Starting back blogging and Art Journaling Class

Hi everyone I have not posted on my blog for well YEARS haha, but I thought it was time to get back at it.  I will still of course be posting on my FB page regularly but will also post here so would be fabulous if you followed me here as well if you like.  and Likewise if anyone wants to check out my FB page it's here:  https://www.facebook.com/CaninosArtisticCafe/  If you want to see what I've been up to the past year or so check out my FB page above.  So I thought that since I'm doing a local Art Journal Class I would also share with all of you here so if anyone online wants to follow along and do it at home you can. 


So here is the page that I created of our theme words for this month.



Inspire, Discover, Grow, Shine and Create


We will use these words to create art journal pages that speak to us, in what is going on in our lives, or what we want to be inspired about or hopes and dreams for the coming months of this fabulous new year.  After the class I will give some tips and tricks that we learned so that you can try them at home.  I did a video that I posted on my FB page it's in the class event you can stop by there and check it out for a bit more inspiration.  If you create any pages from my class here please post a comment with a link below or pics on my FB page if you would like to share, I'd love to see everyone's creations!!  Thanks for following along and have a wonderful Tuesday <3 p="">

Layout and Tag Made from a Tommy Bahama Shirt Tag

 Here is a layout that I made last night, I apologize for the not so great pics, I took them when it was dark and with my Iphone to save some time.  I just really wanted to get a post up here because I've been totally neglecting my blog. The background paper is an old My Minds Eye cardstock and the greenish-yellow butterflies were made with a Basic Gray Line, and the pink butterflies with a polka dot Amuse paper.

This is the tag before I altered it, it's like a super thick /sturdy chip board so when Dan bought these shirts that had these tags I saved them.  First I totally love tags but I knew some day I'd use in some way on a project they were just too cool to throw away.

I added a piece of paper to cover the name on the tag and then used my vintage photo ink to ink the edges all the way around the tag

This is a close up of my finished tag, I added

Donna Downy Wreath

So I know I have been away from my blog for a LONG time now and what's funny is that I have done a ton of layouts that I want to share as well as a few little projects but just haven't taken the time to do it.  So that being said I am going to MAKE myself start posting again tonight with some things that I have done. But I totally want to start with this since I'm working and can't be home to take pics of things right now.  This is a tutorial that Donna Downey did of a burlap wreath.  And with spring around the corner (actually it's been feeling like summer here all week we have had high 70s and today maybe 80) I thought was a fun spring/summer project.  I was thinking that if you made a few of these you could use glimmer mist or the ranger spray inks or any spray ink for that matter, and mist the flowers different colors.  So even though she does not color them you could and use summer colors, or fall colors when fall comes or even Christmas/winter colors.  I'm going to definately try one of these because I love the whole natural feel of them kinda like the Pottery Barn/earthy look.  That's kinda my thing but if you do make one please post it on your blog and post a link here to it in the comments so I can see your creation.

http://donnadowney.typepad.com/simply_me/2012/03/gorgeous-muslin-wreath-tutorial.html

Lots of Pics - And a big thank you to all who donated to Pugapalooza 5

So I have been MIA for most of the summer and now most of the fall.  I thought that once Elias went to college I was suppose to have more time ha, fat chance of that.  Below is a pic from this summer of Budha laying in the grass enjoying the sunshine by our patio.

Here is a pic in our back yard of a deer - we live in a very very residential area and the woods behind my house is very shallow so for us to have a deer in it was pretty cool! 

 And we also have baby turkeys, not sure if you are able to see them back in the clearing, the larger one up front is the mama - she's pretty small as well and only had 2 babies, then there was another larger mama with 4 babies not in this pic.  Whenever I see them I go out and throw them some bread, makes the pugs made they want whatever I'm giving the turkeys lol

Here is a pic of my new love, pumpkin spice latte.  Maxwell house has some that you can make at home, so yummy, love this in the fall!

 Made some fall cupcakes awhile ago. Last night I made an apple pie, but no pics.  I was lucky to get it done and out of the oven by 10pm before I went to bed :)

And because I'm still blog challenged here is a pic of the coffee mix that I made the pumpkin spice latte with in the above pic.  They sell it at Target, I couldn't find it at Wegmans, I'm sure there must be other stores out that that have it though.

