Altered Dominoes: Holiday

Before I leave Christmas 2010 completely behind, I wanted to post a photo of the altered dominoes I made for my mom and dad.

I die-cut the letters (my parents have the same first initial) on the Cuttlebug out of Grungepaper and decorative paper.  The poinsettia and reindeer are buttons from Michaels. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Old wooden domino; decorative paper by Memory Box; Grungepaper by Tim Holtz; die-cut alphabet by Provocraft; Cuttlebug; Adirondack Metallic gold paint dabber; buttons from Michaels; brass eye screw from the hardware store; smallest drill bit for my Craftsman drill; gold ribbon from Ellen Hutson; gold elastic cord from Michaels; Liquitex matte gel medium; Glossy Accents.

Dancing Through the Years

As teenagers and young adults in the 1950s, my parents spent a lot of nights in ballrooms and dance halls, as going to a dance was the quintessential date.  Now that they're retired and spending the winters in Arizona, they once again have the chance to "shake a leg" at dances and I'm proud to say that as they approach their 52nd wedding anniversary, they've still got it!

I colored this image with Prismacolor Premier pencils and used odorless mineral spirits to blend.  The unmounted rubber stamp was a gift from a friend so I don't know the manufacturer. 

You can probably tell from this photo that we have NO sunlight today.  In fact, it's raining and it's foggy enough that the airport has had to cancel flights.  At least it's warm enough to melt some of the snow.

I hope the weather is cheerier in your location!  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Stamp: Unknown; black cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; Archival jet black ink; decorative papers from Me and My Big Ideas; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Martha Stewart border punch; dark pink eyelets.

Graphic 45 Communique Card

After spending a couple of hours cleaning up my craft area, including putting away all of my Christmas-themed stamps and papers, I was ready to create something new.  But I didn't have a lot of time so I decided to make an easy card that didn't use any stamping or embellishments.  This type of card is handy to have when you need to fire off a quick note to someone, and I never have enough of them.

All of the papers are by Graphic 45. I cut out the pen nibs and ink bottle and mounted them on black cardstock, leaving just a slim border of black around the images.  They were then adhered to the card with pop-dots for a little dimension.


Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Black cardstock by Bazzill; decorative papers by Graphic 45; pop-dots.

Holiday Pencil Folders

Now that my friends have received their Secret Santa packages, I can post some of the items I made for them.   In this case, I'm showing you the pencil folders I made for my friend's sons.

I created my own template for the folder.  It's basically a trifold pocket, checkbook sized.  Since my friend's husband studied in France, I thought it would be fun to use this particular sentiment from Artistic Outpost.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Supplies:
Stamp:  Artistic Outpost; burgundy and green cardstocks by Bazzill; decorative papers by Creative Imaginations; Stazon black ink; small oval and small scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; green and burgundy ribbons from Michaels; corner rounder punch.

Merry Christmas!

May the peace and joy of Christmas 

be yours all through the year.

Altered Domino: Sandy Striper

This festive altered domino is for my friend Sandy.  Isn't the red striped ribbon super sweet?  I've had it in my stash for several years.

The poinsettia is actually a button from Michaels, brushed lightly with gold paint.  The initial is made from Grunge Paper covered with a decorative paper, die-cut on the Cuttlebug. 

It's officially Christmas Eve now and it's snowing here. The snow looks beautiful as it falls and everyone always hopes for a white Christmas.  But this type of weather can wreak havoc on the roads so if you're out driving today, please be extra careful! 

Thanks for stopping by today. 

Supplies: 
Wooden domino; decorative papers from Memory Box; Grunge Paper (Tim Holtz); poinsettia button from Michaels; Adirondack gold paint dapper; brass eye screw from the hardware store; Craftsman drill and smallest drill bit; striped ribbon (unknown); Liquitex matte gel medium; Glossy Accents; stretchy gold cording from Michaels.

Snowflake Santa

This was my final Christmas card for 2010 but it's also one of my favorites.  This color scheme has been really big in home decorating the last couple of years, and I can see why.  It's absolutely YUMMY.

