Favorite Projects of 2012

On this final day of 2012, I thought I would revisit some of my favorite projects of the past year.  Since I didn't have enough for a Top 10 list, I've  grouped the items into three categories:  feminine, masculine, and ATCs.

This Valentine may be one of my favorite cards EVER.  It's hard for me to create "sweet" cards, but I really nailed it this time.

I sent this birthday card to a dear friend who is also a card maker.  It's a clean and simple card in a color combination that really pops.

Rounding out my favorite feminine cards of the year is this get well card that I sent to my aunt in November.  It features one of my favorite images, colored with Prismacolor pencils.

So many of the vintage images that I gravitate to work well on masculine cards.  I was super pleased with how the stamped background (the road map) turned out on this card; it's not a technique I've mastered.

Since I have a hard time stamping my own backgrounds, I rely heavily on patterned paper.  This card features papers from Basic Grey, one of my favorite vendors.

Most of my cards feature multiple layers and embellishments, like this card with the burlap and buttons.  (Burlap is the guy's version of bling.) 

I have loved making artist trading cards (ATCs), since I first learned about them several years ago.  There's a lot one can do in such a small space, as this ATC illustrates.  Gauze?  Beads?  A seashell?  No problem!

This ATC was made using a variety of scraps I had lying on my craft desk after several days of creating.  The graphics and color combination ended up being so interesting, and with very little effort.

A 1920s novel that I purchased at the Salvation Army store has turned out to be a reliable source of found poetry for just about any subject, as this eerie Halloween-inspired ATC shows.

I hope you enjoyed this photo montage of some of my 2012 favorites.  I look forward to sharing even more with you in 2013.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Don't Marry Your Cousin ATC

Now that Christmas is past, I can concentrate on making things to trade at ARTzona 2013, which is less than a month away now!  When I first signed up to participate, last August, it seemed like a long wait until January.  But time has really flown by and now I am feeling the pressure to create.

I cut this retro image out of a recent advertisement and then perused my favorite vintage novel in search of some random words to create a fun caption.

Be sure to stop back tomorrow, when I'll be posting pictures of my favorite projects from 2012.

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; background paper from Stampington and Company; retro image from an ad; found poetry from a 1920s novel; Pitt black pen; Adirondack copper acrylic paint dabber.

Ho Ho Ho!

Merry Christmas!

Magpie Christmas Card

And now for something completely different...

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while know that I am not a glitter kind of gal.  I don't do a lot of sparkly cards.  But I have friends who can't resist anything shiny (I call them My Dear Magpies), so I thought I would try making something more to their liking.

I knew that I wanted to use the tree die from Spellbinders.  I die-cut the tree from Bazzill Bling cardstock and embellished it with blue and silver rhinestones.  For added texture, I embossed the silver background paper with snowflakes.

The sentiment from Artistic Outpost was stamped on shimmery white cardstock and heat embossed in silver for even more shine.

I think this is a card that any magpie would want to have in her nest.

Supplies:
Bazzill Bling cardstock; silver stationery paper; shimmery white cardstock from Stampin' Up; snowflakes Cuttlebug embossing folder; Spellbinders holiday tree; blue and clear self-stick rhinestones from Michaels; sentiment from Artistic Outpost; Versamark ink; silver embossing powder; rectangle and scalloped rectangle from Spellbinders; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Yuletide Santa

Most of my Christmas cards this year were a variation of the card below, which was inspired by a card made by one of the designers for Artistic Outpost.

I first die-cut the ornament, then stamped the Santa with the die still in place so that a border was naturally created.  The star was die-cut from a piece of sticky-backed cork, which was my substitution for a rusty metal star.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Stamps by Artistic Outpost; brown cardstock by Bazzill; kraft and very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by Kaiser Craft; Stazon timber brown ink; aged linen distress ink; Martha Stewart border punch; corner rounder punch; ornament, star, and label die-cut by Spellbinders; twine and sticky-back cork from Michaels; pop-duts.

Square Sympathy Card

I didn't realize it had been almost three weeks since I posted anything to my blog.  Due to work constraints I haven't had much time for creative activities this month, although I have been working on my Christmas cards and have a big batch almost ready to mail.  I'll be sure to share some photos with you before they hit the mailbox. In the meantime, I needed some sympathy cards due to some unexpected deaths in the family.

