LuLu Too Beaucoup

'WOYWW 02-15-12 Play Day in Art Journal (AJ)!'

2012-02-15T18:42:00.002-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

This week I've been under the weather (flu - with fever and other gross symptoms). So I'm still playing in my Art Journal for WOYWW. Making more layered backgrounds and still practicing image transfers using mag photos and gel medium.

This book is the new 'mixed-media book' from Strathmore I bought last year at Michaels - with a coupon. This book is advertised to be useful for wet media, but I'm not impressed. The pages were too thin for my purposes. So I glued 3 together to use as my substrates. The texture is fine, the pages were just too thin for the abuse I give paper in my art journals.

Mixed-media journal (Strathmore),

cover has a couple of my custom

embossed/painted metal 'flags'

AJ spread,

below dried-out red ink

cartridge for rolling stampers,

needs to be re-inked

AJ spread with leaning stack

What books do you use for your Art Journals? Have you tried the Moleskine watercolor paper books? Love them - but not cheap! Soon I hope to make some books from scratch using watercolor paper from pads I've got around the studio.

Happy Valentine's Day, too. Since I'm sick and hubby works 6 days a week we plan to celebrate on the weekend. We exchanged cards and he gave me a a box of chocolate covered strawberries to cheer me up - they were tasty!

Thanks for stopping by. Would love for you to comment on this post - or any of my other posts - and become a Follower while you're here visiting. Here are more artists studios to visit for WOYWW!

Peace,
LuLu

WOYWW - 02-01-12: ..one of the greatest pleasures...!'

2012-02-01T22:47:00.001-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For WOYWW today, I'm showing a tiny corner of my workstation, where I've been playing in my art journal #4 (no title yet).

These 2 pix show the full '..CREATE page' - and a corner of the same page with me in the bottom right corner. In the full page picture, you can also see a few strips of my custom designer masking tape, on the upper left. Love it! Upper right shows a roll of TH tape and a roll of 7 Gypsies tape.

I doodled a bunch of bubbles inside the giant letters. The background shows my initial handwritten journaling using colored pencil. Love the way the handwriting adds a hint of texture underneath the glaze.

Playing in my journals has become addictive! Just have the most fun time creating backgrounds and textures. Can my scrapbooking addiction be falling by the wayside - eek!

unfinished CREATE ANYTHING page WIP

"...to create anything is one of the

greatest pleasures of all.'

- paul wilson

Supplies used - so far: Pentel pen,

gel pens, marker,

embossed metal tape, acrylic paint,

colored pencil, custom acrylic glaze,

gesso, soft gel medium (gloss),

vintage image inkjet printed on deli paper

that's me spying out of the

right corner of this journal page

Supplies: B and W image

inkjet printed on transparency

What about you? Have you discovered art journals yet? Have you tried the new SMASH journals? I got both sizes and started playing in them a tad. Not sure I like them too much - I find it sort of hard to turn the pages...but we'll see how they turn out. Verdict's not in yet...

Thanks for stopping by! Would love for you to comment on this post - or any of my other posts - and become a Folllower too while you're here.

Go see more inspiring WOYWW artist studios here!

Peace,
LuLu

'First prize of 2012!

2012-01-30T22:56:00.002-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

As promised, here's the scrapbook layout that won me my very first prize of this year - Best Layout on New Year's day at Archivers!

There were a few constraints for this contest, we were required to use: 6 red buttons, piece of cardstock provided, transparency provided. I had fun designing this page within the constraints.

Can you see the little areas of sparkle? Did you notice the vellum? I love using vellum in my scrapbook layouts. And I love mulberry paper, too! I used a ton of mulberry paper in my wedding album - which I've been working on for 7 years....I hope I'll finish the wedding album before our 40th anniversary in 2016 - HA!

Would love for you to comment on this post, or any of my posts - and become a Follower while your here.

Thanks for stopping by - hope you can visit often.

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 01/25/2012 - Happy New Year! Image Transfer tests in art journal!'

2012-01-24T16:41:00.001-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Been gone a while over the holidays. A lot has happened and a lot of artwork has been produced. For WOYWW thought I'd share a few pages from an art journal.

I'm practicing image transfers again - this time using magazine/catalog photos and Golden's soft gel medium (gloss). I spread 3 thin layers on the image (horizontally, vertically and again horizontally) in addition to spreading a thin layer on the journal page. Placed image face down on page. Burnished all over with my fingers. Transfers seem to work better if the gel medium dries for at least 30 minutes. Then spritzed water and rubbed away paper layer. Don't peek...This technique worked great! I found this technique on youtube.com, books and mixed-media mags.

SOME STUFF I DID SINCE MY LAST POST

Created 53 custom Note cards/Blank Greeting cards and gave 50 as Christmas gifts
Enjoyed luxurious post-New Year's Day dinner with hubby - he prepared lobster tails and crab legs - and made a special trip to Bakers Square for carrot cake slices!
Won my first contest of 2012 on New Year's Day - a scrapbook layout contest! Will post pic later.

Endured outpatient breast surgery - pathology report was normal/benign - thank God! Slowly healing...

Crocheted 4 long 'Dr Who' scarves. Will post pix later.

Crocheted one beret - I hate it and plan to take it apart and re-do it. LOL :-)

Prepped tapes (Scotch removable, clear packing, beige masking) with acrylic paint for my custom stamped designer tapes - not tissue tape. Pix later.

Received a dozen yellow roses from hubby today for no reason!

Have you ever crocheted a beret/tam/cloche? How did your first crocheted hat turn out?

Do you ever use designer tape (7 Gypsies, Tim Holtz)? I love how translucent they are on my art journal pages!

Thanks for stopping by - please sign up as a Follower - and check my other posts for freebies!

Visit WOYWW here for more artist studios!

Peace,

LuLu

'WOYWW - 11/30/11: Blasts from the Past!'

2011-11-30T18:33:00.002-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For WOYWW this week, I thought I'd share some 'vintage' documents I rediscovered while organizing my jewelry studio/dining room/sun parlor. These old books were in my art portfolio, for some illogical reason. I plan to put them in acid free photo albums or page protectors in 3-ring binders.

In second photo are other projects I need to 'tidy up' the table in this multi-purpose room. Which seems to be a never ending task - sometimes I feel like Sisyphus pushing his boulder up the mountain! Setup all the supplies, work on project, put away supplies, and repeat! Argh! Of course, I shouldn't complain - I DO have another art studio, where I can leave stuff setup. But the table is really tiny in that room and there is no 'view' out the window...

Do you keep projects out and ready to go? Or do you have to put stuff away and setup all the time?

Thanks for stopping by - would love for you to become a Follower while you're here. And don't forget to take the POLL in right sidebar! You can visit other artist studios playing in the WOYWW blog hop here.

Peace,
LuLu

'Noonian Soong! - my 1st designer scarf'

2011-11-27T03:33:00.003-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

For some reason, during the past few weeks, I've had a burning desire to create scarves and shawls.

I really, really wanted to construct and wear my original 'LuLu Too Beaucoup' scarf to Thanksgiving dinner this year. It was all I could think about while working on my textile commission. I've already started an eleaborate woven scarf - which is still in the works, and would not be ready for Thanksgiving. That woven scarf was taking too long so here's what I created late Wednesday night/early Thursday moring.

Techniques I used were English braiding, crochet and macrame. This skinny scarf was nice and toasty!

'Noonian Soong' -

handmade scarf, braid, crochet, macrame.

Materials: yarns ( acrylic, novelty, wool)

This scarf is more of an experiment than a finished product, because the patterns are more dramatic than I wanted. Something a bit more suble and monochromatic will be created in the next iteration.

What do you think of this skinny scarf? Do you ever wear fashion scarves? How do you store your ribbon stash.

Thnaks for stopping by. Please visit my Blogoversary for some FREEBIES. Don't forget to vote in the right-sidebar.

Peace,

LuLu

'My 1st Textile Art Commission!'

2011-11-25T19:40:00.002-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,
Here are W-I-P pix from the textile art commission I completed last Friday. This is the prototype wearable art for fitness dance instuctors.

My approach to this project was to think of it as a quilt sandwich - with top, batting, backing and quilting.

iTop badge - paper test

Left: 12 luxury fabrics - cut into 3" squares, and labled with their placement positions

Right: iTop tool and iTop badge - fabric test

'Sandwich' Layers - squared up for trimming

Sandwich - trimmed and ready for 'hemming'

(Turns out that I did not use the fancy white and gold trim or the travel quilting iron)

Hemmd quilt sandwich - ready for trimming, and my signature on reverse

Supplies List

---------------------------------------

Acrylic paints - various golds, Aluminum repair tape, Baggies,

Basic Grey Notch & Die cutting tool, Die cutting machine (Big Shot),

Brass grommets, Brass Stencil, Cutting mats (Fiskars 2-sided Craft), Olfa Rotary - 36" x 24"),

Embossing folders, Embossing stylus,

Fabrics (Cottons, Emroidered Satin Brocades, Linen, Silk, Velvet),

Fusible web (Steam-a-seam, Stitch Witchery),

Galaxy marker, Glitter, Gold Leaf - faux,

Golden Soft Gel medium (semi-gloss), Gel pens, Heat/craft sheet (Ranger),

Hammer, Iron (Hamilton Beach Professional steam), Iron on hem tape,

iTop tool, iTop backings, iTop badges,

JoAnns EZView Press cloth, JoAnns Teflon Pressing sheet,

Lighting (OttLite Craft Caddy Light, Magnifying lamp with storage base),

Needle tool, Sakura Pens (Gel, Glitter), Pins, Pin cushion - vintage tomato,

Pinking shears - vintage, Punches - circles,

Quilting rulers, Reading glasses, Recycled clear divided salad plates (Dominicks),

Remote control for iPod docking station/radio, Run 'n Buff - gold,

Rotary cutter, Tassels / napkin rings - gold (Domestications),

Tattered Florals 'Bigz' die (Tim Holtz Alterations), Scissors (Fiskars),

THE FOLDWAY: Portable Cutting and Pressing Station (Omnigrid),

Sharpie marker - black, Water spritzer bottle, Xyron 'X' sticker maker - perm,

Zig silver pigment ink pen

The happy client!

