If You're Lucky Enough to Be Different - Greeting Card

Do you ever sit down to make something and end up making something else?  (All the time, right?)  Well, that's what happened with this card.  I was trying to make a couple of cards using some monoprints I created (I'll talk about them in a different post), and they just weren't coming together.  So I switched gears and made this card which I plan to send to a friend.  She loves the color purple and I know she will get a kick out of the little girl on the front.  I've nicknamed her Celie, after the character in The Color Purple.

The background started with my monoprint.  To that I added a strip of vintage sheet music (my friend is a classically-trained vocalist) and a circular graph cut from a vintage engine manual (just guessing here, but my friend probably knows little about vintage engines, or modern engines, for that matter).  The sentiment and the Celie "paper doll" are Tim Holtz products.  The butterfly is a rub-on by 7 Gypsies.  To age the papers, I sponged distress inks around the edges.  A dark charcoal pencil was used to outline the sentiment and Celie; a blending stump and my fingers helped to smudge the charcoal.  Because of the charcoal, this card got a quick spritz of acrylic sealant as a final layer.

Thanks for stopping by!  If you haven't already done so, hop over to this blog post and enter to win an original piece of mail art.  You have until July 13, 2018, to enter.  (That's Friday the 13th.  Ooooooh...)

Supplies:
Purple and white cardstock by Bazzill; monoprint on Strathmore bristol vellum paper using purple acrylic paint; vintage sheet music and graphic illustration from my stash; sentiment and paper doll by Tim Holtz; butterfly rub-on by 7 Gypsies; mustard seed and walnut stain distress ink; dark charcoal pencil.

Happy 80th Birthday, Bev!

The mother of one of my childhood friends recently turned 80, and the lounge where she tends bar once a week had a kick-ass party for her.  Her birthday was the day before Thanksgiving which meant a lot of people had the next day off and thus could go to a party on a Wednesday night.  Even her son from Texas was able to come, and the bar hired a popular local band to play.  A pleasant surprise for me personally was seeing another childhood friend and her sister there.  It was by far one of the best birthday parties I've been to in a long time.  I certainly hope I'm still rocking it out when I'm 80!

I created this card for Bev and thought it turned out really cute.  I used one of my favorite images by Tim Holtz and colored it with Prismacolor Premier pencils.  The flower is by Petaloo and it coordinated beautifully with these patterned papers by Teresa Collins.

Have a great day!  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Black and amber cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by Teresa Collins; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; focal image by Tim Holtz; sentiment from Stampin' Up; Ranger Archival black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; oval and lacy oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; banner die by Spellbinders; antique linen distress ink; Martha Stewart border punch; pop-dots.

(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.

If You Won't Sing in the Car with Me - Postcard

Every year I buy a large wall calendar for my home office.  My first choice is a calendar that features corgis; I think they're just adorable and looking at their happy faces makes ME happy.  But sometimes a corgi calendar is hard to find and I have to select something else.  Last year I ended up buying a calendar that featured classic automobiles, for the sole reason that I knew the car images would make great collage fodder!

With 2016 behind us, I started to cut up the car calendar and then didn't waste any time using one of the images, a 1955 Ford Thunderbird.  After trimming the car closely, I went in search of a driver and found this serious gent in an 1890s magazine.  Doesn't he look like the kind of guy who buys himself a convertible during a midlife crisis?  In reality, he just happened to be the right size and orientation to sit in my car.  I made a horizontal slit along the dash board and inserted my driver so it looks like he's driving the car (use your imagination).

For the background, I started by gluing an old road map to a 5x7 piece of watercolor paper.  I swiped the map with white gesso, then added stenciling and the yellow border using distress inks. The illegible text and gray "blobby" images are rubber stamps from Artistic Outpost.  The double circle image was made using an empty roll of scotch tape.  Because distress inks are water soluble, I sprayed everything with a workable fixative before proceeding.

I computer generated the text on my computer and printed it on cardstock.  I also computer-generated a new personalized license plate for my gent (the recipient will understand).  After adhering the car, I added some outlining using a black Stabilo All-Pencil.  Because the All-Pencil is also water soluble, I sprayed the completed postcard with acrylic sealer once I was finished.

