My Armoire

I got it from our neighbors about 4 years ago ($7). Probably had it for a good year before I did anything with it.



1 Spring weekend, hubs and I replaced the wood back, added a wood panel to the big door and I think we also had to put a top on it.

I painted the main part chartreuse and the drawers an off white. The inside is a bright, hot pink.

I took my bamboo stencil and added bamboo to the piece (front and sides).



I liked it, but it was a bit bright for my tastes...I took watered down brown and aged the piece. The pink is still just as bright (a lil surprise when you open it).



*please ignore the mess.

Friendship *hehehehe*

Look what hubs bought me, hehehehe ($2).

*Sexy Pink Passion* GIVEAWAY!

This is my 1st giveaway. I'm a little nervous. So, be gentle ;)





This is a 3D, mixed media art piece, I did back in 2008.

It started out as a sketch of a rose and morphed into this. It is 10"x 10" canvas, polymer clay, tissue paper and red eyelash yarn.
*colors: orange, pink, magenta, and red*
There is a small, black border on it - it measures 10 1/2" x 10 1/2".



I love this piece - sadly, it has been tucked away in the closet. *tisk, tisk*

Here is how you enter:

1) Become a follower of my blog.
2) Follow me on Facebook 'StarvnRtist' (you can find the badge at the bottom of my blog).
3) Tweet or blog about my giveaway.
4) Leave a comment below on why you would like this piece.

The winner will be announced in 1 week (February 4, 2011)

Whomever wins this, I hope that you truly enjoy it. :)

***Lower 48 Only***

Now, Let's Do This! *grunts*

More Stencils

Here are a few more of my stencils that I have made.

Bamboo - I did an art piece for hubs with this, also our living room wall and my armoire (I got that for free from our neighbor. Had to sturdy it up and then painted. It looks nothin' like it did when we first got it).

Also, the furniture piece that these are taped to is a hoosier cabinet. We bought that for $50, 10 yrs ago - moved it with us from here to there and finally brought it up from Alabama, it is now my art station.

The boot, I made this past July for Relay for Life. Our team stenciled it onto all of our shirts - the theme was Give Cancer the Boot.



Yes, I even made Twilight stencils (I wanted something of my own - not something that 1000s of other girls/women have), I even have the Pack tat. I can add the stencils to whatever and then write what I want (I have my luggage that has these on it - nobody can confuse my luggage for theirs).


And - my 70's disco dancers. I love these.

1st Estate Sale of the New Year

I've been rather jealous reading some of ya'll going to estate sales. Here, in Winter, they typically wait til Spring to do anything. Hubs called me this morning and told me there was an estate sale...Better check it out.

Here are a few pictures of their treasures.


Also-


Even had-


And then-

Salt and Pepper shakers.


So, I picked up Jack (bobble head) for a girlfriend of mine ($.60).


They said there is more that they will put out tomorrow, will see if I go. I had Sprout with me today and I wasn't enjoying myself because his lil fingers have to touch, touch, touch, touch, touch *screams*.

*I asked if they had any Pyrex and she told me 'what I have I still use' Darn!

FEAR

* I will add the picture only After I finish with this blog.

I honestly, do not know where this fear came from. I know ma was fearful of them (maybe that 's it? IDK).

Down South we have these things called Banana Spiders *shivers*, they are Huge (check the picture)!

1 day when I was about 6 years old, I went to our laundry room (it was attached to the house, but the only door was accessible via the patio). I opened the door (I guess I shut it too? or it closed due to wind or the dog? IDK) I stepped back into the door and turned - facing the door I see this web that spanned the entire door! With it's owner perched directly in the center *shivers*. I scream...go running inside and told ma - she proceeded to jam a towel under the living room door so it wouldn't come get us.

When I was 18, I was at my Dojo (I practice Shorinji Kempo). The Dojo was on a nice big property with woods in the back. I went walking threw the woods only to walk right into a tendril of a web, suddenly I see this thing scurry down said tendril. I step back quickly, it didn't get me, but for the remainder of that day, I would swear to you that it was perched on the back of my neck.

Another time at the Dojo - at the entrance by the driveway were 3 large Pine trees, they made up a triangle (15ft square/triangle), there was a web that connected all 3 trees. I had never seen one so big! *ugh*

I have actually broken down crying because hubs did not take my fear seriously (he still doesn't).

What is it that make spiders so terrifying? Is it the eyes? The 8 legs? The fact that some are poisonous? The fangs? The fact that some could crawl up your arm or leg and you wouldn't even feel it? Or is it that some are so big that the mere site of them have your heart doing palpitations? For me...it's all of these and then some. I see a spider on my index finger, with all 8 legs wrapped around overlapping one another. Or fangs suddenly rearing back and then striking and piercing the skin. It doesn't matter how small or how big a spider is...they are all the same to me - 8 legs, beady lil eyes, fangs - All. The. SAME.

