Sing Your Song

Unruly PaperArts has a Yahoo Group that has monthly swaps. I decided to join the "nature" swap. In this swap you create your art piece and post a picture to the group page. The hostess then assigns swap partners and you send your ATC directly to the new owner.  (BRILLIANT!)  So much faster than sending it to hostess, who sorts it out, and then returns it to you.

My little ATC here was the lone entry in NATURE. So I swapped with the lone entry in another category.  And got two back!

Thanks Shar!!

Swapped!

On one of my last posts for ROGUE REDHEAD DESIGNS I offered three ATC's for a one on one swap. And I had three takers!

Shirl - Shirl's Cards

Super Jen

Sue W - Stamping Sue in Connecticut

Thank you ladies for the beautiful artwork!!

Encouraging Words Magnets

I joined a magnet swap on Gingersnap Creations - Encouraging Words Magnets. It's been awhile since I created art for a swap. I forgot how much fun it is!

There were just a few rules:
They needed to be between 2x2 and 4x4 - that means ATC in my book (2.5 x 3.5).
They needed to be a magnet.
They needed an inspiring sentiment.

Here are my 4 girls. They all had a cardboard ribbing background. A piece of patterned paper and clipart girl (Paper Whimsy). I added some gilded lace and a flower. And the sentiment and magnets of course!

Close up of my golden girls.

And a close-up of my blue girls.

Altered Puzzle Pieces Swap

You might remember the altered puzzle pieces I did a while back for a swap.

My pieces had a Glimmer Mist background and this cute paper angel.

This week I got the swap back. Some very talented ladies did an amazing job!!

Still no MOJO....but I am coloring some images for Valentine's cards. Maybe by the end of the week I'll have the "umph" to put together a card! :D (And thanks for the suggestions - they were all terrific).

A Grungey Tag and Inspirational Chunky Book pages

Well...it's STILL SNOWING. I shoveled 4-5 inches out of the driveway last night; and 8-10 more inches this morning. Probably one more run will be called for later tonight.

This tag is for fun! And a couple of challenges. One challenge was to make a "giggle" card using a Crafty Secrets image. The other challenge is for Kard Krazy's Tag Tuesday challenge: Paper Piecing.

Stamps: SU! What's Brewing, Inkadinkado sentiment
Paper: brown and turquoise scraps, tag
Ink: Distress Ink: Walnut Stain, Antique Linen, and Broken China
Accessories: Craft Secrets clipart, Glimmer Mist: Coffee Shop, Prima, and metallic turquoise nailheads.

These are altered 4x4 coasters for a "chunky" book swap on SCS. Once again I used a Glimmer Mist background with masks. Then I used Wet Water color method for the flowers - inking the stamp than misting with water before stamping. The half circle of dots is a fun think I learned at an Archiver's crop. Using the template below I used the largest circle of dots and placed a small dot of Glossy Accents in each hole. When it dries it adds a nice highlight to your piece.


Stamps: Stampers Anonymous CREATIVE MUSE, NATURE'S MOMENTS, NATURE'S DISCOVERY, and MONA'S SKETCHBOOK
Paper: 4x4 coasters
Ink: Distress Ink: Spiced Marmalade, Shabby Shutters, Worn Lipstick; Archival black
Accessories: Glimmer Mist (Sunkissed Peach, Tuscan Sunset, Golden Terracotta), maskes, ribbon, colored staples, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, rhinestones, Glossy Accents, and journaling template.

Close up of the chunky book pages.






























































And one funny note. Last week, I posted a picture of Jazz parking herself RIGHT BEHIND my chair while I'm working. Today I tried to set up an area behind my chair where she was blocked off. She still managed to park herself in the open space between the "fence" areas. Gotta love a smart Lab! :D

Altered Vintage Puzzle Pieces

This is for another swap on SCS - Altered Vintage Puzzle pieces. If you're interested there is still one spot left. The due date is December 1st. The hostess sends out 12 puzzle pieces for altering. The only theme is VINTAGE!

Instead of covering each piece and trying to get in the corners to smooth edges, I did a Glimmer Mist background. I used three colors: Sunkissed Peach, Tuscan Sunset, and Golden Terracotta. Before spraying the Tuscan Sunset (the darkest color) I used a piece of paper doily as a "mask".
Then I randomly stamped small stamps (flowers, butterflies, and a number chart) on the pieces. The gold foil is self-adhesive and I think from Flower-Soft (which surprised me at the time). The image is from Paper Whimsy.

Grunge Tag swap

It's been a BUSY weekend for me! Two classes at my local stamp store and another at Archivers. When I get the projects finished I'll share. Then the VSN challenges on Saturday night. And swapping out the GRUNGE TAG swap I've been hosting on SCS.

The NUMBER tags I kept from the swap (upper left to lower right): Loretta (Bethyblue), KAD, Kathy (Madcrazy), Lisa (LisaCox1980), and not marked.

The LETTER tags I kept from the swap (upper left to lower right): Jessica (jlazarski), Andi (Gr8tnurs), Jane (Plain Jane), Lori (Artsylori), and Lisa (Lisacox1980).

