Beach Clubber ATC

I used some papers from the scrap pile to create the background for this ATC.  The embossed portion on the right side was originally going to be used on a greeting card.  I don't remember why it didn't work for me at the time, but I held onto it because I liked the color scheme. 

I trimmed the paper to ATC size and added torn book pages, dry brushed with white acrylic paint, to the left side to create a more neutral backdrop for my guy. (Isn't he a trip?)  I used a charcoal pencil to help define the text against the rather busy background.


Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC blank; white cardstock; Ephemera rubber stamp from Stampin' Up; Versamark ink; clear embossing powder; distress inks (can't remember which colors I used); vintage book pages; warm white acrylic paint; bundled sage distress ink; stipple brush; clipart guy from Alpha Stamps; text from a 1920s novel; Adirondack acrylic paint dabber in espresso and snow cap; dark charcoal pencil.

Waiting for the Postman ATC

This artist trading card features a sweet vintage image from Stampington and Company.  I love the clipart and artist papers they include with some of their magazines.

The background was made with Tim Holtz tissue tape colored with distress inks.  The text along the bottom came from a 1943 book called Choice Poems for Elementary Grades.  I bought it in an antique shop and have actually enjoyed reading many of the poems.  I've reprinted Waiting for the Postman at the end of this post.  Boy, have times changed!

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC blank; Tim Holtz tissue tape; worn lipstick and brushed corduroy distress ink; clipart image from Stampington and Company; text from an old book; postmark clipart unknown; Adirondack espresso acrylic paint dabber; dark charcoal pencil; Golden gel medium.

Waiting for the Postman

~ James S. Tippett

Where is the postman?

Where is his whistle?

He's late, he's late, he's late.

He's turning the corner.

His pack is enormous.

No wonder I had to wait.

But he handed me packages,

Letters and postcards,

When I ran down to the gate.

Then I didn't mind if the postman was late.

And I didn't mind if I had to wait,

For I like to get packages down at the gate.

(This poem was considered appropriate for 

Grade 3 students back in 1943.)

Just the Two of Us ATC

I haven't made an ATC in quite a while, but was inspired to do so after visiting the after-Christmas ATART-athon (All Types of Art marathon) this week at ATCs for All.

I found this couple's photo at an antique store.  The woman's face seems to say, "Not tonight, dear.  I have a headache."  (She also looks a little like our next door neighbor!)

Thanks for popping in to my blog.


Supplies:
Cardstock ATC blank; patterned paper unknown; vintage sheet music from my stash; clipart from ArtChix Studio; laser copy of old photograph; frayed burlap distress ink; Stazon black ink; dark charcoal pencil; glue stick; Golden gel medium.

He-Man Collage

While cleaning my craft room earlier this week, I came across a small stretched canvas that I had prepped with gesso a month or so ago, but never did anything with.  Since I had a clean table, I decided it was the perfect time to experiment.  Because of the drying time required between layers, this was actually a two-night project.

I started by adhering a scrap of vintage map to the top and sides of the canvas, using gel medium.  I painted the map with a glaze of warm white acrylic paint.  Once it was dry, I adhered my he-man with gel medium and outlined his body with charcoal pencil.  I then covered the entire canvas with a layer of gel medium and allowed it to dry before employing the peeling paint technique.  At first I thought I had gone overboard with the Vaseline, but in the end I like having just a little bit of paint around the edges.  The final layer consisted of adding some additional paint and ink to further age the piece.

In this scanned version, you can see the aging effect created by the paint and ink.  So far I've resisted the urge to add anything else.  This canvas is only 2.5 inches square, and I don't want to ruin overwhelm it by adding too much.

I think this collage could be displayed on its own as pictured above, or it could be incorporated into a larger piece.  I'm going to give myself some time to think about that second possibility.

Thanks for dropping in!

Supplies:

Mini stretched canvas from Hobby Lobby; Golden clear gesso; clipart he-man from Alpha Stamps; dark charcoal pencil; vintage map from my grandma's 1930s geography book; Golden soft gel medium (gloss); warm white acrylic paint; Liquitex glazing medium; Vaseline petroleum jelly; Liquitex burnt sienna and hooker's green acrylic paint; walnut stain distress ink.

Curio Birthday

Yesterday I spent some time cleaning up my craft room and putting away the Christmas stamps and paper.  It always feels good to start with a fresh slate, especially since we're approaching the new year.