I like the sentiment in this sympathy set from Stampin' Up and to save myself some time, I used a design I've used in the past.  By changing the colors of the floral image, it's easy to make several simple but elegant cards in no time.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Gray and mauve cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; rubber stamps from Stampin' Up; Marvy markers; Ranger archival jet black ink; round and scalloped round Nestibilities; Swiss dot Cuttlebug embossing folder; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Feel Better Soon

I created this card to send to one of my favorite aunts, who had surgery this week.

She likes soft, pastel colors so I choose these papers by My Mind's Eye.  I added one of my favorite images from Artistic Outpost, colored with pencils.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Supplies:
Blue and beige cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by My Mind's Eye; image from Artistic Outpost; black Stazon ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; antique linen distress ink; oval, scalloped oval, and label Nestabilities by Spellbinders; Martha Stewart border punch; polka dot ribbon from Michaels; gold eyelets; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Framed Poppy Card

I am *in love* with this poppy image.  It is so fun to color and its vintage botanical style is right up my alley.

I stamped the frame directly on a page from a pocket-sized 1918 French-German dictionary that I got for about a quarter at a library sale.  The poppy was stamped on smooth cardstock and colored with Prismacolor pencils.

Thanks for dropping by my blog!

Supplies:
Black and red cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; page from an old dictionary; poppy stamp from Oxford Impressions; frame stamp by Hampton Art Stamps; Stazon black ink; tea dye distress ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; medium black charcoal pencil. 

Keen for Adventure - Moo

While I was crafting yesterday I came across this picture of my friend Kathy's oldest brother, Ray, circa 1920s.  I had printed the image a while ago but never used it.  I'm now glad for that, because it's the perfect size for a moo and back then I didn't know about moos.

The base of this moo is part of a Touring game card.  I simply adhered my photo, cut some appropriate words from an old novel, and outlined everything with Indian ink pen.  Easy peasy and super cute!

Have a great Monday!

Supplies:
Vintage Touring game card; book text; vintage photo; Pitt black artist pen; glue stick.

Imagine ATC

I wasn't able to do anything creative this entire week due to being busy with work.  But I reserved today for playing and started by getting messy making this artist trading card.

For the background I collaged a variety of leftovers on my craft table (scrapbooking paper, book text, a torn Flinch card), and then practically obliterated them with distress inks and acrylic paint.  The obliteration was the fun and messy part!  



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

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; miscellaneous scrapbooking papers, book text, sheet music, and Flinch card; clipart butterfly from a Somerset Studio magazine; distress inks; black and white acrylic paint; sequin waste; toilet paper roll; Pitt black India ink pen.

Birdie Birthday

I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping up with birthday cards for my friends, so I sat down last night and made a couple cards for my stash using a new stamp from Oxford Impressions.

The main image was colored with Prismacolor pencils and distress inks.  I used a technique called out of the box so that the bird's tail would extend beyond the die-cut edge.



Thanks for dropping in!

Supplies:
Brown cardstock by Bazzill; naturals ivory and very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned paper by Crate Paper; bird image by Oxford Impressions; Prismacolor Premier pencils; old paper, dusty concord, and walnut stain distress inks; round and scalloped round Nestabilities; Swiss dot Cuttlebug embossing folder; green seam binding from Stampin' Up; chipboard button by Graphic 45; corner rounder punch; pop-dots.

Asian Poppy ATC

Since my poppy stamp was still out, I decided to put it to use on an ATC background I had ready and waiting.

I stamped the poppy directly on the text background and used Prismacolor pencils to color it.  The Chinese seals were also colored with a blend of pencils and distress inks.

Thanks for dropping by my blog.  Have a great day!



Supplies:
ATC cardstock base; Asian book text; poppy stamp (Oxford Impressions); Chinese seals (unknown); black Stazon ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits, distress inks; black charcoal pencil; Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber.

Vintage Botanical - Poppy

I made this simple card to send to a mail art friend with one of my spooky bat ATCs.  I think I need to make several more for myself; I love how the poppy looks against the vintage German text.

The frame is stamped directly on the German page but I stamped the poppy on a separate piece of vanilla cardstock, colored it with Prismacolor pencils, and trimmed it carefully before adhering it on top.



I hope you have plans for a wonderful weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Black and orange cardstock by Bazzill; vintage German book text; frame stamp by Hampton Art; poppy stamp from Oxford Impressions; black Stazon ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; walnut stain distress ink.

