Brick By Boring Brick

Several of the girls at Artsy Fartsy have been doing online canvas classes, my friend Lisa included.  So while I visited her this weekend she walked me through making this one.  It was so much fun!  Of course she had to have long black hair just like me.  :)

Anyway - the canvas was inspired by this song, particularly the sentiment.  I imagine she rips the wings from a butterfly to take flight...

The bird and the birdcage are actually from the new line of tissue paper by 7gypsies.  I just outlined them. 

The butterfly wings are by Tim Holtz.

Weekend Creations

Most of my weekend was spent editing pictures and emptying out the DVR.  I'm a very impatient woman...the kind that cannot sit still through a movie.  So DVR and DVD's are the way to go for me.  In fact, when reading jokes, I can't wait for the punch line so I start at the bottom and read upwards...one paragraph at a time.  LOL!

Anyway - I did make some time to create four cards for the greeting card swap we are having at Artsy Fartsy!  We have two weeks to create four different cards of your choice and then swap cards with another artsy fartsy member.  If you would like to play, please join us at:  http://www.facebook.com/artsyfartsytx.  So here are the cards I created...

Pretty cute, huh?  As I mentioned before, I had a couple of photo shoots on Saturday.  They were so much fun!  I couldn't get too creative with the first appointment - a family.  But I still managed to get tons of candid shots!  They absolutely loved their photos.  :)

The second shoot was with one of my bestie's daughters.  I was able to get a little more creative with these.

This one was taken a few weeks ago but I'm just now getting around to posting it.  The colors have been altered but I still think it's gorgeous.  I might even print this one for my own office.  :)

Anywho - that's all I've got for now.  Until next time!

Peace, love, and Tulips!

/ms. ruin

Recordando Selena

I was never a Selena fan and yet I still know all of the words to her music.  Funny huh?  I love Rock and Roll - Tejano music was not for me, or so I thought.  But I still remember her rise to stardom and in my "older" age, I can certainly appreciate the hard work, sacrifices and emotion this Latina poured into her music, into her fans, her career not only as a Tejano Music Super Star but she was venturing into fashion and even acting.  You have to admire that.  I had an opportunity to write a very short read for The Messenger.  The issue will be available tomorrow in the Delta Area of the Rio Grande Valley...it's called "Recordando Selena".  I've gotta tell you, it really made me think, reflect, and recognize just what a phenomenal talent Selena Quintanilla Perez truly was.  Here is my short write-up...

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Recordando Selena

It seems like just yesterday I was headed home from school when the shocking news of the death of Selena Quintanilla Perez hit the radio waves.  Radio, television, and other media outlets in the Rio Grande Valley were flooded with an out-pour of heartache and disbelief that on March 31, 1995, Selena was gunned down and murdered by Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club and a dear friend to Selena.  

The hours and days that followed the death of the Queen of Tejano music seemed endless.  The outcry of Tejano fans and even non-Tejano fans was evident as the news of Selena’s untimely death dominated the media.  Everyone was talking; the legacy of Selena was quickly unfurling as people of all ages shared stories of Selena’s tragic death in classrooms, churches, and beyond.  News and radio stations, along with print media, provided full coverage of the slain Tejano singer.  KRGV-TV News Icon, Cary Zayas, shares that “there was a tremendous sadness felt across the valley because Selena had performed there so many times and was obviously a favorite.  She was a girl like so many of the girls from the Valley who had made it big.  She was personable, talented, and Hispanic. She had a smile that captured so many hearts.  She was a true talent whose star was shining brighter than ever.  For her to have been killed by someone she trusted made this story even sadder for her fans. Even those who had never heard of Selena felt a loss because she was such a talented young woman whose future was taken from her.”

     

The sadness lingered for days as fans erected public memorials, gathered at prayer vigils, and even made the pilgrimage to the Corpus Christi Convention Center where they would pay their respects to Selena who lay in state in her black coffin, adorned with white roses.  Cary Lizka was in attendance and recalls that “the funeral was heart wrenching.  Watching her parents, siblings and her husband lay her to rest was just heartbreaking.  Her fans were lined up and down the streets leading to the cemetery…they lined the fences to watch the service and catch one final glimpse of their beloved Selena.”  It was evident to someone like me who did not listen to Tejano music that the very young starlet had made an impact on the lives of so many across South Texas and Latin America in her short life of twenty-three years.     

 

16 years have passed since that tragic day in Corpus Christi, Texas however Selena’s legacy remains deeply rooted in the fabric of the Tejano culture.  Her kindness, deep-seated beauty, immense talent, and ceaseless memory lives on in the hearts of so many, those that knew her personally and those that knew her as a Tejano sensation.  We will never forget the Queen of Tejano Music, Selena Quintanilla Perez.

New Playthings

Hello bloggers!  As you know, I have admitted to having a problem with buying scrapbooking/art supplies in the past.  I have really become better about it and only shop BIG a couple times a year.  In the interim I stock up on supplies such as adhesive and whatnot.  However, there is an exception my rule of big shopping only a few times a year and that exception is stamps!  I am quite the stamp freak.

