2009 in Review

A look back at my creative endeavors...

Another borrowed idea from the wonderful Sara Mincy...a 2009 review in pictures. (Go here to see hers!) It sure was fun going through my blog and finding my favorites for each month. Wow, I made a lot of art this year!

I love seeing the evolution of a lot of it...Some trends I noticed~

• a lot more fabric art! Quilts, altered fabric art, a lot of embellishing on clothes. This of course was brought on by the creating of the new book. However, I am looking forward to learning a lot more about fabric art the coming year
• my mosaic style has evolved a lot this year. I was so burnt out on them that I didn't do a lot, but the ones that I did do I am very happy with. I hope to do some large items again in 2010
• a lot of my creative time was spent on items for our home. I hope to double that this year
• I sure made a lot of posies!:)
• Although I sold over 100 items this year in my etsy shop, I still haven't found a "selling niche". I would surely love to, although I am starting to question whether or not I am meant to be doing that.
• Even though my style may seem very colorful and eclectic still, I have noticed a large simplification in my style
• I am still an amateaur photographer...:( I am DETERMINED to change that this year.

I had so much fun this year creatively. I question myself constantly...but it always comes down to the fact that I am an artist at heart. I create with passion and love. It is inherently who I am. I know that God has given me this gift. I am not quite sure what He wants me to do with it, so I am just continuing to create until He tells me. I am so excited to see where 2010 will bring me and I am excited to keep blogging about my journey. Thank you again for sticking with me and I will see you in the New Year!!! Happy 2010 Friends!:)

I'm back!

Hi! Do you still remember me?:) I hope everyone had a joyful Christmas! We took a small family vacation and had a wonderful time! Although it was such a relaxing and fun break, I am looking forward to getting back to "normal".
Here is the finished mosaic mirror that went home with this one. I'm really pleased with the results and relieved to have such a large project completed! I'm hoping at some point that I can go over to their home and get some really nice photos of both pieces for my portfolio.

I'll be back soon with my 2009 in review...

Glad to be back!!:) I can't wait to catch up on all your blogs!

A Christmas Message to all my Blogging Friends...

There is an old Christmas tradition

that God sends each person into this world

with a special message to deliver

with a special song to sing for others,

with a special act of love to bestow.

No one else can speak my message

or sing my song,

or offer my act of love.

These are entrusted only to me.

According to this tradition, the message may be spoken, the song sung, the act of love delivered

to only a few,

or to all the folk in a small town,

or to all the people in a large city,

or even to all the people in the whole world.

It all depends on God's unique plan for each person.

At this holy time of Christmas, when we are recalling the fact that God so loved the world that He sent his Son into the world for us, I want to say this to you:

Your message has been heard in my heart,

Your song has warmed my world,

And your love has brightened my darkness.

Thank you, thank you for your message, your song, your love.

You will always be in my own grateful heart and prayers.

(excerpt from Seasons of the Heart, by John Powell, S.J)

You might notice the little girl in the middle of the video in her snowman dress, singing so joyfully.:) That is my Ava.

I am signing off for the rest of the holiday season to spend time with my family. I just wanted to say a very HEARTFELT thank you to all of you who have become my blogging friends this year. Thanks for taking the time to leave me comments, to make me laugh, to support me in my spiritual journey, for appreciating my arts and my frugal decorating ways, and for letting me know what a collective force we all are. I've so enjoyed getting to know you and I can't wait to see what 2010 brings!

I will be back before the New Year to share my "2009 in Review" :)

Have a very blessed, safe, and Merry Christmas. God Bless you all!

Love and xo, Chrissie

What Christmas really means...:)

How sweet is that? :)

On the 9th day of Christmas...

we painted one of our glass doors with paint.
I got the idea from the ever-creative Sara Mincy, who always shares her colorful and fun family friendly activities. Like Sara, we just used the cheap $1 acrylic paint bottles. (It comes off very easily when your ready to wash it off)
I used black and quickly painted in the lines of the designs. It acted as a "coloring page" of sorts, so the kids had a clear guideline of what to paint.

