Marty's Sunday Sketch Challenge

Time for another of Marty's Sunday Sketch Challenges.  Here is the drawing we were given:

And this is my card:

                                     

All paper, stamps, ink and brads, Stampin' Up.  I used some of the same patterned paper I used on the card to make the flowers, and added some dots with gel pens. 

Now head on over to Heidi's blog to see how the rest of the Gotham City Stampers Design Team interpreted the sketch.

It's All Mario's Fault

Oh, just weeks ago I was still swearing I'd never join facebook.  So what happened?  Joining was the only way I could see some of the photos taken on the Tim/Wendy cruise.  I was still holding fast to my vow that I'd never "tweet."  What happened there?  Mario, Tim's buisiness manager decided to start giving away "stuff" to everyone who followed him on twitter.  So, guess who now has a twitter account?  Don't expect too many tweets from me; I still think it's crazy to imagine people are really interested in what I'm doing/thinking at odd moments of the day.  But if by some weird chance you are, look on the sidebar to see my info.  Yikes!  Can't believe I've done this.  Well, all you Tim-aholics out there will understand.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I'll be out of town and computer-less for a very long Thanksgiving weekend, starting.....now!

Be happy, be safe, make art!

(And thanks to Valerie for the great vintage Thanksgiving graphic!)

And one more thing.....this from Tim's blog:

Yep, he's doing it again!  The 12 Tags of Christmas begins on December 1.  Can't wait to join in the creative fun!

Marty's Sunday Sketch Challenge

Another Sunday, another great sketch from Marty:

This is what I did with the sketch:

Now go to Heidi's blog to see what the rest of the Gotham City Stampers design team created.

Through The Eyes of An Artist

The first collaborative art journal group I joined was Through The Eyes of An Artist, and this wonderful journey is almost at an end.  This weekend I did pages for Tracy, and I am the last in the circle for her book.  So when this beautiful journal leaves NY, it will be heading home.  I know Tracy is excited, and when she sees the pages in person, she will be thrilled.
Here is my contribution:

 

As I've been doing in all my journals lately, I begin by creating a collage background with bits of random scraps of paper, including music sheets, old text, advertising, scrapbook paper, etc.  Then I'll add some paint,  including metallics,the water soluble oil pastels Lynne Perella turned me onto,  stamping, and whatever other embellishments I feel belong.

Although the look is very different, I used the same technique on Sharon's pages.  The color palette is just more vivid.

Here is the two page spread:

Page 1:

And page 2:

My art goddess is a stamp from a Wendy Vecchio set called Art Rules, and I love the image. I just gave her some color and bling, and a rather voluminous cloak.  Are you really an art goddess without a voluminous cloak?  I think I like the word voluminous.  It kind of rolls off the tongue.  And it's not every day you get to use the word cloak in a sentence.

Before I digress even further, let me end this now, and as my (new) friend Wendy Vecchio says, "Go Make Art!"

Fragment Charm Necklace and Brad Bracelet

Friday night Heidi and I held our monthly jewelry class, and what a great one it was!  Remember the fragment charm necklace I made with Wendy on the cruise?

I loved this project so much, I decided that it would be what I'd teach at the class.  Check out all the busy hands:

 Not everyone finished their necklaces in class (I didn't finish mine until I got home from the cruise), but they all did most of the work and just need to do assembling and finishing touches.  Pat's is already beautiful:

Speaking of Pat, here she is with Heidi (Pat's the one wearing a Ho Ho Ho banner as a necklace).  Hey, it was a jewelry class, and I'm always preaching that anything can be jewelry.

Yes, that's a wine bottle in her hand.  Wonder when these women will cheer up.  LOL!

Gayle and Corris look like they're having a good time.

I don't know exactly what Kahena was saying, but I'm sure it was funny.  She is a hoot!  And I don't know what Gayle was doing, but it sure looks like some dance moves.

