Crafty Cre8tions

Find me at:

2016-02-27T09:48:00.002-05:00

I really don't blog anymore - but if you wanted to follow my cards and projects - you can find me at
Facebook: Crafty Cre8tions
or
on Instagram: Crafty Cre8tions

:)

Thanks for your visit!

ANOTHER Craft & Tag Sale!!!!!!!!!

2014-02-23T13:56:00.000-05:00

Hello! Anybody out there??????

I know I don't post much to my blog anymore (for the time being) - but if I have any followers still there - I'd like you to take a second to read about our Crazy Shelter Ladies Craft and Tag Sale!

For the 3rd year - our small little group of ladies will be raising money to help needy animals. Last year - some of my AWESOME FABULOUS WONDERFUL bloggy friends donated cards and crafty 'stuff' to be sold at our Sale. You can't believe how well we did with your donated creations!

So - I'm posting today to once again - see if anyone would like to donate their finished cards or other crafty items to be sold. EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR WE COLLECT GOES TO ANIMALS!

Here's our first flyer:

Last year with all the donated cards I received - I created card packs of 20 cards each that were a HUGE hit! So - I'm hoping to repeat that again this year. If you have cards & envelopes (I don't need the card sleeves) - send me an email at dog_gone_crafts @ yahoo. com and I'll send you the full address. Any other 'sellable' craft items you'd like to donate are so very much welcome too!!!

Feel free to share this information with your other crafty friends too! Are you local to CT? Do you want to have a craft table at our sale? Let me know that too!

If you LIKE my Facebook page - you can get info there too: www.facebook.com/craftycre8tions

Thank you SO MUCH for your consideration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maria!!!!!!!!!!

Donna Downey Class Review!!

2013-11-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends! I've been enjoying my blog break, but I wanted to pop in and post about my 4 day art class at the Donna Downey Studios in Huntersville, NC, that Cindy and I went to this past weekend! We took the "Inspired Artist" class, which is a TERRIFIC choice if you want to learn about A LOT of techniques and mediums. We learned about and used acrylic paints, oil pastels, pan pastels, gelatos, stencils, watercolors, image transfer and a wide array of mediums like tar gel, molding paste, glass beads, etc. and even stamp carving!

I'll jump right into the journal pages we created with some showing beginning to end. Others are 'work in progress' pages. (This will be VERY PICTURE HEAVY!)

Donna allows you to just play with everything in the studio. It gives you great freedom to experiment without worrying about how 'much' you are using. The first night at the studio we just created some backgrounds.

This is modeling paste over stencil:

Acrylic wash with pressed plates:

Modeling paste and Pumice gel medium over stencils

The next day we learned about acrylic paints and continued to work on our backgrounds and keep building layers:

One goal of mine for the class was to learn how to make 'her' poppies and she was so accommodating!

Here's the transition from my background to my finished piece:

She taught us that the art will talk to us and we'll be able to 'see' our backgrounds come to life.

This definitely worked as I transitioned THIS:

to THIS:

I was able to 'see' the flowing lines of hair in the black squiggles of my background

and turned it into a she-art girl. (This is one of my favorite journal pages)

I did love the oil pastels too!

(And Gesso is your friend).......because this mess of a background:

turned into THIS:

Now - I didn't fall in love with every technique (and my hubby and wallet were happy about that!)

Pan Pastels are not for me. It IS amazing what can be done with them, but I didn't connect

with this, but here is my 'before' and 'after' using an inspiration picture:

Here's another oil pastel over a modeling paste stencil:

And more acrylic paint work:

The final day we put together our journal using the personalized canvas cover she gives every student (along with a bunch of tools in another canvas holder. The paintbrush picture was an image transfer she taught us about and then we each decorated the front. This could be one of my favorites from the class too!

Here we are with Donna :)

Aside from the class itself - this was a very well-run experience. Bill, Donna's husband, was great via email before getting down to NC. Checking on our flight times, hotel info and any dietary restrictions.

Bill picked us up at the airport and brought us to our hotel. No need to rent a car - which was great! The hotel is even walking distance (1.2 miles) from the studio - so Cindy and I walked two mornings to class, but Bill comes and gets you everyday if you don't want to walk!

Donna's mom cooks lunch and dinner for us two out of the 4 days and even brunch on Sunday. The class all goes out together on Saturday night to a local restaurant (via huge limo) - lol

There is no need to leave the studio either. There's coffee, tea, sodas, beer/wine, candy, etc. And if there IS something you need - they are happy to go get it! The gals in class were great too and from all over! Even Camila from Brazil!!!!!!

I do truly recommend this experience. She has a wide array of classes and guest teachers too! Now, I just have to decide which one to take!

