Performance Poppies - Moo House with Inchie "Garage"

As the Mini House-athon was winding down the other night, I was rushing to complete two more moo houses for potential trade.  Things were going along pretty well until I decided to add some rubber stamping on top of my collage images.  I will let you learn from my mistake:  don't try to rubber stamp over two images that create a "valley" between them, no matter how shallow that valley is.  You won't get a complete image and if, like me, you used permanent ink, you won't be able to remove it.

So, what do you do when life gives you lemons?  You make lemonade! Or in my case, I just lopped off my stamping mistake and turned that moo into an inchie!  Once I added the roof, I decided it made a cute little garage for the other moo house.  It's not as great as my original design, but at least I was able to salvage something.

Thanks for dropping in and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Dream Weaver and Watch - Moo Houses

I've continued to make mini houses this weekend.  They are so much fun!  It's also a good way to use up those smaller scraps that are just too precious to throw away.  And because I was using scraps, I ended up making a bunch of single moo houses rather than coordinating pairs or trios.

These two started out with the same background paper, but then diverged.  No. 6, Dreamweaver, was made especially for someone who requested a woman in "my style."  I used one of my favorite images from Artistic Outpost that I colored with Prismacolor Premier pencils.  The 6 is a rub-on and the word on the roof is a word sticker from Tim Holtz.

No. 7, Watch, features a watch stamped on tissue paper.  It was adhered to the background using matte gel medium, which dries clear and allows the background to show through.  The eye and number 7 are both rub-ons.  I added color to the eyelid using a marker and Prismacolor pencil.  The word watch was cut from a reproduction 1900 Sears and Roebuck Catalog.  You wouldn't believe how cheaply you could buy a nice pocket watch back then.  Plain ones cost as little as 98 cents, while the most expensive men's watch, gold-filled, was only $9.60.  A fancy one made with Alaskan silver and featuring a "corrugated" pattern on the case cost $2.65.  I wonder what they would be worth now?

I still have more moo houses to make, so I better get cracking!  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

(S)heroes - Moo Houses

I created this trio of mini (moo) houses for a marathon on ATCs for All this weekend.  A mini house is simply a "moo" (a piece of art that is 1 x 2.75 inches), with some type of roof on top.  The optional theme for the first day of the marathon is Women, so I selected these three women from the She-roes plate by Artistic Outpost.

For my substrate, I adhered Tim Holtz patterned paper to 140 lb watercolor paper, dry brushed it with titanium white acrylic paint, and stamped on a crackle pattern.  The women were stamped separately on vanilla cardstock and colored with Prismacolor Premier pencils and distress inks before being cut out and adhered.  Additional papers and scraps of book text were layered on to fill in the composition.  The roofs feature the same patterned papers and rub-ons by 7 Gypsies.  The edges were all tipped with tarnished brass acrylic paint.

I really enjoy making these little houses.  The small size is definitely a challenge, but they can really pack a big punch if you do them right.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend. 

Supplies: 

Strathmore 140 lb watercolor paper; patterned papers by Tim Holtz; titanium white acrylic paint; crackle background stamp by Stampin’ Up; gathered twigs distress ink; women images from Artistic Outpost; very vanilla cardstock; Ranger Archival black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Derwent light charcoal pencil; vintage book text;  rub-ons by 7 Gypsies; tarnished brass acrylic paint by Ranger.

Authentic - Altered Domino Pendant

I've been meaning to make a domino pendant for quite a while, and last weekend I finally did it.

I began by tracing the domino shape onto a piece of white cardstock to use as a base.  To that I adhered a scrap of Tim Holtz patterned tissue paper.  The butterfly is a rub-on by 7Gypsies.  After lightly sponging seedless preserves distress ink around the edges, I adhered the Tim Holtz word sticker.  I also stamped on a French postal cancellation near the top, but it overpowered the composition so I lightened it by rubbing it with a baby wipe.

After adhering my collage to the domino using Golden matte gel medium, I painted the edges with a Krylon silver leaf pen.  I coated the entire top with Glossy Accents and let that dry overnight, then glued the bail onto the back using E-6000 adhesive.  The back was left uncovered so you can see the pips (the dots).

I gave this pendant to a friend of mine.  We had plans to meet for coffee and then to see a local theatre production of Hamlet (another friend's husband was in the cast).  When I saw what she was wearing, I couldn't wait for her to open the pendant: the color of her dress was almost the exact shade of the seedless preserves distress ink!  She wasn't wearing a necklace so she put the pendant on and it looked absolutely smashing.  I should have taken a picture but I completely spaced it out.  (For the record, my mom modeled the pendant so I could take these pictures for my blog.  She said, "As long as the picture is from the neck down!"  You are all my witnesses that I kept my promise about that.)

