Mi Casa de aRte

Urban Leather Cuff Bracelets "Vive La Vida"

Get some leather.

Cut to desired size/length.

Punch holes. Add rivets, studs, snaps etc.

Wet leather. Stamp/Emboss phrase or letters.

Give it away. To a very creative soul.

{{HOLidAy WorkShOp}} EZ Knit Scarf, Mini Coil Christmas Book & Jar of Yarn

Hello! I've been working like a little Elf for the Holidays! Here are my latest creations!

First! I learned to knit! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I am so thrilled with the outcome, as well! I love this color combo, but need to learn how to finish off the tails that come with switching out colors! The color combo is: Cranberry, Avacado and Ecru. Very Christmas-y! It was meant to be a gift, but I loved it so much, I kept it for myself!

 

Next on my Workshop List, I have been going nuts creating books for friends. I used coil system for the binding with Cool Red Coils! It's about 1.5 inch thick and 4x4 inches in size. I made this for my Mom for our "12 Days of Christmas" exchange that we are doing. I included about 32 pages of solid cardstock and patterned paper.

On the inside cover I included a clear pocket filled with photos, tags, red/white string and other embellishments! I'm hoping that she uses this immediately to document our exchanges! My thought is that she will use the included items for a quickie assemblage.

I also inclued a digi art gift tag! I love creating gift tags as part of my gift wrap. I used my jumbo craft punches for these tags. zutter bind it all

 

I used full sheets of white sticker paper and digital patterned paper to create the front and back covers. Then I cut to size, adhered it to the chipboard. This way, it was a NO GLUE craft!

I also love the Glittered Crown! These have been a blast to make! I use a Die Cut Chipboard Crown & Glitter! Voila! Your own embellished bling! martha stewart fine glitter

   

Stickles rock! The "day 3" was created on a photo-editing program.

   

   

Mini tags with stamped Holiday Phrases, Mini Wallet sized Photos that I created on my Epson Personal Printer.

    

A Mini Tag with red/white twine for Mom to use in her book!

 

And the finished product! .....

Next up....Jar of Yarn!

 

 

This was something I was so excited to give to my sister for the "12 Days of Christmas" Gift Exchange. We really try to spend as little $$ as possible and also try to recycle as much as we can.

These Jelly Jars I get at Trader Joes and they are to die for! I love the shape and size!

We also just got a new "Yarn Store" in our neighborhood, so I went crazy in that store recently buying some delicious color combos!

I created little baby yarn rolls in yummy colors and added to the jar. For the decor, I used plain white sticker paper and a "lace border punch" to create the doily effect on the bottom. Then add some ribbon and one of my "HOLIDAY ART TOKENS" from Etsy, and there you have it!!!!! (Not mention that she LOVED IT!)

I hope you get a few ideas from this post! Please let me know if you attempt any of these ideas! I'd love to see your take on it!

Art Tokens! Etsy Fun! Buy Handmade!

So I've been trying to keep my Etsy updated! I've finally had time to create new designs! I created some HOLIDAY designs, Art Journal Tokens and Spanish Slang/Words. I love thinking up new ideas!

TOKENS OF LOVE, My Etsy Site!

My best sellers are the ones in the first photo. My clients tend to use them for Birthday Parties and attach them to the Gift Bags for the kids.

  

Check out this photo that one of my clients sent to me. This is how she packaged her Goodie Bags for her Daughter's party. Look how cute the tag looks!

 

These Mexican/Spanish Words are a hit as well. I'd love to know what people do with them!

   

This is how I package my orders. I try to be innovative in the presentation! I love to suprise my recipient!

 

I needed something cute for my holiday gift-giving, so I came up with some colorful snowflakes! Once these are on the gifts, they will look so creative and fun!

   

These are one of my newest designs. It's a complete set of the alphabet in a mixture of Upper/Lowercase letters. So there are 26 letters, 2 punctuations & 2 others that say: Dear Diary & Art Journal. See how cool they will look on an Altered Art Journal as an embellishment? 

 

Please visit my Etsy Shoppe by clicking the link at the top of the page! The bright Orange circle!

Dia de los Muertos Assemblage

I'm going to be teaching a series of workshops at a local artsy store, the Frenzy Stamper!

Here is an assemblage/mixed-media piece I'm teaching in celebration of Dia de los Muertos!

I love how it turned out! The skull was handmade and this is the main technique being taught in class. The piece can be hung or placed on an easel. Enjoy!

~*Journal Love~*

I have been doing alot of experimenting with my own doodling and drawing skills in journals lately. Of course I can't say enough about the MOLESKINE journal! Others just don't cut it! No imitations please!

The first photo is of work I've done in a journal dedicated to doodling. Good ol' fashioned doodles! I would sometimes add stickers and such. But mostly doodles and writing. Then color in with markers.

Next are the sketches I'm doing in a class of whimsical faces! I really don't like drawing faces...so this is a challenge for me! It does take lots of practice! But I'm getting better!

