When I score, YOU score...

Oh my goodness, what lovely people you all are. THANK YOU so very much for sharing such enthusiasm with the annoucement that ArtsyMama is going to be featured in the upcoming Artful Blogging magazine. I am truly grateful to have met so many kind, creative people. I feel so much motivation and inspiration from all of you. This blogging community is amazing; we're all rooting for each other, so happy to see each of our successes, absolutely genuine admiration and support. A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you.Ok, I really don't like seeing my face plastered across my blog here, but I wanted to share a pic of me, since I just got 5 inches cut off my hair the other day. It feels sooo much better. I have very thick, wavy hair and really need a low maintenance style in the summer when the weather is hot and humid. So here I am:) Maybe I should wear it like the little girl in the puzzle above. hehe!
As a way of saying thanks, I want to share some of my latest estate sale scores with you! These items are now listed in my etsy shop! The trims above are all vintage and oh so summery. They are packaged up in a mini muffin tin with vintage buttons and millinery flowers. Check out the shop for a better look.Look at this vintage crepe paper that I found in these fabulous candy colors! Need I say more!?!! That's in the shop too! Finally, the necklace I'm wearing above is also in my etsy shop. This is so cool! Very vintage with bright and cheery birds and leaves. It's just my way of passing on the thrifting love. Enjoy!!Someone else who loves to share her treasures is Donna. Look at the can she made and filled with loads of vintage goodies that she's collected. She's selling them in her etsy shop. Yummy stuff!!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

It's my turn...

Seems like there have been lots of surprises and very exciting news in blogland this spring. Now I have some of my own to share. I was going to keep this a secret a little longer, but word seems to be seeping out from people that regularly check here. Then Christi emailed me a congratulations, and said that she saw on the web site that there was going to be an article on me. I checked and lo and behold there I was in lights! My first glimpse at the article. So I am thrilled to say that the first ever issue of Artful Blogging magazine that will premiere on August 1st will feature an article on ArtsyMama blog! Woohoo!!!! This will be my first time published and I am beyond thrilled! From what I see in the first two pages (it will be a 4 page article) it looks like it's going to be fantastic:)

More info on the magazine here. It says there will be over 35 bloggers featured, who else is going to be in it? Fess up. I'd love to hear!!

Artful Blogger Summer Bash!!!

In other big news, since I have had so many people commenting on how fun the tea party was and it will be featured in the article in the magazine, I have decided to host a Artful Blogger Summer Bash for everyone that has a blog or reads blogs to celebrate the new publication and a great reason to party with creative bloggers all around the world. The party will be held on Wednesday, August 8th here on my blog. So mark your calendars. It will run much like the tea party, I will have a post that day and link to everyone else that hosts a party on thier blog. It will be fabulous. More info to come!!

Party in a book...

...and I am SO there! This round robin book that Melissa started is colorful and happy and vibrant, it just makes me smile:) It's our Spring Secrets round robin, but this little book is putting me right in the mood for Summer!!

I'm in a big retro mood lately, as you can see here in my pages (above and below)...

Melissa's gorgeous cover!

Here are some of Julie's pages in the book. Speaking of being in a retro mood. I re-discovered some of my favorite retro girls recently. Here's a sampling of some of their fun blogs...

Every Little Thing

Jane's Apron

Frecklewonder

Picnic by Ellie

Brocante Home

I find it amusing how I read different blogs depending on what style I'm into at the moment. Sometimes it's shabby chic, sometimes outsider art, other times Victorian, right now all about retro baby! Will I ever pick just one??

Find of the week....

Look what I managed to get my hands on this week. I was just so in awe of it with the half celluloid/half velvet cover, the mirror and the picture...and most of all that it's on its own stand. So cool! Now, what ever am I going to do with it? Any ideas?!
and the inside....

Definitely think I'm going to just sit and admire this for awhile:)

Thinking about dolls....

Both my garage sales were a huge success. Thanks for all your support on my blog sale. We had a great weather the day of our actual garage sale and got rid of lots of big stuff. Out with the old....in with the (new to me) old!! I've never been into playing with dolls. Sure, I had a few Barbie dolls as a young girl, but that's about it....until I had a little girl of my own. Now I find myself standing as an estate saling oogling these funny little Ginny dolls for 20 minutes. I bought these four at $2 a piece! Look at the gorgeous crocheted dresses and the vintage flower bouquet. I love them! I've been thinking about dolls, doll trunks and doll accessories ever since being asked to be part of a new doll collaboration by the wonderful Cerri. I'll put these lovelies in my studio for inspiration.

Love this punk Marie Antoinette doll! hehe. Speaking of which, you must go check out Pam's post about the Marie Antoinette collaborative that she was in with some fabulous artists. She provides links to many others that contributed. Talk about inspiring!!
Also found this gorgeous tin. Love the yummy colors!

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

ArtsyMama's Garage Sale...