My first project after Christmas is always my mom's birthday card, because she was born on January 1.  I felt like coloring so I pulled out one of my favorite images and combined it with these lovely papers from Basic Grey's Curio collection.

Thanks for stopping by! What do you think of the new blog background?  Is it too busy?

Supplies:
Brown cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by Basic Grey; female stamp image unknown; Stazon black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; circle and lacy circle Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Martha Stewart border punch; Glossy Accents; frayed burlap distress ink; K and Company adhesive metal embellishments; pop-dots.

Merry Christmas!

 

Wishing you all the joys of the season.

Frilly Prancer #11

Happy Christmas Eve!  It's bright and sunny here today and with no snow on the ground, it looks more like autumn than winter.  But fair weather means safer travels for everyone (including Santa--wink), so we're not complaining!

I used one of my newer Martha Stewart border punches to dress up this card.  It reminds me of the edges around my mom's crocheted doilies.

Have a great day!  Thanks for visiting.



Supplies:
Green and red cardstocks by Bazzill; patterned papers by Authentique; gold paper from Michaels; vintage sheet music from my stash; large reindeer from The Cat's Pajamas; evergreen stamp from Artistic Outpost; forest moss distress ink; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls, water, mini mister); oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; Martha Stewart border punches.

2012 Photo Calendar

I've been working on a photo calendar for my brother and finally completed it last night.  I bought the blank calendar for one dollar at Michaels and it makes for a quick yet fun project.  I simply selected a variety of photos, matted them on coordinating cardstock, and added some brief journaling. 

Since I couldn't find enough photos I liked with a landscape format (there is a 4 x 6 inch blank spot in the middle of each page which doesn't look right unless you cover it completely), I printed some of my ATCs to fit. 

 

(Note:  I erased some of my journaling for privacy reasons.)

Thanks for visiting my blog!  Have a fantastic day.

Supplies:

Photo calendar from Michaels; 4x6 inch photos; miscellaneous cardstock; white cardstock; oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up.

Geometric Prancer #10

Four more easel cards are ready for mailing!  This design features very vanilla seam binding from Stampin' Up.  I used Fray Check on the ends to keep them from unraveling.



Have a great day!  Thanks for dropping by.

Supplies:
Green cardstock by Bazzill; red cardstock from Hobby Lobby; patterned paper by Authentique; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; vintage sheet music from my stash; large reindeer from The Cat's Pajamas; sentiment from Stampin' Up; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear detail embossing powder; homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls, water, mini mister), black Stazon ink; fired brick and brushed corduroy distress ink; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; Martha Stewart border punch; corner rounder punch; very vanilla seam binding from Stampin' Up, Dritz brand Fray Check.

Holly Prancer #9

I'm still happily plugging away at my Christmas cards and have just a few more to make.  I think this is one of my favorites so far.  I love the holly paper by Authentique.



The blizzard that hit the plains and parts of the midwest this week missed us, so we will have a "green" Christmas for the first time in several years.  I know a lot of people are disappointed (the kids especially), but I'm glad to not have a lot of snow to shovel.

Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
Green cardstock by Bazzill; red cardstock by Core'dinations; patterned paper by Authentique; vintage sheet music from my stash; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; large reindeer from The Cat's Pajamas; sentiment from Stampin' Up; Versamark ink; black Stazon ink; brushed corduroy distress ink; gold detail embossing powder; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; Martha Stewart border punch; corner rounder punch; sheer gold ribbon from Michaels.

Easel Prancer #8

Wow!  I can't believe I haven't posted anything in over two weeks!  This is my busy time of year at work and as the saying goes, you have to make hay when the sun shines. Besides, the car needed four new tires.  So it's not a bad thing to have to work extra hours, but now I am behind on my Christmas cards with only a week to go.

I decided to make some easel cards because they're fun and everyone seems to like them a lot.  This patterned paper by Authentique makes the card festive without all the work of piecing together scraps.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you're further along with your Christmas preparations than I am.

Supplies:
Large reindeer stamp by the Cat's Pajamas; sentiment from Stampin' Up; crumb cake cardstock from Stampin' Up; red cardstock by Core'dinations; vintage sheet music from my stash; patterned paper by Authentique (Wonder collection); homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls, water, mini mister); black Stazon ink; frayed burlap distress ink; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; small oval and scalloped punches from Stampin' Up; Martha Stewart border punch; corner rounder punch; sheer gold ribbon from Michaels.

