It's finished!!!

Yes I finally had time to finish my little fairy in a bottle assemblage ... and i love the way it turned out ... it was looking really sketchy for a while ... so i am glad i had some time to sit with it for a while and let it speak to me .... here it is ...

you can click on the photos to enlarge them

There is a giant blue butterfly attached to the back of the bottle ... the image was treated with glossy accents and glitter .. it doesn't show up much in these photos but it 's there and provides a beautiful background for my fairy.

"I get by with a little help from my friends ..."   and this little project is no exception ... the bottle cap is from Izzy, the frozen Charlotte from Lynn, the itty bitty roses from Tammy and the little bottle is from Micheline.

Photos were taken during a rare moment of spring sunshine!!!   what is with all of the rain this spring?

I had to stop and start this project many times ... lessons learned ... get the right adhesive for the job the first time and never give up ... sometimes things are better if you just give them the space to talk to you.

Peace, love & paper y'all!!!
Jo

A Saturday Centus for an Easter Sunday Afternoon ~ The Date

Oh geez, Jenny sure does like to keep this Centus interesting.  Instead of giving us a string of words as our story telling jumping off point, she has given us a very very colourful photo as our inspiration ... so here's my story with Jenny's inspiration photo below.

What is my favourite colour? Hmmmm, she ponders … this seems like such a silly question … but if MatchUsUpRUs dot com is so successful then this question must be valid … right???”

She types in pink … and hastily deletes it … seems to childish she thinks  … maybe purple … that seems a little more mature and sexy …no, blue ... nice and safe blue.

She was so tired of spending holidays alone, or worse, with her younger sister and her perfect marriage and perfect kids.

Here goes nothing she thinks … click …

Want to see what others wrote about this oh so terrifying photo?  Just click on the button below!

Friday .... already???

“How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”  ~ Dr. Seuss

I can't believe that it is Friday already ... this week has gone by so quickly ... i have been busy tweaking a class i will be teaching in September at the Crop for Kids ... and I gotta say ... I love it!!!   and I am not usually one to praise myself ... but this class, which is full of techniques will be loads of messy inky fun!

And for the first easter ever ... i have done no easter products ... daughter has been holed away upstairs studying for finals ... 2 are done, and she has one more on Saturday .... yes, you read that right ... who, other than some sadist, schedules an final exam worth 40% of the term grade on the Saturday of the Easter long weekend. sheesh!

So the highlight of this week, was seeing my Spools project post for Tiny Seed,  linked up to the Jenni Bowlin Designs Facebook page ... my first brush with fame ...lol!   i kid!!!  but it did excite me all to bits!!!

and yes, my workspace really is this messy ... littered with blades, and beads and sponges and inks and all kinds of stuff .... lol!

Peace, love & paper ~ Jo

Monday monday ....

... remember that old Mama's and Papa's song ???   ... it's running through my head right now ...

I got in some creative time this weekend ... and made a journal, for a journal swap over at SOS and a little spools project ... okay ... so you have to go over to Tiny Seed to see actual photos ... but i had a great time making them.

This is a little sneak peek ... and you can click on the photos to enlarge them

I also tried to make a faerie in a jar ... well ... although i love these little jam jars i think it was just the wrong size ... and the glue ... okay, nightmares .... it took a whole lot of messing around to get a glue that would work ... so I'm not thrilled with the progress but it's still a work in progress ...  and original idea?  NOT ... I was totally inspired by my good blog friend Lynn Stevens who makes these delights ... and lucky me i have one ...  

Lynn's work is just magical isn't it!!!  I swear when I grow up I want to be  her apprentice!

okay the photos are not great ... but it is a work in progress ... 

and just when i think i am at least a tiny bit unique cuz mine has wings, Stampington sends out an email showing a cute cute stamp set .... yes, it's a faerie in a jar ... and then Sue sends me a link to a delicious blog, Todolwen,  and look ... she has a faerie in a bottle as well ...

so I am thinking yet again, that there is nothing new under the sun, but it sure as heck is fun to play, to inspire, to be inspired, to share, laugh, blog ... and do it all over again ....

Peace, love & paper ~ Jo

Saturday Centus - The Review

This week Jenny has given us one heck of a challenge.  We must “review” either our own or someone else’s entry from last week … a reviewer I am not … so I think I will tackle my own from last week …A big thank you to some wonderful centus friends who encouraged me to try this assignment.  Oh, and i didn't cheat this week, it's at 100 words on the nose!

Last weeks story

 April showers bring May flowers... April showers bring May flowers... April showers bring May flowers...

The refrain keeps running through her mind … erie echoing childish voices coming from above. Captive in a place that is so dark it’s as if the sun has never reached it. … at times burrowing sounds fill the dark air … “they don’t even know that I am alive … they don’t know that I am right here …”   She tries to move … to wriggle free, but she is stuck … long weighty roots tying her firmly to the dark earth …  she tries to lift her head ... 

April showers bring May flowers... April showers bring May flowers... April showers bring May flowers...

The review 

In “The refrain” the author writes from a surprising point of view and intentionally misleads the reader.  The story begins innocently enough with a familiar refrain running through the main character’s mind. The stage is then set in a manner that allows the reader to wander into a dark and mysterious world that leaves us begging to know who “she” is and why she is in such a dark predicament.   The ending to this story is so unexpected that it left this reviewer wondering about the author’s state of mind. This work is clearly the stuff dreams are made of.

Whew!!!  Just click on Jenny's button below to read some amazing stories and wonderful reviews ...

So .... I have and un-secret ...

... it was kinda of a secret and now it's not ... cuz now it's official ...

I will be teaching a class at my very favourite fund raising crop the BC Crop for Kids ...