Since 2001, I've been a scrapbooker. So this textile art was a GI-norm-ous stetch for me! I did a lot of problem solving on this commission. It was challenging - and fun to play outside of my comfort zone!

Do you sew with a machine - or by hand? Have you ever made art from fabric? Have you ever made art journals with fabric? Lace? Have you attempted Quilts? I aspire to making Crazy Quilt tops someday....

Thanks for stopping by. Would love for you to comment and please become a Follower while you're here. Spread the word about my 2nd Blogoversary Freebies and - please come back again soon!

Peace,
LuLu

Giveaway! LuLu's 2nd Blogoversary Freebies!!!

2011-11-23T14:31:00.000-06:00

'WOYWW - 11/23/11 - Weaving My Way with a Web!'

2011-11-22T19:37:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

This week, after completing my 1st Textile Art Commission (yeah! photos coming soon), I was so jazzed and inspired that I decided to WEAVE a scarf! Mind you, I have only ever woven some paper strips on a scrapbook layout. Have never even woven a potholder!

But I want a new scarf for the holidays, and decided that I can make a scarf. How hard can it be? I haven't crocheted or knitted in over 4 decades, and decided to use a combination of macrame, crochet chains and weaving.

After days of researching looms, terms, yarns and weaving supplies on the 'net, I designed a modified plain-weave structure to create a 'freeform'' extreme style woven scarf using a 'cobbled together' loom and a custom 'web/net/mesh'! I'm using wool, eyelash, novelty yarns and a handspun yarn made by my artist friend Meredith B!

My design is inspired by a fantabulous piece of handmade art paper, found at this artist blog - click here for Renate Kirkpatrick.

Top of my 'cobbled together' door loom

Yarns and ribbons

Have you ever made a scarf? What technique did you use - weaving, crochet, knitting or other?

Come back soon to see how the finished scarf turns out! Meanwhile check out other artists studios at WOYWW!

Peace,
LuLu

'Racine, WI - Day Trip Back in Time!'

2011-11-20T22:37:00.001-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Hubby and I spent a wonderful Saturday exploring the town of Racine WI - just 2 hours from our house. We drove around after visiting the Racine Art Museum's polymer clay exhibit Terra Nova - which was intoxicatingly inspirational!

We found a couple of mansions for sale that we aspire to - ha! ha! Plus we discovered this antique complex - now a sprawling retreat center and art school. I hope to teach some art journal workshops here next summer! In it's heyday, it was the Racine College campus, where rumor has it, President Linclon's son was to have attended.

Photos courtesy D. C. Daruszka for Creative Media Wizards

c 2011

What do you think of this vintage architecture? I think it's breathtaking!

Please check out my 2nd Blogoversary freebies - and spread the word. Thanks for stopping by and please come back soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 11-16-11: My First Ever Textile Art Commission!'

2011-11-16T15:53:00.003-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome!

For WOYWW this week, I'm working on my very first textile art commission!

Stay tuned for textile project details when it's completed. After I finish this commission, my next project is a fiber art piece -I can't wait to finish it. I can't sleep, I'm so excited thinking about it!

Have you ever worked or played with textiles? What's your fave luxury fabric? Do you ever use exotic/novelty yarns in your work? any ribbons? Nowadays, I am loving ribbons!

Don't forget to see my 2nd Blogoversary FREEBIES post! See more artist studios here at WOYWW.

Thanks for stopping by - and please come back soon.

Peace,

LuLu

'Freebies! Celebrating 2nd Blogoversary & 11,000+ Visitors with Freebie Backgrounds/Textures!'

2011-10-30T18:20:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome!

To celebrate my 2nd anniversary of blogging and over 11,000 visitors to my mixed- media blog, I'm hosting a giveaway. Well it's sort of a Giveaway, because there are no requirements - everybody wins!

Your're not required to be a Follower, but it would be nice if you do become a Follower.
You're not required to comment on this post, but it would be nice if you do comment.
You're not required to vote on the poll in the right sidebar, but it would be nice if you vote.

To celebrate, I'm giving away permission to use 6 of my original mixed-media textures below. They would make wonderful backgrounds or layers. You have my permission to use any or all of these 6 textures in your non-commercial artwork. Please credit me
'www.LuLu-Too-Beaucoup.blogspot.com' if you do use my textures in your artwork - enjoy!

I'm looking forward to another year of creating artwork, and sharing my work with you all - my wonderful followers and visitors in the blogosphere!

Thanks for stopping by to visit.
Please spread the word about my freebie celebration - and come back again soon!

2nd Blogoversary Freebie Background/Texture 1 -
www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com

2nd Blogoversary Freebie Background/Texture 2 -
www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com

2nd Blogoversary Freebie Background/Texture 3 -
www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com

2nd Blogoversary Freebie Background/Texture 4 -
www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com

2nd Blogoversary Freebie Background/Texture 5 -
www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com

2nd Blogoversary Freebie Background/Texture 6 -
www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com

Peace,
LuLu

'Two Sisters - BFF'

2011-10-18T18:49:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Here's a peek at me and one of my sisters, before she treated me to lunch on my 60th birthday. We had a fun time together - as usual.

Two Sisters -
Marcy and LuLu - Sep 27, 2011

Thanks for visiting - and please stop by again soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'LuLu's New Digi Slideshow!'

2011-10-10T19:47:00.002-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

'Mina - waiting'

Checkout my digital slideshow in the right sidebar. (Hope it's working properly now!) Would love to see your comments about my digital artwork.

Also, coming soon - FREE TEXTURES to celebrate my 2nd blogoversary and 11,000 hits! Stay tuned for details.

Don't forget to add your vote to the poll - 'What do you want to read about in future?'

Thanks for stopping by and please come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'Karen's Giveaway!'

2011-09-30T14:49:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,
Karen visited from WOYWW and told me about her giveaway! 3 chances to win!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 09-28-2011 Zutterized Journal Binding!'

2011-09-28T16:59:00.003-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

During my 60th birthday week celebration dear hubby and I've been under the weather (just my luck) and resting at home. Hubby has been super wonderful though! He even made chicken soup. But I'm keeping busy by playing with my BIA (Bind It All) machine from Zutter. I made 8 wirebound journals in two evenings while watching flicks!

Also I bought a large sheet of handmade artist paper at the Racine Art Museum on a daytrip to Racine, WI on Saturday - on left side of bottom photo below. It's a very crinkly texture so should make nice faux-leather covers for journals or handcrafted books.

8 Bound art journals Sep 25 and 26, 2011

From Left to Right, starting in bottom center:

1-small journal 1: glue laminated patterend scrapbooking cardstock, commercially printed transparencies, vellum, Japanes masking tapes - 20 sheets/40 pages - 3"x6" (acid-free, archival safe)

2-large journal: long recycled junk mail flyers

3-small journal 2: second half of # 1 - 25 sheets/50 pages - 3"x6" (acid-free, archival safe)

4-small journal: textured wallpaper samples (glue laminated) from hardware store

5 & 6-small journals: my postcard collection from trips of family and friends

7 & 8-small journals: recycled junk mail postcards

Two of these journals are for sale - #1 and #3. Ready for your mixed-media and journaling notes!
PRICE: $15 each - or the set of two for $25. (PayPal) Please note that I ship only to addresses in continental USA.
Please contact me if you want to purchase these one-of-a kind wirebound journals.

After I practiced binding a couple journals, it got pretty easy. I used black and silvertone O-wire in 1" and 3/4" diameters, bought at Archivers. My BIA machine is rather small, that I bought used from a TAC rep - now wish I had a larger size. But this size works well enough for my sporadic use of it.

My plan is to use these for art journals with gessos and paint and stuff - except the postcard collection journals, which I'll just use for taking a trip down memory lane...and the acid-free set for sale.

Do you have a binding machine like BIA or the Cinch? Have you tried wire binding with your machine yet?

Would love to see your comments about this post or any of my other posts. Please come back again soon. Thanks for stopping by.

Peace,
LuLu

P.S. Visit some more studios during WOYWW here.

'Deep in the throes...' Thank you, Sting and George Lucas!

2011-09-17T00:26:00.001-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome!

I'm deep in the throes of re-organizing and purging in my 'winter' craft studio. Not much fun, but I'll sure be happy when I can focus on making art. While I'm busy with that task and up to my neck in errant art supplies, here's a spread I created in an altered book art journal - from last fall.