My Santa is from Artistic Outpost and the decorative papers are by Memory Box. The snowflakes are from a Martha Stewart border punch; I just held on to them after punching my cardstock and then glued them on the top in a random pattern.

The countdown to Christmas is almost over!  Are you ready?

Supplies:
Stamps: Artistic Outpost (Santa and fir branch), Cornish Heritage Farms (sentiment), Stampa Rosa (postmark); Bazzill brown cardstock; decorative papers by Memory Box; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Archival jet black ink; antique linen, walnut stain, and weathered wood distress ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Martha Stewart border punch; pop-dots.

The Stockings Were Hung

I found this project idea in the 2010 Somerset Holidays and Celebrations magazine (Volume 4).  I'm happy with how it turned out, especially since this was my first attempt and the magazine didn't include really explicit instructions.

You start by using Heat-n-Bond Lite to adhere the sheet music to the muslin.  I used dark green canvas for the back.  My stocking is more decorative than functional, mainly because it won't hold much more than a gift card due to its size (it's only eight inches tall and 3.5 inches wide, and pretty flat!).

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Muslin; green canvas; vintage sheet music; Heat-n-Bond Lite; sewing machine; pinking shears; burgundy scalloped ribbon and burgundy velvet ribbon from Michaels; lace ribbon from the fabric store; Tim Holtz ruler ribbon; burgundy and ivory buttons from my stash; gold embroidery thread; silk leaves; black craft wire; Golden gel medium.

Christmastide Greetings

I was at the main post office ten minutes before it opened this morning, and was fifth in line in order to mail two Secret Santa packages and the majority of my Christmas cards.  I have a few more cards to make but I'm in good shape, even if it is just one week until the big day.

I love the Memory Box papers on this card and am so glad that I bought two packages of this particular collection.  My Santa is from Artistic Outpost and I colored him with Prismacolor Premier pencils.



I hope you are enjoying your holiday preparations!  Thanks for taking time to stop by.

Supplies:
Stamps: Artistic Outpost (Santa, Dec 24, and branch), Stamp Francisco (North Pole Post), and Cornish Heritage Farms (Christmastide); Bazzill brown cardstock; patterned papers by Memory Box; faux ledger paper by Pink Paislee; Archival jet black ink; antique linen, walnut stain, aged mahogany, and peeled paint distress inks; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; pop-dots.

Altered Domino: K's Snowflake

We received over three inches of snow overnight so today I fired up the snowblower for the first time this winter.  It does a great job on even the heaviest snow so I am thankful to have it.  I've also been working on a lot of different projects but I can't post them here yet, since some of them are gifts and I don't want to spoil any surprises.  But I can show you one thing I made that is befitting of the season.

This is an old wooden domino that I altered into a small Christmas tree ornament.  I painted the sides with silver acrylic paint and covered one side with a pretty patterned paper.  (I left the "dots" side alone so you can tell that it is a domino.)  The snowflake and initial were die-cut and then dressed up with some rock candy Stickles and Glossy Accents.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Wooden domino; Adirondack silver paint dabber; Memory Box patterned papers; Grungepaper; Nestabilities snowflake die; Cuttlebug initial die; Bazzill dark blue cardstock; weathered wood distress ink; rock candy Stickles; Glossy Accents; ribbon from Michaels; eye screw from the hardware store; Craftsman drill and the smallest drill bit in the set.

Joyeux Noel Christmas Greeting

This is one of my Christmas cards for 2010. 

The vintage Santa and the sentiment are both from Artistic Outpost.  The sheet music is circa 1910s.

I can't believe December is half over already!  I have so much to do in the coming week.


Supplies:
Stamps: Artistic Outpost; Bazzill brown cardstock; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by Memory Box; Archival jet black ink; Prismacolor pencils; odorless mineral spirits; antique linen, walnut stain, and aged mahogany distress ink; unknown striped paper; vintage sheet music; copper brads; deckled rectangles Nestabilities; labels ten Nestabilities; pop-dots.

2-5-7-10 Joyeux Noel Boxes

I'm doing a Secret Santa gift exchange with some friends and wanted to include a little something for their families.  I finally settled on creating a 2-5-7-10 box for each of them and filling it with their favorite candies.

