Category Archives: Photos

February’s Beaded Bracelets

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So the thought came across my mind that I should try to do a craft fair.  A friend had posted on Facebook that there would be one close to her home at the end of March.  Not sure I’d be ready by then as I need to do a little more research on how to collect payment, how many items to bring, pricing, etc.  If you have any helpful advice and have experience doing craft fairs, would love to read about it.  Just post a comment below.

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Here are the new bead combos I put together this weekend.

If you’d like to place an order, see price list in the post below this one (https://leasanders.wordpress.com/2014/01/22/januarys-beaded-bracelets-and-price-list/).  If you order in the next few days (stateside), you can get them by Valentine’s Day. =)

Happy 2014!

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It is a new year and I refreshed my blog with a new theme.  Out with the old red and black Twilight theme and on to something a little lighter (though you can still see my old Twilight projects in the right margin).  I hope to share and post more this year.  I plan to do more jewelry projects and papercrafts (time willing) throughout 2014.

Here are a few pictures from a calendar I completed just today for my mom.  It is filled with pictures from 2013.

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~ Instagram August – December 2012 – Part 1

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Wow, has it really been that long since I collaged and posted my Instagram photos?  There are so many photos that I need to break them out in several parts and by loose themes.  So here is the first batch from the August-October timeframe.

{Food and Drink}

End_of_year 2012A

End_of_year 2012B

End_of_year 2012c

End_of_year 2012D

{Papercrafts and Chainmaille Jewelry}

End_of_year 2012E

End_of_year 2012F

{Just around the house, out and about locally or on travel photos}

End_of_year 2012G

End_of_year 2012H

End_of_year 2012I

 

~ Awesome Birthday Weekend

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I had a great birthday weekend starting with Friday lunch at Filomena in Georgetown with the ladies from work.  We were fortunate to be in Filomena when the owner came in.  She was super nice coming by to talk with us and wished me a happy birthday.  She even joined us for picture! =)  She is the lady to right in pink.  Sadly, the Pasta Mamas were not making pasta in the window while we were there but that gives me an excuse to go back for a visit!

After lunch we walked a couple of blocks to pick up my cupcakes.  If you’re familiar with the show DC Cupcake, that’s where I purchased my birthday cupcakes (AKA Georgetown Cupcake) I took my three dozen cupcakes home and made it into a cupcake tower.  After taking plenty of photos of it, I gave many of the cupcakes away.  Really, how can a family of four consume 36 cupcakes before they go stale?

The festivities continued on Saturday with the family at La Tasca in Old Town Alexandria for tapas and Sunday we watched The Avengers.  It was a great three days!

~ Mother’s Day at Lorton Farmer’s Market

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My hubby and I spent an early Mother’s Day morning at the Lorton Farmer’s Market.  This was our first visit of the season and we were surprised by the amount of greens and flowers this time around.  We generally frequent the marker later in the season when peppers and peaches are in abundance but were happy to partake of the fresh goods nonetheless.  We bought farm-fresh daikon radishes, garlic, green onions and two loaves of bread.  Support locally grown food and farms by going to your nearby farmer’s markets.

~ Instagram – April 20 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps

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My husband and I were invited to a retirement ceremony at the Marine Corps Museum today.  In addition to using my camera, I took a several photos with my phone to share right away on Instagram.  Here is what I shared earlier today.  Other photos to be posted later.  Come back for a visit. =)

~ Happy Easter and Easel Card

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Happy Easter, all!  We kept our Easter celebration small and just the family today.

Here is my card sample for the next class I’m teaching later this month, a 5 1/2″ square easel card.

Supplies:

  • PaperSource – cardstock, satin ribbon
  • My Mind’s Eye – patterned paper
  • Epiphany Crafts – large circle and epoxy
  • Prima – flowers
  • Stampin’ Up! – large brad
  • flat bottlecap

~ Artsy Day in Old Town Alexandria

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Yesterday was a beautiful day at Old Town Alexandria.  We spent most of our day doing artsy things at the Torpedo Factory, a converted facility that used to make weapons, now a haven for art studios, and the Alexandria King Street Festival of the Arts.  Oh, how I wish I could be a free-wheeling fulltime artist! =)  Our visits were two-fold, outdoor time for the family and to spur some ideas in my daughter’s head to produce projects for her art portfolio.  We ended our visit at La Tasca with yummy Spanish tapas.