"...growing up is optional!'
Inkjet transfer/transparency, gel medium, Acrylic wash, gel pen,
colored pencil, vellum, rub on, custom embossed foil tape with acrylic paint

My 60th birthday is rapidly approaching and the sentiment on the left page reflects my feeling perfectly this year. (Sting and I are nearly twins - his 60th birthday is a few days after mine! I'm a big Sting fan - and going with another couple to his concert in November. Sting is releasing his 25th anniversay CD collection on my birthday. I'm also a huge Star Wars fan - and George Lucas is releasing his Blu-ray collection of the Star Wars saga on on my birthday. Isn't that so nice of those guys to give such great 60th birthday presents? :-)

The past few weeks I've been assembling a list of 60 items (places to go, things to buy) - one item for each year on planet Earth! I'm also adding ideas to the back half of an altered book art journal that I started in May of this year - to chronicle our 35th wedding anniversary celebration.

What do you do on your milestone birthdays? Do you plan to do anything special to celebrate your milestone birthdays? I'd love to hear what you've done for your milestone birthdays.

Thanks for stopping by. Please take some time to look around my blog - there are all sorts of neat things to see - and come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'Summer Slips Slip Slipping....'

2011-08-26T23:14:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

I'm back for a hot minute. This summer has turned out to be busy, with ups, lots of downs - and some fun too.

One of my recent activities was our annual family reunion. My father and I are co-coordinators every year. We had a huge turnout this year at the picnic. And I actually had help at the checkin/registration table. Dear hubby was off work so he came and took lots of photos. This is one of Daddy and me!

'Daddy and LuLu - Family Picnic'

August 2011

Chicago, IL

Hope to be back here soon with more artwork and posts - probably after my 60th birthday in late September!

Peace,
LuLu

'...Still Life...'

2011-07-14T12:45:00.001-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

In case you're wondering, I've been on vacation with hubby, went to my baby brother's last minute wedding, then spent most of the July 4th holiday week with my sister and her kids in Wisconsin. Just a 3 hour drive from our house - easy, peasy.

Next weekend my other sister and I are taking a road trip to visit my niece/her daughter before she goes into military training - she joined the reserves...

Earlier this week a severe storm socked my area of Illinois. Hundreds of thousands of households were out of power all week - many tens of thousands still are out of power. But our house managed to squeek through unscathed - just a couple of flickers. I'm so grateful we didn't get hit. We're still cleaning up from the June 9th rain storm!

I need to get back to working on my Sep 17, 2011 art gallery show - which is rapidly approaching! But I want to see Harry Potter: 7b flick tomorrow night...

Original photos of still life

(heirloom glass, metal, embroidered fabrics, fruit, heirloom pottery, stone, heirloom silver, laminated paper)

tweaked with Microsoft Digital Image Editor

What do you think of these still lifes? I had great fun gathering the elements from around the house on Dec 27, 2007. These photos were some of the photos entered in a contest. Another view of this photo won! Would love for you to leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by - please come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'35th Anniversary - hard to believe!'

2011-06-23T16:41:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome!

I've haven't posted for a while - but I am keeping busy. Since June 12, 2011, hubby and I are on vacation - and celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary.

I rarely post photos - prefering to show my artwork. But here' a photo from our wedding day in my grandmother's rose garden, 1976. Granny was the original family historian - and a scrapbooker!

I designed my wedding gown! My other grandmother's seamstress made the dress. I knew nothing about weddings or sewing. The fabric was too heavy - I was boiling hot. But very happy!

Thanks for stopping by and please come back again!

Peace,
LuLu

P.S. We just bought my first modern sewing machine - a Brother, on sale! There's an antique Singer treadle sewing machine in the basement - but that doesn't count. I still don't sew, but now at least I have a machine so I can try to realize my designs...

'WOYWW - 6/1/11 - Art Journal and Stamping!"

2011-06-01T13:31:00.004-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

I've been on vacation, making art and doing (dreaded) chores. Haven't been playing in WOYWW for a month (or longer?) This week there are 2 main projects on my work table I thought I'd share. Managed to take some quick photos last night before I got too sleepy.

1) I'm painting in a little art journal (after glue laminating pages and collaging pages).

2) Also I'm stamping on my own custom decorative tapes. Customizing tapes is loads of fun! I use my custom tapes in art journals and altered books - in addition to using tapes from 7gypsies (great stickiness!) and tissue tapes from Ranger/Tim Holtz. Ladies at the scrapbook stores love my tapes and said I should be selling them and teaching workshops. We shall see about that...Meanwhile,

Art journal and supplies

Stamping supplies for custom decorative tape making (upper right)

Have you ever made your own custom decorative tapes?
Would you be interested in a tutorial on how to make your own customized masking tape?
Please comment here to answer these questions.

Also, whether you comment or not, please take a moment and complete the fun poll in upper right sidebar! I'm wondering what folks would like to see more of in my blog?

Thanks for stopping by - and hope you come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'We're dreaming of beautiful Paris, France - City of Lights!'

2011-05-24T18:59:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes
Howdy and Welcome,

Hubby and are will be celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary in June! (I was a teen in college when we met...)

We were hoping to go to Paris, France this summer - but no such luck. It would be hubby's first visit to Paris - and my second.

Paris France Photo - from Free Cities Photos

Meanwhile, I've been doing a lot of art. Including experiments in designing my own decorative tapes. Although I really like 7gypies' and Rangers Tim Holtz tissue tapes, mine look fabulous - so far! I'll post a tutorial when testing is done.

Have you ever traveled to Paris, France? Which arr. did you stay in? Do you have photos to share? I'd love for you to leave a comment about your adventures in this romantic City of Lights.

Thanks for visiting - and please come back again soon!

Peace,

LuLu

'A Dream for LuLu!'

2011-05-20T01:03:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

I've been spending a lot of time working on art journals and altered books. I'll be sharing some soon.

Meanwhile, I dream of hubby and I buying this lovely brick home. We saw it last September 2010 - and it's still for sale!

Thanks for stopping by - and please come back again soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'100th Post GIVEAWAY - Fave Tutorial RESULTS and WINNER!"

2011-05-04T11:13:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome!

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for...ok, at least SOME of you have been waiting for..the results and winner of my 100th Post Giveaway are now to be revealed!

FAVE TUTORIALS
Your top three favorite tutorials by LuLu are:

Checkout these favorite tutorials and - please send me a link to YOUR results!

and the WINNER of my 100th Post GIVEAWAY is...drumroll please...

peggy aplseeds

Winner must contact me via email before midnight May 8, 2011 CT with their email address and postal address to claim prizes. If winner does not contact me via email by midnight May 8, 2011 CT, they forfeit the prizes - and I will select and announce online another blogger to win the prizes.

Congratulations, peggy aplseeds!

Click here for the prize list

Thanks to all of you for visiting, for commenting, for following and for playing. You are all a great inspiration to me. Please come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'STAR WARS DAY: May The 4th Be WIth You!'

2011-05-04T10:29:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

From one Star Wars fan-atic to all the others out there in the blogosphere, 'Happy STAR WARS Day'!

'Self-protrait - Galena, IL 2009'

Don't have any Star Wars photos handy, so here is one of my photos.

The STARS WARS SAGA blu-rays come out on my birthday this year: Sep 27, 2011. What a FAB-U-LOUS birthday present from George Lucas! How did he know?!

More info at theses sites:
maythe4th.starwars.com
May the force be with you - May 4th!

Peace,
LuLu

P.S. Giveaway results and winner announcement coming very soon!

'100th Post Giveaway - ends May 1st!

2011-04-25T17:23:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Hope you had a great weekend.

Please enter my 100th Post Giveaway soon - if you haven't already done so. Ends midnight May 1, 2011. CLick here for details.

Peace,

LuLu

'WOYWW 4-20-11 TODO'

2011-04-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For WOYWW this week (see more WOYWWs here) thought I'd show you my TO DO list book. I'm woefully behind schedule on writing out my to do list. I've been trying to get my To Do list organized since January 2010 (that's right - I said 2010) - including my new year's resolutions.

My TO DO list is a book!
Your typical black and white composition book!

Composition book -
covers painted with acrylic paints, clear gesso, white glaze pen, black sharpie

About as far as I got with my TO DO list book was to draw a 'Nix TV' icon!

I admit it - I'm a procrastinator, trying to give up TV. Wish me luck...

While you're here, please check out my 100th Post Giveaway! Thanks for visiting. Please come back soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'Giveaway prize photos - Art Journal!'

2011-04-17T18:18:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Here are the photos of the blank wire-bound art journal I've prepped for the winner of the 100th Post Giveaway. This prepped art journal is just one of the yummy prizes one lucky Follower will win!

Prize prepped AJ - top page fan

Prize prepped AJ - front page fan

Prize prepped AJ - back cover

Would love for you to enter my 100th Post Giveaway - click here!

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to leave a comment.

Peace,

LuLu

'Giveaway Prize List - Giveaway Update News!'

2011-04-09T13:34:00.002-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Click above to enlarge free goodies prize list!

100th POST GIVEAWAY NEWS!

Eligibility update - global Folllowers are now eligible! Anyone, anywhere can play!
Prize list is now a jpeg file - so you can print the free goodies prize list!
Anyone can promote - you do not need to play to promote this Giveaway. Just link to this post on your blog sidebar!