Art Calendar Challenge December 2011

Several months ago I learned about an art calendar challenge on a blog called The Kathryn Wheel.  It wasn't something I wanted to start at the time, but I tucked the idea away in a corner of my brain and lo and behold, the ol' brain actually held onto it!  In anticipation of the new year, I ordered a Strathmore 9x12 inch visual journal with 140 lb watercolor paper from Dick Blick's.  It arrived yesterday so I decided to get started and make a calendar for this month.

I used a bunch of different media:  old dictionary pages, acrylic paint, homemade glimmer mist, masks, oil pastels, and rubber stamps.  I just had *fun* with the process and didn't belabor over it, which is the real challenge for me!  Besides, there is always next month to try something different or more elaborate.  And since each day of the month is less than two inches square, I think I will be able to keep up with the journaling aspect of this challenge, too.  Actually, I think I will make the squares even smaller next time, to allow more room for artwork on the page.

This is a closeup view of the left side.

Have you thought about any art challenges you would like to tackle in 2012?  Now is the time to gather your supplies!  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Strathmore 9x12 inch visual journal with 140 lb watercolor paper; vintage dictionary pages; gel medium; pink quartz and titanium white acrylic paint; homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink, pewter Perfect Pearls, water, mini mister); Tim Holtz masks; alphabet stamps by Wordsworth Stamps; splatter pattern stamp by All Night Media; bird stamps by Hampton Art; flourish stamps by Cornish Heritage Farms; birdcage and sentiment stamp from Artistic Outpost; black Stazon ink; white cardstock; bright green oil pastel by Artist's Loft; black Sharpie marker.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!  

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Peaceful Prancer Deux #6

This is my sixth Christmas card using the same image and papers, and although I have enjoyed this series, I am ready for a change.  Tomorrow starts a new week and a new direction!

The large reindeer from The Cat's Pajamas was gold embossed on vintage sheet music sprayed with homemade glimmer mist.  The patterned papers are by My Mind's Eye.

Thanks for popping in!


Supplies:
Green cardstock by Bazzill; gold stationery paper from Target; patterned papers by My Mind's Eye (Lost and Found Christmas collection); vintage sheet music; large reindeer image from The Cat's Pajamas; peace sentiment from Cornish Heritage Farms; homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink; gold Perfect Pearls, water, mini mister); Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; black Stazon ink; Martha Stewart border punch; Labels 8 Nestabilities; oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber; corner rounder punch.

Peaceful Prancer #5

After spending an entire afternoon running errands (10 stops--whew!) and navigating construction zones, I was ready for some peace and quiet at my craft table.  I don't know about you, but the creative process is a welcome respite from attending to life's annoying necessities.

For a change of pace, I used the Labels 8 Nestabilities to frame my reindeer.  I used Stazon metallic gold ink and the stenciling feature of the die to add some shimmer to the green mat.  It's not really visible in this photo, but it gives a subtle detail to the card.

Thanks for dropping in!  Have a fantastic weekend.

Supplies:
Green cardstock by Bazzill; gold stationery paper from Target; patterned papers by My Mind's Eye; vintage sheet music sprayed with homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls, and water in a mini mister); large reindeer stamp from The Cat's Pajamas; peace stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; aged mahogany distress ink; Stazon gold metallic ink; Stazon black ink; Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Stampin' Up oval punches; EK Success border punch; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Musical Prancer #4

Here is the fourth card in my Prancer series that I will be sending out for Christmas this year.

I was able to sneak in sheet music, one of my favorite things, in two places on this card.  The reindeer was stamped on vintage sheet music; the music paper in the background is from My Mind's Eye.

Have a great day!


Supplies:
Brown cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by My Mind's Eye; gold patterned paper from Michaels; vintage sheet music from my stash; large reindeer from The Cat's Pajamas; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls, water, mini mister); aged mahogany and walnut stain distress ink; Martha Stewart border punch; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; ticket corner punch from Stampn' Up; pop-dots.

Celebrating with the Bee's Knees

I won the October Referral Program drawing on Artistic Outpost's blog, and wasted no time placing an order for a couple of stamp sets that I've been coveting.  The stamps arrived just in time for me to use them to make a very special birthday card this week.