Thanks for popping in!

Supplies:
White domino; Tim Holtz tissue paper; 7Gypsies butterfly rub-on; seedless preserves distress ink; postal cancellation stamp by Hero Arts I think; Adirondack Archival black ink; Tim Holtz word sticker; Stabilo black All Pencil; Krylon silver leaf pen; Glossy Accents; silver jewelry bail; E6000 adhesive; necklace chain from Michaels.

Extra! Extra!

The brother that is receiving this 4x4 chunky for his birthday will also receive this card.

I adhered patterned paper to a chipboard circle and colored it with distress inks to match the other patterned papers (all by 7 Gypsies).  The buildings were stamped directly on the background with black soot distress ink which helps to make them look like they're in the distance. 

The cute little paperboy from Artistic Outpost was stamped on a scrap of vanilla cardstock, colored with Prismacolor pencils, and cut out before being adhered.  I stamped "extra" twice on patterned paper and again used distress inks to tint them.  They are attached to each other with a garment pin from my stash.

I can't believe it's the last day of August already!  Make it a great one.

Supplies:
Brown cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla and crumb cake cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by 7 Gypsies; stamps from Artistic Outpost; Ranger Archival black ink; dried marigold, tumbled glass, walnut stain and black soot distress ink; titanium white acrylic paint; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; punchinella; circle chipboard shape from Hobby Lobby; Martha Stewart border punch; Nestabilities lacy round die from Spellbinders; garment pin by Making Memories; pop-dots.

No Regrets - Mail Art Postcard

All work and no play makes Miss Iowa a very dull girl!  Fortunately, I got caught up with work this week and was able to reward myself with some art time last night.  I started a couple of different projects that I need to get in the mail soon.

I've had this particular postcard in mind for a couple of months, ever since I did my Bogey and Bacall postcards.  However, this time I was inspired to use more colors and additional stenciling in the background.  I like the juxtaposition of the bright, contemporary colors with the vintage image.  The butterfly and the sentiment are rub-ons.  This postcard will be sent in a clear envelope with an address label on the back so that everyone can enjoy Mae West along the way.  I think she would like that.

TGIF!  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Strathmore 140 lb watercolor paper; vintage Russian sheet music; picked raspberry, ripe persimmon and peacock feathers distress inks; Tim Holtz and Heidi Swapp stencils; computer-generated photo; Derwent lavender tinted and medium charcoal pencil; Ranger Archival black ink; Tim Holtz and 7 Gypsies rub-ons; Lumiere silver metallic acrylic paint; Adirondack silver acrylic paint dabber; Gelly Roll white pen.

Genuine Blue Butterfly and Sweet Poppy - Altered Dominoes

Quite a while ago I bought a cheap box of dominoes at a discount store.  I decided this was the week to try altering a few.  (I've altered some vintage wooden ones, which you can see here and here; but never any of the newer plastic ones.)  I have a few rubber stamps sized specifically for dominoes, so I started there but didn't like the results I was getting when I tried to color the images.  So I just covered up my experiments with collages.

The butterfly is a rub-on over vintage sheet music.  I added a stamped postal mark and word sticker and painted the sides with gold acrylic paint before sealing everything with glossy spray sealant.  The final step was to coat the entire top with Glossy Accents.

The poppy was stamped on cardstock, colored with pencils, and trimmed closely before being adhered over vintage Czech text that had been colored with distress inks.  I used a Krylon gold leaf pen to paint the sides, then sealed everything with glossy spray sealant.  To give the poppy added dimension, I gave just the flower and the word sticker a coat of Glossy Accents.

I think both of these dominoes will become magnets.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend.

Supplies:
Plastic dominoes; Golden soft gel medium (gloss); vintage sheet music and book text; white acrylic paint; picked preserves and vintage photo distress ink; butterfly rub-on from Seven Gypsies; poppy stamp from Oxford Impressions; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; postal cancellation stamp by Hero Arts; Ranger Archival black ink; word stickers by Tim Holtz; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Adirondack gold acrylic paint dabber; Krylon gold leaf pen; peat charcoal pencil; glossy acrylic spray sealant; Glossy Accents.

