Merry Christmas

My big brother, Jim, and me at Southtown Famous Barr, 1957.

Greetings of the Season, to you!

Greetings of the Season to everyone! Whatever holiday you celebrate, stay happy, healthy and safe.






I stamped the Nutcracker from "Reflections" on to a scrap of "very vanilla" cardstock. I picked up this very cool set at Michael's, just yesterday. ( $9.99 set for only $2.99, I had to buy it!) Joann's had Christmas/Holiday goodies for 70% off. So much for shopping restraint.

I colored the Nutcracker with  prismacolor pencils. Crimson red, copenhagen blue, bronze.....

I'm enjoying layering the stamped image on designer paper, and taking photos and manipulating the image. This one was taken on a Holiday sack recylced from last season. ( I think my niece gave it to me!) It doesn't have a manufacturers label, but I think she may have gotten it from a school fund raiser.

Of course I took the photo with the iPhone and processed it through Picfx, Impression, and Lens Flare.





Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog during the 12 Days of Halloween! Be sure to check out the other fabulous artists participating as Jolly Bloggers, you'll find their links on the blog roll on the right.

Check out the assorted winter festivals celebrated throughout the world! I love a party! I'll be celebrating Christmas, and hope you enjoy your special festival!


PS This is my 300th blog post!
-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The rest of the week is all down hill!

Ah, the Sledding Bunny is on the down hill side of the 12 days of Christmas! You can find "Sleding Bunny" (VB-231-I) at ThirdCoast Rubber Stamps. The moon is also from Third Coast ( Cloudy Moon On Horizon CH-155-C)

This little guy was fun to color in with prismacolor pencils to match the designer sky paper. Stamp both the bunny and moon on scrap of white cardstock and cut out.Punch some circles from scraps of sky paper. Design a snow covered slope from the inside of a business envelope. Print text from your computer word processing program, cut and layer on scrap of black paper.

Be sure to check out the fabulous Jolly Bloggers in the blog roll on the right! Friday is the last day of our hop! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Merry & Bright - Part 2

I used this stamp before for the 12 Days of Christmas. I found another card element in my stash. I had stamped the image on velum and colored with water color crayons. I layered the velum over "pretty in pink" card stock and added brads to the corners.





Winter's not here yet, and I'm already missing the light. The days do start getting longer after the 21st, so maybe I can hold out. But it does make photography tough. The best light in the house right now in in the basement stair well, on top of the handrail post. There is a bright light in the stair way. I balance the project on the post and hope for the best.

I wanted to add some color to the card, so I layered it on my scraf, it wasn't balancing so well, so I used a flat rate priority mailing box and then the scarf and card element. ( Isn't that silly?)





The photo above before rotating and editing.






Be sure to check out the other 12 Day bloggers at the links on the right!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Star of Wonder

Star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beaming light ....

I enjoy using this "Artifacts " star from Stampin'UP! It is reminiscent of the support rod ends in the old brick homes in St.Louis.

I've been struggling to pull projects together for the 12 Days , and have been determined to get something posted.

This stated out as a leftover card element from a swap several years ago. It's been shoved around in my scrap paper bin waiting for a project. I picked it up and found it went well with some printed Christmas tissue paper. I took its picture and edited it through several iPhone apps. Picture Show, Picfx, and Impression ( it adds the text).

This photo shows editing in progress after Picture Show App.




I love using the iPhone as a creative tool and in my head I pretend the monthly fee is part of what I would spend on art supplies during that month.

Funny thought!

Here's the original "capture ".

Check out the other 12 Day Bloggers, they're the best!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

12 Days Of Christmas

I'm almost late!




I made this a while back! One of my puppies! I stamped the dog with the tree hat and used water color crayons ( I think!!) added some brads for ornies, some fiber bows, scraps of designer paper! IPhone photo edited with doodle buddy for paws, birds, holly, and ransom letters app for "woof" !

Running out the door now! See you later, gators!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Angels Paint With Music

Mixed media collage with assorted papers, Dover clip art, stamped letters, scraps of music and Christmas Carol words from a vintage Hymnal.

It's the 12 Days of Christmas at Smeared Ink. check out the other Jolly Bloggers on the links at the right!

Come back December 15!

Christmas Envelope with vintage Christmas Seals! Red Lead and Cat's Life Press rubber stamps

The image above altered with assorted iPhone apps!




