My first blog candy - finally!

I 'm terrribly sorry for taking so long to post the blog candy I had announced in the previous post.  I owe all of you who visit my blog an apology. In fact I had hoped to post it before Easter Sunday, but things got a bit out of control because I've been having quite a busy time lately and time really flies... Anyway, here it is, finally. Here's what I'm offering you:

- an altered notebook

- 2 ATCs

- an altered notebook

- letter paper + matching envelopes and pen

- cross-stitch fabric, blue thread and pink grosgrain ribbon

- an altered box

- metallic beads 

- green flowers (in the picture they look blue but they aren't) and a couple of colourful animals (they're stickers  and I think they're made of EVA)

-two polymer clay pendants/charms and some beads (made by me)

- découpage paper and napkin papers for découpage

For a chance to win, all you need to do is post a comment here and a link to this post on your blog (to spread the word).

I'll keep this running until I have at least ten comments.  The winner will be chosen using a random number generator.

Good luck and thanks for being a visitor to my blog!

THE DEADLINE TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY IS ON JUNE 30th AT 11:59 p.m.

THIS CANDY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Thank you very much to all who participated in it and to all the people who decided to become a follower too.

Unfortunately, there is only one winner and you can find it here.
 

Blog candy coming soon...

I've wanted to have a giveaway for a long time. Actually, I've been thinking about it since last year, so it's about time I do it. My birthday was a week ago (April 2nd) and so I can't find a better way to celebrate being alive than creating some art and give it away to someone else as a way of thanking God for being so generous to me.

The ATC in the picture is just "an appetizer" and will be part of the giveaway, as well as the spring ATC I've just posted.

I'm still finishing a couple of projects (a little box and an altered notebook). So when I'm done, which will hopefully happen before Easter Sunday, I'll post the full picture of what you might win if you post a comment. By the way, all you have to do to enter the draw is share a cherished memory of one of your birthdays and post a link to this post on your blog to spread the word. The more the merrier... The draw will run for about two weeks (I'll tell you the exact date later)and I will use a random number generator to choose the winning post.

You make my heart sing

Spring is the theme at Created by Hand. Here is my ATC.

Thanks for looking!

Secret garden

Secret garden is the them at TGiF. Here's my ATC. (It was the first time I used the bandana technique.)

Thanks for looking!

The key to happiness

Key is the theme at Inspire me Thursday. At Mixed Media Monday the theme is polka dots and or stripes, so I've combined both challenges.

Bookmarks - Big Art Adventure

I made these bookmarks about a year ago for a swap partner (who was a woman of faith) at swap-bot. (The crocheted book thong was for her Bible). I didn't get to post the pictures then, so I'm using them now for Rosie and Linda's Art Adventure whose challenge is, of course, bookmarks.

(Just in case you're wondering, the beautiful Virgin Mary painting is by Bouguereau, one of my favourite painters. As for the little girl freebie, I've forgotten where I found it. Sorry!)

Thanks for looking!

Birds ATC - Theme Thursday

Here's my contribution for Theme Thursday whose theme is birds, nests and eggs. I made this ATC using mostly scraps of paper. The girl image is a freebie by Graphicsfairy and the bird stamp is Hero Arts.

Thank you for looking!

What I've won at One World One Heart

Remember the great One World, One Heart giveaway? Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to participate in it. (Hopefully I will next year). Nevertheless, I browsed through other crafters' art and left comments here and there in the hope I'd win something nice... And so I was the lucky winner of Terri's giveaway. :-) Hooray! The stunning tote bag with a surrealistic tree that's in the picture above is now mine. :-) Thank you so much Terri!!! I love the bag!!!

You can see more of Terri's amazing work here.

Portugal

At Mixed Media Monday the challenge this week was to make art representative of one's country. I didn't mean to take part in this challenge because I've been having a busy time lately, but then I realized it was my opportunity to show a little bit of my country to all the people who visit my blog.
To make this collage I used magazine clippings, pastel pencils and some glitter. I had a few set backs with this work, though. First I should have started it earlier, then I should have looked for images on the Internet and printed them instead of looking for suitable images in magazines, which took a while and didn't lead to very satisfactory results. Last but not least, I took several pictures of the collage but I didn't manage to get a decent shot of it.
The collage measures 21cm x 30cm (A4),that is to say its size is about 8"x 12".
Thanks for looking!

Ice blue ATC

At Arty Girlz the challenge is to create an ATC and the theme at TMTA is ice blue, so I'm combining both challenges.

Orient - Theme Thursday

Happy Chinese New Year! I didn't do it on purpose, but, coincidence or not, I'm posting my first 2"x 4" on the day they celebrate New Year in China. You can see all the other 2"x4" projects at Theme Thursday. Thanks for looking!

Bliss!

A few weeks ago the theme at Dans ma Maison... was "white". (It's impossible to think of white and not to think of brides.) I started this project, but I unfortunately I didn't finish it on time to enter the challenge. I put it away but now "lace" is the theme at Wednesday Stamper and "hearts" is the theme at Created by hand. So I've combined both challenges. Thanks for looking!

Queen for a day - TMTA

I made this ATC a long time ago hoping it would be a theme somewhere someday... :-) Now that a few months have gone by I realize I'm not particularly fond of it, but anyway, it suits TMTA's theme, which is "Queen for a day".

Thanks for looking!

Angels - Make a Moo or Two

The theme at MMT this week is angels, so I couldn't miss it. I have several angel stamps but this is definitely my favourite, which you can see in full here.

Thanks for looking!

Best wishes!

May God fill your life with Health, Love, Peace, Wisdom, Hope and Joy and give you the strength to fully accomplish the mission He has for you.
May He also give you lots of creativity, time and energy to praise Him through your art projects throughout the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas ATCs

Metal art is the theme at Saturday's workout.
I had a hard time photographing this one. The stained glass nativity scene was stamped in gold but it doesn't show properly in the picture neither do the transparent beads I added to the stars. As for the metal foil, I've used a wrap from a Kinder chocolate bar again. I'm recycling as much as I can these days. (The background of the ATCs below had been previously wrapping a Christmas present.)

Altered domino - keychain

At One Powerful Hour the theme is 2008 revisited, which gave me the chance to finally end my domino keychain, although it obviously took me more than an hour to have it done. I started by gluing with "Alkyl" varnish a scrap of Christmas gift wrap to a bamboo domino I had bought on ebay months ago and had wanted to use for ages. After two coats of "Alkyl" (which were actually not necessary, as I realized later), I coated the domino with Antique Medium I, let it dry and then applied Antique Medium II for a crackling effect. Next I added dissolved "Goldfinger" to it and quickly wiped off the excess.(You can get a similar result with acrylic paint.) Finally I added the cotton thread and the beads. I had a lot of trouble trying to make the thread go through the flower beads holes; it was simply too thick for those holes. That's why one of the threads has some knots instead of a bead. I'm not totally satisfied with the way this project turned out, but was it is my first altered domino, I won't be too hard on myself.

Dans ma maison il y a... Noel

Noël, that is to say Christmas, is the theme at Dans ma Maison il y a... Thanks for looking! I'm entering this to Saturday's Workout too, because the challenge this week is metal art.

T'was The Night Before Jesus Came

T'was The Night Before Jesus Came
'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.
When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be The Day!
The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.
In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.
The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.
I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.
In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!

~~~~~Author Unknown~~~~~

Merry Christmas and thank you!

I'd like to say thank you very much to all the visitors to my blog throughout the year. A big warm thank you to all those who take the time to leave such uplifting comments to my simple creations. You really make my day! God bless you! Have a Merry Christmas time and a New Year full of the Lord's blessings!