I used heavy kraft cardstock for the base of the boxes and decorated them with stamps from Artistic Outpost.  To finish off the vintage look, I lightly inked all of the edges with distress ink and tied the boxes with twine from the hardware store.  Here is a close-up of one of the boxes.

I'm very pleased with how the boxes look and I can't wait to hear what my friend and her family thinks, especially when they find their favorite bite-sized treats inside. Thanks for stopping by! 

Supplies:
Stamps: Artistic Outpost; kraft cardstock and very vanilla cardstock by Stampin' Up; red, green, or blue cardstock by Bazzill; Stazon black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; antique linen, brushed corduroy, barn door, and aged mahogany distress ink; Stickles; tag punch; twine; Terrifically Tacky Tape.

She Sells Seashells

This card looks very summery, doesn't it?  But it's actually a thank you card for the friends I spent Thanksgiving with.  I chose the color palette and the seashell theme because they fit the tropical theme and colors in my friends' house.

The patterned papers are by My Mind's Eye. The seashell stamp by Inkadinkado was colored with Prismacolor Premier pencils and then highlighted with Glossy Accents to give it some additional dimension.

We've had a lot of cold, gloomy days lately so it's good to be reminded that summer will return.  
Eventually. (And not a moment too soon!)

Supplies:
Stamp by Inkadinkado; pale yellow, red, and turquoise cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by My Mind's Eye; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Archival jet black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Martha Stewart border punch; scalloped-edge scissors; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; D'vine Swirls Cuttlebug embossing folder; pop-dots; Glossy Accents.

North Pole Post

We received our first measurable snowfall over the weekend.  We got only an inch at our house, but we still had to shovel because the temperatures were heading down and the snow would not melt on its own.  With weather like that, I don't mind staying indoors and being crafty.  Besides, it was high time I started working on my Christmas cards.  If you're on my Christmas card list (and you know who you are), you may not want to read any further!

The focus of this card is an ATC-sized collage with some easy stamping, a colored Santa, and the right amount of distress ink to age everything.  The "Dec 24" was stamped on another piece of paper, inked up, cut out, and adhered to the card to mimic a postage stamp. 

I hope you're staying nice and warm, wherever you are!  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Artistic Outpost (Santa, Dec 24, branches), Cornish Heritage Farms (sentiment), Stamp Francisco (North Pole postmark), Stampa Rosa (other postmark); red and brown cardstocks by Bazzill; decorative papers from Memorybox and Daisy D; Archival jet black ink; barn door, antique linen, peeled paint, and walnut stain distress ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; Nestabilities Label 10; pop-dots.

She Eats Like a Bird

This is a second version of a card I made for the Bird-a-thon last weekend on ATCs for All.

The bird was stamped on a vintage biology textbook page and colored with Prismacolor Premier pencils and distress inks.  I like the muted sage green and eggplant color combination of the background.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; text from a 1930s Biology for Today textbook; stamps by Artistic Outpost (bird), Wordsworth (letter B), Inkadinkado (triangle postmark), Stampa Rosa (round postmark), and Stamp Francisco (wavy lines on postmarks); Archival jet black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; crushed corduroy, bundled sage, and black soot distress ink.

Splendid Young Savage

I like how this ATC turned out, but trimming this splendid rooster image really tested my scissors skills!  I think I can say "I still got it."

I stamped the rooster from Oxford Impressions on smooth cardstock and colored it with Prismacolor Premier pencils.  The chicken wire stamped on the background paper is also from Oxford Impressions.  The text is from a 1920s novel.



Thanks for popping in!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; stamps from Oxford Impressions; patterned paper by The Paper Studio; vintage sheet music; vintage book text; sticker typewriter letter; Archival jet black ink; wild honey, dusty concord, pumice stone, and walnut stain distress ink.

Altered Domino: Soar

Last spring I bought two sets of old wooden dominoes at a garage sale, with the notion of somehow altering them.  I finally got around to it last weekend during the Bird-a-thon and am really pleased with my first effort!

I painted the sides of the domino with gold acrylic paint and added an eye-screw to the top so the domino can be hung (it's hidden by the ribbon).  The German scrap bird is from ArtChix Studio.