What prompted this post? There is a big, (like I said, big or small they are all the same) black spider (Not a widow) by my living room window (it found a gap there) - I told hubs before he took off for work, but he claims he couldn't find it. So, here I sit....I see it peek it's beady lil eyes out - I know it is waiting for me to get a lil too close before it pounces.

This is my fear. I put it out there for all my readers (all 52 of you) to read.

*shivers*

Asian Chicken, Mmm

I just love this dish! It's simple and refreshing and oh so yummy (add more it's all up to you).

This here is diced chicken, English cucumber and an avocado.

The dressing (EVERYTHING to taste):
honey
pepper
red pepper flake
sesame seed oil
red wine vinegar
mustard (whatever type mustard you prefer)
lemon juice
ginger powder (or fresh)
minced garlic (or powder)
minced onion (or powder)
soy sauce
olive oil
my 'new' extra ingredient:

CAREFUL it's HOT! I use about 1 tsp

You have to try this! Mmm....mouth watering.

Do You See What I See?

No it isn't 'junk'.

I see a bookcase or 2. Or a bookcase and?????

I am in need of a tall dresser, but it can't be any wider than 28".

My neighbor had this dresser on her front porch (sitting out in the weather for a week now). I drive by, see it on the porch all by itself (sad). I asked if I could have the dresser (she clearly didn't want it). Problem - it's too wide for what I need it for (35").

Last night it came to me...BOOKCASE! I would love to have a real bookcase.

It's going to be a bit before I can actually act on it (my idea), because it has been sitting out in the weather for a week; like I said before 'I live in Winter'.

If ya'll haven't noticed, I like to create with my hands.

Recycle & Reuse

AmysVintageStuff

Updating my etsy shop, lots of 'new' items. Hows 'bout ya'll mosey on over and check it out. http://www.etsy.com/amysvintagestuff

I'm in Love with these Birds

A couple years ago I painted the living room. 3 walls are this beautiful, peaceful, refreshing, cucumber green (the light green after you slice it open) and the accent wall is a pretty, poppy red/pink (I have a girlfriend that calls it the watermelon room).

I made a bamboo stencil and put that on the red wall (the plan was to lighten the red just a smidge to stand out from the wall color - do you know what happens when you add too much white to red?)That's right, the bamboo is a pale pink. But I like it and surprisingly, hubs likes it too.

After 2 years, I figure I wanted to add some life to the bamboo. Might as well put those bird stencils to good use (I also made 3 smaller ones). All in all this was about a 30 min job (making new stencils, taping to wall, mixing paint color, painting over stencils).







*I taped a few pictures to our bedroom door (frames just collect dust)



I know I said that I would only add 3 birds to the wall...well, 3 turned into 5.





What do you think?

SING with Me, no really, Sing with Me

Special alert, special alert...Timmy its Timmy, he's a little lamb with a lot to learn...Bend and twist, just like that, Each of us has a special job...M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E...We work together -- todos juntos.....Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog...It's the Mickey Mouse Club House....Dance-A-Lot...Come inside, it's fun inside...Special alert, special alert...M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E....Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog.

*in fetal position, rocking back and forth...chanting*

Beautiful.

Our sunset.

Today was Bittersweet

I put a little heart in the tower for my clients daughter to find...it didn't take her long.



A couple of up close shots. I added pearl to the boarder, it stands out so much more and when the sun hits it...



I toned down the yellow, by adding a few white flowers and a few blue. The horses have more detail. Added a few cobblestones too.

It only took me 3 hours to finish. To. Finish! I'm DONE! What will I do now?



Just as I was 'wrapping it up' (packing everything away), I got a text message from my brother...my uncle David (ma's lil brother), passed away this morning. He has had health issues. We have lost several people on that side of the family in the past year and a half.

Like I said, Bittersweet.

Jack of All Trades, Master of None

This is the final product of the marshmallow fondant cake. My writing, well...sucks, (hence the title) but have you ever tried to write with a bag of icing and a small tip?
I am most proud of the flowers and the diploma.

IF you decide to try the fondant, my only tip would be to make it and use it the same day. I made mine yesterday and it was a bit of a headache to get it rolled out nice and flat (it was stiff and I had to add a lil water and work that in, before it gave in to what I was asking it to do).

I ask that you be kind when critiquing this (this is my first time playing with fondant).

*I was told that this fondant would not dry enough. But if you roll it out nice and thin, it will dry (mind you still mildly pliable - the petals would move if you tried, but not snap off).

*it wasn't a very large cake, but I wasn't trying to feed an Army....just a few folks. I baked in 2 - 8"x8" (vintage Pyrex) brownie pans. I cut the second layer in half and placed that on the first.

