Inspired by Jimmy Buffet's "Fins"

Hello, hello my Monday friends! We have a great theme for you this week at Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - Inspired by Music!! I love music and listen to it often while I am crafting, just about every time I am behind the wheel, and even in the wee hours of the morning when hubby is playing guitar. 

So, can you imagine how hard it was to decide on one song? But the one that kept coming back to me was "Fins" by Jimmy Buffet, maybe because it takes me back to my younger self? Maybe because like in the song, at that time in my life, I was the girl from Cincinnati? Maybe because I just liked the imagery? 

How appropriate is it to use old cleaned anchovy and herring tins to create the base for my mermaid? Well, I thought it was perfect!

I glued them together, let that dry, then painted them with black gesso.

I am so impatient waiting for things to dry, so in the meantime I started to freehand cut waves out of Graphic 45 Voyage Beneath the Sea papers, and a few extra bits.

I inked up the waves a bit, then glued them around the tin's base.

Next step, adhere some green tulle at the base of the waves.

I am repurposing this beautiful mermaid that I made quite awhile ago and had on a tag - time to give her a new home! She has all kinds of fun details like seashells and bits of ocean treasures, and I love her gorgeous white and purple hair! I think this is one of my favorite Julie Nutting doll stamps.

I seated my mermaid on my tins, added rocks I had collected from the beach, and then added wire with sharks to circle her.  

Can't you feel 'em circlin', honey? 

Can't you feel 'em swimmin' around?

You got fins to the left, fins to the right,

And you're the only bait in town. 

To get my mermaid to sit up straight, I added a popsicle stick to her back and glued it to the tin. In order to hide that, I cut out another mermaid and put her on the back.

and here are a few photos I took of her outside...

Thanks for the inspiration Jimmy Buffet, and a big howdy to all the ParrotHeads in Paradise out there!!

I really hope I have inspired you to think of a song, or how music inspires you so you will join us this week for our challenge. As you know Simon Says Stamp always has an awesome giveaway each week, and you could be the winner of the $50 voucher!

SUPPLIES:

                                       

                                       

A great place to shop!!

Simon is on Instagram! Be sure to use #sssmchallenge so we can find you! 

Now, I wonder how music has inspired the rest of the DT? Do you wonder what songs they will choose? Head on over to the challenge blog to see their amazing as always creations!

Ah, for the Life in Paris!

I just returned from a wonderful trip to France with my sister. We spent about 12 days on a riverboat, followed by renting an apartment in Paris for 5 days. What a wonderful journey! Here are a few photos from my adventure, just to get you in the mood, and I've posted more on Instagram and Facebook, if you follow me there.

Les Halles - a market in a small village

Chateau

Arc de Triomphe

Seine River

Le Tour Eiffel

Le Pont D'Avignon

So, this is just to set the scene for my doll swap! The theme this month is "vintage fashion" and let me tell you, Paris is the place for fashion!! Of course, I had to create my dolls with a Paris flair! 

I wanted a vintage feel, and am really liking the cream, black and maroon. You just never know when you go out of your color comfort zone, how it will work out. These three I am swapping, and the one below is for me.

Vive la France!!

Everyday Heroes!

We are celebrating the heroes who are part of our lives day in and day out for my July doll swap. I chose to make my tags about nurses (I have a lot of nurse friends whom I truly admire) and farmers (where would we be without them?) Usually I have made my dolls with paper piecing, so this time, I decided to try out my watercolors with them.  Let me know what you think!

Career Swap

Have you ever thought about changing careers? I bet most of us have, and many of us have ventured into new ones.  I know I have! Most recently, a science teacher, but if I look back, a few others were a forester, environmental conservation, census taker, camp counselor...and the list goes on! My doll tag group is celebrating careers this month, and I wanted to share mine with you.

First up, a Travel Agent, because I do love to explore the world.

Next, I had to do a Scientist! After all, this is my field.

For my third tag, I did a Typist. I seem to be doing a lot of that these days!

I can't wait to see what everyone in the swap makes! I really enjoy creating the dolls, piecing them together, and making the tag. 

Nursery Rhymes Swap

 

Our swap theme this month is nursery rhymes! Boy, did this bring back memories, and perfect for this month when we celebrate mothers! I remember reading these stories to my little boys, long ago. I had fun layering up the dolls and making the tags.

Mary had a little lamb...

 

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater...

 

Mary, Mary quite contrary....And it certainly is garden season in my neck of the woods.

 

Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn...this is the one I decided to keep. I'm glad the boy stamps were added to the Prima line!

 

So, for all the mothers out there, have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend celebrating Moms everywhere! Read a few nursery rhymes to your little ones, or reminisce about those times long ago. Happy Mother's Day!!

 

 

 

Prima Flower Girls

Ready for my next swap! Our theme for April is flowers...I can't wait to see them start to bloom! I bet some of you are already seeing them.

Have a blessed Easter to all of you celebrants! Have a wonderful weekend all!

 

"TV" Characters Prima Doll Swap

I stretched the TV to include movie characters, as I don't watch a lot of tv shows. I had a lot of fun altering the Prima dolls, changing the bodies, making my own clothes, and creating the backgrounds on the tags. These three I swapped. One of my favorite TV shows is Dr. Who; we have always enjoyed the Incredibles, and The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings is another fave. I had fun imagining how these characters would look.

Now, for the one I kept...

My Dr. Who tag, complete with Fez, bow tie, and Tardis!

Who knew playing with paper dolls could be so much fun..feeling like a child again!

Simon Says: Just a Hint of Clover!

 

This month is my turn to teach class to my stamp camp group. This is the Prima doll tag I designed for us to do. Of course,it being March, I had to do one with a St. Pattys day theme!!

I think she is showing a "hint of clover" so will be entering her in the Simon Says Stamp challenge here.

 

Fantasy Doll Swap

Of course, I had to create some steampunk fantasy dolls...

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I had fun creating the top hat, leather vest and boots on top, and getting my lady ready for the steampunk ball. She will arrive in style in the hot air balloon.

Next, my I,agitation took me to the lad of the Fae, or fairy.

Love the butterfly wings on these ladies.

I kept the fairy princess for my collection and swapped the top three. I can't wait to see what I get in the swap! Anyone else out there hooked on these paper dolls? It's like being a kid again.

By Road, Plane, Train, Ship...how do you Travel?

Another doll swap, this time with a travel theme. First visit to the farm! I did some farm visiting when I was a child, and it was a whole new world to me.

A little retro traveling along Route 66. I want to do this someday...travel from Chicago to LA and stop at all the iconic places of interest. Anyone for a road trip?

Time to travel to the alternate world of steampunk, kind of a SciFi Victorian Age. Made a cape and top hat for my boy to go in style.

Here's my artsy girl heading to Europe. You can see she has see quite a few places on her travels. When the background got too bright, I toned it down with some whitewash (just diluted white paint).

Now would be a good time to travel to a warmer climate as a major snowstorm churns our way...oh, well, time to craft!