A paper flower I made from 2 different flower punches.  I had downloaded a bunch of pics of things I made etc and of course we got a new computer and I lost a bunch of my pics I had saved stupid me for not backing up ugh so pics of how I made this, sorry!

 Did up Halloween care packages for Elias and his girlfriend who are both away at college last week and sent them to them.  I Enclosed a Halloween card for each of them.  Andrea's was the little purse below, inside the paper had skulls and was pretty cute.  Sent Elias a little pumpkin, a little skull I found that blinks on and off.  Along with some fresh apple and a variety of teas, you wouldn't think that most kids including his roommates would find what I sent appealing, but they were all hovered around he said saying "your mom sends you the coolest stuff" , made my day!!! :)

Here is a pic of the fountain at Suny Albany when I took Elias over the summer for orientation.

Here is a pic of Elias with the SUNY Albany Mascot - the great dane - This was at orientation in July

And last but not least the Graduates.  Seems like so long ago now!

Well I'm headed off for a weekend crop in MA this Thursday, Pugapalooza a fundraiser for the pug rescue of New England.  Going to be a blast can't wait to see all my MA peeps!!!  I wanted to give a quick shout out to all my friends who donated some scrapbooking goodies for our raffles:  Karen Barber, CTMH Consultant,  Kathy Greenia - Stampin and Scrappin Time in Bridgeport, NY, and Kathy Coogan - We B Scrappin.  Thanks so much ladies, you are all a huge help in raising money for PRoNE and helping all those puggies that are in need!  I can't express my gratitude enough!!! 

An Amazing Give Away ....check this out

Here is an amazing blog that I foung thru the Bo Bunny site.  Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE my Bo Bunny!  Gabrielle is having this amazing give away and all you have to do is leave a comment on her blog.
I'm totally addicted once you see her work it's like I just wish I could watch her create a layout.
http://gabriellepollacco.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-favourite-embellies-give-away.html

Going to try to get some layouts photographed and posted soon :)

So much to catch up on

Hi everyone, I know it's been so long since I posted. I've got so much to share and so little time to do it. Below is a layout that I did for our Friday morning crop at Stampin and Scrappin Time. Kathy let me teach and this is the page I taught. It was a lot of fun to be up there helping others, but a lot of work too, I give all you teaches out there lots of kudos for all the work you do. Esp. Kathy from Stampin and Scrappin Time she creates a unique layout for us each week!!!


The flowers are made out of patterned paper and flower punches in different sizes. I just punched them spritzed them with a little water and then crumpled them up. After uncrumpling them I took some ink pads that would match the paper the flowers were punched out of and ran the ink pad over them to make the creases stand out. The stems were just made out of green patterned paper that I distressed and inked the edges and kinda just rolled them in to give them dimension. The leaves were stamped with a hero arts leave stamp on to some pages out of a book with green ink and then I cut them out and kinda crumpled them up as I glued them on. The background was made with lemon glimmer mist and lily pad glimmer mist. Then inked the edges with my pool paint dauber. The journal block is Prima and the "Enjoy" tag is the back of a tim holtz tag that I stamped with the word enjoy. Captured Memories is from a Close to My Heart Stamp set that was a special they had a few years ago. The pic is of my oldest sister and I last summer at a family party.

Here is a pic of my baby who isn't so much a baby any more, here he was at just one year old.

And here he is in one of his senior pics, so grown up, I can't believe it. Time just goes so fast!

This was his senior ball with his Girlfriend and his 2 closest friends since elementary school. Elias is on the end in black and gold. He had decided to grow his hair out from January so that he could get braids for Prom.

Here is a pic of Elias and Andrea. As crazy as I am I volunteered to host an after the ball party up to our camp for him and 30 of his friends. I know CRAZY, but I have to say that they were all very well behaved I had no problems and Elias did an amazing job of cleaning up after. Needless to say I didn't get to bed that night until like 3AM but it was worth it because I knew where he was and him and his friends were where I could keep them all safe!