Pat is sometimes known as the Queen of Tools and Gadgets.  Does she own every one ever made?  She just looks so at ease with the pliers.

Question to self:  why don't I have a picture of Rosie B?????  Oh, I do have an answer....I have a picture, you just can't see her face!  But you can see how much thought she put into arranging her charms:

If you're interested in learning more about how to create a fragment charm necklace, click here, and you'll be taken to the PID blog and a tutorial.  The technique is the same, we just used different papers and chains in the class.

Heidi's project was a brad bracelet.  She has a huge stash of brads, and all you need to do is attach them to a link bracelet and kind of bend the brad legs under themselves with a pliers.  Harder to explain than to do.  You just want them attached but not moving around, and you don't want to see the legs.  So you hold the tip of each leg with the pliers and bend them around and then flatten them out against the chain.  I selected brads to give my bracelet a vintage feel, and I really like it.  Thanks, Heidi!

I've Been Published!!!

Anyone who knows me, knows I've been dying to get published by a national magazine.  I submit and submit and submit (you'd think I was into S&M, I submit so much).  Nada.  Well, today I found out that something I sent in well over a year ago is in the Somerset Studios Winter Gallery issue.  A good friend with a subscription sent me a scan of my page.  I had NO IDEA!  What a great surprise!

Mine is the shadow box in the middle on the left.  Don't know how well you can see it, but I am busting with excitement and just had to share the news and the scan. 

Two of my PID design teammates, Arlene and Angie,  are in this issue too, as well as some members of the PID yahoo group.  So proud!

Just remembered I took a picture of the piece before I sent it in.  Here goes:

Snowman Tag

I'm in a snowman tag swap at ArtHaven, and got this one done quickly with the help of Tim Holtz's seasonal grungeboard.  All the snowman components were there for me to alter.

I used picket fence (that would be white) distress crackle paint on the body, and while it was still wet sprinkled some glitter on top.  The hat was inked with black, then smeared with rock candy distress stickles.  The holly I used to decorate the hat was just inked and some tiny bells attached with thin red ribbon.  This time of year you can find those bells all over.

The snowman's arms were sprayed with a walnut mica spray.  The eyes are black brads, the buttons black dew drops.

The carrot nose was inked and also smeared with the rock candy distress stickles (do I love that stuff?  YES!)

The scarf is just a bit of ribbon from my stash.

For the tag itself, all I did was paint it a dark blue, then emboss it with a snowflake embossing folder, swipe over the embossed areas with white pigment ink, sprinkle with white embossing powder and heat set.

Marty's Sunday Sketch Challenge

Marty's sketch this week is this sweet little drawing:

I had fun with it, and used one of my new Outlines stamps:

Go to Heidi's blog to see the incredible job the other design team members did with this challenge. And come back next week to see our latest creations.

Christmas Cards, Continued

It's still raining, and I'm still making cards, though it's past time for a lunch break.
This first one uses images from PID sheet 712, called Blue Christmas.

The dark blue paper was embossed with a snowflake folder.  Then I swiped over the raised areas with clear ink and used clear embossing powder mixed with glitter over that.  The snowy trees paper and the little girl are both from the PID sheet, and the ribbon and stamp are both retired Stampin' Up stuff.

This next one is a favorite.  I just may do some more of this design.  It just tickles me.  Mona with the Santa cap and candy cane can be found on PID sheet 710.

Both background layers have been embossed with two different snowflake folders. On the red layer I added some brown ink on the raised areas.  I left the second layer alone so it wouldn't look too busy under Mona.

Vintage Christmas Card

I just received my design team pack of new Christmas sheets from Paper Imagery Designs, and am going to spend this rainy miserable Saturday cheering myself up with them.

I love that this very dignified woman is wearing a Santa cap.  A little vintage humor, if you will.

The ticket is also from a PID sheet, and I plan to use each and every one of them.  In addition to the one I used, there are multiple tickets that read snow, bells, holly, Rudolph, and jolly.  They also add a nice old fashioned look to a card or any other project.

