Crabby

As you know Hurricane Irene really slammed New Jersey. We lost power on Saturday and thank god we did get it back late last night. As of last night over 500,000  New Jerseyians still had no power. Two days of no power really effected us, food goes bad , no hot showers, no Internet to blog with you my friends, no True Blood and no sump pump! There was no crafting  for me, we spent the time rescuing stuff from our basement as the water seeped in. The clean up continues...but most importantly we are all safe.

So I got up this am and made this little card that states how I am feeling with no sleep over the past few days, I am a crab! I stamped  a 100 Proof Press crab image on a tiny dictionary page. There are layers of fiber, paper waves, fabric sea shell diecuts, raffia ribbon and a tiny jewel encrusted sea horse. Some ink kissed edges, and rhinestone details finish off this card. When I'm in a better mood I'll add a happier sentiment to the bottom. LOL.

Please look below for I will post two creations today.
Hope you will forgive me for being a bit crabby.
yours truly, gerri

We aren't the same

Hurricane Irene really did New Jersey in, so sorry this post is late... Today's post is for my Retro Cafe Art DT project. I'm beginning to get in the mood for Halloween, so you will start to see projects with that theme. Halloween is my favorite holiday and based on my wardrobe black is my favorite color. LOL.

Well, I started with this  embossed rusty tin ceiling tile from RCA and stamped a spider web using an Inkidinkado stamp. I layered a Dezinaworld image that I printed on a transparency. The embellishments are black ribbon roses, paper confetti flowers and lots of Stickles. On my striking female is a tiny cut out bat from RCA too. At Retro cafe art there are so many cool Halloween frames and cut outs. The final touch was some lace and the sentiment "We aren't the same.

Hope you'll try to be someone different this week, just for fun.
take care, gerri

"We aren't the same."

Time stands still in Grandma's Attic

I am writing this Saturday night as Hurricane Irene is storming outside. Hope all of you in its path are safe.

For this post, here's a vintage inspired large altered matchbox that I recently made for a swap called Grandma's attic. The swap was hosted by June at Vintage Dragonfly. Do stop by her blog, she is now  having a Halloween swap ! I had so much fun that I will definitely be entering that swap too. This box went to lovely Lynn at Trash to Treasure.  After we made our boxes,  we filled them with vintage treasures too. Mine is filled with lace, ribbons, tulle, a doilie, appliques, mother of pearl buttons, buckles and vintage stamps. To make the box, I crackled the interior box with pale blue and added some filigree pearl earrings as knobs. The outerbox is wrapped in laces, flower dictionary paper, musical  note paper, blue paper flowers, blue pearls, a pretty stick pin and a definition of "time."

Hope you will have plenty of "time" this week to do as you please.
take care, gerri

"Grandma's Attic Matchbox"

She told him..."Just Because"

For today's post, I'm trying a new subdued color palette of brown and black. The reason is........just because. I used Tim Holtz Craft Resist Paper Stash as my inspiration and added  rhinestone flourishes, all this I found at the Flying Unicorn store. They have so many different types of supplies and kits in this fabulous store, you should check it out. There is also a Flying Unicorn group with swaps, challenges , interesting groups and lots of supportive artists friends. You can meet the other marvelous artists of the Creative Team that I am a member of too.

To begin this card I first cut out the female image and butterflies and colored them with pencils and paint. I created the netting skirt and added butterflies. On the butterflies I applied Sprinkles and Black rhinestones. This, the multi black rhinestone flourises and the tiny rossettes with crystal accents were glued to the background paper. I ink kissed the edges of the card with black ink. Finally,  I stamped the hidden sentiment "just because".

Hope you will be happy this week, just because.
artfully yours, gerri

"Just because"

"Lady butterfly details"

Go big or go home

Go big or go home seems to be the catch phase for  today. There is a really big storm coming to the east coast this weekend. It could be the worse for New Jersey since 1940's. Oh, no... They even stopped taking tolls on the parkway, so people could evacuate quicker! Now that is a rarity. If you are in the path of the storm, I hope you do keep safe.

Well for Paint Party Friday, I am showing another big watercolor painting of flowers from our yard that I did at the art studio. The blue and yellow cloth is a vintage table cloth that I found hunting for treasures at yard sales. I am really lovin going big and think this is the only way I will paint!

