Total Art Soul - for artists

Total Art Soul - for artists

Homeless

Our New Home????

 Yeah, we sold our home. Actually we sold it in March. We had listed it just before the holidays. My husband was going to take the "buyout" and retire. We wanted to downsize and selling our Historic 1800 sq foot home had to happen first. So when in March no one had made an offer we decided to wait and stay put. Steve passed on the buyout and we planned to remain, wait and see. Then as usual fate, or just plain irony would have it that when I went to remove the listing we got an offer. A good offer.

Of course now I know why...There is nothing but CRAP out there to buy. Are these pictures a joke? No not really. I can honestly say after looking at a plethora of homes, some bank owned (shame on them), some foreclosures, no to short sales though (as they are a lengthy pain in the butt, taking 3 to 12 months), and a small handful of private owned sales like us, that there is nothing out there.

Sure no one expects perfection, after all this is a home. Anyone that has ever owned one knows it is a constant source of repairs, updates, and basically a money pit. However, no one expects to pay top dollar for a piece of crap, trashed, shack that has either been destroyed, left to ruin, or needs what I refer to as "big-ticket-repairs", and so far that is all we have seen.

I am appalled and frankly angry at the banks. They allow people to "walk-away" from a choice they made (sorry but unless you had a gun to your head when you signed the purchase agreement, this was a choice you made. For those who have had to leave because they had lost their job or serious medical debt I do sympathize) and then these same people completely trash the home. They should prosecute these offenders for felony vandalism! These losers will say they are mad at the banks? Isn't it enough you are walking away from your responsibility? Allowed to be forgiven for a "choice" you made. Yeah, I am talking to you, the people that claim to be a victim. It's the same as going to the casino, gambling and asking the rest of us to pick up the tab. They will say that the banks were also bad, hell yes, but you made the bet and took the gamble. So I say to these people who wanted to live large, and roll the dice - suck it up. The real victims in this mess are those of us who didn't live above their means, paid their bills and mortgages. Didn't over-extend and made sure they had a bit of savings for the rough times. We didn't own the largest home, have the latest and greatest of things, cars, or electronics. We didn't go on big vacations, or use the equity in their home as an ATM. Yet we get to pay. Our homes lost value, our neighborhoods suffer, we pay the taxes and pick up the tab for those who gambled!

Now my home is compared to the trashed and empty homes the banks are dumping out. Yeah my home, the one I put new windows, roofed, stripped woodwork, put in a new kitchen, and bath, and maintained for years is now depreciated because the appraisers and banks need to clean their mess, so we pay. My home is valued as if it were the abandoned, vandalized mess some loser left behind, but oh yeah, they are the victim.

Then you hear "its a buyers market"? I say Really? Perhaps if your an investor, or want a "project" home. They (banks) still want way too much for homes that have been torn up, plumbing stolen, water pipes burst and drywall moldy and decaying. I saw homes that were once worth a fortune reduced to nothing more than a frame. Sure investors are buying them up. Fixing them up to rent. To whom? To these losers that trashed the house after they walked away from their debt? Really, if they are that immature and irresponsible, do you expect they will be that much better when they cannot afford the rent and you have to evict them?

As for those of us who just want a home that has been cared for, like we cared for ours, I wish you better luck than us. We have bid on three. One needed major repairs found on inspection - pass, one a bank-owned turned out to be a trailer home they put on a foundation (sorry but why don't the banks have to disclose? Private seller have to disclose everything, yet banks do not.) - pass, and the third needs a complete roof tear off and repair. Again I am not looking for perfection, but I cannot pay asking price, and still cough up 10,000.00 in repairs too. Still I don't blame the private owners for being a bit set and stubborn about their asking prices, to an extent. Frankly, why should they have to negotiate when at least they aren't ripping ceilings down, writing with magic marker all over their counter tops, punching holes in the walls, tearing out the copper plumbing, wiring, flooding their basements, smearing excrement in the carpets (the ones they haven't torn out), breaking windows, or taking the water heater or furnaces?

I have never regretted selling a home before, sure I have missed the old neighborhoods. This will be our fourth home, that is if we can find one. Yet this house I will miss, the couple who bought it were thrilled (according to the inspector), and after looking around I see why, hell I want to buy my old home! So for now we are staying with family, our life in storage while we try to find something worth purchasing.

I have heard recently that banks are "paying" people to turn in their keys hoping they won't trash the home if they give them money. I cannot even begin to understand this, paying people to do the RIGHT thing? Really, not enough to get a "get out of jail free" pass on your debt, but here's some money for not being a worthless piece of S--- and destroying the property as you walk away from your DEBT. Nice...... Way to teach responsibility, but who am I talking to, the Banks? What would they know about responsibility?