Violet Eyes - ATC

Since I was making ATCs over the weekend, I thought I'd continue in that vein and make another one to add to my stash.  I want to have plenty of art to trade for my art weekend in January.

I started with a background of torn vintage text colored with distress inks and topped with some distressed line rub-ons.  I painted some punchinella (sequin waste) with white acrylic paint and stamped it on.  I ended up with a really cool background and then didn't know what to do with it!  After some contemplation I simply stamped the face on white cardstock, colored it with pencils to coordinate with the background, and framed it out with some Dresden trim.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; torn vintage text; peeled paint, dusty concord, and chipped sapphire distress inks; My Mind's Eye distressed rub-ons; punchinella (sequin waste); Adirondack silver and black acrylic paint dabber; face stamp by Hampton Art; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Dresden trim; Glossy Accents.

Two More "Batty" Found Poetry ATCs

Several people liked the first ATC I made with the bat image, so I created two more to trade.

Like with the first card, I started with a background of leftover Halloween-themed papers and then layered on acrylic paint, vintage German text, distress inks, stenciling, and rubber stamping.

Fortunately, I was able to find plenty of eerie words in my 1920s novel for these two additional cards.

I hope you have a great day.  To my friends and colleagues on the east coast who are gearing up for Hurricane Sandy:  Stay safe!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; patterned papers by Authentique; German book text; English book text; white acrylic paint; a bunch of distress inks; alphabet stencil; Pitt black artist pen; white and black charcoal pencil; bat image from Oxford Impressions; post mark stamp by Stampa Rosa; Marvy marker (crimson lake); Adirondack black acrylic paint dabber.

Ghostly Jungles of Dead Eyes - ATC

I've never been into horror films and I don't believe in zombies, but a real, live bat?  Yuck!  So surprisingly, a bat is the focal image of this artist trading card I made for the Halloween and Autumn All-Types-of-Art-athon this weekend on the ATCs for All website.

I started with a background of paper scraps left over from my other Halloween projects, then layered on acrylic paint, vintage German text, distress inks, stenciling, and rubber stamping.  I stamped the bat from Oxford Impressions and trimmed it closely before adhering.  The English book text is my "found poetry" from a 1920s novel; I think it really contributes to the eerie feeling of this card.

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

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; patterned papers by Authentique; German book text; English book text; white acrylic paint; peeled paint, dusty concord, black soot, vintage photo and frayed burlap distress inks; alphabet stencil; Pitt black artist pen; white and black charcoal pencil; bat image from Oxford Impressions; post mark stamp by Stampa Rosa; Marvy marker (crimson lake); Adirondack black acrylic paint dabber.

Apothecary Shop Halloween Card

I created this greeting card to accompany the treat boxes I made yesterday.  The card is 3.75 x 9.25 inches and fits into a number 10 envelope.  It's not a size I've made very often, but it's perfect for when you want to stack a bunch of images vertically.

The stamped images are from Oxford Impressions and the patterned papers are by Authentique. The bottle of witch hazel (colored with wild honey and rusty hinge distress inks) and the raven are mounted on pop-dots for added dimension.  Combined with the 2-5-7-10 treat boxes, this card will make a fun Halloween vignette for my mom to display at their winter digs.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Black and orange cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock by Stampin' Up; patterned papers by Authentique; stamps from Oxford Impressions; Stazon black ink; wild honey, rusty hinge, black soot, and vintage photo distress inks; punchinella (sequin waste); stipple brush; oval Nestabilities die-cut; Martha Stewart border punch; twine from Stampin' Up; pop-dots.

Apothecary Shop Treat Boxes

Look at these cute Halloween treat boxes I created to send to my parents using more new stamps from Oxford Impressions.  Each box holds about 5 or 6 small ("fun-sized") candy bars, are easy to make, and can be decorated a zillion ways.

You can find the tutorial for these 2-5-7-10 boxes at Splitcoaststampers.

  You'll want to use a heavy cardstock for the base (I used Stampin' Up's black).  The patterned papers are by Authentique.  The images were stamped on vanilla cardstock and colored with distress inks.  I think I'm in love with the skeleton, which has great detail yet is easy to cut out.

Have a great day!  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Black and very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; orange cardstocks by Bazzill; patterned papers by Authentique; rubber stamps from Artistic Outpost; black Stazon ink; vintage photo, black soot, and rusty hinge distress ink; ribbon from Michaels.