Christmas magic my blog is back!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Celebrate Your Favorite Holiday

I enjoy celebrating Christmas, and honor those who celebrate other days! I believe in all paths to God. This fun card is made with Third Coast Rubber Stamps CO-097-H Circle Package. Stamp the image on scrap paper, cut out, I cut off the "ends" of the package ribbons for a neater look. Color in the packages and layer onto circle paper of your choice. Cut letters from magazines and brochures. ( My favorite mixed media technique.) Photograph with the iPhone and play with assorted apps.

Check out the other fabulous bloggers on the 12 Days of Christmas on the links on the sidebar. Enjoy!

Above is the orignial and another variation. Thanks for stopping by.

It's not over til the fat man eats your cookies!

Santa ATC

I love this Daisy D paper Santa, I cut out a Santa image and layered it  on a scrap of holly paper, add a scrap of red card stock stamped with " it's not over...." by Mrs. O'Leary's Rubber Stamps. Add a metal element from Stampin'Up , tie with a ribbon to pass as a faux belt buckle. Stamp "Santa" with your favorite alphabet set, emboss with copper. Add a couple of copper brads!

I've not been happy with any of  my photos, no sunshine ! Sorry :(  Thanks for your patience. ): I usually don't have this problem, I don't know if it's the color, or light or combination of the two. Sigh...

Check out all the Smeared Ink bloggers on the links to the right!


Thanks for stopping by!

Star Santa-12 Days of Christmas

It's Day Three of the Smeared Ink 12 Days of Christmas! I'm just stamping and coloring today, (and of course shooting photos with the iPhone and editing with assorted apps.

Star Santa is by Stampin'Up! It's one of my favorite Santa images. I colored it with prismacolor pencils. The original ( more or less) is below.





Be sure to check out the other awesome bloggers via the blog roll on the right!
-

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Miracle Santa from Third Coast Rubber Stamps

Third Coast Rubber Stamps "Miracle Santa" CM-113-O, stamped and colored with prismacolor pencils. Martha Stewart snowflake punch and Magic from some scrapbooking paper. Photographed with the iPhone and edited with Cinema FX.

The 12 Days of Christmas with Smeared and Smudged. Be sure to check out the other fabulous artist/bloggers in  the blog roll on the right! Enjoy!

Next Smeared and Smudged post will be Monday, December 5.

12 Days of Christmas - Day #1 Merry & Bright

I love this stamp from Red Lead Paperworks ( a St.Louis area paper and crafts store). I've added the faux bottle cap to my ATC from some designer paper as well as other scraps and a swirly paper clip.

Of course I took the photo with my iPhone and edited it with the Picture Show App.

Be sure to check out all the bloggers on the 12 Days of Christmas blog roll !!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

God Meets Us In Unexpected Places

"God meets us in unexpected places at unexpected times. God of noise and of silence, surprise us." ( the Unfolding Journey)

Today we were suppose to put our Mary & Joseph in the quietest place in our house, and sit there for a few minutes in prayerful silence, what do we hear?

Mary and Joseph are sitting on a stack of puzzles at www.brostl.org, we started our toy distribution today. We will be giving out toys to over 4,000 children. It was quiet when M&J were here.

I confess I didn't sit silently in prayer, I was the only one and it was quiet, not sure what I heard, but I did feel anticipation about the day. How would it go. We received a phone call that a couple of major players for the day wouldn't be in due to illness. Yikes ! How would this play out! But God appeared in the form of a group of retired teachers and other volunteers who pulled together and took care of what was needed, and we had a delightful day.

God was there in that simple day of toy packing in the basement of the Presbytery and the 400 children we served today will have a brighter and more hopeful holiday.

"He said," Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by."
1Kings 19:11-13.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Advent Journey

Presbyterian Today has published a wonderful Advent Calendar for 2011


"The Unfolding Journey" by Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman and John Blair Hartmann III
First Week: Wonder & Wander



Readers are invited to use their Mary and;Joseph from their family Nativity set to "wonder and wander" with Mary and Jospeh and prepare and pray as we discover the ways we are called to live out Christ's message in our lives.

We place Mary and Joseph on our porch or in our yard and think about how they might feel as they start their journey.

Mary and Joseph are in a flower pot in my yard, in the rain, in the dark. It's cold. I think about frightening times on the highway in unfamiliar locations, in the pouring rain, at night, wondering where the next exit might be. What if the car breaks down, what if, what if. I try to remember God is with me and

God will help show me the way.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths. Psalm 25: 4-5

Celebrate In Style

A simple card for any holiday or event. Featuring Third Coast Rubber Stamps. I love scottie dogs and here is Sir Didemus ( CO-116-H) in his top hat ready for a party!