Thanks Donna & Bill :)

Don't forget to 'Like" my Crafty Cre8tions Facebook page, where I am posting my work to now :)

Thanks for your visit!

Blog Break

2013-09-14T07:55:00.000-04:00

I'm on a bit of a blog break...........but I am posting some creations on Facebook - so if you want to "LIKE" my page there - feel free!!

Crafty Cre8tions Facebook Page

Thanks for your visit!

Sunflower Shower Finale!

2013-08-18T04:00:00.000-04:00

I attended a bridal shower last week and since the invitation was so pretty - I thought I'd make a card to match. I was pleased to see that there were a TON of sunflowers at the shower - so my card definitely matched the theme!

I used a Rubber Stampede image a few times around the edges and a PTI sentiment on vellum:

Here's the invite and my card:

And since this is the final day of the blog for a bit........here's an extra card I made and wanted to post using my favorite Hero Arts stamp and Inktense pencils. I used some acetate for the sentiment so it didn't take away form the image:

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to those of you who have followed my blog and been kind enough to comment on my postings! And a bigger Thank You for those of you who have ordered from me!

I will continue to make custom cards and/or projects for anyone who needs something - so feel free to email me at maclovello @ yahoo .com

Thanks for your visit!

Happy Birthday!

2013-08-17T04:00:00.000-04:00

Here's a birthday card I made for a bloggy friend using a Stamping Bella image and Inktense pencils:

Have a great Saturday!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

A is for Amanda!

2013-08-16T04:00:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I made this mixed media wooden "A" for my bloggy friend Amanda. There are a whole bunch of details on it - so I posted a bunch of pictures! This was fun to make!

Have a great Friday!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

New Nest.........

2013-08-15T04:00:00.000-04:00

We had new neighbors move in behind our house - so I created this card for them using some My Mind's Eye paper, a Darcie's sentiment and a wood house embellie.

Now we're really not too happy about the placement of their hammock and screaming kids in relation to our pool area.......but what can you do?!

Thanks for your visit!

You are Amazing!

2013-08-14T04:00:00.000-04:00

It was my friend Jill's birthday last week. She's the dog rescuer in NC that is BEYOND AMAZING for what she does for animals - so I created this card for her using a Stamping Bella image:

I love how this card came out!

Thanks for your visit!

The beginning of the end.........

2013-08-13T04:00:00.000-04:00

So..........I think I'm going to give up the blog for a bit. There are a couple of reasons to do so and I'm not finding the time and energy to do it much anymore........so......I think at the end of the week Crafty Cre8tions blog will go dark for a bit. I might pop in here and there (and I'll still be creating) but my postings and blog visits will be dropping off.

I think I'll probably post some pictures on my Crafty Cre8tions Facebook page because it will be easier and faster - so if you're on FB and want to 'like' the page.........feel free!

These last few posts will be super quick too:

Here's a card I made for Cindy's birthday two week's ago:

Have a great day!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

Thank You for being so thoughtful!

2013-08-04T04:00:00.000-04:00

I had an extra grey polka dot base (and had no more elephants completed) - so I decided to create another CAS card to say Thanks for the donations I received for my 1/2 Marathon.

This one uses a Papertrey Ink sentiment and then There She Goes paw prints and heart. I was really happy with this one layer card!

Hope you have a great Sunday!!!

Thanks for your visit!

Thank you so very much!

2013-08-03T04:00:00.000-04:00

More Thank You cards!!!

For these cards, I used a couple different stencils and Distress Inks. Then added a Hero Arts sentiment and There She Goes paw print. These took little time and made me happy!

Thanks for your visit!

Thank You (straw spray)

2013-08-02T04:00:00.000-04:00

If my memory serves me right, I believe Shari Carroll did a tutorial on straw spraying ink on the Simon Says Blog (or could of been Hero Arts). Sadly - I'm just not 100% sure - but it was a technique I wanted to try and boy - did my lungs get a workout!!!

Using watercolor paper - I used my reinkers (some were Distress Inks and some were Dylusion sprays) and put a small puddle onto the paper. Then using a straw - I blew air onto the puddle to move the ink around. Some were guided slowly around the paper and some were just sprayed using a blast of air. I used my heat gun in between each color so they didn't get too muddy.

I really liked this technique. One change would of been to use WHITE embossing powder instead of clear. Oh - and not making like 12 of these would of been the other change. LOL

Thanks for your visit!

Jumbo Thanks!

2013-08-01T04:00:00.000-04:00

Being a 'planner' that I am......before leaving for Sonoma - I tried to make ALL my Thank You cards for the friends and family who donated to Running for Rescues! So - for the next few days - I'll be posting them.

They are on the CAS side seeing as I had to make over 40 of them! (gulp!)

