LAST POST FOR 2010!

Sending warm wishes to all of you for the holidays!  Tomorrow I will be flying to Denver CO to spend 10 days with my family in Parker CO, so I won't be posting again until 2011!  Have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy your time with friends and family.  See you next year!                                                                  

ANOTHER CARD

This is a card I made for my grandaughter's birthday, which is the day after Christmas.  I also entered it into StampTV's sketch challenge for this week.

The cute little snowman stamp is from Stamp Oasis.  I added some glitter dots of snow and the biggest snowflakes were made with a Martha Stewart punch.  The small ones were from a bag of snowflake confetti.

Very appropriate since we are under a blanket of snow and it is freezing here!!  Hope you are keeping warm, wherever you are. . .

A Christmas Card

Lately, I have been into rubber stamping and making cards for various friends and a few challenges.  Here is one I made for the Hero Arts December challenge:

The scan does not show the crystal lacquer on the berries or the glitter on the leaves very well.  And the ribbon is a lot more sparkly also.  Looks much better IRL. 

Rubber stamping is my first love and I am having fun playing with stamps these days. 

Thanks for visiting. 

PAPER MAKING

No, not the kind you use junk mail and paper bits blended with water to make a pulp and press it into sheets of handmade papers.  This is a trick Mary Green taught us that is a lot less messy and the possibilities are endless.  You may remember seeing how I used these in the Mary's December challenge which I posted recently.

Here is one I made using a music sheet and a butterfly plate from an old encyclopedia:

And here is what I made using old book text and an end paper from a book:

I love the look of transparency this gives to the papers.  Check out Mary's blog for a detailed look at how to do this on your own. 

YUMMY GIVEAWAY

Rita at Let's Embellish is having a very nice giveaway over at her blog.  Hurry over to sign up, it ends on the 16th! 

Who wouldn't love to have all of these goodies to play with?  Good luck!

GREEN PAPER CHALLENGE FOR DECEMBER

Mary has provided three images once again for us to use in anyway we want for her monthly challenge.  Here is the collage I have made in my moleskine journal, which I have titled "In the Garden". 

I used two background papers that I created by combining a book page with a book inside cover sheet that had beautiful roses on it for the first one; and then I combined some old music paper with a butterfly page from an encyclopedia for the second one.  I added some flowers I punched from one of Mary's images to the dress and a couple of small strips music in a couple of places.  A red watercolor crayon and some stamped dots finished it off. 

Thanks, Mary, for another fun challenge. 

lesson seven and eight

In Mary Green's Collage Basics class, for lesson seven we were to make several torn paper backgrounds using a different medium on each - gesso, pastel acrylics, bright acrylics, sepia - or anything with which we wanted to experiment. Here is my background with a sepia image against red and green acrylics:

For lesson eight, we were to take the bright colored background and integrate the vintage sepia image to make it more compatible with the colored background.
Here is my finished piece:

Even though I don't dislike the bright colors; I do prefer to use softer, more vintage-like colors when making a collage with vintage images. 

Mary will be introducing a new online venture for 2011, which will be the Green Paper Collage Club.  Check out her blog for the details. 

Have a great weekend!

lessons five and six

Here are two ATC's I have done for the Collage Basics class.  We were to try using mostly vintage papers and an embellishment.  I have used all vintage papers for the queen and her castle.  I put the queen under one of Tim Holtz' fragments for the "embellishment" part of this ATC.  All of the papers used for the other ATC are vintage, too.  I added some stamping to both ATC's - just a bit of vine for the first and the blackbird and some more vines for the second.  There is no embellishment on the second one, but I like it the way it is. 

Thanks for visiting!

lessons three and four

For these lessons I attempted to combine patterns in a pleasing way and also use the golden mean theory of placement.  My collage is done on a 5.5 inch square and I wanted the colors/patterns to be soft and muted.  Added a bit of gold paper trim and punched flowers plus gold metallic ink around the perimeter - couldn't resist the urge to add some bling!

