Top 10 Blog Hop and Give-Away - 2013 Edition

Welcome to the Top 10 Blog Hop - 2013 Edition.  You should have arrived from Laurel Seabrook's BLOG.  I am thrilled to be hopping along with many of my scrappy friends this year and am so glad you are joining us!  In fact, I am so thrilled that I will be having a little give-away (more on that at the end of this post).  

I loved looking back at the projects I created this year.  I tried to narrow them down to my favorite 10, I really did!  But, the closest I could get my favorites narrowed down was to a "lucky" 13, which just happens to correspond with the year.  So, I went with it. I know - it's a Top 10 Blog Hop, and I am being a rebel and a rule-breaker; you aren't telling me anything my Grandmama didn't tell me at least a hundred thousand bejillion times growing up!  But the heart wants what the heart wants.  *smile*

So, without further ado, here are my Lucky 13 from 2013.  I included the link to each original post just in case you want more details or close-ups:

(HERE AND NOW created for a Practical Scrappers Frugal Finds Challenge, using American Crafts papers)

(THESE ARE THE DAYS created for the Two Peas CHA 13 Online Winter Social Challenge, using several Echo Park collections)

(HUGS AND KISSES created for the Practical Scrappers Pinterest Challenge, using Crate Paper's 14 Collection)

(LIVE INSPIRED created for a Practical Scrappers Sketch Challenge, using Studio Calico papers)

(PERFECTLY IMPERFECT created for a Practical Scrappers individual feature on using less-than-perfect photos, using Pebbles Seen and Noted Collection)

(THE JOURNEY created for Pretty Little Studio, using the Birthday Cake Collection)

(HELLO 13, created for a Pebbles Sketchy Thursday Challenge, using several Pebbles collections)

(FAMILY OF 4 created for Pretty Little Studio, using the Nature Walk Collection)

(BELIEVE YOUR DREAMS, created using Glitz Design papers)

(LIKE A SHINING STAR, created for a Pretty Little Studio sketch challenge, using Woodland Christmas papers)

(FOLLOW THE LEADER created for a Practical Scrappers sketch challenge using Pink Paislee's Hey Kid Collection)

(DEAR SANTA...PLEASE STOP HERE created for the My Mind's Eye "Dear Santa" challenge, using a couple of My Mind's Eye collections)

(OH CHRISTMAS TREE, created as a mixed media tutorial for Pretty Little Studio, using the Woodland Christmas Collection)

Whew!  Are you still with me?  If you are, you may have noticed that several of my projects feature Pretty Little Studio papers.  I have been extremely fortunate to be on the Pretty Little Studio design team and love, love, LOVE their products.  So, if you are a follower of my blog AND leave me a comment telling me which layout you like best from my Lucky 13, then I will choose a winner by random drawing on Monday, December 30th to receive a $20 gift certificate to the PRETTY LITTLE STUDIO STORE!!!

Ready to keep blogging?  Your next stop is KERRI YARUS. 

Here is the entire list (just in case you get lost).  Happy hopping!!!

Monika Wright  

Christine Meyer

Suzanna Lee 

Ashley Horton  

Jodi Wilton 

Lisa Swift

Cathy Harper

Marcia Dehn-Nix

Lynn Shokoples

Lissa Mitchell

Juliana Michaels  

Melissa Elsner 

Charissa Miller  

Kelly Jean 

Ashley N Newell

Jennifer Haggerty

Laurel Seabrook  

Krissy Clark McKee - THAT'S ME!!!!!!!!!

Kerri Yarus 

Rhonda Van Ginkel 

Malika Kelly

Oh Christmas Tree - Pretty Little Studio

I've got a super easy and, I think, super cute project up on the Pretty Little Studio BLOG today.  If you are looking for a home-made Christmas present or maybe have a spot in your house that needs an extra bit of Christmas decor, this fast and easy project is for you!  How easy is it?  My 4 year old assistant had a wonderful time helping me make it - 'nuff said!

One of the things I like about this project is that it was made from an old piece of home decor that I got for a steal at Hobby Lobby.  It was on the "we're getting ready to throw this away if you don't buy it for this super reduced price clearance aisle" and was much, much cheaper than getting an unfinished wood piece from the craft section.  

See?  Anyone who knows me knows I love good coffee; however, this wood sign did not work with my decor.  So, I had no problem applying two coats of white acrylic paint over everything as a start to my project.

All papers and die cuts used are from the Pretty Little Studio WOODLAND CHRISTMAS COLLECTION and include these pieces:

Merry & Bright Flair;

Woodland Christmas Fir Tree 8x8 Paper;

Woodland Christmas In a Pear Tree 8x8 Paper;

Woodland Christmas Peppermint Bark 8x8 Paper;

Woodland Christmas Pinecone Potpourri 8x8 Paper;

Woodland Christmas Starry Night 8x8 Paper;

Woodland Christmas Twinkling Lights 8x8 Paper;

Prancer Vintage Die Cut; and

Red Birds Vintage Die Cuts.

Here are a couple of close-ups so you can see how my assistant and I "decorated" my tree:

Want to see my tutorial for making this?  You do?  Then simply click on this LINK for the Pretty Little Studio Blog!  

Happy Four-Days-To-Go-Until-Christmas.  Hope you and your loved ones are escaping a little of the hustle and bustle and are building happy memories together!!!

Funky Mixed Media (using Lori Whitlock)

Happy Monday everybody!  I was looking at Lori Whitlock's cutting files, which are all so wonderful and perfect for everyday home decor and projects.  But, this time, rather than doing the "usual thing" I decided to challenge myself and do something a little different (that I have been wanting to do for a LONG time) - a mixed media canvas.

First, since I didn't have a clue where to start (other than by looking at all the great projects on Pinterest), I let my fingers take me over to Youtube where I found a very helpful TUTORIAL on how to make a background on my Canvas. 

Next, I headed over to Lori's STORE, where I found her Summer Icons and Water Titles files, which were exactly what I needed for my mermaid art.

After I Gessoed and painted my background, I applied a Gel Medium to the backs of my shapes and stuck them in place.  I then brushed more Gel Medium over the tops of my shapes; it dries clear so I didn't have to worry about the vibrant colors of my papers getting diminished one little bit.    I used American Crafts papers this time because I wanted something super bright that would match my daughter's room.

My mermaid was a LOT of fun to make!  First, because I DO NOT DRAW WELL AT ALL, I found a simple image of a mermaid that I converted to black and white and printed out.  Next, I cut out a picture of my youngest child's head, and I simply glued it on top of the mermaid.  I wanted her tail to have scales so I used my paper hole punch and punched and punched and...punched some more.  Then I layered and layered and layered until I got just the right look I wanted.  I painted in spots around the body to help blend it into the painting.  The crown was hand-drawn (about the extent of my drawing skills) and added last.  Here's another close-up of the tale - because it took me for-ev-er to do...

And here are some close-ups of Lori's files that were used on my canvas...

And that's it for today.  Now it's your turn.  Go ahead - take a chance - do something you've never done before!  Go on!  I dare you!