Mom's Taxi Mini Album...

I have just completed a video showing on my YouTube channel of my latest mini album design and it is sooooo very cute!! I purchased the picture frame at a thrift store for $.39 (yes, 39 Cents) and thought what  a great mini this would make, thinking I might use it for the cover...then I just decided to to keep the frame separate and make a mini based on it's design. It was sooo much fun.

The back is just as cute as the front and this mini album is filled with fun pages of places mom's go on any given day with the last page being a retreat for the long taxi haul of the day. The brads on the back serve as tail lights and say "mom". Again the daisy key chain is also from a thrift store.

One never knows what will give us inspiration to create, recreate, recycle, reuse or simly and truly inspire our imaginations and creativity. 

Love, Blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

Materials Needed for Wednesday's Home Mini Album Class...

The Home Mini Album (boxed mini) Part 1

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

11 am-1 pm PST/1-3 pm CST

Free class via Ustream

Materials you will need to make one [1] album

are included in the Home Mini Album Pattern

** As this post there are two [2] Home Mini Album kits remaining.

You are going to love this album!! It is fun to make and create!

Love, Blessings, & {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

Materials needed for Monday's Beginning Crochet Class...

Fiber: (tee-totally-for-sure) Beginning Crochet

Monday, July 26, 2010

11 am-1 pm PST/1-3 pm CST

Free class via Ustream

Materials Needed to Make 2 Dishcloths

2.5 oz (70.9g) cotton yarn

size G/6 (4.25mm) or size H/8 (5.00mm) Crochet Hook

Stitches you will learn with this class include: chain stitch, single crochet stitch, double crochet stitch.

If you have any questions about the classes, please let me know. You will have so much fun with these classes!! Friday was my first Ustream class, casual, started a couple of projects, just wanted to get a feel for Ustream and using the equipment I have. Next week will offer two structured classes and Open Studio on Friday.  I can't wait!! This is going to be such fun!! Mondays will be one of the mediums I enjoy working with followed with paper arts on Wednesdays and leaving Fridays open for creativity within paper arts.  Looking forward to seeing you live this week. (All shows are recorded.)

Love, Blessings,and {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

STOP & GO Sign for Studio Door {featured live on Ustream}

Today, in the Ustream Open Studio, I started making this sign for my studio annex so that Garrett and his brothers would know when I was on live via Ustream.  After class, the trim and flowers had tried, I added the tags, letters and hanger to it...

I thought it turned out absolutely perfect, especially for what I needed it for. You can make one too, here are the supplies you will need:

[1] 15"x12" piece of cardboard

[2] 12"x12" patterned paper

[1] 8 1/2"x11 black cardstock

[6] flowers

[1] 30" strip of trim (for the bottom)

[6] shipping tags

[6] leaves

lace scraps

stapler, adhesive, ABCs, hanger

That is it...round the corners of your cardboard, adhere one patterned paper to 3/4 of the cardboard and the add the other patterned paper to the remainder 1/4. Cut 1 1/2" wide black cardstock and add a piece to each side.  The follow the photo as shown to add the trim, tags, letters, and flowers with leaves.

Fun project that will help my family know when to be very quiet coming into the room. I certainly don't mind any of them coming in to meet you or to ask a question, but at least this way they will know when I am spending time with my online friends.

Love, Blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

Can you say organized?

Well, just maybe my organization went a little overboard, but you have to admit, I can find everything now! Even my sweet dog, Chocolate, the true artist in my studio, knows where to find his treats. I discovered something about myself and my ADHD...when I need to sort out my thoughts or work out a problem within my soul and mind, I resort to cleaning something.  It is very theraputic plus I get things "ship shape" as my son, Garrett, says.  Last weekend, I reorganized the annex studio so that it would be more functional and I could have everything at my finger tips. The annex measures 12x6 and is one end of our master bedroom.  My main studio is larger but not accessible to the house. My son, Garrett, needs me in the house to be close to him, something to do with his disability and a reality since my father's passing. Regardless, it totally works for us. 

All this organization is getting me, us, you, me ready for something bigger. My art life will be growing which is very exciting. I will be going live on Ustream and BlogTalkRadio! I am very excited about these adventures!! Lots of great things happening and I want you to be a part of that with me.