Now I am somewhat caught up with Mary's class until tomorrow.  It is so much fun to see the creations of others who are taking the class.  So much talent out there!

Thanks for visiting!

lesson two

Mary has wonderful tips on how to blend colors in this lesson.  I have tried to merge the orange/gold and blue hues of the kitty picture with the papers I chose for the background layers.  A butterfly adds a bit of whimsy, too!

This was a one-page collage in my moleskine - not much space; but I like working within the confined area.  

Check out Mary's blog for more information on her Collage Basics class. 

collage basics lesson one

Mary has started us out with a simple lesson in composition.  I have used a few vintage elements to create my ATC:

My week is very busy again; so this was done in a hurry - would have done it a bit differently if I had taken more time to think it through.  Oh, well - tomorrow is another day!

Mary's class is still available for anyone who would like to sign up!  Lots a collage sheets are provided for the class and Mary has many tips and tricks up her sleeves. 

Have a great day!

odds and ends

FLOTSAM:

AND JETSAM:

After having several stressful and demanding positions in the workplace, the last job I had was working for my friend's son-in-law (and his brother) who owned a laundromat with snack bar.  I worked two days a week and met so many interesting people.  My duties entailed just manning the snack bar and keeping  things neat and tidy.  There wasn't any stress at all in this job and I enjoyed working for two very nice guys!  Many times I would find little odds and ends of paper, buttons, stickers, metal objects, etc.  The two collages above include many of those items, along with some added stamping and images of my own.  I think I have a few more items in a little tin that I could incorporate into another collage.  Maybe someday. 

I am happy to be completely retired now - oops!  I forgot!  I do work occasionally for a few hours in a stamp store; but I really don't count that as work!  Too much fun. . .

Thanks for visiting!

GREEN PAPER CHALLENGE FOR NOVEMBER

Oh, my!  It is hard to believe that I have not posted since October 4th!!!  If anyone is still following me or has the least bit of interest in my posts, I apologize!!  Seems my life is way too busy these days, and my artwork is severely limited.  However, I do want to get back into the swing of things; so here is the spread I did in my moleskine journal for Mary Green's newest challenge:

I started with lots of papers for the background which I gessoed over; cut the two images into scalloped ovals and placed them on the floral card Mary provided.  (copied the images twice).  Then I layered on more papers, stamps, postage stamps and some blue watercolor crayon with more gesso where needed. 

This spread is a bit busy; but I like the overall effect of lots of stuff.  Mary is offering a new online class - Collage Basics - beginning November 7th - check out her blog for the details!

Thanks for stopping by. . .

green paper october challenge

Mary Green has another challenge for October on her blog.  We are to use all, or a portion of, three images she provided for our project.  I have done another spread in my moleskine journal:

Some of the background pages were from Mary's online classes and some were from my stash.  The butterfly is from Mary, also.  I used a watercolor crayon around the edges and some of the papers, too.  Shaded a bit here and there.  The Eiffel tower and faux Paris posts are from ARTchix.

Thanks for visiting. 

TAG TECHNIQUE SWAP

Lenna Andrews is hosting a tag technique swap and my tags are ready to be mailed.  However, I am still working on a hostess gift for Lenna and hope to get that done and head out to the post office this afternoon.  Everyone started with a blank book of 10 tags and envelopes.  We are to do all 10 tags and send the whole thing to Lenna.  We will get back 9 other tags plus one of our own to complete our books.  Here is my tag:

I used a Tim Holtz technique (sorta').  Smooshed three colors of distress inks onto a craft sheet; spritzed heavily with water and laid the tag on the ink.  Lifted straight up and set aside to dry.  Then I mixed some perfect pearls in water to make my own mist and sprayed the tags with it.  Stamped images after the tags were thoroughly dry.

Here is my envy (which we did not have to do anything to unless we wanted):

I brayered color over the entire envelope and then stamped.  Sponged some color around the edges.

