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.

You're a Star! Father's Day Card

Taking care of my mom after her knee surgery has meant that I haven't had a lot of time for leisure activities.  But she continues to improve each day which means she can do more things for herself, freeing me to get down and dirty at my art table.  And just in time, too, because I still had to make a father's day card for my dad.

When I don't have a specific idea for a card, I flip through my Artistic Outpost stamps and hope that one jumps out at me.  This handsome gent from the Gatsby set gave me a sly wink as I passed by, sealing his fate for the evening.  I started by stamping him twice on a patterned pattern by BoBunny.  The first image was diecut with a Spellbinders oval; from the second image I fussy-cut my gent and adhered him on top of the first for dimension.  (And I just noticed that I lopped off his left ear, poor fellow!)

For the background, I doctored up two other patterned papers from the same BoBunny collection.  That included dry-brushing white acrylic paint, applying molding paste through a stencil, rubber stamping, and sponging on various distress inks.  I can't describe how much joy this process gives me; I could play for hours this way.  After adding the sentiment and some tinted charcoal pencil for shading, I sprayed the entire collage with acrylic sealant.  My Father's Day greeting was added to the inside of the card after the front was dry and assembled.

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

Supplies:
Brown cardstock by Bazzill; patterned papers by BoBunny; titanium white acrylic paint; Golden molding paste; Tim Holtz ruler stencil; fired brick, wild honey, gathered twigs, walnut stain and pine needles distress ink; Derwent forest pine and natural tinted charcoal pencil; rubber stamps from Artistic Outpost; star stamp by Tim Holtz; Ranger Archival black ink; oval and lacy oval Nestabilities by Spellbinders; border bunch by EK Success; pop-dots.

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.

Butterfly Sympathy

I created this sympathy card for a friend whose mother passed away last week.

I used a Glimmer Screens butterfly stencil and vibrant turquoise Dylusions spray ink to create the front.  On the inside I stamped a similarly shaped butterfly using peacock feathers distress ink, which is almost an exact color match to the Dylusions spray.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up.

Have a wonderful day.  Thanks for stopping by.

Supplies:
Turquoise and white cardstock by Bazzill; whisper white cardstock from Stampin' Up; Glimmer Screens butterfly stencil; Dylusions spray ink; sympathy stamp by Stampabilities; Ranger Archival black ink; butterfly stamp by Hampton Art Stamps; sentiment stamp on inside from Stampin' Up; peacock feathers distress ink; corner rounder punch.