Creations By CC

DIY Desk Refinish Project

2012-02-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

The thrift store is the perfect place to find affordable furniture if you don't mind fixing or refinishing it. Today I am going to share with you a do-it-yourself project that I did to make an original desk for my craft room. I purchased this desk at my favorite American Rescue Workers store for $20. It is solid wood and weighs a ton but was well worth it. Here is the steps I took with not a lot of tools:

What I needed:

Dishes in dark blue, green, and light blue
Desk
Sandpaper
Dremel tool
Paint

Sand the entire desk to get rid of the finish.
Measure rectangles on the front of each drawer and drew the outline.
Using a Dremel tool, I cut along the 4 lines I just made on each drawer. Then I changed the attachment and sanded out the inside of each rectangle. The rectangles were approximately 1/4" deep. (You may have a tool that works better for this step, but I just used what I had.)
Wipe down the desk and drawers to remove all the dust and dirt before painting.
I used Glitten Eggshell Satin black paint and rolled it on. Apply 2 coats. Let dry overnight.
Then I broke several plates inside a towel using a hammer. Make sure to do one color at a time. Remember to use safety glasses and be careful not to cut yourself.
Arrange pieces inside rectangle on the drawer to get an idea of a pattern and arrangement.
Start on a different drawer and take one piece of a broken dish. Apply a thin layer of grout to the bottom and then place it in the rectangle. Continue to repeat this process until all of the pieces are transferred onto the drawer. Repeat for additional drawers.Let dry overnight.
Next, use masking tape to tape around the outside of each rectangle so that you have a straight line and do not get grout on the paint.
Spread the grout with a small putty knife over all of the pieces and in the cracks. Do small sections at a time and make sure to wipe the pieces off with a damp cloth so the grout doesn't dry on them.
Repeat process until you have all of the drawers completed.
Let dry completely.
Add knobs of your choice.

The last drawer was still drying when I took the picture.

To Die For, Banana Crumb Muffins

2012-02-06T09:00:00.002-05:00

I love bananas but they often get too ripe for my liking way to quick. So what do you do with them, I bet you usually make banana bread. Well after reading this recipe, boring banana bread will be tossed to the side and you will be making these delicious muffins from now on.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1-1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

Additional Notes:
This recipe only made 9 muffins for me. My husband claims these were the best muffins ever and within a day they were all gone.

Recipe discovered on allrecipes.com

Ready for Christmas & Pretty Gift Wrapping...

2011-12-23T12:19:00.000-05:00

With Christmas only two days away many people are finishing up their last minute shopping, wrapping and baking for the special holiday. Are you ready this year? Even though I was rather behind this year and didn't start shopping until mid December I'm finally finished.

Every year one of my favorite things to do is listen to Christmas music and wrap all the presents. I think making the gift extra pretty adds to the excitement and makes the gift even more special. All my presents match and I add pretty ribbon and extra touches like snowflakes, berries, or pine cones (all that have been used in previous years).

Last year, I fell in love with this Christmas word paper from Hallmark and bought extra during a sale for this year too. This year I wrapped the presents and used a velvet red and gold speckled ribbon. Then I added raffia ribbon on top and tied into a simple bow. I also added black gift tags that were rubber stamped in white. Here is what some of them look like:

Now it is time to sit back and enjoy the time spent with family and friends. I'm looking forward to watching some Christmas movies, Christmas Eve and Christmas day family celebrations and gathering with friends.

I hope that each one of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you next year!

My Christmas Decorations: Red Berries with Olive and Gold Ribbon

2011-12-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

This year I was anixously waiting to decorate my Christmas tree because I had put together a new theme for my tree. In the past, my tree has been decorated with light blue ornaments, pretty winter ribbon and glittered snowflake sprays that were placed on the branches. But since I have always been in love with red berries, I decided last year that it was time to switch themes.

So last year after Christmas I went out hunting for clearance decorations for my tree. I found two long bunches of two different styles of red berries. One was tiny with accents of gold, while the other was the usual red berries with some covered in a white glitter. I also bought an olive striped ribbon with gold edging as the garland and burgundy red glass ornaments with a matte finish.