I kept the address side very simple.  And because of all the wet weather we've been having across the country, I popped this postcard into a clear cellophane envelope for mailing.  My real postage stamp, which was adhered to the outside of the envelope, was large enough to cover up the faux Abe Lincoln stamp on the postcard.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day.

Supplies:
Strathmore 5x7 140 lb watercolor postcard; old road map; Golden white gesso; calendar and vintage magazine images; harlequin and bubble stencils by Tim Holtz; text and blob stamps by Artistic Outpost; spiced marmalade, ripe persimmon, mustard seed and peacock feathers distress inks; Ranger Wendy Vecchi watering can ink; black Stabilo All-Pencil; postcard header stamp from Artistic Outpost; Abe Lincoln stamp by Deep Red Stamps; authentic mail art sentiment by Red Lead; hand stamp by Tim Holtz; Ranger Archival jet black ink; Stazon blazing red ink.

Happy Birthday - Shaker Card

A friend of mine who is also a rubber stamper sent me an envelope of transparencies and issued a challenge: I am to make her a shaker card, and she will do the same for me.  As long as I've been stamping, I have never made a shaker card!  So I watched a few tutorials and as practice, made this shaker card for my mom's birthday card.

I didn't feel like stamping, so I selected this sweet girl from a pack of Tim Holtz instant ancestors.  Then I shopped my stash for a vintage-style patterned paper and found this collage print by Basic Grey which was just perfect.  It was a little more difficult to figure out what to put in the shaker.  Seems like most people are using sequins or shaped confetti, of which I have none.  But I have several colors of microbeads and they are ideal.  Not only are they small enough, they make a wonderful sound when you shake the card.  I added some freshwater pearl beads that I originally bought for jewelry making but wasn't able to use the way I wanted because the holes are too small.

The lace along the bottom was in a small package of miscellaneous laces I purchased at an antique shop.  The final touch was the green scalloped oval frame that I made using two Spellbinders dies.

This shaker card turned out pretty cute considering it was a spur of the moment decision to make it and I didn't buy any new supplies.  I think my mom will like it, too.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a grand day.

Supplies:
Green and ivory cardstock by Bazzill; patterned paper by Basic Grey; Tim Holtz found relative; copper microbeads; freshwater pearls; foam adhesive strips from Stampin' Up!; Scotch foam tape; transparency; scalloped oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; vintage lace; brushed corduroy distress ink.

Man's Best Friend

My big brother's birthday is this week and although I'm not certain he really appreciates a handmade card, that is the only type I send (if I send one at all).  In this case, I'm using one of my earliest Tim Holtz stamps which features a little boy and his dog.  It's pheasant season right now and my brother has been spending a lot of time with his dog, so I think he'll like this image.

As part of my effort to use supplies that I have, I pulled out some Bo Bunny papers that I've had for at least three years and have used only once (to make this Mother's Day card in 2013).  I like the rich hues in this collection (called Serenade) and the fact that the patterns are appropriately sized for smaller projects even though the papers are 12x12.  The focal image and the sentiment were stamped on one of the solid papers in the collection and die-cut.  I sponged scattered straw and vintage photo distress ink around the edges to age the papers a little.  The square brad is another old item from my stash.  Its main purpose is to finish off that awkward, straight end of the banner.

Winter has arrived with its old pals Snow, Cold and Wind, so I'm happy to stay inside and be creative.  Thanks for stopping by to share this day with me!

Supplies:
Black cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by Bo Bunny; focal image by Tim Holtz; sentiment from Stampin' Up; Ranger Archival black ink; scattered straw and vintage photo distress inks; oval, scalloped oval, and banner dies from Spellbinders; border punch by Martha Steward; fancy brad (unknown); pop-dots.

Fun For All Ages

I created this thank you card for a friend who recently surprised me with a gift of art supplies.  She understands my love for old-timey dudes with big mustaches, so I bet she will laugh when she opens this card.

My "fun guy" is a found relative from Tim Holtz.  His name is Lester and I paired him with some circus-themed papers by the Paper Studio and added the 5 cent thingamajig as kind of a wink wink.  I know that folks back in the 1800s must have had SOME fun, but they sure don't look like it based on their portraits!