Click here for details and to ENTER LuLu's 100th Post GIVEAWAY!

Hope you will play - thanks for visiting and please come back again soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW 96 - 04/06/2011 - What a Difference a Week Makes!'

2011-04-06T17:44:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Last week, my desk was a bit tidy. But for WOYWW this week, there are bunch of recent purchases needing homes and tending to.

l - r:

two permanent adhesive refills for my Xyron 510 adhesive machine (from Memories and Beyond Scrpabooking - Chicago's best mom-n-pop local scrapbooking store)
steam iron - for new quilting hobby I expect to start upon retiring (cashed in rewards from our checking account. we also got a couple of iPods and a travel clock from bank account rewards. nifty, eh?)
empty bottles, Ranger Adirondack acrylic dabber paints and Golden gloss polymer medium (from Sally's Beauty Supply and Michaels) - for prepping acrylic glazes. I use glazes on many layers of my art journal pages and Altered Book pages.
mini-trunk and green notebook - I bought a couple of Copic pens and need to enter them into my color shopping notebook. Decided to keep Copic pens and dual-tipped Zig Calligraphy pens in this pencil box. I'm forever looking for these pens. Can't seem to find a logical home for them. Hopefully, I won't misplace them now that they're in such a big, shiny box. The colors will eventually be tested in the 'testing' journal that's at the edge of my workspace.
Black covered wire-bound art journal - part of giveaway prize - I need to take photos of the pages.

Thanks for stoppping by. Don't forget to play in my 100th Post Giveaway while you're visiting today! And more desks to spy on are here.

Peace,
LuLu

'Giveaway! Giveaway! LuLu's 100th Post Giveaway!'

2011-04-01T17:39:00.006-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

This is the day! Hold on to your hats!

To celebrate my 100th Post I'm offering a Giveaway for you - my Wonderful Followers!

GIVEAWAY CANDY! GIVEAWAY GOODIES! GIVEAWAY PRIZES!!! FREE STUFF!!!

Click above to enlarge free goodies prize list!

Prize - prepped Art journal photos - click here!

If you are an artist who creates Altered Books, Assemblages or Art Journals, or if you've always wanted to create Art Journals, Assemblages or Altered Books, this is the Giveaway for you!
Please spread the word - you do not need to play to post on your blog.

Giveaway deadline is midnight May 1, 2011 CT.

WANNA PLAY?!?!
Here' what you need to do:
-Become a Follower.
plus

-Surf my blog to find 2 of my tutorials that you would like to try (or select two of my tutorials that you have already tried) - and make a note of their two titles. You'll need the two titles below...
plus

-Add a post to your blog referring to this post (or add the picture in your blog sidebar - you have permission to copy this picture) with a link back to this Giveaway post.
plus
-Add a comment to this post and include: the titles of my two tutorials that you'd like to try (or the titles of my tutorials that you have already tried), a short blurb explaining why you want to try or have tried the tutorials (blurb optional), AND include a link back to your blog entry (or a link back to your sidebar post).

END DATE: midnight May 1, 2011 CT.

NUMBER OF ENTRIES
Enter as often as you like, but for each entry you must submit a separate comment under this blog post that lists 2 different tutorial titles.

ELIGIBILITY

- ~~Residents of the continental USA are eligible. Residents of Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico and residents of other countries are not eligble for this giveaway. Sorry!~~
- Everyone worldwide is eligible! No residency restrictions!
- You must have a blog, have an email account and be a Follower of this blog.

WINNER SELECTION and NOTIFICATION

Winner will be selected by me based on your comments to this post. Winner will be announced on this blog before midnight May 5, 2011 CT. Winner must contact me via email before midnight May 8, 2011 CT with their email address and postal address to claim prizes. If winner does not contact me via email by midnight May 8, 2011 CT, they forfeit the prizes - and I will select and announce online another blogger to win the prizes.

Good luck!

Thanks to all of you for following my work!
You have made playing in the blogosphere rewarding and inspiring for me. Thanks for visiting - and if you decide to participate thanks for playing - and please come back again real soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'Time Flies - Watch parts for Art Journals and Altered Book Pages!'

2011-03-30T18:57:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Last Friday, Mar 25, I started deconstructing a bunch of antique and vintage watches that I'd bought ages ago. Used my hubby's precision screwdriver set and my jewelry magnifying lamp. Also, took apart a couple of broken kitchen timers.

These are the only parts I could unscrew - the screwdriver set I used was way too flimsy. So I ordered a different precision tool set online which should arrive shortly. Had a great time taking the watches apart! Planning to use the parts on my art journal pages and AB pages.

Would love to see your comments about this post. Have you ever disasssembled watches, timers or clocks?

Thanks for stopping by - and stay tuned for my 100th post Giveaway coming very, very, very, soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW 95 - 03/30/11 - Image Transfer Prep!'

2011-03-30T18:55:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

For WOYWW this week, there are only two projects in my sights - both of them are organizing tasks. You know how I love to organize!

This is a drawer made from a re-used printer paper box lid. It contains some inkjet printed transparencies, notes for image transfer techniques and a new roll of packing tape. (This new packing tape I found at Michaels - it tears easily with your fingers! So easy to use.)

I'll organize the drawer contents by separating the transparencies from the techniques. The new tape (and the old tape on the left side of the photo) will go in my designated 'tapes' drawer - which is soon to be overflowing. But I'll deal with that another day!

Usually, I cut out the images in a batch, while doing a session of 'fussy cutting' - a term borrowed from the quilting world. During another session, I tear the tape, apply it to the images and trim down the edges. In another session, I burnish the tape onto the image, soak/rub off the paper and layout the tape to dry. When dry, I put the tape transfers in another drawer labeled 'Ready - Inkjet transfers.' Inkjet transfers and toner transfers are kept in separate drawers because I want to be aware of how they behave in my art. I like to do most of my prep work in batches, so that when I'm ready to create, I can just grab what I want - everything is ready to go.

Around the drawer perimeter, you'll spy a water spritzer and a few bottles of paint glazes. These are remnants of some 'wetwork' I did yesterday. I was toning some blank pages in altererd journals, and glopping down another layer of glaze on some previously painted and gessoed pages in an altered book.

I'd love to see your comments about this post. Do you apply image transfers in your artwork? What are your favorite supplies amd media for image transfers?

Thanks for stopping by and please come back soon. My giveaway for Followers is rapidly approaching!

Peace,
LuLu

P. S. For more workstations visit WOYWW "What's On Your Workstation Wednesday" players here.

"WOYWW #94 - LuLu's Seven MiNi-ToDo's!"

2011-03-23T11:22:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

This week, for WOYWW, I have a slew of mini-projects to do, usually while inhaling a DVD movie.

'7 MiNi ToDos - Mar 23, 2011'

A bit, a tad, a smidgeon, and a boat load!

I know! My worktable looks like a jumbled mess, but there are really 7 mini-projects to do in this pile. Just need to do a bit of organizing, a tad of page laminating, a smidgen of stamping and a boat load of braiding.

Let's hope I get these done before the end of March, because I'm notorious for having multiple projects and several journals going at once. Always biting off more than I can chew...but what artist doesn't. he, he.

Blog hop here for more WOYWW players. Also, sh-h-h-h. But stay tuned for another giveaway for you wonderful Followers coming very, v-e-r-y soon!

Thanks for stopping - and I'd love, love, love to see your comments about this post.

Peace,

LuLu

'Forest of Middle Earth' - Find the Fish!

2011-03-22T02:16:00.001-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

How many fish can you find?

'Few are found in the far flung Forest of Middle Earth...'

Collage and Digital montage of

original drawing and original background -

layers and transparencies using MS Digital Image Editor

M.L. Haynes c 2011

Would love to see your comments about this little fantasy piece I just whipped up from two pieces of my original artwork.

Thanks for stopping by - and please stay tuned for my 100th post giveaway - coming soon!

Peace,

LuLu

'100 Things: Life Stuff list - How Many Have You Done?'

2011-03-21T03:07:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

'We're Not In Kansas Any More!'

an original zendoodle of mine from a previous blogpost

Check out this fun Life List by way of Diane who found it on Dawn DeVries Sokol's blog, D'Blogala... You bold the ones you've done.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band (actually it was my own pop/rock band - I was the fearless leader, lead vocalist and composed on keyboards)

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo (soloed in church, and in my band)

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris (can’t wait to go back, next time in warmer weather, preferably Springtime)

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (altered books and art journaling, yeah!)

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables (does watering and harvesting from our garden count?)

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (you’ll be surprised when you see her)

20. Slept on an overnight train (on 1st US and Canadian trip with my grandaprents, the opera singers, at 10 years old)

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked (not a wise thing for a young woman to do, but I was so lucky to arrive safely)

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (gorgeous!)

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise (a few on Lake Michigan)

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community (love their fabrics and quilts)

36. Taught yourself a new language (do smatterings of cunnieform and ancient greek count?)

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelos David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted (does being drawn numerous times by various people count)

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (does halfway up the Eiffel tower to the restaurant count? it was the most delicious and most expensive meal I ever ate)

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (does snorkeling in the local park district pool count?)

