Valentine Specimen Art {revisit}

So, once again, I am absolutely SWAMPED at work. Between closing out the books for 2011 and reviewing budgets for 2012, it has been nothing but work work work! UGH!!!!

Consequently, I haven't even begun to decorate (let alone craft anything new) for Valentine's Day. So... I thought I would re-visit my ~super simple~ and ~super cheap frugal~ Valentine Specimen Art from last year.

It is made out of stickers and cardstock - easy peasy! And only cost $1.00 to make! BooYAH! ;) You can see the full tutorial in the original post HERE.

Valentine Specimen Art

Here are links to my other forrays into specimen art if you're curious:

Halloween, Winter,  Easter 1, Easter 2

Linked up to these parties - check 'em out!:

The Frugal Girls
Decor Chick Valentine Party

Such is my life. (aka "Snowflake Specimen Art re-visit")

Well, I have a confession to make. I haven't taken down my Thanksgiving decorations yet. *sigh*.  Yes, such is my life.

So don't even expect me to post any "new" Christmas decor ideas anytime soon. Yes, such is my life.

But... in the interest of the holiday spirit, I thought I would re-post one of my most successful projects to date originally shared last year. And it seems this post has been quite popular recently (at least according to my statcounter) so maybe you won't mind seeing it again...

Yes, it's my Snowflake Specimen Art! :)  It cost next-to-nothing to create. And you'll never believe what it's made from! Click HERE to go to the original post and learn all the deets.



Snowflake Specimen Art



I can't wait to pull this beauty out again! LOVE!

Easter Egg Specimen Art {Take TWO!}

As you saw in my last post HERE, I tried my hand at some Easter Egg Specimen Art but wasn't thrilled with the end result. So, I decided to try another version. This time I used some foam stickers and again placed them on some card stock from my scrapbooking stash.

Bought this pack of foam stickers at Michaels for $1.79 ($2.99 less 40% off coupon).

I have to be totally honest and say that I don't love this one either. Maybe because the rows aren't perfectly lined up? (I didn't measure anything and just eyeballed it)

I like the sparkle!

In my footed bowl, I placed some glittery eggs purchased last year from the Party Store (on clearance!!). They actually go really well.

I like how the sparkly eggs in the bowl mimic the glittery stickers.

Eh, not that thrilled with my Specimen Art this season, but it'll do. Do you ever do projects that you just feel "ho hum" about?

Easter Egg Specimen Art {Shortcut Style}

OK, it's that time again....  SPECIMEN ART time!! :) Who doesn't love stylish, fast, easy and cheap? And besides, it wouldn't be me if I didn't pull out a version for Easter! ;)

I have to be honest and tell you that I had a really hard time finding "specimens" that I liked at Michaels. I can usually rely on good ole Martha Stewart to have some nice (i.e., not cheesy) holiday stickers. But Michaels had NOTHING by her! I don't know if MS just doesn't make a line of Easter decor or my Michaels just doesn't carry it, but I was bummed.  I decided to try and make these felt eggs work (even though they are really NOT my style).  They were only $1.99 for the pack of 20 eggs and I used a 40% off coupon to score them for only $1.20! 

Once again, I raided my old scrapbooking stash for some colored card stock and used the same black frame from all my other specimen art. Aaaaannnnndddd... voila!

Easter Egg Specimen Art

Here it is on the mantle. I'll admit that I don't love it, but it'll do. And, heck, for less than $1 out of pocket (I didn't use all of the stickers and had all the other supplies), not too bad.

Easter Egg Specimen Art

By the way, do you like my bunny?? I found him at the Habitat for Humanity Restore Store a few weeks ago for only $1! I don't love the mottled blue spots on him and had originally considered spraypainting him. But when you aren't right up close, you can't even notice them so I just left him "as is". Cute, huh?

(In case you are a new follower,  

Here are links to my other forrays into specimen art if you're curious:

Halloween, Winter, Valentine's Day, Easter 2)

This project was featured! Thank you!!