Also, today I got a wonderful package of tools in the mail...love surprises...keep creating and living your dreams.

Loving it...

Love, Blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

Home Mini Album & Wall Decor...You will LOVE it!!!

I was so excited as I watched Kathryn at TheScrapBeach work with the Welcome Home Collection by Teresa Collins that I had to purchase it right way. It came with paper, diecuts, acetate, chipboard, stamps...oh I was very pleased.  I thought about how to use these papers and the door panels in the collection kept coming to my mind. As I woke one morning, it hit me...a house inside of a box!! So I created the box to house all those that I love in a very elegant way but totally functional.  The first run with the binding and sides didn't work for me, so I made it larger and knew that was the way it was meant to be. Plus if you have watched the video for this mini album design, you know that the walls will come apart making it easier to see the pages!! I know, you love it don't you!! I love how it looks now sitting on my shelf with the wall decor elements on each side...

With the left over paper from making the Home Mini Album, yes, there were papers left over and still some for another fun project, I made these wall hanging. My favorite part is the Tim Holtz door knob on the outside of the glass!! I told you so...these are so beautiful to me and fit into my home perfectly.

I have created a 15+ page pattern filled with complete measurements, details, materials needed, etc to make your very own Home Mini Album. You will love it and what a better time to get started on making these for holiday gift giving. I am so excited about this project.  Also, for my youtube buddy and thescrapbeach friend, 66MSClaudia, I am donating, upon request, the proceeds from this pattern to Claudia. She lost her husband last week unexpectedly and is left to raise 6 children. They were a one income family just like our family.  So, I am so very excited to do that for Claudia, you get something, she gets something and I get the best of it all seeing you make this album too.  OH I am soooo excited, can you feel it!!!

Also, I have kits available to make the Home Mini Album. They are already going rather fast so be sure to get one if you would like all the elements I used in making this one.   There are far more items in this kit at retail value, the price of the kit is a steal AND you get a copy of the pattern too!

Finally, open the door of possibilites by living your dreams, reaching for your goals and creating the things you or others may think will never be. It is respite ant it good for your soul to create. Life has enough realities with it so why not create the things that crosses that line to bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart.

Love, Blessings, & {{{Hugs}}},

from our home to yours,

RHC

Art Journaling of a Beginner

I hope you enjoy a glimpse of my first attempts of art journaling...they won't be my last...

For my dad...today I voted because of my dad; today I voted because of the freedom he gave me.

Materials:  Acrylic paints, wooden star forms, acetates, photos, ABCs, journaling spot, glossy accents.

Music Soothes the Soul

Materials: Acrylic paint, Ranger Crackle Paint, rubons, Prima, vintage photo, acetates

Spoken words have the ability to heal or kill.

Materials: Acrylic paints, Copic maker black, rubons, diecut, crackle paint

Believe...in me

Materials: Markers, ABCs, pen

Love

This one...material experimentation...gold crackle paint that didn't work, stamp, acrylic paints, pen

Beautiful

Materials:  Acrylic paints, rubons, Ranger crackle paint, pen

Clouds

Materials:  Acrylic paints, watercolor paints, pen, pencil

Spend some time today, creating...

Love, Blessings, & {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

July Online Crop with 6/6 Challenges...

Each month, I participate in an online crop with TheScrapBeach. Kathryn does a great job putting each one together, offering fun inspiration throughout the event. She also gives us challenges to work with which, for me, stretches my creativity to new places. The first challenge was clouds...as a child remember laying out under the sky and imagining what this cloud and that one might be? For me, I used my art journal to create my thoughts for this challenge.  Then with the remainder challenges, I created a new page for a mini album I am working on...perfect idea...each month I will use the challenges to create a mini album for that month's family photos!! I do take a lot of them each month and this will help tremendously in creating a home for those pictures...

Challenge 2

Challenge 3

Challenge 4

Challenge 5

Challenge 6

I can't wait to print the photos for these pages. I have 3 more pages to complete and it will be ready. I used a pre-cut mini chipboard album from Michaels, costing $1, and a paper pack from KandCompany for the pages. 

