12/19/2010

Sunday Art Therapy #17

A couple of weeks ago, my best friend from college invited me to a ladies' Christmas brunch. She had planned to play dirty Santa with small gifts. So, I scouted out Etsy and found this coffee coozie from one of my favorite sellers, PoshPaisley:


Isn't it adorable?  I had to make sure that the wrapping for this little gem was just as lovely as the treasure inside.  I thought that I would create a little envelope out of my paper stash, or maybe use one of my recycled boxes and wrap it in paper.  As I looked around my studio, I found the perfect piece.


This little bag once held two chocolate chip cookies from a hotel in Cleveland, OH.  I couldn't just throw it away.  (To be honest, I kept the little cookie wrappers, too!)  But, it didn't scream Christmas, so I dressed it up. 




BagAfter



The little carriage in this scene was part of the print on the paper.  I loved it and incorporated it into my painted scene.  I scrubbed white gesso over part of the paper, and used watercolor crayon to paint in the house and the trees.  I added in some cute little stickers and finished it off with a decorative tape.

Although it was the smallest gift on the table, it was the first present chosen and loved by its final owner.

Don't skimp out on the wrapping.  It's the details that make even the simplest gift very special.

If you haven't already done so, check out last week's Sunday Art Therapy submissions.  Claire from Saraccino has really been busy with some awesome projects!  Love all the pink!

Now, it's your turn.  Link away! 

NOTE:  There will be no Sunday Art Therapy link party for the next two weeks as we celebrate the holidays with family and friends.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!






This linky list is now closed.

12/05/2010

Sunday Art Therapy #15

UPDATE: Due to some technical problems, this linky party will be open through Wednesday!!! Keep linking!


Everyday is a great day for crafting, but it gets even better at Christmas.  Christmas is all about family and going home around my household.  So, I wanted to share my "Home" collage.


HomeCollage


I created the background from leftover paint from other art journal pages, then I raided my Better Homes and Gardens collection for some photos.  A tree cut from an old dictionary page, some oil pastel, and a picture of me (second from the left) and my neighborhood girl friends and we have Home: Where Life Happens.

So this is my first major collage that I've ever constructed.  Please critique!  I'm desparate to get better at this because I think it is an important skill for me to incorporate into my mixed-media art.

Now, it's your turn to show us what you've been up to this week or any other time.  Older projects are welcome as well as your latest endeavors.  Remember, that you can link up below as well as add to our Flickr group by clicking on the link inside the slide show.











This linky list is now closed.

12/01/2010

JunkDog Design Seed Beed Bottles


Have you all started decorating for the Christmas season?  It is on my to-do list this weekend along with a lovely ladies brunch to ring in the holiday season (yay, Allison!).  Another thing on my to-do list is this project from Denise at JunkDog Design.  Aren't these bottles to die for?! 

Denise used old empty bottles she had laying around.  The middle one is an old Log Cabin Syrup bottle.  Add some dismantled seed beed bracelets, aged printed numbers, drawer pulls and earrings from the eighties and you've got yourself some very cool decor.  I could see these all year round on a bookcase or mantle or even in a bathroom.

Denise is working through her "Craft A-Day while Colt's Away" series.  Be sure to check out her blog so that you don't miss a single one!

Later this week, I'll be sharing some of my collage attempts that I've been working on.  So, stay tuned and have a creative day.
 
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