A Pocket Full Of Blessings 2011

It is New Year's Eve and Bill and I will be celebrating the coming new year 2011 soon.  I wanted to take a moment and wish you all a blessed New Year and thank you for being a part of my blog friends and family.

A Pocket Full Of Blessings 2011 is a mixed media piece that measures 7" x 7" and was designed to sit in a plate stand at my craft station.  Using paper from DCWV Ciao Bella, "Hello Beautiful" stack and an old pair of my favorite blue jeans gives this piece the feeling of what I would call "beautifully worn". Kind of like me.

My hand-made paper roses are painted with water colors in soft blue, purple and white. Nested in with them is one vintage button from my mother's button box.  It is made of mother-of-pearl and has a rhinestone center.

One of my jeweled stick pins is used to add another accent of "favorite things" to this piece.

A Pocket Full Of Blessings is just that.  There are five verses that focus on faith, life's journey, and God.
Each verse is printed on white card stock.  The paper's edges were distressed and inked with walnut stain.  Then I stitched the verses onto cuttings from my jeans.  Then, I pulled threads from the jean material, giving each piece a worn appearance. 

Kind of like the fabric of my life.  I might have worn, stringy, thread-bare jeans, but that is just when they start to feel good to wear. 

Also, I liked the idea of an interactive piece that allows me to change up the blessing for the day.

Well, I better go and get ready for the new year celebration.  I pray that your new year is full of many blessings.

Valerie

Colors of my life: Red

I've been traveling again across Florida, this time making the rounds visiting family for the Christmas season.  Miss being at home where warm colors abound.  This year our Christmas decorations included poinsettias throughout the house.  The beautiful shade of red adds such a cheerful color to the otherwise grey landscape. 



Little Cuties

I can't go a day without crafting something, sketching ideas down in my journal, or taking some time to sit down and make a few of these "little cuties."

I keep experimenting with new materials and methods of wrapping, tearing, cutting, fraying, to achieve a different look.  So far these are a few I like.

The past few days the cold weather has made it difficult to be outside.  So, I continue to play with fabric and glue and make these little flowers. 

This one I'm using for a mini album project I'm working on currently.

You can watch how I made these "Little Cuties" on my Fabric Flower tutorial

Stay warm and keep crafting.

Ready For Christmas

Oh, the joy of Christmas.  Truly!  The house is decorated, candles are glowing, and holiday music playing. Bill and I pause from our day and talk about our past Christmas' with our family and friends.  We know we are blessed and want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

My house cats love Christmas too.  Getting into the tree and knocking down the decorations, rummaging through the baskets and pulling out pieces to play with.  One is naughty and one is nice.

Naughty Isabelle

Nice Katie

"Letting Go"

When I say "Letting Go", I mean allowing myself to put all of my passion, love, and creativity into each craft project and then pass it on to another person that would care enough to receive the gift.  Each gift is personal.

Through my journal, photography and video recordings, I can visually "keep" a little bit of each project, mostly to reminisce about the person and what I did to create that piece.  This has also been helpful in watching how my techniques and skills have evolved. 

I've taken up making how-to videos and tutorials on some of my projects at the requests of a few friends.  This provides a deeper look into the products I've selected, the creative process I go through, and demonstrates the techniques I use.  So far, good reviews by those that have watched them. 

Photo credit Dultmeier Photography

If you want to see what I'm talking about check out my latest how-to video about this "Paris Themed" Collage created for my niece Michelle.  http://www.youtube.com/user/faithfulcrafter1?feature=mhsn

Have a blessed day...and for most everyone out there...stay warm!

Valerie

Pageants and Buttons

Just got back from visiting my sister in South Florida.  We went to see my niece and her family in a play titled "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever".  A lighthearted comedy that helps everyone understand the real meaning of Christmas...it is the time we take to recognize the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. 

The beautiful angel below is my niece's daughter Aubrey.  She played Gladys Herdman, a mean girl in a family of mean kids, that has the opportunity in a Christmas Pageant to play the Angel that delivers the message to the shepards about the birth of Christ.

My niece Michelle is the one in the middle with the handbag and orange coat on and plays Mrs. McCarthy, a well-meaning church mom that gossips too much.  This photo is at the end of the play when the cast gives all the praise to the Lord. 

Now that I am back home, I'm sitting down to enjoy a nice cup of hot tea and finish reading this edition of Artful Blogging.  Not that I could pick out the best article this edition, but I really enjoyed reading about A Friend To Knit With and took time to visit her blog.  http://a-friend-to-knit-with.blogspot.com/
How wonderful.

Each artist has their own take on why they started blogging and what their path has been on their journey.  All the stories are an insightful read. 

The other task at hand, is sorting my button box.  Recently, I picked up a few more vintage buttons at the local flea market and added them to my yummy collection. 

Stay warm and best regards,

Valerie

Colors of my life: Orange.

We had a hard freeze last night as it got down into the 20's and for North Florida that is serious cold.

