Happy Birthday, Michael!

In honor of Michael Jackson's birthday (he would have been 53 today), I created something special to add to my growing collection of Digital Collages. I will post that photo below this excerpt from one of Michael's books, Dancing the Dream. So this is Michael, in his own words.

“Consciousness expresses itself through creation.
This world we live in is the dance of the creator.
Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye but the dance lives on.

On many an occasion when I’m dancing, I’ve felt touched by something sacred.
In those moments, I’ve felt my spirit soar and become one with everything that exists.

I become the stars and the moon. I become the lover and the beloved.
I become the victor and the vanquished.
I become the master and the slave. I become the singer and the song.
I become the knower and the known.

I keep on dancing and then, it is the eternal dance of creation.
The creator and creation merge into one wholeness of joy.

I keep on dancing… and dancing, until there is only… the dance.”

Michael Jackson, Dancing the Dream

The photos are from one of my favorite photoshoots for Vanity Fair magazine. They were taken by one of my favorite photographers, Annie Leibovitz. I hope you like this little piece of digital Michael Jackson Art. :)

Elvis Jumpsuit Sketch

I wanted to add Elvis to My Digital Sketchbook and since the anniversary of his death was last week, I was thinking about him anyway. So I created this digital art in honor of the one and only King of Rock and Roll!

It's a classic 70's Elvis, in a beautiful blue jumpsuit. This is the kind of image that comes to mind whenever I think of the 70's era Elvis. The King may be gone, but his music and memory live on!

Halloween Treat Bags

I always start thinking about Seasonal Crafts this time of year. Just about the time my grandson goes back to school, I'm itching to do some Fall crafting again. So with that in mind, I've created a couple of bags that would be perfect as little Halloween treat bags.

I made these with small, pre-made muslin bags. I wanted to keep these simple, so all I did was stamp them with various sayings and images using black ink. I wanted to do some in orange ink and maybe even purple. But guess what colors of ink I don't have?! Tina needs to shop for ink! Anyhoots, these were so easy to make: just stamp and let dry and you're done. You could put candy corn in them, or any other holiday candy, and use them as party favors. Mine are just stuffed with fiberfill to use as decor, so that's another option! And of course you could use different color inks, you could dye the muslin bags orange or black and have all sorts of fun with them! I don't do a whole lot of Halloween crafts...I'm much more into Fall than Trick or Treat night. :) But these were fun. And since I always have muslin bags around and I use them a lot for crafting, I thought I'd be different and go with Halloween for a change.

I do a lot of country primitive type seasonal crafts that I post on my Tattered Sisters Primitives blog. So if you have interest, you might want to check that blog too for some ideas.

Fairy Topiary

I spent time in the studio again yesterday. I never get in there as often as I'd like, and then when I do it's hard to get me out of there! Got some fun projects done, including this one, my little Fairy Topiary (click image to view full size), which I'll add to my collection of Fairy Crafts.

I started with a small white, enamel bucket, about 2-1/2" in diameter. In the bottom of that I add a piece of Styrofoam, which I cut to fit. Next I created the topiary, beginning with a reused end of a craft swab (waste not, want not, right?) that I painted green. I stuck on a small Styrofoam ball to the top of it, which I also painted green. Then I hot glued on some craft flowers until the ball was covered, and added a pink satin bow to it too. Then I stuck it into the Styrofoam in the bottom of the bucket.

Then I needed to create the fairy, which started with a vintage photo of a girl. Again I used a discarded craft swab to attach to the back of the photo, which I'd printed on cardstock. Then I used some craft picks to create her wings, which are made of pink tulle and beads. I simply taped those onto the back of the photo. Then I stuck that into the Styrofoam in the bucket as well.

To give weight to the bucket to hold everything in place, I put in glass flat marbles that you can get in any craft store. I have had these sitting around for years and had plenty of them. So I just poured in enough to go to the top of the bucket. They add a neat texture and some shimmer, which I like. They almost look like the tops of bubbles in there. :) Once those were in place I finished the bucket off by adding a pink satin bow to each side.

The whole thing has a sort of Shabby Chic feel to it, and a vintage touch too. I think something like this would look great as a table decoration at a bridal shower or baby shower or something. But my little fairy is going in my studio so I can see her everyday.

Pretty in Pink Hangtag

I am in altered art hangtags mode for some reason. :) I love creating them though because I often need a little hangtag to add to a gift for some occasion or another. So for me, I can never have too many of them lying around. This one is called Pretty in Pink.

These hangtags are made with cardstock scrapbook paper with a really pretty pink and white pattern on it. I cut them out with a scalloped-edge cutter. Then I added white paper flowers to the bottom half of them, attaching them with brass brads. All I did to finish them off was add some pink satin ribbon, along with site whit organdy ribbon. So pretty and so simple and easy to make!

Imagine Face Hangtag

This is a new altered art hangtag I've created that I'm calling Imagine Face Hangtag.

These are tags I created on two-sided scrapbook cardstock paper, which I cut out using a tag-shaped cutter. I stamped on the image of a vintage face using black ink first. Then I created the torn edge and distressed strip for the upper part of the tag, which I stamped on with the word, Imagine in black ink. After I added that I just added a butterfly sticker and then finished it with a brown satin ribbon.

I love the combination of the brown ribbon with the turquoise pattern on the paper. It's just a simple, elegant tag (I think). Perfect to add to a little gift. :)