The sprig of holly was done with a stamp I colored with mica paints.  Very shimmery in person.  The background paper is actually origami paper that I received as a bonus from a generous swapper, but can't remember who that was.

Back to the studio.......I'll add more cards later....after I make them.

Over the Top??? Me??? Huh???

Well, my cruise pal Lori received this blog award and decided to pass it on to me.  Very cool; I appreciate it. But.....now I have to pass it on to 5 more blogs (hard enough), and then answer a boatload of questions.  Lori, Lori, Lori....what have you done to me?

At least all the questions are only supposed to be answered with a single word.  Let's see...

1. Where is your cell phone?… kitchen

2. Your hair?…wet

3. Your mother?… sad

4. Your father?…deceased

5. Your favorite food?…Italian

6. Your dream last night?…mountains

7. Your favorite drink?…dietpepsi (see, I made it one word)

8. Your dream/goal?…published

9. What room are you in?…studio

10. Your hobby?…art

11. Your fear?…Alzheimers

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?..alive

13. Where were you last night?…teaching

14. Something that you aren’t?…inlove (see, again, one word)

15. Muffins?…corn

16. Wish list item?…?

17. Where did you grow up?…New York (can't help it; it is not one word)

18. Last thing you did?…shower

19. What are you wearing?… jeans

20. Your TV?…off

21. Your Pets?…none

22. Friends?…fabulous

23. Your life?…fun

24. Your mood?…happy

25. Missing Someone?…no

26. Vehicle?…bus

27. Something you're not wearing?…lipstick

28. Your favorite store?…ContainerStore (aren't I clever?)

29. Your favorite colour?…green

30. When was the last time you laughed?…minutes

31. Last time you cried?… week

32. Your best friend?…Kymmy

33. One place that I go to over and over?…grocery

34. Facebook?…yes

35. Favorite place to eat?…Ruby Foo's (and it closed....waaaaaah)

Now, to pass this on.....I'm going to do what my friend Teri does when she gets awards for her fabulous blog.  She posts it, and invites people to take it.  There are just too many wonderful over the top blogs out there, and I don't want to leave anyone out or keep giving the same blogs awards all the time (though some really do deserve that).

So, if you're a regular here, and you know I'm a regular on your blog, please feel free to grab this award and run with it.  You know who you are!

New Cards & Cool Techniques

Yesterday I got together with Laurel, JennyB, and RosieB at Heidi's for a technique class.  You know I am a true technique junkie, so these classes are always a favorite.

Three cards, three techniques, and a whole lot of laughs and good conversation.

On this card, we stamped on  several layers of aluminum foil, then used a stylus to dry emboss around the stamped lines.

The next card started with spraying white cardstock with water, then laying down color with water color crayons and an aquapainter.  After drying, we stamped with clear ink, covered the image with clear embossing powder, and set it with the heat gun.  Then more of the first step.  Finally, covering the paper with scrap paper, we ironed until the embossing melted away.  We finished with some flourishes.  I think it's a nice batik look.

I think this last one is my favorite.  Messy, unusual, and so much fun.  First we squeezed some floor wax onto a sheet of parchment paper that was folded in half (just on one half), then added several squirts of three reinkers.  I chose blues and green.  Then we put some white tissue paper on top, closed up the parchment paper and smooshed it until the tissue paper was completely covered with color.  Then some sprinkles of mica powder.  To speed up drying, we covered the tissue paper with white cardstock and smooshed some more.   I love how it looks on the tissue paper, but also the parchment paper and cardstock, and will use those in future projects. The tissue paper was trimmed to size, attached to white cardstock and here is the finished card:

Don't know if you can really appreciate the sparkle from the mica powder, but  it is dazzling in person.

Great Big Blog Giveaway!

I just found out about an amazing giveaway by a very creative and talented artist named Lynn.  So, if you love jewelry, love vintage, love paintings, dash over to her blog and leave a comment.  There is not just one item being given away.....there are MANY, with the promise of more to come.  Check it out.

