simply me

this weeks inspiration wednesday was last minute! however, it was a great reason to stop everything and give myself an hour of play. i had a bunch of things i have had in my stash that i wanted to play with so it was a great excuse.

here's what i did...

• the canvas for the background i got in san francisco. i bought like 7 colors of canvas...why? not sure. but i had to have them. 
• painted layers of patina blue and white acrylic over it to look distressed.
• used my pink word trees iron-on and scratched away some of the image to look even more distressed (you have to do this when it is hot or it will not scratch away).
• used my new butterfly punch (martha/eksuccess) i think this is the best punch ever!
• added some pearl bling
• quote text cut out from a book
• some of that japanese masking tape - however i did have to put some gel medium on top of it because it did not want to stick to the canvas.
  
• small little melissa francis frame - seriously had this frame for 2 years in my stash!
• sprayed some distress ink on the side - couple drops of the reinker into a water filled mini mister works great for adding distress color.
  

so that's it!

what did you create this week?
share what you made with us too!

check back tomorrow for an awesome art giveaway from Red Letter Words!

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advent ornaments day 2

edited: christine asked if i would share my daily advent ornaments as we hang them on the tree. i think that is a great idea. if i do not share them daily, i will certainly make sure that i eventually post all of them leading up to christmas.

(side note: we also have the door kind of advent calendar too. we draw straws on nov 30 to see in what order the kids will take turns opening the 25 doors. we are using that as well for hanging the daily advent sentiments on the tree)

also on our tree today is zippy (elf on a shelf). this is a huge part of our christmas traditions. he comes on dec 1st and every night he magically returns to the north pole to report to santa if the downey's have been "naughty or nice". he returns in the morning in a new spot. today he was in the tree. sneaky little fella!

working on inspiration wednesday as we speak...falling a little behind...

will be up soon, i promise

fabric advent ornaments

and the winner is...

rhonda nickol!

congratulations rhonda! email me with your address and i will get your new ornaments out to you tomorrow.

i am really excited to share this idea today.

and courtesy of my new sewing machine the stitching around the outside edge of the ornaments came out better than i imagined!

the idea started here in my idea journal: but before i went straight to it, i wanted to test it out in a trial run.

i cut 3" white muslin fabric circles, corresponding circles of batting and my favorite new christmas fabric (if you are interested in precut circles of the christmas fabric, email me i have extra of the fabric and can cut it for you - 25 fabric circles for $5.50 + free shipping)

i created this template and used it to adhere the white muslin circles of fabric to so that they could easily roll through my typewriter.

{click here for a full sized download}

the typewriter text worked beautifully when attached to the paper with a few hermafix tabs.

then pulled the fabric from the paper and stamped with a few christmas themed images. the bold red "believe" was stamped in stazon, i much preferred the softer look of the distress inks on the other 5 though. (inks used : broken china, shabby shutters and worn lipstick)

ok so the idea worked and they are too flippin cute!

for the true test, could i translate the idea into a daily advent ornament with special messages and inspirations to share as a family?

yes!
for these however, i put 2 layers of batting. i thought the first ones were a bit thinner than i had envisioned.
the large number stamps i bought at michaels, are martha stewart brand, but i cannot find a link for them.
i stitched them up, and set a 3/16" red eyelet in the top to hang them and voila!

so with the advent ornaments complete, i am now left with the first 6 ornaments i originally made.
whats a girl to do?
hmmmm?
lets hang them on your tree!
leave your comments today and i will get them ready for your christmas tree!

1. Leave your comment today before 10 PM (EST).
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. Winner will be announced on the blog tonight.

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REMINDER: today is the last day for the INSPIRED. Artist Workshop payment plan

make sure you book your spot today.

congratulation Vel!

you win Scarlett Lime's WatchArt giveaway! email me with your address and we will get your new WatchArt out to you!

Vel said...

What a fabulous give-away! Thanks for the opportunity!

Now check out this amazing giveaway that our friend Christy Tomlinson from Scarlett Lime is doing for one of our lucky blog readers. She is giving away one her new WatchArt watchbands.

  

The holidays are upon us and Christy is always looking for unique gift ideas for family and friends! Since she is not only a scrapbooker but an artist as well...she loves giving handmade gifts for the holidays. This year she began making these addicting watchbands that you can change out  each day depending on what creative mood you're in or the outfit you are wearing! She calls them WatchArt and they are watch faces with interchangeable bands that are not only adorable but functional as well!  Simply pick the style of watchface you want, then pick from the many different styles of watchbands available...choose one or choose several bands to give as a gift.  You can purchase the WatchArts as a kit and create it yourself or purchase a handmade finished band.  WatchArt Kits have online instructions and a video tutorial available. We are also excited to offer you an EXCLUSIVE Scarlet Lime Watchband... which includes a unique find of art beads in the Scarlet Lime colors.... red, lime and black! Check out their website for over 25 different styles and colors to choose from! A perfect gift for the Holiday season!