It will be fun to see what my little booklet will contain when it comes back to me.  Thanks, Lenna, for another fantastic swap.

Lesson Six

I am so far behind with Mary Green's online class!  Sometimes life just gets in the way and there's no time for "play".  Here is my double page spread for lesson six. 

The prompt for this lesson was layers, and I have layered a lot of things on these two pages.  Borders, images, transparencies over postage stamps.  Added a final border with a brown watercolor crayon around the whole thing (thanks, Lenna!) 

GREEN PAPER CHALLENGE

Mary Green has a monthly challenge on her blog.  She provides a collage sheet and we are to use each image (entirely or in part) to make a collage.  She also has a random draw for paper ephemera for those who participate in the challenge.

This month's sheet featured Lillian Russell.  Here is my DPS done in my moleskin:

The background paper is from Mary's first class "Your Vintage Gluebook."  The theater, roses and Lillian's image were on this month's sheet.  I added the music, ticket, velvet flower and some stamped stars.  Also a bit of charcoal for shading. 

Thanks, Mary, for another fun challenge. 

COLLAGE COTERIE LESSON FOUR

Our fourth lesson in Mary Green's Collage Coterie class introduces us to using threes in composition.  The prompt is "Three's a charm".

Using my small moleskin journal again, I coffee stained the pages and let them dry.  Then I added images from Lisa's Altered Art and a German scrap flower from ARTchix.  A postage stamp, three faux gems, some charcoal shadowing and faint rubber stamped flourishes (Stampington).  Distress ink around the edges to enclose it all. I really like the coffee stained background - since I don't drink coffee, I had to ask a neighbor to save his grounds for me.  Needless to say, he was stumped when I told him I wanted to stain paper!  LOL

Thanks for visiting!

COLLAGE COTERIE LESSON THREE

Here is my spread for our third lesson in Mary Green's Collage Coterie class, in which we are to use shapes and also deconstruction of images.  I have combined the two by deconstructing the Eiffel Tower and using squares and circles for shapes in this spread.  I used an alphabet stamp set (Hero Arts) and a Paris postmark stamp (Stampers Anonymous), along with a brown watercolor crayon around the edges again.  Some tiny copper German scrap from Alpha Stamps.  

I really like the size constraints of my new little moleskin journal (3 1/2" x 5") and can see myself working with this size much more in the future.  A bit bigger than an ATC, but not as big as some journals I have seen. 

By the way, you can still sign up for this class - it is open and you can work at your own pace.  You won't be disappointed and the cost is minimal compared to other online classes that are out there. 

Enjoy the last full week of August, everyone!  Can't believe how quickly this summer has gone by. 

COLLAGE COTERIE LESSON TWO

Mary Green's second lesson in her online class "Collage Coterie" was color and contrast.  I decided to do a two-page spread:

I colored the little girls with chalks and placed them against a torn paper (some vintage and some not) background. The birds were provided by Mary on a collage sheet.  Did some shading around the images with colored pencils.  I added some postage stamps, rubber stamps and the dogwood branch was purchased in a package from Alpha Stamps.  The edges were colored with a brown watercolor crayon and then I used the water brush to wet them down.  (I learned this technique from Lenna Andrews :*)

Mary's first class was full of inspiration and I can see this one will be more of the same! 

TFL.

COLLAGE COTERIE

Mary Green's newest online class "Collage Coterie" started yesterday.  Her first lesson taught us how to use torn strips of vintage papers and gesso for a background.  The gesso tones the papers down a bit and makes them more cohesive overall.  I made two ATC's:

For the one on the left, I used an image from Lisa's Altered Art, some rubber stamps, punches and a scrap of patterned paper at the bottom.  The strips of paper were glued on vertically.  For the one of the right, I glued the strips horizontally.  A friend gave me the old photo and I used a postage stamp, some German scrap along the bottom, and a butterfly from Mary's Vintage Gluebook class.  Distress the edges of both with the distress tool by Tim Holtz and some distress ink. 