I hope you will celebrate all of the upcoming holidays in style!

The Art of God

Stamp the Third Coast image in your art journal, of course you should prep your page with some acrylic paint.


Add text from a collection of cut out letters.


Take a few photos with your iPhone camera and process through several photo apps.


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 31 - I Believe in ALL paths to God.

No matter what religion you are, whether you're a Catholic, whether you're Voo Doo, or whether you're a

Presbyterian, or so and and so on....

We All Pray!

I believe in all paths to God.

The top two photos have had Photoshop Elements Brushes added here and there.

The bottom photos are unedited from the original photo.

A journal page, expressing my belief about religion. I believe in all paths to God. Your path may be different than mine, but it is how we relate to God, and who are we to tell the other they are wrong? We all pray.

I've enjoyed the 31 days of Halloween, it's been all about honoring each other and our gifts. Thank you for viewing and commenting on my posts. Be sure to check out the other Wicked Bloggers they are ALL awesome! May peace be with you.

Terra

Tori

Sara

Christy

Celina

Donna

Susan

Kapree

Lisa

Black Dragon

Lady Brayton

Jane

Alex

Monique

Jennifer

Alison

Sugar

Heather

Dragonfly Jane

Kelli

Dianne

Steph

Ike

Fiona

Kristy

Freddie

Sharon

Mary Ann

Day 30 - 'Tis now the very witching time of night.....

'Tis now the very witching time of night,

When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out

Contagion to this world.

~William Shakespeare

Inkadinkado and fun Halloween paper.
I took this photo on my front porch and the sun was flickering through the leaves, I like the effect!
Check out the other Wicked Bloggers to the right!

Remember my prize pack, way back at the beginning of the month! I had every intention of featuring my rat friends in some more of my photos! HA! I was lucky to get projects done, photographed and edited and posted. You all had some great name ideas. But a name came to me, thanks so much for your input.

Kit & Kaboodle
"Kit and Kaboodle," meaning "everything and all of everything," down to the last kitten. ( and rat?)

And the winner (in a relatively scientific selection process) is...

ldfdesigns

Be sure to send me your address via Smeared and Smudged messages! Or on the 31 days message board.

Day 29 - What fate now holds for YOU?

May Jack-o-lanterns burning bright

Of soft and golden hue

Pierce through the future’s veil and show

What fate now holds for you.

~Author Unknown

Mrs. O'Leary Rubber Stamps, designer paper, stampin' up - pumpkin pie, black embossing powder.

Check out the other Wicked Bloggers and thanks for stopping by!

Day 28 - Monsters

I can see every monster as they come in.

Truman Capote

The artist must bow to the monster of his/her own imagination.

Richard Wright

Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you - and summons them to your recall with a will of its own. You think you have a memory; but it has you!
John Irving

Smeared Ink Grumpie edited via iPhone apps.

We're almost there!

Check out the other wicked bloggers.

Day 27 - If you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive. ~American Quaker Saying

If you want to live and thrive, let the spider run alive. ~American Quaker Saying

Tags stamped with Inkadinkado minis from JoAnn's also Stampin' UP splatter stamp.

Edited with Cinema FX on iPhone 4

And some star flashes with paint brushes from Photo Shop elements.

The tag below is my favorite.

Be sure to check out the other Wicked Bloggers and thanks so much for the kind comments. Also, I am still working to give away my prize package. Thanks, so much for stopping by!

Day 26 - Anxiety

I'm experiencing anxiety as we approach the end of the 31 days! (LOL)

Well, sort of.

Will I get everything completed in time?

What about the other creative projects

and not so creative projects

coming down the path?

And what about those spiders and things that go bump in the night?

Anxiety is the essential condition

of  intellectual and artistic creation.

This was a journal page that I made with the 365 Journal Class at Creative Workshops with Pam Carriker. One of the suggestions she makes in the workshop and her book Art At The Speed of Life, is to take your own art work, copy/ scan or reproduce and use it in other projects.

Which is what I did here. It's so easy to scan and print, or scan, save to flash drive and take to Office Max and have them print. ( Not happy with my printer.....but that's another story....Office Max is close and on the way to everywhere.)

You'll notice the Martha Stewart stamps used, the spider web under Anxiety, bats in the upper right, and spiders in the lower left.  I have used assorted scrapbooking papers and elements that you may recognize.

Be sure to check out all the Wicked Bloggers in the links on the right and come back tomorrow for more art!