Embellishment Swap

We are having an awesome embellishment swap at Artsy Fartsy and YOU should join!  Just join our page by clicking here and check out the events page for all of the details.  This is the box that I decorated to send to my swap partner which could be you...but you have to join first!  :)

The box is not very impressive on the sides but the top...well, that's a whole other story.  ;)

Beautiful Ruin

I've seen her several times as I skirt my way down 35 South towards Waco.  She stands less than a half mile from the interstate, surrounded by weeds.  Most would call her an eyesore, ugly and scary.  But as I drove down the gravel paved road which ended just a few feet from her door step, my heart squeezed into my throat, beating so hard I could taste it.  To me she is beautiful and magical and I couldn't wait to capture her beauty to show to the rest of the world.  ::big smile::

These images were worth every scrape on my knee, every bruise on my legs and the dirt in my face.  What good is art if you don't get dirty?

Art...my saving grace!

I am beyond thrilled at the way in which this canvas came together.  So many layers, textures, mediums, fun, fun, fun!  Used in this project were acrylic stamps, cling mount stamps, old dictionary pages, stencils, white and black gesso, ink sprays, adirondack paints, chipboard...lots of goodness.  I won't go into full details because my brain is on overload and my eyelids are about to defeat me.  Let's just say that all of the little secrets are in the details...just look closely!

Family Matters

As I mentioned earlier, I was away on a retreat with some friends this weekend so I managed to get a lot accomplished.  I completed three projects for family and about family.  First of all --the Circus is coming to town and how I wish I could take my niece and nephews with me when I'm sitting front row at American Airlines cheering like a fool.  LOL.  But in the spirit of the Circus --oh, and not just any circus...I'm talking Barnum and Bailey, baby...anyway, in the spirit of the Circus or Le Cirque, I am sending both my nephews and my niece some fun and flavored popcorn that is adorned with a circus themed tag.  Something tells me they are going to care more about the popcorn.  :p

I also made a 5x7 book FOR ME.  Yes, FOR ME.  You see, I rarely keep things I make but gosh darnit, I'm going to keep this one for myself.  This book is filled with beautiful 5x7 portraits of my family from start to end.  The only embellishing I did was to the cover.  I covered it with 7G tissue paper and made one of my famous clusters using flowers and elements from Maya Road, Prima, and Recollections.  I am so pleased with how this turned out. 

The other project that I made is a 5x7 album as well but this one is about my nephew playing T-Ball.  Again, not much embellishing and the paper that I did use was from a cheesey kit.  But that's okay...it's not the paper or the embellishments that made this book and told the story...it was the pictures inside.

Thanks for reading!

Matchbook Swap

Hello out there!  I'm still alive...I know my posts have been few and far between.  I was having a dry spell on the paper front as my photography has been keeping me busy.  So I committed to a few swaps in the month of July to keep me moving.  The first swap I participated in was the Matchbook Swap at Smeared & Smudged.  I had never made a matchbook so it was a little stressful but so much fun and I do really love the way they turned out.  And not only did I committ to making one, but I committed to making TWO!  I will also receive two matchbooks to add to my own collection.  In fact, I came home today from a retreat to find a package from Greece (see above)!  A big huge thank you to Ike for the lovely postcard and one helluva matchbook.  It's completely wicked and I love it!  THANKS, IKE!

{sorry for the crappy picture}

And now onto the matchbooks I made.  They are both Halloween themed, I hope you don't mind.  This first one is for Tori.  I hope you like it, Tori --it will be in the mail to you tomorrow!

I left space in the book for little pictures and I am also sending additional Halloween themed word stickers so that you can use them over your photos or wherever you'd like.

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This next one is for Trisha.  And this one is not just Halloween, but it's vintage too!  There's no room for pictures but it's a fun little book to look through.

/end Matchbook Swap.  :)  Thank you to Black Dragon for organizing this swap --it was so much fun!

Bird Love

People like me make lists for everything under the sun.  I keep a journal at the bedside, a journal in my office, a book in my purse, a book in my bag, a book at my work desk.  I can't make this stuff up.  Anyway, I am pretty good and checking my notes and my lists and sticking to them but it seems that lately I am not keeping up with my lists and I'm wasting precious time doing nothing when clearly I should be doing something.  Accccccck!  Tomorrow is the start of new week...an opportunity to exercise the use of my books once again.  I know, I should just go to bed and "let it go".  If only it were that easy.  The OCD doesn't allow me to just "let it go."  I'm now beating myself up for a wasted night.  How can people sit and read a book or watch television?  That's for the birds...I'm just not wired that way.  Speaking of birds...here are a couple of prints by yours truly.  :)

Perfection

I just had to share this edit of this beautiful bride... 

xoxo,

Ms. Ruin

Just Breathe

Did I say that I need you?  Did I say that I want you?  Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see.  No one knows this more than me as I come clean...♥

Oh no you didn't...

Pawlease...of course I did!  No, she wasn't excited about this by any means, but she was still a good girl through the mini shoot.  You see, I just got this backdrop and I HAD to try it out.  I didn't use any studio lights, just natural light.  Moving forward I plan on using studio lamps.  I'm gearing up to do two full days of shoots using this background in August.  I've already got the space booked now it's time to get props, floor drops, schedules, models, etc. in place.  It's a huge undertaking for me since I work at this stuff alone but I eventually buck up and force my insecurities aside and just do what I need to do.  Lately I feel like all of my stress is sitting in the pit of my stomach as I have not been feeling well.  But hopefully that will soon pass.  Some friends are convinced I am giving myself an ulcer.  Possibly. 

Anyway, most of my creative energy has been spent on my photography.  I WANT to do so much, I just don't have the free time.  I want to take a photography class, a lightroom class, a lighting class, a painting class, a soldering class, etc.  But again, no t-i-m-e.  But I have committed myself to a few craft swaps so I should be back to my first love of mixed media soon enough.  For now though --I have to keep the shutter going with my photography committments.  At this moment I am editing two boudoir sets, a book cover, and a wedding!  Just shot the wedding yesterday...yes, I cried.  To see more photos from recent shoots, visit my Facebook Photography Page or my official website, Through These Eyes Visual Art.  :)

Talk to you guys soon...thanks for reading! 

xoxo,

Ms. Ruin 

Happy 4th!

If you're an American --Happy Independence Day from Ms. Ruin's Playthings and Through These Eyes Visual Art...let freedom ring!

Ms. Ruin's Playthings

What a weekend...what a weekend.  Had the pleasure of working with some fierce ladies.  ;)