And the 2nd batch of pear butter turned out great! And for those that asked - Pear Butter is the same as Apple Butter - only with pears. ;) :D

Queen of Hearts / Domestic Goddess

Two more tags for my Grunge Tag swap - the letters Q (for the Red Queen of Alice in Wonderland) and D & G (Domestic Goddess).

The King of Grunge is Tim Holtz - so I started with one of his techniques from April 2008. Patterned paper is stamped and embossed with clear embossing powder. Tim then covered with dark paint dauber. But when I did that it was too dark. So I just left the clear EP alone. It magnified the red color. Alice's Queen of Hearts was stamped in Fired Brick on another tag and cut out. Black/white papers were layered over the red diamond paper. Then I used some Grungeboard pieces. A heart covered in red Stickles and Crown painted with a silver metallic dauber

Stamps: Oxford Impressions CLASSIC ALICE
Paper: Basic Grey and Stampin Up! papers and tag
Ink: Distress Ink: Fired Brick
Accessories: Scrabble tile, Grungeboard, .Stickles, paint daubers, heart rhinestones, clear embossing powder, and ribbon.

Graphic 45 has a series of papers called DOMESTIC GODDESS but other than the title strips - I didn't use the paper. The background is another Tim Holtz technique from Day 7 of 2007 Christmas series. Here the entire tag is covered with Distress Ink and then clear embossing powder. When heated the EP creates an "orange peel" effect. The dents of the orange peel is rubbed with a darker color (Brushed Corduroy). The rest of the tag is collaged papers and clip art in celebration of the "cooking" Domestic Goddess.

Stay tuned for the laundress, seamstress, and many other talents of the 50's housewife... I'm really liking this topic and there's a lot more clipart to use!

Stamps: none
Paper: tag
Ink: Distress Ink: Broken China and Brushed Corduroy
Accessories: Crafty Secrets clipart, Scrabble tile, rope.

Route 66

Here's another tag for my Grungy Tag challenge on SCS. This time I did a number - 66. As in Route 66. Quite a few paper companies have put out lines of "travel" paper. Maybe because a lot of people are driving on their vacation this year instead of flying. Anyway, Graphic 45 has a sheet of different spots. I used the "apple ad" on yesterdays tag. Another spot was this class car on top of an old map of Route 66 between Needles, AZ and Los Angeles. I cut the car out and put Glossy Accents on the window and headlights. You can't really tell in the picture but it adds a nice detail. The background paper of cars pulling campers is from Cosmo Cricket's HAPPY CAMPER paper. It seemed like the perfect background for my collage. I stamped Saquaro catcuses in Shabby Shutters over the paper and "Road Trip" in Old Paper. Finally I stamped a Route 66 sign on another tag in Walnut Stain; cut out; and layered with a pop-dot. Last touch is an Idea-ology Philosophy tag (Journey).



Stamps: Artistic Outpost ROUTE 66
Paper: Graphic 45 paper; Cosmo Cricket paper, tag
Ink: Distress Ink: Old Paper, Shabby Shutters, and Walnut Stain.
Accessories: Glossy Accents, Idea-ology: Philosophy Tags and brad/rivet, and twine.

Finally, I had to share this picture of Jasmine - my 10 (almost 11) yr old Lab. I work from home 2-3 days a week. Today I got up to get something and found Jazz *RIGHT* behind my chair sleeping. She's so close that her head is almost under my chair. It's good to have somebody watch your back (while they snore up a storm)! (GRIN)

A is for Apple

One of my first posts was T is for, a tag for my grunge tag swap on SCS. A is for APPLE is the next tag in the "series". This is another Tim Holtz technique (found on his DVD An Altered Journey) using alcohol inks on flashing tape. Flashing tape can be found in the hardware store. It's a 2 inch foil tape with a very sticky back. The night before I had used cranberry, raisin, and wild plum AI and blending solution to give the flashing tape agate look. I let it completely dry overnight. The chipboard A went under the tape and was brayered on. Rubbing or burnishing will remove the color from the tape. Once the letter was "raised" I gently tried to remove the color with blending solution.

The fragment is another Tim Holtz technique. Glossy Accents is spread over the back of a Fragment and then placed over a patterned paper (in this case Graphics 45 paper). It dries quickly and then is cut out. Collaged elements and stamps are added to the tag to finish.

Stamps: swirls stamps
Paper: tag, flashing tape, paper scraps, Graphics 45 paper
Ink: Distress Ink: Fired Brick
Accessories: chipboard letter, Tim Holtz fragment, Ranger Alcohol Inks (cranberry, raisin, and wild plum), AI blending solution, brayer, felt dauber, button, twine, and Glossy Accents.

T is for..

...tan, terracotta, tea, teapot, and Tom Petty (aka the Mad Hatter).

I'm hosting a "grunge" tag swap on SCS. Yesterday as I was cutting apart my new Oxford Impressions' CLASSIC ALICE set, I was inspired to create this tag for the letter T.

For the background I used a Technique Junkies technique called DEPTH OF FIELD with the teapot stamp. Then I layered some scrap papers along the bottom. Distressed the edge of the tag and then layered the image of the Mad Hatter (also from CLASSIC ALICE). I finished the tag with chipboard letter, Dew Drops, Grungeboard, and a button.