Wedding garters!!

If you have been visiting (HEY..thanks by the way) then you already know that one of my nieces is getting married in 16 days. (that's counting today...I never am quiet sure how to do that...it's 12-15-12) You also know that I did a pencil/pen drawing of her and the lucky guy on vellum to lay over one of their wedding invitations as a wedding gift. I still have to get a frame for it and probably will when I go buy that garland and those crystal balls. ^_^

I also promised to make her wedding garters for her. I finished them today and I so hope she likes the  shabby chic fabric roses because that's what she got....or is getting...how ever you want to say it. HEHE

This will be the one that she keeps. I wish the photo had come out better but it's really getting dark here due to clouds moving in that apparently are going to be bringing rain in that the weatherperson so did not even warn us about.  HA!! It will wait and the bottom will drop out in about 40 minutes. That's the time school gets out and I walk up and get the Chazman. Thank goodness we like to "dance" in the rain. ^_^   Now..what WAS I talking about....oh yes....garters....I used sheer white linen to make the fabric roses and used pearls and tiny glass beads along with a Swarvorski crystal to make the leaves.. The middle flower has a blue crystal to represent "Something Blue". My muse wanted me to add a bit of  faerie to it as well so I used a tiny silver dragonfly. Sooooo hope she loves it!!

Now here's the one that the lucky guy will be throwing...tossing....flipping....whatever it is they do with the garter after the wedding. At least I hope he throws, tosses or flips THIS one. I did one single rose for this one that matches the roses on the first one.

Now...on to the next project...trying to finish Santa and Li'l Miss LuLu ^_^

Until next times....HUGS,
Regi

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is Teacher appreciation week. It is a very important week and one that should be recognized. I do believe that we should tell them all year long how much they mean. Helping our children to open up their minds and absorb all the knowledge that is made available to them in the classroom as well as keeping those minds open to learn outside the classroom. It takes a dedicated, caring and nurturing person with an over abundance of patience. I salute all those that have chosen the path of teaching....keep up the awesome work!!

The Chazman brought home a letter Friday with some suggestions of what we could do to show his teacher  just how much we do appreciate what she does. Chaz has a very good teacher that has really made learning a fun experience for him this year. Here are the suggestions:

Monday=flowers Tuesday=card Wednesday=sweet treat Thursday=Supplies Friday=Donate Book/movie                                      

All of them are good ones and of course they are just suggestions...we can do any of them...all of them...or come up with something completely different. I like the suggestions and I'm using them...with a tiny twist.

This was her gift for yesterday. I followed the Monday suggest of flowers....just not live ones. I wanted to give her something that would last for a long time. Something that when she looked at it, she would think of my Chazman. 

I made her one of my chap stick secret compartment pins. I took the photo before I was actually finished with it though and then forgot to take one after...silly me!! I love making gifts and just get so excited. Yes yes, I'm easily entertained. It's that.....or.......I really am getting very forgetful. Now....what were we talking about?  HAHA  Just teasing.  I added a cute button that I've had for some time, a tiny blue watering can. I attached it to the tiny middle mauve flower. Chaz said that she L O V E D  it and took it around to several classrooms so the other teachers could see it. That made his day and mine!!

Today is card day...so the Chazman and I sat down yesterday afternoon and talked about what he wanted to do. We went through some of my digital photos and he picked out an old Alphabet quilt pattern. The letter R. He said what better for a teacher than a letter for her last name. He has really enjoyed reading this year with her so he wanted me to add one of my bookmarks to the card. Here's what her gift will be when he gets to school.

Inside we put a small appreciation saying just for her.......

Chazman made me feel so good wanting me to make one of my paper corner bookmarks for Mrs. R. They are so easy to make and can be embellished in so many ways. 

I hope she loves her gift today as much as yesterday...LOL!!! While the Chazman is at school I'm going to be working on her gift for tomorrow. It's sweet day so I think perhaps a zero calorie sweet. Like a felt cupcake pin cushion. I have to go check and see if I have all the ingredients ummm I mean supplies.

Until next time.............Hugs,

Regi

Corsage with a secret compartment

I love all the art that I do and I like to mix it up so I don't get bored. I get bored very easily..HA!!! I have of late being working on some more fabric corsages but these hold a secret. Want to know what the secret is? (sitting silently waiting for one of you to say YES)

Ahhhh...YOU said yes...thank you...it was getting way to quiet here. Have you ever gone somewhere and didn't really want to carry your purse just so you would have your lip stick or chap stick with you? If you are like me then chap stick or lip stick is a necessity that just can't be done without. I hate carrying my purse with me when we go to events, like sitting in the park and listening to good music or even walking on the beach. I mean..who would want to take a purse on the beach. Now...you won't have to....take a purse...I mean. My newest corsage has a hidden compartment that will hold either one lipstick tube or chap stick. 