When Swallows Homeward Fly - Gothic Arch

I decided to showcase some rubber stamp images on my latest Gothic arch.  The bird cage is from Oxford Impressions and the swallow is by Hampton Art.  The sheet music is from a 1920s music book that I recently purchased at an antique shop.



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

Supplies:
Watercolor paper (140 lb.); patterned paper by My Mind's Eye; vintage sheet music; rubber stamps by Oxford Impressions (cage), Hampton Art Stamps (swallow and frame), Stampa Rosa (postmark) and unknown (south and destination); Versamark ink; black detail embossing powder; distress inks: fired brick, pumice stone, vintage photo, dusty concord, scattered straw, and frayed burlap; round and star-shaped sequin waste; Adirondack gold and black acrylic paint dabber; charcoal pencil.

Wander - Gothic Arch

Sixteen people have expressed interesting in making Gothic Arches to trade when we meet in January 2013, so I need to get cracking!  I wasn't expecting that many people to sign up, and I really hope to make a trade with everyone.

The theme for the arches is birds with book text or sheet music, so I thumbed through an old dictionary to find a bird illustration and used that as the base of my house.  The patterned papers are from a new My Mind's Eye paper pad collection called Traveler.

Have a great Monday!

Supplies:
Watercolor paper (140 lb.); patterned papers by My Mind's Eye; old sheet music and dictionary page from my stash; egg clipart from ArtChix Studio; flourish stamp by Inkadinkado; Colorbox black pigment ink; clear embossing powder; Tim Holtz mini mask; various distress inks; charcoal pencil.

Corsets to Fit All Forms - ATC

This is an idea for an artist trading card that I've had for quite a while.  I finally got around to making it last night; it didn't take long and it helped fill the time while I was waiting for another project to dry.

I stamped the background image by Magenta in black, then blended about three different distress inks to get the lovely variation in color (it's a little darker in real life).  The corset was stamped separately on cardstock, colored with distress inks, and trimmed closely.  The text came from a miniature reproduction Sears and Roebuck catalog.

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

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; background stamp by Magenta; corset stamp by Hampton Art Stamps; flourish stamp by Inkadinkado; black Stazon ink; spun sugar, picked raspberry, spiced marmalade, and vintage photo distress ink; black Stazon ink; text from an old book; charcoal pencil; Adirondack copper and black acrylic paint dabber.

Pepe Loves Halloween

This cute little tyke from Artistic Outpost reminds me of a friend's son, so I made this Halloween card to send to her.  I colored the main image with Prismacolor pencils.  The patterned papers are by Authentique.



Thanks for dropping by!

Supplies:
Black cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by Authentique; black Stazon ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; EK Success border punch; pop-dots.

Hoot Hoot Halloween and Mini Cards

Autumn is officially here and is in full swing with chillier nights and falling leaves.  We have been enjoying the beautiful weather.  I just wish the sun didn't have to set earlier!

I made two of these Halloween cards that I'll send to friends.  The background paper is from Authentique.  I created the moon behind the owl by blending three colors of distress ink onto cardstock and then punching a circle.  Easy peasy!

I had some paper scraps leftover, so I decided to make a couple of mini cards (1 x 2.75 inches) using the same owl image.   I'll save these to trade at my art weekend.




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

Supplies:
Halloween card:  black cardstock and very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; purple cardstock by Bazzill; patterned paper by Authentique; rubber stamps from Stampin' Up; Stazon black ink; distress inks: mustard seed, spiced marmalade, rusty hinge, walnut stain, black soot; Prismacolor Premier pencils; circle punch; pop-dots.

Mini cards:  Watercolor paper (140 lb.); patterned paper by Authentique; owl stamp from Stampin' Up; tree stamp from Artistic Outpost; Stazon black ink; distress inks: mustard seed, spiced marmalade, rusty hinge, walnut stain, black soot; Prismacolor Premier pencils.

Halloween Owl - Gothic Arch

I'm participating in an art weekend in January 2013, when about 40 crazy, creative types will gather to trade art (ATCs, mini cards, inchies, chunkies, altered keys, art dolls, you name it).  The locals who are planning the get-together are also planning field trips to a variety of art-related locations and shops.  Based on the planning discussions alone, this weekend is sure to be a lot of fun and very inspiring!  To that end, I've asked the others whether they would like to trade Gothic arches that could then be bound together to create a keepsake book.  I set the theme of birds with book text or sheet music, but otherwise the subject matter,  media, and techniques are wide open.