Graduation Pics to come next....:)

Vintage Give Away - You've got to check this out

http://rustyroostervintage.blogspot.com/2011/04/giveaway-time.html Click on the link above in order to enter to win all the goodies you see in this pic. And you just need to check out her blog if you love vintage soooooo fun!

Hand Died Crinkle Seam Binding

I followed a couple links on Janes blog which she has some awesome projects and cards on here:
http://anythingbutplainjane.blogspot.com/ and I came across this site which has an awesome video tutorial for hand died crinkle binding. Which is something I've been wanting to learn how to do and here is the link below I thought I'd share it with all of you it's pretty cool : )

http://tammytutterow.typepad.com/tammy_tutterow/video-tutorials.html#tp

Hello out there

Wow I think this is the longest I've gone since I started my blog without posting. The days have just been whizzing by.

I want to start off by first going backwards in time and posting what I should have posted at Thanksgiving time.

I want to post about the many things that I am truly thankful for (may be a long post but I'll try to cut out the blah blah blah : ).

I am very thankful for my family of course but I do have to elaborate on this is bit....Last January my Dad who is 76 ended up back in the hospital for almost a month and had to have open heart surgery again. This happened to him back about 6 yrs ago prior to this where he ended up having quadruple bypass surgery. Well one morning I was getting ready to leave for work and my cell phone rang the name that came up on my phone was my oldest brother Carl, Jr. now mind you this is like 7am. Upon answering the phone my brother proceeded to tell me that my dad has gone into heart failure over night and that he didn't really know much because he had just gotten the call from our mom and he was on his way to the hospital. I hung up the phone thought I could compose myself since my son was right there. Dan asked me what was going on and I burst out crying. I just couldn't believe that this was happening as literally 2 nights before they sat beside me at Elias' basketball game and he looked fine. It was a long 3 1/2 weeks of running back and forth to the hospital, picking my mom up and bringing her, then going back to bring her home although I had 2 brothers that did help with this as well. Anyways this was not meant to be a sad story but a thankful one. My dad made it thru this and he is with us today although he can't do as much as he used to he is alive and well and living life and I am so Thankful that he was here with us this Thanksgiving and all year thru!

I am thankful for Dan my better half who has been there for me thru thick and thin for the past 11 years. He has been the one for me to lean on, to hold me to, tell me that he loves me when I'm down. He is an amazing person always putting me first and I really don't know what I'd in lfe without him he's just an amazing person and I am so lucky and blessed that he's in my life!!

I am thankful for my son Elias, who even though he can drive me crazy at times as most teenagers can, he has a kind and tender heart, he is a very giving and loving person. He is a hard worker and would do anything for the people he cares about (family and friends) and I'm very proud to be his mom and Proud of the person that he has become. I am truly thankful that God gave me him as my son.

I am thankful for my friends around me who always listen to me when I need them and are there for me, for my pugs who bring me so much joy each day and love me unconditionally (even when I make them go pee outside when it's snowing)

I am thankful for the roof over my head, the food that I have, the air that I breathe, the happiness that I'm allowed and the amazing people I have met thru scrapbooking. To all of you out there who take the time to read what I post, to comment and to follow my little blog I am thankful for all of you and feel very blessed to have all of you a part of my life!!!!

Finally a new post - A Tag & Canvas

Wow I feel like I've been gone from my blog for so long. Once I got back from the Pug Rescue Crop everything just kinda hit. But I think I've caught up a little personally and I've got so many projects to share but need to get them photographed.

Here is a tag I made, I used a Tattered Angels tag, used the shell mask, put it on the edge and sprayed around it with some glimmer mist Electric Blue, then used Viva pink and added some to the edge which it turned purple kinda cool I like how the color fades out. Then I added over that at the top some of the pink (I forget the name) glimmer glam. I embossed in a silver the key stamp and the postage stamp. I outlined with a black pen around the key. Stamped in black stazon over the stamp and the "From the heart". I ripped a piece from a book and stamped messages on it in black, distressed the edges some and then glued it so that it was wrinkled and popped up some. Added the glimmer glass butter fly and then over it punched 2 butterflies used a pop dot in between then then added them to the tag. Punched a couple other butterflies the tiny ones and added them to the card.