Can you believe it's December 1 already?!  Where has the year gone?

Supplies: 
Halsam wooden domino from the 1950s; decorative paper by The Paper Studio; German scrap bird from ArtChix Studio; black cardstock from Stampin' Up; Adirondack Metallics gold acrylic paint dabber; computer-generated text; barn door distress ink; mini copper brads; gold ribbon; metal eye-screw (hidden in photo); Adirondack metallics gold alcohol ink.

A Sweet Face

I tried to clean up my craft desk over the weekend in the middle of a marathon at ATCs for All, because my work space had been reduced to about a six square-inch area!  Naturally, I got side-tracked when I found some scraps from previous projects that fit together nicely on an ATC without a lot of extra thought or effort.

The photograph is of my grandmother and her dad in 1920 when she was three years old.  The sheet music and German text are both 19th Century.  The German scrap bird from ArtChix Studio was originally a bright, shiny pink.  A gold paint dabber took care of that!

Have a great day!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; decorative paper by The Paper Studio; vintage German text; vintage sheet music (1870s); family photograph copied onto cardstock; gold cardstock mat; Dresden trim bird from ArtChix Studio; pumice stone distress ink; Adirondack Metallics gold paint dabber, white acrylic paint, light charcoal pencil.

Biology for Today Bird ATC

I ended up making several cards for this weekend's Bird-a-thon on ATCs for All, and really went to town once I pulled out my bird stamps.

I stamped this bird from Artistic Outpost on a page from my grandmother's 1930s Biology for Today textbook, and colored it with Prismacolor Premier pencils.  The background was shaded with distress inks.

I hope you had a great weekend!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; stamps by Artistic Outpost (bird), Inkadinkado (postmark), Stamp Francisco (wavy lines part of postmark), and Wordsworth (letter B); 1930s vintage biology textbook page; Prismacolor Premier pencils; wild honey, bundled sage and black soot distress ink; Archival jet black ink.

The Ghosts of Christmas Past

I am past ready to start making my Christmas cards, and decided to get into the mood by making this ATC to offer in trade to Marie of Lost Bird Studio.  She and I "met" via Mary Green's online courses this past year and I love to visit her blog as she makes beautiful vintage collages.

This card started with some 1950s Christmas music that was clear heat-embossed with a holly stamp by Tim Holtz and colored with distress inks.  The cherub figure is from the Victorian Christmas Source Book.

Thanks for visiting!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; holly stamp by Tim Holtz (Stampers Anonymous); Versamark ink; clear embossing powder; bundled sage, pine needles, and walnut stain distress ink; cherub clipart from the Victorian Christmas Source Book; text from another book; fired brick Distress Stickles.  

Flight

This card is much brighter in color than what I usually make, so at first I thought it looked too garish. But because I love red it's starting to grow on me.

The bird is a German scrap from ArtChix Studio and the text is from a 1940s dictionary.

Have a great weekend!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; postcard background and German scrap bird from ArtChix Studio; postage stamp from Mary Green of Green Paper Packages; vintage sheet music; vintage dictionary text; postcard stamp by All Night Media; white acrylic paint; wild honey, broken china, and old soot distress ink; black Stazon ink; sticker letter (unknown); Golden gel gloss medium.

Ev'ning Thrush

I hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving and found some great bargains if you went shopping today, Black Friday.  I spent the holiday with some friends and had a lovely time.  But I decided there was nothing so urgent that I needed to venture out today, so I just stayed home and have been playing happily with my paper and paints this evening.

The Bird-a-Thon on ATCs for All this weekend prompted me to cut into the sheet of German scrap birds that I purchased from ArtChix Studio a while ago.  I used part of a love poem by Robert Burns to complete the card.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; German scrap bird and postcard background from ArtChix Studio; vintage sheet music; vintage poetry text by Robert Burns; rubber stamps from Artistic Outpost and All Night Media; stormy sky distress ink; black Stazon ink; German scrap border; "Thickers" letter by American Crafts; light charcoal pencil.

Restless Gypsy of Wind ATC

I created this card for the ATCs for All "Bird-a-thon" starting today (Thanksgiving) and continuing through the weekend.

