Halloween Giveaway at Alpha Stamps

Check out all of the wicked treats in this kit from Alpha Stamps.  You can enter for a chance to win by creating your own original Halloween themed art using at least one Alpha Stamps rubber stamp or collage sheet image.  For more info visit here:

You might see info on how you can get a FREE (high resolution) digital download (of a NEW Halloween collage sheet)! If you just really love this kit and want to make sure you have one of your own, you can purchase this kit here: Hocus Pocus Halloween Kit.  Be sure to keep your eye on the Alpha Stamps Yahoo Group.  A little wicked witch told me some swaps may be coming up soon, muh ha ha!

Le Bebe de Flottement Stupefiant

I'm Baa-ack!  Long time no post.  Hope you are all doing well.  My surgery was a success and I have been doing a good job healing.  Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers!

I am really tired of sitting around the house, taking the time to heal.  I want to go to my favorite antique store SO BADLY that it is not even funny!  However, I have had the opportunity to finally get some art work done.  My studio is a mess from where I have had my hubby bring stuff out for me, and then it just stays there because I can't really put it away. 

Some time ago, when I found out I had to have surgery, I took this little dress form and cut the tummy out. It finally occurred to me that these little gals are hollow and I could maybe make something cool.  I just kept thinking of making something to say, "Just because I don't have my uterus anymore, doesn't mean I'm still not a woman".  I was really crushed and disturbed about the whole idea at first.  But with all of the other "stuff" that was going on, it all just had to be done.  I will be better in the long run.  In fact, I already am.

I have been obsessed with the cool theater collage sheets from Alpha Stamps. I really felt that this gal needed to be made into a theater, so I went through my stash to find the one that would fit the best.  And of COURSE it is the "Theatre Francais". lol.  After looking through some goodies, I came across this cool little baby that I have had for a while now.  I don't remember where I got it though.  I know there are similar ones at Retro Cafe Art and keep thinking that I got it from Kristin, who is the owner.  She has such amazing, vintage dolls and I have spent a small fortune on her frozen Charlottes and her doll heads. 

So, I would now like to present.....

"Le Bebe de Flottement Stupefiant" 

"The Amazing Floating Baby". 

My husband thinks I'm weird.  But he knew that long before he married me, lol.  I think it is cool as hell and LOVE how it turned out!

I had some other great embellishments from Alpha Stamps, like the center rose on the "theatres" neck.  It's from the set Je t'Adore Accoutrements and the wonderful Brass Shell Corners, which I just can't seem to get enough of!

Hope you can appreciate my sense of humor on this one.  I need to give the amazing baby a name now.  Any suggestions?

Stay tuned.... I have this wonderful little house, all covered in vintage French ledger pages.  I just have to figure out what theme to go for.

Little Folding House Chipboard Set

May you have an amazing day and thanks for stopping by! xoxo

Countdown To Surgery

Happy New Year everyone! Hope your holidays were as wonderful and blessed as mine! I guess it is time for me to do my, "I'll be gone from my blog for a while" post. Of course, this wonderful new blog of mine has been very neglected for a while now. My surgery is on the 11th and I'm starting to get a little freaked out. I have been trying to have a sense of humor, cracking jokes and all. But the fact of the matter is I am a little bit terrified. I am having a hysterectomy as well as two other procedures. Don't want to venture into the "TMI" situation, lol. I found a really informative and supportive website called HysterSisters, if any of you find yourself in the same situation.

A part of me feels selfish about this. When my doctor told me I had to have a hysterectomy, I lost it. I couldn't stop crying. I know I am SO BLESSED, but the thought kept coming to mind that I would never have a son. We weren't planning on having more children, but if it happened, we would be very excited. Then again, as a now 42 year old, I don't know if I could handle it physically or mentally. Oddly, I had an AMAZING reading with psychic Rebecca Rosen a few years ago. She told me that it would be better for "me" not to have more children, but that if I did have another child, it would be a healthy baby boy. Why did she have to say that? I envision this precious little boy angel, sitting on the clouds watching down on me and feel this ache in my heart that I won't be giving him life. I know, I am WAY too sentimental and kind of weird.

It isn't a life threatening situation. Just a situation to have a better quality of life. A much better quality of life. And then I think, but what if the worst case scenario happened? That would be so selfish of me to do that to my family. But if I don't do it now, then it is just going to get much worse. And if it all does go well, then by me having a better quality of life, I can do more things with my girls and build more memories with my family.

I just had a good cry. As you know, I LOVE to create art. Did I tell you that my neurologist wants to PURCHASE my Botox Shrine AND show it to the company that sells Botox. I get Botox injections to help with my migraines and the Cervical Dystonia in my neck. I was just so honored that she saw the beauty in the madness of my shrine. You can see it here: Botox Shrine.

So, back to my art... I won't be able to participate in any swaps or make any art for a while. That thought just breaks my heart. It is so therapeutic for me. And, I won't be able to participate in the next Itty Bitty Book. I have participated in every single book except for one and I think there have been about 24 books now? I have them all in a display case in my studio and just love them. Joining Mary Ann in the creation of her books is one of the first things I started to do as a "real" artist. So, needless to say, I am really upset to not be in this next one.

Because of the type of surgery I am having, my doctor told me that I basically can't do anything for four weeks and it will take me about six to completely heal. I have been trying to "train" my family and prepare them for this, but I am really nervous and don't think my girls completely understand. Hopefully they will all appreciate me and my cleaning a bit more after this, lol.