This is the front...pretty..isn't it? Just say YES!! This is one of my fancy ones...silk ribbon roses along with some cotton shabby roses. Vintage lace with pretty fringe hanging down. Pink pearls...oh so pretty!! You don't see the hidden secret compartment either...do you??

Perfectly hidden from anyone...they will think you just have on a beautiful fabric corsage. It hangs nicely too when it's worn. The trick is the pin being attached above the corsage with some of the pretty pink pearls. Can you say pretty pink pearls 10 times without getting tongue tied? ^_^ HA....you tried didn't you?

Back to work on some pretty but a bit more plain ones. I'm trying to keep busy as life is throwing us some curve balls at the moment. So thankful I have my art to dive into...it lets my heart and soul SOAR!!!!!!!

Until next time...........Hugs, Regi

I made my own gift box..hehe

I hope that you read about how to make your own box in my last post. I also hope that they were easy to follow directions so that you could make some of your own. I enjoyed making the "How to" post so much for everyone that I made some more boxes...ten to be exact....LOL!!!  These were made for a purpose. Do you remember the flower garden I have been cultivating here of late? You know the one....don't you? The one that took up a weekend plus. Need a reminder? Just Click Here.   I made the boxes to hold these precious flowers plus I made three more flowers to add to the bunch.

I do hope that the little girls that receive them Christmas morning will love them just as much as I loved growing making them. I just love the fact that so many people are coming together to make Christmas a special time for the families that need the extra help. I'm very excited to be one that is able to use my whimsical talents to help out. Paying it forward is a motto that all of us should take to heart. I know that I certainly do. Let's take a walk and see the newest flowers clipped from the garden.

I love using fabric and ribbon. This little beauty of a rose was made from a wired satin ribbon and has cotton fabric leaves. Not only do I love using fabric and ribbon but I really love buttons. The prettier the better!!! On this one I was able to use two buttons. The white one looked like the center of a flower. How perfect...ri iight??  I just couldn't resist using this little butterfly button to go along with it. It's attached to a large clip barrette.

Here is another rose from the same bush. No thorns either...that makes it nice. We don't want any ouchies from our sweet little ladies.....now do we? I used one of my flower buttons for the center of this one and instead of a hair clip...I attached it to an elastic headband. Can't you just see a sweet baby girl wearing this?
Sit and imagine....now let's all say...........Awwwwww!!!

This little beauty is from the whimsical side of the garden. I had these fantastic, colorful fabric scraps that a friend gave to me in a big bag of.......scraps!! HAHA  They were just the perfect size to make these with. So important tip here.....never throw out those scraps you might think are to small to be keeping. I just adore all the colors in this one too. What do you think of when you see the colors? I think of ice cream..... Neapolitan ice cream and a scoop or two of sherbet thrown in with perhaps some peppermint. YUM!! I suddenly am in the mood for ice cream. ^_^   Hmmmmm...wonder why? Instead of raiding my button stash for these...I raided my vintage bead stash. Tiny, pretty pink pearls. The leaves surrounding the flowers are made from a ribbon. This one has a hair clip attached to it.

Now I have ten beautiful flowers in all to give away but I just couldn't hand them over to Ms Sue and say "Here ya go". I wanted them to be extra special so that's why I made the boxes. The box liked we talked about at the beginning of this post....the box that this post is suppose to be about. Sorry...I just had to wonder in the garden BUT at least I took you with me and you got to smell see the pretty flowers. For the boxes, I used white card stock......because I know that the box probably won't survive the opening process. I mean if they were big boxes...then they would be "priceless" but these are small boxes. I hope they do survive though because they are really cute and could actually be another gift in itself. For the top of the box, I found this cute vintage page from a children's book with rabbits....I love rabbits....don't you? Rabbits looking out the window at Santa and his reindeer flying over the snowy sky. I printed it off in black and white and then water colored it in to give it that vintage look for real. I applied a tiny bit of sparkle flakes to the rabbit tail....some red glitter by some of the holly leaves and even a teeny tiny piece of red glitter on the nose of the first reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh. RUDOLPH!!! Well....either Rudolph or the reindeer had one heck of a party the night before....but....that's....another......whole post entirely!!

Until next time.............HUGS, Regi

Sleeping Gypsy Corsage

I am so enjoying making my ribbon and fabric corsages. Not to mention my hand sculpted face beads that I am making to go with them. I just love combining two different art forms. Don't you?

