Cottage Hill: Making An Entry Where There Isn't One...

....you have to check this gal out...she created a very inventive "entry"...all i can say is WOW

Cottage Hill: Making An Entry Where There Isn't One...

Carter's bday card

so...Carter had his bday...and we just did our traditional "date"...which consists of dinner out (kid's choice)...he chose Provino's...a "rather" fine Italian restaurant...we tell him he is our "classy" kid...the rest of them are McDonald's/Chick Fila kind of kiddos...but it was yummy, for sure...then onto the quest of his gift!...after a few different stops he settled on the idea of a digital camera in..yes...blue...his choice...again...we TRY very hard to give em what they want!..within the budget constrictions, of course...(poo)...

here was his homemade card....it is easy to come up with something for the girls...but now that he is getting older..i am stretching my imagination to not be "babyish" or "girlish"...

i downloaded an image from my computer...and cut it out for the pattern....i then used it to cut 3 layers of cardboard and cardstock...gluing all the peices together...i also made extra peices for the tail, legs, arms and face...(i made the face a slightly different color)

here's the side view so you can see how it is standing up...you can see the little tab between the dinasaur and the flap which keeps it from spreading completely open and falling down....

so...remember...you can take any image and turn it into  a card....

ENJOY

Little Emma English Home

what picture do you evoke in your mind when you hear or read ENGLISH COUNTRSIDE?

isn't it just fun to think about it...dream????  wonder????  go there????

well...if you are like me...you probably won't have a chance to find out in person...but why not PRETEND???

i found this absolutely delightful blog with pictures galore for you to "dream" thru....ENJOY!!!

Little Emma English Home

life just happens

hey bloggies...those of you who are left...i know..i have fallen on the job ...not literally..figuratively...i am going thru another one of those.."life happens" time in my/our lives...these kind of days drain me of all energy, creativity and passion...i pray they will leave soon...hey..a good job for Larry would help!  ha!

God knows...and HE is the one and only Solid Rock we have, for sure!!

but because i am feeling "guilty".........i am going to give you some of my paper dolls for you to do what you want with...have fun...you for sure might get addicted!  Have a wunnerful weekend!

Living Water PH Test Training by Karina Harris

Please watch this excellent video demonstrating our living water machine...are YOU drinking healthy?...this will make you WANT to!..if you want to learn more about it...please click here, on our personal
website
http://www.ecobusiness.com/clsystems/overview-water-info

try this...why dontcha????

hey!...here is a tutorial for you!...Amanda has a FAB site and she is just a little cutie pie with all kinds of things up her proverbial sleeve!!!...i just think this is such a great idea...too bad i don't wear chandies!!

she also has about a JILLION free fonts you can download into your font folder and they are so so adorable...you HAVE to check her entire blog out...but beware...she will keep you busy for hours upon hours upon hours....enjoy!

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/whatsnew/our-home/tutorial-shabby-chic-dangly-earring-display.html

craft therapy

today i am going to post pics of recent and some not so recent gifts and crafts i have made...i always think about doing a how to tutorial...but never get around to taking pics step by step...that is another..some day....some day....

this is actually a little project i finished today...i started it last week from a similar idea i saw on Etsy..i just fell in heart with it.....and have always been drawn to clothespins!...i think those of you who have kept up with me..already KNOW this little obsession of mine...i love the old fashion plain ones too!...i have two containers full of those from Larry's mother...they are precious to me..i enjoy just displaying them in clear containers...but i would like to do some fun stuff with them too...

i have packaged these litle clothespinnies in a clear , flat package...with a header...actually this is a little baby gift for a sweet new baby girl...what are they for?  i don't know!...anything!...i am thinking baby socks..pictures..whatever your imagination tells you..got any ideas? if small magnets were added on the back with glue...they would be great note holders on a magnetic surface or magnet board...which would be cute in a baby room too!...

i painted the clothespins...(that gets a bit tricky, truthfully...but i did find that putting a small skewer in between the clip part...helps keep the painting simpler...after the paint dries i then covered only the top with modpodge...and sprinkled coarse glitter on top...let dry...

