Easy Dollar Tree solution for dripping teapots

I Googled the problem of dripping teapots and didn't find any great solutions.  The closest to an easy fix I came across was a drip catcher from Amazon that looks like a lemon slice.  It was cheap (under $10) so I ordered one.  It slips over the tea pot spout and works well to keep the pot from dripping when pouring.  The problem is the yellow material inside the ceramic frame stained right away.

After examining the parts the fake lemon drip catcher was made of I went to the Dollar Tree and bought some knit material children's ponytail holders.  I got  about 25 for $1 and they work great.  The material doesn't show stain, but even if they did they are so cheap I'd have no problem replacing them often.

Book Review - Winter's Bone

Although the Ozark Mountain language is a bit foreign to me and causes me to stumble and puzzle at meaning a few times, the book is an intriguing blend of sensory descriptions of the cold, once paradisaical Ozark Mountain hallow, now home to drug labs and human discards, and the story of a admirably strong character I'm so glad I got to know.  The blend makes a book I stayed up at night to read.  It is that good!

Mother's Day Card

Happy Mother's Day!

A card created at the request of my thirteen year old granddaughter for her dear mother.

My Snow Queen Doll

When I took the girls to Decorator' Warehouse, Texas' largest Christmas store (http://www.decoratorswarehousearlington.com/), in November I fell in love with a Snow Queen doll they were selling for $200.  I knew I could make my own.

I made my doll from a ceramic "umbrella doll" I found at the thrift store.  She has no legs.  Under her skirt, her torso is connected to a white umbrella .  I love it as I can close her skirt up to put her away and she doesn't require a stand.  She looked like this, only taller than 18":

I pulled off her old hair and painted her white.  I tore apart a thrift store Santa beard and glued it on her head to make her hair.  

I sewed her dress from a thrift store dress using the doll's old dress as a pattern.  I sewed on the trim I had removed from the thrift store dress. 

I cut a white miniature Christmas tree skirt in half and added that at her waste as an over-skirt on the back of her dress.

I made a crown from some silver wire and blue beads and added a dollar store snowflake decoration cut in half at the back.

I twirled some of her hair around some wire and glued it on to make the wild tendrils.  Finally I painted her yes, lips, cheeks and drew a snowflake on her chest with sparkle nail polish.

I've been working on her for about 3 months; slowly, as the inspiration of what to do next came to me.

I love her much more than the one from Decorator Warehouse!

Robot and Outer Space Scapes

I was inspired to create these multi-media canvas' after buying some laser cutouts of robots and space ships from The Porkchop Shop on Etsy.  They sell some really fun images printed on wood and laser cut that add a great three dimensional touch to your art.

I have them for sale in "Wishes and Dreams", a gift shop in Arlington, Texas.  I had them on Etsy for a while, but I don't think anyone could see them.  Besides, the photos don't do them justice. They're really cute.

Alice in Wonderliddle Paper Dolls

Alice in Wonderliddle Paper Dolls

I found this file on the internet with lots of creases and tape marks, so I used Photoshop Elements to fix it.

Colors - Robin's Pain

I am the star of my own private tragedy

Set to the tune of a black and white memory

Dancing with shadows that glide though the entryway

Leading the colors away

Instinct leads them here, legends of our mothers

Laughter of the tears, echoes of the fall

I am the star of my own private tragedy

Reaching for hands that just slip away silently

Shrouded in in emptiness no one to sing to me

Keep all the colors away

Keep it out of sight, hide it in a mirror

Underneath the light, just above the fear

You are the star of your own private tragedy

Nothing remains but the smoke of the effigy

Clawing the soul as it climbs to be free

Now the colors are too far away

This poem is an expression of the loneliness and hopelessness felt during the depths of depression. It is a very frightening place to be.

Pumpkin Heads

These pumpkin head dolls were once innocent little skipper dolls.  They were multiplying in my house so I started to imagine things to do with them.  Pumpkins often come to mind. 



 

 

As do creepy things - hence the clay headed doll.

 I love them all - don't you?


