in the Curiosities Swap that was held by Heather at the http://speckled-egg.blogspot.com/ both have wonderful blogs go check them out. This is the wonderful match box that Christine sent me. Very rustic and vintage. Just what I go for! She also told a great story about the man riding camel. She named him Ed Fisher, told about his travels starting at age 16. All his trinkets that he found in the far reaches of the world were put in this treasure box.Opened it up and this is what I found, chucked full of these trinkets. Check out the eye ! It winks! Click on all the pic's to see what treasures he found. FiJi Pearls, gold flakes etc. etcShe made the box open up instead of sliding like match box does.Along with the altered match box was this muslin bag of goodies.In the bag....cool stuff, including an old test tube full of vintage shell buttons!
Christine had so much detail in the box. I sure will have fun using the items in my altered art, after
I get done looking at it. If I could find a small printers drawer I would put some of this in it. I have to re-think my swaps, like making some theme swaps. I have a lot to learn. I am trying to get back to normal, its hard with hurting feet! Go back to the doc on wed hope he can do something. I am going to join a few swaps with Tee at here new blog for swapping http://thealteredpaper.blogspot.com/
Thanks for looking come back soon
Blessings
Donna