This is an ongoing class - you can sign up anytime if you are interested. Very informative and a fun Flickr group to share your creations. Mary is very generous with collage sheets for her classes, also.

Thanks for stopping by.

VINTAGE NOTECARD

Here is one of a set of notecards I am making - kinda' shabby chic/vintage style. 

I made the background with distress inks on glossy paper and stamped over it with a darling stamp from Lost Coast Designs.  Then I added some collage elements (heart and butterfly) from Lisa's Altered Art.  This was layered to a square paper doily and a ribbon and copper brad were attached to the left side.  I also edged card with a Pilot gold metallic pen. 

I love how soft the colors are on this card; but the scan makes the colors look a bit deeper than IRL!!

Thanks to Lynn Stevens, I am entering this in the Simon Says challenge for their "wings" theme. 

Thanks for visiting! 

FINAL ATC FOR GARDEN VARIETY SWAP

Today I took the time to make an ATC for the host of the Alpha Stamps garden variety postcard/ATC swap.  I made this one for Lenna and sure do hope she likes it!

The background is made with lettuce and stream dimensional pearls by Ranger.  Added some Magenta stamps and a tiny strip of music.  The items I purchased from Alpha Stamps are the images which are from K and Company and the tiny coppery German scrap along the bottom (love this!).  

Am hoping to get this in the mail tomorrow!!  Thanks, again, Lenna for such a fun swap.  

GARDEN VARIETY ATC

The swap hosted by Lenna Young Andrews requires that we make one ATC to trade, along with four postcards.  Each of these must include the use of one item from Alpha Stamps.  Two posts back, I uploaded the postcards I made for this swap.  Here is my ATC:

A few weeks ago I made a few ATC backgrounds using Ranger's Adirondack Dimensional Pearls.  I put a few drops of two colors on cardstock and spread them around with an old credit card.  Some were done with a red pepper and butterscotch combination; some with a lettuce and stream combination.  For this ATC, I used the red and butterscotch background and added rubber stamped tiny flowers (Magenta), a sentiment (Annette Watkins) and a loopy border (A Stamp in the Hand) to the background.  Then I used a pretty floral image from one of Alpha Stamps collage sheets plus a bee transparency from K and Company, also ordered from Alpha Stamps.  A bit of gold metallic pen around the edges to finish it off.

Now I need to make another ATC or postcard for Lenna (not required, but only fitting due to all the effort she puts into her swaps!) and get them in the mail.

Thanks for stopping by! 

GREEN PAPER PACKAGES CHALLENGE

Mary Green has a new challenge this week using a collage sheet she has provided on her blog.  We are to use all of, or a portion of, the three images she has offered.  Here is my collage:

I decided to add some color to Lady Randolph Churchill's image and then created my collage on a 6 inch square of Tim Holtz designer paper.  The flourishes are Tim's dies also. I sponged some distress ink around the edges to ground it a bit and decided to stop there before I really messed it up!!

Check out Mary's blog for the details of the challenge - and to see what others have created!  

TFL 

alphastamps postcard swap

Lenna Young Andrews is hosting another swap on her swap blog.  We are to create four postcards and one ATC to swap; using just one item from a plethora of beautiful products to choose from provided by alpha stamps. Here are the first two postcards I made:

I used distress inks and a gorgeous sunflower stamp by Donna Salazar to make all of the backgrounds on my postcards.  Then I collaged items from several different products offered by alpha stamps.  A floral collage sheet called Tallulah's flowers; a K & Company pack of die-cut cardstock and acetate images (this is my favorite thing I ordered from them - 65 fabulous pieces of many different things - butterflies, bees, flowers, birds - I was amazed!  And, many have a copper metallic accent on them.  Love this package!!!)   I also used some Graphic 45 images and some from a sheet called Creative Scraps.  Here are the last two I made:

Since there is a lot of coppery accents on some of the K & Company images, I edged my postcards with a copper Krylon pen.  Also added some clear dew drops and some speckles with a Magenta background stamp.  Still have to make an ATC and also something for our fabulous swap coordinator - Lenna!  Hopefully those will be done today or tomorrow and I can mail the whole shebang to her this week.  (Fingers crossed, Lenna!)  This was so much fun - I ordered a lot of stuff from alpha stamps and I have enough "leftovers" to create many more beautiful ATC's, postcards, cards or collages. 