Have a fabulous day!

Supplies:
Gray cardstock by Bazzill; naturals ivory cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by the Paper Studio; found relative by Tim Holtz; custom fastener by Tim Holtz; vintage photo distress ink; pop-dots.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

I created this card for a friend who is turning the big 4-0.  We had a great time celebrating the occasion and I'm happy to say that she can still party like a rock star.

Since she's the baby of the family I decided to make her a sweet card using one of my favorite Tim Holtz images.  I combined it with pretty papers by My Mind's Eye and used four different Nestabilities to create some lovely layers.   The large ribbon flower from Michaels was jazzed up with a little glitter glue.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a grand day.

Supplies:
Dark pink and light pink cardstock; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; focal image by Tim Holtz; Ranger Archival jet black ink; oval and lacy oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; banner die-cut by Spellbinders; birthday sentiment from Stampin' Up; pumice stone distress ink; flower from Michaels; Stickles glitter glue.

Take the Scenic Route - Tag

This project grew out of some paper scraps that were simply too pretty to throw away.  They weren't quite big enough for a card, so I decided to make a tag.

I started with a black tag purchased at a craft store.  After adhering the patterned papers, I dry-brushed titanium white acrylic paint all around the tag and sponged on some pumice stone distress ink.  I stamped on the white spatters using pigment ink.  Then I went in search of a focal image.  I settled on this photograph which was in an envelope of old snapshots gifted to me by a friend of my mom's.  She found the photos among her mother-in-law's things when she passed, and sent me the ones of people they couldn't identify.  I like the looks of this couple:  he with his fuzzy caterpillar mustache and she with her dandy fox stole.

I made a copy of the photo and trimmed it with a deckle scissor.  Next I selected the Tim Holtz Small Talk sticker and the vintage postage stamps.  Before adhering everything, I amped up the background by stenciling on dusty concord distress ink through a piece of punchinella.  Final touches included rubber stamping and outlining.

I covered the back of the tag with a road map of France.  It wasn't a particularly old map so I aged it a little with white gesso and pumice stone distress ink.  I added a border of silver leaf and tied a length of dyed seam binding through the hole to complete the tag.  Before I send it, I'll be writing a short message to the recipient.

Thanks for visiting my blog.  Have a great day!

Supplies: 
Black chalkboard tag from Michaels or Hobby Lobby; miscellaneous patterned paper; vintage sheet music scrap; titanium white acrylic paint; pumice stone and dusty concord distress ink; Ranger Archival watering can ink; Colorbox white pigment ink; splatter background stamp by All Night Media; script stamp unknown (Stampington?), round French postal cancellation unknown (Hero Arts?); vintage postage stamps; Tim Holtz word sticker; Derwent lavender tinted charcoal pencil; black Stabilo All Pencil; Golden white gesso; Krylon silver leaf pen; seam binding.

Stay Simple - Collage on Paneling Scrap *and* Best New Thing in the World

Before I share today's collage with you, I have to give you the backstory and tell you about the best new thing in my world.  We recently hired an electrician to install a new ceiling fan in the living room.  We also asked him to look at a ceiling light in the basement that has been acting up.  We've replaced it several times because the pull cords keep breaking off inside the fixture, and after the last time I just said "Forget it!" and have been screwing the bulb in and out every time I go into that room (which is every day).

So imagine the look on my face when the electrician asked whether we'd like that fixture wired to a switch.  What's this?  I could have a switch on the wall instead of burning my fingers on a hot bulb?  What a concept!  And since our basement ceiling isn't finished off, it was kind of an easy fix. Well of course we said YES.  And now I have my very own light switch that turns on both ceiling lights in the room I use to make my art!  I've been doing the happy dance for days.  Funny thing is though, I keep forgetting it's there!  At least three or four times I've walked into the middle of the room and reached up my arm to turn the light bulb.  Some days you just have to laugh at yourself.

After the electrician left, I had some dust and debris to clean up from installing the switch.  In the process, I found a small scrap of wood paneling from where he cut the hole in the wall.  I decided I needed to make something with that scrap, to sort of commemorate the occasion.  And so I created this magnet.