~ Random Food Photos

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This weekend was great for local veggies and experimental recipes.  I picked up some great fruits and veggies at the Lorton Farmer’s Market – apples, peaches, basil, various varieties of eggplant, tequila peppers, okra, squash flowers and bread. 

Early in the weekend, I made two loaves of apple bread that didn’t excite me so the next day I turned it into bread pudding with 1 pint heavy cream, 4 eggs, 1 stick of butter cinnamon, sugar and pumpkin pie spice.  It was awesome and even better heated up!

Today’s first-time, made-on-the-fly recipe is Platanos with Peppers and Onions.

Platanos with Peppers and Onions

  • 3 platains (still firm, no longer green)
  • 5 tequila (or other mild) peppers
  • 1 red onion
  • chives
  • canola oil
  • salt
Peel and cut plantains into bite-sized, even pieces.  Brown in oil in batches, drain.  Sprinkle salt over the browned plantains and set-aside.  Cut onion and peppers into strips, stir-fry for a few minutes to take some of the rawness away from the veggies.  Add the plantains back to the pan with chives.  Turn the ingredients in the pan until well-incorporated.  Add salt if needed.

~ Mixed Media Twilight Saga – Breaking Dawn Canvas Project

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Okay, Twilight fans, here is my latest project incorporating the techniques I learned at a mixed media paint course I attended a week ago with ShaDeeLa.  The project started out as a plain white 8×10 canvas, a few pieces of thick chipboard, acrylic paint, alcohol ink, glimmer mist, patterned paper, ribbon and gems.

Step 1 – I first painted using brown, red and black acrylic paints on the canvas, followed silver glimmer mist.  After letting this dry I added red and black alcohol inks that I let drip and dry-brushed across the canvas.  I set this aside overnight to dry completely.

Step 2 – Using rubber stamps and white acrylic paint, I stamped a random design along the edges of the canvas.  The paint reacted with the alcohol inks from the night before, making pinky streaks where the paint touched the ink.  Using a red chalk ink pad, silver acrylic paint and black Staz-on, I distressed the scrolled chipboard piece.  With black crackle paint, I painted a medium layer onto the frame.  I set this aside to dry overnight.

Step 3 – Added a strip of tissue tape to the bottom of the canvas.  After Photoshopping a photo I scanned from the latest Entertainment Weekly, I printed and attached with a clear transparency to the crackled frame with pop-up foam tape.  Patterned paper was cut and inked and adhered to the scrolled chipboard.  Both of the chipboard pieces were then attached to the canvas using pop-up foam tape.

Step 4 – Flowers were diecut from patterned paper, formed and glue-gunned with gems to the project.  Ribbon was added to the edge of the frame and a piece tied to the bottom of the scrolled chipboard.  A sparkly “love” sticker was the last addition.  This project took about four days from start to finish.

{close-up of the flowers}

{close-up of the paint, ink and stamping}

{close-up of the crackle paint}

~ Star Wars & Pirates, Oh My!

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The family spent the last two weekends at very different events.  Last week we went to the NASA Open House in Greenbelt, Maryland and yesterday, the Virginia Renaissance Faire – Pirates Invasion weekend, Lake Anna.  There were costumed characters at both locations.  The NASA Open House was sheer mayhem but we managed to get to the site and hung out on a pretty dreary day.  Yesterday was beautiful but hot in comparison, a much smaller event than the annual Maryland Renaissance Festival.  The kids had fun throwing axes and shooting arrows.  My mission yesterday was to find the Jack Sparrow pirate (www.tallpirate.com) who was walking around the site.  The first picture I got of him and Miranda was too dark (took it in the woods, too many shadows) so I stalked him at the food trailers and got a better photo. =)  He was very gracious.