Endless Despair of the Soul - ATC

So this is what happens when I force something:  I end up with a piece that's messy, a little off composition-wise, and in a word, disappointing.  I've been wanting to make an ATC for trade or for a RAK (random act of kindness), and yesterday was the day.  However, once I sat down I just wasn't feeling it.  Still, I kept plugging away and although I really liked the background and the combination of colors, an impending electrical storm caused me to rush some decisions on the placement of the text.  And then mucked up fingers (from gel medium) caused a "boo boo" that I tried to fix.  So I will keep this one for myself, and perhaps use it on a journal page about patience!

(Can you tell where the boo boo happened?)

On the bright side, the thunderstorm that blew through did not contain the quarter-sized hail they were predicting, and the much-needed rain will activate the lawn fertilizer we applied earlier in the day.  Not to mention a bad day of arting still beats a good day of working.

Thanks for stopping by!   Have a great weekend.

Supplies:
Strathmore Bristol Smooth ATC blank; vintage Czech book text; Tattered Angels Glimmer Screens fanciful stencils; Dylusions vibrant turquoise ink spray; vintage Flinch card; vintage postage stamps; 7 Gypsies rub-on butterfly; vintage book text; white acrylic paint; punchinella (sequin waste); peat charcoal pencil; Adirondack espresso and vintage photo acrylic paint dabber.

Birthday Fortune

I am horribly behind on sending birthday cards to my friends.  I have a good excuse:  I'm swamped with work this fall.  But I still feel guilty so I'm determined to make some cards this week and get them in the mail.

The main image from Artistic Outpost was stamped on kraft cardstock and colored with Prismacolor pencils.  I highlighted her jewelry using Glossy Accents.  The patterned papers are by 7 Gypsies.

Have a great day!  Thanks for popping by.

Supplies:
Brown cardstock by Bazzill; kraft cardstock by Stampin' Up; patterned papers by 7 Gypsies; stamped images by Artistic Outpost; Ranger Archival black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; vintage photo distress ink; copper brads from Michaels; pop-dots.

The Key to Tennessee Avenue - Moo House

The background for this mini house started with a Monopoly deed card (for Tennessee Avenue) that was in my goodie bag at ARTzona 2013.  I sanded it lightly so it would take some distress ink, then added the white rub-ons.  The large key and number 4 are also rub-ons.    I felt like the card still needed something, so I went digging for the miniature metal key which was the perfect size.

Guess who now plans to hit the local Goodwill stores in search of a Monopoly game?  hee hee

Thanks for dropping by.

Supplies:
140 lb watercolor paper; Monopoly game card; rusty hinge and pumice stone distress ink; distress rub-on by My Mind's Eye; key rub-on by Recollections (Michaels); number 4 rub-on and mini metal key by 7 Gypsies; Adirondack black acrylic paint dabber; waxed linen thread by Books by Hand (available through Dick Blick).

Never Drive Faster...

I needed a birthday card for a biker buddy this week and wanted to use some transportation-related stamps from Artistic Outpost.  But after I wasted an entire evening trying to create my own background paper without achieving the look I wanted, I became frustrated and gave up.  I was running out of time if I wanted to get the card in the mail on time, so I switched gears and used some patterned papers from 7 Gypsies instead.

I used a stipple brush and sequin waste to provide a background for the sidecar.  As luck would have it, the brush had some leftover distress ink on it from an earlier project (salty ocean or mowed lawn, or maybe both), and when combined with pumice stone distress ink, the color matched the muted green of the 7 Gypsies paper.  Gotta love those happy accidents.

Thanks for popping in!  I hope you have a great day.

Supplies:
Black and gray cardstock by Bazzill; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by 7 Gypsies (Venice collection); stamps from Artistic Outpost; Tsukineko tuxedo black ink; pumice stone distress ink; black snaps by Tim Holtz; clear rhinestone (for motorcycle headlight); round and scalloped round Nestabilities; Martha Stewart border punch; pop-dots; Glue Dots.

A Wish for a Friend

Our weather has been so nice this month that it's been hard to stay indoors.  And certain spring gardening and lawn chores that normally wait until April needed to be done in March (I've even mowed the grass already).  But I sat still long enough last night to make this card to send to a friend whose mother is in the hospital.  That's a stressful enough situation, but imagine that your mother lives thousands of miles away in another country.  There's not a whole lot you can do except worry and hope for good news.

I used some lovely patterned papers by 7 Gypsies to frame this fun image of two friends by Oxford Impressions.  The stars are from the Spellbinders Moroccan Accents set.  I hope this card will bring some joy to my friend's day when she receives it.


Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Brown cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by 7 Gypsies; white cardstock from Oxford Impressions; main image from Oxford Impressions; sentiment from Stampin' Up; walnut stain distress ink; Memento tuxedo black ink; deckle-edge scissors; EK Success border punch; oval and scalloped oval punch from Stampin' Up; Moroccan Accents Shapeabilities; copper brads from Michaels; 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.

A Little Bird Told Me

I am so excited that spring is almost here!  I can hardly wait for warmer days, tulips and daffodils in bloom, and green grass.  And of course everyone is on the lookout for the first robin to appear.

I don't know if this bird is a robin (I didn't color him that way), but to me he signifies spring.  He is backed by some of my favorite papers from 7 Gypsies.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend.

Supplies:
Goldenrod cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by 7 Gypsies; bird stamp by Graphic 45; Stazon black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; rectangle and scalloped rectangle Nestabilities by Spellbinders; corner rounder punch; scalloped border punch by Martha Stewart; mini black brads and black button brads; pop-dots; Glossy Accents (on the bird's eye).

Excess Value

I'm trying to get my mojo back after having the flu.  I just sat down at the craft table tonight and started playing around with a variety of clip art and paper goods, with no particular ideas in mind.

This card is a combination of vintage ephemera (German text and Flinch playing card), new clip art, and a little bit of ink and charcoal pencil.  I decided to not use a human figure, because it had been a while since I'd done that.




I hope you had a great day!  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; vintage German text; vintage Flinch card; clipart from 7 Gypsies; butterfly and red clipart from ArtChix Studio; medium charcoal pencil; fired brick and walnut stain distress ink; Archival jet black ink; Liquitex matte gel medium.

Beautiful Birthday

This is the birthday card I made for my mom earlier this month.  The main image is from Artistic Outpost.

It's bitterly cold here!  Time for another cup of hot tea.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Supplies:
Stamps: Artistic Outpost, 7 Gypsies, Tim Holtz and Serendipity Stamps; brown cardstock by Bazzill; decorative papers by Basic Grey; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; Archival jet black ink; aged mahogany and pumice stone distress ink; Prismacolor pencils; odorless mineral spirits; Swiss Dots embossing folder; Martha Stewart border punch; Martha Stewart pink twill ribbon; pop-dots.

Paris Sunset ATC

This is my third card for the Vintage French swap.  It combines two things I love to work with:  distress inks and a stunning female image.  And vintage text; that makes three things!

Oh, and stamps from Artistic Outpost and 7 Gypsies.  See how easy I am to please?

Have a great day!









Supplies:
Cardstock ATC base; vintage French text; peeled paint, Victorian velvet, spiced marmalade, and walnut stain distress inks; Archival jet black ink; Eiffel Tower stamp by Artistic Outpost; Paris stamp by 7 Gypsies; postmark stamp by Inkadinkado; female clipart from ArtChix Studio; medium charcoal pencil; Adirondack copper paint dabber.

Balzac's Babe ATC

Tonight I started to work on some ideas for my cards for an ATC swap with the theme of "Vintage French."

My Eiffel Tower by Artistic Outpost is leaning a little bit so I'll keep this card for myself, but I like the overall look of this card so I plan to make a second version for the swap.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend.



Supplies:
White cardstock base; French text background; Eiffel Tower stamp by Artistic Outpost; Paris stamp by 7 Gypsies; vintage woman clipart from ArtChix Studio; black decorative paper from Paper Pizazz; Prisma paper flower; black German scrap corner from Alpha Stamps; black soot and Victorian velvet distress ink; Adirondack metallic silver paint dabber; medium charcoal pencil; pewter mini brad.

So Ever Grateful, Dahling!

I received such wonderful gifts from my friends in our December 2010 Secret Santa exchange!  They were so generous and because they know me so well, everything they picked out is absolutely perfect.  I got busy and used some of my new supplies to make their thank you cards.

Jo sent me these gorgeous papers by Basic Grey and Carolina gave me the 7 Gypsies clear stamps used to create the background behind the focal image.

Have a great day!


Supplies:
Stamps:  Avignon set by 7 Gypsies; decorative papers by Basic Grey; brown cardstock by Bazzill; vamp clipart image from ArtChix Studio; Stampin' Up whisper white cardstock; pumice stone, antique linen, spun sugar and walnut stain distress ink; medium charcoal pencil; computer-generated text; Robin's Nest hyacinth Dew Drop (on her headpiece); self-adhesive pearls; Martha Stewart border punch; pop-dots.

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.