I don't know if you've ever dealt with 1960s wood paneling, but the stuff is as hard as nails.  It is not easy to cut which results in uneven, jagged edges.  So I left the uneven edges and just used a coarse emery board to scrape off any sharp bits.  I then stamped on the ticking stripe from Artistic Outpost using white acrylic paint (be sure to wash your stamp immediately if stamping with paint).  I used my fingers to smudge on various distress paints and stains around the edges.  My cute little guy, also from Artistic Outpost, was stamped on cardstock, colored with pencils, and fussy-cut before being applied with gel medium.  The word stickers are by Tim Holtz.  I used a black Stabilo All-Pencil to add some shading before sealing the front with acrylic spray sealant.

Thank you for stopping by.  I wish you a fabulous day.

Supplies:
Wood paneling scrap; stamps from Artistic Outpost; titanium white acrylic paint; Ranger Archival black ink; very vanilla cardstock from Stampin' Up; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; faded jeans and peeled paint distress paints; vintage photo and wild honey distress stains; vintage sheet music scrap; black Stabilo All-Pencil; Golden soft gel medium (matte); Tim Holtz word stickers; acrylic spray sealant.

Hi!

I thought I would be sooooo smart and make a quick, simple card by combining the scraps from my mom's Mother's Day card with a stamped image found during one of my recent cleaning sessions.  Yeah, not so much.  Several hours later (I did take a break or two), I finally had a card that was neither quick nor simple.  But just like life, art is a journey.  And I love a good road trip!

The first bump in the road occurred when I decided that my stamped image wasn't large enough.  I dug through my stash and chose this Tim Holtz image instead, then ended up cutting it down anyway so I could double-mat it.  And of course it just had to be colored with Prismacolor pencils.

So now I found myself down a back road where those bright patterned papers by My Mind's Eye didn't fit in, so I took a detour and antiqued those papers with acrylic paint and distress inks.  I got back on track by cutting and adhering the background papers.  A quick right turn to diecut and doctor up the sentiment got me headed toward home.  Before pulling into the garage, I used a tinted charcoal pencil to add some quick shading.  Whew!  I finally reached my destination after an unexpected but enjoyable journey.

Have a great weekend, and take a detour!  You may enjoy it more than your usual route.

Supplies:
Green cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; patterned papers by My Mind's Eye; Tim Holtz image; Ranger Archival jet black ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils; odorless mineral spirits; titanium white acrylic paint; frayed burlap and broken twigs distress ink; crackle background stamp from Stampin' Up; splatter background stamp by All Night Media; Derwent peat tinted charcoal pencil; punchinella; label Nestabilities and border die by Spellbinders; sentiment diecut by Little Yellow Bicycle; pop-dots.

He Never Wrote - Altered Cabinet Card

I was catching up on my blog reading the other night and you know what a rabbit hole that can be (but in this case, in a good way).  After following a few links and going back in time, I stumbled upon some altered cabinet cards.  This is something I've been meaning to try, and seeing these particular samples was just the impetus I needed.

Since this was my first attempt at one of these, I chose a rather plain cabinet card that didn't have any advertising on it.  Usually the photography studio put its name and location on the bottom of the card, and some have quite ornate graphics on the back.  But this particular card had none of that and therefore it didn't feel as precious to me, giving me the courage to just jump in and go for it.

"Before" picture

The first thing I did was to make a copy of the card and cut out my gent to use as a mask while I worked on the background.  I sponged some distress ink around the edges, but because of the photograph's slick surface I knew it would not stay.  So I dry-brushed titanium white acrylic paint all around my gent to give everything else something to stick to.  Along the bottom I adhered a scrap of vintage text, a piece from an old atlas and a strip of washi tape before brushing on more white paint.  The border is also a washi tape.

Then I started to fill in the background.  I stamped a crackle background, splatters and some handwriting using various colors of permanent ink.  I sponged gathered twigs distress ink around the edges and through a Tim Holtz stencil.  I lightly colored around my gent with a tinted charcoal pencil and smudged it with my finger.  I had already found the "He never wrote or received a letter" in an old book and with a bit of irony, decided to add a couple of vintage postage stamps.

