Go in The direction of Your Heart Frame for MJ

I work in the healthcare field by day (in case you didn't know),and my work has been "restructuring". Which basically means one of my friends (and possibly myself, I don't know yet) has lost their job. They offered her some options that just didn't work for her and her family so sadly I'm going to be saying goodbye to her on the 24th.

She's so upbeat and happy and brings much joy to me personally at work.  She has an awesome voice and ADHD. Which just means she is hyper and always singing. I love music but truth be told, have a horrible voice. My fourth grade music teacher once told my mother in front of me that he didn't understand how all of her other children could carry a tune except me. Ahem, well, it never stopped me from loving music. So there Mr. Turley. 

So this should sort of explain why I love hearing her sing at work. Because I don't have to hear my own voice. Although I do sing along. Anyways, my favorite past time has become getting songs stuck in her head. I know you're all out there in the blogosphere shaking your heads. Probably thinking- don't you have work to do. Have you people never watched the office? I mean come on, I shuffle papers all day and answer phones - so mind numbly boring. It is a job so I won't complain. So, I make the most of it and try to repeatedly walk behind her at the nursing station and hum or sing a snippet of a song I want to hear.( Or just annoy her by getting a stupid song stuck in her head, which is fun too) She once told me I was her muse and needed to take me with her wherever she went. I proudly took that as a compliment. 

 I've been very down about her leaving and wanted to let her know how much joy she brought to the office. So I made her this little frame. Ha, you thought this story was going nowhere. Fooled ya.

This was my first time really experimenting with the Distress Markers. And I have to say. Me likey. 

The frame was from Walmart. It cost a buck or two. So it doesn't come with any glass. I sanded it down and painted it.

Then I Modge Podged my paper on and sanded the edges again. Then inked the front edge, and a little on top. then started to add my embellishments. 

I got a new flower die, that I was dying to try out. Like the before and after picture? They are really fun to make too!

Then I decided it need more than just flowers and lace. So I dug around and found some Unity stamps that worked with the project. Funny how I threw them in at the last minute but I think the saying on the stamps makes the frame. Especially since my friend who is an LPN, has been taking classes towards becoming an RN.

I blinged up the flowers a bit with some blog candy I won awhile ago from Kathy. Of course I couldn't find my diamond glaze to glue the suckers down, so I stickled em down and like the little bit of sparkle so I grabbed the crystal stickles and put some on my finger and sort of brushed the ends of the flowers with my finger. Highly technical folks!

Then I decided it needed some butterlies. This is where the distress markers came in. I'm not a huge copic fan. Mostly because I suck at coloring with them and I like things a little more grungy and messy than a perfectly colored stamp. (although I am secretly envious of all you bitches that can do it)

So distress markers, a little spritz of water and my water brush thingy. Then I decided they were too bright. So I pulled out the white distress marker. I freakin love it. Had to even water it down a bit too. But so freakin cool looking. I mean just look at this stinkin little guy. He turned out Awesome or as my friend's daughter would say "Awesome Sauce". Which has become my new staple saying.

 Tadahh all finished. I did decide to make a picture backing for the whole. I used some left over thin card board stuff then decided it looked tacky.  Then I added some orange paper to the backing and it was perfecto. She gave me a big ole hug and teared up. I was glad she liked it and no she know's how much I'll miss her big fat heart.

I usually keep a notecard on each project so I can list what I'm using as I go. But I seem to have lost this one in the pile O crap on my desk. Forgive me. Soooo this is what I can remember using on this:

• Theresa Collins Fabrications paper
• Unity Itty Bitty: Direction of your heart stamp, and butterfly?
• Distress markers
• Spellbinders Foliage & Bitty Blossoms shapeablilities
• Echo Park paper
• Stickles- crystal
• Liquid pearls -rouge
• See thru stone thingies from Kathy
• Boo Bunny Jewels
• Lace was from 2 differents sets but I'm not sure which ones.
• AppleBarrel Light Leaf Green acrylic paint
• Distress ink
• Glue dots
• Miracle tape
• and can't forget the good ole Modge Podge.
• Ranger distresser
• Sanding paper

Hope you liked it. Over and out.

BOO!

I did these letters for a challenge weekend at CC. Yes, i know it was awhile ago. I'm a lazy blogger, so sue me! Anyways i got some close ups of each letter and i'll tell you a little about what i used.



Ok so all the papers were from Archivers stock, except the green. The green i found at Marshalls or TJ Maxx several years ago. It was a huge stack of shrink wrapped identical paper. Looked to be about 20-25 sheets. Not sure because i never counted them. So needless to say i have a ton of it! Hehe, sometimes it pays to be cheap and a bargain shopper. Oh yeah the green is called Beach Ball by WeRMemoryKeepers.



There are sparkly little spiders (spook alley brads) which i used on the bows. They are kinda hard to see because i couldn't get that close with my flash and little point and shoot. This is why i need a digital SLR dammit! Ones sparkly orange and ones sparkly purple. They are in the middle of the tulle (in case your wondering) The tulle came from my daughter, who ripped it out of her skirt. I scavenged it out of the garbage, thinking i could use it someday for a project. This is where i give a shout out to my fellow trash recyclers! whoo hoo for us junk hoarders! Totally came in handy for this project.



The bats,ghosts,spider webs & spider,boots, and witch hat are rub ons from Imaginisce. I added a little stickles to the ghosts to make them shimmer. First time i'd used stickles also. I'd read someone's posting about wonderful stickles are and how much she loved using them. Honestly they just remind me of glitter glue, just easier to use. Not sure i will use it all that much though.

This was great cause i learned alot. Like don't use to much modge podge! and don't touch when drying. I really enjoyed making these and had the stuff laying around forever. Probably still would be laying around if i hadn't made them for the challenge. So maybe i need to do more challenges huh? I did go out and buy some letters to make as Christmas presents because they were fairly easy to make and look pretty dang good. If your thinking of making some altered letters, i say go for it! I found tons of articles online and you can always send me a message if you have any questions.

Well thats it for tonight. Over and out.