I paper pieced the champagne bottle and coated it with Glossy Accents.  For extra kick, I added gold Stickles to highlight the champagne spraying out.  The sketch is #359, courtesy of Splitcoaststampers.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Artistic Outpost; orange cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by Basic Grey; green and whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; black Stazon ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits;; Fiskars corner punch; corner rounder punch; white metal dots by Colorbok; Glossy Accents; gold Stickles; Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber; pop-dots. rectangle and scalloped rectangle Nestabilities; Stampin' Up small oval punches.

Forest Prancer #3

My Christmas cards may start to look alike to you, because so far I've used the same reindeer stamp and color scheme.  I like this reindeer very much, and I am enjoying mixing the beautiful papers in the Lost and Found Christmas collection by My Mind's Eye.  Not only am I not getting bored (which is what usually happens when I try to mass produce cards), but I'm doing a pretty good job of using the small paper scraps I always end up with.  Without further ado, here is another card I've completed in my Prancer series.

Similar to my previous cards, the reindeer was embossed on vintage sheet music that had been sprayed lightly with a homemade glimmer mist.  Because this is a larger card (4.5 x 6.25 inches), I used the wider border punch by EK Success.


Thanks for dropping by!  Have a fabulous day.

Supplies:
Brown cardstock by Bazzill; true thyme cardstock (retired) from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by My  Mind's Eye; gold patterned paper from Michaels; vintage sheet music from my stash; large reindeer from The Cat's Pajamas; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; aged mahogany and vintage paper distress ink; homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink; gold Perfect Pearls, water, mini mister); EK Success border punch; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

An Awful Lot of Coffee in Brazil

I never acquired a taste for coffee, but I did enjoy a few cups when I was in South America.  I created this birthday card for a friend who will be able to do the same when he vacations in Brazil and Argentina this winter.

I stamped the images by Artistic Outpost on smooth cardstock and colored them with distress inks using Cut n' Dry Nibs.  I added Crackle Accents to the blue areas for texture, and distressed all of the paper edges to give this card a more rugged look.

Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
Stamps by Artistic Outpost; black cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by 7 Gypsies; black Stazon ink; distress inks (old paper, frayed burlap, black soot, walnut stain, aged mahogany, scattered straw, tumbled glass, vintage photo); EK Success border punch; black brads; Crackle Accents; pop-dots.

Merry and Bright Prancer #2

Here's another Christmas card.  You may notice that I'm keeping the bulky embellishments to a minimum this year, in order to make my cards easier to mail.

The reindeer was gold embossed on vintage sheet music that had been sprayed with some homemade glimmer mist (a few drops of aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls, and water in a mini mister).  The patterned paper already included the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great Monday.

Supplies:
Burgundy cardstock by Bazzill; dark green cardstock unknown; patterned paper by My Mind's Eye (Lost and Found Christmas collection); gold patterned paper from Michaels; vintage sheet music from my stash; large reindeer image from The Cat's Pajamas; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; gold Smooch Spritz; homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls, water, mini mister); walnut stain distress ink; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; corner rounder punch.

On Prancer #1

I finally have all of the supplies needed to make my Christmas cards, and not a moment too soon!  Can you believe it's just 42 days until Christmas?  I need to get crackin'!

I love the classic elegance of this card.  The reindeer was embossed in gold on vintage sheet music sprayed with homemade glimmer mist (a few drops of aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls, and water in a mini mister).

Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
Burgundy cardstock by Bazzill; gold patterned paper from Michaels; patterned paper by My Mind's Eye (Lost and Found Christmas collection); vintage sheet music from my stash; large reindeer image from The Cat's Pajamas; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; homemade glimmer mist (aged mahogany distress ink, gold Perfect Pearls); oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; corner rounder punch; Martha Stewart border punch; walnut stain distress ink.

Bohemie Hollyhocks

We've had several nights of below freezing temperatures and even some measurable sleet/snow, yet somehow this plant has managed to not only survive, but to retain its rich, vibrant colors.  It's on the south side of the garage, which gives it some protection from the elements.

I don't know the true name of this flower.  We call them Bohemie hollyhocks, but they may not be a hollyhock at all.  Any horticulturists out there?

Have a great weekend!