Love, Blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},

Rita

www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com

**Update: I made this into a mini-album I titled "Paris Dreams". It was a wonderful way to use the pages in a collective project. I then tied a beautiful burgundy ribbon around the whole mini-album. Lovely... 

The CrockPot Sisters are Serving BBQ Chicken & Veggies...

It is once again, time for a great recipe from The CrockPot Sisters living in my kitchen!  Now if you have read anything about me, you know I feed 6 people at my kitchen table everyday. So this is one recipe that proved to not only feed a family for one day, but carried over to the next. A great recipe for the weekend!!

BBQ Chicken in the Crockpot with Corn in one and Green Beans in another...

5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken (I use a bag from Schwans.com, tell them I sent you)

2 1/2 cups of brown sugar bbq sauce, any brand

Put the chicken breasts frozen in a cold 6 quart crockpot. Pour all of the bbq sauce over the chicken. Turn the crockpot on warm, let cook for 9 hours. Remove chicken from crockpot and thinly slice each chicken breast and put them back into the crockpot to cook 1 more hour, stirring twice during this time. Add corn, green beans for a great meal. Oh one more thing...

We had this last night, Saturday, for supper. Thursday night, I boiled potatoes in the 2.5 buffet crockpot, drained when cooked, drained the potatoes and put in the fridge...then made potato salad to add to the BBQ Chicken sandwiches...time saving and wonderful....

Love, Blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

My latest idea...good or bad?

Well, this photo is an obvious a witness that I can crochet! However, I am trying to crochet black flowers for my Welcome Home Mini Album.  I used to filet crochet often, following the name patterns and even made collars, but to do a doily or something similar using the small thread and needle, just wasn't me. Now that I am getting ((gulp)) older, I can't seem to hold the thread any longer.  It was a good thing, right?  To at least try something like this? Now, I wonder...

My mother taught me to crochet when I was in junior high school. It was a rainsy Saturday, I had nothing to do and there wasn't much on cable (yes, we had cable) except children's shows on PBS. So, mother offered and I accepted. History was made that day! However, no matter how hard she has tried, I can't grasp the doily patterns. So, the older I get the more I want to make one, at least one.

It's like the fruit cake I wanted to make once, that's just it, I only wanted to make it once. I decided that day that nobody likes making fruit cakes, they do because of the fragrant liquids that go into the fruit cake. As with the fruit cake, I don't think I will give up on crochet these flowers...it just may not be this mini album that enjoys them. =)

Love, Blessings & {{{Hugs}}},
RHC

My Tote & The Guy Mini Album Patterns AND an Artist Tip!!

I am so excited about having these patterns available for everyone! There have been so many requests for My Tote Mini Album Pattern that I wanted to feature it first here.  It is very detailed, offering 17 pages of step-by-step instructions along with templetes and a complete materials list that includes all the measurements needed to make this mini album. You will find it easy and enjoyable. I have also thought of doing the My Tote Mini Album as a Ustream show. Regardless, the video is also featured on my website with the pattern information.

Also, available in my website store is the pattern for The Guy mini album! This pattern is also filled with templates, directions, a complete materials listing that includes all the measurements as well. It is a fun album for the guy in your life regardles of the celebration.  It is 11 pages filled with every aspect of creating this mini album. There is also a video available with the pattern information so that you can catch a glimpse of this beautiful projects. 

Finally, I want to share with you a wonderful tip that I have for offering creative embellishments by using a simple brad.  Punch a hole in the corner of your photo/journaling mat. Place the brad in the hole and spread the prongs. Curl the one closest to the corner forward toward the top of the brad. Insert a jump ring to hold a charm or add a tiny safety pin. This is very strong and will stay in place. I used a jewelry tool to curl the brad.  Isn't this a fun idea?? I can't wait ot see what you create doing this.  I also have a page in a mini album that I used this technique for the closure and slipped a ribbon through the curled tip of the brad. 

I look forward to working with you as you create fun projects for your family and friends. There is no better time to start than now to create gifts for the coming holidays. Thanks so much for your support and encouragement as I grow as an artist.

Love, Blesisngs, and {{{Hugs}}},

Rita