Fall and Halloween Blocks

I swear it feels like I've been working on blocks forever.  I cut them a few months back, finally sanded them in May and June and finished them in June.  Here are the Fall and Halloween choices for this year.  

These will be available at my craft shows.  The first one will be Harvest Festival September 5-7 in Las Vegas at Cashman Center

It's National Craft Month

Did ya know that?!  It think its perfect that I was born in March...it explains so much.  lol

Get your creative juices flowing..make something, take a class, go to a craft show and support a local crafter by purchasing a piece of their work.  Clean your craft closet or room and donate unwanted supplies to a local school for their after school program or art class.  Post some of creations and/or crafty ideas to your Facebook page.

Here's an idea...get together with friends and have a crafting party!  What could be more fun than that?

Let me know what you're doing for National Craft Month.

A New Design

A new Santa is on the workbench today.  I've been thinking about him a couple of days now and finally cut him out, in fact, I cut two of him.  He's a large piece, almost 30" tall.  I'm planning to create a pattern for him to put on my Etsy site and have him completed for next weekend's show, Busy Bees Craft Boutique.  I cut him the rough cut wood I've stock piled, I love that stuff...lots of texture for some great additional detail.  Next post, hopefully the completed piece.

Show and Tell Friday

I've been up to my ears in frames these days as I prep for the fall/winter craft show season.  I love these word board/picture frame combos...and apparently so does eveyone else because I keep selling them before they get packed in a box.  I know, I shouldn't whine...Im' grateful in fact.

I promise to have a large selection complete for my shows so you'll have plenty to choose from.  If you have a particular phrase you want, don't hesitate to contact me so I can personalize one for you.

My email is TwiddlebugzDesignz@gmail.com

Already thinking about fall shows

Okay, is it crazy that I am already planning my fall craft show schedule?  Yes, that is what I'm doing already.  I'll be showing and selling my wares at Harvest Festival, Steve Powers Craft Festival, McQueen Craft Faire, and Art in the Park (jury committee willing).  There are always a few home shows in the mix, and then I want to add a couple of Arizona and California events if there is time and product. 

There is a huge stack of wood that needs to be cut into wonderful pieces to paint into treasures.  I said I would be more prepared than last year.  I plan to cut while the weather is cooler so I don't have sawdust sticking to my sweat covered body in July and August...honestly, there is nothing sexy about it.  lol  My bandsaw needs a new part and is just a bench top model, so I'll be loading up the trailblazer with wood and the dog and heading to my dad's to use his full size tools.  It's so much easier and faster to get things cut...just not an easy, quick event.  I like to get lots done while I am there so it seems like I'm there all day when I do that.  But, I come home with a week's worth of painting to get done so I guess it's all good.  I'm looking at doing lots of larger pieces this year so I'm excited to get started.

A new year...lots of new ideas, lots of cleaning and sorting, lots of planning...the list goes on and on. I'm sure you know what I mean and how I feel.  There is so much I want to get done and this is a great time to get started on it.  I try to be an organized person...but I'm a creative person...they don't always go hand in hand.  I saw a quote the other day  that said, "Creativity is messy, and I'm very creative."  I think that fits me perfectly...hehehe.

Before Christmas I began working on some different photo frames and I love them.  I've got tons of frames I've been hoarding, yes, I said hoarding..scary, I know.  Anway, I think this is a great way to utilize them.  They sold very well before the holidays and are continuing to do so.  I've got a few more ideas to work with them as well.  Since I hand letter the words, they can say anything you'd like them to.  I love them. 

Show and Tell Friday

Wow!  This was a quick week.  Busy, busy I tell ya.  I've got lots of stuff in the midst of progress including a bunch of ice skates, posts, garlands, and more.  The dining room is getting cluttered and full of stuff that needs to be tagged and boxed for shows. 

I'd like to share picture frames with you this week.  Here are several of what was completed early in the week.













I've also been working on a schedule for some fun make it-take it workshops for the holidays.  Need to get samples cut and completed so I can post pictures for ya.  Hopefully, you'll be seeing that next Friday.  Happy weekend eveyone!

Show and Tell Friday

It's that time of year when I start to panic about the upcoming craft show season...which shows, show fees due, trying to fit everything into a schedule, deleting dates to make a realistic schedule, and having enough product to do all the events I want to do.  Anyone that does craft shows certainly knows what I'm going through at the moment...and I feel your pain and anxiety as well.  I think I have it all worked out at the moment...but tomorrow will be another day with another dilema I'm sure. 
Every year I say I am going to start working on big stuff earlier but then there is trying to figure out where to put it all.  That being said, I've been working on smaller items that are easier to store.

