Angela Holt Designs Blog Hop Part DEAUX

Welcome to the second half of the blog hop! First let me welcome all my wonderful new followers! I'm so glad to have you aboard, I can be a bit crazy at times but I hope you'll get a chuckle when I am!

Second, please help me thank our sponsors by visiting their blogs and FB pages and liking them. Click on the pictures and it will take you right to their page.

 Blog  

 FB page

And

 Blog

 FB page

And don't forget to join 

And here we go hop, hop, hopping!

In case you forgot or got here because you follow me, be sure to start at the beginning to increase your chances of winning prizes. Leave some loving comments along the way! At the end of my post is a chance for a prize too! Here's the route:

Angela Holt 

Rhonda M Bewley-Ratliff

Deb Ochs-LaGrone (that's me!)

Nicky Wilcox

Stephanie Bargelski

Itza Gomez

So on with the hop!

Yesterday I featured a Graphics 45 project. Today I want to introduce you to Angela Holt's Shabby Chic Kits. Along with her regular store items, Angela has a subscription service where you can buy a kit jam packed with items to make shabby chic projects. It usually contains lace, multiple flowers, ribbon, bling and lots of filler goodies. It's a fantastic bargain and you can check out more about it by clicking on the picture below.

This month there were some fabulous flowers, fancy trims, beads, ribbons, bling, and lovely laces. I couldn't wait to get started with them! I made two projects so far which I will share with you next but I have SO MUCH LEFT!!! I think I can do at least 4 more projects, probably more. I'm not kidding when I say it's a great deal! So My first project was simple, an altered candle.

I used a piece of my own ivory stretch lace that was 7" wide to cover the glass pillar candle holder.  Then I encircled the top with this gorgeous black dangle trim out of Angela's kit. I adore the crystal dangles hanging down! Next I glued on a black lace flower base, also from Angela's kit. I took a small frame I found for a dollar at Micheal's, removed the back painted it in white gesso, dabbed gold paint on and then sprayed it with Lindy's Stamp Gang Glitz Spritz in Cactus Gold. I found a picture I liked and printed it to fit the frame, then I attached it so it partially covered the black base flower. The flowers you see were all the creamy color you see on the left. I sprayed one with Tattered Angels Black Magic, and one with Tattered Angels Tuscan Sun and then topped it with the Lindy's Cactus Gold. I made a little black bow, inserted some extra pearl sprigs and that was it! Project complete out of her fun Shabby Chic Kit!

The second project I made using her kit included some beautiful Petaloo flowers she added to the kit, some of her bling (the eye), and the bead trim around the tail (still have a long section of that left). I entered a challenge to create a mask for a private FB group I belong to. I thought and thought...I love peacocks so I thought I'd give it a try to transform a peacock into a mask. Here's my creation...

I love how it turned out and it's gonna look great hanging in my new bedroom in Florida!

So that concludes my second portion of the Angela Holt Design Team Blog Hop. Oh wait! I have a drawing for you! Ok here's the rules:

1. Leave a loving comment on each designers hop page (that means 12 comments 6 for today and 6 for Thursday's edition)
2. Enter your info in the linky tool at the bottom of this post.

So what will you win? How about a $20 Amazon gift card so you can buy what ever you need!

Good luck and enjoy the rest of the hop! After you enter your info hop on to Nicky's place.

Love ya,

~Deb~

Angela Holt Designs Blog Hop

Woo hoo! It's our first Design team blog hop and I'm so excited! I started designing for Angela Holt back in August. We've gone through several changes along the way but we are all in cruising mode now and things are going great as a team. I love Angela's shabby creations and she's taught me a lot in the few short months I've been with her. I adore using her products and she's awesome at finding us sponsors!

This months sponsor was Graphic 45. We had the honor of working with their 12 Days of Christmas line. Let me tell you that was not an easy feat. Cutting up the beautiful paper was nerve wracking! I want to keep their paper forever, when I get it, just to be able to stare at it in awe. Well that was not to be this time as they gave me the products to make something to share and inspire you so cut I did! You can see the details below.

If you arrived here from Rhonda's blog then your in the right place, but if you stopped by because you're a follower of mine, be sure to start at the beginning to increase your chances of winning prizes. The order is as follows (click on the names to go to the blogs):

Angela Holt 
Rhonda M Bewley-Ratliff
Deb Ochs-LaGrone (that's me!)
Nicky Wilcox
Stephanie Bargelski
Itza Gomez

Today is only the first of the hop projects. Be sure to come back Thursday for an entirely new set of projects from all the hop designers! My Thursday project will feature Angela's fabulous November edition Shabby Chic Kit. Sign ups for her December kit will begin November 1st and are only available for purchase for 1 week. Don't get left behind and miss out by not getting your order in on time!

With out further ado...My Graphic 45 Design Team Project

I created a hot air balloon ornament using a burned out light bulb. I started by putting alcohol ink in cranberry all over the glass part of the bulb. Then I cut a strip of the Graphic 45 My True Love paper and adhered it to the silver bottom of the bulb. I lined the inside with some hanging bead trim and the outside with some opalescent goldish thin ribbon as a border.