Also be sure to check out Scarlet Lime's blog!

Please leave your comments now for this all inspiring giveaway!

1. Leave your comment today before 10 PM (EST).
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. Winner will be announced on the blog tonight.

The debut of my new "Apronology" Workshop!!

Let the countdown begin! Only 6 days to the debut of my new Apronology Workshop.

I will be traveling this upcoming weekend, December 4-6th, to Huntingdon, PA to see our friends at Grove's to debut the workshop. Its going to be a awesome weekend. I hope to see you there! 

I will also be teaching my new "pressed for success" and "simply irresistible" workshops this upcoming weekend as well.

Pressed for Success

Simply Irresistible 

  
 

Grove's Office Supply and Scrapbooking
504 Washington Street
Huntingdon, PA 16652
814-643-3490
info@grovesinc.com

Be sure to contact our friends, Staci and Jeff, at Grove's to sign up for a inspiring weekend of new workshops!

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS + MY NEW APRON

WINNER: congratulations to Kathy Robinson, post #210.  You win the Kinnon Keepsakes giveaway. email me (donna@donnadowney.com) with you address and we will get your prize to you!

incredible deals at the shop today up to 78% off
for BLACK FRIDAY ONLY, go shopping NOW!

while supplies last

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WOW! What a giveaway! Our friend Amy from Kinnon Keepsakes is giving away the latest and greatest tool from QuicKutz, the Epic 6. The Epic 6 features a 6"x13" cutting platform and will cut all dies on the market. (Yes, all of them even the fat old Sizzix one.) This is a great tool retailing at $89.99. Thank you Amy for this Fabulous giveaway. Please be sure to visit Amy's blog and tell her Donna sent you! 

 

In addition to the giveaway, Kinnon Keepsakes has amazing specials going on through the weekend at www.lovemyqkutz.com. All their 4x4 shapes are on sale AND if you spend $125 or more, you get to choose a FREE Mary Jane ($139.99 Value). All Donna Downey blog readers get an extra 10% OFF all purchases in November by using coupon code DDNV09.

Kinnon Keepsakes is a online QuicKutz Superstore who carries their complete line, includin the new L Brand. The L recently launched it's Letterpress products which is just one of the coolest things I have seen. Letterpress allows you to create the antique look of debossing and inking paper. Great for high end stationary and invitation projects. Letterpress is in stock and ready to ship! For more information on this amazing product, visit www.lifestylecrafts.com.

Be sure to leave your comments now, this is awesome!

1. Leave your comment today before 10 PM (EST).
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. Winner will be announced on the blog tonight.

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MY NEW "garden" APRON

{before + after}

*see more photos of my new "garden apron" here as well view my quick circle bunch flower tutorial and purchase pre cut circle bunch flower kits.

i am thankful for YOU giveaway basket!

congratulations and a very special happy thanksgiving to LISA YOUTZY! 

lisa you win today's blog giveaway! email me (donna@donnadowney.com) with your address and we will ship your prize basket right out to you!!

 

a cornucopia of giveaway goodness!

i want to thank you this holiday for being such a big part of my daily life. you inspire me in ways unimaginable.

so today i would like to give one of you a very special thanksgiving giveaway prize basket!

included inside is:

• over $200 of creative supplies including: thickers, alphabets, embellishments (metals, fabrics + papers), mini albums, stamp sets and alterables.
• my 8x8 fabric scrapbook
• 2 pair of "live inspired" socks
• "stream of passion" - framed original artwork
• inspiration journal
• and a voucher for $100 off your inspired admission

 

Leave your comment today to be entered to win this AWESOME giveaway.

1. leave your comment today before 11 PM (EST). Go do it now!!
2. invite your friends and family members comment!
3. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
4. Winner will be announced on the blog tonight.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

a special thank you to all of my sponsors!

dont forget to check back tomorrow for the black friday sale at the shop

lots to share, mark your calendars!

this weeks inspiration wednesday is about simplicity. i think that is why it was so important to redesign my studio. too much clutter, too much "stuff" can suffocate me sometimes. a good purging and simplifying my life helps me find clarity.

here's the how to in my inspiration journal this week.

