Last Day of November

How can that possibly be?  It was just summer!

We are busy, busy at The Little Blue House getting ready for our second annual "Little Somethings" Workshops starting tomorrow. Our theme this year is the "Creative Express" with stops at Jolly Junction, Candy Cane Crossing and Tinsel Town.  We will have five three-hour sessions of workshops making ... little somethings! I can't divulge the specifics but everyone will be creating ten (yes, 10!) little projects that can be duplicated easily for gifting to co-workers, friends, classmates, etc.  We are even including a booklet of instructions and templates. And Santa will be arriving at Santa Station to hand out goodie bags for those who are nice, not naughty.

I'm happy to say that this event is sold out, but here's a sneak peek at one cute project.

I'll have no time to spare until next week but will be back then to report on all the fun we have.

Final 2 Days of "12 Days of Ornaments"

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone. We went out of town for the holiday and I'm just getting around to posting the last two days' ornaments for The Little Blue House.

Day 11

Fa La La Folded Tree Ornament by Tracy Pounds

 Day 12

Angel Tree Topper by Elaine Howell

Be sure to check out the LBH blog (www.thelittlebluehouseblog.blogspot.com) for the details on how to make this ornament and tree topper.  We have had such fun creating and sharing these ornaments. Hope you enjoyed them also!  These tutorials will remain on the blog so even if you don't have time to make them now, you will be able to return to them when you have more time.

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Day 10!

Only a few more days to go! The last ornament will be revealed on Thanksgiving day.  We hope you are having fun reading along and, hopefully, making at least a few of these pretties for your own tree.

Today's designer is Cheryl McCarson who teaches the "Icing on the Cake" cake decorating classes at LBH (yes, we're a multi-media art studio!).

Visit the blog here to find out how to make these lovely felt rosette ornament balls.  They remind me of "kissing balls" - hang one in your foyer along with a sprig of mistletoe and a ribbon.  Or wouldn't they be pretty hanging from a chandelier! They are also beautiful gracing our LBH tree.

Can you guess how many rosettes are on each ornament?  I'm going to make you read the tutorial to find out.

Be sure to comment while there - you just might win one of the beauties!

Day 9

Miss Tracy is the designer of today's ornament posted on the LBH blog here.  It's a beautiful paper mache ornament featuring art metal and a fun transfer and embossing technique using music paper and Maya Road mists.

Go visit the blog to see the full step-out photo tutorial and, while there, be sure to leave a comment.  Tell us how many trees you put up for the holidays and you may be the lucky winner of this pretty ornament!

If you are local, stop by The Little Blue House to see all the ornaments displayed on our tree. It's getting really full and looks awesome!

Day 8

My tutorial for a pretty cardinal ornament is posted today on the LBH blog. Check it out here: www.thelittlebluehouseblog.blogspot.com and be sure to leave us a comment telling us your favorite Christmas cookie. You just may win one of my ornaments!

I used a fun technique for today's ornament with paper napkins, Ultra Light Paper Clay and a bit of Mod Podge.  The full instructions are on the blog but the short version is you use the clay to mold and form part of the design (in this case the bird) and this is encased in two layers of napkin.  It gives some dimension to the design which is hard to see in my photos.

I hope you're enjoying this series of ornaments and tutorials. There are only four more days!

Day 7 of 12 Days of Ornaments

Kristyn's Glitzy Glamour Ornaments are posted on the LBH blog today.  Check out her fantastic tutorial for making your very own glitter and glam goodies.  And if you leave a comment you just might win one of these for your very own tree!

Tomorrow I will be posting a fun ornament using Ultra Light Paper Clay and cocktail napkins!

Day 6

Today Rhonda posted a "snow" pretty snowflake ornament for the sixth day of the LBH 12 Days of Ornaments.

She used some wooden snowflakes from Maya Road, Sugar Dust and a Viva Decor Pearl pen to create this beautiful addition for your tree.

Visit the LBH blog for the tutorial on how to make this and be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win the ornament.

Congratulations to Sarah for winning my ornament yesterday!

Day 5 - Me!

Sugared Tart Tin Tree
Designed by Susan Tidwell


Here's today's ornament over on the LBH blog designed by yours truly, me!  I used a package of Jenni  Bowlin tart tins and turned them upside down to create a little tree.  Check out the complete tutorial on the blog here and comment for a chance to win this ornament!