Sweet and Sassy Birthday

I created this birthday card for a friend who is sweet and sassy at the same time.  She would have made a great flapper in the 1920s (if they had flappers in Ecuador!).
 

I love the soft colors and botanical prints of these Pink Paislee papers, and I think they work well with the image by Hampton Art.  I added three paper roses and loosely pleated my vintage lace ribbon to embellish the card.

Have a great Monday and an even better week!  Thanks for dropping in.

Supplies:
Brown and green cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by Pink Paislee; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; image by Hampton Art; black Stazon ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; spun sugar and peeled paint distress inks; square and scalloped square Nestabilities; oval and scalloped oval by Nestabilities; EK Success border punch; mulberry paper mini roses by Recollections; vintage lace ribbon purchased at an antique shop; Glossy Accents; pop-dots.

Youthful Days

I started working on this mixed media canvas last May or June, then ran into a roadblock while choosing the embellishments.  I tried a lot of different things but nothing seemed quite right due to some issues I had with the overall composition and spacing of the piece (things I couldn't change as they were already glued down).  Since I wasn't in a real hurry to complete the project, I simply set it aside for a while. Then this past week I did a major cleaning of my work table and actually had room to display a few items; this collage was one of them.  It made me think I really should finish it.

I started by painting a 4x5 inch stretched canvas with a dark chocolate acrylic paint.  I aged the paint by dry-brushing on some white acrylic paint, sanding away some areas, and using a heat gun to "bubble" up the paint.  Next I adhered a piece of green scrapbook paper and a scrap of 1870s sheet music.  I sealed the papers with gel medium, then used gel medium to transfer the photo.  The vintage lace and buttons were also adhered with gel medium. As a final step I covered the back of the canvas with a pretty scrapbook paper.

This sweet-looking young woman was a friend of my parents.  She passed away earlier this year and this is the photo the family used on the memorial cards.  I would love to keep this collage for myself, but I think I will send it to her daughter to enjoy.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stretched canvas (4x5 inch); chocolate and white acrylic paint; Walnut Ink antiquing solution (Java color, by Tsukineko); Golden soft gel medium; green paper by Basic Grey; old sheet music; vintage lace and buttons.

Halloween Scrap Gift Cards

I had some Halloween scraps that I couldn't bear to just throw away, so I made a couple of 3x3 inch cards to add to a couple of packages I mailed this week.

I stamped my images from Artistic Outpost in black, colored them with Prismacolor pencils, and embellished them with Stickles. 

Daylight saving time ends this weekend, meaning we get our "lost" hour of sleep back tonight.  Does anyone else wish we would just leave the clocks alone?  Some years the time change really gives me that jet-lag feeling.

Supplies:
Stamps by Artistic Outpost; black and orange cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned paper by Authentique; black Stazon ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; frosted lace and gunmetal Stickles; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders.

Mr. Owl is Watching You

Here's another fairly simple Halloween card using this stylish owl image from Artistic Outpost. 

It's Friday!  I hope you have plans for a great weekend.

Supplies:
Stamp:  Artistic Outpost; black and orange cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by Authentique; black Stazon ink; black soot and pumice stone distress ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Marvy markers; fleur di lis and square Nestabilities; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; ticket corner punch from Stampin' Up; pop-dots.

Growing Grateful

I'm sending this sweet card to a friend who recently treated me to lunch before an intense afternoon of shopping for crafting supplies.  I am helping her to make eight duplicate scrapbooks for her kids and nieces and she is starting completely from scratch!  We met again this week to get started and had a grand time.

I used my largest scalloped oval Nestabilities to die-cut the base.  This card is less than 4x5 inches so it will easily fit into a standard A2-sized envelope for mailing.

Thanks for dropping in!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Stampin' Up; pink cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; Stazon black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities by Spellbinder; leaf Shapeabilities by Spellbinders; oval and scalloped oval punches from Stampin' Up; Swiss dot embossing folder; Glossy Accents.

Halloween Isn't Just for Children Anymore

I didn't attend any Halloween parties this year, but "the kids" (aka my parents), did.  Last year they threw together costumes at the last minute for the Halloween party at their winter resort in Arizona, and I said with a little planning we could do better.  So I pulled out a couple of costumes I have used in previous years, my mom added some accessories, and the results were fabulous!