Sorry for the rant......but it had to be said. I know I am not the only one who feels this way. Unfortunately our voices have been drowned out by the banks and those "victims". You know the ones whose mess we are cleaning up.

Creating from the Heart: ♥ Spring Giveaway! ♥

Creating from the Heart: ♥ Spring Giveaway! ♥

Grand Giveaway!

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Hi enter this great giveaway from Websters!! Go now....

Pins and Charms...

More creative play today. I started these yesterday, had the taping and ready to solder. Then I decided to add some wire looping for fun. Also made some into pins, not just pendant charms.

 A mix of  Easter and Floral for spring, or Mothers Day. These larger pins below I added loops and some copper beading.

 Here I made some small pins, adding a bit of bling along the side.....

 Some looping and pretty glass pearls for these floral pendants....

 On the back of these sweet crowned birds are mirrors, what a fun and functional little charm.

Somehow it doesn't look like much now for two days work. I did stop to clean house and make dinner though. Playing with the sire was a lot of fun.

My First Crown for a Special Lady

These are some pendants, charms, and bracelets I have been working on. Having lots of fun with the mercury glass, vintage papers and old silverware.

I finished up those and had time to finally make a crown for my beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary. I found her at a antique show last year. She has striking blue glass eyes. She a little chipped, faded, and someone tried to touch up her robes, but I love her. I have always had a special place in my heart for the lady this statue represents.

 I was disappointed that her crown was missing. I have been scouring flea markets, ebay, and other places for one and haven't had a lot of luck. I figured I solder, why not try my hand at it. I had some filigree pieces. Not bad for my first crown. A bit bigger than I really wanted, but now that I have the idea I can make another.

Fortunately this crown will fit my Santos Angel. So for now it can adorn this lovely lady, in time I hope to make a more worthy piece.

Simple Fun with Accucut, Dutchpapercraft, and Papertrey

Today I played with some of my dies. I made this box using one of my Accucut dies, and a "Sizzix" mover and shaper die to cut the center out adding the heart window to it. I painted the box a baby pink, darkened the edges a bit with ink, then placed a piece of acetate behind the heart. Then I added the beautiful and delicate heart shaped flourish, which accented the heart shape window perfectly. This is one of the dies I purchased from Dutch Paper Craft. http://dutchpapercrafts.blogspot.com/ I believe they are Marianne Dies or Memory Box. You can contact Darlene ( a.k.a. Evil Temptress) at DutchPaperCraft if you are interested in purchasing them.

 The Card I made using Papertrey Inks "Simply Jane" dies and stamp set, as well as the lovely lacy oval and flourish, again from Dutchpapercrafts. This set of stamps had lovely images as well as beautiful sentiments for many occasions. I cut the man and woman shapes out and glittered them with Recollections red glitter.  Placed them on foam tabs to oval cuts made with my nestabilities.

Lately it seems I am favoring a more simple design. Not a lot of clutter to these, but sweet and elegant. Now to find some foiled chocolates to put in the box. What a sweet "I love you" for someone special.

Valentine Romance

My friend Sarah in the UK inspired me to play with my dies and some pretty pinks when she posted about a challenge on Snazzy’s Design Team Blog. I have been sending die cuts from my collection of dies to Sarah for some time now. She is a member of W.O.C. design team and was in need of some items to decorate with their wonderful flowers. 

Recently she posted a box she decorated for their challenge. So I decided to go for it and used one of my new dies, Sizzix ( the box, the lacy heart, and T.H. movers and shaper) dies were what I used. As well as Marvelous Martha glitter!

 I used some older DCWV paper to cover the base of the box and Stampin-Up ink Real Red to darken it up a bit. Martha Stewart glitter (can't get enough!) that matched the sparkly ribbon I found at Joann's.

 Using crepe paper streamers I made my own fringed trim for the base, and the top. I cut out two Tim Holtz cupids and hearts.  The lid of the box already has the lacy cuts in it which made it my first choice for this project, it's vintage, romantic feel lends it to this project so well.

 I was going to add more to it but I love the simple shabbiness, and every time I pick it up to add something more, it seemed to say to me "enough, it's enough". I will fill it with sweet Dove chocolates, and perhaps surprise someone special for Valentines Day.