Hope you do something big this week!
sincerely, gerri

"Garden Bouquet"

"Bouquet Details"

Fanciful Butterflies Fluttering By

For Gingersnap Creations, this week's color challenge (GS116)  is to use Primary Colors... red, yellow and  blue. Come visit and join in the challenge fun or just look at the Design Teams inspiring pieces, because there is always lots to see and do. So, my inspiration today is our garden because the butterfly bushes are all blooming.  We are being visited by beautiful Black Swallowtails, yellow Tiger Swallowtails,  Longwings  and an occasional Monarch butterfly.

Now my fanciful butterflies are only in primary colors! LOL. Theses can be used  as embellishments on other projects. I started with some images of butterflies and embellished them with foil stickers, rhinestones and Stickles. You can use the sparkly Stickled hair pins to attach them.

Hope you see some beauty fluttering by this week.
sincerely, gerri

"Fancy Butterflies"

My Tattered Heart

For Retro Cafe Art,  here is today's  DT piece which is a tattered and sparkly pin. I think my daughter may run away with it to college! We were getting ready for her return to college next week and she was packing her headbands with huge bows, triple flowers and feather pieces. I think she'll put this pin on a headband too. She definitely has such  a great style.

Well, to make this pin I used the interior of a RCA heart ATC frame and painted it purple, silver and a little  pink. The cameo image is from the RCA Vintage Jewelry 1 collage sheet. Isn't it so sweet? I love Kristin's collage sheets! I then applied my secret supply, tiny white flower and rhinestone, which are nail decals. LOL. It is edged with RCA pink German Dresden Mini Scalloped Border and put on a large purple fabric flower painted with silver paint. The final touch was the tattered tulle and pink Stickles dots.

Hope you will find something sweet this week.
artfully yours, gerri

"My Tattered Heart"

"Cameo Details"

Fly Little Bird Fly on Your Sweet Journey

For  today's 100 Proof Press DT  piece, I went back to a favorite theme of mine, birds. I have a sun room with bird prints, bird nests and even a big bird cage. I tried to make a simple card today and not glitz it up to much. I think it needs more glitter, how about you? LOL.

The Bird stamp (6271) from 100 Proof Press was the inspiration and starting point. I think 100 Proof Press has some of the best nature themed rubber stamps around! Well, I stamped on an Artchix Studio egg sheet and edged with sepia archival ink. This was layered on some vintage music paper from my stash. A journal vellum dictionary piece and a little red tag from Artchix were added. Some brown German scrap trim, rhinestones and glitter add sparkle to finish up this card . Now our little birdie could begin it's sweet journey.

Hope you are having a sweet journey this week.
take care, gerri

"Fly Little Bird on Your Sweet  Journey"

You won't believe what she'll tell you

It was a beautiful  day yesterday, not to hot and not to cold, so I thought I'd do some experimenting. Need to get back to my creative routine after having been away.  Decided to have some fun and  play with my Melting Pot and UTEE...I don't use it enough, but every time I get it out, I do love it! Do you have any craft equipment that you rarely use?

After making the pendant of this exotic woman with UTEE, I edged it with gold paint. The base is a metal tag, painted with gold acrylic paint. I layered the pendant on a gold fiber ribbon and added a lace flower from Flying Unicorn that I added the cream pearl details. A sparkly gold Christmas sprig adds dimension. The tag has finished with a delicate cream pearl and gold tie. I love the sentiment, it says  "You won't believe what she will tell you."

Wonder what secret you will tell someone this week?
yours truly, gerri

"You won't believe what she will tell you."

"Telling details"

Your Generosity Overwhelms Me

Today's post is a sweet little blue tag I made to thank a dear blogger friend. I can't tell you how special you all are to me. I'm still getting around to visiting everyone from vacation, so if I missed you, I'll be there soon. I will also enter it for lovely Linda's Studio L3 Grungy Monday. This week it Distressed Stickles with inspiration from Tim Holtz. I did finally learn how they are different from regular Stickles, I always wondered why they came out so thick!

Well it was the Dezinaworld image that was the starting point of this tag. I loved her Grecian inspired gown. Did you know that I took  History of Costume (Clothing) in college. It was my all time favorite course! It is so interesting how clothing changes and how the past influences the future. Back to my tag.... I put the female image with some flower wall paper decals and a tiny bird from Artchix on a patterned paper tag. Added some rhinestones, Distress Stickles accents, some tulle, ribbon and a pretty pale blue feather  to complete it. The sentiment is "Your generosity overwhelms me."

