Happy Birthday Austin

Yesterday was our youngest son's 7th birthday. Where does the time go. I know we all ask that question, but no one really seems to be able to come up with a good enough answer. I can't seem to get enough pictures or memorabilia to preserve these times. I wonder sometimes if I spend too much time behind the camera and not enough in front of it! To celebrate his birthday, I made this cake for him. He's all boy and loves his trucks, especially monster trucks. It was such an easy concept which my husband came up with, and even easier to put together. I baked a chocolate cake and covered it with chocolate icing. To make the dirt mounds, my husband and son crushed some cheap cars. I placed them in the bottom center of the cake, added some smashed cupcakes on both sides of it and covered it with ligther chocolate icing. Placed some monster trucks on the cake and around it and duh dah...a monster truck cake! The trucks were part of his birthday presents. He loved it! And so did the kids in his party. We celebrated it at a gymnastic center where they hold a ton of birthday parties too. The kids jumped on trampolines, climbed ropes, ran on bouncy tracks, and my favorite, swung from a rope and jumped into a deep pit filled with foam cubes. Watching them trying to get out of it was like wastching someone in quicksand. Shh... don't tell anyone, but if they would have let me, I'd have jumped in too! Ah, to be a child again, filled with such innocence, wonder and just sheer joy of the moment. Love you Austin.

Stampscape

Whenever I've used stamps by stampscape, I've always watercolored them. That took quite some time to get the colors I liked. This time I tried sponging the colors using various ranger inks and viola! A finished piece in a matter of minutes. Of course, I wouldn't want you to see my practise pieces! I've got three different stampscape stamps here: The background (trees/rocks/late), the little boat, and the circling birds.

I got a chance to play today with some new stamps

This is a new set from "Inkadinkadoo" I just got and am so in love with it. It's definitely my style. These ATCs are colored using ranger inks. The first witch is colored using just two colors while the second witch is using a few more. I really liked the more colorful card, but my DH wanted one with just blues and golds. So I did that one for him. I added all the little dots and some of the stars at the bottom.

I'm so excited!!

We have our local county fair this weekend. I've never entered anything in it before, but this year I decided to enter photos and some artwork. I entered a few for myself and three photos for my DS. Out of all my pics, I won 3rd place in the black and white category. It's a pic of the Abbey behind the Royal Palace in Edinborugh, Scotland. It was a rainy day and pretty overcast, but, the Palace and the Abbey was just gorgeous. I won 2nd place in all my other three entries. However, I didn't take any pics. As soon as I get them back, you know I'll be posting pics.

My son took the other two pics. One is of crimson tiger lillies taken at the Pike Market in Seattle and the other is one of the mountain ranges we saw during our cruise of Alaska. He entered the Junior categories for Nature and black White. He won First place in both categories! Here's the sweet part. He won the overall Junior Champion because of his pic of those tiger lillies.

For our first time ever entering any photo competition, I'm so thrilled. Now to enter a few more!

Are you an Artist or a Crafter

To be or not to be, an Artist or a Crafter. That is the question or in some cases the dilemma. I ponder this question often when I'm signing my work. Am I really an artist, or a crafter. I've painted, stamped, stitched, sculpted and glued most of my adult life. I've worked with wood, canvas, cloth, clay and paper... So, who am I and what is really the difference. I think I've finally figured it out. Perspective. In the eye of the creator and in the eye of the beholder. By definition from Webster dictionary, a crafter is someone who is a creator of great skill in the manual arts. An artist is a person who creates art. Having read that definition and countless others, I can see why it's clear as mud what the differences are! In one definition I read, the difference was the formal training between the craftsman and the artist. Now, that I think might be the true difference. If I'd gone to a four year collage and majored in art, would I then have the confidence to call myself an artist. Not having done that, does that then mean I'm any less of an artist. I think not. I did years of "craft shows", some of which were juried "art shows". I spent countless hours improving my skills. I sign all my artwork because it's my creation. So I must be an Artist. Now does that make me any less of a craftsman. Well, going by the definition, I create with great skill in the manual arts. So here's my Ah Ha moment, I must be a Crafty Artist! lol

I Love Your Blog Award

I received this fantastic award from Jan. It's an incredible feeling to know that not only did a friend stop by and leave a comment, but they left you an award too. Thank you. I'd like to pass this award along to some of my favorite bloggers:

Kim: She has a very creative and eclectic style. Her collages are beautiful and look so effortless. Unless, of course, I'm trying to do it! I've got one of her ATCs as a magnet on my refrigerator and just love it.

Ethel: I absolutely think she's the queen of vintage. Her cards are timeless and elegant.

Christie: She always seems to be experimenting with something new and fun. Due to Ike, she's had some damage, but I pray that she'll be back and creating very soon.

Beth: She's always got terrific tutorials on her blog. They're easy to follow and her examples are fantastic.

Julie: I just love her journals. They're fun and quirky. Definitely an artistic style I gravitate towards.

Debbie: She does fantastic coloring and her monday comics are a must check.

Deborah: I think her cards are always so polished! I'd case everyone if I could.

Here are the instructions for award recipients:

1. Pick 7 of your favorite blogs
2. Winners can put the logo on their blog.
3. Link the person who gave your award to your blog.
4. Name the 7 that you are giving the award to with their links.
5. Leave a message on their blogs so that they know they've won!

Sunflower Fun

Sunflowers are my favorite flower. I painted this for a friend of mine as part of a swap. I wanted to make this special for her, so rather than stamping one or collaging it, I painted this one. I loved this card. Wish I'd painted one for myself too! Ethel at "The Paper Quilter", had a link on her site where you can turn your art into even more fun art. I tried the Andy Warhol look with mine. Not too shabby, I think. It was a lot of fun experimenting. Here's the link to the site. http://www.photofunia.com/. You never know how yours will turn out.

September's Collage-A-thon

I joined a group of traders that do a Collage-A-thon nearly every month. For September, I really thought I'd get a lot of cards done. Afterall, it was a 3 day weekend. But as holiday weekends usually go, everyone seemed to have plans that included me. My oldest had an all day concert he went to. Once out, seemed like DH and the youngest DS had shopping plans and lunch plans. I did manage to get some time and make just four ATCs on Saturday. These are all made from wall paper cutouts, stamping and punches. The backgrounds are colored with inks. Not quite traditional collages, I think, but fun nevertheless. I have a ton of mess on my table expecting to make more on Sunday or Monday, but again, things were planned with other family members, and I just didn't get to my table to play at night. Oh well, now I'll have more cutouts and items ready to play with for the next one!