Choose Your Dream

Hello to you from Julie in Australia! I hope your New Year has started with the promise of a great year ahead.

Unfortunately, bad things happen to good people.

 Last year brought crushing pain and incredible sadness to three wonderful people in my life. 

In the spirit of the Susan K. Weckesser Love Campaign I have made each of them a calendar. These have all been created using store bought bases.

Our son and my friends are looking forward to 2013 and to the rebuilding that will happen for each of them. 

On each  calendar I have put places for them to write down a dream, an idea to explore or an experience to discover that is important for them.

In 2013 shattered bodies will heal and sadness and empty hearts will not be so raw.

 My wish for each of them is that they will grow, flourish and become excited by their

 Big Life Dreams.

Each calendar has been made using papers from the Live in Colour Range. Stamps are from the Unity -Susan K.Weckesser Co Branded Range. The funky stencil is by Susan too!

When we take a dream and write it down it becomes a possibility. 

Could you create a gift for someone you know who needs a little daily reminder,
to create and nurture new dreams?

There are so many ways to reach out to others and share the love.

Julie

Designer Chat with Karen Ellis & Mark Montano

Now this gal simply is AMAZING!!! Not only is she a fellow Canadian BUT she has a {HEART} of GOLD! Karen has been my friend for a few years now and from the first time that I met her….well, what can I say, I was *grinning* from ear to ear!!! Plus, Karen, like myself,  writes articles for the Canadian Scrapbooker and she also carries some of my products at her AMAZING studio,

I would now like to introduce the one and only……
Karen Ellis

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Thank you Susan, for inviting me to be a part of the Christmas Love Campaign. What a wonderful thing to log on and read all the fabulous stories and enjoy all the fabulous craftiness.

I'd love to be able to tell you that I got all my artsy traits from traditions past like so many designers but, alas, I grew up in a house full of freaks. And by freaks, I mean a house full of gift buyers - not gift makers. LOL. It's safe to say that, from an early age, I ran to the drips of my own paintbrush. There's not a crafty soul among them. No grandma to teach me how to knit, no Aunt that liked to sew, no cousin who liked to draw. Nope ... nada. So to me, Christmas was not about homemade gifts – it was about doing something together.

When I was young, music was my creative outlet. It was important to my father (and his side of the family) to do something musical - learn an instrument (or 20 ...not kidding), read, write and perform. Thankfully I was always at home on a stage (I know, that shocks all who know me *smile*). I was in bands, performed at countless weddings and celebrations, conducted, and even competed vocally. I'm mentioning music here for a reason ... It was through music that first began to give the gift of myself and through music, one song in particular, that I became infinitely aware of the world around me.

I know it may sound silly, but I was 12 years old in 1984 (and didn't know much about life outside my own community) when Band Aid's “Do They Know It's Christmas”hit the airways. This song amazed and inspired me. I clambered all over the television every time it's video played on Much Music and during it's associated telethons and documentaries. Seeing the images of people halfway around the world literally starved without the things that I had in abundance blew my mind and I had to know more – and more importantly - I had to help. It was the beginning of my charitable life.

Fast Forward to today...

We'll buy (and, yes, now I make) gifts for the kids. My daughter and my niece are the only two kids on both sides of the family and they receive something wrapped. We adults give cards with Christmas wishes and make financial donations to charities close to our hearts. The fun part for me is in choosing where to send each gift. My husband and I always try to make a donation that reflects things that happen to our family that year, research where its going and determine the right fit for us. For example, my parents received a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society when my dad was diagnosed with cancer, my brother and sister-in-law received a donation of school supplies to a third world country when my niece started school, etc etc. We don't just write a check. Thought goes into this process and that's where part of the joy comes from. We are very fortunate and always try to think of others – especially at this time of year. That is what Christmas is about after all, right? To celebrate God's gift to us and, well, pay it forward. Smile Over the years we have worked soup kitchens, made beds for the homeless at our local “out of the cold” program, do up shoe boxes to send overseas, give to local angel trees and food banks...and simply reach out to communities in crisis at home and elsewhere.

This Christmas I encourage you to, as the song suggests, “... throw your arms around the world at Christmas Time”. Make a donation to a charity that supports something that's important to you, make a card and send it to someone you hardly know, get involved in your community - I guarantee you, it will touch their heart.