Figured I Would Try Something 'New'

*back story*

Back when my older brother and I were in elementary school; the school would hold contests to raise money. Mom would always sign us (me and brother) up for the cake decorating. Mom would make a cake for each of us and also one for herself. She would decorate her cake (making icing from scratch, I use the same recipe today), and my brother and I would have to copy her design onto our cake ourselves (draw what you see, only with icing). Wanna know what, we (brother and I) always won the contest.

***WARNING, picture heavy*** (sorry for the quality of the pictures, I took with my phone).

After 12 years, I have a girlfriend graduate college. Another girlfriend of mine asked if I would make a cake for her party.

Now, I could do the same ol' same ol' with the super sweet sugar icing, but I wanted to try something different. FONDANT (wipe that look off your face). I, too, hate fondant (and I can't for the life of me figure out why people would spend $$$-$$$$ for a cake that they will just pull off all the fondant/decoration).

I have a friend that told me about homemade marshmallow fondant, she said it is really easy to make and a lot cheaper than buying the fondant at the store.

What you need is: bag of mini marshmallows, a microwave safe bowl, powdered sugar and a few drops water.

Nuke marshmallows til melted (stir with plastic spatula. If there are still a few 'solid' marshmallows - nuke for another 40 sec).


Mix in 4 cups powdered sugar.



Stir. When it is somewhat 'together', pour out onto a powdered sugar covered cutting board. Knead and then knead some more.



When it no longer sticks, wrap in plastic wrap (I cut off a small portion 'cause I wanted to make decorations).



Roll it out nice and thin. If you think it is thin enough...roll it out even more.



Using a tip (I don't know what size) and started cutting lots of little circles.



This is a really blurry, up close shot of my 'flower', using 5 circles (using my index finger - I flattened out half the circle). Using a drop of water 'glue' I combined 5 and with a toothpick with a lil drop of fondant to the tip, I stuck it threw the 'flower'.



These last 2 pictures are the finished product for today (I still have to add color to the flowers and ribbon (around the diploma). I plan to leave it all out so it will have plenty of time to dry (before I color and then eventually add to the cake).





My girlfriend is from Southern California, so the flower I chose to imitate is a tropical flower (has 5 petals and is white with a yellow center - I don't know the name).

Birds 2 (creative title, huh?)

1st, you will need a rug (this here, is a used rug I got off FreeCycle). A brush, acrylic paint (dries fast) and stencil or painters tape (straight lines/geometric shapes).

Mind you, I added way more birds than were stains (cause, you know...that would just be gross).

*the rug is about 7'x4'



It had a few stains (nothing paint can't cover up).



A few birds.



A couple more...



What do you think?



I can reuse these stencils. I already have a wall crying out for a few birds (literally, like 3) and maybe some shirts?

*you could also spray paint, but you would need to do this outside (I live in Winter so this was not an option for me) and you will also need to tape-off more (to prevent over spray).

***looking at it, I am not thrilled that I put that lil birdie on the bottom, but there is nothing I can do about it now...except, maybe hide it under the couch.

Birds!

I feel as though I have been neglecting this blog (and all of you), but to be fair, there hasn't been anything blog worthy going on in my life.

The castle is still yet to be finished (was suppose to work on it this past weekend, but something came up, their end) - cross fingers for this weekend.

Nothing new or interesting in the food department - wait...I started making loaded potato skins, but I left them in the oven at 420 for nearly 3 hours. Plan B, they would make nice, thick chips...yeah, no...no good there either.

The other night via FreeCycle I got a nice sisal rug (few stains). Thinking what I could paint over it to make it look unique/interesting. But WHAT would be interesting and unique???

Birds.

How about BIRDS.

Today, I spent a couple hours making bird stencils. Sketch image onto paper (you could also print it out at the size you want), lay clear packing tape on the front and back (to cover the entire image) and using an exacto knife (CAREFULLY) cut it out.



*you could do freezer paper stencils, but once you iron it onto your 'canvas', I do not think you could use it again. It would be a one time deal.

These here, I can use over and over (attaching to said 'canvas' with painters tape).

CARS Mural

4 years ago.




When Hoss was just 3 and Sprout was on his way - I painted this in their room.

My boys (all 3, including Hubs) are All. About. Cars.

I am thinking I am ready to re-do the room, but this would be a major project. You see, the previous owners textured over the wallpaper and then painted (Yes, I put the mural right up over that). I have taken down all the wallpaper in all the other rooms and have re-plastered/painted. This Summer, I might finally tackle their room.

After the paper is down, after I re-plaster and prime. I 'think' I want to paint 3 solid walls and then 1 wall, paint street signs (I could just find and buy signs, but I would have much more fun actually painting them).

Matters picture is off, but that's just because of where I was standing when I took it.