Linking up to the parties here:

Under the Table and Dreaming
Green Door Designs
The DIY Showoff
Keeping it Simple
The Tattered Tag
C.R.A.F.T.
Polly Want a Crafter
Polish the Stars
Not Just a Housewife
Krafty Kat
Someday Crafts
The Thrifty Home
House of Hepworths
Simply Designing
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Mommas Kinda Crafty
While He Was Napping
A Little Knick Knack
Truly Lovely

Also joining in the CSI Project's Easter Challenge!

Valentine Specimen Art {Shortcut Style}

Hello! How are you? I am still trying to recover from the holidays and have also been super-busy at work getting the year-end closed out. I actually had to work this past Saturday! YUCK!! And it was an even bigger bummer since that meant I couldn't road trip to Philly with the Heela and the girls for a family get-together. Booo! :(

However..... the only upside to working on Saturday and not being able to go to Philly was that I got a few hours on Saturday evening and Sunday morning to myself.

SA-WEEEET!

Now, don't get me wrong, I truly was disappointed that I couldn't go to the family party... but I have to admit it was so incredibly amazing kind of nice having the house ALL TO MYSELF for a few hours. No kids... no husband... ahhhhh.... heaven. *evil grin*

I mostly vegged out - got a massage, made cinnamon rolls for dinner, watched girly movies On Demand... :)

But I also decided to do a craft. Mind you, I didn't want it to be too time consuming - I've got relaxing to do!! But I figured I could squeeze in something quick and easy (thats what she said!). So, given that a new holiday is coming up, I decided to turn to my 'old faithful'.... some SPECIMEN ART!! :) I mean, c'mon, it wouldn't be me if I didn't pull out a version for Valentine's Day! :)

 

So I headed out to Michaels to see what I could find for Valentine's Day. I considered doing the foam shapes again since my snowflakes came out so good, but I felt like the glittery foam hearts just looked too cheezy and cheap. So I opted for some Martha Stewart stickers which had different designs and colors but had the consistency of the same shape which I like. They were only $1.99 for the pack and I used a 50% off coupon to score them for only $1! And once again, I raided my old scrapbooking stash for some colored card stock and used the same black frame from all my other specimen art.

A couple cuts of the paper to make some colorful mats, a little glue stick to hold the paper together, apply the stickers and VOILA!

As usual, I placed the paper on top of the glass so there would be no glare and so you could see the dimension of the stickers. These ones are barely 3D but they are raised just ever so slightly. Hard to see here, but they are kind of puffy (but barely).

I put it up on the mantle next to my trusty old red and black vase and red ceramic bird. I think the colors work great together!

Not bad for $1! What do you think? Another success??

Have you tried any specimen art? Please let me know if I've inspired you! I always love to see other people's takes on things!!

(In case you are a new follower, 

Here are links to my other forrays into specimen art if you're curious:

Halloween, Winter,  Easter 1, Easter 2)

This post was featured - thank you!!

I also want to thank these bloggers for the "shout-outs"!

Be Different...Act Normal
Craftiness is Key
Urban Debris
Moms by Heart

This project has been submitted to The CSI Project: Valentines Day Challenge

Linking up to these parties (also see Linky Tab above)

Until Wednesday Calls
Sew Chatty
Polish the Stars
Not Just a Housewife

Bella Before and After

Today's Creative Blog
Krafty Kat

These Creative Juices
Someday Crafts
The Thrifty Home
House of Hepworths
Between U & Me
What Allie's Making Now
Somewhat SImple
A Little Knick Knack
Momma's Kinda Crafty
Fast Daze
Simply Designing
Fingerprints on the Fridge
The Speckled Dog
Truly Lovely
While He Was Napping
Tatertots and Jello
Be Different... Act Normal
Craft Envy
Paper Issues
Under the Table and Dreaming
C.R.A.F.T.
Keeping it SImple

Snowflake Specimen Art {Shortcut Style}

So I enjoyed my mock Halloween specimen art (HERE) so much that I decided to try and do some for the Winter Season. I opted not to do a "Christmas" theme so it could last past December 25th so I decided to go with ~snowflakes~. I happened to be off work today so I headed out to Michaels this morning and found these foam sticker snowflakes - all on clearance for $1.49 each.

