Updates AND Some Exciting News!

Lots going on here in my crazy life.  Right now, I'm home sick with laryngitis and an upper respiratory infection.  I have no voice and if you caught me on Tuesday night on Helmar Live on Ustream you heard the beginnings of my downfall.  I had a froggy voice then but now it's almost gone completely!  Not fun for me!  It's impossible to teach with no voice so I'm home resting and hoping to get back to it tomorrow. 

While I've been fighting this illness, I am catching up on some work. I have some exciting news to share...

1) I am a new Helmar USA Online Educator DT member!  I will be hosting one Tuesday Ustream class a month and blog postings on the Helmar USA blog!  If you missed last Tuesday's class, you can catch the recorded version.  Don't judge the voice or lack of energy that I portrayed!  I will be much more energetic next time... may kids and hubby were also being noisy!  I need to find another location to hide out during my Live time!

2) On the homefront, I am so excited to announce that we are remodeling our gross kitchen!  Okay, it's not that gross... I mean we do clean it, but it's old, cabinets are breaking, and the appliances are original to our move in 13 years ago!  I am so ready to have the kitchen of my dreams!  I picked out cabinets and I know I'm going to LOVE LOVE LOVE them.... Quarter Sawn Oak cabinets with Stainless Steel appliances!  This is not our kitchen but an image that I found online that inspired my choices! The cabinets will look the same as here. I am not getting a double oven though... just don't need it but I love the stainless look!  We have to pick out Quartz countertops, tile backsplash  and appliances but mostly we have the design done!  I'm so happy!!  Merry Christmas to us... it should be done by then!

Okay, now to share some new artwork!   I have been a busy crafter...

The Wheel In The Sky Keeps Turning

One of my layouts for October's Scrapbooking From the Inside Out's Journey kit.  I used the lyrics from a Journey song for this one.  The photo is from my trip to Italy last year.  It was a store front window display.  All the paper airplanes were made with maps!  LOVE that!  So I loved the kraft circle flowers and craft letters with this!

An altered paper mache pumpkin using Faber-Castell Stamper's Big Brush pens and Rubber Cafe stamps.  I also used puffies paint from The Rubber Cafe!  So fun!

One more to share...

I created the pieces on this with Black Gesso on Mixed media paper.  Once dry, I drew designs with a Stamper's Big White Pen and White Colored Pencil!  I love this pen from Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft! It's opaque and awesome! I cut up the design into different sized pieces and created a shingle look.  I added some Jenni Bowlin kraft tags and Tim Holtz words.  This is one of my favorite pages!  I was inspired by this Pinterest image.   This artist does amazing work!  I was so inspired by their work!

Thanks for letting me share my work and fun news!  Hope I get my voice back soon!  
BTW... I picked a winner from the World Card Making Day post and it's Marianne!  Email me your addy for a Gelatos set!

Blog Hop...

 Today’s the start of the blog hop between Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft and 100 Proof Press!  We’re very excited for our first collaboration with them! Hop with us today for a blog hop packed with inspiration and techniques!

I'm going to share my project with you!  I created a piece of mixed media artwork using a piece of 12 x12" cardboard.

 

 "Nevermore" by Jen Matott

 First I traced a crow shape on the cardboard.  I stamped the Japanese Script stamp  and Four Gears from 100 Proof Press using the Stamper's Big Brush pen in black.

 I also stamped the 100 Proof Press Favorite Feather stamp twice using Stamper's Big Brush Pen in Black again. I used a craft knife to cut around the images just through the top layer of the cardboard.  I peeled away the top layer to reveal the texture corragated part.

 In the top left corner, I stamped the Flock of Crows, Single Crow, and Church Window.  I colored in the window with Stamper's Big Brush Pens in several colors and added bling in the center.

 A doily with gears (from Prima) were added for interest.

 The top right corner was colored with Design Memory Craft Gelatos®  in Metallic Blueberry and Metallic Grape.  I added water and let it drip.  I stamped the word "Nevermore" with the Prima Press and Stamper's Big Brush pen.  I also poked holes on either side of the crow and treaded some twine through.  I tied a gear, key and  Tim Holtz pen nib with a crow feather glued to it.

I added a few words and bling to finish it off!

 I hope you enjoyed my artwork!  I LOVED working with 100 Proof Press stamps! They are so awesome!  The selection of images is huge and unique... Make sure you check out their site!

We also have prizes for those who participate.  Be sure to visit leave a comment on my blog and  each designer’s blogs along the way.  When you’re finished, comment on the company’s blogs to be eligible for the following great prizes:

Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft will be giving away a $40 prize pack, and 100 Proof Press will be giving away a $30 gift certificate! 

Want an extra chance to win some prizes?  Tweet Design Memory Craft at @DesignMemCraft about a technique you learned on the hop for a chance to win their NEW Stamper’s Big White Pen!  Or "like" 100 Proof Press’s Facebook page for a chance to win the calendar you saw on this hop!

The blog hop will be open until midnight on October 26th, and the winners will be announced on October 29th on Faber-Castell’s blog/twitter.

Your next stop will be at Tracy Evans's blog.  Thanks for visiting my blog!

START:
100 Proof Press: http://www.100proofpress.com/_blog/Blog
Tiffany Johnson:  http://iheartartblog.com/
Jennifer: http://justjingle.blogspot.com/
Jen Matott:  <---------YOU ARE HERE!
Tracy Evans: http://craftaddicts-tracyevans.blogspot.com/
Colleen McGinty: http://artbythelake.typepad.com/my-blog/
Gladys Chia: http://gladyschia2010.wordpress.com/
Mou Saha: http://collagecollagecollage.blogspot.com/
Sara: http://zemphira.blogspot.com/
Amy: http://tsurutadesigns.blogspot.com/
Rita Barakat: http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/
Gerri: http://gerriherbst.blogspot.com/
Alexa: http://alexalett.blogspot.com/
Nicole http://www.nicoleeccles.blogspot.com/
Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft: http://www.designmemorycraft.typepad.com/

World Card Making Day

I hope you will join me in celebrating World Card Making Day with WOW Embossing powders.   With the cooler temps now, I'm thinking of winter already.  Not to rush anything but I'm dreaming of twinkling lights and softly falling snow.   So, to celebrate this day I'm sharing this card with you! The dots made me think of snow falling and thinking of someone special!

I used some new WOW border stamps and sentiments along with Matte clear, Metallic Platinum, and Bodacious Blue Glitter WOW Embossing powders and Faber-Castell Gelatos!  

Materials:

Suzy West WOW Embossing Powders: Bodacious Blue Embossing Glitter

WOW Embossing Powders:  Clear Matt Dull Regular, Opaque Bright White Regular, Metallic Platinum Sparkle Embossing Glitter

WOW Stamps: Everyday Sentiments (STAMPSET17) and Funky Border Stamps (STAMPSET18)

Bling: Prima

Metal Snowflakes

Doily

Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos: Blueberry, Metallic Blueberry and Boysenberry

 WOW will be giving away 4 prizes in total: 2 sets of Christmas stamps and 2 sets of 12 packs. To be eligible to win a prize all you have to do is come comment on the WOW blog post.  Thanks for visiting and if you share a card link with me today, I have a little prize for you!  I'll send you a set of Gelatos if I randomly choose your name!  Don't forget to link up a card here and visit the WOW blog for a 2nd chance at a prize!