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater (we saw Michael Jackson in Willard a million years ago)

55. Been in a movie (does dancing in a music video count?)

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (and was horrible at it)

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check (but not purposely)

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (at 10 years old)

71. Eaten Caviar (delish - after the 1st time)

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (two of my boyfriends had a bike and I had a bike - but not speeding. does speeding in a Camaro Z28 count?)

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book (my work has been published in a few books - but I'm still looking for a publisher for my poetry books)

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car (the first car I bought was new - a VW bug for $1,500 in the 1970's)

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury (for 20 minutes)

91. Met someone famous (a list is coming to my blog soon of famous people I’ve met!)

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one (I've lost too many loved ones)

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake (it's more like floating than swimming)

97. Been involved in a law suit (happy to say the result was satisfactory)

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day (duh! Isn't that what weekends are for?! one Harry Potter book, a Kahlil Gibran poetry book, Tsun Su's The Art of War (pocket book), computer manuals and several Michael Crichton books - especially Jurraisic Park III.)

I've done 40 so it looks like I better get crackin' - got a lot more to do! What are the top 10 from this list that you most want to do?

Thanks for stopping by - would love for you to comment. Please stay posted - my 100th blog giveaway is coming soon!

Peace,

LuLu

'LIT List It Tuesday 3/15/11 - LuLu's Fabulous Feast of Art Books!'

2011-03-15T00:14:00.000-05:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

From childhood I've been a voracious reader and bookworm. For the past few past weeks I've been gorging on a feast of art books. Last weekend my hubby surprised me with a slew of art books from our local Borders bookstore - alas, soon to be out of business. For LIT List It Tuesday this week, I decided to list my new books and a bunch more that I'm re-reading. The top six books on the pile are the new ones from hubby!

'List of books on the menu for my art books 'feast'.

I think hubby's selection of books for me was brilliant. To me, one of the best things in the world to do is read a pile of books while listening to classical music on the radio. Bliss.

Do you have any of these books? What are some of your fave art books?

(These photos were taken in our sun room/parlor overlooking the back yard - and a bird bath. The binoculars are used when I'm bird watching.)

For more blogspot lists, check out List It Tuesday here.

Thanks for visiting and please come back soon.

Peace,

LuLu

'WOYWW - 03/09/11 - Organizing after unpacking art journal supplies!'

2011-03-09T21:27:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

While I was organizing pens, pencils and markers after unpacking supplies from art journaling I did at the 2 day scrapbooking crop over the weekend, I realized that it's Wednesday! Time for WOYWW - What's on your workstation Wednesday...

Resists to be organized and consolidated:

Faber Castell Gel stix, watercolor crayons

(in an antique red tobacco tin I inherited - perfect size),

crayons, and colored pencils

I usually write illegible script, calligraphy or print quotes illegibly when I first start working on blank pages. Love the texture of handwriting, printing and calligraphy. Also I sometimes write and print after I lay down a layer or 2 of acrylic galzes on the page.

I prep journals all in a batch, usually. To me it makes sense to do all the resists while I have the resist supplies out. When I put the resist supplies away, and then take out the messy glazing supplies and do messing glazing. I like to use old hotel or credit cards - per Dawn Sokol's Pages in Stages dvd.

Visit here for more desk look-sees!

Would love for you to comment on this post or any of my other posts.
Thanks for stopping by and -
stay tuned for info about my 100th post giveaway - coming soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'30 days of lists: List 8 - What's in my bag?'

2011-03-08T19:03:00.001-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

I just stumbled upon this list site! 30 days of lists.

Here's what's in my daily tote bag - today - too much as usual.....

Black Maggie Barnes faux leather tote bag that I found at Goodwill for $3.

large, black 'Kangaroo Keeper' with:
small water bottle
collapsible travel cup
keys
old glasses and case (to remove after visit to eye doctor)
BAC Street Journal #4 (includes one of my poems!)
newest The Container Store catalog
map, address and directions to new dermatologist
my 'errands'' notebook for when I'm out-and-about
Moleskine pocket watercolor notebook
snack baggie
large paper clip
emery boards
bandaids
pens and highlighter and eraser
hair pick
iPod cable and instructions card
eyedrops and sleepmask
toothbrush and tootpaste and floss/pick
spork
black mini-pouch with:
4GB flash drive
mini tape measure
hair clip
scrunchie
earplugs
antique pocket scissors - inherited from my grandfather
lime green 'Nomadic Pouch-In-Bag' with:
lime green Liz Caliborne wallet
cellphone
travel dictionary (french/english)
travel mirror
travel embroidered tissue holder
flat 2011 / 2012 calendar flyer (from doctor's office)
reporter's memo notebook
2 business card holders
iPod earbuds
SPF face moisturizer
hand lotion
rescue inhaler
2 pill boxes
4 Ricola cough drops
chapstick
lipstick
mini mechanical pencil, mini gel pen, highlighter, glaze pen, mini sharpie (moved to keyring)
screwdriver kit with mini tape measure on keyring clip

It looks like too much, but everything has it's home. Would love for you to comment.

Thanks for stopping by to visit.

Stay tuned for my Follower's giveaway coming soon!

Peace,

LuLu

'LIT - 03/08/11 - Top 10 Places to Visit with Hubby!'

2011-03-08T12:59:00.001-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

I've been a bit distracted with trying to acquire my new dream studio, but here's my list for this week's LIT List It Tuesday. And yes, I want to go to Disneyworld. I think I'm the only one I know who has never been to Disneyworld!

'Top 10 Places to VIsit with my Hubby!' -

Sakura glaze pen and mixed-media on original painted grid paper,

tweaked digitally in MS DIE (DIgital Image Editor) with

layers, gradients, and transparencies

See more LIT lists here.

Dream Studio - window 2

Please keep praying for me to get my dream studio. Every little bit helps me get one step closer to my dream!

Thanks for visiting - and stay tuned for my new giveaway coming soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'Coming soon - my 100 post giveaway contest!'

2011-03-06T02:37:00.002-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Time for another giveaway contest for my loyal followers is coming soon - to celebrate my 100th post! Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, here's a peek at one of the windows in my dream art studio. Click here to see the Diva Challenge post that features this same window in the background.

I hope you will all pray for me so that I get to move into my new dream studio.

Thanks for stopping by - please leave a comment.

Peace,
Lulu

'I WANT THIS SMASHing video - for Art Journalers!

2011-03-01T16:11:00.002-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Gina posted this on her blog. I want this too!
Watch the SMASHfolio video from EKSuccess!

Are you going to get this in April?!?!?!
Peace,
LuLu

P.S. Stay tuned to my blog. Another Giveaway for my loyal Followers is coming soon!!!!

'WOYWW - 02/23/11 - Tidy, Tidy and Todo!'

2011-02-23T13:49:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

This week I can luxuriate in my tidy, tidy 'current project' rack - and focus on some mini-projects.

And I owe it all to WOYWW which helps me take an objective look at my workstation. Now I see what you see - and sometimes it's just not pretty. But this week it is!

'Workstation in Winter craft studio - North view'

Legend below

TODO

1) Craft iron and embossed wax paper: for a resist project to make backgrounds for art journal pages

2) Mallet, container of chipboard and new metal dies: for noisy project to hammer dies into damp chipboard and quiet project to rubber stamp chipboard with ink

3) Glittery chipboard stickers: for wet project to distress chipboard stickers with tinted gessos, acrylic paints and inks

4) Vinyl pouch (one of my old Lancome makeup bags) and list of supplies from CPS mag: for assembling my watercolor sketch 'go! travel bag'

5) Tidy, Tidy 'current project' rack - yay! This scrapbook rack was bought as a casualty of another scrapbook store closing. It's designed to display scrapbook layouts and open scrapbooks. I bought all three at the going out of business sale. Also, I take these racks to my annual family reuinion to display the heritage scrapbooks I made using my grandmother's antique photos. Very popular scrapbooks! (Granny was the original family historian and scrapbooker. I'm 'saving' her acidic scrapbooks - she left about 30 books. I'm removing the pix into acid-free books and using acid-free supplies. Every 1st Saturday of the month, my 78 yr old father and I go scrapbooking at his 94 yr old aunt Alma's house. She identifies the people and locations, Daddy organizes the piles and I'm the scribe and superviser. We have a great time - it's like an archeological dig!)

What do you think of my Tidy, Tidy 'current project' rack? How many days, weeks or months do you think I can keep it Tidy, Tidy???

Take a look at more WOYWW studios here...

Thanks for stopping by. Please comment and Followers are always encouraged.

Peace,
LuLu

'LIT List It Tuesday - Feb 22 Top Fave Foods!'

2011-02-22T00:56:00.001-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For List It Tuesday I'm sharing my Favourite Foods!

'Top 11 Foods in 2011'

Ingredients: Glaze pen on my painted pallet/grid paper,

tweaked in Photoshop and MS DIE using gradients,

layers, saturation and transparencies

Check these other lists here!

What's your fave food? Have you discovered sushi yet?
Please leave a comment about this post or any of my posts.

Please become a Follower and come back soon! Thanks for visiting.
Peace,
LuLu

'FREE TUTORIAL: Image Transfer using Contact Paper!'

2011-02-18T19:08:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Here is another free tutorial. This tutorial I wrote describing my process for an IMAGE TRANSFER. There are many, many different image transfer processes out there in cyber world. This is one of the processes that worked well for me.