I embossed a Studio G elephant in black and then colored them in with my Inktense pencils. I layered that on a scallop circle punch. For the base I used a PTI polka dot stamp in grey and then the sentiment that came with the elephant!

Thanks for your visit!

Life's A Ball!

2013-07-31T04:00:00.000-04:00

Hi Friends!

First off - a bloggy friend of mine said that my feeds weren't showing up in her reader :( I'm not sure how to correct this. I'm on both Bloglovin' and Feedly. Any help out there?

Here's a MM canvas I made before I left for California. I'll bring it up to a charity dog event in October:

This was a fun one to work on. I've got to get a few more done before the October event, so I think my hands will be quite inky until then!!

Before I go - I want to wish my BFF a very Happy Birthday today! Happy Birthday Cindy!!

Thanks for your visit!

Sonoma/Napa Flowers

2013-07-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Wow - the flowers out there were just gorgeous! I kept snapping away! Mind you - these are all from my iPhone!

And of course - I needed to post these two sunset shots!!

And I just wanted to share one final picture of CT Winers that my friend just sent me. This was the evening of the 1/2 Marathon and we gathered at the house that some of them rented together:

Have a great day!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

Fun in Sonoma

2013-07-27T04:00:00.000-04:00

Here are a few shots of us in and around Sonoma and Napa.

This is The Morning After the run: Yup......bloody Mary and a donut! :)

It took A LOT of effort to get OUT of this swing. Good thing there's no video of that!!!

Frankie in ONE of the big chairs we saw out there!

Jill taking Cindy for a ride!

The grapes growing right at our hotel!

Headed into our tour at Ram's Gate Vineyard.

(this is after we remembered to let Jill outta the back of the truck!)

Greeting us!

And our tasting!

My professional review:

And a selfie of me and hubby!

Tomorrow's final wrap up - is about my obsession with the flowers out there!

Thanks for your visit!

Back from California!!!!!!!

2013-07-26T04:00:00.000-04:00

Hello!!!!!! We're back from Cali! And we all survived the 1/2 Marathon (but not without some major aches and pains!!!) I'm going to split my wrap up into a few posts.

First up - the entire reason we went out..........the Napa to Sonoma 1/2 Marathon!!!

Here's the full Team Connecticut Winers - which is a mix of 1/2 Marathon team and 5k Team: We all met up to pick up our bibs!

This is the course map. Holy Crap!

And - I had to take a picture of my gear plus my RFR shirt!!

Of course - the night before the race - I didn't sleep. I kept anticipating alarm so I was up at 11pm, 2am, 4am and finally 4:45am when the alarm sounded!

We had to meet the shuttle at 5:45am in our hotel lobby and Jill, Cindy and I were SO HAPPY the hotel put out coffee for us!!!!!!!! Yahooo!!!!!!!

I was looking for some extra help with my run. Cindy and I put these wings on our sneakers!

These are just SOME of the runners lining up to start! See all the way in the distance -

that itty bitty white sign? That was the START! I believe there were over 3,000 runners.

Here's our 1/2 Marathon team.........just waiting to get started!!

Pat, Melissa, Kathy, Carol, Sharon, Jill, Cindy and ME!

The weather was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT on race day! Overcast and about 62 - 65 degrees!
We hit the starting gate about 4 minutes after the first people to leave did. I felt REALLY good throughout the majority of the race UNTIL mile 11..........ugh - that was hard!

At Mile 12 I texted my hubby so he could expect me within 10 minutes because I asked him to video me! Then at about 12.65 miles - my phone battery died....no music, no Map My Run.....no nothing but me to finish! And here's the short video! I loved hearing our friend Armen and Dede (along w/ my hubby) cheering me on!

Not a quality picture - but a smile of relief that the finish line was just a few hundred feet in front of me!

After the run - I had to put on my Running for Rescues shirt with everyone who donated names on it!

And - here's all the CT Winers AFTER the run.

I was able to complete the run in 2 hours, 4 minutes and :48 seconds! I was THRILLED with that time! I was hoping to be under 2:15 - so I can't complain about that! I finished 68th in my age group, 475th for females and 900th overall! AND........with the support of my family and friends - I was able to raise over $5,000.00 for Running for Rescues!

But, I'm sticking to my guns.....ONE AND DONE! There was a lot of pain associated with this run and I know my limits!

If you stuck with me through this post - thanks!!!!!! And if you donated.......thanks!!!!!!! And if you cheered me on..........thanks!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

It's HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2013-07-21T04:00:00.000-04:00

It's 1/2 MARATHON DAY!!!!!!!!! Holy CRAP!!!!!!

So..............this is what I need from YOU!!!!!!

Anytime from 7am - 9:30am West Coast Time......send an encouraging thought out into the universe for me to: Keep On Running!!!!!! And while you're at it - why not extend it to my running teammates too:

The Connecticut Winers!!!

