Altered Decanter

This decanter was altered using gel medium and adhering animal print, gold and maroon tissue paper.  After it was completely dry, I added a rub on dragon fly and a cross sticker.  The bottle was than embellished with an old broken irredized earring and a few feathers. The clear glass handle was left as is.  A bouquet of feathers was used for the topper.

Altered Mini Folder

 These mini envelopes were perfect for sending graduation pictures to a niece up in Montana.  They are small but made of a sturdy card stock and just the right size for about eight pictures. I altered the front and back of the envelope using graduation paper, rub on stickers, music notes and panther paws that are symbols of my sons high school days.  Now my niece can store the pictures and carry them without worrying about bending the pictures.  I did not have to leave space for the Mailing or Return Address as I enclosed the mini envelope in a box with a birthday gift for my niece.  I also decorated the gift box, only I forgot to take a picture.  You know how you forget things as you get older.  I have heard from my niece who said eveyone who saw the box loved it.  The box was decorated with a birthday theme.  She is using the box to store some of her little treasures.  

Back of Envelope



 

Mini Envelopes







Front of  Envelope



July Contest Giveaway

Wow! Can you believe July is almost gone?  It is so hot in Houston, I thought I would chill things down with a cool contest. 

In my effort to try and get more followers on my blog, I have decided to host a Contest Giveaway till the end of July.  As you may know from my blog, I love to work with stained glass.  In my July Contest Giveaway the first ten followers who guess correctly what I will make with these pieces of glass will win one of the finished item.  Feel free to mention/post this to your fellow bloggers. The contest ends at the end of this month (7-31-11).  On the first of August, I will post a picture of the finished item along with the list of ten winners.  Be sure to keep following my blog as I will be posting a few small clues to help with this guessing game.  Good Luck!

RULES:
1.  Become a follower of my blog. 
2.  Post your guesses under the comments of this post.
3.  Share contest with your fellow bloggers.
4.  Keep watch for clues.
5.  Use your imagination and have fun with your guesses.

CLUES  (Will be posted on the following dates here):
1.  July 18, 2011 - Small sun catcher with 4 pieces of glass: 1 big & 2 sml. circles and 1 sml orange piece
2.  July 22, 2011 - Kids love it, some adults do too just not to much or it becomes dangerous.
3.  July 25, 2011 - We don't see it in Houston too much. When it does hit Houston, people get excited and bundle up.
4.  July 29, 2011 - It makes the temperature drop and has the power to close schools and businesses.

Glass Cutting Board

Blue glass cutter, running plyers and shards of glass.

Every time I score and cut a piece of stained glass, I cut it on a plastic glass cutting board.  Most cutting boards are rectangle and come in various sizes.  They have a grid pattern that is lifted so that the pieces of glass fall down into the grid.  It makes it very convenient to cut the glass plus it is easy and safe to clean up those really small pieces.  The pictures above show the multi-colored shards of glass that I cut for one project.  When finished cutting I usually throw these shards away as they are too small to be of any use.

Summer Scavenger Hunt

Item #14

This castle complete with moat is now a brick and stone company.  It used to be the only Go Cart Park in Houston.  

Item #5

This hand made sign reads:  Private property. No Dumping Aloud. - It is ironic that it is posted by a dumpster, plus Aloud should be Allowed.  

Item #13 Evergreen Negro Cemetary - Former Slaves, Buffalo Soldiers and Veterans are buried. here.

AK Kelley organized the Evergreen Negro Cemetary and is buried there.  Most headstones are broken and unreadable.

This summer I have joined a Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt hosted by my cousin Maria.  Listed are 21 items I will be challenged to find.  View her blog  here:   http://gallorganico.blogspot.com/2011/06/summertime-photography-snapshot.html

1. A picture of your entire team (or a self-portrait, if you're playing alone).
2. A museum
3. A camp fire (or fire in a fireplace)
4. A protest, town hall meeting or other political activity
5. A hand lettered sign selling something or giving directions
6. A person dressed as a pirate
7. A decorated mailbox
8. Your country's flag
9. A festival or fair
10. A wooden bridge
11. A forest
12. A unicycle
13. A cemetery of historical significance or with an interesting story.
14. A castle
15. Graffiti art (not just graffiti and not just a wall mural)
16. A building made of metal or glass
17. Rain
18. A person sketching or painting outside their house
19. A beehive or an ant farm with live ants
20. A handmade roadside memorial or shrine.
21. A rooster

Below are a few photos I have taken.

#20 Roadside Memorial on East Houston Road

#15 Railcar on Liberty Road

#8 Driveway in Seabrook on 4th of July

# 17 Rain from my front porch

#21 Rooster in 3rd Ward area.

#2 New Buffalo Soldier's Museum under Renovation