HELLO AGAIN!

Fifi's Daughter is back from her hiatus!  I have a couple of spreads that I have completed for the Sketchbook 2012 project to show you:

Here I have used some Cavellini paper images, Tim Holtz paper tape and some chipboard flourishes.  My pages are pretty much just random collages, which is what I most enjoy doing.  Since my sketchbook is "Untitled", there doesn't have to be a set theme.

Here is another:

Inks, stamps and torn strips of a map. 

And, the first page of the book:

I used a portion of a map of Ohio, aged with a little ink, and circled my city.  My high school yearbook photo and name complete this page. 

There are a few pages left to go and also the front and back covers.  Gotta' get it done this week and sent off in the mail.

Hope there is someone out there still interested enough to visit me here at Fifi's!!  I am planning to have a small giveaway in the next week or two, so stay tuned!

Have a great day!

ELIZABETH

Another spread finished for the Sketchbook Project 2012. 

I am showing my age here - I grew up with Elizabeth and she was so very beautiful as a young girl and woman.  Glamour, fame, happiness, sadness, marriages, divorces, good health, bad health - she experienced so much in her life!

First I adhered old book pages down and added some gesso over the text to tone it down a bit.  A small picture of Liz clipped from a newspaper was added.  Then I used several rubber stamps to create a background, using violet ink to reference her eye color. 

Thanks for visiting.  Have a wonderful weekend. 

BIRD COLLAGE

Another spread for the SKETCHBOOK PROJECT 2012.  A mix of collage images, patterned paper, rubber stamps, watercolor crayons.

This is something I need to do on a weekly basis now.  Don't want to be rushed at the end!  I really like how colorful this turned out. 

Thanks for the sweet comments - they make my day! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

SKETCHBOOK PROJECT 2012

Hello, blogland!  Yes, it's me.  Actually posting on my long-neglected blog.  Hope I can be more productive and get back into some collage work!

I signed up for the Sketchbook Project 2012 a few weeks ago.  My choice for theme was:  Untitled!  This gives me lots of leeway as to what I actually put in the book.  Here is one of the spreads that I have finished:

For the background, I laid a paper doily on each side and sponged color through it.  Then I added some rubber stamps and used tea dye distress ink to "age" the pages a bit.  For the focal images, I used the front of an old dress pattern envelope.  I love finding these patterns at garage sales/thrift stores.  The description of the pattern was cut from the pattern envelope and used as the title of this spread.  (thus the color scheme, too.)  Some other words cut from magazines were placed here and there.   

This little sketchbook may just be the trick to getting me back into paper and glue!!

Anyone else out there doing the Sketchbook Project this year??

VINTAGE CANVAS

Here is a 10 x 10 canvas I just finished to give to a friend for her 40th birthday, which we will be celebrating this evening:
 

Sorry for the poor quality of this photo! 


There are lots of layers on this piece, including a base of used tea bags that were dried, taken apart and then the tea was discarded. Matte gel medium to layer them onto the canvas. This created a wrinkled texture that I love.  

Over that layer I sponged through some stencils, then added rubber stamped images that were stamped on tissue paper and then adhered with the same gel medium.  I colored in some of the flowers, rubbed the whole canvas with ink pads, added some more stenciling, etc., etc. 


The collage image with a transparency overlay and some butterflies were added next.  Then I applied the lace at the top, added a shell button and some pink bling here and there.  Grosgrain ribbon was attached to the edges all around to cover up the stapled canvas.


This whole process took me two days to complete.  Hope she is happy with it!


Thanks for visiting.

INK STAINS CALENDAR PAGES

Roni has been sharing lots of great techniques for calendar pages on her blog.  So far, I have managed to get the first three months done.  Here is my January page:

Using alcohol inks and hair spray to create the background was so much fun.  And, I used a berry sprig stamp from Stampington and Co. Then, I used a tiny hole punch to add extra interest - since I decided to layer my pages to a black base, the black shows through the punched holes and makes it look like there are more berries.  The alphabet stamps are from European Papers. 

Here is my page for February:

Roni calls this technique "gradient embossing".  I used one pink and two purple inks for my background.  This one took a lot more time; but it was well worth it.  The heart stamp is from Penny Black.  Mounted on a black base again.

For March:

For this page, I could only find one shadow stamp which is from Magenta. (there are more in my stash somewhere!) I used three colors of ink on the stamp initially and stamped on white cardstock.  Once they were stamped and dry; I added another color for the edges.  There was too much contrast between the greens and white for my taste, so I then stamped the shadow stamp at an angle randomly on the piece using yet another green ink.  Accent stamp used is from Judikins.

Hop on over to Roni's blog to join in the fun.  I will probably just do three at a time and then post. 

TFL!

ALTERED BOOK ROUND ROBIN

I have been involved in an altered book round robin since September.  We are to do a double page spread in each book as it comes to us; we have one month for each book.  Sue asked for "anything that flies" for her theme.  Here is my creation:

Sorry for such a poor scan; the book is a thick child's board book and we were to keep everything as flat as possible.  However, I did pop up the little girl and the kite for some dimension.  The sky was sponged; the hills and sun were created with patterned paper, the flowers punched from origami paper.  I wrote the haiku myself; something I enjoy doing.  The Asian doll is a rubber stamp from Hero Arts, the trees from Rosebud Rubber Stamps, the kite from Penny Black, the Asian calligraphy (faintly stamped throughout the sky) from Inkadinkadoo, and the birds from Portfolio. 

Here is how the haiku reads:

This was a fun spread to do - I hope Sue enjoys it when it finally reaches home. 

Am glad to be back from my trip to Parker CO; have a long list of projects to work on!!  Thanks for visiting my blog!

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. 

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. 

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. . .

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.

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! 

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!