then i glued these darling little paper roses on the top...i purchased these...but they can be made...like the little gift tag...i made that one and glittered that too....i have seen many other ideas using clothespins..and am anxious to try more...

here is a birthday card i made for my bff, Diana when we traveled to Iowa in April...the flower on the front is a fabric flower...sooo sooo much fun to do!...lots of glitter and gems...in other words...Bling!...

here is the birthday card i did for Hope....it is a vintage image paper doll that i have collected , and i manipulate it on the computer to the size i want (in an artist program)...and print it off...i then back it with two to three layers of cardstock, with the back piece being something that coordinates with the color combo..i use a scrapbook glue to adhere these pieces...in this instance i made her clothes out of patterned scrapbook paper...and embellished with trim...she is holding our traditional coupon we give the kids...the second picture is the back..you see i have made a stand also..so she can stand on a table top..

and here are some herb pots i made for some birthday presents...i took a rose pot, purchased at Michael's..and painted with patio paint for endurance...(and the saucer)......i then took blackboard paint and painted a strip to title the seeds in the pot...i also took potting soil and packaged in a strong plastic bag..tying it with a bow..then i tucked the seed packets into the side...SIMPLE and INEXPENSIVE!

last, but not least..i have posted one of my first mixed media paintings...the little character is Dotty Jean...after my mom...she is my favorite character of all...i will show you another one some other day!!!...mixed media is a blast...i just wonder why i don't do it more??????????????....it is becuz i am divided into too many ways...i want to do a little of everything...and sometimes i don't get anything done...sound familiar???

well...happy crafting peeps...

my seven year old MOM!

here is a picture of my Mom when she was 7 yrs old!...it was taken in 1937!!!...isn't it so sweet?  i doctored it up a bit on Picnik...her maiden name was Dorothy Jean Krieger...i call her Dotty Jean...(she was called Dot in highschool by her bff's!  :)........how adorable and vintage is THAT??????????

Happy Birthday dear U.S. of A !

Happy Fourth!...feel free to copy and paste these vintage images!

Holy Cow

okay...so today my goal was to get into my nearly not able to get into studio....and start organizing it....for the one hundred millionth time...and if you think i am exaggerating......you are WRONG....it was truly impassable...and if you know me..i am organizedly challenged...so, as i said...for the one hundred millionth ...and a HALF times...i started in there...NOW, you must know...as a christian and lover of Jesus...i cannot take on huge challenges without God's help...soooooooooooo....for the one hundred and millionth and a half time...i started by asking the Lord to give me direction..where to start...endurance..patience and DIRECTION...and as always before (you know how many times).....HE directs me to start with ONE AREA...ONE SMALL TASK...and ONE STEP at a time....so i DID!.................WELL...i found a few things that have virtually been stored and untouched for well over 6-8 years...(sad, i know).......one of them was my box of dolls that i made so many moons ago...i had a wonderful doll business...(i will have to show you my PRESS coverage another day :) ).......that business basically kept my kids in Christian school...and also basically KILLED me...tho i loved it and loved the little characters that were born out of it............soooooooooooooo....i decided to pull out a few of my faves and give them a photo shoot for you.............here they are...my babies...born in my mind...drawn on paper...put into patterns...and sewed up...and hand painted by...well, you know...by yours truly....

...and then...i found THESE!!....now don't be alarmed...the picture looks almost...well...nazi-ish...but here is a pile of unfinished babies...their faces got painted and they have been naked and undone (huh....i must say...i kind of have that in common with them..that is how I FEEL...naked and undone..)  for many years!...BUT...i have great plans for this little pile...and it will include YOU...cuz i am going to offer them up for sale...just not sure WHEN that is gonna get done...and yes..i know...hey...i hear you...i know what you are thinking...yeah...they'll get done when...**** freezes...well, my friend...i hope to prove you wrong...i am just getting fired up!

and the OTHER pile of stuff i found that i have NO IDEA  WHY or WHEN i bought them is this:

good grief Charlie Brown...they are plastic water holder thingies...i have a TON of them...what to do...oh what to do with them........i just KNOW something wonderful could be done...and i smell a contest coming on....so hold on peeps...HOLD ON!!...and when there is a contest...there is a PRIZE...and the prize just might include one of those little naked dolls!!!....