Someone expressed an interest in Halloween-themed art, so my first Gothic arch features a sweet trick-or-treater from Artistic Outpost and an owl from Stampin' Up.  Both images were stamped on cardstock and colored with pencils.  My text is from an old German book. 

The inspiration has already started!  I probably wouldn't have made anything like this without the suggestion of one of the other participants.

Have a great day!

Supplies:
Watercolor paper (140 lb); patterned papers by Authentique; text from an old book; fence and girl stamp from Artistic Outpost; owl image from Stampin' Up; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Stazon black ink; Versamark ink; black embossing powder; Prismacolor Premier colored pencils; odorless mineral spirits; dark charcoal pencil; Ranger vintage photo and black soot distress inks; sequin mesh and stipple brush; Distressed Effects rub-ons by My Mind's Eye; Adirondack copper and espresso acrylic paint dabber.

The Bulldog - ATC

This artist trading card features a hunky guy from Alpha Stamps.  I started with another scrap background, but then found some old Tim Holtz paper with the Bulldog image.  Perfect!  I grunged up the edges with some Distressed Effects rub-ons by My Mind's Eye (more old stuff from my stash).

Happy Wednesday!

Supplies:
Strathmore ATC cardstock base; miscellaneous paper scraps; clipart muscle man image from Alpha Stamps; old admission ticket; Bulldog paper by Tim Holtz; other clipart by K & Company; Dee's Designs Distressed Effects rub-ons by My Mind's Eye; barn door distress ink; punchinella (sequin waste); charcoal pencil; Pitt black artist pen; Adirondack espresso and gold acrylic paint dabber.

Fig. 3 Birthday Card

Since I've been on a roll with the naked female torso stamp, I decided to use the one "nude-y" male figure stamp I own on my brother's birthday card.  I am very curious to hear what he has to say about it!

The main image was stamped on a patterned paper by 7 Gypsies and clear heat embossed.  I used distress inks to color the paper so that it coordinated with the other patterned paper by Karen Foster. 

Thank you for visiting my blog.  Have a fabulous day.

Supplies:
Black and ochre cardstocks by Bazzill; patterned papers by Karen Foster and 7 Gypsies; black pigment ink by Colorbox; clear embossing powder; Victorian velvet, vintage photo, walnut stain, and antique linen distress inks by Ranger; Fig. 3 rub-on transfer by DaisyD's; large bronze eyelet by We R Memory Keepers.

Funky Scrap ATC

I'm bad about cleaning up my art desk after I use it, so I always end up with leftovers from more than one project.  Tonight I decided to make an ATC using just the scraps on my desk, and I ended up with a pretty cool card!

All I had to do was arrange the papers in a pleasing layout.  The female torsos and c'est magnifique were already stamped.  I die-cut the 5 from a Flinch card and the red circle was punched from a moo that I had to scrap because of a glue mishap.  I love how graphic and interesting this card turned out.

Thanks for popping by!  Have a great Monday.

Supplies:
Strathmore ATC blank; female torso stamp by A Stamp in the Hand; sentiment stamp by Artistic Outpost; French script stamp from Stampin' Up; Stazon black ink; wild honey and vintage photo distress inks; miscellaneous patterned papers; old book pages; old sheet music; Flinch card; black Pitt artist pen; small circle punch; round Nestabilities die-cut; Adirondack espresso acrylic paint dabber.

Party of 5 - Moo

This is my third moo in a row featuring this female torso image, and I think I'm ready to move on to something different now.

The gold shimmer on this moo is thanks to some heat embossing.  Originally the plant/floral image at the bottom was stamped and heat embossed in gold also, but for some reason the gold became dull as I worked on the rest of the moo.  So I carefully traced over the gold with gunmetal Stickles (thank goodness I have steady hands!).  Additional glimmer comes from more gunmetal Stickles added to the number five, which was cut from a vintage Flinch card.

Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
Watercolor paper (140 lb.); wild honey, picked raspberry, and vintage photo distress inks; Stazon black ink; Versamark ink; gold detail embossing powder; French script stamp from Stampin' Up!; female torso image by A Stamp in the Hand; floral image from Artistic Outpost; number 5 from an antique Flinch playing card; gunmetal Stickles. 