I wanted to show you the Origami Owl necklace I purchased from my blog friend Amanda in order to keep me going throughout the run:

Lastly - I'll throw this out there again. For my 1/2 marathon - I decided to fundraise for Running For Rescues. There's still time to donate to my page if you're so inclined, but your positive energy out into the universe is just as appreciated!!!!!!

Maria's Fundraising Page

And...........if you didn't think I was crazy before........here's my new look for the run!!!

Thanks to all of those friends and family who donated to Running For Rescues and my run! You will be in my thoughts throughout the run!!!

I'll attempt to blog again in the evening to let you know how I did!!!!!

PS: I'll be back home in a few days. I didn't set up any more pre-scheduled posts!

Thanks for your visit!

Inktense Rainbow......

2013-07-20T04:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the second encouragement card I sent out to a friend this past week. It's a total inspired from Jennifer McGuire's card found HERE - although I used my Inktense Pencils instead of Distress Markers:

I started scribbling all the rainbow colors on watercolor paper. Then brushing them with a wet brush. After heat setting, I repeated the process for more intense color. Once dry again, I used this PTI sentiment and cut off the bottom part of the rainbow banner. Before adhering it to the card base, I flicked each color of the rainbow on to the base for the splatter look! Lastly, I added some black gems.

Make sure to come back to the blog tomorrow morning........because I need YOU!!!!!!!!! :)

Thanks for your visit!

Sending Hugs

2013-07-19T04:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday!!!!!!!! I've had a couple of friends needing some hugs and encouragement lately - so I colored up this Penny Black image with my prisma pencils and sent it off to one of them this week.

I used a Tim Holtz embossing folder in the background and my Lawn Fawn banner die cut and sentiment. I actually forgot I had the banner outline stamp so it looks a little bland, but I did ink the edges so it pops out a bit!

Have a great weekend!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

Muse#26 - Friendship Owls

2013-07-17T04:00:00.000-04:00

Darlene made me do it! Yup - she made me purchase this Stampin' Up Owl punch. I mean - if you go to her blog and see what she creates with it - she'll make you buy it too!!!

Here's what I came up with:

I just love these little guys! She even created wings from a scallop punch - so I snagged that idea from her too!

I used my Impression Obsession tree branch/leaf dies for these guys to be chillin' out on. I should of done a bit more on the background, but these three amigos have been sitting on my craft desk for about two weeks waiting their turn, so I really just wanted to finally put them to use! The sentiment is from Inky Antics.

Whattia think? You tempted to make a purchase? (Make sure to go see Darlene's blog!)

I'm entering this card in the Muse Challenge#26

Thanks for your visit!

SFYTT July - Happy Birthday

2013-07-16T04:00:00.000-04:00

Hi Friends!
Yikes- it's been a bit, huh? I even got an email from my mom asking if I was posting anymore because she hadn't received any updates from my blog! I guess that meant it was time for me to FINALLY take some pictures of what I've been working on and blog them!

Well, today's card is one I actually worked on this past Saturday. There were a bunch of trial and errors with this card (thankfully not including glue) so it took me a lot longer than it should have, but I'm happy with the final result.

This card is 'almost' 100% Papertrey Ink (stamps, ink and paper). I started with the Harvest Berry stamps covering the background with two different inks. Then I used a Verve mini background stamp on the white panel and die cut the Harvest Berries out 3x. I used some gems as the berries and the PTI sentiment. In person, the sentiment is much easier to read!!

I'm entering this card in the Sketch For You To Try - July sketch.

Now time to get going on some more posts!!

Thanks for your visit!

4th of July Watermelon!

2013-07-06T04:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Saturday! Hoping you all had a fun 4th of July! We spent the afternoon at our friend's house for a BBQ and old fashioned games for the kids (and adults). We had an egg toss, sack race, pie eating contest, bobbing for apples. Most games were for the kids, but yours truly (and her teammate Amy) won the egg toss!

I wanted to show you the watermelon I carved and brought over to the BBQ. I found the idea HERE and although it isn't quite up to my anal-retentive standards (I ran out of carving time) - it still ended up 'pretty' good:

I might have to re-try this again next year with more planning. I really like the original melon on the link above. She's got a lot more stars and cut out the center 'stripe' so you can see the red of the watermelon.

If you don't remember the melon I carved last year - here it is again:

Have a great Saturday!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!

Sending you sunshine and laughter

2013-07-05T04:00:00.000-04:00

Hope you had a nice 4th! I'm off for a run this morning and then a 2pm massage! (MUCH NEEDED!!)

Here's another card I made last week using my Inktense pencils.

Not much to really discuss! Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!

Thanks for your visit!