• i used black gesso to paint the background (it looked like chalkboard paint, it was kinda cool!)
• created fabric flowers (going to take a couple of these flower kits with me next weekend to groves)
• added white ribbon stems
• scrunched booktext leaves
• sewed black buttons in place.
• added sticker title
• folded black gaffer tape around the page edges

studio update:

 

my new imac is here and my studio is FULLY functioning!!

Tango still likes to sit on my chair with me, some things never change.

TOMORROW!

as a thank you to my amazing blog readers tomorrow i will be giving away an extraordinary prize package of product and inspiration. i promise you are not going to want to miss this!

i will also be conducting a huge Black Friday sale on several items in my shop. i will be offering 60% off many items. please be sure to visit my online shop this Friday!

APRON UPDATE + SNEAK PEEK...

also, check back on friday when i post photos of my brand new apron! i think it is even more beautiful than the first ones! here is a sneak peek!  

ornament ADVENT CALENDAR UPDATE + sneak peek...
 

BE HERE on tuesday (dec 1st) i will give a simple tutorial on the advent ornament project. i finished them last night. they are simple and i am kinda excited to start this new tradition!

 Also be sure to visit this Friday as our friend, Amy Kinnon, from Kinnon Keepsakes is going to have an unbelievable giveaway for Black Friday. 

She is going to be giving away the latest and greatest tool from QuicKutz, the Epic 6. Can you believe that? '

In addition to the Epic 6  giveaway, Kinnon Keepsakes has some amazing specials going on through the weekend. Please visit their website to take advantage!

SEE YOU TOMORROW!!

WINNER: congratulations to Kellie Lund, post #4.  You win Coordinates Collections giveaway. email me (donna@donnadowney.com) with you address and we will get your prize to you!

Look what Jamie from Coordinates Collections is giving away today. She is giving away one of her November Lemon Merinque kits to a lucky blog reader!

Here is what is included in the November Lemon Meringue kit:

1 Crate Paper bliss spirited
1 Crate Paper bliss impulse
1 Basic Grey lemonade tee time
1 Basic Grey lemonade sunshine
1 Basic Grey euphoria utopia
2 Bazzill london fog
2 Bazzill sweet tart
1 Pink Paislee expressions cardstock alphabet, pear
1 Crate Paper bliss journal stickers
1 Maya Road  sheer flash cards, black/white
1 Basic Grey lemonade green canary rubons
4 Prima country elegance flowers, rose
4 Prima country elegance flowers, chartruese
2 Prima sultan centers, pink
Maya Road mauve velvet scallop ric rac

You can visit their website to get great kit ideas by their design team. Also be sure to check our Coordinates Collections blog. 

Leave your comment today to be entered to win this AWESOME giveaway.

1. leave your comment today before 10 PM (EST).
2. To double your chances tweet, blog or post on your facebook about this giveaway and come back and leave another comment.
3. Winner will be announced on the blog tonight.

a weekend in review

 payton had her first slumber party...they had a great time, we were exhausted. they were up until 1:30AM!

lots of crafts, lots of food, smores over the fire pit, even mckenna got in on the fun and she hates the girly pink stuff. 

inside the NEW studio...

a couple ideas and works in progress.

i sketched out some ideas in my idea journal while the studio was in transition. i like the idea of sentiments on our christmas tree this year. the original idea was to create an advent calendar for the tree, so that everyday the kids would hang an new ornament on the tree with a special gift to give like honesty, generosity, charity, etc. however, i wanted to try out the idea first. design wise i think i might make them a bit more "beefy-er". i used only one layer of batting and i might add 2 or 3 between the layers.

 

• i used muslin and literally put it through the typewriter to write the sentiments.
• cut out the circles
• then stamped the holiday images
• pinned the layers of fabric and batting and sewed around the outside
• set an eyelet to hang

{STAMPS: reindeer, santas sleigh/inkadinkado, ornaments/hampton art, tree/hero arts, believe/river city rubber works}

 also am in the process of playing around with this idea...

 

 

stamped the background (i am not at liberty to say anything about the stamps, soon though i promise!) and brushed layers of white washed acrylic over them.

 

nothing is adhered down yet just positioned...i am not ready to commit yet, got a couple more ideas floating around. i am really loving the canvas button centers and the dimensional pops of color and fabric of the whole piece.

 

going to spend a little more time on it today and possibly finalize the design.

check back tomorrow for another awesome sponsor giveaway and fingers crossed an apron update!