I don't know who this gentleman is.  I rescued him from a box of old photos at an antique store and in return, he helped me to get over my fear of "ruining" him.  When he sat for this photo a century or more ago, I'm sure he couldn't even imagine that one day someone would give him new life in this way.  Makes you think, doesn't it?

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day. 

Supplies:
Vintage cabinet card; titanium white acrylic paint; peeled paint, antique linen, and gathered twigs distress ink; vintage book text; vintage atlas page; Tim Holtz washi tape; crackle background stamp from Stampin' Up; splatter background stamp by All Night Media; handwriting stamp by Hero Arts; postage cancellation stamps by Stampa Rosa and Deep Red; Ranger Archival watering can ink; Stazon saddle brown ink; Derwent forest pine charcoal pencil; Tim Holtz bubble stencil; vintage postage stamps.

Let's Play - Altered Envelope

A new month means it's time for another altered envelope exchange with the Addicts.  I've been playing with this group for two years now and always look forward to each month's exchange. I didn't realize how much I anticipated that one piece of mail until the month I didn't sign up.  I felt so left out that I decided I wouldn't skip another month, no matter how busy I am.

This month I made my own 5x7 envelope out of Strathmore bristol vellum paper.  It's a heavy paper (100 lb) so I don't have to insert anything extra inside, and because it's a smooth paper it's great for stamping.  I used stamps from a bunch of different vendors including the tricycle by Deep Red and the ball from Artistic Outpost.  I colored both images with Prismacolor Premier pencils.  The zigzag stitch and ruler are Tim Holtz images.  I sponged ripe persimmon distress ink around the edges, then used the same color to stencil on some bubbles for a tone-on-tone effect.

On the reverse, I stamped the borders and some fun sentiments before sponging and stenciling on ripe persimmon distress ink.

Thanks for popping in!  Have a wonderful day.

Supplies:
Strathmore bristol vellum paper; stamped images or sentiments by Artistic Outpost, Tim Holtz, Deep Red, Viva Las Vegas Stamps and Red Lead Paperworks; Adirondack Archival black ink; ripe persimmon distress ink; Prismacolor Premier pencils.

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.

Accordion Man - Altered Envelope

This is the altered envelope I sent to my March partner.  Her profile stated that she likes accordions and I just happen to have a rubber stamp of a man playing a concertina, which is kind of a cousin to the accordion.

I started by swiping the deep violet acrylic paint onto the envelope.  Once it was dry, I added the stenciling using chipped sapphire distress ink.  The musical washi tape wraps all the way around the envelope.  My guy was stamped separately on white cardstock and trimmed closely before being adhered.  The butterflies are rub-ons.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Liquitex Basics deep violet acrylic paint; chipped sapphire distress ink; Tim Holtz alphabet and bubble stencils; accordion man from River City Rubber Works; white cardstock; Adirondack Archival black ink; music washi tape; Tim Holtz butterfly rub-ons; white gelly pen.

Always...Love

I created this Valentine to send to my buddy Ron.  I'm sure he would prefer a real pin-up girl, but he'll have to settle for this paper one.

I started by creating a patchwork of patterned papers on the background.  I muted the tones by scraping on white gesso using an old credit card.  The raised letters and numbers were achieved by applying modeling paste through a stencil.  After the paste dried completely, I laid the stencil down again and sponged on some distress ink.

I ended up using a lot of Tim Holtz products on this card: the patterned papers, the film strip, two stencils, the ticket, the photobooth cutie, a rub-on and of course, distress inks (one of my all-time favorite art items).  I love the muted palette of this card which gives a nod to Valentine's Day but isn't overly feminine.

Thanks for dropping by.  Have a fabulous day.

Supplies:
Red cardstock by Bazzill; Tim Holtz products: photo booth image, patterned paper, film strip, ticket, alphabet stencil, burlap stencil; festive berries, stormy sky and gathered twigs Distress Inks; paper flower by Prima; antique copper brad; love die cut by Little Yellow Bicycle; heart punch by Marvy; Golden modeling paste; white gesso; titanium white acrylic paint.