This one is called "Sleeping Gypsy". I used a multi-colored silk ribbon to make the main flower. It had such lovely hues of blues, greens and purples. Colors that just scream gypsy!!! The leaves are made from simple cotton fabrics in two different shades of green. The tiny peony flower is made from a tan silk ribbon with glass seed beads added. The faux stick pin is of course made from one of my hand sculpted face beads which has been detailed using acrylic paints. Her hair is made from a vintage piece of fringe lace. Her head piece is made from vintage tiny pearls and crystals. The stick pin has vintage pearls and crystals along with silver beads. A tiny silver angel charm is attached to the bottom. I thought the angel was a nice touch. Who wouldn't want an angel watching over them while they slept!!

Being one that loves to wear earrings I just couldn't resist the urge to make a pair to match the corsage. They are made from the same vintage pearls and crystals as the corsage, along with tiny silver angel charms. I like making my dangles long but still not touching your shoulder...that drives me wild. ^_^  Makes me feel as though someone keeps tapping my shoulder. These hang from your pierced ear hole at about 3 inches.

I will be putting these in my Etsy shoppe along with my other gypsy corsages. Now ya'll know I just have to put a plug in here....these would make great Mother's Day gift....don't ya think?

On to the next ooaks....until next time.....

Hugs,
Regi

Arggg.I'm getting OLD!!!

I know that I haven't been posting as much as I usually do and the only excuse I have for it......is....that........I am feeling the old age bug. Yep...that old age bug has bitten down and hard. Arggggg....I hate it...ok wait a sec, we aren't suppose to hate so let me rephrase...I really, really, REALLY dislike it. This nasty little fellow has been laying dormant for awhile and I'm hoping after his short (very short) stay this time that he will be gone for another 10+ years or so. So I'm sure your asking what kind of nasty lil critter this bug is....ri iight?

I have had issues with one of my eyes for years..so far back I can't remember not having them BUT (and I stress BUT) I haven't had such a flair up in years. I don't like it...it keeps me from designing and I really DO NOT like that at all. I guess I could still try but OMGOSH talk about coming out with some whimsies for sure.....hummmm maybe I should try it. ^_^

I have been attempting to work on some of my flower/ribbon corsages and although this one I have been doing over the past week...I finally completed it. YEAH ME!!!! See there ya nasty bug..I can still SEE to work....so...HA!!!! With this one I used my mermaid clay face bead. I have been collecting some vintage ribbon in blues and purples and they were just screaming to be used....so they were. A friend a few years ago sent me a few beautiful sea glass beads that she had tumbled so one of those was used as well. What better way to use a sea glass bead than with a mermaid. Also used were some of the vintage pearls from the 80 year old wedding veil, along with some glass, silver and crystal beads. Some natural sea shells too.

I added some tiny barely 1 inch dangly earrings too. Tiny silver, vintage pearl, glass beads and crystals were used. Just the perfect little accent to go along with the pin. I think she turned out swimmingly...get it....swimmingly...mermaid...HAHAHAHAHA.  She can be found in my Etsy shoppe.

I have a few other pins I am working on. Those that saw last Wednesday's post will know which clay face beads I am using.  I also am working on a design for a gallery event down here too. I will post some WIP photos as I go with it.....perhaps they will help someone else in their clay endeavors. This little nasty critter may slow me down BUT he won't stop me.

Until next time..........HUGS, Regi

Rose Faerie....Keeper of the Rose

If you are looking for my OWOH post then please click HERE

Rose is a keeper of beautiful gardens....rose gardens. Each garden she lovingly tends to so that all the colors  will be displayed with great pride. Her favorite roses are the passion pinks and the brilliant burgundies. She knows her roses are thriving when they release the tiny pearl seeds for her to use in planning her gardens for the next season. Butterflies adore her gardens and help her keep them safe. Safe from whom you may be asking....well...the pixies of course. They never tend to gardens...the little buggers...they just try and overrun the ones they happen upon. Searching for food...the tiny insects that every garden provides a home to. The pixies love to eat insects and will pull up a plant just to get to them. Rose and her butterflies keep the garden safe....Rose yielding her heart sword and the butterflies chasing the pixies off with the pounding of their wings.

You see pixies are very tiny creatures and the wind from the pounding wings will send them hurdling towards the ground.  This puts them in a place that they fear....for down on the ground puts them in the reach of their greatest enemy....THE CAT!!! Cats just LOVE pixies....a very tasty morsel indeed.