I wanted my snowflakes to all be the same size so I had to mix and match the choices in the various bags. Yes, I actually sat there for an HOUR and laid them all out on the floor in matching groups. The reason it took so long is because 90% of them needed to have all the little inner pieces removed. I figured I might as well go ahead and do it to all of them so they would be ready for future projects.

Then I cut some pretty red and green cardstock (from my old scrapbooking stash) and placed it in the same frame I had used for my halloween specimen art. Again, I put the paper on top of the glass so you could see the dimension of the stickers. I decided which snowflakes I wanted to use and fiddled around with the arrangement until I landed on my favorite. Then I just stuck them on. Here is the final result!

And here is a close up of the 3D "effect". I love that some of them have glitter on them too - adds some nice holiday sparkle.

First I tried it out on the mantle.

But I ended up putting it on the end table. 

Next to it, I put a cute little footed bowl that I also picked up this morning from TJ Maxx (clearanced for $3). In the bowl I placed some silver twig balls from Michaels (clearanced for $1.99).

I like it!! What do you think? Not too bad for some cheap foam stickers!!

In case you are a new visitor, here are links to my other forrays into specimen art (if you're curious):

Halloween, Valentine's Day, Easter 1, Easter 2

This project was featured!! Thank you so much - I'm honored!!

I also want to thank these bloggers for the "shoutouts":

Be Different... Act Normal

The Pike Family

Impress Your Kids

Snips Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Holiday Gifts and More

Dollar Store Crafts

A Diamond in the Stuff

This project was linked up to the CSI Project's Winter Crafts and Decor Challenge!

Linking up to these parties (also see Linky Parties tab above):

Tatertos & JelloWhile He Was Napping
Fingerprints on the Fridge
A Little Knick Knack

Be Different Act Normal

Paper Issues

Perfectly Imperfect

Under the Table and Dreaming

The DIY Showoff

Winter Holidays Link Party at Somewhat Simple

Keeping it Simple

Polly want a Crafter

C.R.A.F.T.

These Creative Juices

Bella Before and After
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Silly Little Sparrow
Not JUST a Housewife
Today's Creative Blog
Someday Crafts
The Thrifty Home
Saturday Mornings
Somewhat SImple
House of Hepworths
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Between U & Me
What Allie's Making Now
Mommas Kinda Crafty
Until Wednesday Calls
Sew CHatty

Halloween Specimen Art (Shortcut style)

I've seen quite a few bloggers out there recently doing "specimen art". Such as this (at Tatertots and Jello) and this (at Embellishing Life). LOVE them!! I really wanted to try my own but haven't had a chance (the Heela's been traveling AND working on the weekends this month so things have been pretty crazy around here, to say the least!). But when I spotted these stickers at Michaels the other day... I knew I could take a shortcut! :) 

It's hard to tell in this picture, but the images are on raised discs so they have some dimension.

And the bonus? They were half price! Score!

So while the girls were napping today, I got out some scrapbook paper and found an unused frame and put it all together. I left the glass in the frame but put the paper on top of it so the stickers would be uncovered and you could really "experience" the dimension of them. It isn't "real" specimen art, but it'll do!

Not too bad for a 5-minute project

To be honest, I had intended on having more red show around the border, but I misjudged how much wouldn't be seen because of the way the frame worked. Oh well!

It's on the mantle and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. 

Easy Peasy! And fast! AND cheap!! :)

(In case you are a new visitor,  

Here are links to my other forrays into specimen art if you're curious:

Winter, Valentine's Day, Easter 1, Easter 2)

I'm linking this project up to the following parties (also see buttons in "Linky Parties" tab above):

Under the table and Dreaming

Remodelaholic

A Little Knick Knack
Tatertots and Jello
Be Different Act Normal
Craft Envy
WHile He was Napping
Its So Very Cheri
Mommas Kindacrafty
The DIY Showoff
Between Naps on the Porch
Polly Want a Crafter
Until Wednesday Calls
Paper Issues
These Creative Juices
What Allie's Making Now

House of Hepworths

Between U & Me

Somewhat Simple

I was featured! Thanks Stephanie!!