With the scraps, I broke out my Stampin-Up matchbox die and made up this cutie gift box. I will use it for one of my soldered charms. Having so much fun making boxes to house and give them in. Terri came over and we played yesterday. It's been so long since we did this, it was quite a treat. She cut out some boxes. You will want to head over to her blog because they are so stinkin pretty and while your there check out her blog shop. They will compliment her fabulous handmade jewelry nicely, http://terrisbloomingideas.blogspot.com/ .

Journal Swap on the Speckled Egg

Here is my second journal from the Speckled Egg swap. Its from Joyce Gleason, http://scrapforjoy.blogspot.com. It's beautiful She even made it personal for me by adding my initial. 

 Just look at the sweet buttons and key. Just lovely.

 To top it all off she sent me wonderful goodies too! Lovin the postcards(where did she find these?), the trim, and seam binding,  little tags, and vintage playing cards. Oh, and BONUS A bar of chocolate.

Thank you Joyce for the lovely journal and the great gifts! I cannot wait to use them!!

Art Journal Swap

....

I recently participated in a journal swap hosted by the "Speckled Egg". Today I received my Art journal from one of my swap partners.  Kim Johnson, her blog is http://whimsyandtheword.blogspot.com/. She makes the sweetest decorated domino necklaces and bottles. I love the colors and the vintage feel of it, the lace, ribbon and embellishments are very much up my alley...

She gifted me these vintage goodness, yummy envelopes, rick rack, buttons, and cool vintage cabinet cards.

Did I mention the pretty handmade flower pin? so pretty....

Here is the necklace she gifted me, so pretty,and very well made. I love it.

Thank You Kim for making this swap such a great experience. She emailed me that she was concerned that I might not like it, well stop worrying I love it!

Sweetheart Soldering

Here are some of my latest soldered items.  I made some sweet "heart" shaped charms, and decided to make some bracelets for a change...

 I made some pretty pink gift boxes to put the bracelets in, leaving the inside blank for a special message from the giver....

 Here are some of my limited edition heart shaped charms....

 The cover of the box, the lid tied with a bow, and topped with a sparkly heart.

 Here a "word" bracelet, Star on the front tiles, and pretty pastel prints on the back. It can be worn on either side....

 I added these beaded necklaces. This one a very cool turquoise, on the back a sentiment. These were fun.

Of course a couple lace heart charms. So there it is my sweet heart charms. What a nice gift for someone special.

Kenny Olson Cartel (KOC) - "Up All Night"

Yeah, well it may be Kenny's Cartel, but thats "OUR" son John (a.k.a. The Wolf) rocking the place! Yep that handsome and talented bassist there....

Cards 'n Boxes

I started with this card for my friend Cathy, It's her birthday this weekend and I wanted to make her a card. Thanks to my UK buddy Sarah I agreed to try to keep my resolution and try to do a card a week. This  card I used scraps (part of my UIU pledge) from the recipe book I made our daughter. The stamp is from Art Impressions and is part of their Girlfriend series. Inside it says "Dance like nobody's watching....that can have you committed". I had to make the card a tad larger as the stamp is quite long and better suited to an A7 card. So I made a matching envelope for it.

Then there is this, my A2 box die (Accucut). I decorated the top and made 6 cards for the inside. I will be sending this to Cathy also. After she uses the cards inside, she can use the box to wrap a gift for someone else. Using some Sizzix dies I cut a heart out of chipboard, added seam binding bow, some lace trimmed ribbon, wild Orchid Craft flowers (thanks Sarah), a few odd bits from me stash, and a digital image from  iralamijashop

Inside there are some cards, a couple birthday, and the rest general so she can use them for "just because" reasons, when she needs one. Here a couple more of the Art Impression Girlfriend line, and the boxer one from Custer's Last Stamp (a Michigan company).

Now I happened to have this Box No 13 (Accucut) cut out and sitting around. I thought why not do that up also? I painted it pink, added a frame using my nestabilities, Some WOC flowers, a seam binding bow, a sweet image from iralamijashop and some tiny hearts I glittered with some "Martha". I reduced the image, mounted it on white card stock, trimmed with my postal cut scissors to make a sweetheart gift box.

So here is this weeks installment. Next week, I will really have to try. I have orders for charms that have to happen....but two weeks in a row, and this week 7 cards and two boxes, maybe I should have spaced them out?

Card Challenge

So using some collage sheets from etsy, I made some cards. A couple of Easter and Valentine. 

My friend Sarah  challenged me to make some cards.....

 One of my New Years resolutions is to use what I have.....

 I used my new Jenny Bowlin punch, some nestabilities, WOC flowers (thanks Sarah),

 I used my Crafty Secrets CD and printed some of the papers, some seam binding,

I hope to continue making cards and will try to keep my resolutions.