Breaking News

This post falls under the heading "Breaking News" - for as your good and - all-things-art - Queen is well aware, it takes a lot of work to be the Queen! I don't take my title lightly, either. I pride myself on bringing you fun content, along with splendiferous art...and what could be more splendiferous than a delish giveaway including art?!

I was alerted to this blog where Chrysti - a very talented artist and all around cool person - is giving away something for 29 days straight. SCHWING! You can check out her first post about it here, where she explains her giving spirit and how the giveaway will work. It looks to be a fantastic giveaway - so what are you doing here still? I thought I would only find little puffs of smoke as each reader went running off to discover ART BY CHRYSTI!

And if any one of my readers wins something on Chrysti's site as a result of my posting about the cool contest she's running, please post a comment. I would love to hear about it! While you're at it, why not drop down and take part in the quick poll? Oh come on, you know you want to! Besides, it will help me bring you more of the content you love...and less of what you deem less than royal. Unless, of course, my art work fits in that second category. Then I hate to tell you, you're just stuck with it!

Which Reminds Me...

There has been a group of posts going around one of the mixed media art groups I belong to lately about the need for an Artistic Alzheimer's Asylum. This would be just the place for people like me, who are just dying to buy a specific art supply - and then once securing said supply, putting it aside...and not finding aforementioned supply until months later. Precisely around the time I've completely forgotten why I bought the supply in the first place. Not able to even remotely recall the technique I just had to make when I heard of the supply. (Glad to know there are others who suffer from this affliction!)

The whole conversation reminded me of an exchange I had with two of the 'beasts while we were at the grocery store yesterday. We were quickly perusing the aisles - in a rush to get back before the missing beast was home too long alone - when I happened to notice skillets. On a sign in front of the skillets was a sign: SOOPER CARD CUSTOMERS = 50% OFF! Hu-uh? (Doing Chester Cheetah headshake.) So I say to the kids (who can both see waaay better than I can), "Wow! I've been looking for a skillet like that forEVER! How much is it??"
"$25.00 with the discount."
"You mean it's normally 50 DOLLARS??!!" (I gasped. Which was probably a little too loud.)
"Yep."
"Ah man, that's too bad. I really *needed* one."
"So you could cook without using a bunch of pans?" (My daughter asks innocently.)
"Ummm NO! For melting wax and keeping it warm, DER!"

They looked at each other and rolled their eyes...but I'm *sure* it was just because they were as bummed at the price as I was.

(NOT!)

A Reason to LOVE December!

I hope everyone had a safe, healthy, and happy Turkey Day...well, at least those of you stateside. To those of you inhabiting the rest of the planet, I hope you had a fantastic weekend!

It took a few days for me to digest all the incredible scrumdiddlyumptious food my mom made for Thanksgiving dinner (thanks, Mom!), so I didn't have a chance to post over the weekend. I think I have finally gotten over the feast - and, for the first time since last Thursday, I am just now starting to feel hungry. (Mom makes everything in the universe for holiday meals - and this year was no exception!)

Now that we have passed "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday", and assuming you all didn't get in any fights over parking spaces or weren't seriously maimed by the crowds that were out, I just realized something fantastic I wanted to share...

Tim Holtz is at it again this year! In case you happened to live under a rock last year, Tim began the "12 Tags of Christmas" blog posts last year. Each day he completes one delicious tag with a holiday theme - and he usually gives it away (along with a plethora of fantabulous prizes). The post of each tag includes a step-by-step set of A+ instructions, making sure even those without a creative bone in their body aren't left out. Along with the super easy instructions are pictures to guide you from start to finish. he even gives a list of products you'll need to complete the tag! True, most of the products (almost all) are from Ranger or Tim's own line...but I think it's fair to say that both put out some terrific (and well known) products. If your stockpile of supplies doesn't include at least several products of theirs, you're missing out. Every craft store - big and small - seems to carry the Ranger line...and it's been a long time since I've been to a craft store that doesn't also carry Tim's own line. (I know Tim and Ranger work together - but I'm not sure if Ranger actually puts out Tim's line.)

Your instructions for the day are to jump over to Tim's blog and check out the awe inspiring art he has planned for today. Leave a comment on his blog and you are up for a chance to win one of the prizes he's giving away. What an easy way to win something!

The blog is busy - and lots of people leave comments - but as the days go on, the list of comments grows. By leaps and bounds. It is absolutely unbelievable how many people find out about the "12 Tags of Christmas"! Today's post is a knockout - and well, you won't be disappointed in anything he comes up with. Tim's ideas and projects seem to get better and better everyday - and I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how he out did himself from last year.

If you missed his super posts last year - or just want to check them out again - you can do that by going here. And while you're visiting his blog, look around to see what all he has posted. From great blogs you may not yet have checked out, to technique challenges he's run in the past, too all sorts of other things, his blog is like a one stop shop!

Then stop back by and let me know what you think of his ingenuity.