YAPPING CAT STUDIO

Theres no place like Home

And I've got a NEW ONE.  Yep, Yapping Cat is moving.

So click those heels three times and follow me HERE! 

 

-c

More Journal Pages

Now, I'm a journal page geek today.  I've been playing with some pages off and on all day.  I think you can click on above to make it larger. 

I found that quote on Pinterest  this morning.  It reads, "The trick is on what one emphasizes.  We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong.  The amount of work is the same".  Loved that.  And since I've been a grump for about two weeks straight now, it really resonated with me.  And I decided a journal page would be good.  I ended up doing two corresponding pages, so that I could have room to write the "personal stuff".  :)

-c

Play Time with a Friend

Yesterday, I got the chance to spend some time with a dear friend.  My friend, Ruthe, had been interested in learning how to create some of the artwork  that I do for my journal pages. 

To her, my pages always looked like they were created in Photo shop.  I assured her, that was not the case, and proceeded to teach her how to layer with inks and collage. Above is her beautiful finished work!  Isn't it wonderful?  I'm so proud of her!

I loved her art work so much.  After I scanned it, I got to thinking it would be a great piece for my journal.  I had been looking for something to do the lyrics "Blackbird" on.  I thought this was perfect.  Above is after I added my hand-writing to her artwork.  I hope you don't mind, Ru...its too perfect for my journal.

Before Ruthe came over, I was practicing some inking and layering.  Here is my before and after of some of my artwork, that I had photocopied.  You can really see the difference.  The after is just several layers of inks, Prisma Pencils and coffee spray. 

There's nothing like a day of creativity and good gab with a dear friend to make the world seem right.  Thanks Miss Ruthe for coming over to play, I hope we can do it again soon. 

-c

Book Cover Redo and things Italian

All day long I've thought it was Wednesday, and its Thursday.  Which has kinda thrown me off kilter.  But I did enjoy Monday off with the Sweet Hub, so I guess it was worth the confusion for today. 

Above is after, before, after.  LOL.  Somehow I ended up with a pile of old Reader's Digest Condensed Book single covers.  I've taken some time today to alter them with paint, ink and more. 

This one has been sanded, inked, painted over, sanded some more and re inked.  I added some coffee dyed and inked scrim, along with an old calendar picure, that was also sanded and inked, and a couple of broken, vintage frame pieces. 

As you can see on the right hand side, the before cover is altered quite a bit.  I've really gotten into the whole "layering" thing.  I find it really fun to continue to build and build upon layers to get the finish that I want.  I even used an old doily to layer some inks, so that there were areas of gradiation. 

The last cover has been sanded, and painted and the edge taped down and sanded, but I've not yet started to apply the inks yet.  When I'm finished this will be an "Italian" Memory book.  Not sure how its going to end up, but I'm going to try and use all vintage goodies inside. 

Its actually not going to be to terribly hard to use all vintage things, as Dad and I hit a great Estate Sale a few weeks back.  The home owners must had traveled to Italy several times, as they had many numerous items from there.

Post cards.

Calendars.

Books and more.  Love this tray and I might just keep this for myself.

Loved this book of Opera.  Its in excellent condition, I really don't have the heart to cut it up when its in good shape. 

But my favorite find where these:

These are little calligraphy pen nibs.  They are bronze.  But the coolest part is,

that they are shaped like little pointing fingers.  I love it.  I put some in my Etsy shop along with some of he other Italian items. 

Most want to go to Paris, but I have an earthier destination in mind.  Warm sun, great food, wine…I want to go to Italy.  Perhaps one day.

-c

 

I'm having an affair.  Wtih old things.  I can't stop.

Each Estate sale, each flea market, each antique mall calls my name and beckons.  And what is it that has me in its clutches?  It is the thrill of the hunt. 

Its rounding the corner and seeing that thing that makes your heart go pitter pat.  Or seeing a table full of junk and playing eye spy with that one tiny treasure that gleams above the others.

Old books, old letters, and more are piling up in all the corners of The Studio. 

And I'm trying to add them to Etsy shop as fast as I can. 

Will the madness stop?  Hopefully never.

-c

No computer means more creative time

Yay.  Sort of.  First I had to get over my compulsion to run into the other room and see who was on Facebook or see what Pamela had just pinned.  Once I got past that, I was able to sit down and catch up on some things I had been meaning to do, mainly craft.

I had found some cool metal goods the last time that Hobby Lobby had the sale on, well, metal things.  Should have taken before pics, but i forgot.  But here they are after I added to or changed the decorative elements on them.

I added a nest to this little metal picture, as well as ribbon and some vintage buttons.

I changed the decorative design on this bird cage.  LOVED this image. Petticoate Junction Etsy has some of the coolest images and I fell in love with several things that she has offered. 