Her Innocent Arts - Moo

Since I had some moo-sized backgrounds completed, I decided to go ahead and complete some cards using the stamps and supplies I had left out on my craft desk.

This background started with blended distress inks spritzed with water and stamped with a French script.  The torso image is also a rubber stamp.  I colored the torso with distress inks and added some cryptic words from an old novel.  The antique brass spiral was the perfect size, if you know what I mean (she said coyly, batting her eyelashes).

Have a great day!




Supplies:
Watercolor paper (140 lb.); stormy sky, vintage photo, wild honey, and mustard seed distress inks; Stazon black ink; French script stamp from Stampin' Up; torso stamp by A Stamp in the Hand; Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber; antique brass spiral (unknown); text from an old book.

Stand Up Straight - Found Object Sculpture

The watercolor class that I signed up for and which was supposed to start this week was cancelled due to low enrollment, so instead I signed up for a one-night mini class in found object sculpture and assemblage.  I've not done much 3D artwork, and this class seemed like a good opportunity to get my feet wet.  And I had a lot of fun!

I'm extremely pleased with my sculpture which combines a wooden spool, a small block of wood, metal embellishments, rusty wire, torn book pages, and sandpaper.  The idea to stack the book pages and sandpaper came from a project I saw in a magazine.

In this close-up photo you can see how I alternated the rusty wire with the paper.

And in this photo from overhead, you can see the two colors of sandpaper (gray and tan) interspersed with the book pages.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend.

I Sing the Body Electric - Moo

A lot of technique went into this little piece, which measures 1 x 2.75 inches.  They're called "moos" in the art world; I honestly wish they were called something else.

The base is watercolor paper blended with distress inks, sprinkled with water, stamped with music, and then sprayed with gold Smooch Spritz.  The torso was stamped on kraft cardstock but I decided it needed some jazzing up with distress inks and gold paint.  I love the final look.  Very artsy-fartsy!

Happy Wednesday!

Supplies:
Watercolor paper (140 lb); crumb cake cardstock from Stampin' Up; distress inks:  spiced marmalade, salty ocean, vintage photo; Composer's Dream stamp by Stampabilities; female torso stamp by A Stamp in the Hand; black Stazon ink; Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber; gold Smooch Spritz; Pitt fine black India ink pen.

Journal Page Background

I don't know what it is about fall, but it makes me want to be creative.  Maybe it's knowing that cooler days and earlier sunsets mean more time spent indoors.  Maybe it's the lovely autumn-themed vignettes I see around town.  Or maybe, just maybe, I'm finally getting my mojo back in anticipation of an ATCs for All gathering in 2013!  I am so excited to attend this event (the first of its kind for me) and I will need a lot of artwork to trade. Since I don't want all of my pieces to look alike (it's far too easy for me to fall into that kind of rut), I've resolved to push myself out of my comfort zone the next couple of months.

Because a lot of my artwork is vintage-inspired, I tend to work in muted, somber tones.  One of my resolutions is to play with more vibrant colors, and a great place to do that is in an art journal that is just for me.  With that in mind, this journal page started with a background of deep violet sprinkled with some stenciling in Naples yellow hue.  The larger white circles were stamped with the end of a toilet paper roll, and the black circles were stamped with a lid from a soap bottle.  No doubt more will get added to this page, but I'm going to let it rest a little before starting the next layer.

Thanks for popping in!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
Strathmore 5.5 x 8 inch Visual Journal (Mixed media-vellum finish); Liquitex deep violet acrylic paint; Liquitex Naples yellow hue acrylic paint; Colorbox white and black pigment ink; Adirondack white acrylic paint dabber; The Crafters Workshop Mini Ledger stencil; punchinella (sequin waste) used as a stencil; text from an old book; toilet paper roll; soap bottle lid; paint brush; stipple brush.

Hydrangea Beauty - ATC

I love old photographs.  When I see a basket of old pictures at an antique store, the first thing I do is find a place to sit down.  I know myself:  I *have* to look through the entire basket and I'll want to buy at least half of them.  But that's not really practical, so instead I sit down and take my time looking through them all, finally choosing only the ones that speak to me for some reason or another.  Once I get the photos home, I can scan and make copies of them in whatever size I want for my artwork.