Art is now the way I choose to express myself, work out my thoughts, feelings, and create joy. After the horrific events that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary last week, I took to my weekly USTREAM broadcast to create something to help me deal with my overwhelming emotions. What I ended up creating is a canvas that my viewers would like me to auction off and send the proceeds to an organization in support of the victim's families. They also asked me to make note cards to sell as a fundraiser too. What a wonderful idea – and I'm happy to do just that. The note cards are to be delivered to me this week – if you're interested, please stop by my website for information. Www.thearthousestudio.ca

If you are like me, and grieve with the families of Newtown, CT and would like to show your support and offer comfort. Give a gift of yourself and your talents - consider making a card and send it to them this Christmas. The U.S. Postal Service has set up a post office box for the public to send its condolences to Newtown. You can send letters and cards to P.O. Box 3700, Newtown, CT 06470.

Here is the card I created to share with you here – the one I've already sent to Newtown.

Supply List

Pan Pastels (two shades of blue),Stampotique Stamp - “Toni's Kids”,Crafter's Workshop Stencils – Mayan Calendar & Clouds (6x6),Archival Ink,Watercolour Paints (to tint the stamped image),Light Molding Paste,Palette Knife, Sofft Tools,Tinsel

Be good to each other this season (and through 2013 as well). There is too much heart ache in this world but with one little act of kindness you can make it better.

“Let them know it's Christmas time again”

With much love, Merry Christmas!

Karen Ellis

Thank-you SO much for SHARING this Karen!!!!!!!!! How COOL was this! And to be honest with you, I didn’t know what video she had included until I just put it in and then I started to get all emotional because i remember when this came out and WOW…… well, what more can I say!!!

I also wanted to let you know that Karen has wonderful online classes and well, the other night she created this --------->

She called it ‘Souls Take Flight’. Isn’t it beautiful!! She has made this beautiful artwork available in card packs and proceeds will be sent to ‘26 souls who died in CT’ , as she so gently writes on her blog. To read the whole wonderful blog just pop over HERE. You see, this wonderful lady truly has a HEART of GOLD!

So BE sure to check out her amazing store, blog, and artwork!

ONE MORE THING…..

Another special friend, Mark Montano, sent me a AWESOME GIFT…his newest book!!! 
Marcus got a chuckle from the title. *grin* However, the book isn't for me. I am so excited to be able to give this big, GIGANTIC, craft-packed book away to one of you. 

To win a copy, leave a comment at the end of this post and tell me why you love CRAFTING & doing AWESOME things for other people!

Can't wait to hear from you! Mark is SO super talented and his style is super cool..... You won't want to miss this!! All his projects will put a smile on your face for sure!! So be sure to check out his blog!

You will want to get glittery and glitter everything!!!!
The world is always better with glitter and AWESOME friends like these two super talented people! So GO and check out their BLOGS today and then get CREATIVE and SPREAD some CHRISTMAS LOVE!!! I guarantee you will be {smiling}!

~Susan

"Live in full color" by Vicky

Hello everyone!

It's Vicky with you today and I am super excited as this is my 1st post for this blog!

 Now, let me tell you something...when you have Susan's papers in front of you, you really want to make something happy, fun and colorful!!! The papers are so good quality and the colors so vibrant...I LOVE them!!!

So, inspired by that saying "Live in full color", I made a layout with a photo of my daughter surrounded by flowers!!!

I have used Susan's papers which I have cut out in stripes!

I did some fussy cutting too and used that lovely purple flower, the clouds and the circles!!!

I have also used the stencil! 

The papers were too colorful so I applied some gesso in the middle and then I used Susan's stencil in various little places and applied distress inks with a sponge! The rest of the embellies are handmade by Purple Pumpkin!

My wish for you is to always try to live your life in full color! We only have just one life to waste it....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!!!

God bless you and your families!

Have a nice day!!

Vicky

Designer Chat with Ken Oliver

A couple years ago I first met Ken in person at a CHA show in LA and I was so impressed not only by the AMAZING crafter and artist that Ken is, but also by his wonderful personality. He truly is a awesome person and so I was thrilled when he said that he would be part of the Susan K. Weckesser Inc. – Christmas Love Campaign. His work is simply magical.

I would like to now introduce…….

Ken Oliver

Christmas Love: Preserving Your Family Heritage

Preserving your family heritage is an easy way to show your family how much you love them, lets you share stories and memories of loved ones who are no longer with us, and lets you discover together the intricate and often fascinating fibre that weaves us together into a rich tapestry of family love.