Next I created the basket area. I took apart a ring box and created the basket bottom by adhering more of the My True Love paper. Trimmed it with the same dangle trim, added some of the beautiful leaf lace pieces from Angela's Shabby Chic Kit in the corners. 

Next I added the strands of seed beads to make the beaded bunting look on the bulb and draped the pieces down to attach to the basket. When I had it as level as I could get it, I reinserted the slotted ring holder piece, fussy cut one of the dancing ladies to sit in the basket, and started embellishing.

I added loads of flowers, in colors to match the G45 paper, a few pieces of fussy cut pears, trees and other odds and ends. I wanted this ornament to be fully loaded!

Graphic 45 also included a set of their fabulous tags so I took two of those and cut out the 12 days of Christmas sign to attach at the top and a Seasons Greetings sign for the bottom.

And here's a view of the back...

This paper is just stunning and so great to work with! It's sturdy enough to hold it's shape when it's fussy cut and the double sides allow it to look great from the back view as well. I really enjoyed working with this collection! I'm sure you'll see more as we get closer to Christmas.

So if you've reached the bottom and are still reading, here's the info about the prize I'll be giving away on my blog only for this hop. It will be available only to those who:

1. Leave a loving comment on each designers hop page (that means 12 comments 6 for today and 6 for Thursday's edition)
2. Enter your info in the linky tool that will be available on Thursdays blog post.

Pretty easy huh? You won't get to see the prize package until Thursday either but I'm hoping you're excited enough to come back, enjoy our inspiration projects, and find out what you could win! Prizes will be awarded after the hop ends on Friday November 1st. Check back on Saturday to see if you won! Now...

Be sure to come back and follow the hop again Thursday. Be on your way to your next stop now, the fabulous Nicky Wilcox.

Love ya,
~Deb~

Another completed Wedding Project

Wow this wedding is time consuming! Making everything myself is bigger than I had thought...it's worth every second though since it's for my only daughter.

Jen showed me a picture on Pinterest of some bottles that she loved and wanted for the head table.

Here's the "Pinspiration" picture

I have no idea who pinned it originally as there is no link, sorry to who ever created this.

And here's what I made with the idea.

Now to figure out what flowers to put in it!

The flowers are all hand made and I'll be teaching a class on the peach flower on UStream November 7th at 7pm CST. Love it if you join me! I'll post the link for the class that day.

We leave for Florida to get my husband moved on Thursday. Guess it's no surprise to any of you that my blog is, and will continue to be, spotty. Hope you love me enough to stick around! Hugs my friends.

Love ya,
~Deb~

No Sew Tablecloth

Hi Everyone!

Last month I made an altered witches dress if you remember. I wanted to use it as my table centerpiece. I have a black table but I didn't have a table cloth for Halloween. What's a girl who's picky to do? Well make one of course...but I don't sew. So off to Hobby Lobby I go to see what I can come up with. I found this fabulous glittered spider web material and some jack'o'lantern printed burlap and thought that's the ticket! So here is my new no sew table cloth with my centerpiece all ready to go!

Yes it's a looooong table!

Love ya,
~Deb~

Garters Are a Joke?

Thought I would share this with you lovely people.

On top of my daughter getting married in April to which I am completely designing the wedding for, I am also helping my niece who is getting married in November. Among other things, she asked me to make her garters, one to wear and one to throw. When I asked what she wanted, she showed me a couple of inspiration pictures but, and I quote, "I'll love anything you make."

Oh yeah! probably not the thing to tell me LOL so I am going to have a little fun with her. I created 3 instead of 2 and the first one her mother is going to tell her is what I made for her to wear. So NOT what she had in mind and bulky icky too (bwahahahaha ---evil laugh).

Just before she breaks down her mother will give her the real garters...I'm so mean aren't I?

Oh her colors are ivory and rose-gold...she's doing a rustic vintage wedding.

Love ya,

~Yes, I really can be a prankster, Deb~

A Halloween Tag

I want to offer a warm, warm, welcome to all my new followers. I am so glad you are here and hope that you can find inspiration on these pages (meager lately) of mine.

In a Facebook group I belong to, we are doing something called Secret Sisters. It's a group of lovely women who help each other out in crafty ways as well as support and love. I'm new to it but so completely enjoying it. So I needed to get something out to my secret sister, I included some ribbons and other things for her to enjoy but I wanted to also include something seasonal. I only hope she celebrates Halloween . So I made her this tag within a tag along with a stickpin for it. I used some of Angela Holt's gorgeous black lace that you can find in her store right here on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/AHoltDesigns/app_189977524185 ) I also used a little owl charm that my fabulous DT sister Nicky Wilcox gifted to me. 

The papers are from Bearly Mine Designs and the pocket is out of some paper from The Graphics Fairy. Creepy but fun tag?