Before I was ready to have a new theme, I had to make my red berry sprays for on my tree branches. I used wire cutters and a high temp hot glue gun. I cut small gatherings of each style of berries making sure to leave about 3-4 inches of a twig so it would stay in place on the tree. Then I carefully hot glued them together! It was that easy and they look fabulous. I was able to get about 40 red berry sprays to decorate my tree.

After I had everything decorated on the tree this year I decided that I needed a few more ornaments. Our Christmas tree is more open which allows for ornaments to sit in the tree further which I love! I had seen these glittered covered ornaments that were made with Mod Podge and vintage papers on Pinterest, so I decided to make my own version for my Christmas tree.

I used old hymnal pages, Mod Podge, and Martha Stewart fine white glitter. I bought the plastic ornaments at the dollar store for $1.50 for 12.

I hope you enjoy decorating your tree and home as much as I do.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Attempting to get back in the swing of things...

2011-12-14T20:04:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,

I apologize to all of my loyal followers for being slightly missing in action on here. I thought that I was going to be able to have all of my posts ready and scheduled for the month of November but we had some changes that we weren't expecting and I was not able to get everything ready in time. So since I mainly write and blog about shops, crafts and items I like I had to but Creations by CC on the back burner for a while.

But I do have some good news....While I have been away I have been working on and brainstorming some new ideas and improvements for my photography business Tomlinson Photography & Design. Here is a list of ideas that I am thinking about for 2012.

I also recently started an off site blog dedicated to my online shop...

Thinking about...
...making improvements in branding and changing my card packaging to boxes (What do you think? Vote here)
...opening an Etsy shop
...getting rid of my personal website because of lack of customer service (from the host company)
...starting a loyalty program for customers to help you save more
...designing some new cards geared towards men
...having a giveaway contest at the end of the year
...and lots of others so come back and see what will be happening.

What do you like, love or dislike? What would you like to see? What is your favorite type of promotion? Let me know by leaving a comment. I'd love to hear from you!

The next couple of days I'm going to share a few of my favorite Christmas decorating ideas and some shops for last minute gift ideas. If your finished with your Christmas shopping, than keep them in mind in case you get something green in your stocking. =)

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

- CC

Shopping Saturday: A Collection of Handmade Items for the Holidays

2011-11-05T08:37:00.000-04:00

Thank you for visiting my Shopping Saturday event!

It is my way of promoting handmade artists and I strive to bring you the best products in these beautiful collections.

For those of you that may not be familiar with the collections from ArtFire, every item is clickable. If you see an item you like I encourage you to click on it and see what other items they offer. Every item pictured here is available for purchase within the artist's studio.

Have fun shopping! Hope to see you next week!

- CC

Somewhere In Time

Curated By: shabbysheikbo...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Soap

Give Thanks...

Curated By: JustFabulousD...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Winter Fine Art Paintings & Photography

Curated By: Tomlinson_Pho...

ArtFire.com

Unique Gifts

Harvest Home

Curated By: akaCINDERS

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Love Takes Wing to Fly Me Home

Curated By: EweniqueEssen...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Im Dreaming...

Curated By: aboutaboyanda...

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Paintings

Rustic in Brown

Curated By: shabbysheikbo...

ArtFire.com

Vintage Fashion

Turkey Day

Curated By: lylianmae

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

Happy Thanksgiving ArtFire

Curated By: SerendipityCa...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

2011 Buy Unique Handmade Christmas Gifts from Artists & Crafters for Everyone

2011-11-01T07:00:00.003-04:00

Christmas is drawing closer with only 55 days until December 25th! With that in mind, it is time to start thinking about original and handmade Christmas presents for family, friends and gift ideas for him and her. With so many people on our lists it can sometimes be overwhelming. So to help you out, I have gathered unique gift ideas from handmade artists and crafters that will be perfect for everyone on your list!

Make this Christmas season filled with handmade and original Christmas presents!

Signs of Elegance - specializes in handcrafted decorative wooden signs with quotes and sayings that will touch your heart!

Football Sign, Gift Idea for Him

Norma's Bath and Body - Handmade bath and body products that are absolutely delicous! There are lots of gifts for women, men, and children!

Joyfully Sewn Designs - Affordable and beautiful handmade clothing for girls of all ages. Great gifts for grandchildren, nieces and daughters!