The background is a combination of vintage and new papers, blended with white acrylic paint and distress inks, and overstamped with a French postcard image.  The bird is a piece of German scrap purchased from ArtChix Studio.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Supplies:
ATC cardstock base; vintage Finnish text; vintage sheet music; decorative papers by Creative Imaginations; white acrylic paint; frayed burlap, wild honey, and walnut stain distress ink; carte postale rubber stamp by All Night Media; Stazon black ink; German scrap bird from ArtChix Studio; text from a 1920s novel; black Dresden trim; medium charcoal pencil; Golden gloss gel medium.

Black and White and Red All Over

Actually this card is black and ivory and red, but that's not how the joke goes, is it?

I used one of my favorite stamps from Artistic Outpost and colored it with gray Prismacolor pencils.  I stamped it a second time on red cardstock and punched out the 35 to add some additional color.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Supplies:
Stamp: Artistic Outpost; red cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock by Stampin' Up; decorative papers by K and Company; barn door distress ink; Archival jet black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Martha Stewart border punch; small circle punch; sheer black ribbon; pop-dots.

Gibson Girl #3

A fellow artist I've connected with on ATCs for All asked whether I could make a Gibson Girl card for her, and since I love this image so much I was more than happy to do so.

The background includes some vintage sheet music and a map from my grandmother's geography book.  The title is a clear laminate transfer.

Have a great Monday! 




Supplies:
ATC cardstock base; copy of a vintage cabinet card; vintage sheet music; map from a 1920s geography book; script paper (unknown, not vintage); white acrylic paint; frayed burlap, crushed corduroy, dried marigold, and peeled paint distress ink; Stazon black ink; dark charcoal pencil; Duck brand clear laminate; Golden gloss gel medium.

Angel with Cornucopia

Here's another ATC using a piece of scrap from the Victorian Christmas Source Book and some 1950s Christmas carol music.



  




Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; old sheet music; clipart from book cited above; frayed burlap, wild honey, and barn door, and walnut stain distress ink; white acrylic paint; Adirondack Metallics gold acrylic paint dabber; Golden gel medium gloss.

Angelic Cherub

Years ago I purchased Victorian Christmas Source Book by Michelle Lovric and Maggie Philo (c. 1995).  I never made any of the projects described in the book, but I am looking at the kit's Victorian scraps with new eyes now that I'm doing collage art.

I trimmed this angelic cherub (from the kit) closely and mounted him on a 1950s piece of Christmas carol music that I colored with distress inks.  I added a shimmery border using Adirondack's Metallics gold acrylic paint dabber.

Thanks for visiting!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; old sheet music; clipart from book cited above; frayed burlap, wild honey, and Victorian velvet distress ink; Adirondack Metallics gold acrylic paint dabber; Golden gel medium gloss.

Consider Yourself Hugged

I made this card to send to a friend who has been feeling a little down lately as she watches two of her friends battle cancer. She has been a great help and comfort to them but as many of us know, being a caretaker is not easy. 

The little girl is by Oxford Impressions.  I've discovered that using a rubber brayer to apply the ink to the stamp works best for this type of photo-realistic image.

I hope you're having a great weekend!

Supplies:
Stamp: Oxford Impressions; Bazzill black cardstock; naturals ivory cardstock by Stampin' Up; white matte gloss paper from Oxford Impressions; black soot and rusty hinge distress ink; decorative papers by Creative Imaginations; Fiskars border punch; sheer black ribbon; Prima paper flower; black brad; mini copper brads; rectangle and scalloped rectangle Nestibilities; pop-dots.

Wanted: Love

I hadn't sewn on a card in quite a while, so I pulled out my Janome Sew Mini and added some zigzag stitching to this birthday card for my cousin.  The additional detail was just what this piece needed and I think it really complements the theme of this card.

The stamp is by Oxford Impressions and the decorative papers are by Cosmo Cricket.  The Tim Holtz key has the word Love on it.

Have a great day!





