Bad Girls

Palm Sunday in Poland

One on the most interesting Easter traditions in Poland is celebrating the Palm Sunday.

On this day people bring the puss willows branches or other custom made wild flowers bouquets  - called palms - to the church for the blessing. Some older folks say that swallowing one of the buds from the puss willows branch will ensure health all year. Parishioners processed with the palms through the streets around the parish, celebrating the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Blessed "palms" are taken home and placed by the crucifix or holy images, and remain there until the next year.

Making colourful palms for this day is an old tradition in Poland and some villages  have got  "longest palm contest" on that day - for example in Lipnica Murowana  - click here to see the gallery :)

Here are some photos from the Palm Sunday Celabrations - in Sierpc:

 
And in Lipnica Murowana:

And here is a link to to the videos showing how the longest palm in 2007 was created - hope you like it and got inspired a bit :)
I'd like to wish you all a really happy, blessed Easter time  - from me, Wendy and all Elite Artistes:)

hugs and see you soon

Winner of "Repurpose Those Security Envelopes Challenge"

CONGRATULATIONS LESLIE CRANWILL!

This is my first canvas ever! I have been so inspired by Finn's work that I decided to try out a canvas in her honor for her challenge. Molding Paste, Gloss and Pouring Liquid used. Lots of Prima leaves and flowers and a funky old key I found.

I wanted to get a frosted window effect around the edge of the canvas and wasn't sure what I was going to do until I remembered this great challenge! I used just the windows from the envelopes as a border around most of the piece and coated them with varnish. It was exactly the look I wanted! Thanks for the challenge!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Security Envelopes Challenge!

Sew In Love: Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads, which sew people together through the years. -Simone Signoret

Yes, Sewing is the theme today! I thought you sewing Bad Girls might like the above quote to add to your favorites.

I apologize for the late posting....a number of factors, a few beyond my control, I absolutely hate being this late in posting. Please forgive me!!!!

Here is my Sewing Themed Inspiration. I love love love collecting vintage patterns, the ones where the front is a hand-drawn design instead of a photograph.

1. Vintage Newspaper, 2. Sewing Box 3, 3. Vintage sewing machine, 4. vintage patterns and my grandmother's sewing machine, 5. Crafting 365 Day 24 :: Felt Letters, 6. Cool Vintage Find for Me!, 7. another ball, 8. Sewing Room Plaque, 9. Fabric Covered Sketchbook / Journal, 10. Domino Doll - I feel 6 feet tall....., 11. my new printed pattern for letters, 12. pink felt letters, 13. Rag Quilt Letters Tutorial, 14. Sew What, 15. Sew In Love Vintage Bobbin Earrings, 16. vintage French pattern books, 17. Hello Weekend!, 18. vintage womens sewing pattern dress mccalls 5314, 19. Vintage Sewing Pattern: 1950s dress, 20. july reply

Here is my finished project!

I use the vintage pattern figures in my projects, as well as the pattern paper. I've also admired the rag-quilt looking letters, so when I got these wood Say It With Letters "Sew" Letters, I knew I was going to mix up my love for vintage patterns, vintage notions, and some rag quilt styling.

You'll notice that I used the fabrics from our March Feature Kit “Shabby Little Sugar Shoppe” for the border of the letters. (I'll tell you a secret, I love the fabrics so much that I only used them for the border so that I'll have leftovers to use on more projects!!!!)

I covered the MDF letters with the felt letters that were decorated before attaching. More information on this will be available on our forum!

 

I am going to hang this in my craft room tonight!

I'm so excited!!! I hope you are inspired too!

xoxo, with love

julie ann

 

Doily Love

Doilies have been popping up in art and craft projects everywhere! Their delicate lacy patterns look beautiful in all different kinds of designs.

1. 2010inspire_dolly hearts, 2. Lampshade Makeover, 3. Thank You Doily Card, 4. holiday garland, 5. My new art journal. :), 6. doily plate, 7. Vintage Doilies, 8. Advent Garland up close, 9. IMGP2895, 10. working on doily whatnots..., 11. m plus z = (Mojo #8), 12. gifts for friends, 13. Lace Doily Flat Note Cards, 14. Doily double old fashioned glass, 15. Original monoprint - Granny's doilies, 16. Doily Cards, 17. *hold her love**, 18. Wouldn't this pretty up an empty space?

Doilies are great to incorporate into baby projects. Here is a quick collage project I made with doilies, using pictures of my boys right after they were born:

Supplies: clips frames, patterned paper, paper doilies, rub ons, labels, overlay, decorative tape, ephemera

As you can see, doilies can add a nice accent to a collage or any other artwork. I hope you are inspired to try using doilies in your artwork!