Peasant Blouse, Size 3

Metal Artistry - Handmade Metal Jewelry, Great original designs make perfect Christmas presents.

Handmade Metal Bracelet for Her

Canadian Rockies Art - Beautifully handcrafted metal jewelry

Handmade Gift for Girlfriend

JMcCoy - From Logs to Lumber, Handcrafted Pens, Jewelry Boxes and More!

Perfect fun toy for any boy!

Forget Me Not Soaps - Handmade & Organic Soaps, Shampoo, Scrubs and More!

Ewenique Essentials - Handmade quilted bags and knitted accessories. Fill these with bath & body products for friends or co-workers!

Boo Beads - Handmade Bracelets, Earrings, Rings, and Necklaces

Candy Apple Crafts - Vintage Home Decor and Beautiful Handmade Scarves

Beautiful! Great gift for anyone.

Tomlinson Photography & Design - Handmade Photo Cards, Wall Art, and Small Gifts

Words to Wear - Inspirational and Personalized Jewelry. Handcrafted sterling and copper rings, necklaces, and charm bracelets. Perfect gifts for moms and grandmas!

Gingers Garden - Artisan Soaps, Skin Care, and Body Products

Baskets by Rose - Handcrafted baskets. Fill this basket with delicous recipes, kitchen tools and maybe a bottle of wine! Great original gift for families or co-workers.

Shadow Dog Designs - Unique Handmade Jewelry for the Discriminating Woman

These peppermint earrings would make a great teacher gift.

New Hampshire Land Pirate - Framed photography prints

Cusp Designs - Photos, Cards, and Paper Art

Christie Cottage - A variety of handmade gift items. Paper journals would make a great stocking stuffer.

Live Dream Create2 - Eco-Friendly Plush Creations. Great playsets for kids, that make fun handmade Christmas presents!

Linda Landig Jewelry - Handmade Jewelry, Bracelets, and Necklaces

LuvnCrafts - Handmade Cards, Crochet Hats and Scarves, and lots more!

All Decked Out Boutique - Babies, Toddlers and Young Girls Clothing and Accessories

Cards by Sarah - Handmade Cards, Magnets and Beautiful Abstract Artwork

Pretty Gonzo - Handcrafted Earrings and Fun Vintage Things

Thank you for visiting to check out these fabulous handmade items!

To view other handmade shops, please visit the Supporting Artists & Crafters Event on Facebook.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Shopping Saturday: Halloween and Fall Colors in Handmade Items Available on ArtFire

2011-10-29T09:09:00.000-04:00

Thank you for visiting my Shopping Saturday event!

It is my way of promoting handmade artists and I strive to bring you the best products in these beautiful collections.

Have fun shopping! Hope to see you next week!

- CC

Caramel and Red

Curated By: epicetera

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

Ooooohhhh, Thats Scary!

Curated By: ShadowDogDesi...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Trick or Treat - Smell My Feet - YAY!

Curated By: bluemorningex...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Violet Skies

Curated By: thesunnysidebiz

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Paintings

Light Peach

Curated By: luvncrafts

ArtFire.com

Indie Design

Copper Leaf

Curated By: Metal_Artistry

ArtFire.com

Indie Design

Happy Haunted Halloween!

Curated By: PrettyGonzo

ArtFire.com

Vintage Fashion

A Day At The Zoo

Curated By: Metal_Artistry

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Pecan Crusted Pork with Orange Maple Glaze: Easy Fall Recipe

2011-10-28T08:49:00.000-04:00

Pecan Crusted Pork with Orange Maple Glaze

I am always looking for new pork chop recipes and this one is absolutely delicious. It gives you that warm and sweet satisfaction you are looking for in comfort food during the fall season.

1 pork tenderloin (about 1-1/2 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

4 Tablespoons of pure maple syrup

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 oranges (1 juiced, 1 cut in wedges)

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Trim the fat off of tenderloin and then cut 1/2 inch slices. Flatten with the palm of your hand and season with salt and pepper.

Place 3 tablespoons of syrup in shallow dish: place pecans in a second dish. In a 12" skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Coat pork in syrup then press in pecans. Place pork in skillet in single layer, top with remaining pecans and syrup from dish.

Cook 3-4 minutes each side until pork is pink in center. With a slotted spoon, remove any pecan pieces in skillet, spoon over pork.