I'm very flattered that many of you thought I would have such fabulous things at my garage sale. I have lots of kids stuff and your usual household oddities. Although, as I was gathering I did come across many craft items that I knew only my blogging friends could fully appreicate, so I decided to have a ArtsyMama Garage Sale here on my blog, just for all of you!!! I've listed 25 new items in my etsy store. Lots of odds and ends. All at garage sale prices! A fun "junque" pack with blank album, ready for your muse to strike. Lots of vintage goodies from aprons, to game pieces, fabric pouches, stenographers books and sheet music. These hoops (including the fabric) are for sale, after being inspired here. Now it's your turn to try!
I also have this piece of original ArtsyMama art for sale. It went all the way to ArtFest and back with me and graced the 8x8" collage wall there. It also was the center of attention on my tea party post. It's looking for a new home.
My latest little project was creating these mini-inspiration boards. I've been inspired by so many inspiration boards that I've seen on peoples blogs. I found these fun sunshine yellow retro trays at an estate sale. I then began my quest to find the most gorgeous vintage buttons I could get my hands on. I splurged on ebay and got some very old, very intriquite and lovely buttons that you will adore. I put magnets of the back and dug through my stash for some little bits of this and that to get the inspiration started. Of course you will put your own gorgeous treasures on the board and it will look absolutely fabulous. These easily stand on a wooden plate stand or easel. If you plan to participate in Jenny's swap, this will be perfect to display your treasures. There are 10 different trays in the shop. Have fun looking around and don't forget to hit the lemonade stand on the way out:)

One thing to say about shipping. I can load up a flat rate box for $8.95 with as many things as will fit. Also, I will try to ship items on Saturday. I have my actual garage sale to run in the meantime!

What am I up to now?

Thank you all for such wonderfully kind and supportive comments on my Carnival book. The encouragement is so motivating. I really appreciate it. I've been working on on a fun little project for my etsy shop. Hope to have them in the shop by the end of the week. I'll let you know here.

I received my Scavenger Hunt Swap package from Heidi. This swap was so much fun! We got a list of about 15 things from our dear host, Brieanne, and we were to scrounge and package 10 of the items on the list for our partner. Dear Heidi sent a huge hat box filled with goodies all swimming in gorgeous flowers! Here is what it looked like when I opened it. Wowza!
She labeled each of her fabulous finds and wow did this girl pay attention to every detail.
Her handmade item was this sign. How perfect for a librarian!! Thanks so much!

Speaking of scavenging, I must get back to gathering all our "treasures" for the garage sale I'm going to have Friday.

Life is a carnival....

If you've read my blog very long, you clearly know that I love collaborating with other artists. I love doing round robins; where you start a book, then mail to one partner or more and eventally get your book back filled with your work and the work of other artists. I love seeing the work of others in the flesh. It looks so different than pictures on a blog. You can see all the color and texture up close and the touch the bits of this and that. I love being a part of a collaborative experience. The joy of having someone elses art enter my home, I add a piece of my own and then send it off to another destination. Even better are the books that I get in return and display around the house. Love to have them a part of my everyday life.This is really where my art began. I used to do a lot of swaps, round robins and what were called "tip ins". These were pages that people would do a certain size and the recipient would tip them into thier altered book and have a book of several artists work. My art has evolved in many different ways, but I feel collaborating is where I am most comfortable. That being said, I am beginning a new collaborative round robin with my new pals Tammy and Donna. I'm really excited about this!!

We're eaching starting a book with a different theme. I chose to start working on the ledger book I began altering in Pam's class at ArtFest. I haven't done anything with it since I got home, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to dive right in! Before dear Tammy and Donna get upset with me for working so quickly (we decided on this round robin last night!) I must say I've had this theme of a carnival brewing for quite some time in my head. Just wasn't sure how to take off with it. It was even what I had in mind when I began the book in Pam's class. Now that I gave myself the theme and the green light, I was really able to run with it. I used lots of fun stuff here. The piece of fabric on the Birds of a Feather page is vintage from my friend in Germany. The fabric on the last Dream page is from LK Ludwig. I love using my good stuff in collaboratives, whether its in my own book or someone elses. I feel this is the best way to share and pass on the art love. So here's what I have so far. Lot's of different colors and styles here. It's more of an art journal. Just creating and playing around.

Pretty in pink...

These are climbing roses on our fence to the backyard. Love them! These spring round robin books with Marilyn and Lilia keep coming. We each did two books. They are so much fun! These are my pages in Lilia's book. Marilyn's work is on the left (below) and mine is on the right.
I did this spread with some fun new (vintage) trim and flocked wallpaper.
Mine is on the left (below) and Marilyn on the right. Paper is by Heartwarming Vintage.
P.S. All the blogland secrets were revealed and Lilli opened up shop.
Have a great weekend!

It's the little things...

These little books are part of the spring round robin I'm in with some very lovely ladies. This treasure chest (literally) began with Cassondra. She did the bottom book. Julie did the middle book and I did the top book. It will then move on to Lilia and Melissa to do books of their own. Finally ending up in Cassondra's hands again filled with delightful goodies of all sorts!

Inside my book box, I decorated with vintage wallpaper and German die cut images. I then made a little accordian book. Love this button card I got from Donna.

This is the little book I made for the inside. Such a challenge for me to work so small and had never made a book accordian style from scratch. I kept it simple and used lots of romantic girly stuff like flocked vintage wallpaper and these gorgeous cards (also from Donna) and some vintage jewelry. What a fun challenge this was!
I received this wonderful book in the mail to review called Sock and Glove by Miyako Kanamori. It's absolutely darling! It reads as a simple story of two friends, Billy the glove dog and his pal Marcus the sock monkey and all the new friends they meet made from cast-off socks and gloves. These critters are adorable and the second half of the book contains step-by-step instructions with pictures for making each of the 14 creatures. Everything is clear and precise with lots of color how-to photos. What a joy this simple little book is! Can't wait to try one for myself:)