Then the kids helped me fill it in.

Obviously, you see every stroke you make. I love the results. It looks like a giant piece of folk art!

It was a really fun family activity to do together!

Tutorial: Fabric Ornaments

It's been a long time since I shared a tutorial with you, so here is my fabric Christmas ornament idea. I hope you enjoy. If you make one, I would love to see it!

STEP 1:
Print a photo on fabric paper. (I edited mine in picnik.com, so I could add the year and the holiday border.) I printed this one at 4" x 6" and kept 1/4" of the white border when I cut it out. Peel the paper off the fabric.
STEP 2:
Cut your background fabric the same size as your photo.

STEP 3:

Pin the fabric pieces right sides together. You should see the "wrong" sides of the fabric on both sides.

STEP 4:

Very lightly hot-glue your cord or ribbon on the top evenly spaced apart, inside of the photo fabric piece. This is how you'll hang the ornament.

STEP 5:

MAKE SURE you're ribbon or cord is tucked inside the ornament! You should not be able to see it anymore when you go to sew.

STEP 6:

Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew all the way around with your sewing machine. Yes, you are sewing it shut.

STEP 7:

Using small scissors, cut a 2 inch slit in the back of the fabric side, not the photo side.

STEP 8:

Turn it inside out and stuff it just like you would a pillow. (Note: I wish I had stuffed mine a little more. If you stuff it nice and tight the picture doesn't distort)

STEP 9:

Using a needle and embroidery thread, sew the slit shut.

STEP 10:

Cut 1" x 2" inch strips of fabric and batting.

STEP 11:

Make a sandwich with the batting in the middle, and sew an X through the whole piece.

STEP 12:

Hot glue the fabric sandwich over the slit that you sewed shut, and sew a cute button right in the middle. Your done!:)

Now hang or give as a gift.

I know there are a lot of steps shown but it's pretty easy. Once you make one, the rest will be very fast.:)

I'm linking up to:

Make it For Monday

Metamorphisis Monday

and

Get Your Craft On

Enjoy Your Life

If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things, and again with things; if we consider ourselves so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with action, when will we have the time to make the long, slow journey across the desert as did the Magi? Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds? Or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary? For each one of us, there is a desert to travel. A star to discover. And a being within ourselves to bring to life.
-Author Unknown

Hibiscus in Winter

These are so lovely in person. When the light hits them they are beautiful. But they were super hard to photograph. I grouted these black as well, and I'm (_____) this close to finishing the main focal piece. I'm hoping to finish these in the next couple of days.
I hope you have a relaxing and fun weekend.
xo,
Chrissie

Satisfaction

As much as I dread the actual grouting process, I do so love the end result. There is something very scary about dropping black grout over hours of labor, but it is so exhilarating to wipe it clean and have a beautiful mosaic when your done.

Ahhh, satisfaction.

My morning...

I savor quiet mornings, which don't happen too often around here.

The kids have been playing nicely, and I've been doing our Christmas cards and drinking some nice hot coffee. I've got this album playing, and thinking how blessed we are.
Have a great day!
xo,
Chrissie

Sweater Dress (Alterations)

I found this red sweater dress for Ava at a garage sale for 50 cents. It was begging to be altered a little.:)

Here it is before:

And after...:

I used the same applique method that I used here. I just used pieces of fabric I had in my bins. Ava insisted, (I mean asked very nicely) that the snowman be a girl. So the pink fabric had to make an appearance.

Of course a posie barrette was made to wear with it! Man, I can't believe I haven't gotten tired of making those yet.
She wasn't in the mood to model for me.

But I'm pretty sure she likes it.

I'm linking up to:
Metamorphisis Monday
Make It for Monday
DIY Day
Trash to Treasure Tuesday
and
Get Your Craft On

Wow, there is a loooooooot of cool stuff going on!