Note: Soft Gel medium (gloss) was not used for the image transfer - but soft gel medium (gloss) was used to adhere the contact paper to the artwork after the image was transferred, if that makes sense.

SUPPLIES LIST:

clear contact paper (I got mine either at Target or Menards - don't recall which)
image to take to copy shop (I prefer to use copyright free artwork - for example, antique images, my own artwork or my own photos)
toner copy of above image from copy shop (reversed, if it has text you want to preserve as readable in final art piece)
shallow container of hot water, larger than image
soft gel medium (gloss)
clear gesso or soft gel medium (matte) - optional
palette knife, old credit card, or sponge brush to apply soft gel medium
paper towel

PROCESS

My clear contact paper transfer process follows, which I accomplished over several days:

scan antique color image into computer and reverse image using image editing software (I scanned it first because I want to keep this image on my computer)
print reversed color copy on home inkjet printer
take color inkjet image to local copy center and have them make a 'toner' color copy (also the copy shop can reverse the image if prefer them to reverse it)
'fussy cut' toner image out of paper leaving small margin all around the image (leave about 1/4 inch)
cut contact paper a little larger than the image
apply clear contact paper to toner image and burnish contact paper (I let image set overnight after burnishing)
fill a shallow plastic 'Tupperware style' container with very hot water
plunge image to soak for a minute or two
remove image from pan and lay it onto a paper towel paper side up to absorb excess water.
rub off paper with finger, gently rub and rub. Moisten paper with more warm water if it dries in this step. Don't rub too hard!
dry overnight or longer after all paper is removed. (I made a whole batch of image transfers on one day. When they were all dry, I put them in a drawer labled 'Image Transfers : READY'...)

TO USE IMAGE TRANSFER

When you want to use the transfer apply a very thin layer of soft gel medium (gloss) on your artwork and on the back of your contact paper image with old credit card or foam brush
lay the contact paper image into the medium on your artwork and press out any air bubbles with your hands or brayer starting in the center. Wipe up any medium carefully that squishes out the sides with paper towel. Dry overnight.
Because the contact paper is slick, you'll have a glossy image on your artwork. If you don't want glossy, apply a thin layer of clear gesso or a thin layer of soft gel medium (matte) to the transfer, or to your whole piece, as you like.

TEST, TEST, TEST!

I tested this transfer process (and many other image transfer processes) before using it on my 'good' artwork.

CONTACT PAPER VS. PACKING TAPE?

Packing tape and Contact paper made identical image transfers in my tests. So you might ask, why use clear contact paper instead of clear packing tape? Depends on the size of the image that you want to transfer.

clear packing tape is useful for small images
clear contact paper is useful for larger images.

My test results of various image transfer techniques, incuding inkjet print on deli paper,- showed that the contact paper & packing tape images came out the best (clear and crisp).

Would love to see your results if you try my Image Transfer Contact Paper process. Please send me a link to the post on your blog.

Thanks for visiting and please come back soon.

Peace,
LuLu
http://www.lulu-too-beaucoup.blogspot.com/

'Sparkly Serendipity Strips Send Someone Something Special!'

2011-02-17T22:52:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Lookee here! Phoenix Peacock used some of my Serendipity Strip embellishments to make Valenties day ATCs! They are so pretty. Visit her blog to see more...

Would love for you to comment on this post. And Followers are always encouraged.

Thnaks for visiting and please come back soon.

Peace,
LuLu

"A present from 'Down Under'!"

2011-02-17T21:57:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

For Christmas my wonderful hubby gave me a gift on my wish list - 2 sets of Kangaroo Keepers, in black and tan. He found them at our local grocery store. Each set includes a small pouch and a large pouch.

The large black pouch I'm using in my daily black tote bag. The large tan pouch I'm using in my scrapbooking backpack!

Here are Before and After photos of the large tan pouch.

Container of essential scrapbooking supplies

BEFORE

Essential scrapbooking supplies spread out on my craft table

Innards of the large tan pouch with loads of pockets

AFTER

Large tan pouch filled with essential

scrapbooking supplies.

This pouch now contains even more supplies than were

originally in the BEFORE photo above!

Large pouch with drawstrings pulled nice and snug.

That's a pencil sharpener/eraser on the

right drawstring. One of my scrappbooking

buddies found these combo pencil sharpeners!

What do you think of this pouch? Do you ever use a purse organizer?

I'd love for you to comment - and Followers are always encouraged. Won't you click on the Follow button at the top of this page and start following me today?

Thanks for visiting and come back soon.

Peace,

LuLu

'WOYWW - 02/09/11 Ready Set Go!'

2011-02-09T01:32:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

For Whats On Your Workstation Wednesday, I'm showing a rare site - my tidy table! I've been trying very hard to make this space work for me.

Tidy workstation - ready for next project

The color section in this photo is 'the current project' rack. But it's full of stuff to be filed.

Over the past few months, I just threw stuff on the rack. Now it's time to sort and organize,

so that the rack can be used for it's intended purpose -

notes, sketches, ideas and inspirations for 'The Current Project'.

These are clear plastic bins for sorting 'stuff' on the current project rack. There is a 3rd rack to the right - not pictured. These are lids from some kitchen storage containers.

This week I'll be sorting the 'stuff'.

MY EFFICIENCY CHALLENGE

Becuase I'm ambidexterous, my work process use tools and supplies from both the left-hand and the right-hand sides of the table. It's not the right-to-left process or left-to-right process, normally recommended for efficient work spaces. Being ambidexterous makes it challenging to setup my 'ideal' efficient workstation - but I'm slowly getting closer.

DESIGNATE HOMES

There is an article from CPS (Cloth Paper Scissors magazine) I just read on the rack. It describes a few traits of an ideal studio - and I'm trying to focus on those traits. The most important traits to me are dedicated homes for WIP (works in progress) and deciated homes for finished works.

What about you? Do you have a right-to-left process? Do you have a dedicated space for WIPs? Or finished works?

Click here for a peek at more WOYWW spaces - so much fun to see where other artists create!

Thanks for stopping by. Would love for you to comment and become a Follower. Followers are encouraged! Please come back soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'LIT - List It Tuesday 2/8 - Top Fave Cities!'

2011-02-08T12:30:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Travel is one of my favorite hobbies. Here are are my Top 10 11 Favorite cities for this week's List It Tuesday. The 'X' indicates the number of times I've visited that particular place when more than once. Except for Chicago of course - which is my home base.

'Top 10 11 Fave Cities' -

Glaze pen on painted grid pallet paper,

tweaked in Photoshop and MS DIE using gradients,

layers and transparencies

Wish I could afford to go to Nassau again - right now. It's snowing outside now - on top of the 20+ inches Chicago got last Tuesday and Wednesday during the blizzard of 2011. I'd rather be on a beach enjoying the sun or swiiming in the ocean! How about you?

What are your favorite visited cities?Click Here for more LIT List It Tuesday lists.

Thanks for stopping by. I'd love for you to comment and become a Follower.

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW 2/2/11 - Laminatin' Heaven Inside / Snowtorious Outside!'

2011-02-02T17:17:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Outside, here in Chicago, it's the Snowtorious B.I.G. Blizzard of 2011. But inside it's warm and comfy where I'm finishing up a little project to organize my future art projects. (We are so blessed to still have heat and power.).

The challenge was gathering supplies every time a new project is started. I was always neglecting to take something out - and then I was scrambling for something before medium or paint got too dry to manipulate.

So I decided that a supplies list was in order - a permanent list to use every time I start working on a project, including a written goal of what I want to accomplish during the art session. This way I can stay focused, be more efficient, effective and hopefully, more productive. Up until now, most of my art sessions have been random and serendipitous. I'd just work on whatever caught my fancy. Or experiment with whatever technique I'd just read about.

Left to right: Golden Interference acrylic paint
(in a travel shampoo bottle with
dabber applicator top), Xyron 510 refill,
YES! paste,

Permanent Supplies List, Xyron 510

You can see the laminated Supplies List just peeking out from under the right edge of the Xyron 510 refill.

To make the list, I picked a sheet of Strathmore Bristol paper from my stash that was used as an experiment for calligraphy practice. It also had gold glitter all over it. I picked this Bristol paper because it's like thick cardstock. Then I covered it with some tinted gesso, and let that dry. I added a glaze from my stash I'd concocted with Golden Interference acrylic paint. Then I cut the paper in half from top to bottom and adhered the two pieces back to back with Xyron 510 permanent adhesive.

Next, I stuck a small double-sided tab in between the sheets at the top. It has one of my initials on each side. I adhered the tabs using my little Xyron 'X' sticker maker.

Then, I hand printed the list using a Sakura Glaze pen and printed the title with the calligraphy tip of a Copic pen. At first, I was going to type my list into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, but changed my mind. I decided that a hand printed list would be much prettier to look at for the next few years...

After the inks dried, I switched out the Xyron 510 perm adhesive refill for the Xyron 510 laminating refill. Then laminated the list. This was the first time I did any laminating with the Xyron. Not sure I did it 100% correctly, but it came out great for my purposes.

By the way, I also re-organized my workstation again before I started this project. My goals were to get as much stuff off my table as possible and to only have 1 current project on the table - in addition to my regular essential tools. I'm still working towards these goals, but getting a lot closer!

Here is a peek at more WOYWW artist desks.