Hope someone is generous to you this week.
take care, gerri



"Your Generosity Overwhelms Me"



"Generous details"

South Carolina Sea Shells

Well, I am officailly back from our vacation. I want you all to know, I did miss blogging and  talking to all of you! We had such a wonderful time in South Carolina. Our lovely cottage on the river was delightful. Due to a big storm, there was no internet and no tv at all. It really was so relaxing and fun. We swam, went to the beach, ate too much BBQ, read books and visited historic sites.

For my Paint Party Friday, I'm showing a watercolor painting I did at an earlier time. It is of my favorite subjects, sea shells and flowers and reminds me of our vacation. I am working on another giant flower painting in class, but just didn't finish it. You'll have to wait till next week.

Hope you will find a relaxing spot this week.
take care, gerri

"South Carolina Sea Shells"

"Sea Shell Details"

Rock Me Amadeus

For Gingersnap creations this week's random challenge is a "Tribute to Teens" GC115. Come visit this great group and see all my fellow Ginger DT's creativity. You can play with us too and add your creations in the challenges. Ok, well this piece is out of my norm of pretty Victorian things, but hey I did come of age in the 70's. I graduated both high school and college during that time and, oh the rock and roll stories I could tell!

This collage was based on paper and embellishments I had from DCWV. I used these originally when my daughter was in high school for her  and her friends birtday cards. Who knew I would use them again so many years later, but as you can see I didn't get rid of them either. LOL. Some glittter hearts, a german scrap pair of wings, rhinestones and Stickles was all I need to make this. I distressed the edges and hand doodled the interior. The sentiment says it all.... "Rock Me".

Hope you will have a "rocking " good week.
take care, gerri

"Rock me"

My dearest

Gerri's vacation is almost done, she be back tomorrow and I can't wait. In the mean time, I will be showing you a sweet necklace for her Retro Cafe Art Design Team. I thinks its darling, don't you.

It all started with the sweet dollie image from the Retro Cafe Art collage sheet called Hello Dollie 2. That was placed in a RCA Gothic Arch shrine that was painted with Ranger crackle paint.Retro Cafe Art has fabulous shrines that can be used in so many ways. The shrine is filled in with lacquer  to protect the image and give it a finished look.  It was trimmed with Stickles and tiny pearls in the corners, then with a ribbon bow with flowers to frame the little dollie. In the tiny hole at top it reads  "my dearest." The piece was put on a pearl strand that can be worn long or lopped around as seen in my picture.

Hope you will find your "dearest" this week.

take care, Mary Lou ( for gerri)

"My dearest"

Is that why you love me?

For todays 100 Proof Press DT post here is a pink mermaid collage. I used the 100 proof press stamp  of shells and stamped it in pink ink. There so many types of stamps by this company, I know you will find something you will like too. You know that I love mermaids and I am sure I will be seeing many of them during my vacation at the beach, so that was the inspiration of this piece.

To make these Victorian inspired  mermaid, I used a torso of the lovely lady with the fab from Artchix Studio and added my own tail out of patterned paper. The background is stamped and crinkled foil medallions frame our lovely mermaid lady. I created two accent pieces with a with pink pearls,  silver flourishes, pink Stickles. The entire piece is trimmed with lace, pearls and buttons. The sentiment says..."I am one of them...is that why you love me?"

Hope you find one of them this week.

artfully yours, gerri

"I'm one of them...is that why you love me?"

"Pretty Details"

Welcome me in

Another quick post today...Here's a pretty little tag I made for a "thank you" for a dear blogger friend! I really don't think there is any difference between a friend in bloggerville or a friend from around the corner. They are both so dear to me and I am thankful for them!

This little tag was stamped first and dappled with distress ink. The image is a bathing beauty from Artchix studio.  My favorite embellishment is the  drink umbrella. I can't wait till Halloween cause I found Halloween themed umbrellas. Imagine that! There is some fiber tape, red german scrap, a shiny ribbon, a star fish and some charms to finish this.

Hope you will welcome in a friend this week.

take care, gerri

"Welcome me in"

"Welcome Details"

Paris Charm

Mary Lou here, Gerri is still on vacation but I thought I'd post a pretty pink necklace for Pink Saturday. It was made for a Bella Creations challenge using the darling ballerina image. The base was from Gerri's stash of ATC frames. She likes to use the interiors as much as the frames themselves. LOL.  These ATC frames are from Retro Cafe Art. On our necklace today, there's tiny paper butterflies, a bit of stamping and sparky glitter.... of course. 