Stir orange juice, the remaining 1 tablespoon of syruop, cumin, and cayenne into skillet. Cook uncovered 1-2 minutes until thickened and pour over pork. Serve with orange wedges.

*Recipe from BHG

---------

Adjustments I made:

I used 6 small-medium sized pork chops instead of slicing a tenderloin.

Instead of plating the pork after 3-4 minutes on each side, I preheated the oven to 375°F and placed them in a sprayed baking dish. I placed them in the oven while I was preparing the sauce for about 5-10 minutes. Then I poured the sauce over the pork chops in the baking dish and left them cook an addtional 5 mnutes. Plated the porkchops and served with orange wedges.

Hope you enjoy! This dish pairs nicely with sweet potato casserole.

Review of Pegasus Soaps Whipped Coffee Caramel Scrub and Dead Sea Mud Mask

2011-10-25T08:09:00.000-04:00

Today, I am going to talk about two bath and body products that I purchased samples of about a month ago. I featured Pegasus Soaps in the spring and ever since have been wanting to try her whipped coffee caramel scrub because it sounded delicious. I also have been on the search for a good scrub for quite sometime that leaves me skin smooth and soft without drying it out. I'm happy to say that I think I have found what I have been looking for.

Whipped Coffee Caramel Sugar Scrub:

First off it smells amazing, like a fresh brewed cup of coffee! But with that amazing smell you have a gentle scrub that has left my face smooth and soft after every use. I typically use this scrub about 3-4 times a week, once a day. I have not had any problems with my skin drying out or skin irritation. This scrub does have more of a course texture because of the coffee grounds that are actually in it but I did not experience any problems with this product. I have also used this scrub on my back and I was very impressed with the results.

Dead Sea Face & Body Mud Mask:

I really enjoy this mask too! It has an interesting smell to it because it does smell like mud or dirt but I thought it also had a hint of a sweet smell. To use it, you dampen your skin and then apply the mud mask over your face or body and let it dry for 5-15 minutes. Once it is dry, you wet your face and rub in a circular motion. The mud mask has a fine scrubing grit that really helps to clean your skin. It also leaves your skin feeling soft. I have been using this scrub about 1-2 times a week and not on the days that I have used the coffee scrub.

Here are some benefits to using this mud mask that I received with this product:

Can help balance the skin
Regenerates skin cells giving your skin a more youthful and glowing appearance
Helps to improve winkles caused by age and stress
Removes dead cells and excess oils
Cleanses and purifies the skin and reduces muscular pain

Peaceofpi Studio: Handmade and Fine Art Items with Eco Friendly Materials

2011-10-18T08:00:00.001-04:00

An artist that has a studio filled with small paintings, handmade bags and pouches, recycled art using comic books and much more. This week, let's get to know Jo, artist and creator behind Peaceofpi Studio.

Tell me a little bit about yourself:
I’m an artist from Vancouver, Canada. I specialize in small-scale paintings & fabric art. My paintings range in size from 2 to 20 inches and my fabric art pieces are equally tiny. I’ve always enjoyed working on pieces with lots of color and detail.

I’m a wife, mom and lifelong animal & pet lover. It’s sounds hard to believe, but rainy days make me happy. It’s a good thing too because we get more than our share in Metro Vancouver. I love the crisp fresh air of a rain shower.

What else do you do besides create beautiful items?

I’m an amateur chef and I love adapting recipes, giving them my own spin. I grow my own vegetables and herbs and seek out local organic ingredients.

Reading is a constant. I like fiction, suspense, humor & biographies. As for non-fiction, my faves are cookbooks, books on animal behavior & crafty books.

How did you get started?

I began with paper and glue, starting with decoupage and collage. I learned a lot about glue. Actually, I probably know way too much about glue. It’s probably not normal, but there you go! As a self-taught artist, the pathway forward was winding. A combination of reading (a lot of reading) & years of experimenting led me to painting and mixed media.

Why do you love what you do?

Lots of reasons! Working with my hands is an amazing joy. Being self-directed & independent gives me energy and fuels creativity. And making a connection with others through my art is a rare and rewarding kind of communication.

What are your inspirations?

