Saturday, January 31, 2009

Guaranteed to make you smile!

These came in a recent email...









Friday, January 30, 2009

Fingerprint Friday - Grandkids in Chicago





I'm thanking God today for my grandkids! My son and family went to Chicago a couple of weeks ago for a regional gymnastics meet that the oldest boy participated in. Here are the kids at the hotel window. While I would have loved to be with them, I bet it was bitterly cold up there. The last time I was there was for my mom's family reunion a few years ago but that was in the summertime. I like North Carolina in the winter much better. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Fun and good for your brain...

I love puzzles like these that came in an email this week. Enjoy!

Can you find the 2 Bs?


RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

After you've found the Bs, find the 1

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1III
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Once you found the 1..............


Find the 6


9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999699999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999
9999999999999999999999999999999999


Once you've found the 6...

Find the N (it's hard!!)

MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMNMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMM

Once you've found the N...


Find the Q...
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Friday, January 23, 2009

Fingerprint Friday - A Tree with a Face



This is one of my favorite photos, from one of our trips to my son's in Ohio. This is my daughter-in-law Rebecca with her niece/my granddaughter Jocie. Don't you love the tree face? I know God's fingerprints are present whenever we're having fun.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Hearts with a Word



I've been experimenting some more with alcohol inks and polymer clay. I went to Michaels this week and got some more colors, and decided to add words from stamps and molds. So much fun! Here are some new heart brooches that are available in my etsy shop.





Friday, January 16, 2009

Of course God's most beautiful fingerprints are my grandchildren. :)

Here is a photo taken by my daughter-in-law in their yard.



May God shower you with His blessings today!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Polymer Clay + Alcohol Inks = Fun!



I am having so much fun! These polymer clay creations were all colored with alcohol inks. I bought some ink a while back and just the other day found directions in "Polymer Clay Surface Design Recipes" by Ellen Marshall.


Materials: alcohol-based inks, swatch of fabric with a texture, wax paper, spray bottle containing rubbing alcohol, brayer.

How to use alcohol inks on polymer clay:


(1) Place fabric on wax paper and spritz fabric with alcohol.
(2) Drop various colors of ink onto the fabric, allowing the colors to bleed into one another.
(3) Pick up the fabric and wax paper together and place fabric side on a piece of rolled-out clay.
(4) Press with a roller, hard enough to transfer inks and fabric texture.

The texture of the fabric gets imprinted into the clay, along with varying colors. It's fun to experiment with mixing the colors together and making new shades.





I took some of the leftover clay after cutting out the hearts and cut little shapes to make a mosaic and the frame around the stamped face.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Cute Critters

Some cute photos of little critters that came in an email this week...







Friday, January 09, 2009

Fingerprint Friday - Magnificent Sky

We've had a lot of rain here this week, and on Wednesday we had a crazy day. Early in the morning we had overcast skies, later a little rain, later a few snow flurries, and then when I was leaving work, here's what I saw...





Sometimes God just pulls out all the stops.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Treasury!


I got a Treasury last night on Etsy. I have never made one in black/white/gray before so this was fun. It's called "rainy day kind of feelin'"

Monday, January 05, 2009

Stylin'!



Two of my customers sent me pictures this week showing some creative ways they've used their Artsy Clay creations.

The first is Cher over at Malicious Intent who decorated a cowgirl hat for a New Year's Eve Rock'n Sock'n Autism Bowling Party. She has acquired a large collection of pins throughout the past year and put them all on her hat for the party. She says the 10 gallon hat became more like a 10 pound hat! haha





Another customer, Jennifer, bought three bird pendants for her wedding which the florist attached to the bouquets. I would never have thought of using them this way! Jennifer says, "I used the blue pendant as my something blue, and the other two went to my bridesmaid's bouquets." Wow, they look so beautiful! [Photo by Tumbleston Photography, used with permission]

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Time to be lazy

Snooky and I wish you a Happy New Year!




I have a 4-day weekend so at long last I have some time to be lazy ... after a very busy holiday season with craft shows and many special orders (mostly for co-workers) plus I made most of our Christmas gifts this year ... about 40 clay ornaments for family and friends. Whew! We had a nice dinner on New Year's Day with some family members, and I finished up the LAST two special orders yesterday ... so now I have time to relax!

I've learned over the years that in January I NEED to take some time off from claying to replenish my energy, and to enjoy some things I love to do that I don't have time for before Christmas, namely reading and knitting. I finished one book last night and have another one to start on today, plus I got some yarn at Michael's to make a baby blanket for some friends who are expecting a little girl. Isn't this pretty?



Our doggie is a great role model for lounging around and taking naps. I had to interrupt her napping to get some photos 'cause when she hears the camera, the eyes open. She has the funniest ears and sometimes will sleep with one up in the air. We always wonder how she can do that.





OK, gotta get back to our naps now. Zzzzzzzzzz.