Here I did a canvas of Elias' Prom picture. I used slate and candy cane glimmer mists. I used the swirl screens to create the background. Added a little black soot distress ink to the edges of the canvas. Took a piece of cardstock and embossed the edges with silver embossing powder and mounted my photo on that. Added the Prima black diamonds around the edges. Wrote with white gel pen Prom 2010 down the side. The little frame at the top is a Close to my Heart frame and I added a cardstock saying I had to that. Added the cardstock title pure happiness, and at the bottom stuck a little tag out from under the photo.

Give Away on Donna Downy's Blog - Simply Me

Check out all this great stuff!

http://donnadowney.typepad.com/simply_me/2010/11/sponsor-spotlight-giveaway-helmar.html

above is the link to the giveaway and all you have to do is post a comment and check the like button on the Helmar Facebook page sooooo easy!

Blog to share and Getting ready for my final crop of the year

Hi everyone, this past month has been so super busy for me with crops, and getting Elias ready for college you name it, it's happened.

I was lucky enough 2 weekends ago to spend the day with my niece's baby Maggie. The one on the previous layout. She is now 6months old and just full of energy. Not crawling yet but will be any day now for sure. She is such a happy little girl, my niece a single mom (with no dad in the picture has done an amazing job with her!) you can totally tell that this little girl is spark in her step. She was so funny trying to grab the pugs as they would come near her not knowing really what to do with them, haha wait till next time when she can actually "go after them" lol that will be a site.

This past Saturday Elias and I made a trip to Suny Albany for a college visit. We got a nice campus tour and some more info on the program he's thinking about going into. He wants to do some type of Engineering but he's just not 100% sure yet and if not that something to do with math or physics. The campus was really nice, and their rooms were as well so much nicer than even when I went to college, but I think the Suny schools really have a lot nicer stuff anyways I went to LeMoyne and the rooms were tiny lol.

So I spent the rest of the weekend finishing up make and takes for the crop coming up and putting together some more raffle prizes. I'm hoping to completely finish tonight, and finish packing all my stuff by Tuesday night so all that will be left to do is pack my clothes and stuff. Plus I will have to get all the dogs food ready before I go because I feed raw and Dan will not cut up raw meat (lol) .

So I wanted to share a blog I've shared before but I just love her stuff "Rebecca" check out these flowers then go to the previous post to see how she used them on a layout. I guess I just really like these cause they are so rustic looking http://byondbzr.blogspot.com/2010/10/canvas-and-hemp-cord-flower-tutorialand.html and if you have time you have to go to even the post before that her daughter is dressed up for Halloween and I just think that this photo of her is just amazing, to me she reminds me of one of the Models (a very young one : ) on America's next top model, you know how they dress them up in different costumes sometimes and then do a photo shoot, I mean you gotta just see this photo and her eyes in this it's really awesome! here is the link http://byondbzr.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-delightfully-scary-vampiress.html

If I'm lucky and get everything done as planned I'm trying to take off Thursday as kinda a rest up day before the long 5 1/2 hour trip on Friday morning. We are planning to leave at 6am so that we can be there by noon, I typically try to get there early to help set up if I can. Then will have lunch with my friend Jeanne who I haven't see since last year. So was to work at 6am today so that I can get enough done this week to take off Thursday, if that happens I may get a chance to post before I leave for my trip.

Have a great day everyone and Scrap Like No One is Watching : )

Thank you to Stampin & Scrappin Time & Canvas Layout

So I haven't blogged in over a week. I've had 2 whole weeks of nothing but computer problems at work. And Elias has been tying up the home computer in the evenings doing homework and I've worked several evenings trying to catch up at work when my computer has been working there. So here I am Friday trying to play catch up again : ).

First I want to send out a big thank you to Stampin and Scrappin Time and Kathy for giving a generous donation for our crop next weekend to Benefit the Pug Rescue of New England. You guys are wonderful and always so giving. THANKS AGAIN!!!!

