Oldies but Goodies

oldiesbutgoodies

So, in the spirit of the season I thought I would reshow some of my ornaments from last year that I did for Ornament Thursday! I have a lot on my plate right now…a wedding, holiday stuff, and whatnot and I don’t have time to participate in it this year. When I join a group like that I want to put my best foot forward each week and work my hardest to come up with a unique creation. And I realize sometimes it just doesn’t happen and you have to let it go!

So, if you are interested in any of the ornaments above, click on the link below to check them out!

Swell tissue paper ornaments

Season of swell ornament

Fun Flickr photo ornaments

Starburst painted ornament

Please check them out! I plan to share some of my other crafts I do throughout the season when I get a chance. I really feel that this year is going to be like last year…I rushed around and Christmas crept up on me! I hate that. I really would like to better enjoy the holidays! Perhaps make a gingerbread house or make a pumpkin roll…go ice skating or just sit in the dark by the tree. Why does life have to get so busy! Sheesh…I really shouldn’t complain. I don’t even have kids!

Anyway, until next time Swellions!

Alexa

Wednesday is Lensday: Pumpkin Patch Edition

jumping in the pumpkin patch

Yep, that’s me above getting some air in the pumpkin patch at Evan’s Orchard outside of Lexington towards Georgetown. Much love to my friend Chris Garris (the most fabulous photographer I know) who shot this using his wide angle lens. I’m in actuality only 3 or 4 feet off the ground. His low viewpoint + that lens makes it look more like 10 feet. Probably one of the coolest pictures of me to date!

I got some pics of my own including a jumpy shot of Chris too! Here’s him!

pumpkin jump

We had a very amusing time filled with lots of photo taking….there was a petting zoo, patch, kettle corn (I got pumpkin spice), bee exhibit, apple orchard and of course lots of piles of pumpkins & gourds!

yep, it's halloween
These are Chris’s shoes. Aren’t they super cool and very appropriate for this time of year?

camel call
This camel was shuttling children around. He kept mooing/yelling (what kind of sound do camels make anyway?) whenever a kid got on. I think he was a disgruntled camel. I think I would be too if I had to go around the same path time and time again.

pumpkins in black and white
Chris insisted that I make this shot black and white, because the sun created a lot of contrast that day!

infectious
He ended up buying one of these pumpkins/gourds. He thinks that they should be clearanced because inevitably, they are the ones that aren’t going to be sold. He liked it cause it was diseased (he thought it looked like something else that is rather communicable) and because it had more character than a regular pumpkin.

pumpkin portrait
To me, this picture says fall.

photographer of the corn
Man, he can be so corny. I can be even more, just by using that bad pun.

gourdelicious
Gourds really do have a lot of character.

going for a ride
And so does Chris. He insisted on riding in the wagon while I got a workout. I think the parents at the place thought we were a wee bit crazy. Such is life.

Hope you enjoyed my pics. I plan on posting later the winner of this little guy!
Vintage-inspired Halloween Pumpkin box + tutorial
So check back tonight (and get your comment in here to win him if you haven’t done so already)!

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

Ornament Thursday Week 3

So, I’m posting tonight an ornament I did…actually one that I had done for a step by step photo at work. I have to shoot step by steps of my hands (oftentimes I’m shooting the photo and painting at the same time – multitask isn’t my middle name, but I sometimes have to do it). Anyway, I enjoyed the initial look for this ornament so much that I decided to finish it. It actually turned out really cute…kinda retro…and kinda festive. I dig it. It is made using Gold Craft Twinkle Writer from DecoArt and various colored small-sized rhinestones

fanciful starburst ornament

I also made some fun button ornaments out of vintage and new buttons I’ve bought recently or had from grade school. I decided to put them on a fun mini tree and show them off…you know you have some buttons that just need to be displayed that you’ve got stored away. Now’s your chance to show them off!

Button Ornament Tree

Oh, and check out these super cute ornament that our designer, Jane, did at my work.

zebraornament350x480

I just lurve the zebra stripe! I can just see it now with a fabulous hot pink bow. So easy using just a plain white pearl ornament and Black Craft Twinkle Writer! Click here for full instructions and supplies.

Please check out some of the other artists that are featuring ornament designs on their web site this Thursday:

Sara Naumann
http://blog.paperwishes.com/sara/

Lynn Kvigne http://beading.consumerhelpweb.com/blog/

Candie Cooper
http://candiecooper.typepad.com/savvycrafter/

Katie Hacker http://www.katiehacker.com/index.htm

Margot Potter
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/

Linda Augsburg http://cs.makeitminemag.com/mimcs/blogs/makeitmine/

Melanie Brooks Lukacs http://earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com/

Art Bead Scene
http://www.artbeadscene.blogspot.com/

Cindy Gimbrone
http://lampworkdiva.blogspot.com

Suzanne http://suzanne-catching-up.blogspot.com/

Humblebeads http://www.humblebeads.blogspot.com/

Polymer Clay Craft Gossip http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/

Elaine Luther http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com/news

Melissa Lee http://www.strandsofbeads.blogspot.com

Rebecca Peck http://vintagegirlmodernworld.wordpress.com/

Jean Yates http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com

Michelle McGee http://fromichelle.blogspot.com/

Jenny Harada http://pomly.livejournal.com/

Jennifer Heynen http://jenniferjangles.blogspot.com/

Hali Chambers www.labyrinthgal.blogspot.com

Kriss Kramer www.art-interrupted.blogspot.com

Brandy Lung Gill http://accesstoexcess.blogspot.com/

OK, out of here for now. I had a long day…capped off by a nice evening of photo taking with my flick friends and Starbucks (yum). My bed awaits!

O Christmas Tree!

In Full View

I put up my tree today. It wasn’t an incredibly complicated process, but I did realize 3/4 of the way up, while stringing the lights, that I wasn’t going to have enough to finish…so, I had to go to Joann’s and Michael’s anyway, and I picked up another strand. I guess that makes 500 lights on my tree. I love the sparkle. There is nothing like it…even though I do have a “colorful” personality, I like the white lights the best (though I do have a few of those giant-bulbed ones that I dig). I’m not totally done with my decorating, but atleast I got my tree done and for me, that is an accomplishment. I decided not to put my “traditional” tree and instead to put up this white one (decorated retro-style) that a co-worker gave me a couple years back (she didn’t have room for it – yay me). It’s a nice one, but it is not pre-lit and you have to put every branch into the center.

I’m not a big Elvis nut, but I do like him (I’ve been to Graceland). I got the two Elvis ornaments from friends and I purchased the standee a few years back. I actually use that standee in show displays to hang jewelry on from time to time. Here it is atop my tree as a twist on an angel or star topper.

Thank you, Thank you very much for putting me atop  your tree.

And here’s one of the Elvis ornaments…

I can't help falling in love with you, tree.

I am in absolute love with this funny Glitterville Ornament. It is so funny and full of life. I imagine I would be pretty mad, too if someone peed on me.

One angry snowman

And there are quite a few of these vintage-reproduction ornaments on my tree…a few years back they were 4 for $1.99 at Rite Aid after the holidays and I picked up 4 packages. Even though they aren’t the real thing, they are still the bomb.

bright & shiny

So, what does your tree look like? Does it carry on a theme or filled with old ornaments from your childhood? Please do share…