Birds are a huge inspiration for me - their beauty, strength and vulnerability. Birds are the ultimate symbol of freedom.For a long time I’ve had a passion for crows, ravens and blackbirds and the majority of my art features these birds. Recently I’ve been drawn to owls. I find it intriguing that in nature owls have a less obvious “spark” of personality than other birds, but in art, it’s the owls that have all the colors, facial expressions and character.

I have other inspirations too. Typography – letters, numbers, words and symbols are another passion of mine. But to me, it always seems to come back to birds. They represent the mysteries of nature. They are the opposite of modern society with its materialist values and consumerist culture. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of them.

What is your favorite piece that you have created?

Such a difficult question for a create type. The answer is usually the piece currently working on or recently completed. I’ve done two larger sized (large for me!) paintings of anatomical hearts. As a symbol of love, life & health, they both have a lot of meaning for me. The larger piece is a heart suspended from above with a stepladder propped against it. It’s titled Climb to the Heart. The other features a bird looking at a heart in the sky. It’s titled Gazing at the Clouds.

Thank you for the interview Jo!

I encourage everyone to visit Peaceofpi studio to see other art items.

You can find her:

Shopping Saturday Event: Handmade Jewelry and Gift Ideas for the Holidays

2011-10-15T07:30:00.001-04:00

Thank you for visiting my Shopping Saturday event!

It is my way of promoting handmade artists and I strive to bring you the best products in these beautiful collections.

Have fun shopping! Hope to see you next week!

- CC

Copper and Brass

Curated By: Thesingingbea...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

Gifts For Mom

Curated By: Adrienne25

ArtFire.com

Craft Tutorials

Autumn Orange Handmade Jewelry

Curated By: SagesCupboard

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Fashion Trends- Nu Vogue

Curated By: epicetera

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Photography

I Like Rust

Curated By: akaCINDERS

ArtFire.com

Craft Supplies

Halloween Party Snacks and Appetizers: A Little Bit Spooky & Delicious

2011-10-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

Mix mild goat cheese, cream cheese and pesto to make these delicious treats!
Get this Spooky Recipe

Eww! Monster Toes...You kids will love these miniature hot dog snacks!

Another version using pie crust instead or tortillas.

"The Evil Eye" apple snack
Get complete recipe directions at All You Magazine

Candy-Filled Witch Hats - BHG.com

Taco Dip and Tortilla Graveyard

Delicious brew of pineapple, lime, and ginger ale!

Wordless Wednesday: DIY Autumn Pumpkin Topiary for your Home Decor

2011-10-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

Fragments of Soul: The Art of Amy Dryer

2011-10-11T08:00:00.003-04:00

I'm not quite sure how I discovered Amy Dryer but I thought I would take some time to share her with you. She is an artist from Calgary, Alberta and is the creative painter behind Fragments of Soul: The Art of Amy Dryer.

Amy Dryer attended the Alberta College of Art and Design, The Glasgow School of Art in Scotland and The Fine Art program at Mount Allison University and now holds a degree in fine arts. She is in several galleries throughout Canada.

Amy Dryer paints in a old warehouse building on the sixth floor and enjoys the noises of the city as they mix with her music. I have enjoyed browsing the photos of her studio because I find them very art inspiring. They are filled with varying sizes of pastels, heavily used brushes, speckled floors and large colorful paintings through the room. I encourage you to visit her site if your interested in viewing her creative space.

Video of The Art of Amy Dryer

More Paintings....

I like think this photograph is pretty cool. It tells a lot.

Propeller Centre - Men & Women: Private Moments, Art Exhibit

I have included some of my favorites and encourage you to vist Amy Dryer at the following online locations to explore more:

Facebook

Website

Twitter

Galleries:

Axis Contemporary Art

Canvas Gallery

Avenue Art Gallery

Trinity Galleries

Halloween DIY Decorations: Easy and Creative Ways to Add a Little Spookiness to Your Party

2011-10-10T08:00:00.004-04:00

I enjoy Halloween parties because it is just another reason to get together with friends and have a good time. Plus, today there are so many creative ways to decorate in style for any holiday or occasion. These easy handmade Halloween decorations are perfect to add a little spookiness to your party. Just because you are an adult doesn't mean you can't have fun in a stylish way.
P.S. All photos or captions are clickable so you can find the full how-to details.