If you have never joined one of Lenna's swaps, I highly recommend that you do - the newest one is a tag technique swap and I am hoping to participate in it.  Check out Lenna's blog for the details to sign up.  Lenna is a fantastic swap hostess - upbeat, encouraging, organized and so artistic, too!  Can't wait to see the postcards I will get back from this swap.  Thanks, Lenna!

100TH POST GIVEAWAY WINNER!

After putting all of the names of those who commented on my 100th post giveaway into a big blue bowl, I pulled out the WINNER:

BARBARA DELISLE!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, BARBARA!  I will mail the collage out to you on Monday.  I am sorry I don't have one to send to everyone, but thanks for your sweet comments and I hope to continue posting and visiting your blogs, too!  It is so much fun to "meet" new friends through their blogs, isn't it??

Have a great weekend!

another green paper challenge

One of the gals who participated in the YVG ATC swap received an empty package because someone had opened the envy and removed the contents.  That is so discouraging!!  I decided to make an ATC to send to Jo using the challenge pieces Mary provided for her current challenge.  The background is patterned paper and the two strips of German scrap are from Alpha Stamps.  The music strip was sent to me, but I don't remember who sent it :(  The little butterfly is from a free image sheet provided by Mary in the Your Vintage Gluebook class.  I hope Jo will like this one.

Thanks again, Mary, for your generosity in providing the images!

Green Paper Challenge

Mary Green is hosting a challenge which ends July 14th.  She will also send a fabulous vintage paper assortment to a randomly drawn winner at the end of the challenge.  I used the required three images and added some other ephemera, a postage stamp and rubber stamp, too.  Mounted on dark brown cardstock, I think I will use this as a cover for a journal. 

TFL.

Your Vintage Gluebook ATC swap

Some of Mary Green's Your Vintage Gluebook class members participated in an ATC swap.  Here are five of the ATC's I received in the swap.  Top row, left to right:  Micki Mikesell, Rosalie Ackerson and Penny Shilling.  Bottom Row:  Jo Urbani and Linda Freeman. 

The sixth one, above, is by Susan Warnick.  She enclosed hers in this adorable folder:

All of these ATC's are just wonderful and the details are so amazing.  I love each one of them!!  Thanks to Mary Green for hosting this swap. 

Mary also has posted a challenge for anyone who would like to play - check it out!!

Thanks for looking!

Summer 2010 Just Cards!

This is one of four cards of mine which was published in the newest issue of Just Cards!  I have always loved Paula Best stamps and this is one of my favorites. 

Another of my cards is on page 43 in the current issue of Scrap & Stamp (July 2010).  It's always a thrill to have something published!!

Thanks for visiting!

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy 4th of July to my friends in the good old USA!!

This card is for the Hels Sheridan's Sunday Stamper challenge.  The theme is rhinestones (or gems).  So, I took the Studio 490 heart, made it red, white and blue an added red, blue and clear gems all over. However, the clear gems do not show up as clear in the scan!  Background stamp by Impression Obsession, large stars by Magenta.  Sentiment is by Stacy Stamps and the tiny stars are by Rubber Moon.

This is my first time to participate in Hels' challenge. 

Thanks for visiting.

GIVEAWAY!!!!

This is my 100th post!  Even though I have been lax in posting for the past few weeks, I am hoping to get back into blogging on a more regular basis.  Sometimes there's just not enough time to devote to all the things I enjoy doing!