I have stocked up on beads for my next bead swap with the Marie group I am with, have plenty of books, both novels and artistic, and have purchased several new games so that the girls and I can play once I am up to it. I'm sure this procedure will help me to appreciate a lot of the little things in life as well.

Please keep me in your prayers and thank you so much for all of your visits. I look forward to sharing more of my adventures, both of life and of art, after this time of healing. God bless and take care!

XOXO

I feel like I have neglected my blog lately. I've had a lot going on and am preparing myself and my home for my upcoming surgery in January. I'm going to be out of commission for 4-6 weeks and am hoping things go well so that I can at least create my art. So please send some prayers my way. I sure would appreciate it. And thank you to all of you who visit me. I am so thankful for you and for blogging. It has really changed my life and brought some great opportunities and friends my way.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Les Monstres Sont de Retour - The Monsters Are Back

I am thrilled to announce that my Botox Shrine is complete! I can't WAIT to show it to my neurologist and I thank her for letting me have my empty bottle of Botox, after she put about 34 injections of the stuff into my head, neck and shoulders. It really does help with my migraines and I am so happy that my insurance FINALLY approved it.



It's a wonderful thing when my artwork comes together like this, while I work on each little section puzzling over what to use. I knew I wanted to use this head from an Alpha Stamps collage sheet "Phrenology". Showing the inside of the head where the Botox is injected was perfect.



These little skeleton dudes are one of my favorite images, again from Alpha Stamps, and the collage sheet they are from is called "Skeleton Slide Mailers". They fit perfectly on this poor migraine sufferers head and were able to jab their stakes into his nerves. My daughter had been using these skewers for a project and they came in very useful for me as well. Just love how things fall into place!



The text "Les monstres sont de retour" is French. It means, "The monsters are back".



The inside of my shrine came together perfectly as well. I knew I wanted to take my empty bottle of Botox and solder a German doll head to it. And again, everything just fell into place. Maybe it was a gift from the art making fairies for my birthday, because creating my shrine was what I did for the majority of my day.



I've had these little doll arms in a cup for some time now. Aren't they perfect? I then used some colored wire to wrap her like an armor and to make her a crown.



This little guy (also from Skeleton Slide Mailers CS) is also a fav from Alpha Stamps. I used a piece of fabric to form his cape. He was the king of the little monsters, until the Botox angel shoved a needle of Botox into his head. Now she stands upon him, like Mary did the demons. He is defeated, dead, with his little arm dangling lifelessly. Muh ha ha! My neurologist laughs because as she is sticking all of those needles into my shoulders, I say, "Die knots, die". I hate the knots that form in my neck and shoulders! The little frickin' monsters!



A family member has to use these teeny tiny needles (I hate needles) and they were able to give me a couple. I really wanted to have the needle in there somehow, but feared it poking someone. Again, it just fell into place since I used fabric and a little ball of cotton. The needle is inserted into it, so now it can't poke anyone.



Again, I used Yahoo Translate to write, "She came like an angel and took my pain away" in French. Those who know me, know how obsessed I am with all things French and it just gives it a better "feel" in my opinion. I used Iridescent Ribbons with Contrasting Edge-Stitching in Grey/Red from Alpha Stamps, glued my text onto it, and then glued wire onto the back so I could make it wave off of the shrine.



I wrapped the top of the shrine with the same wire that is on the "Angel" and added a vintage earring to the top. I've had this earring for years, and it finally told me what it was meant for.



I decided to cover the inside of the shrine doors with these vintage prescriptions that I have. And the muscular figures are perfect, seeing how all of my muscles knot up. They are from the Alpha Stamps collage sheet "Phrenology" as well.


Hey baby! Nice ass!


I felt that the inside of the shrine needed to have a healing, Holy type of "feel" to it, so I used this image from, can you guess? That's right, Alpha Stamps and it is called, "Art Nouveau Angels".



All angels have wings, right? Well so does the Botox angel, except hers are black. They go well with her hair, of course and I happen to love black, so there you have it.



I hope you enjoyed my piece of art. The best part is that my neurologist wants to display it in her lobby, so that other patients can see it and, I'm sure, relate. If I touch one person through my art, then my soul has been paid millions. She, my neurologists, also wants to submit some photos of it to some neurology journals/magazines. Wouldn't that be awesome, to have my work published! Keep your fingers crossed for me. Who the hell would have thought that something good could come out of my life sucking migraines? May God bless all those who suffer from the little monsters. Amen

The Pain In My Mind ...

Below is a digital piece that I did as "therapy" for "dealing" with my migraines. Before I found my neurologists, I was ready to give up. I would be in a dark room for three days in AGONY! But thanks to my doctor, keeping a record of everything I ate, smelled, and stressors, I have it more "under control". I also take daily meds and Zomig on the days that I have a migraine. I couldn't LIVE without my Zomig! Ugh! And now, getting the Botox injections in my head, neck and shoulders REALLY helps with the Cervical Dystonia (knots that form). But it sure can be a battle sometimes. Hopefully my art can help someone else out there going through the same thing.

The above image is the property of Rhonda Thomas. You may not use it in any way without my permission and a payment of $1,000,000.

I've painted the shrine for my Botox bottle doll and have attached her German doll head to the bottle. Now to solder and add the details. I have another head I am using with the back to an old earring. It was the kind that screwed onto the earlobe. Now, it will squeeze her little head. Yes, nice to visit my "dark" side every now and then.