Thanks for stopping by - and I'd love for you to become a follower while you're here. Just click the Follow button at the top of the page (if you're logged into www.blogspot.com.)

Peace,
LuLu

'LIT - List It Tuesday 2/1 - My Bucket List Top 10!

2011-02-01T02:06:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

For 'LIT List It Tuesday' check out my 'Bucket List TOP 10'.

'My Bucket List TOP 10' -
Glaze pen on wallpaper sample, scanned and tweaked in photoshop,
layers with original acrylic and pen collage on graph paper,
MS DIE, transparencies, distortion, gradients

I'm a big dreamer and over-achiever. My bucket list Top 10 is wild - but doable.

Have you created a 'bucket' list - or things to do before you die?

More artists lists are here.

Thanks for visiting - I'd love for you to become a Folllower!

Peace,
LuLu

'Itsy Bitsy, Teeny Tiny Crash!'

2011-01-28T19:55:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

Last week when I was doing a massive rubber stamping session, there was a wee little bit of a crash when I was pounding the stamps. Oops!

That black thing on it's side is a spinner/carousel from the office supply store (Staples). Of sourse, all the paper clips and other supplies were scatterd across my workstation. But it only took me about 20 minutes to recover, regroup and re-organize. Hallelujah!

Here is my workstation al nice and tidy again - at least, TIDY for me!

What about you? Have you had a little - or big - accident in your studio? Your comments and new followers are always encouraged.

Thanks for stopping by - and please come back again.

Peace,
LuLu

WOYWW - 01/26/11 "Cut 'em, Stick 'em, Bind 'em, Test 'em, Rock 'em!"

2011-01-26T13:10:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

I've been super busy - cutting, gluing, assembling, testing and experimenting. In addition to going to physical therapy for my sprained ankle - which is not healing as fast as would be expected. Darn it!

I also re-organized my workstation - again. Trying to get non-essentials off the table - it was getting too cluttered again...and my workspace was shrinking...Here's what is on my workstation for WOYWW.

1) Cutting and gluing fancy patterned scrap booking card stock and recycled cardboard. Sizes are 2.5" x 3", 4" x 4", 6" x 6" and more . The glued pieces of card stock and cardboard will be used as pages for some of my art journals. They will be very sturdy substrates with patterns in the bottom layer. I'm using a lot of glue sticks and do this step while watching a DVD movie!

2) Assembling fancy patterned scrap booking card stock pages interleaved with vellum pages and patterned transparencies. These pages are 3" x 6" and are almost ready for punching and binding. I really enjoy how the vellum and transparencies obscure the patterned card stock - just a tad...

3) Testing how wax paper, deli paper and freezer paper behave when heated with a craft iron. Wondering if they will act as an adhesive when melted. Guess what? They don't really. Only the freezer paper adhered permanently when it was ironed to another piece of freezer paper. The wax paper and deli paper adhered temporarily.

4) Experimenting with my binding machine (ZUTTER Bind It All) to practice punching holes and attaching wire for my art journals. I've had a cute little Bind IT All machine for 2 years - and just now am learning how to use it! There was an instructional DVD in the box (I bought it used from a scrap booking buddy - thanks, Marisa!) It was pretty easy, I practiced on scraps first. The punching was foolproof. The first journal I bound had squished wires instead of circular. Operator error! After I tweaked the machine for the proper size of wire, the binding worked great on the next journal. It was nice and circular. Then I punched and bound a couple more before hitting the hay last night. #4 is displaying a length of wire that I cut to bind the pages assembled in #2 above.

5) Rocking - almost! My invitiation to the GRAMMY AWARDS in Los Angeles, California just arrived a few days ago! Wish I could afford to go next month. Almost made it to the GRAMMY AWARDS show in New York City at radio City Music Hall several years ago. It would be so exciting to go next month. Wouldn't it be fantastic to see all those musicians singing and dancing live onstage?! Maybe I'll get to go in 2012...

6) Cutting - finally bought a pair of T.H. Tonic scissors! They work great. I used them to cut the binding wires, instead of wire cutters. Bought the scissors with my 40% off discount coupon at Michaels!

Well that's what's on my workstation for now for now. Click here to take a peak at other artists' digs.

Would love for you to be a Follower if you're not already. And comments are encouraged. What do you think of this post - or any of my other posts? Did you see the post about the Altered Book I made for my hubby's Christmas gift? Check it out - there's a link to photobucket.com with lots of photos of this Altered Book.

Thanks for stopping by - hope you can come back soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'...till the sun grows cold...' Altered Book!

2011-01-13T02:09:00.002-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

'...till the sun grows cold...'

Ingredients: Altered book from recycled calendar/photo album, gessos, acrylic paints, glazes, ink, image transfers, markers, gel pens, glaze pens, colored pencils, tissue tapes, ribbons, acrylic tags, rub ons, stickers, vellum sentiments, embossed aluminum tape

For this past Christmas, I gave my hubby an altered book I worked on starting on Sep 30, 2010 and finished on Christmas Eve. The title, '...till the sun grows cold...', comes from a line in one of the poems (not mine) I added to this book.

Altered Book Covers

This is my 1st time using photobucket.com albums. I'll post more pages from this altered book later as I load them to photobucket.com. Meanwhile, click ~~below~~ above to see the covers.

I'd love your comments about this post - and I encourage you to become a Follower, if you're not already.

Thanks for stopping by - please come back again soon.

Peace,

LuLu

P.S. The book I altered is called 'MyBook Adaptable Planner' by Per Annum. These planners come in 2 sizes. Mine is the smallest version ($20), 4"x6" and I used my 3"x5" photos in it. (I have my FILM processed offsite and have them add the white border so I don't need to do any matting, unless I want to add more. Although I also use digi camers, for the majority of my photography I use my Canon Sure Shot film camera. Works fine for pmy purposes.)

'LIT - List It Tuesday 1/11 - Nouveau Words!'

2011-01-11T22:54:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

For LIT List IT Tuesday, I have seven new words to add to my vocabularly. Most are from watching a tv special over the holidays.

'Nouveau Words' -
Ingredients: Pigment marker on wallpaper sample,
scanned and tweaked digitally in Adobe PSE and Microsoft DIE

I love words. I love reading even dictionaries and thesauri. I love word games. I love languages. It's always neat to me when I find new words to add to my vocabulary. Imperium, diaspora, mestisos, presbyters, essene, eschatological, esprit d'escalier.

What about you? Do you enjoy reading? Do you enjoy the sound of the English language? or hearing the sound of other languages? Sometimes I even speak French in my dreams!

I'd love to see your comments about this post - or any of my other posts.

Thanks for visiting. Followers are encouraged!

More LIT lists are here if you wanna take a gander.

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - Makin' a mess!'

2011-01-05T20:20:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For WOYWW this week, my workspace has some altered books that I'm prepping to be travel journals.

"Makin' a Mess" -
vintage kids books, gessos, wax paper, deli paper, rubbermaid containers

Left book is an old hardcover Golden kids book. Right book is a softcover kids book. Over the past few months, both books have been slathered with multiple layers of gesso (tinted, clear and white). This was after pages were removed and alternate pages adhered together for more support. Page corners are decorated with my 'homemade' embossed aluminum tape. Just finished another gesso layer and they're going to dry overnight.

Some of the rubbermaid containers were a failed idea. A while back I mixed several colors of tinted gesso. The few that I covered with plastic wrap before putting on the lid all dried out. Oh, well - you live and learn. At least they didn't all dry out!

Have you tried your hand at altering old books yet? How do you prep your books? Do you spend a long time in the 'PREP' phase like I do?! I'd love to see some of your 'prepped' works in progress.

Please comment about this post - or any of my other posts. Here's a peek at more artist spaces at the WOYWW blog hop.

Thanks for visiting and please stop by again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

LIT - These Are A Few of My Favorite Fun Things!

2011-01-04T00:01:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,
This week for List It Tuesday here are some fun things I LUV to do!

'Fun Things' -
gel pens, glaze pen, on scrapbooking journal spot

What are some of the fun things that you luv to do? Would love to see your comments on this - or any of my posts.

Here are more lists if you want to sneak a peek.

Peace,
LuLu

LuLu's Published Poetry - Fall 2010!

2011-01-03T23:19:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy, welcome and Happy New Year!

As promised last year, here is the 'BAC Street Journal' where another of my poems was published in Fall 2010!

As always, I'd love to see your comments about this post - or any of my posts.
Hope your holidays were good!

Peace,
LuLu

More Holiday Blog Candy!

2010-12-24T00:48:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Here's another candy giveaway at Jozart!

Happy Holidays!

Peace,
LuLu

'Candy Land!"

2010-12-24T00:10:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Want to win some Promarkers?

Scroll down to see their link in the right sidebar.

Happy Holidays!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW - 12/22 - To Do Wreath'

2010-12-22T22:25:00.001-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Here are a bunch of little projects that need doing. Because I usually work on multiple projects, I'll make a post-it note for each to show what to do next.