Butterfly Kisses

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

My layout "deon...."...with lots of pretty butterflies...

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing

xoxo,

jaz

Kitschy Collage

I love everything Kitschy. Kitschy art is fun and inspiring.

Here are some collages that I feel have that fun look that Kitsch is known for.

 
Check out my Kitschy collage in honor of spring.

If you feel so inclined make something kitschy today!

xoxo

  
 

No papers scrapbooking? - OPEN CHALLENGE!

I know, what is the point you may say... Scrapbooking pages with no papers? Almost impossible?
Let's think a bit outside the box today... what can we use instead?

We can take a paper or cardboard background to make it easier, but it can also be changed for canvas or fabric or acrylic!

My first idea was taking ribbons and laces - composed with molding paste and stiching. Glimmer mists give it gorgeous shades of colours and buttons and flowers (also fabric ones) give the layout a beautiful final touch.

The second idea is stamping, and misting again. The background stamps create a nice looking pattern and the bird ones are a nice accent in the composition. I also added some rub-ons and transparent elements combined together - and a bit of stiching of course!
Here's the effect - quick and easy!

Other ideas are fabrics and gauze, paint, sprays, inks and alcohol inks, masking... hope you got inspired!

If so there's an OPEN CHALLENGE on Bad Girls Forum - click here for more information. Taking part in the challenge is your chance to be featured on Bad Girls Blog!

Here are the steps:
1. Create a project (layout, card, mixedmedia creation, ATC etc.)Have fun with creating!
2. Upload the photo to the Bad girls Gallery and in the forum thread before the end of 5 April2010. Comment about the project and explain us what did you use
3. Send some love to other ladies participating - comment on their creations and recieve some love from them!
After 5 April the best projects will be chosen, announced - and they will be published on the Bad Girls Blog.

And here are the last edition winners:

Scrap the Song Challenge - layout by Capswife

"Extreme stamping" Challenge - layout by Lusitas

Huge congrats - very creative layouts ladies! We're waiting for more!

Here is a full list of Open Challenges on Bad Girls now - check them out, get inspired and have fun!!!

Easter's Coming, So Let Me Do You a Favor

The story of Easter is the story of God's wonderful window of divine surprise. Carl Knudsen

Let me show you three ways to use these "Do Me a Favor" Treat Boxes, you can use for any of your Easter celebrations. These are adorable, they remind me of a cottage patchwork quilt, as they feature the BG's June Bug patterns. You receive 6 boxes that you assemble, and about 70 co-ordinating die-cut tags that are so cute!  Scroll down to the end to see my video tutorial on how to assemble the treat box.

First up, I show you how cute the Treat Boxes look with our March Feature Kit “Shabby Little Sugar Shoppe”

For I remember it is Easter morn, And life and love and peace are all new born.  ~Alice Freeman Palmer

Next, these chicks

would also make a unique and creative banner for your Easter decor!

'Twas Easter-Sunday. The full-blossomed trees Filled all the air with fragrance and with joy. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Finally, and third, these would make fun placecard settings for Easter Dinner. They could do double-duty as you could place inside a sweet message for each dinner guest.

Don't forget to visit our Parlour aka message boards for more inspiration and challenges, and our shoppe for the best creative supplies!

xoxo, with love julie ann

Here is my video demonstration on how to assemble these darling treat boxes.

Fun With Tape!

One of the biggest craft trends right now is decorative tapes. It is amazing all the colors and designs that tape comes in. Check out some of the projects I found on the web:

 

*Photo Credit: Calico & Co.

 

*Photo Credit: little happy things

*Photo Credit: to-be-charmed

*Photo Credit: Studio 5

So cute and so easy! I took a couple of glass vases (purchased for a dollar at Goodwill) and a couple of candles and jazzed them up with some decorative tapes.

The great thing about this project is you can change the colors/designs easily. Think how cute a grouping of vases and candles done with red & green tape for Christmas, or black & orange at Halloween. The tapes come right off.

If you would like to play with some of these tapes, check out the shoppes!

Avocado and Turquoise Fun

 

photo courtesy of;
http://acreativemint.typepad.com/a_creative_mint/2009/06/ode-to-shabby-chic.html

I am always inspired by colours around me and today I fall in love with the colours, avocado & turquoise . This is a layout I did around the colour palette ;)

I hope you have fun creating yours ;)

xoxo,

jaz