Some of them I used on the metal decorative items and some I used to re-cover some comp books.

Changed another metal thing.  And I did remember to take a before pic of this one.  I'll show you tomorrow just how easy it is to change these out.

Added more pages to my ever growing funky journal.

I really am going to try making some of these for my Etsy shop.  And speaking of Etsy, what do you think of my new shop look?  I'm changing some things around, freshening up a bit.  I've added the comp books there, and hope to add the metal decorative items next week.  And I've got TONS of new vintage to add. 

Dad and I hit two awesome Estate Sales in the past several weeks.  I just need to shoot photo's and such. 

Well, off to feed the real "yapping cats". 

-c

Summer Time, Summer Time Display

 Here in the South, we are for sure in the throes of Summer.  With temps already soaring into the  upper 90's each day, the heat is truly on.  But, with that comes the hope of splashing into a cool pool, or a stolen nap on a hammock in the shade. 

 
Got the chance to meet up with friends, shop and do lunch.  Found this cute little planter box at Lone Star Mall on Wednesday, and thought it would be perfect for some sort of seasonal display.  The cute chalkboard tin and the letter "S" were also from Lone Star.

My take on it came out a little different. 

I don't do a lot of decorating for summer, but I do like to have a small seasonal display of shells and the Stars and Stripes somewhere. 

So glad to have the puter back, after almost a week without.  Did not realize just how much time I was spending on it.  And while the first few days were like detox, it was nice to actually get some craftying done.  I'll show you moare pics later of some things I did accomplish. 

But for now...I'm off to find a glass of cold lemonade!

***edited to add a photo's and link

-c

Creative Buzz

The best thing about an art retreat...

..the creative buzz that lasts for several weeks after.  And while I only got to physically take one class, and even then, maybe only about 15 minutes of it, I've spent most of the day today finish that project. 

Shelly's class was awesome.  She has such a flair for these great, colorful journal pages.  I love her style.  And I think I was able to learn allot in just the short time that I was in her class.  See Geff above.  LOL. 

And I'm still playing with my other kit, hopefully I can show you that tomorrow. 

-c

PS Paper Cowgirl really was a great time and I hope to update that blog tomorrow as well.

Working On Paper Cowgirl

For those that don't know, my other blog is Paper Cowgirl.  And I am a mere seven days away before our big, June retreat.  And yeah, its crazy here.  But I did sit down today and work out one of the badges so that the gals could see what they could create with their blank badge.  I thought you might like to see it too.

This is the After Picture:

This is how each one will look when the girls receive them.  Well, except they won't have my name on it.  LOL. 

So this is the BEFORE.  The concept for our badges this year was based on the idea of the badges that you get at Dallas Market.  Basically a pocket.  You store your biz cards there, put other biz cards there...that kind of thing.  Some of the show rooms will give you a silk flower to pin to it, or a button that lights.  So that is what Ann Denise and I wanted to do.

But instead of a pocket, Ann Denise had a better idea.  She designed a booklet.  And we decided that the girls could add something to each page...be it paper, a picture, a flower, a button, decorative tape, whatever.  I started dolling mine up just so the girls could get an idea of what theirs could look sorta like at the end of the three day event.

Tickets, bingo disks, or just a paper image can be added to another girls badge by another Cowgirl.  Sorta like signing someone elses year book.  :)

And yet with everything peeking out, it will sorta have a "football" mum feel to it.  I think they will be so much fun. 

The charms that each person can add can be anything from a vintage button, to a feather, to an image, ribbon, or paper.  Or just simply write something or doodle or draw Polka Dots. 

I think they are going to be allot of fun.  I can hardly wait to see what the girls do with them.  And I will get to see, in just 7 days.  Eek. 

So, I will be taking a little time off from this blog over the next few weeks.  But you can find me here.  Or even here.

See you soon.

-c

One of my art teachers back in college had a theory, that went something like this.  If you can take one piece of art and make it do different things, than you have done a good thing.  For instance, he painted a picture of people in a dance hall for a particular customer.  That picture copy was later purchased for use on a telephone book cover.  And then copied for a restaurant menu.  One piece, three fab uses.

I am still playing with inking/stencils and various things on jouranl pages.  I created this for my funky little book.

But I liked it so much, I thought it would make a great page for my personal jouranl.  So I copied it.

After I copied it, I thought the bottom half was much more interesting than the top half and that these might make great note cards.  So I used the copies to make note cards.

One piece of art, with three different uses.  I love it.

I'm having way to much fun copying my own art.  LOL.

And the page I did last week, I used a copy to cover some comp books.

I guess my college professor was a pretty smart guy after all!  :) 

 

-c

 

PS...these are on my Etsy if you are interested.