Hope you will see you see a charming location this week

take care, MaryLou (for gerri)

"PARIS charm"

Same Painting Different Day

Just a quick post today for Paint Party Friday. As we are on vacation in a sleepy little cottage in the lowcountry of South Carolina. So, here are two watercolors that hang in our front hall. They are both of colorful foliage in a lovely handmade grey and blue pot made by a friend. I love plants and it was fun to paint mainly leaves instead of flowers.  I love how we can paint the same subject and how it comes  out differently. 

Hope you will see something different this week.

artfully yours, gerri

The little beauty

It's a month dedicated to the Joys of Childhood at Gingersnap creations. This week it's a supply challenge  and we are to use "baby wipes" GC114. Come on over and play with us, we promise not to get too messy. LOL.  Now, I don't have any babies in the house, though my daughter will always be my "baby", but I do use the wipes in my studio to clean my hands or wipe down my deskso it was easy to get my hands on this supply.

The little beauty (little girl) image is from Dezinaworld   and I placed her within the ATC heart frame. I painted the frame and added a pretty collage ATC background  from Retro Cafe Art. The mini paper flower- pink roses and shiny pink German Dresden Foil scrap are also from RCA. I painted my baby wipe pink and used it as a ruffled edge for the frame. All this was layered on a scan of some multi plaid fabric and some pink glitter paper. Teenie sheer fabric rosettes, pink Stickles and the sentiment "The little" beauty were all I needed to complete this card.

Hope you will see a "little beauty" this week.
yours truly, gerri

"The little beauty"

Pretty Pins All in A Row

For today's Retro Cafe Art DT piece I used  the collage sheet called Jewel Tone Vintage ATC collage sheet for the background of some pretty little stick pins I made. I adore the collage sheets Kristin makes, there are all different styles, colors and images. You should check out her site to see. She also has a fantastic contest and lots of ghoul, I mean cool Halloween supplies too. LOL. My little stick pins were for a swap at the Flying Unicorn community, which is a fun place with wonderful artists. I can't wait to see the liitle darlings I get in return for this swap.

These little cuties were easy to make. I used 3 inch pearl corsage pins. All you need to do is use a glue or a lacquer , glaze to adhere them. Instead of just beads, I used sequins too! I put them on the Retro Cafe Art ATC cards with a bit of tulle and some pretty lace.

Hope you will see the  "pretty " this week.
artfully yours, gerri

Lucky Day Vacation

Well everyone, I will be taking a vacation. I have schedules some exciting posts so please keep stopping by. I may get a bit behind in my comments so please forgive me. I will definitely think of you all as I am relaxing in a little cottage in South Carolina. Ive included some photos of where we are going too. By the way I gave Mary Lou some time off too!.

The domino piece below is for my 100 Proof Press DT piece. They have so many wonderful stamps to choose from, something for everyone! This is the first altered domino pendant I have made.  I used the long tower row stamp on an alcohol inked covered domino. I love to layer so I put it on a "Lucky" charm necklace. Think I will be making more of these!

"Lucky Day"

This is where we will be staying...

Hope you have a lucky week,
sincerely, gerri

Orange you glad for butterflies

Today I am showing you a piece in a color I usually use in the fall, but it was the color for the Summer of color blog, the color is orange.My husband was draw to this piece and remarked how he liked this color. Who knew? LOL.  Over at lovely Linda's Studio L3 ,where she hosts Grungy Monday the inspiration this week is Tim Holtz's 12 Days of Christmas 2009 day 8. Check out their sites to  learn wonderful techniques and see amazing creations.

To make this tag I distressed the tag with distress inks, I didn't follow the example to well but I liked the result. I layered an orange organza ribbon edged with chenille yarn and a metal clothing clasp that I repurposed. On top of this is  some gold fiber ribbon and a stamped scroll made with vellum paper. The next layers are punched pieces, Victorian scrap and 3d clay butterflies. The sentiment is a dictionary page "laugh" and the words giddy butterflies.

Hope you will get to be giddy this week.
take care, gerri

"Laugh Giddy Butterflies"

"Giddy Details"