Rose is one of my gently poseable ooaks. Her face/torso, hands and feet were hand sculpted out of clay and then highlighted with acrylic paints. She has a strong wire armature covered in fluffy yarn. Her eyes are hand sculpted and painted a beautiful bright green. Her hair is sheared lambswool. Her outfit is hand sewn using  vintage shear material that has a rose print. Her wings are made from the same vintage fabric and then embellished with vintage pearls. The pearls are from a vintage wedding headdress....I love to reuse items that have seen their better days from what was the original purpose. The neckline of her dress is made from the vintage pearls as well. Her necklace has two tiny pearls and a Swarvoski crystal. She is holding her heart sword in her left hand which was hand sculpted out of clay and then washed in acrylic paints. It is topped with two tiny pearls and a Swarvoski crystal. In her right hand she is holding a tiny bouquet of roses with vintage pearls hanging down. She is standing on a base sculpted from clay and the adorned with some of my hand twisted fabric roses and vintage pearls. She stands at 8".

Balancing on her toe is one of my paper butterflies. It has a coating of German glass on it's wings. It can be removed and her leg gently let down. She is permanently attached to her base.

Rose will be going into my Etsy shoppe. Thank you for stopping by today and I hope that you will return again soon.

Until then....Hugs, Regi

Studio Friday

It's a beautiful 60 degrees here today with a light, balmy breeze blowing....skies so blue you just want to sit and look up at the sun.....feel the warmth on your face. Our whole weekend is suppose to be this wonderful and I so hope that it is. There is a reenactment going on at Ft. Morgan this weekend and it would make a wonderful family outing and historical learning experience for the Chazman. With weather so amazing I bet you are asking why in the world am I sitting in my studio......and the answer to that is that my muse is singing so loudly that I can't go outside until I work on what she wants me to. Ohhhhh....the things we do for our muse. Ms. Peaches however is thoroughly enjoying this weather and being outside.

(WATCH OUT LITTLE BIRDIES AND SQUIRRELS)

My muse has me inside..arrrgggg working on another Valentine's Faerie. She is going to be dancing in the middle of silk ribbon and fabric roses. Holding a stack of hearts in one hand...her Valentine's bucket filled with silk roses in the other and perhaps a tiny butterfly balancing on her toe.

I'm working on some special wings for her. Not quite sure if they are going to work but we will see. Never know until you try and then try some more and perhaps try a few more times...LOL!! The only thing I will say about them is, they have vintage MICA flakes in them.....hopefully. (fingers crossed)  If I can't get them to do like I want then she will have a lovely pair of my silk ribbon embroidered wings.


Fingers crossed that I will get enough done today and tonight to appease my muse so she will let me go on the family outing tomorrow. If she insists that I keep working all weekend then she is going to find herself up under an empty jelly jar with Ms. Peaches standing guard til Monday. ^_^

Until next time.....Hugs, Regi

Fabric Roses with Hat Pin

I know that I already posted once today but it was a wordless one so I figured I'm entitled to one with words now. Ri iight? Right...so here goes AND thank you for indulging me another post. ^_^

I finished working on one of the fabric rose pins that includes one of my fairy face hat pins. I'm not as happy as I would like to be with it but practice makes perfect. BOY...I should really be good at somethings with all the practice I have had......but ummmmm that's a whole nuther story. (nuther...one of those Southern twang words or it's just my heavy accent that makes me hear it that way...ya know...spell it the way ya hear it)
I do like her...just need to do some tweaking on the eyes I think. I LOVE how the feathers turned out as her hair. Feathers were very popular back in the Victorian days and that's what I want my pins to look like. Peacock feathers were the most popular. BUT until I can locate a peacock that will stand still long enough for me to borrow a few tail feathers so I can use them.....my black feathers will just have to do.

I made a small necklace out of silver beads, two black glass beads and three crystal beads. At the top of the hat pin are two silver spacer beads with a large silver/black bead...then the faery face. After the face bead then I placed another silver spacer bead and a small black bead. I threaded the pin through the roses and finished off the pin with a twisted end and then attached a silver spacer bead...a larger silver/black bead...another spacer bead and then a larger crystal bead (like the one on the necklace) to balance out the piece. The roses are some of my fabric wrapped or twisted ones. Along with some fabric leaves. All of it sewn to a felt backing with a tiny pin attached. You could wear it on a sweater....shirt....scarf.....hat...jacket or even attach it to a cloth purse.

I LOVE making these roses. I'm planning on making more as single pins.....barrettes.....bookmarks and well....there are just so many more possibilities being whispered to me. I am going to be placing some in my Etsy shoppe. If you have something special you would like made with these just email and let me know...I will be more than pleased to design it....just for you.

Until next time............HUGS, Regi