Anyway, I did have a bit of a shopping spree in the last few days at The Crafty Scrapper.  Carolyn and company always stock the latest and greatest.  I will make another post of some of the new stuff in the store but for now, let me show you what floats my boat.

As most of you know, I LOVE TIM HOLTZ, anything Ranger, anything Stampers Anonymous, anything - well, you get the point!  So I definitely stocked up on the latest Tim toys.  :D

Love the pocket clock!

 STAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woo hoo - new paper!

WOO HOO HOO HOO - NEW KRAFT PAPER!!!!!!!

Big fan of the lightbulbs! 

Another favorite of mine is 7gypsies.  I picked up a few of their stuff as well...

I love these bottles!  I don't know that I'll use them in my projects.  I bought them to display in my apothecary style studio.

One of my New Years resolutions was to be better about remembering birthdays and other special events.  So I finally broke down and bought this drawer.  My plan is to make cards ahead of time and then file them away until it is time to give to someone.  I am REALLY going to try to keep up with this.

Graphic 45 is probably my newest most favorite company.  They truly speak to my heart, just like Ranger and Stampers Anonymous.  Although I'm a little creeped out by clowns, I absolutely love their Le Cirque line.  Being afraid intrigues me.  I am a huge fan of vintage witches, so the witch on the broomstick is definitely my favorite graphic!  My intention is to make a mini album about our evening at the circus.  Intention --such a funny word!  Anyway, check out this awesome paper --front and back shown.

This is not from the Le Cirque line, but it is Graphic 45.  Cannot wait to use it!

I really try NOT to buy much scrapbook paper because I have TONS and I don't think I'll use it all in my lifetime.  But I do like to pick up random pieces that catch my eye.  Like these...

This one is by Webster's pages.  I tend to like just about anything vintage, especially if the theme is school houses or children.  I think I was born in the wrong era.  :)

This is probably one of the first times I have bought products by "The Girls' Paperie".  I didn't buy much, embellishments, some chipboard letters and acrylic stamps --oh, and I couldn't help myself to this paper - hello - birdcages!



 

And as if the Graphic 45 Le Cirque line wasn't enough, I couldn't help myself to these circus/carnival themed items by Glitz Design --these are from their Afternoon Muse line.  Sorry, I forgot to photograph the clear stamps so here is a graphic.

And now for the random portion of my post.  These are other little treasures I picked up...

Not sure who makes these beautiful wings --but you know me, I am a flight fanatic.

You can never have too many alphabets...these are by October Afternoon.

BIRDCAGES!!!!!  These are by Prima.

And finally...some goodies from Pinkpaislee.  These two packs are from the Daily Junque line.

PHEW!!!  Is your brain on overload?  My pocketbook sure is!  LOL.  Hope you enjoyed all of my new playthings. 

Peace, love, and playthings,

Ms. Ruin

Happy Sunday

Good Sunday evening from my studio!  My weekend was busy with shopping and editing pictures...so I guess it's definitely the nice kind of busy.  :)  I didn't do too much crafting, however I did pick up part of my new assignment from TCS.  I say "part of" because Carolyn wants me to put together a canvas wreath but the canvas is not yet it.  I'm super duper excited about that!

Anyway, I did complete one project from the kits so far.  I decided to make a canvas about my husband and our dog, Sadie.  He adores her and Sadie lives for this man...I'm sure of it!  I have to tell you that this paper is TOTALLY OUT OF MY ELEMENT.  I really love Basic Grey but I had such a hard time getting any type of vibe from this paper.  But I managed to make it work.  The paper is from the "Lauderdale" line which will be in stores very soon --just in time for your summer projects!  Here is a preview of some of the fun elements:

I went back to the fundamentals of papercrafting with this canvas.  It offers straight lines but also lots of fun colors and layers.  You can see the layering in the second image.  I decided to use a sepia toned photo to give a dramatic contrast and make the lovely colors pop.

The other craft project that I worked on is the envelope that I'm going to mail to Jana.  Remember, she decorated the envelope that she mailed to me so it's only fair that I return the favor.  :)  Isn't it pretty?  Plus I LOVE the quote!  It's one of the new Tim Holtz stamps.

Oh!  I finally figured out what to do with the birdcage that I bought a few weeks ago --I'm going to keep my bird stamps in it.  :D  I think I need more bird stamps --my husband would probably beg to differ. 

Well, that's all I've got for now.  Until next time!

Peace, love, and birdcages,

Ms. Ruin





Visual Art

Here is the latest and greatest from my world of visual art...

I posted this on my own facebook page and asked my friends to guess what they were.  For some crazy reason, several of them said "septic tanks".  Ummmm, no.  These are actually burial vaults.  When a body is buried in the ground, their coffin is placed inside of this vault and then sealed.

I love this one!  I forget who it is...Saint Paul?  It was erected at a local cemetery where a lot of nuns are buried.  I think it's beautiful.

And since you've seen a lot of gloom and doom on my page - hahahaha - I will leave you with a happy sunshiny picture.  Hey, they don't call me Ms. Ruin for nothing!  :)

Peace, Love, and Bluebonnets,

Ms. Ruin