To celebrate my 100th post, all the names of those who comment to this post will be put in a drawing to win the above-pictured collage I recently made just for this occasion.  If you are a follower of my blog and you make a comment, your name will be entered twice.  The drawing will be held on Saturday, July 10th at 6:00 p.m. EST. 

Good luck and thanks for stopping by!

ARTchix Sister-Site lottery

Today is the last day for the beach babes lottery for the Artchix Sister-Site yahoo group.  This is the ATC I made for the lottery, using an image from an ARTchix collage sheet.  If you are a member of this group, you have until 2:00 p.m. EST today to submit a card for the drawing!  There are 18 ATC's up for grabs so far!  Good luck.

I have been missing-in-action for quite awhile.  Just busy with lots of things here at home and taking a break from blogging.  Please check back for my next couple of posts - there will be a small giveaway for my 100th post!!  That is quite a milestone for me, since I am not very consistent with posting. 

Thanks for coming by!

blog candy alert

Check out The Stamp Man's blog candy!  I love Tim Holtz products and this is an awesome giveaway!

colorful words tag swap

Lenna Andrews Young is hosting a "colorful words tag swap" on her blog.  We are to make eight tags and she will swap them out and send us eight tags back which she will make into a book! 

I used distress inks and Versafine ink for my background and then added some stamping and dots using sequin waste as a stencil.  Added a strip of the punchinella down the left side and then darkened the edges with Versafine ink.  I used Tim Holtz's new tattered floral die for the flower which I cut from copy paper, colored with a Brilliance jade inkpad and then overstamped each one with various stamps.  Sprayed the whole thing with Krylon gold glitter, which is subtle and doesn't show in the scan. 

TFL!

another glue book page

Here is a two-page spread I have made for my gluebook.  I am having fun with Mary's online class.  She has a lot of great images to use and also her lessons are very informative, if you are interested.  You can sign up anytime.

I really don't have time to do challenges these days due to this class and a couple of swaps I am working on.  I can see that nice weather and getting yardwork and some cleaning done around here is also eating into my playtime!!  Guess I will just put the challenges and extra things on the back burner for awhile. 

Happy Spring to all and have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend! 

Vintage Glue Book Page

Mary Green is offering an online class for a vintage glue book using images she provides or your own images, if you choose.  This is my first page and it is certainly a challenge, because you are supposed to limit your supplies to glue, paper, scissors and a substrate, of course.  It is very hard for me not to add some color around the edges, or to add a stamped image here and there, or an embellishment of some sort somewhere!!!  The image of children that I used is of my Sunday school class when I was about five years old.  Some of the papers are Mary's and some were from my own stash.  I also used background papers that are not old at all.  It was fun to try something a little different; and I will probably upload a few more of my pages as I go along. 

TFL!

two challenges in one card

I stumbled across this blog for the first time today. 

And, I have wanted to play in this challenge for awhile now:

So, here is the card I made for both challenges:

I used Art to Borrow paper from Stampington for the background and the vertical strip.  An old Acey Deucy Italian script stamp for the gray panel (using Ranger's new pumice stone distress ink).  Impression Obsession flourish, Magenta flower and Hero Arts sentiment.  Spellbinders dies.  IRL, the color of the flower matches the paper, but it scanned differently:( 

Thanks for looking!

postcard swap

For the first swap of the new ARTchix-Sister-Site yahoo group, we are exchanging postcards with our partners, up to 3 for 3.  I chose to do one this time around.  The theme is "Sunnier Days".  I used Ranger's new rusty hinge distress ink to color a 4 x 6 inch piece of cardstock and added rubber-stamped swirls and circles and a TH stamp up in the corner to reference the sun.  Collage images are all ARTchix.  Words are computer generated.  Some glitter here and there and a band of black along the bottom. 

The group is still growing; if anyone is interested in joining.  Should be a lot of fun once things get off the ground.  There are already 80 members and we are shooting for at least 100.  Susan Burgess (aka Sanna) is the moderator - some of you may know her through other groups.  Thanks for looking!