Art by Debbie Saenz

My Story telling Collage

My amazing artist friend, Yvette, from The Charm House, taught a class on how to make ChatterBoards, a story telling collage. So, I just had to join the fun! Last Monday, I spent the entire day at Yvette's beautiful home creating my very own Chatterboard. It was really more like a full day art retreat complete with good food and new friends!

This is my finished piece, a story of love for my hubby. 

 I think all the 3-D embellishments add a special touch.

When we were dating, my hubby would often send me love letters in the mail. I found an envelope that held one of his letters where he had used a sweet love stamp. I carefully tore it out and used it to adorn the bottle I used in my piece. I also added the year we were married below it. My hubby loves it and it now hangs in a special place in our room.

Humm...I'm thinking of several other stories I want to tell. How about you? What would be your theme or story you would tell? 

Love & Blessings xo,

Debbie

It's Never Too Late for Love

I hope everyone enjoyed a beautiful day of celebrating Love Yesterday on Valentine's Day, but  since Love should be celebrated everyday, I want to share a few "Love" projects I recently did for Plaid's "Paint Me Plaid" Blog". They are all super easy to make; and I'll show you each step of the way.

Whenever I finish a batch of projects for Plaid, I always have a favorite. This Polka-Dotted Heart Frame was my favorite this time. Go here for the tutorial and I'll show you how to use bubble wrap to create distressed looking polka-dots...easy easy! 

Go here for the tutorial for this Handmade Valentine's Day Glitter Photo Cube. The fun thing about this project is that you can change the colors and make it have a totally different look. I just love the way it glitters especially the little bird on top!

Why not serve it up with love, everyday! Once you learn now easy it is to make one of these decoupaged plated, I'll bet you won't just make one! You can use photos too! Come on, I'll show you how here.

With lots of Love!

Debbie xo

Help! My 16yo son took over my studio...

When I say take over, I mean literally took over, moved in, music and all!  But it's all good...my son Nicholas, or Nick as he likes to be called nowadays, had been working on a special Valentine's gift for his girlfriend Laura since last Wednesday. 

He had an idea of what he wanted to do from the very beginning. I suggested other options, but he had his mind set. He wanted it make a paper bag photo album. 

And he wanted to do it with Mod Podge! Yes, my teenage son knows just what to do with Mod Podge. After all, he's seen his mom create with it since he was itty bitty. It's not uncommon for me to find a bottle of it in his room after working on some kind of project. Not only my Mod Podge, but when my paper cutter or any other tool is missing, I know just where to look. 

Here is his creation! He did a WONDERFUL job and he did it all by himself! I offered my help, but he said he didn't need it. I wondered what he would come up with. I should have know...he has always been very creative! 

Here is one of the 10 page layouts. He had a theme for every page and his little notes were very poetic. This is my rugby playing future marine showing a new side of himself. It's times like this that make me realize my little boy is growing up. Oh but why does it have to happen so fast?

They each made this Valentine's Day very special for one another. Nick greeted Laura with a bouquet of flowers this morning before school. And here they are after school exchanging gifts before their day together. Nick had his first lesson in making dinner reservations. 

I discovered Laura had been working long and hard on her own project for Nick. She made him an "I love You"  YouTube video. Wow! they both poured so much love and time into making special memories for each other.

Even though I've not really had any studio time since last Wednesday and it now looks like a hurricane went through it, I enjoyed seeing my son in creative bliss motivated and determined because of love. 

 Happy Valentine's Day! 

 Debbie xo

PS. Yes, Nick will have lots of clean up to do tomorrow...oh joy!

Love Box Surprise!

My cousin Cheryl and her husband opened their heart and their home to a young girl named Kristin. Her story is sad and one that no child should experience. Kristin began weighing heavy on my heart and I've been praying for her, but wanted to show her love in a tangible way, which led me to make this special love box especially for Kristin.  

I decoupaged a little wood box with pretty papers using Mod Podge Sparkle and red Extreme Glitter for the heart.  

I added love messages all over the box and more sparkle with Hologram Extreme Glitter. I simply painted it over the pink paint for an iridescent shine. 

 Kristin is learning just how much Jesus loves her. While living with my cousin, she prayed to receive Jesus in her heart. I pray she will continue to grow in her faith and always remember just how special she is and how much Jesus loves her. 

I made this tag bookmark and wrote a special message to Kristin on the back. 

I filled the little box with a heart key chain and added one of my scrabble tile pendant necklaces, wrapped it all up in pretty heart paper, added some candies, and sent it off to her. 

I hope and pray Kristin's love box surprise touched her heart in some way. I have never met Krisitin (they live in Florida), but can't wait until I do...meanwhile, I can continue to pray for her knowing she is in the hands of the One who loves her the most and has called her His own. 

Blessings xo,

Debbie

 

 

Football or Fabric Roses?

I vote for fabric roses! We had a superbowl party at church last Sunday so I brought along a bag of pretty fabrics and my glue gun.

It was quite an exciting event with the game projected on the wall and snacks galore with the best wings I've ever eaten! While the guys yelled and cheered several of us ladies huddled in the back creating a bouquet of beautiful roses! We did pause for the commercials though...

Here are some of the ones I made. You can't just make one! Once you start, it's rather addicting and actually very relaxing. It was interesting to see how each person gave their roses a differrent personality by the way they turned their fabrics. They were all very beautiful!

They're ready to be all dolled up with some embellishments. Some with a cluster of pearls in the centers, some with sparkly buttons, others with rhinestones, and how about some feathers? Some I'll just leave plain. I'm really liking the frayed tattered look.

I see visions of beautiful bib necklaces, pretty hair pins, adornments for decoupages boxes, frames, journals and oh there really are so many uses for these pretty little fabric roses. 

You just might want to make some for yourself! And then, what would you do with them?

Happy Creating,

Debbie xo

Valentine Pretties and a Fast Train

The holidays are passing me like a fast moving train, a blur. How can it be almost Valentine's Day already? Life happens and my little Etsy shoppe just sits and waits. At least it doesn't complain. My goal for this year is to get 100 items in my shop, maintain it and grow that number. And I really really want to work on my ideas for inspirational mixed-media art. Oh Time, where art thou?

I ordered this beautiful red velvet ribbon from M & J Trimming since I couldn't find it locally. Doesn't it just scream Valentine! I think these Valentine bookmarks turned out so pretty! 

Here are my Valentine earrings. I call them "Key to my Heart".

All items are for sale in my shoppe.

On to the next train...

Blessings xo,

Debbie