He Left Us Too Soon

I created this artist trading card for today's Think Monday - Think ATC challenge, which is to use a diamond pattern. I made my own background paper using a diamond-shaped rubber stamp and the embossing resist technique on a scrap of old German text. I colored the paper with crushed olive and vintage photo distress ink.

The handsome young man is my friend Kathy's father, Raymond, in the early 1920s. I think he looks a lot like the silent movie star, Rudolph Valentino. Indeed, Ray was a contemporary of Valentino's (but not an actor), and like Valentino, he died at a relatively young age.


Here is an undated picture of Rudolph Valentino for comparison. Look how similar their hairstyles are. In some ways I actually think Raymond is better looking! I can't wait to tell Kathy that.



I hope you have a great Monday. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Diamond stamp by Paperbag Studios; old German book text; Versamark ink; clear embossing powder; crushed olive, vintage photo, and walnut stain distress ink; Basic Grey rub-on flourish; vellum round mirror image from my stash; copy of family photograph.

Am I the Next Top Designer?

Probably not, but I do think the outfit on this card would translate very well to fabric and look really cute on the right person. Remember you saw it here first!

This card was one of six in a series that I made to send to some of my crafty gal pals. The color combination of red, black, and cream is one of my favorites. I actually bought a second pad of the K & Company paper because I like it so much.

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

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampabilities (dress form), sentiment (Stampin' Up); red cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; decorative papers by K & Company; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear embossing powder; gold Stickles; oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Time for Some Blog Maintenance

I'm ready for a new header and background for my blog, but since I can't remember exactly how I did all of that last fall when I set up my blog, and want to use some of my own artwork this time, it may take some trial and error. Don't be surprised if the site looks a little different (and perhaps a little "out of sorts") for a few days.

My Wish for You

In my never-ending quest to make good use of all the paper scraps I have, I designed a card and made several different versions to send to some of my crafting gal pals. Everyone loves to receive a piece of fun mail, right? (Sure beats a pile of bills.) Now that the cards have started to arrive at their destinations, I can tell you about them!

I sent this card to a friend who recently returned to nursing. That is not easy to do and I wanted to wish her well as she begins her new job. I paper-pieced the dress and put some pop-dots near the bottom of the skirt so that it would float off the paper.

Here's a link to one of the other cards in this series. It was sent to a friend who brings a lot of sparkle to my life with her wit and charm. I love this hobby as it gives me a creative outlet and enables me to brighten someone else's day. I call that a win-win situation!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampabilities (dress form), Stampin' Up (sentiment); polka dot DPs from my scrap pile; black and kraft cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear embossing powder; oval punches by Stampin' Up; gold Stickles; Fiskars border punch; Stampin' Up ticket corner punch; pop-dots.

Happy Father's Day

When it comes to dads, I lucked out and got a great one! He's a hard worker, always provided well for his family, and likes to have fun. In spite of working a lot of overtime when we were kids, he still managed to play with us and to attend our school and sporting events. Yep, my dad is a keeper!

I stamped the Artistic Outpost image on white cardstock and colored it using Prismacolor Premier pencils and some distress inks. The kraft background was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder called distressed stripes.


I hope you had a pleasant Father's Day! Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Stamps: Artistic Outpost; blue and green cardstocks by Bazzill; kraft and whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; Archival jet black ink; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear embossing powder; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; chipped sapphire, peeled paint and walnut stain distress ink; Cuttlebug embossing folder; typewriter key stickers; micro copper brads; pop-dots.

Thank You

I needed a quick but classy-looking thank you card, so I pulled out one of my favorite Artistic Outpost images and my new favorite decorative papers by K and Company.

I decided to live on the edge and use a lovely blue cardstock on this card (you may not have noticed, but I don't use a lot of blue).

Thanks for visiting my blog!


Edited to add: Lisa Somerville suggested that I post this card on the Play Date Cafe blog for its challenge this week. I don't participate in too many challenges, but this card fits the color splash challenge of black, white, and a touch of blue, so I figured why not? You can't win if you don't play! Here is a link to PDCC34.

Supplies:
Stamp: Artistic Outpost; blue cardstock by Bazzill; decorative papers by K and Company; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear embossing powder; Martha Stewart border punch; rectangle and scalloped rectangle Nestabilities; blue Dew Drops; pop-dots.

Buckskinner ATC

The instructor of the online vintage gluebook class I took organized an ATC swap. I decided to participate after I found a photograph at a local antique shop that gave me an idea for a series of ATCs. I like to give my pieces a "back story," and in this case I decided my subject, with his magnificent mustache and rumpled hat, was a buckskinner in the Old West.

This first ATC was my prototype. I had the photograph (original size 3 x 4.5 inches) copied onto 100# white cardstock at a local copy shop. I then used an oval Nestabilities to die-cut the photo. Cut this way, the image reminds me of those antique oval wooden frames with the curved glass that usually held portraits of very stern-looking ancestors.

Based on the prototype, I then made seven more ATCs for a series titled "Buckskinner."

Top row (left to right): Prototype, William, Jesse, and Martin. Bottom row (left to right): Andrew, Ezra, Ulysses, and Thomas.

I really enjoy making vintage collage items. I just think I need more ephemera. Time to hit a few auctions or estate sales! Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
7 Gypsies ATC card; various vintage papers including text from an 1889 German novel and maps and text from early 20th century geography textbooks; some brown scrapbooking paper from my stash; butterfly clip art; vintage-themed stickers; typewriter key stickers.

Easy Summer Afternoon

This is a quick card using some Graphic 45 papers from my scrap pile and a stamp from Artistic Outpost.

I used three Memento dye inks on the stamp (rhubarb stalk, bamboo leaves, and rich cocoa). The colors in this card are much warmer in real life. It was cloudy and raining when I took this picture.

Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
Stamp: Artistic Outpost; Bazzill brown cardstock; Graphic 45 decorative papers; Martha Stewart border punch; Stampin' Up ticket corner punch; antique copper brads.

Sparkle

I am soooo digging this card that I made last night. It's not my usual style but I really like how it turned out. The card started out with some random decorative papers that 7 Gypsies threw in free with my order a couple of months ago. Only two of the papers really coordinate with each other, and they were only 6x6 sheets, so I decided to use them to make this A2-sized card.

I heat embossed and paper-pieced the dress form, which gives it great depth and texture against the white cardstock. I added a row of self-adhesive rhinestones to the waistline for some extra bling.

Except for the 7 Gypsies paper, this card consists of papers from the scrap pile.

The rain has stopped and it looks like it's going to be a nice afternoon, so I am heading out to an art fair. Have a great day!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampabilities (dress form), Stampin' Up (sentiment); decorative papers from 7 Gypsies; white cardstock by Bazzill; black, lime green and white textured cardstock by Bazzill; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear embossing powder; oval punches by Stampin' Up; pop-dots.

Get Well Soon

A friend of mine recently fell at her fitness club and fractured her hip. Thankfully, it did not require surgery, but she is staying at a local rehab center while she undergoes physical therapy. I know that she likes this stamp by Artistic Outpost, so I decided to use it on a card for her.

I just love these black and cream decorative papers by K & Company. They look so classy with the dark red cardstock.

We're having an absolutely gorgeous day here! I hope you are, too.

Supplies:
Stamp: Artistic Outpost; red cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up!; decorative papers by K & Company; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear embossing powder; black grosgrain ribbon; Martha Stewart border punch; flower buttons from my stash; gold embroidery thread; pop-dots.