-----------------

I wasn't able to find a photo but a clever way to dress up your china plates for Halloween is to add vinyl cut-outs of Halloween items. You can download stencils from Better Homes & Gardens.

Purchase orange paper lanterns and cut out words from black tissue paper.
Glue them to the paper lanterns. - All You Magazine

Cute and Easy Halloween Paper Ornaments by

Annette Labedzi

Add googly eyes to a black and white photograph and put in an inexpensive frame.

Love this idea! Find out how to make haunted spirits in mirror here.

For your decorations: 50% off Michael's coupon for Martha Stewart Crafts

Cash & Cari: HGTV Show about Estate Sales

2011-10-09T09:00:00.001-04:00

Cari Cucksey, energetic host behind Cash and Cari and owner of a vintage store in Michigan called RePurpose

I started to watch Cash and Cari because I enjoy refinishing furniture and creating something new and original from something old. There are varying opinions out there about her show and some can be pretty hard critics, however I have enjoyed watching the show. I'm not going to say that every episode has interested me but I do find the majority of them to be interesting.

The base of the show is that Cari and her team set up and run estate sales for her clients. Through some of the episodes she will purchase items from the show and then refinish them and resell them for in her shop. During the episode, Grandfather's Treasure Trove, Cari sets up an estate sale for her family and makes a interesting coat rack using a piece of rustic wood and old door knobs.

One time she refinished an old desk with an attached chair. They painted the desk white with a metallic gray shimmer and then added a mild yellow and gray fabric with a diagonal pattern. It was really neat, I wish I could find a photo to show you!

Cash & Cari is relatively new to HGTV and it seems to be on in the summer but I encourage you if you see it being advertised to make sure to watch an episode. It has recently been on Sundays at 7:00 or 7:30 PM and on Wednesday mornings around 9:00 or 9:30 AM. You can also watch full episodes at HGTV.

Learn more about Cari Cucksey

Visit her Shop RePurpose

Shopping Saturday Event: Handmade Gift Ideas for You and Your Loved Ones

2011-10-08T07:30:00.001-04:00

Thank you for visiting my Shopping Saturday event! It is my way of promoting handmade artists and I strive to bring you the best products in these beautiful collections.

Have fun shopping! Hope to see you next week!

- CC

Trendy Tantalizing Teals!

Curated By: CharanCreations

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Burnt Orange October

Curated By: Tomlinson_Pho...

For the person who has everything...

Curated By: MyKnottyShop

ArtFire.com

Handmade Soap

Fall on the farm

Curated By: straycatfarm

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Photography

Fashion Trends- Moonstruck

Curated By: epicetera

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Photography

How Cool is That

Curated By: PoppysGardenG...

ArtFire.com

Vintage Fashion

Warming Colors of the Cooling Season

Curated By: RitasAttic

ArtFire.com

Indie Design

Fall Color Series: Orange and Brown

Curated By: bluemanatee

ArtFire.com

Unique Gifts

Delicious Fall Dessert Recipe: Pumpkin-Swirl Cheesecake

2011-10-07T08:00:00.002-04:00

25 ginger snaps, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 packages of 8oz. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 can of canned pumpkin

Preheat oven at 325° F. Mix together ginger snap crumbs, nuts, and butter. Press in 9x13" pan. Beat the cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla together. Add one egg at a time. When combined, remove 1-1/2 cups of batter and set aside. Stir remaining sugar, pumpkin, and spices into the batter. Next, pour the pumpkin batter into the pan. Spoon in the reserved cream cheese plain mixture. Swirl with a knife.

Bake 45 minutes or until center is almost set.

*Instead of all ginger snaps, you can do a 50/50 mix of ginger snaps and graham crackers.

Hope you enjoy this simple fall dish. I took it to a dessert party and my family loved it!

Multimedia Artist, Renée Parker: Owner & Artist Behind Created by Renée and Artspell

2011-10-04T10:13:00.000-04:00

When I first joined ArtFire, I remember seeing Renée's paper mache decorative balls in a collection and I totally fell in love with them! Ever since my mom and I started having girl's shopping outtings and we would make our usual stop at Pier One to browse the home items, I fell in love with the decorative balls. Although, I was always drowling over everything in the store and still am today! But I especially loved the textures and colors and couldn't wait to have these decorative items displayed in my home. So when I stumbled across Renée's I was one happy woman, however being new to the site I forgot to bookmark them. Oh, no! But thankfully, I stumbled across a new item the other day in Renee's shop and everything clicked and I rushed over to explore her shop. This time it has made a safe landing in my market place for future purchases.