Love Heart - Postcard

I've created several versions of this Valentine postcard to send to friends.  I like the bright, modern colors which are not always easy for me to work with.  But add a little black and white polka dot washi tape to the mix, and the final result makes me very happy.

I started by adhering torn sheet music and book pages to 140 lb watercolor paper, then gave it all a whitewash using gesso.  Some background stenciling was added next, using distress inks.  The heart was stamped separately on white cardstock, cut out and adhered to the background.  The washi tape was added to ground the composition before adhering the die-cut word.

Have a great day, and Happy Chinese New Year to my Chinese colleagues!

Supplies:
Strathmore 140 lb watercolor paper; old sheet music and book page; Golden white gesso; Tim Holtz and The Crafters Workshop stencils; festive berries, peacock feathers and pumice stone distress inks; heart image by Dina Wakley; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; splatter background stamp by All Night Media; Faber-Castell silver metallic gel stick; love die cut from Little Yellow Bicycle; miscellaneous washi tape; Stabilo black All Pencil; titanium white acrylic paint.

Photo Booth Valentines

I'm making a variety of Valentine's Day cards to send around the globe, literally.  The first batch of cards features some sweet photo booth images from Tim Holtz.

The background is a patterned paper that I toned down with acrylic paint and distress ink.  I layered the photo and a scrap of sheet music over a paper lace heart.

The sentiment was stamped on cardstock, punched with a scalloped oval and sponged with distress ink.

Valentine's Day was so much fun when I was a kid (back in the Dark Ages).  We'd decorate a shoe box to take to school, and come home with it full of sweet and "punny" little Valentines from all our classmates.  Sometimes one of the icky boys would surprise you with one that made you wonder if he secretly liked you, but really, it was all very innocent and just for fun.  I like being able to recreate that feeling now as an adult.

Have a fabulous day!

Supplies:
Red cardstock by Bazzill; patterned paper by Authentique; titanium white acrylic paint; splatter pattern stamp by All Night Media; festive berries, tattered rose and gathered twigs distress ink; paper heart from Michaels; vintage sheet music from my stash; photo booth image by Tim Holtz; sentiment by Hampton Art; Ranger Archival black ink; scalloped oval punch from Stampin' Up; corner rounder punch.

You Are Here - Tag

I haven't felt like creating much lately, but I did manage to squeak out this small tag that will make a sweet bookmark for someone.

I found the "You Are Here" stamp at a craft store and thought I could have some real fun with it, since I like to use old maps a lot in my designs.  I used a scrap of a map on this tag, although most of it ended up underneath the photo booth picture which is a Tim Holtz product.

Thanks for dropping by!  Have a wonderful day.

Supplies:
Tag from The Paper Studio; vintage map and textbook scraps; photo booth image by Tim Holtz; You Are Here stamp by Stampabilities; Little America postal cancellation stamp by Inkadinkado; splatter pattern background stamp by All Night Media; alphabet stencil by Tim Holtz; peeled paint, tumbled glass, gathered twigs and vintage photo distress inks; Ranger black Archival ink; Wendy Vecchi watering can Archival Ink; polka dot washi tape; Stabilo black All Pencil; gold seam binding.

ICAD No. 31 The Scholar

I kind of fell off the ICAD wagon for a couple of weeks.  I am so disappointed in myself (she wrote, somewhat tongue in cheek).  But we're starting a new month so I'm back on the wagon again.

Today's card was inspired by the academic theme that was posted for a couple of days ago.  I've worked in higher education my entire adult life, so the theme is right up my alley.  It reminded me of this old graduation photo I have in my stash.  I adhered a copy of the photo to a page from a 1934 spelling book and then gave it "the treatment" using acrylic paint, distress inks, rubber stamps, stenciling and a rub-on (the round clock-like image).

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
4x6 index card; page from an old spelling book; photocopy of old photo; Victorian velvet, vintage photo, walnut stain and black soot distress inks; Tim Holtz ruler stencil and stamp; Tim Holtz rub-on; white acrylic paint; punchinella; splatter pattern stamp by All Night Media.