Had to wrap the citrus orchard and hopefully, the oranges, lemons, and tangerines were protected.

Colors of the Seasons

Hey everyone,

Getting ready to pack up these little cuties and ship them off for a swap I participated in recently.  Hosted by Jules at TheJuleBox.com we had to create a two-sided panel for a wall hanging.  Couldn't be smaller than 4" x 4" and no larger than 6" x 6".  One side needed a Thanksgiving theme and the other Christmas.  The title of the swap was Blessings of Family and Friends.

In preparation for this project, I started with my paper choice.  Paper for me is the base, the anchor of most of my projects.  It is usually the starting point of building up a design.  It sets the tone and mood of the piece.  Can you tell...I love paper!

Color is the next creative expression I take into consideration.  Fall and Thanksgiving themes can have many different hues and tones associated with the time of year.  I am partial to rust, brown, and golds.   For Christmas, I like traditional colors; evergreens, reds, and golds, but wanted some blue added in there somewhere. 

Next, we were asked to incorporate a space for photos and journal tags.  Working on such a small space required me to consider the size of embellishments I wanted to include, as well.  I created a pocket behind the photo mat piece on both sides to save space.  Using dimensional helps add depth to the surface and keep the artwork from being too flat in it appears.  As a wall hanging though, I had to keep the piece simple so it wouldn't bump too far out from a wall surface.



On the Christmas side of the wall hanging, I used a feather to soften the hard surfaces and link to the bird on the paper.  Also, added one of my home-made stick pins as a gift.

I try to keep my design style on the classic side: soft, elegant, clean, and somewhat vintage.

Overall, these came out very pretty and am looking forward to seeing what everyone else in the swap made for their wall hanging piece.  This was my first swap and am looking forward to participating in many more.

You can view all the details of materials used and techniques on my video at http://www.youtube.com/user/faithfulcrafter1?feature=mhum

Have a blessed day,

Valerie

Change of Scenery

The view outside my window has a definite change of seasons going on here at my farm.  I ventured outside early to take a picture of the last of the Fall leaves before the landscape turns grey. 

Support Your Local Scrapbook Store

Hey everyone,

I'm the kind of person that has to touch and handle many of my crafting supplies before I buy them.  Yes, I can order items on line, once I've seen them and better understand what I am buying and the costs associated with them.  But, there is not a better hands on experience for me, than to go and shop at my local scrapbook store.

I recently had a "girls day out" craft shopping with some friends and we headed off to our favorite scrapbooking shop Pictures In Time (PIT) located in Orange Park, Florida near Jacksonville.  I am participating in a wall hanging swap and really wanted to pick up some Christmas Webster's Pages. 
I found a treasure-trove of goodies: Webster's Pages Papers, Notecards, and Petite Paper Packs, Prima Papers, Laces, Pearl embellishments, and Rubber Stamps. All making the trip worthwhile!

After that, we headed over to Michael's, coupons in hand, and found a few more items for our shopping bags.

Overall, it was a good crafting day out with the girls.

Hope you enjoyed the video, and please leave me a comment.

Have a blessed day,

Valerie

Love is...Unfailing

Hey everyone,

I wasn't sure when I started this Love Is...series of vintage tags exactly what direction they would take but was confident that making these tags using scripture from 1 Corinthians 13 would be a great message.

So far, the series includes Love is...Patient, Love is...Hopeful, and the newest Love is...Unfailing. I am planning one more to be unveiled next week.

The third tag in the series: Love is...Unfailing is 5 1/4" x 3 1/4".  I start with white card stock and embossed it using my Cuttlebug folder titled Victoria.  The pattern has beautiful flourishes to it.  Next, I used home made glimmer mist using Perfect Pearls Blue Patina and water as well as Ranger Distressing reinker in Black Soot and water.  Once dried, then applied Silver Leaf Rub & Buff to the raised embossed areas.  This technique is better viewed on RachO113 tutorial.

I embellished the tag with art work, feathers, mulberry paper roses in blue and inked with Vintage Photo, pearls, ribbon and Prima lace.  My home made stick pin has a blue glass bead, silver findings, and pearls.  Multible fibers were added to complement the colors of the art work.

On the back, the scripture from 1 Corinthians 13:8 is distressed and inked with Vintage Photo.  The edges are rolled and curled to create a pealed back effect.  The backing of the tag is card stock cut to fit, distressed with Vintage Photo and black ink and the borders are edged with a brown marker creating a faux stitching effect.

Hope you have enjoyed viewing these tags as much as I have had making them.  Please leave me a comment or visit my YouTube channel to see more on this vintage tag series at http://www.faithfulcrafter1.com/

Have a blessed day and may the Lord be with you.

Valerie

A Very Happy Thanksgiving

Hey everyone,

Wow, what a Thanksgiving holiday.  At my house we start celebrating on Wednesday with an open house.  Friends and family arrive and the house fills with laughter and the sounds of wonderful conversations.  With each new arrival, a big cheer breaks out from everyone as they greet the latest guests. 