That's Mom on the left as Betty Bedpan, head nurse.  Dad is dressed as the Mad Chef.  Apparently it took a while for people to figure out who they were because of the glasses and hair (and the extra stuffing Dad was wearing under his clothes!)  They came in second place in the costume contest.

Their friends came in first place, and for good reason.  Guess which one had to sacrifice a full mustache for the event?

I can't wait until I can retire and act like a kid again, can you?  Thanks for dropping in and have a great day.

Vintage Halloween

I'm running out of time to make Halloween cards, so I've had to keep them fairly simple.  That means no coloring (which I love to linger over), complicated techniques, or fancy embellishments.

For this card, I simply stamped the three images from Artistic Outpost on cardstock in black and shaded the edges with pumice stone distress ink.  The patterned papers are from Authentique's Glowing collection.

Have a great weekend!  Thanks for dropping in.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Artistic Outpost; black and orange cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by Authentique; Stazon black ink; pumice stone distress ink; oval and scalloped oval Nestabilities; Martha Stewart border punch; pop-dots.

You are the Bee's Knees

I had to put Halloween cards on the back burner for a few days in order to make some birthday cards that need to go into the mail shortly.  This gave me the opportunity to ink up my other new stamps from Artistic Outpost.

For the central image I stamped the lady first, masked her, then stamped the text to create a background.  I stamped the lady a second time on a separate piece of paper, colored her, trimmed closely, then adhered her to the background.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Artistic Outpost; brown cardstock by Bazzil; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned paper by Pink Paislee; peeled paint and frayed burlap distress ink; black Stazon ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; light charcoal pencil; blending stump; rhinestones by Bo Bunny; sheer gold ribbon from Michaels; Martha Stewart border punch; pop-dots.

Whooooo is Ready for Halloween?

I'm not!  Not that I have a lot to do, but I did want to send out a few Halloween cards so I figured I better get cracking on them this weekend.

I really like this Art Deco owl by Artistic Outpost. He was colored with a combination of pencils and markers.  Paired with Authentique papers and foliage die-cuts by Spellbinders, this makes a cute and easy card.


What do your Halloween festivities include?  Costumes, carving a pumpkin, trick-or-treating?

Supplies:
Black cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by Authentique; owl stamp from Artistic Outpost; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear embossing powder; Prismacolor Premier pencils; Marvy markers; Spellbinders Shapeabilities (Foliage); walnut stain distress ink; corner rounder punch; circle and scalloped circle Nestabilities; pop-dots.

XXX Poison XXX

A friend of mine recently did a favor for me, so I wanted to send her a fun thank you card.  Since we're approaching Halloween, I decided that would be my theme.

I used my new stamps from Artistic Outpost and papers from Authentique's Glowing collection to create this card.  To make my witch extra lovely, I colored her with Prismacolor pencils and added a glittery bat sticker to her hat.

Thanks for dropping in!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Artistic Outpost; black and orange cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by Authentique; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Stazon black ink; Colorbox black pigment ink; barn door and walnut stain distress ink; clear embossing powder; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Martha Stewart border punch; Martha Stewart bat sticker.

2012 Calendar - Messrs. July

Here's a fun little project I completed in one night thanks to a ready-made calendar from the dollar bin at Michaels.  I selected twelve 4x6 photos, matted them with colorful scraps from my scrap bin, and voila!  The perfectly-sized calendar for my parents to use in their motorhome.


What do you do when you go to the pool and another guy is wearing the exact same swim trunks?  Why, you take a photo, of course.  With your water aerobics dumbbells, to boot!  Hubba hubba, guys.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day.


Supplies:
Photo frame calendar from Michaels, 4x6 photo, orange cardstock by Bazzill.

Vintage Ephemera Finds

Hello there!  I'm sorry that I've been MIA.  I'm still suffering through a creative slump and haven't made so much as an inchie in almost three weeks.  Not to mention my work has picked up (that's normal for this time of year), and we've been busy getting my parents ready to head south for the winter.  But I'm feeling the urge to get crafty again after attending a local fall festival and purchasing some vintage ephemera.

My recent finds include a lovely Valentine and fan-shaped calling card, picture postcards, some early 1900s business receipt postcards with beautiful handwriting, vintage lace and buttons, a trade card advertising Valentines and comics (two for a cent), and even some old-fashioned milk bottle caps sporting a phone number with only four digits.  Oh, the possibilities!  I just need to sit down and start playing.  I will soon, I promise.

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