So now that you know my experience with Created by Renée, I had to contact her to be featured on my blog. I adore all of her home decor, paintings, rolled paper beads and more! Her shop is filled with beautiful textures and color. I ~~hope~~ know you will just love her items too! So without further ado, her is a little bit about Renée Parker, the multimedia artist from Conyers, Georgia.

Tell me a little bit about yourself:

I am a multimedia artist, which means I create and design in various materials and forms. My first creative experiences were drawing and sculpting, but as I tried new things (painting, repurposing, collage, jewelry making, and more), I found more favorite ways of expression, so I couldn’t limit myself to one or two. I was largely self-taught until I attended a private art college. I did my art on the side for years while I worked various day jobs, many in creative fields. But I always knew I wanted just to work at my art. So I’ve gradually built on the things I love to do, and am currently selling online and in local boutiques. I have been blessed with opportunities that gave me national magazine and television exposure, and have been part of published projects. It’s amazing, because I’m doing something I love, and would do without recognition, and these things just emerged over the years as icing on that cake. I have had limited gallery exposure, and my dream is to expand on that, with series of paintings and sculpture I am currently working to complete, and to offer my work in more boutiques and galleries nationwide.

What else do you do besides create beautiful items? I have many interests, which range from the things everybody likes to do, such as travel, exercise, get outdoors, try new restaurants with my friends, to the nerdy stuff like raid the public library, expand my own personal library (uh, with books I bought, not the ones from the library, lol), watch old movies, and just dream of doing amazing things.

How did you get started? My parents get the credit for that. They noticed my artistic curiosity very early on and made sure I had supplies and later, creative technique books for reference. Maybe they were excited to find a way to keep me occupied, but it was a blessing to me, since it kept me engrossed for most of my childhood and teen years. I grew up trying so many different things creatively, and was fortunate enough to be encouraged by family and friends.

This is so cute and romantic...There
is a little note inside that says "I
love you."

Why do you love what you do? I’m not sure I can explain it, except to say that when I’m painting, sculpting, building, bringing whatever I’ve seen in my mind into reality, I feel a sense of joy and fulfillment. Aside from God and my family, creating is one of the greatest loves of my life. I believe it has a lot to do with a built in passion that anyone can experience once they figure out what their passion is. Passion is what gives me energy to jump up and finish things I want to create, even when I’m exhausted. The other side of it is the thrill of doing something that excites and interests me, not something someone else told me I should do or must do.

What are your inspirations? Well, my inspirations probably sound boring to other people, but every single day I see and hear things, such as colors, textures, and forms that make me stop in my tracks and observe. Things in nature, in movies or t.v., while I’m surfing online, sleeping, etc. And you don’t have to leave home to find something that stirs your soul. A funny shaped apple from the fridge can do it, lol. The point is anything that makes me want to create, right?

What is your favorite piece that you have created? That is an extremely tough question for me as an artist, because my answer is usually one of the new projects I plan to start soon, because though I love the end result, and am sometimes sad to see pieces go when they sell, it’s the creative process that makes it for me. The finished pieces are just gravy. :o)

Now for the best part, it is time for you to explore all the wonderful creations by Renée on your own. She is also on Etsy under the shop name Artspell and she currently has her own website, Reneezance Art, where you can learn more about her and her creations.

Her Blog
Twitter
Facebook

Thank you for stopping by to read about this week's featured artist!

Bring Nature Inside this Winter with Vertical Planters

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In April, I posted my first discovery of an inside vertical garden with the off the wall mini pots. I recently discovered another style that can be used inside or out. But why not bring the beauty of plants inside in these coming fall and winter months.

These boxed frames are made by artmatters.com and were featured in the September 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens®. There is a natural coconut fiber lining to hold the plant securely in the decorative box. The 6x6-inch box is $29 and the 10x10-inch box is $49. Find them at a retailer near you by visiting Art Matters.