Supplies:
Stamp: Oxford Impressions; Bazzill brown cardstock; naturals ivory and very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; black soot and walnut stain distress ink; decorative papers by Cosmo Cricket; copper key from Tim Holtz; antique copper brads; twine from Stampin' Up; pop-dots; Janome Sew Mini and ecru colored thread.

Jaunty Scene III ATC

Several weeks ago I made an ATC background using the Tim Holtz tissue tape, then didn't have any ideas of how to finish it.  I finally decided to just continue experimenting and ended up creating this masculine card.

This card has numerous layers including a bingo card, the tissue tape, white acrylic paint, clip art images from Alpha Stamps and ArtChix Studio, and a variety of inks.

Thanks for popping in!



Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; bingo card (unknown); Tim Holtz tissue tape; white acrylic paint; frayed burlap and barn door distress inks; Stazon black; clip art from ArtChix Studio and Alpha Stamps; dark charcoal pencil; Golden gloss gel medium.

Vintage is in Fashion

Now that I've finished my ATCs for the Vintage Fashion swap, it's time to get them packaged up and mailed.  I like to include a thank you card for the hostess and the one below will also hold some vintage tatted lace that I'm giving her.

The image is from Artistic Outpost and the decorative papers are by Pink Paislee.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day.




Supplies:
Stamp: Artistic Outpost; black cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by Pink Paislee; Archival jet black ink; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities. 

Life is an Adventure

I just received some new stamps from Artistic Outpost and immediately put one to use making this birthday card for a friend.

I used Prismacolor Premier pencils and odorless mineral spirits to color my image.  The background papers are by Deja Views.

Have a great day!




Supplies:
Stamp: Artistic Outpost; Bazzill brown cardstock; patterned papers by Deja Views; Archival jet black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; blending stumps; antique copper brads; pop-dots.

Gibson Girl #2

This is my final card for the Vintage Fashion Swap.  All of my cards feature fashions from the la belle epoque era of 1890-1914, which was also the general time period for the popular Gibson Girl illustrations.

This woman's photo intrigued me for two main reasons:  the pose, which I haven't seen too often in cabinet cards of the late 1800s, and the elaborate lace on her dress (which is probably the reason for the pose).  The filigree border around the edge was heat embossed in garnet.

I hope you're having a fabulous weekend!

Supplies:
ATC cardstock base; background found on Flickr; figure copied from a cabinet card; white acrylic paint; frayed burlap and pumice stone distress ink; flourish stamp by Inkadinkado; Versamark ink;  Stampendous PEARLustre garnet embossing powder.

Gibson Girl #1

I think this is my favorite card of the four that I made for the Vintage Fashion Swap on ATCs for All.

I was immediately drawn to this woman's photo when I found it in a local antique shop; she has such a beautiful face and arresting eyes.  Her softer hairstyle and high-collar lace blouse personify the Gibson Girl illustrations that were so popular from the 1890s to WWI.


Thank you for visiting my blog!  TGIF.

Supplies:
ATC cardstock base; laser copy of a vintage cabinet card; vintage sheet music; miscellaneous background paper; white acrylic paint; frayed burlap and peeled paint distress ink; computer-generated title transferred to clear laminate; bronze Dresden trim border; Golden heavy gel gloss medium.

la belle epoque #2

This is my second card for the Vintage Fashion Swap.  All of my cards feature fashions from the la belle epoque era of 1890-1914.

Apparently ladies of all classes during this time period were able to purchase or make for themselves elaborate and embellished blouses, including those with ruffled or lace jabots like the one worn by this woman.  I paid just $2.00 for a full yard of the intricate tatted lace at a local antique shop.

Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
ATC cardstock base; free background from Flickr; vintage sheet music, laser copy of a cabinet card; white acrylic paint; frayed burlap, dried marigold, wild honey, and walnut stain distress ink; medium charcoal pencil; computer-generated text transferred to clear laminate; vintage lace; Golden heavy gel gloss medium.

la belle epoque #1

This mixed media collage card is for a Vintage Fashion swap I'm participating in.  The general theme for all of my cards is the time period 1890-1914, which was called la belle epoque (the beautiful epoch or period) by the French.
 