This lovely young woman caught my eye because she is not only beautiful, but she is wearing a gorgeous evening gown with beaded straps and a halo of tulle around her shoulders.  Normally the women in photographs and cabinet cards from the early 1900s are wearing rather plain dresses with collars buttoned up to their chins.  I know that you can't see her outfit in this ATC, but at some point I will use the entire photo because she is just too stunning to keep hidden in a drawer. 

I used a laser copy of the photo and gel medium to transfer the image to a collage background.  The dried hydrangea blossoms are from my garden.

Thanks for dropping in!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
White cardstock ATC base; Tim Holtz stickers; sandpaper; distress ink; soft gel medium (gloss); laser copy of old photograph; Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber; dried hydrangea blossoms; mini white pearls.

When Aunt Agatha is in Love

You'll probably be seeing more ATCs from me in the next few months, as I'm attending an ATCs for All gathering in 2013 and I want to have plenty of artwork to trade.  I'm looking forward to finally meeting in person some of my artistic friends who live in other parts of the country.  It promises to be a fun-filled weekend.

Since I can make whatever I want to trade, I've decided to cut loose, use some of my coveted supplies, and try some new techniques.  For this card, I decided to be more playful with my found poetry.  I also used a white gel pen to jazz it up.  I'm happy with the result.


Thanks for dropping in!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
White cardstock ATC base; orange tickets from Stampington and Company; gel medium; black cardstock; peeled paint and black soot distress inks; photocopy of an old cabinet card; bat sticker by Martha Stewart; text from an old book; white gel pen; Pitt black artist pen.

You Ought To Be Afraid ATC

I'm getting an early start on Halloween-themed art this year, otherwise I tend to run out of time to make anything.  Since the stores are already selling Halloween candy (Brach's Indian corn--yum!), I figured I better get cracking.

I know it was not the style a century ago to smile when having your portrait taken, but I think this woman would have benefited from a little friendlier countenance.  No doubt she was someone's beloved grandmother, but it's hard to imagine, isn't it?


Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
White cardstock ATC base; patterned papers by Authentique; titanium white acrylic paint; vintage photo, peeled paint, and black soot distress inks; Adirondack copper acrylic paint dabber; bat sticker by Martha Stewart; paper ribbon by  Basic Grey; black cardstock by Bazzill; black and white charcoal pencils; text from a 1920s novel (cut out "found poetry style"); main image is a photocopy of an old cabinet card.

Hendersons at Home - Moo Triptych

I decided to try my hand at some "moos" tonight.  A moo is a small piece of art that measures 1 x 2.75 inches.  The size is challenging, but I had a fabulous time working within these dimensions (I found it much easier and more fun than making inchies).

The base of each moo and the roofs are 140 lb. watercolor paper that I covered with vintage text and scrapbooking papers.  I applied distress inks to the papers, then added further dimension by stippling on other ink colors through a stencil and through sequin waste.  I adhered the roof to the base, then used a sharp craft knife to trim away the top portion of the base, leaving just a chimney.

The three little tykes are my grandmother and two of her siblings.  I photocopied a picture of the three of them and used a round punch to cut out their faces (my great aunt's chin got chopped off when the punch slipped a little).

Happy Labor Day to my American followers!  I hope you are enjoying a relaxing day from work.

Supplies:
Watercolor paper (140 lb); vintage sheet music and vintage text; patterned papers; photocopy of family photo; numerous colors of distress inks; Tim Holtz stencil; sequin waste; Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber; charcoal pencil; 1 inch round punch.

Beautiful Lovely Delicate ATC

The last couple of weeks I've been sorting and organizing a jumble of arts and crafts supplies to put into a new storage cabinet.  As often happens with these types of projects, I think I have a bigger mess now than when I started.  But I do see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I took a brief break tonight to create this ATC using some small scraps that were too lovely to just throw away.  The background started with some Prima packaging.  The paper was coated, so I lightly sanded it (first horizontally, then vertically, to give it a linen look) before blending on some distress inks and spraying lightly with gold Smooch Spritz.  The main image was free clip art in a Stampington magazine and the text is from some vintage sheet music.

I haven't been creating much lately and it felt good to make something just for the heck of it.

Have a great day!

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; scrap of packaging from a Prima product; bundled sage and scattered straw distress inks; gold Smooch Spritz; clip art  image from Stampington; text from vintage sheet music; 7 Gypsies rub-on; Adirondack espresso and gold acrylic paint dabber; charcoal pencil.