At this time of year, we’re completely consumed with going to parties, shopping for presents…the decorating; the complete and utter chaos that envelopes us at Christmastime can be overwhelming. And the real joy of Christmas is often overshadowed by the pressure to shop, spend, give…This year, I made a very conscious decision to give “handmade.” There’s no better way to share your love than to

share something made by your hand. Sure, I have spent many nights cutting, gluing, soldering, painting and creating…but I’ve spent that time in the peace of my home surrounded by music, things and people that make me happy. I have yet to go to the mall or visit one of those mega discount stores. And I feel all the better for it. In these very challenging days, giving handmade gifts, especially like the ones I am sharing with you today, will touch hearts and will let you preserve and share your family heritage.

This heritage project started in November, while I visited my parents in Indiana at Thanksgiving when my mother and I started scanning boxes of old family photographs. As we were working through the piles I started to realize how very lucky we were to have this record of hundreds of photos and how special our family truly is. We were farmers, we were workers and we were makers…life in rural America at the end of the 19^th century was hard…money was dear, and usually if you wanted something, you had to learn how to make it…you might have guessed by now that crafting is in my DNA.

After the holiday, I returned home to Phoenix with the images in my mind…I love working with vintage family photos and really wanted to create some art objects that preserve the images in a decorative way, and in a way that would invite family story-telling and memory sharing.

To share the images we’d worked on together, I decided to create some special Christmas ornaments that would be in character with life in rural America at the end of the 19^th century and preserve our heritage in a way that could be enjoyed for many years to come and hopefully by generations to come.

First I created photo transfers onto clear acrylic sheets. This technique captures a transparent image. Anything you place the image on shows through the photo.

Then using some spray paints and alcohol inks, I faux finished bevelled glass pieces to give the effect of antique mercury glass.

Next, I created mini collages using the images and scrapbook papers.

Here, you’ll see the reversed side of the collage. I used Graphic 45 paper and tiny elements using Spellbinders die templates and craft foils for a very vintage look. Ink and glitter also add a layer of instant age to the collages.

Enclose the collages between t layers of beveled glass then use copper tape to seal the edges and hold the solder.

Apply flux and solder around each piece. I’ve been really fortunate to have worked with Giuseppina "Josie" Cirincione, who has mentored and taught me some very cool soldering technique through this project. Her book Solder Technique Studio: Soldering Iron Fundamentals for the Mixed Media Artistis an invaluable resource.

Then to finish the ornaments, remove all residue with a spray bottle of alcohol, then apply liquid patina to the soldered area to age the metal.

I added strips of antique saree ribbon to hang the ornaments. The look is elegant and harkens to the fact that crafters or makers generations ago used strips of old clothing or fabric strips to create yarn or string.

Each one of these ornaments tells a story, stories of my grandparents on their wedding day, stories of my great grandmother and great grandfather and their lives on the farm in rural Kentucky. I love looking at the ornaments, each one is a treasure. It’s been a real joy to create them and a privilege to share them with you. And I am really looking forward to sharing them with my family this week over the holiday…I expect we’ll get to tell stories to my nieces and nephews about days and times that are long ago and far away…and I am really excited to share and preserve a small bit of our family heritage.

Thank you again for letting me share this with you today during Susan K. Weckesser’s Campaign of Love. It’s so important to share family traditions and to preserve our heritage, especially during the holidays.

Merry Christmas All…Make sure you create something beautiful today!

Ken

To see more of Ken’s amazing work go visit his blog

------>Ken’s World in Progress <---

Thank-you SO Much Ken! What a beautiful way to save & share precious memories.

HERE are some things GOING on:

My Susan K. Weckesser Inc. Design Team has been amazing and has really been showing some LOVE during the Christmas Love Campaign have you seen what they have been blogging about?

It has something to do with…

Tracy Easson

Rita Barakat

Vicky Varvadouka

Jennifer Hottinger

Thank-you for sharing & caring!

Hey, if you tweet…. look for #Christmaslovecampaign

#craftuplove

May you have hope and know love

Hello dear friends. Einat here with a snowy house card that has a little surprise in it...Here's the card when it's closed.

And here's the surprise...pop up words!

I just love pop ups, it's a great way to upgrade your cards and projects. This is an easy pop up technique: Cut out the element you want to pop and adhere it to the left side of your card with a small folded strip of paper to give it height. then adhere another strip in a shape of an inverted "C" to the bottom of the element. This way when you open your card the strips will raise it up!