Each year I make up a goody bag for all that come for the celebration.  Usually, a bottle of this seasons speciality wine from our farm Running Waters.  Packaged with home made sweets and cookies.  Oh yeah, and this year I made an awesome blueberry jam that went into the goody bag as well.

Thanksgiving day is the best.  We gather together starting that morning, go horse back riding, fish down at the lake, play games, have hay rides, horse shoes, and of course, cooking the grand bird and then come together for our blessing and meal.   My husband re-told the story about the first Pilgrims. Who they were and why they came to this country as well as the first Thanksgiving meal they had with the Indians.   He spoke too of the importance of family.  It is a way to honor our parents and their parents by continuing coming together as family.

We had 34 people come and celebrate this year at our farm.  What a blessing. 

After all the Thanksgiving day food and fun, we continued on celebrating Friday and Saturday.  Each night, we ventured out and sat around the outdoor fire ring, gazed at the stars, sang songs, toasted marshmallows and played movie trivia. 

On Saturday, everyone meets up at the local flea market to find "that special treasure".  I found a bunch of vintage buttons.  A last meal together, a last night at the fire ring, a final gaze into the heavens and then everyone heads home.  

Today, Bill and I went to our bible study class and church.  We are happy to be able to freely worship in this country and gave thanks for another successful Thanksgiving holiday at Running Waters Farms. 

Hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving.

Valerie

A Portrait of Ideal Womanhood Proverbs 31

Hey everyone,

This project has a great deal of meaning and inspiration behind it.  First, it is a birthday present for a very dear friend of mine, Kelly. 

Second, the scripture on the back of this wallhanging describes a woman with outstanding abilities, "The Wife Of Noble Character" Proverbs 31.  The woman described in this scripture is an excellent wife and mother.  She is also a manufacturer, importer, manager, realtor, farmer, seamstress, upholsterer, and merchant.  Her attractiveness comes entirely from her character.

I used the Tim Holtz Sizzix Movers & Shapers Baroque die cut as the base.  Each panel is covered with Anna Griffin Paper from the Flora Collection.

The letters are Anna Griffin foil embossed alphabet and measure about 3 inches.  All letters, embellishments, and cut outs were mounted with dimentionals to add depth to the overall piece. 

Each panel was inked with black ink to help make the color of each panel stand out.  The panels were bound with 1 1/4" black satin ribbon.

The back of each panel has a portion of Proverbs 31 scripture, distressed with Vintage Photo and black ink to give the look of aged paper.  The edges were rolled up to appear to be pealing back.

I used Anna Griffin rubber stamps from the Flora Collection on the back of these panels.  Each stamp is reflective of what is presented on the front of the panel.  

I just love this part:

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.  "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."  Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Hope you enjoyed seeing this wallhanging and leave me a comment if you have time.  You can see the video presentation of this project on my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/faithfulcrafter1?feature=mhum#p/u/0/8RQuBnRxZZI

Have a blessed day,

Valerie

Scrapbooking Vintage Tags

Hey everyone, 

Thought you would want to see the latest project I am working on from the vintage tag series Love is...

This one is titled Love is...Hopeful.

The tag size is 5 1/4 x 3 1/4".  I used for the background Tim Holtz/Sizzix texture fades embossing folder titled Regal Flourishes on white card stock.

On top of the embossing I applied my home-made glimmer mist of Perfect Pearls, Ranger Distressing Inks and water.  Colors included blue, green, and heirloom gold Perfect Pearls.   Once dried, I then applied Rub and Buff antique gold on the raised sections of the embossing.

The edges were distressed and I applied Vintage Photo distressing ink. 

On the back of the tag, I used a rubber stamp from the Tim Holtz Visual Artistry collection, Stamper's Anonymous.  I distressed the verse with Vintage Photo, curled the edges for added vintage effect.

Added an antique brass emblishment to frame the word HOPEFUL.  Love it!  Added ribbons, trim and pearls to the base of the tag.  Used a lot of different colored fibers to compliment the colors of the artwork.  Topped of tag with English half penny charm dated 1961.



Hope you enjoyed the second of this vintage tag series.  I have two more nearly done and that will be it. 

To see the video, visit my YouTube site at http://www.youtube.com/user/faithfulcrafter1?feature=mhum

Leave me a comment.  Thank you and have a blessed day.

Valerie

God Defines Real Love

Hey everyone,

Yesterday, Bill and I attended a lovely wedding.  The bride was just beautiful.  The vows were made and love was beaming from the bride and groom.  Weddings remind me about how God provided us with a clear definition of real love in 1 Corinthians 13.

Sitting down today to finish this vintage tag, I still had not decided on the message that would accompany it, until I again thought about the wedding yesterday.  So here is a first in a series of vintage tags with the "Love is...Patient" as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4.

Hope you enjoy this vintage tag.  To see the video, check out my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/faithfulcrafter1?feature=mhum .  Thank you and please leave me a comment.  Have a blessed day.