Now here is Daryl Hannah as the nurse in Kill Bill.  What a fun movie - what a memorable villain!  She's for sale in my ETSY shop.

 

 

 

Country Rabbit Reborn thanks to Junker Jane

If you haven't seen Junker Jane's creations, you need to.  They are adorable!  Not the kind of adorable you find at your local church craft sales, but the kind you find in the artsy fartsy Boho Chic boutiques.  You can find her artwork in her Etsy Shop:  Junker Jane.

I haven't had the time to get so creative as her, but I did recently rescue a stuffed rabbit from a thrift store and it's country cuteness.

Before:

After:

Now tell me you don't find her charm more appealing?  She's unique, and far more expressive.

I'll work on "Junking" her up a bit more over the next month or so, but I already love her immensely.
Thanks Junker Jane for the inspiration!

Spooky Tissue Paper Video

Fun Spooky Tissue Paper Technique Video! Nicole Eccles of Sunny Skye Creations has created a fun video showing her spooky technique for applying tissue paper - love the music and the results!
You can find it on her Blog: http://www.nicoleeccles.com/

or look for it on Youtube: "Spooky Aging Technique2 Tissue Paper".

Celtic Drinking Vessel and Medievil Fighting

I found the coolest Celtic drinking horn vessel at the Funky Finds Craft Show.  I bought it as a gift for son, but decided its too small for him.  He'll think its too girly.  He'd prefer a larger one.  So I'm going to order a custom one from the Creator - James Partin. 

Check out his website:  HammeredCreation.comoj.com

Here's the horn I bought....  I love the pewter head on the end!!!!

 

Now here's what I want him to carve onto a big, manly horn mug for my son...

 

Its a Celtic Cross tattoo I designed for him.  The words on the edges are:

 

Dilseacht - Loyalty

 Saoirse - Freedom 

Teaghlaigh - Family

 

My son, mo loach, mo ghile mear (It's Irish)

 

Here he is dressed in his gear SCA Heavy Fighting:

 

And fighting:

 

 

 

 

 

First Craft Show!

My first craft show ever was a blast.  Of course I spent more than I earned, but there were some awesome items there!!!  Some people actually loved my stuff.  Some people even bought some of it.  I met some very interesting people and overall enjoyed the event much, much more than I thought I would.

One person even said they recognized my stuff from ETSY!!  How cool is that!!!!!

I was especially proud of my shop sign.  I had picked up the flag holder at a thrift shop months ago thinking it was cool, and maybe someday I'd find a good use for it.  Well, I did!!!

 

Here's the image on the sign:

A shopper!!!  I don't think she bought anything.  But she seemed to like the stuff and that made me feel very validated!!!!

 

 One of my favorite stalls was that of Fiber Artist Joyce Hazlerig.  She had a display of incredible needle felted works of art.  Her Cheshire Cat was fabulous.  I bought a Russion Gnome from her and a kit for making beautiful fir trees for his forest.  She has an ETSY store:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gypsyharte.   Take a look at the wonderful pieces she's made!!!  You can see the Cheshire Cat there too (unless someone buys it from her for my Christmas Present).  Here's some pictures in case he's gone:

I'm busy listing the rest of my Halloween creations in my ETSY shop.  Then I can get started on some new creations.  I have about 1000 ideas, tons of supplies, but not enough time.  Probably just like a million other people. 

More of my spooky Halloween creations....

 

Halloween is coming!

I played around with my Photoshop Elements 10 to create some new Halloween Tags...  Very theraputic - like Chicken Soup, or a long back rub....

You can download these tags at

http://s1138.photobucket.com/albums/n523/sisterbrute/Its%20Dark%20In%20Here/

I have discovered an inpiring Blog: 

         Altered Attic:  Words and Art by Patti Edmond   http://pattiedmon.blogspot.com/

Voodoo Doll and Dinosaur Coat Rack

I just finished some skull head pins for a Voodoo doll...

I also have been working on a coat rack from AlliAnn's room.  I cut some plastic dinosaurs in half, inserted cut dowels, some two way screws, and added their heads as hooks.  It's not very "girly" but I thought it was so cute...