Here is the inside of the card:

I used Susan's amazing papers, the heart felt warmth and painted sentiments stamps.

I colored the roof and created all the snow with a white Smooch Pearlized Top Coat.

Have fun creating!

Einat

Designer Chat with Angela Holt

I few weeks ago after I was on a Live Chat Show with Charity Wings and was talking about the Christmas Love campaign. Afterwards I received a lovely email from Angela Holt. Now , I didn’t personally know Angela at that time, but I was familiar with her lovely artwork and so when she asked if she could do something for the the Christmas Love Campaign…I was super excited! So, I invited Angela to be part of the Christmas Love Campaign’s Designer Chat and to chat a little bit about Designing, Christmas & Love.

So… Without further ado, I would like to welcome…

Angela Holt

Merry Christmas!!!
Welcome to the Love Campaign and thank you so much Susan for inviting me!
Christmas has always been fun for since I was little. We didn't have much money, but we made the most it through decorating and cooking. My mom always took the smallest things and made then into the most beautiful decorations. Each year those same decorations accompanied a few new ones to bring about a new Holiday decor.  On Christmas day, my family and I would always settle down on the couch in a warm fuzzy PJ's and set in to watch all the Christmas Movies that would come on while holding our favourite new toy. It was a tradition that we always did after the excitement of opening presents.
I learned to craft at a very young age. I was taught how to cook and sew from my Grandmother and I caught my mom's decor bug at an early age. See always taught me how to see the beauty and design in the smallest of things. I carry these taught skills though out my crafting today!! I mix my cooking skills with  my crafting one by making home made cookies, candies and more as gifts. I love it!! It puts a smile on my receivers face and it is the only time of the year I can get away with indulging into sweets!!:)
Keeping my gifts homemade is the most rewarding to me!! To share my talents with loved ones and friends is the most rewarding.
Here is a String Art Technique I would love to share with you!! This is a fabulous technique that will give spice to your corners on cards and scrapbook pages!!
Here is a pic show casing this technique!!

But I have one even better, follow this link below and you can watch me live showing you how to create the template for this pattern and completing the technique from start to finish on my Ustream show!!

------->http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/27591900<------

Thank-you SO much for sharing this with us Angela! You are SO right…… homemade gifts are the best. To see more of Angela’s beautiful work you can visit her blog: http://www.angelaholtdesigns.com .

REMEMBER….

Give a Card Tied up with a Little Bit of Love CONTEST sponsored by

by Christmas Love Campaign on Monday, December 17, 2012 at 12:25pm ·

Gifts come in all shapes and sizes, but a beautiful bow always  seems to make a wrapped package or a holiday gift bag a little more special. How about one on a card?

Let’s give a fun challenge this week and you will be entered to win ONE of two awesome WORKSHOPS from  Big Picture Scrapbooking that they have so kindly given me to give someone who is part of the Christmas Love Campaign! 

-   Home Blessings workshop 

-   Move More, Eat Well yearlong workshop

So here is what you have to do if you want to play along:

• make any card with a BOW on it somewhere with something!
• Drawn, glittered, tied on 
• take pictures of your card 
• give your card away to someone (try a random stranger in the grocery market or workplace this time)
• Share your project with us and tell us who or where you gave your card away on the Christmas Love Campaign Facebook Page

Deadline is December 23, 2012.

Gift of Love Contest

Share any pictures on the Christmas Love Campaign Facebook of homemade gifts that you are making to give to people this Christmas Season and you might end up winning a ONE year’s subscription to the Canadian Scrapbooker. After you post your picture to the CLC Facebook page, go to the Canadian Scrapbooker Facebook Page and tell them that you are sharing ‘Christmas Love’.

Deadline is December 27, 2012.

The Next Designer Chat is on December 22.

Take a little time today a tell someone that you care or make sure to give some one a GREAT BIG hug….You will be SO glad that you did!

Susan xo

Have you checked out CHARITY WINGS lately?

Wishing you a little Peace...

 

Hey there bloggers Rita Barakat here with a sweet little 

tag you can easily create for your holiday packages. 

I used the "little haven" stamp, pattern paper and white card stock,

glitter and Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft PITT Artist pens and Gelatos.

Of course you can use the colors to match your paper!

I am using lots of craft paper this year so I can be very colorful on my tags and ribbon!

In light of Fridays tragic loss I thought it appropriate to wish

you, the families that suffered such loss and those who witnessed a little peace

right now. Maybe you could add a little "peace" into your holiday schedule?