Large Painting with words {Addict}

Recently, I've realized that the dark wall color in my living room and lack of light bearing windows makes my front room a dim cave most of the time. In search of ways to brighten it up, without repainting, I came across an idea that I immediately fell in love with.

On Lisa Burke's blog, she posted about how to create a large painting full of text and I knew immediately that it was the perfect thing for my home (and I already had the perfect canvas ready to go!)

I went down the the basement, found some old white house paint, primed the surface and searched through songs to find something that reflects what I am feeling at the moment. I chose two verses from 'home' by Pink Floyd.

As you can see, even with the morning sun streaming through the dining room, my couch is in the dark. The painting has added a large, white reflective surface to the room, especially when the t.v. is on. Maybe not so much in the morning, but it is much brighter than the mirror and photo frames I had on the wall before.

Now I just need to make some new colorful pillows so that my living room will look half as trendy as Lisa's! (I really should go back and take a photo during another time of day with a camera other than my iPhone...but whatevs)


I was so in love with Lisa's painting that I also really wanted to create one with the ee cummings poem, 'I carry your heart.'  I had another large canvas so I decided to paint it and take it to school to spruce up my room for the year.

Anyway, I decided that the worthless back corner behind my desk needed a makeover so I have been busy this summer clearing away the clutter. You can kind of see the 'before' picture of this corner and the old  poster collage on the wall behind my desk in this photo.

 I am going to leave the lomography rainbow up for the year....hoping to inspire students with my artwork. I am also thinking about doing a lesson with this poem to start out the year, because I know it will be a conversation starter for the students.

Have you done anything new in your classroom? What song or poem would you paint on a large canvas?

If you are interested in stretching your own large canvases, check out my DIY on the Birds of a Feather blog from last summer.

Thanks for reading!!

A painting! {Penguin} Love

Here is my penguin painting that I mentioned yesterday!! I hope you like it...I think he is pretty cute too!!

Also, if you missed it, go check out my DIY--Stretch Your Own Canvas at the Birds of a Feather Girls blog!

Jason really likes him...I think he named the penguin 'Franklin'....A proud 'papa'...hehe...

Blog Candy Update

I just want to say thanks to everyone who has posted a link to my site letting others know about my 1 Year Blogaversary and the sweet blog candy I am giving away. Also, I took a few pictures of individual items in the blog candy to boost your appetite to win. Remember, you only have to post a comment on that original post in order for your name to go into the drawing. Also, if you post a link letting others know, and you mention it in your post I will throw your name in twice.

This sweet card set has only been opened so that I can give you a good photo of all the card bases and envelopes that come in the fantastic box!




These robot stickers are da bomb! The little robot lights up...you can barely see it here, but you will love it!



And here are the cards you will be getting with your blog candy reward if your name is chosen:



Also, just for fun I made this little canvas for my scrap room. It has such a summer feeling and it incorporates some of my favorite patterned papers and favorite summer trends including: triangle banners, pinwheels, and clouds. If you have never made a pinwheel before, you should totally try it. It would be fun to make with your kids if you are home with them this summer.


You could use the cutting guide win any pretty paper and then use a straight pin and a pencil with a new eraser as the stick to hold the pinwheel up and it should spin when they blow on it. I glued these to the canvas and used rolled up strips of paper as the stick, but they would be really cute on a card or summer scrapbook page! I try to change up the normal tendency to always use a flower for everything.

I guess I will get back to work...I signed up for a Christmas in July card swap and I am trying to come up with a good design...but I am failing miserably!! UGH!

Anyway, I hope this inspires you today! Have a great day!!

Sometimes I paint...and sometimes I organize!

Hey Everyone!! Sorry it has been so quiet around here!! I am enjoying my vacation!! I have officially had 3 days off and I have been completing projects around the house. Basic chores are mostly caught up like laundry and dishes but its the big ones like cleaning out my drawers, closets and organizing the bathroom that have taken up most of my time.

I found this really great birdcage jewelry stand at the mall, perfect for my earrings!!



Here is one project you might enjoy. I saw this on a blog somewhere, it is not my original idea, but it is something you might enjoy! Basically, this is a shoe organizer that has been filled up with various cords, chargers and other electronic things that don't have a home (like calculators, my iPod and accessories!). I have a small house with very little cabinet/drawer/closet space so something like this is wonderful for keeping things organized.


I created labels in Word and printed them off on cardstock. I used a couple of punches and some eyelets tied on with hemp to create the perfect label tags. I did have to put an eyelet in each of the pockets, but it went really quick with my Crop-a-Dile.

Some things do not need a label so they are just stamped with a cute 1" stamp. I am thinking about putting some pattered paper in each pouch so it looks more decorative, but I haven't quite decided yet.



Finally, I know it isn't a card, but sometimes I paint. I drug out a huge, old canvas from the basement last week. It is left over from college and I have been planning to paint over it for some time. So, Monday night I decided to paint something that I like! Here is my giant owl painting! It is finished an in my living room!!




What should I name him?

Check back later this month...it is my ONE YEAR BlogAversary and I will have some prizes for you to win!! Thanks for reading, as always your comments are welcome and appreciated!!

GREEN Christmas Creation

Last night, I had all my supplies laying around that I had used to make my canvas with images from recycled cards. I wanted to make another canvas, but I didn't have any that were blank so I decided to come up with something. I have been really thinking about ways I can reuse packages and products. This blog gave me a really good idea. I looked around my craft room and spotted a box flat. I use these constantly to store scraps and art supplies at school. They are free and reusable over and over again. I remember one time in college I had to set up an Art Interest Center as a place to hold art supplies that could be changed throughout the year. I used a cardboard box and my teacher actually told me that I should invest in a tote. I remember thinking....a cardboard box is free...and recycled....now they are my most basic staple as a teacher. I use them to cart materials from school to school and as glitter trays. They are free!! Anyway, sorry to rant. Here is the box I had at home.



I decided to cover it with some Martha Stewart paper. I have several rolls that I got on clearance last year. I used those sheets of sticky dots on the large flat side of the box and then folded it over and taped it inside the box. I learned how to fold the paper like this in college when making canvases. Nothing too fancy, but it is just tucking the corners in without cutting them.


I had a bunch of shapes left over from the canvas. I used my Martha Stewart craft punch to cut them out. It was the exact perfect shape to fit inside the bottle cap. When I was thinking of how to arrange them on the canvas, I remembered a really cool technique I had seen on Alli Edwards site from 2007 using bottle caps. I ran to the kitchen.....and scattered all over the counter tops (did I mention that I had a Christmas Party Saturday night and I spent Sunday working in my craft room rather than cleaning.)



Anyway, nearly 2 dozen bottle caps littered the counter tops so I grabbed them up and started arranging them. I put the little punched shapes from Christmas cards inside each one. I could've added beads, glitter and gloss...but I liked how simple they were with the tiny image, and lots already had glitter. I arranged them in the shape of a Christmas tree, added glue dots and VIOLA!! A little Christmas masterpiece.





One other thing to help me hang it up. I used a glue dot on each end of this ribbon. The ribbon is from the a Christmas ornament package.



Anyway, file this in your idea box...It was so easy and almost made completely from re-useable products that you might have laying around.