Now for some news...First, My husband and I will be moving to Destin, Florida. He starts a new job there on October 28th. I on the other hand have a wedding to plan so for me that means traveling once a month to Florida to spend time with him for a week and the other 3 weeks a month spent here in Texas until after the wedding. Can you say stress? Yep but stress seems to thrive in my life LOL. Wish us luck, this is going to be an adventure. My mantra has become BEACH,BEACH,BEACH. Come May I'll be on the beach! :)

Second I have finally opened my store online October 1st. It's still a bit bare as I am working slowly to add to it but for now you can purchase hand printed paper napkins if you're interested. I can make them for events such as weddings, birthdays, showers etc or you can purchase them for art! They are starting to catch on already and I've had three orders thus far. Not bad for 9 days in business. Eventually I will add invitations and printable party supplies along with kits to purchase for using the napkins to do art. I hope you'll all come by and take a look and I would be honored if you'd join my FB Fan Page where you can see art work done by others using the napkins along with some of my art.

The store link is www.goneartsy.com 

The FB link is https://www.facebook.com/goneartsypartysupplies

Love ya,

~Deb~

Fall Harvest Craft Jubilee Second Project...SUPER QUICK AND EASY!

Well everyone, I wanted to do a project that was so easy anyone could do it. I think that's what I accomplished. Shabby pumpkins using old clothes.

For these three pumpkins I used the leg of a pair of faux suede pants (the dark green one), the top of a sundress (the small light green one), and a striped sweater that I don't wear anymore. I found a branch in my back yard that was about an inch thick and cut it into pieces for the stem. You'll also need some string or rubber bands, lots of old plastic bags from the grocery, or wherever you shop (tissue paper works too), needle and thread, scissors and bling.

For the leg of the pant I cut the piece to the height that I wanted the pumpkin and then used a running stitch along the top and bottom so I could gather it. I gathered the bottom tight and knotted it. Next I stuffed it with plastic bags and proceeded to gather the top but not completely tight. I inserted the stick I wanted with a bit of glue to hold it on the bags and then gathered the fabric tight and knotted it off. Next I added the burlap and bling strip with a glue gun but you could use fabric glue too. I set it aside and worked on the next one.

For the medium one with the strips, I just cut a big circle out of the front of the sweater. I stuck some bags on the center and pulled it together at the top. I didn't have quite enough bags for the puffiness I wanted my first try so I just stuck some more in until I was happy with the look. Then I used a rubber band to hold the gather top together. Pulled it apart slightly to fit my stick in and set that one aside

The third one was interesting. The dress had a waffle weave top and a scrunched fabric skirt bottom so I cut a square piece out of the front top but extended it into the skirt part about an inch so I could have that ruffled look. Because of that I had to stitch up one side to make a cylinder like the pant leg. I used a running stitch to gather my bottom again and then just did the top with a rubber band as I did in the second one. Then I fluffed out the ruffle a bit.

The sweater had a thick green sweater hem so I decided to make the leaves out of those. All I did was cut the shapes in the sizes I needed for each pumpkin and then sprayed them with some meadow colored Adirondack Color Wash (pretty sure any spray would work). Let them dry 10 minutes and glued them where I wanted them. Last I added a bit of bling to the center of the leaves and voila! Shabby pumpkins finished. It took about 2 hours to create them all and that was with lots of distractions!

As I said, anyone can do this. Grab some fall colored clothes that you don't wear anymore and go to town! It was fun and super simple. Then post it over in the gallery on The Bling Chronicles or on the Event Page. I'd love to see what fabrics you use!!!

I am also entering this project in Miriam's Crafting Blog 5th Monthly Challenge - Anything Goes Fall Event

Love ya,

~Deb~

Fall Harvest Craft Jubilee and I'm first to post!!!

Hi Everyone! If you've been following me on FB you know that today begins our week long Jubilee for AH Designs The Bling Chronicles. We were each assigned a day to put up our first project and then we can post others on random days after. So with the honor of being first, I created a Sugar Skull Halloween Wreath and I did it for under $10!

Here's a list of supplies:

($5.50) Grapevine wreath (used a 40% coupon)
($1 +) Ribbon from the Dollar Tree (I used a roll of purple and a scrap from another roll of black)
($1) Plastic Skull from the Dollar Tree
($1) Crow from the Dollar Tree (I had this on hand but they have them there, I checked!)
($ 2)Black Roses and Purple flowers from the Dollar Tree
Pieces cut from a Purple Hydrangea- Hobby Lobby (left from an arrangement I had in my bedroom)
Mod Podge - on hand
White tissue paper - on hand
gems - on hand

So total if you had to buy everything is probably closer to $15 or so but if you're like me, you have stuff on hand you can use, hoarders that we crafters are LOL!

So here's the result...warning though, all that bling made my camera hard to focus.

So That's my project! I'll have a couple more through the week so keep checking back at all the sites. I'm starting them in random places so it won't always be first on here! Here's a list of where to look:

https://www.facebook.com/events/163334077195923/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

http://theblingchronicles.ning.com/

https://www.facebook.com/goneartsypartysupplies

Love ya,
~Deb~