There's still seven more days of ornaments, so check back every day for the tutorials.

Day 4

Are all these beautiful ornaments getting you in the mood for the holidays? I am, despite the summer-like temps we still have in TX!  Rhonda's darling Christmas Santa ornament is up next on the blog (www.thelittlebluehouseblog.blogspot.com).

Please visit the blog for the full tutorial. She uses some new products including Viva's Inka Gold paints and Ranger Rock Candy Distress Crackle paint.  Leave a comment for a chance to win this ornament!  And be sure to come back tomorrow for my ornament!

Congratulations to Debra White for winning yesterday's "blooming" flower ornament.

Day 3

Check out Elaine's beautiful origami flower ornaments on the LBH blog today at www.thelittlebluehouseblog.blogspot.com .  And find out how to make your very own pearl garland with Viva Pearl Pens - an awesome technique!

Leave a comment telling us your favorite holiday drink and you might just win one of these beauties!

Congrats to Karen G. for winning the ribbon tree ornament yesterday!

Day 2

Our second ornament has been posted. This one was created by Kristyn. It's a beautiful ruffled Christmas tree!

Go to the Little Blue House blog to see the full tutorial and be sure to comment for a chance to win this darling ornament. 

Congratulations to Donna T for winning yesterday's LBH ornament!

Day One

Our first ornament is, fittingly, a little blue house ornament designed by Miss Tracy!

A complete photo tutorial on how to make this adorable little house is on The Little Blue House blog today.  Be sure to comment on the post for a chance to win your very own ornament and, if you'd like to make one, kits are available too.  This is a custom house created exclusively for the LBH by Heart of Texas - you won't find it anywhere else!

Twelve Days of Ornaments

We had such a great time creating ornaments last year that

the Little Blue House is doing it again.

Each day one of the LBH Gals will post, on the LBH blog, a full tutorial with pictures 

on how to make an ornament.  The fun starts tomorrow (November 13) 

and one ornament will be featured each day until the  

last ornament is revealed on November 24, Thanksgiving Day.

Each day a lucky commenter will have a chance to win the ornament

revealed on that given day. So don't miss out, become a follower on the 

Little Blue House blog to see all of the fantastic things we do there and be sure to leave comments!

You may be a lucky winner!

www.thelittlebluehouseblog.blogspot.com

Blue House Art Group

Wednesday and today I taught all about alcohol inks at my Blue House Art Group classes. We had alot of fun playing with many techniques.  One was a resist technique using Archival black ink (for whatever reason this seems to only work with that ink).  In a nutshell, you apply one or several colors of alcohol ink to acetate or any clear, non-porous surface.  Once this is dry you stamp an image with Archival ink. Let the ink set on the surface for a minute but do not let it completely dry and then wipe the ink off.  The ink will remove the alcohol ink below the stamped image.  This is one of my favorite techniques and it's fun watching the clear image appear.

Once the class practiced this a few times, we made little charms/pendants with Ranger acrylic fragments.  This was my sample:

We also had a fall-themed ATC swap.  I used alcohol inks on a larger piece of glossy paper and then stamped the pumpkins with black Staz On.  I cut these out and popped them on a fall-colored plaid paper over a small piece of frayed burlap.  The stamp is an old Hero Arts stamp embossed with a "Chile Red Pepper" powder.  I punched the tiny maple leaf in the upper right corner and edged the card with Krylon gold leaf pen.

These are the other ATCs that were swapped. I love how everyone interpreted "fall" differently.

Next month we will be creating a 10"x10" Christmas canvas. Can't wait to teach all the techniques I'll be using on that project.

It's a Boy!

My husband and I are expecting our very first grandchild and we just found out this morning that it will be a boy! We are so very excited and can't wait for the March 31 due date!  I'll keep you posted on any news during the next several months.

I apologize for my absence here this past week. I've been inundated with work at The Little Blue House - teaching current classes, prepping for future ones, and creating many new class projects that were revealed at today's "Home for the Holidays" Open House.  Open House will continue through tomorrow and then I should be back to a "normal" routine next week and will get back to blogging more regularly.  "Til then...