Yolanda asked me if I would teach a class sponsored by her store Tiny Seed ... and i feel so very honoured for her to have asked me.  I submitted 2 proposals to the team at the Crop for Kids ... they chose my card class!  I can't tell you much about it at this point in time but I guarantee that it is chalk full of techniques, and getting messing and playing with fabrics and stamping and all kinds of good good fun!

In the mean time here's a couple of layouts i have been wanting to share with you all...

 I love the whole banner trend, but what i really like is making them myself ...

 Detail of the one above, ... a gathering of embellishments ... love making those little rosettes as well

Peace, love & paper ~ Jo

Saturday Centus ~ The Refrain ...

Okay, Saturday Centus on a Wednesday ... I'm just a tad bit late ... but really I wasn't here for Saturday ...

Miss Jenny's prompt "April showers bring may flowers" is in bold ... and oh, the 100 word limit ... I'm a tad over ... i'm up to 120 or so this week ... darn it is just really hard trying to squeeze in a story with only 100 words ... here's my offering for the week ...

April showers bring May flowers... April showers bring May flowers... April showers bring May flowers...

The refrain keeps running through her mind … erie echoing childish voices coming from above. Captive in a place that is so dark it’s as if the sun has never reached it. … at times burrowing sounds fill the dark air … “they don’t even know that I am alive … they don’t know that I am right here …”   She tries to move … to wriggle free, but she is stuck … long weighty roots tying her firmly to the dark earth …  she tries to lift her head ... 

April showers bring May flowers... April showers bring May flowers... April showers bring May flowers...

The refrain is halted by a young child’s shrieks …"Mrs. Matlock , Mrs. Matlock … I can see a bit of green! The flower is starting to grow!"

Fancy a quick read?  then click on the button below to visit so very very interesting short short stories!

a secret faerie ....

... purchased a crop seat for me at a scrapbooking retreat last weekend ... what a gracious and wonderful gift. I am so thankful secret faerie!!! I was able to spend 2 nites and 2 days scrapping with some wonderful friends ... and the creativity was just flowing ... it was one of those weekends where everyone seemed to be in the zone and ready laugh and play!  We stayed at the wonderful Timberline Ranch ... so we also got the chance to talk to the horses and pet the little creatures ... well except for the llama ... I stayed beyond spitting range just in case. Oh and look at the pretty little unicorn!!!  Okay, its really just  a miniature horse, and it doesn't have a horn but in my mind it is a magical little creature ... i first caught her napping ....

She's smaller than a donkey ... so adorable ... and sadly no one would let me take her home ...sigh ...

I got several layouts and several mini books and one project completed ... most of them will be finding their way to the Tiny Seeds blog before coming to mine ... but i will give you a little sneak peak of my favourite.

Want to see the rest???  just scoot on over to Tiny Seed's wonderful blog!!!

This is one of the layouts I made, very simple, i just used a beautiful piece of older Prima paper, a 7Gypsies tag, some Prima flowers on brown stems and I made this red flower and petals using sticky back canvas and grunge paper ... I painted it with a red glitter glam and then stamped it with french text.  I love the way it turned out and it was super simple to do!

Peace, love (in this case a heart shaped rock that I spotted at the ranch) & paper!!!
Jo

Zippers!!!!

We are finally at the Letter Z in Jenny Matlock's Alphbe-Thursday ...   Here at My Paper Playhouse we are all about Zippers!!!

Miss Mona Lisa Mae has gone zipper Gaga!

I made this little batch zipper flowers for a hand made flower swap I was in with my Scrapaholics Group.  These are so easy to make! For you Scrappy types, look for a Zipper flower tutorial coming soon!

And yes, you can use Zippers in scrapbooking ...

This post has been brought to you by the letter Z and Miss Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday meme.  Just click on the button below to read other zesty or maybe zippy Z posts

Peace love & paper ~ Jo

My first guest blog post ...

is up on the Tiny Seed blog.  Check it out if you have the time ... it's a whole bunch of tutorial about incorporating cheesecloth in your paper crafts ... lots of fun!  Here is a tiny sneak peek!!!

Peace, love & paper ~ Jo

Saturday Centus ~ The Laundry

A very very quick Saturday Centus this week ... Jenny's prompt is in bold

Blowing a strand of hair from her hot and sticky face Karen opens the door to her pay by the week motel room ...  she is greeted by a familiar refrain barely audible over the ancient air conditioner

“Exit 181, ½ a mile a head

You left me there, it’s a place I dread”

“Seriously Kenny, those are the lyrics that are going to make you famous?  … why don’t you just get your butt off the couch and get a real job”  “Here” … she barks as she drops the overloaded laundry basket at his feet, “the least you can do is fold the damn laundry.”

Want a few short but interesting reads???  check out what the other Centus folk wrote by clicking Jenny's button ... below ...

Peace, love & paper ~ Jo

a little bit of Lynn ...

One of my favourite bloggers out  there is Lynn of Trash to Treasure Art.  Lynn is beyond creative ... and talented in so many mediums ... she carves, she is a professional mural painter (I totally wish she could paint the inside of my house) , best of all she is an imaginative stamper and I could just go on and on ...

I was lucky enough to be able to sign up for her 2011 pay it forward and look at what she made ....

this is such a gorgeous piece ... it is so tiny and so perfect and just amazing!!!  and it came in a lovely little protective fabric envelope ... I feel so privileged  to have received this piece.  Lynn also does amazing jewellery and other things so you might want to check out her etsy store as well ...

by the way, if you want to get in on 2011 pay it forward, i still have 2 spots left ... just sign up at this post.

finally ... one of my latest layouts ... this was totally inspired by a piece that Lynn did here

I hope you all take some time to visit this very talented lady ... she always inspires!!!

Peace, love & paper
~Jo