 This week I stitched up som Halloween ornies and actually finished them in the same week...I know, you're shocked!  I felt pretty good about it myself.

I know...before you say it...they're cute!  I can't help it...I do cute and happy.  Scary is hard for me to do. 

I can do primitive and really love it but cute just comes so much easier for me. 

I also finally finished those 6 reindeer I've been working on for what seems like forever.  They turned out really well and I think they're pretty cool.  Not cute...maybe classic?  Slightly primitive?  Whatever they may be called, I like them. 

I'll be listing these items in my Etsy and Artfire sites in the next few days.  Please shop early for best selections.

Show and Tell Friday

A little folk art paintings for show and tell this week.  Actually, a little more than folk art.  Show and Tell this week is the fiberglass screening projects I've worked on recently.  I painted most of these in June while Timm was taking a seminar.  I checked out the sights and shops in the mornings and painted in the hotel in the afternoons. 

I really like this one with the basket, I think it turned out great. 

Oh, I miss Kathy Rueger and her designs.  This bear is one of her designs from her last book.  She had painted it on some rought wood and it said, "don't open door for strangers".  I think he's cute anyway and would look great in someone's cabin or lodge look room.

And you know I love my Americana.  I painted a bunch of these flags with assorted sayings on them.  Some others include "Home of the Brave", "Liberty & Justice".

I plan to share with you next week as well.  The Reindeer are almost done.  I'm working on a schedule for make it-take it projects, Art in the Park will be here sooner than I know it...Oh, I gotta go.  Thanks for visiting.

Clipboards with Style

I've had an itch to create some stylish and crafty clipboards so after I finished my blocks project today I pulled them out.  Sorting through a stack of scrapbook paper, I found two that I thought would be perfect.  This first one is a reprint of some lovely fabric...a simple but stylish pattern.  I embellished it with with some super cool stickers that are really interesting and complimentary.
Mod Podge has really been my friend lately and these are more mod podge projects.  The butterfly stripe is an embossed sticker.  Of course...I love the typewriter key stickers.  Here is a close up view for you.

This second clip board has an real altered art look to it.  I ripped some papers to go over the base paper (which I love)...again, Mod Podge rocks.  Just a few letter stickers were applied, they say "take note".  With both clipboards, I made sure to keep the details at the edges so there are lumps and bumps when you're writing on your paper.  After I photographed them, I brushed on a smooth coat of satin varnish to protect the project.    Look for them at my Esty shop soon.  These are a first for me and I think I am loving them, need to dig out some more clipboards.  Another National Craft Month project...woohoo!

Technical difficulties resolved

We now return to our previous scheduled programming.  My photo delema has been temporarily resolved.  My printer is still not speaking to my computer (I think the USB port died) but I did purchase a card reader so I could upload my photos off my camera.  I was suffering some major frustation over the whole thing.  I recently had my computer repaired but I've been told it's too old to do any major upgrades so I will need to look into purchasing a new one in the near future...bummer...I have a desktop so I just need a tower but it's still money I don't want/have to spend.

Anyway, on a craftier note...here are some of my latest finished pieces.  It is National Craft Month and I am doing my part to promote crafting to the world.  Enjoy...and get creative!

Show and Tell Friday

January has just flown by.  It seems the older I get the faster time flies by.  lol  I've been working on some Valentine crafts for my booths...not a lot but I do like to have a few Valentine pieces.  I also try to not make them specific to just Valentines for the most part.  Anywhoo, here are a few pictures of them.

A couple of mixed media paper mached boxes were completed...glitter and all.

A dozen frames were also completed.  They all have scrapbook paper decopauged on them and Scrabble tile words.  I don't know why, but I just love Scrabble tiles.

They all hold a 4"x6" print.   Many of the frames would also be great for weddings as well. 

There are even a few for babies too.  I love, love, love the daisys on this one.  There's also one specifically for boys and another for girls. 

On a happy note, I am working in my painting/crafting room again and it's wonderful.  I can find things I'm looking for...imagine that.  I feel creative, and I like that.  Not sure, but I think it even makes be a more pleasant person to be around.  lol  Get this, I'm even having dreams about crafts...that's right, I've been dreaming of a creative outlet for crafters in the valley.  Now if I could make it come to life that would be even more awesome.

Teaching at Super Saturday

This Saturday I'll be teaching at the Chapel Heights Super Saturday. It's going to be a fun day. My project is this stenciled turkey project. I'm doing prep work today by painting the boards black, need to print my patterns, gather supplies and I'll be ready for the big day. Thinking I will make a few extras for craft shows as well. Thought about offering it as a pattern too.