Women's fashions during this period featured voluminous leg of mutton sleeves and high lace collars.  This young girl's dress is a prime example of both of those trends.  The photo is from a cabinet card purchased at an antique shop and the title is a laminate transfer.


Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; laser copy of cabinet card; unknown background paper; white acrylic paint; frayed burlap, fired brick, and pumice stone distress ink; Tim Holtz rubber stamp; medium charcoal pencil; tortillion blender; computer-generated title transferred to clear laminate; Dresden trim border; Zva Creative self-adhesive pearls;Golden heavy gel gloss medium.

Gibson Girl Prototype

I signed up for a Vintage Fashion ATC swap and I need to get my cards finished and on their way.  So I used my extra hour from daylight saving time tonight (I turn the clocks back early so I really feel like I get that extra hour), to work on my ideas and to come up with a prototype.

The woman is from a cabinet card I purchased at an antique store.   The background is a combination of old and new images that have been collaged, blended with white acrylic paint, and colored with distress inks.  The Gibson Girl title is a packing tape transfer. 


I hope you found a good way to use your extra hour this weekend.  Thanks for stopping in!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; old cabinet card photograph; vintage sheet music; clipart images by ArtChix Studio; white acrylic paint; frayed burlap, dusty concord, and black soot distress ink; medium charcoal pencil; blending tortillion; Golden heavy gel gloss medium; Duck brand clear laminate; German scrap border.

Generations Card

Here's another quick "scrap" card that will serve as a general purpose notecard.  I need to build up a stash of cards like this to have handy, so you may be seeing more of them here in the coming days.

The stamped image is by Artistic Outpost and the decorative papers are Pink Paislee. 

TGIF!  Have a great weekend.






Supplies:
Stamp:  Artistic Outpost; black cardstock by Bazzill; shimmery white cardstock by Stampin' Up; Archival jet black ink; decorative papers by Pink Paislee; EK Success border punch.

Gentleman's Choice

This birthday card for a male friend was inspired by a card created by Suzanne Czosek, guest designer for Artistic Outpost. 

The main images were stamped in black and clear heat-embossed before being colored with Prismacolor pencils.  I then masked the images before stamping the background.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps: Artistic Outpost; dark blue cardstock by Bazzill; dark green cardstock unknown; kraft cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned paper by DCWV (Old World Stack); Colorbox black pigment ink; true thyme ink by Stampin' Up; chipped sapphire and walnut stain distress ink; clear embossing powder; Prismacolor Premier pencils; Martha Stewart scalloped circle punch; pop-dots; twine. 

Sketch Birthday Card

I just bought these new Basic Grey papers and naturally had to use them right away.  I love the subtle patterns and how they look layered with one another.

I painted the image from Artistic Outpost with Derwent watercolor pencils and adhered it with pop-dots for extra dimension.

Thank you for visiting my blog! 




Supplies:
Stamp:  Artistic Outpost; Bazzill brown cardstock; Stampin' Up very vanilla and naturals ivory cardstock; Basic Grey patterned paper; Archival jet black ink; walnut stain distress ink; Derwent watercolor pencils; paint brush; skeleton leaf; Karen Foster scrapper's floss; pop-dots.

Autumn Bird

My favorite season may be spring, but I love making cards with the warm, rich colors of autumn.  I'm sending this card with an ATC I traded to someone who likes birds.

I used two of my favorite stamps from Artistic Outpost, the embossing resist technique, and distress inks to create my central image.

Have a great week!  Thanks for visiting my blog.

Supplies:
Stamps: Artistic Outpost; patterned papers by Creative Imaginations; black and orange cardstock by Bazzill; Stampin' Up very vanilla; Versamark ink; Memento desert sand ink; rusty hinge, forest moss, and walnut stain distress ink; Archival jet black ink; clear embossing powder; EK Success border punch; pop-dots.

Ten O'Clock Scholar ATC

Here's another ATC I made for the 10-10-10-athon over at ATCs for All. 

