Oh, Delight! She exclaimed!

oh, delight!
Originally uploaded by Sea Dream Studio

The kind fellow ZNEr Dale at Sea Dream Studio http://dalemclain@blogspot.com/ in sunny Texas posted this photo of the goodies I sent her for being one of three randomly drawn winners in my 100th Blog Post gala. She arranged them so nicely in her photo on Flickr that I had to borrow it to make this blog post. No peeking, Karyn and Laurie! Can't wait to see what Dale makes with all this. She's been doing the coolest Bird and Bingo collage art. I've also enjoyed the ephemera packs I've purchased from her on Etsy.

And the Winners Are: Karyn, Dale, Laurie!

It wasn't exactly Deloitte & Touche or Price Waterhouse, but as you can see my 100th Post Blog Drawing was ever so official. DH wasn't thrilled to be participating, can you tell? However, all 17 commenters from AROUND THE WORLD (whee!) went into the Longaberger pie plate at lunch, and out came Karyn Gartel http://altereddiva.blogspot.com/; Laurie Blau Marshall http://loudlife-laurieblaumarshall.blogspot.com/ and Dale McLain http://dalemclain.blogspot.com/.

Email me your addy and off will go tiny bottles (not bubbles), vintage bingo ephemera, cool paper scraps, fibers and other lovely misc. Misc is always good.

Thanks again everyone for your comments. Only 96 more comments until #200! I don't think 200 is celebrated. Someone I was reading last night, who has only been blogging since February, was celebrating her 50,000 visitor-not sure how that is possible?!

Thank you! And Oh Drat! Procrastination. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Thanks everyone for the kind comments! What fun it was to read such supportive comments from all over the WORLD. I can now edit this to say "world" as I finally had a chance to read the profiles and blogs from some of the commenters. I am thrilled to say I received feedback from not only dear Chel on the West Coast (and top of the ZNE world) but also several from Canada and one from Norway. I am truly amazed! Although the whole idea of a blog is to act as a personal weblog, electronic record, portfolio, journal or diary, one of the other underlying ideas of course is knowing full well it is all being shared with the on-line community. Yes, Laurie, I think it was 1978, maybe 1976, ouch!!

So, it was fun to see who was reading my blog and what they liked; what it meant to them. I am truly touched as well. It was also fun to share in an e-tradition of a 100th post celebration and drawing. Soooo, speaking of drawing, I am going to have to insert a tiny bit of suspense (just like all the commercials in Dancing with the Stars). I have collected the comments, but I want to photograph the actual drawing and draft my kiddos or DH to do the honors. As I am sleeping in yet another hotel tonight for work, look for the announcement hopefully Wednesday night. This is work-imposed, unwillful procrastination. I'll get those ephemera treats right out! Thanks again and keep reading (and commenting).

I'm also eager to do another facelift to my blog late fall. Still working on a new banner, and trying to decide on my next color scheme. For now, I will leave a little sketch/doodle that I just decided is how I feel about procratinating (even a tiny bit).

Yay! Skinny Book Pages Done!! 100th Post- Leave a Comment for a Chance for Altered Art Goodies and Ephemera; Surprises Too!

What better way to celebrate a 100th post than to be all done with a major project. After more than two weeks and at least 48 hours of work, I just finished 54 4 x 8 pages (27 when assembled) for ZNE sponsor The Altered Abbey's Skinny Book Swap by owner and fellow ZNE member Chrysti Hydeck here: http://www.alteredabbey.com/shop/ and here http://chysti.wordpress.com/ and here http://www.alteredabbey.com/_vti_bin/shtml.exe/skinnybook.htm. She's a busy thing, that Chrysti.

I was first inspired by her work in issue No. 13 of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine. I barely made the cut-off to sign up for the books. She was hosting four books of 25 pp. each and I was No. 23 of the last book. Yikes! The book I will be in does not have to be all originals, but I did 18 originals and 9 highly-embellished high-quality photo copies. I can't even tell which is which, so I hope all recipients will be pleased.

Crazy Chrysti then decided to host two more books, this time for charity auctions, hence the 27 total pages I am sending (and one for her). Imagine, she will have her own book of more than 100 different pages! How beautiful that will be! It will be hard to wait for the finished project. I will get one of my own pages back. I did not photograph all 27, so some I will never see again.

I started with heavy weight paper for acrylic paint, cut it to size and then painted every page with a variety of solid, gel and fluid acrylics. I tried some of Chrysti's techniques from the CPS article, such as brayering pages together, painting over lace, etc. I then attached pages in sets of fronts and backs and began to embellish with paper ephemera. I did gel medium transfers, collage, added transparencies, rubber stamping, metal charms, eyelets, fibers, beads, word pebbles, gold leaf and silver leaf and then I sealed each page.

Speaking of 100th Post, I can't believe it has only been two and a half months since I started my blog. It is one of the best things I have ever done. It has forced me to learn my equipment: computer, scanner, camera, printer. It has forced me to learn web-based technology, and it has given me a chance, albeit brief, to get back to my writing. Plus it lets me share my art with the masses (even if the masses are few).

So, in honor of my 100th post, I have 3 or more large batches of goodies like those pictured from my recent haul: old bottles, old jewelry, old Bingo parts, collage papers, scrap papers, vintage cards, stickers, and I will be drawing names Monday night from among those who leave me a comment here in my 100th post. So say hello, and watch for an annoucement in two days. That should give people time to visit. I will get the goodies/freebies right out next week.

Hello Fellow Bloggers & Bloggettes & Readers

I've updated my blog and website links on the right to include more of my favorites and fellow bloggers. I have been thrilled that some of these folks have seen fit to include my blog on their site and link to here. If I have missed anyone or you have a blog you would like me to list here, just let me know and we'll trade links!

Meanwhile, enjoy the new blog toy/psych test. I've also cleaned up my other links and blog candy, to keep it fresh for you, dear reader.

Stay tuned soon to see what posting a comment for my 100th post will get you. Photo of goodies/prize(s) coming soon....and herein is a photo for fun, just because, from ClaresCupcakes.

The Cupcake As Art? Maybe Not.

The cupcake bug has really bitten me. I love looking at the beautiful works of art on Flickr as I have mentioned before. In fact I've requested permission to post another incredible work of art; meanwhile, here is my somewhat lame attempt to decorate Halloween cupcakes.

It was fun; they are colorful. But, they look nothing like the creations from my cupcake group! I guess practice could help in any arena!

I was amazed to see this is my 78th post! Getting close to that all-important 100th post milestone which means prizes! drawings! free goodies! just for commenting. A time-honored blog tradition. Stay tuned.