Next is a journal that is for "practice" stamping. Sometimes I just need to stamp my beloved stamps. Then I color in....and add whatever text or doodling.

And lastly, is a journal that I write in response to a book that I'm reading. This prompt asked that you write a letter to your heart. It was quite interesting how this turned out. I really like it! If you can't read the text, see below.

Dear Heart,

How do you consume me? How do you keep working? Do I give you faith to believe? Does my spirit keep you healthy? I think of you often. I try to teach you well. I thank you for repairing the heartbreaks you've felt throughout the years. I've tried to be strong for you. I believe that my heart (you) still has space for all-consuming-passionate love. I know you are waiting. Please stay strong. I promise to feed you soon.

Rosie

Mixed-Media Postcard Swap

I've been swapping like crazy on Swapbot. It's such a great way to release my creative spirit!

This swap was called: Mixed Media Postcard swap. You had to use at least 4 mixed-media techniques. I used the following; acrylics, hand-carved stamp, glitter, image transfer, watercolor, colored pencil, doodle.

I love taking postcards to the Post Office that I've created. The postoffice dude never fails to look perplexed!

 

 

Phoenix Photography {Scavenger Hunt}

I'm on a Crafty Swapping Site called SWAP-BOT and I've joined some photography swaps. They are a blast! Basically I have to go on a scavenger hunt around town to find various items that are predetermined by the Swap Hostess!

Today, my super-sweet-big-offspring and I woke up early, dropped off the super-sweet-mini-offspring at a friends' house.....drove through Starbux....(too HOT to get out of car).....and drove all over our town taking photos of doors, & colorful stuff!

We had so much fun! And to top it off, we were finished by 11:00 a.m. before the sun began to scald us!

Here is a sampling of my work!

 

Going to a GOCCO!

So you may have heard me mention, that for my 40th bday, I bought myself a Button Maker? Well, did I mention that I also bought a Gocco Printer? Heehee.

While I was in school last semester, I didn't have time to play. But this summer is different! I have tons of time and that is what I have been doing!

I love how fast and easy the printing is. I love its' basic techniques, yet exquisite results!

Here is a montage of my Gocco Attempts!

1st: Prepare your printer with a high contrast image from your laser printer.

 

2) Using Gocco Bulbs & Screens, "flash" your image to make an inkable surface! Ink it up!

 

3) Insert inked image into cover. Place paper down to be inked.

 

4) close the cover and give it a little muscle!

 

This screened was set up to produce (2) ATC sized images so I can use them in swaps. I was able to do two different color themes by placing "blocking" material between the two images. This helps the ink from running into the other image!

 

Lots of images to dry on the Lego Table! They take about 1/2-1 hour to dry. The more absorbent the paper, the faster the drying time. PLUS...it's been 110 or hotter here, so it's pretty quick!

 

Printed on various papers & a Moleskine Journal!

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this little journey with me!

*rosieposie-the-riveter*

Two weeks off and counting! I've definitely been creating! It's an awesome feeling.

So, as of late, I've begun making jewelry from all kinds of components. Leather, metal, embellishments, etc. I love combining materials to make it a true art piece!

The first photo is my collection of rivets, eyelets and snaps! (Oh, do I hate assembling snaps!)

The next photo is of the pendants I create to use on belts, bracelets and jewelry. (I CAN CUSTOM MAKE WITH PHOTOS!!!!)

I really loved the belt I created! My daughter had an Auction at her school, and I made this belt as a donation.

The leather bracelet I made for myself and included rhinestone rivets as well as a photo of my daughters. I LOVE THIS PIECE! I also made one for my sister of her four dumplings!

Enjoy! And try tooling some leather today!

(Graphics created by Scrapgirls.com)

...I Told You So.....

.......told you that I would post something that I've been FINALLY working on!

I joined an Alphabet Swap with a local group here. As you can see, I have the letter "A"!

Here are a few shots of the work while it was in progress. It's a 4x4 Chunky Book. Or some call them, "Fat Books". But we don't like that word in our household. LOL.

It's always hard for me to have a vision before beginning to work. The hardest part for me was to pick a word. I first wanted Art. But that was too predictable. Then I decided to go with Angel. But since I'm also working on a "Wings" swap....it was too similar to what I wanted to do for that swap. Then my sis said ALCHEMY.....and it was an instant "attraction".

I envisioned a "Harry Potter" type of Alchemist "style".

So after picking my word....I began with some embellishments. The word 'alchemy' is done on a mini popsicle stick that is wrapped in metal tape, then stamped with metal stamps and colored with black acrylic paint. I used the cropodile to punch holes in the stick.

The next embellishment I created was the little purple light bulb which came from a strand of "Easter" lights that I've had for years. I yanked them off and wrapped them in wire.

The entire work is completed on heavy wt watercolor paper that I painted with a mustardy/eggplant & red on. The backsides are finished with recycled paper bag that is stamped and aged.

The photos don't show my finished product.....just the "thought" process. Will post the final product soon!