That's my Aunt Sarah when she graduated from high school, but the report card with the awful grades belongs to someone else (no, not me!).  I thought this card was a clever take on the "10" theme and I had fun aging the photo and background.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Supplies:
ATC cardstock base; copy of old photo and old report card; antique linen, vintage photo, walnut stain, and black soot distress ink; Archival jet black ink; pocket watch stamp by Inkadinkado; numbers stamps by Wordsworth; text printed on my computer; light charcoal pencil; border lines stamped with the edge of an old credit card.

That Wrinkle Cream ATC

A couple of weeks ago I visited a local antique shop to look for old photographs to use in my collage art, and I was not disappointed.  One booth in particular had several baskets full of late 19th and early 20th Century cabinet cards and photographs that were perfect for the projects I have in mind.

Although I have plans to use the original photos in larger collages, I first scanned each one so that I could make prints to use in smaller projects, such as this fun artist trading card.

Have a great weekend!


Supplies:
ATC cardstock base; Bo Bunny decorative papers; white acrylic paint;  decorative-edge scissors; frayed burlap and pine needles distress ink; light charcoal pencil; black cardstock for hat; glittery bat by Martha Stewart; black Dresden trim from Alpha Stamps.  I printed the text on my computer.

Why Yes, I Am a 10! ATC

Some people on the ATCs for All website organized a 10-10-10-athon to commemorate today's date.  It just so happened that I pulled out a vintage game card yesterday that had a value of 10, but I did not use it in that particular project.  So this card came together rather quickly.

The background is a Cavallini and Company sticker from the Paris Labels collection, and the voluptuous vixen is from ArtChix Studio.  This card has a lot of shimmer thanks to extra gold paint dabbed around all the edges.

Have a great day!


Supplies:
White cardstock base; Cavallini and Company sticker (Paris Labels); clipart from ArtChix Studio; the 10s in the corner were punched out of a 1937 Crossword Lexicon game card; shimmery green paper mat; Martha Stewart leaf punch; gold decorative paper from Michaels; Adirondack gold paint dabber.

Tall, Dark and Gallant ATC

I haven't made an ATC for several weeks and I have been missing my play time, so my goal tonight was to sit down and create something.

I love how it's possible to make new clipart look old.  The only vintage items in this ATC are the words tall, dark, and gallant.  I cut them from an early 20th Century novel.

I hope you're having a great weekend!  Thanks for popping by.

Supplies:
White cardstock base; gentleman clipart from Alpha Stamps; other background clipart from ArtChix Studio; white acrylic paint; frayed burlap and pine needles distress ink; light charcoal pencil.

Global Traveler

For the most part I tend to make one-of-a-kind cards, so that I can personalize them for the recipient.  In the case of this birthday card for a friend, I did just that.

The vibrant papers by 7 Gypsies are representative of my friend's personality.  The female images by Hampton Art Stamps remind me of her style and class (and her sassy flapper spirit!).

Thanks for dropping by!

Supplies:
Images: Hampton Art Stamps; black and gold cardstock by Bazzill; decorative papers by 7 Gypsies; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Archival jet black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; black ribbon; Martha Stewart border punch; pop-dots.

Simple Sympathy Card

I used some of my favorite patterned papers by K and Company to make this sympathy card.

Supplies:
Sentiment: Stampabilities; black and green cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by K & Company; Archival black ink; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; sheer black ribbon.

Your Future is Bright, Man

I made this birthday card to send to a friend's beau. It came together quickly because I used scraps left over from one of my recent projects.

This image and sentiment from Artistic Outpost work well for masculine cards.  I decided not to color my swami, but I did decorate his hat with a black jewel and gold glitter glue.




Thanks for visiting my blog!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
Stamps by Artistic Outpost; Bazzill brown cardstock; naturals ivory cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by Deja Views; Adirondack espresso dye ink; walnut stain distress ink; Nestabilities border die; gold eyelets; gold Stickles; black self-adhesive rhinestone.

ATC Shadowbox

This shadowbox by 7gypsies is the perfect size for displaying ATCs, so I pulled out my favorite ones and got busy.


I covered the bottom of each section with patterned papers by K and Company, and then adhered each ATC with a small piece of velcro. Not only will this allow me to switch out the ATCs as I make more, but it also gives the cards a little dimension against the background.

We're having a glorious autumn day here. I hope you are, too! Thanks for dropping by.