Below is a canvas I did of my niece, it is a picture of her when she was sleeping one day when I was watching her.
I used a script stamp that I have is a big wood stamp and painted gesso on it and continued to stamp the background until it was completely covered. Once it was dry, I took crushed shells glimmer mist and sprayed in the center and used I think it was riptide GM on the edges. I also used some acrylic paint on the edges and sprayed with water to make it bleed. Then I painted one of the Donna Downey foam stamps with my acrylic paints and stamped it twice in the center. I then went back with some white gesso and a very fine tip brush and added some white dots to the center of the flowers. The lace was white and I sprayed it with riptide glimmer mist blotted it, dried it then attached it to the page with fabric tac.

The flower was a canvas flower from making memories that I've had, it had a script writing in black on it already, I added my acrylic paint to it and then sprayed water to make it bleed then added some extra paint to the edges to make them darker and then dried it with my heat gun. The tag I used the same foam flower stamp and stamped it in white gesso on the tag dried it then sprayed the center with crushed shells and added some magenta acrylic paint to the edges and sprayed with water to make it bleed and blend.

Here you can see the flower a lot better I added some Prima Pearls to the center. Kinda funny story about these pearls, they were the very first set I ever bought of Prima, I think I got them 2 or 3 years ago it was at a crop that I went to and they had them for sale. Still had some left and they matched perfect : )

Picture Heavy Post - So much to share

The first project I have to share here is a fall wreath that I made. I just bought the plain grapevine wreath at Michael's and decorated it up.

I sprayed the raffia with glimmer mist and added a little glimmer glaze to add some extra shine and color to it.

Here you see I added an Owl glimmer glass piece, the flowers were all sprayed with glimmer mist various colors, mustard seed , olive vine, lemon yellow, suede, walnut) Then I added some buttons and some bling to the centers after layering them. The flowers are all Prima

Here is the finished product that I now have hanging on my front door.

This layout here I created a simple layout from my Reflections book to have as a make and take at the Pug Rescue Crop

These leaves I made out of an old piece of file folder and used my decorative scissors to cut them into holly shapes. Then used my CTMH stamp pads and inked them on my craft sheet I used 2 different greens (sorry I forget the names, I will have to go look then I will come back and edit this) spritzed the craft sheet where I put the ink and ran the leaves thru the ink dried them and continued to do this until I got the look and color I wanted then crinkled them a little to make them look a little more real. The flower I sponged with ink then used the champagne glimmer glam and painted it on to give it some sparkle and shine. The top flower I layered on and just added some gold glitter glue pretty heavily painted on so it would stand out added a red gemstone to the center (also CTMH)

This flower I sponged with the tulip ink and then spritzed it with some water that has my pearl, perfect pearls in it to add some shimmer. Added this awesome button that Karen had got for me and added 2 tulip brads to the center of the button.

I just wanted to share a pic of the pugs cause I thought they were all so cute. Here they are all laying in front of the fireplace.

Then I wanted to share one of my new favorite scrapbooking products. This is one of the Tim Holtz dies. The tattered flowers, they are sooooooo cool!

Here are a few pics of them just by themselves, here I cut some jean material and some canvas

Here's just a few of them layered together, and of course the possibilities are endless of what you could use, printed material, cardstock, patterned paper, a page from a book or dictionary.

Of course you could paint, glimmer mist or glimmer glam, glimmer glaze on the canvas.

I like how this one looks layered with just the Jean ones.

It has been so chilly lately I've been using my crock pot almost every night. There is nothing like coming home from work and having dinner all cooked for you, I love it! Here is some chicken stew I made, I put it over rice yummy!

And Last but not least here is Dan feeding Callie. Some of you may or may not remember back this summer when I went to Danielle's baby shower (she is one of Dan's son, Danny, Aides) Well since she has been back to work which is only one day a week right now I've been watching Callie every Thursday night. I just adore this little girl and here I had Dan feeding her, he was loving it : )

The pugs are even getting used to her crying a little at first they would just bark and bark but now they know she's just fussing a little and that it's alright. Not that I let her cry she's in my arms almost the entire night I watch her lol. I can't help myself she is just such a blessing to have around. I these pics I think she is 9 weeks old. She is 11wks old now.

I have more projects to post from my last crop but lost the daylight to get pics of them will work on it some this Friday when I have it off. Off to have some pizza tonight and watch Criminal Minds later while I snuggle with the pugs and Dan. Enjoy the evening and create something that makes YOU happy : ).