Here's one of the beautiful items you might win:

Stencil Indentification Update

OK, I now see that this is an Asian lantern.  And Carol's Crafts was the first to post that, so she is the winner.  Carol, if you get me your mailing info I'll get your prize right out to you.

After reading all the comments,  I decided that I had to have another winner.  Linda, you have a unique and wonderful way of looking at the world (or at least at a stencil).  Your guess as to the identity of said stencil is a tribute to the ability of the human mind to make up stuff.

Check out Linda's comment on my Road Trip posting and see what I mean.

So, Linda, you too need to send me your mailing info.

Thanks everyone for stopping by and leaving a comment.

Marty's Sunday Sketch Challenge

This is the sketch that the Gotham City Stampers design team had to work with this week:

And this is my interpretation:

Check out Heidi's blog to see what my teammates did with the sketch, and come back next Sunday for the next sketch challenge.

Road Trip!

So, the Ink Pad, Manhattan's one and only stamp store sponsors bus trips to nearby stamp expos.  I've gone on two to Massachussetts, and yesterday went on one to Long Island, a suburb of NYC (for those who didn't know that).  My partners in crime for this adventure were three of my Gotham City Stampers teammates, Pat, Laurel, and Heather.
I met Pat at the totally ridiculous hour of 6:30am, and we rode the A train together down to 14th Street, where we met  Heather and Laurel for breakfast.  Then a short walk to the Ink Pad, in the heart of Greenwich Village, where we picked up our goodie bags and waited for the bus.

Inside the tote bag were stencils, glimmer mist, charms, watch parts, stamps, a magazine, and a ton of snacks.  None of the latter are in the picture, because all are currently residing in my stomach.  Sugar rush!

We took off at about 8:45, and passed the time with drawings for even more goodies.  Pat won something, but for the life of me, can't remember what.  No worries....more drawings for prizes were promised for the return trip.

Arrived at the stamp expo about an hour later, got our hands stamped, lined up to get in.

Ah, a long and very satisfying day.  I went with the resolve that I didn't need much and wouldn't buy any stamps.  Hah!

Oh my, full sheets of NYC stamps:

And then there were the vintage images....bottles, school icons, watches....

And a full sheet of Alice in Wonderland!  For only $6...be still my heart!

Many of my art journal pages have had an asian feel, so how could I resist the asian images sheet?

And then a miscellaneous single stamp or two:

I needed a little bling for an upcoming jewelry class.  Just a little.

And wouldn't you know, that very same vendor had some delicious Graphic 45 paper.

Then a little from this vendor, a little from that...

I really did need that heavy duty corner rounder.  Sometimes chipboard needs round corners you know.

And would you believe there were some colors of alcohol ink that I didn't already own?

And since I had a $5 off coupon for the Outlines booth, I figured I may as well get something there (besides, the jewelry/ornaments you can make with their stuff is awesome)!

No picture, but I got some sticker paper because I learned the coolest technique for making glitter paper using lace, glitter and the previously mentioned sticker paper.  But that is really for another post.  But, very cool, very easy, and very glittery.   Said glitter is still in my hair.

We shopped, we ate lunch, we shopped, we met at the bar for a drink, we shopped, we got on the bus.  More give-aways.  I watched Heather and Laurel each win something.  Would I be the only one of the foursome not to????  No....the last round was a grab bag.  My ticket number was called, I put my hand in the bag, and pulled out:

Cute!

Remember I mentioned our Ink Pad goodie bags contained stencils?  Well,  two were self explanatory:

And then, there was this one:

What the.....???   OK....whoever can tell me what this stencil is supposed to be (and your answer does not have to be documented with proof, it just has to sit right with me), will get a little something from me.  Somebody out there in blogland has to know!  BTW....we threw ideas around on the bus and no one came up with anything that seemed right.