Embossed metal tape - to paint and sand
a) Stencil - to texturize a collages with molding paste and gesso. b) postcard for an art contest to consider entering
Homemade blending tools (round velcro dots on corks) for alcohol inks in repurposed alphabet stamps storage container - to find a 'home' until summer when I'll have ventilation
Homemade stamps - to develop a tutorial on 'how to make your own stamps'
a) original prototype mandala - to create shapes in Photoshop for drawing some digital mandalas. b) wrapping paper - to tear up for collages and store
picture of barn - to paste on one of my art journal pages
packing list for next scrapbooking crop - to put in my scrapbooking backpack
flyer of Tim Holtz techniques - to read and try some new techniques

Sometimes my workspace seems to be more about organizing than about making art. It would be so nice to have more counter space so this workstation could be dedicated exclusively to creating art - and organizing would be at a different station!

What about you? Is your workstation exclusively dedicated to creating art? Or does yours also get swamped with organizing projects?

I'd love to see your comments about this post - or any of my other posts. Meanwhile, Here are some more workstations for Whats On Your Workstation Wednesday?

Peace,
LuLu

'LIT List It Tuesday - 12/21 - Lefty Lexicon'

2010-12-21T19:28:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

I'm right-handed, and this week I've listed a whopping 8 things that I do with my left hand. Hope to add more activities to my 'lefty lexicon' as I practice more using my left hand.

"LuLu's Lefty Lexicon"

Gel ink, watercolor, acrylic paint, acrylic glaze on scrapbook cardstock -

enhanced in MS Digital Image Editor

Have you ever tried to use your non-dominant hand to do stuff? What was the outcome? Would love to see your comments about this or any of my other posts.

Also, see more lists here at List It Tuesday.

Peace,
LuLu

'LIT - List It Tuesday - 12/14: How to Distract Yourself in 758 Ways!'

2010-12-14T11:42:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

For List IT Tuesday this week, I took inventory of most 'stuff' in our living room. It serves as the 'family room/media room/foyer/copy center/dining room/library/gym/art gallery'.

'How to Distract Yourself in 758 Ways'

We have 'zones' - I guess you would call them... Near the front door, we use a 6 ft. tall Japanese shoji screen as a room divider to visually separate the 'foyer' from the main family room.

Shortly after we moved into our house, one of my antique pianos was even in the corner of this room - which also served as the music studio. But that baby grand took up almost half the room! Decided I didn't really need two pianos in the house! So I soon arranged to have it moved to the home of a friend who was searching for a piano. They have lot more space in their living room, and are taking quite good care of it.

Anyway, this room serves so many functions. Too many! I'm thinking that hubby and I need to do some purging and re-organizing for the new year. It's time to read my Feng Shui books and put them to good use!

Do you have a multi-function room in your residence - a room that's not your kitchen? How do you delineate the room functions? Would love to see your comments.

Meanwhile, here are some more lists for your List It Tuesday viewing pleasure.

Thanks for visiting - and please come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'LIT - Ode to Travelling Light!'

2010-12-10T09:45:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Yes, I'm a tad late for List It Tuesday - was scrapbooking at our annual holiday potluck crop...Meanwhile, this is a photo with the list of about 100 items of 'stuff' I'm carrying around in my purse...

'6.5 lbs of stuff being lugged around in my bag!'

'Ode to Travelling Light'

by LuLu

I must learn

to travel light -

yeah, right!

Actually I AM working on paring down most of this detritis. For example, do I really need to carry around stuff like my iPod charger when I go shopping or to PT?!

What's in your bag today? I would love to see your comments to this post - or to any of my other posts.

Here are more lists for LIT.

Thanks for visiting - and please come back again soon.

Peace,

LuLu

'Scrap-A-Holics Holiday Crop!'

2010-12-09T16:48:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

Night before last, at our regularly scheduled 1st Tuesday of every month scrapbooking crop, we enjoyed our annual holiday potluck feast. Here's our group photo!

Scrap-A-Holics of Chicagoland
2010 Holiday Potluck Crop

This is our 6th year! Aren't we a beautiful group of scrapping ladies! That's me in the far right of the bottom/front row. I'd love to see your comments about this - or any of my other posts.

Thanks for visiting - and please come back again soon.

Peace,

LuLu

'WOYWW - 12/08'

2010-12-08T18:41:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

I'm just back from the holiday potluck crop of my scrapbooking group last night, the Scrap-A-Holics of Chicagoland. So my workspace just has a few cleanup and organizing projects.

That's my dedicated 'PEACE' scrapbooking backpack in the foreground. The blue/black caddy on the right is an experiment. I'm going to try to use it for my purse contents - just move this back and forth between my purse and my backpack - instead of spending time repacking every time I change bags. I listed all the stuff I carry around - 100 items of detritus! We'll see how long this lasts - it's already too heavy...Would love to see your comments about this post.

It's a scrapbooking tool caddy from Totally Cool - bought it at Archivers with a discount coupon! You can find more desks here at WOYWW.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'Fun with Furry Fringe'

2010-12-06T18:03:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

My sister and I are just back from a girl's road trip this weekend. We are SO funny! For a 1-night overgnight trip, to St. Charles/Geneva, IL we each brought 4 bags!!! Will we EVER learn how to pack light?!?!? :-)

Meanwhile, here's a peek at a 'furry' fringe I made last week from lots of ribbons I bought at the recent Scrap Cabana retreat I attended - made by www.handdyedhobbies.com

These are lovely silk ribbons shot through with gold threads - so pretty! What do you think of this fringe on my art journal? Would love to see your comments about this post - or any of my posts.

Thanks for stopping by and come back soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'WOYWW 12-01: LuLu's WIPs'

2010-12-01T16:57:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,
My workstation today ended up with a bunch of stuff to organize or create. Just various little projects that need attention.

'LuLu's WOYWW Dec 1, 2010
Works In Progress'

Clockwise, from top left:

Two original background stamps made yesterday from: round hardware store sticker finds and foam puzzle stickers and from foam letter stickers, both painted with gesso and sealed with matte medium adhered to empty VHS tape boxes
Liquitex matte medium (my medium of choice)
my concoction of matte medium mixed with white gesso (I love measuring and mixing wet supplies, glazes, paints, gessos, etc!) stored in a small plastic Rubbermaid container
small leather purse I've never used. Because of it's shape and depth, I'm considering using it as a travel pencil case or travel paint box. It has a handle and a long strap.
Four of my flash drives. I try to carry them around the house in my pants pocket, since I sprained my ankle. Can't run up and down the stairs like I used to do when I need to use files between the upstairs desktop PC and downstairs laptop.
clear packaging from the iPod shuffle hubby gave last month me. I'm thinking about using it as a shadow box for some little art project.

Would love for you to comment on this post. when you have a moment or 2.

For more workstations visit WOYWW here.

Many thanks for popping by - and please come back again soon.

Peace,

LuLu

'LIT List It Tuesday 11/30 - Have tools. Will travel!'

2010-11-30T13:55:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,

While I was reorganizing my small travel tool pouch from last weekend's retreat, I had the brilliant idea to actually list what's in it for today's List It Tuesday!

There have been many iterations, trials and changes, to this little orange pencil case, but this might be the final configuration! It was SO stuffed before the photo, I could not even zip it closed. The orange color really stands out so I can always grab-n-go really fast! Note: I put non-essential tools in gray pencil case that's still a different color from all my black pencil cases.

How do you store your essential travel tools? Do you use a little pencil case? A toolbox? or a MACK truck?!!! :-)

Would love to see your comments about this post - or any of my other posts.

Thanks for stopping by - and please come back again soon.

Peace,
LuLu

'Yipeee! I'm Published - again!'

2010-11-29T23:56:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

It's with great pleasure that I announce publication of another of my original poems in the Fall 2010 issue of the 'BAC Street Journal' - which is published by the Beverly Arts Center (BAC) in Chicago, IL! This is the third time my work has been published in the BAC Street Journal. They have previously published both my poetry and my photography! I am so thrilled to be included in this book again.

My poem 'Beneath the Gray Dome' is being published in the BAC Street Journal which will be available at an artist's reception, issue launch and open reading to be held this Sun., Dec. 5, at the BAC!

Woohoo!

Thanks for stopping by - and please come back to visit again soon!

Peace,
LuLu

'1st Blogoversary Winner is ...'

2010-11-28T02:32:00.000-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and Welcome,

The winner of the super duper prize package is...

Phoenix Peacock!

Congratulations Phoenix!

I will send you an email to get your mailing address.

Thanks to all who became followers and entered my 1st Blogoversary celebration contest! It is great getting to know you. I look forward to visiting your blogs in the upcoming year.

Please come back to visit again - and be on the lookout for more giveaways in the new year!

Peace,
LuLu

"Giveaway treats: LuLu's and Ink Stains!"

2010-11-27T13:27:00.001-06:00

by Mary Lou 'LuLu' Haynes

Howdy and welcome,
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Here are a couple of giveaway treats for today's post...

'Dessert from recent vacation in NY state'

Reminder! My 1st Blogoversary giveaway ends tonight Nov 27, 2010 at midnight CT! All 6 rules are required to be eligible for this fantastic prize package. Note: A 'Mystery' prize set has just been added to the prize package - it is not shown and not listed. But you will really enjoy these prizes! So don't delay - enter now!!! Click here for link to giveaway thread..
Pop on over to Ink Stains for a fun trivia contest with giveaway!

Good luck!

I'll be back before midnight CT tomorrow night with the winner's name!!!

Thanks for stopping by, for commenting and also, to all of you who've entered my 1st Blogoversary giveaway!Peace,
LuLu