Some New Art and A Palm Tree or Two.....

I'm still getting used to being back in the northeast, and all that implies, weather-wise.  I actually love being home, but can't say I don't miss those swaying palms and days spent by the pool.  Anyway....a few projects, and a few shots of Paradise.

 

While I was gone, PID had a "doodle me" challenge, which I completed last night.  We were to alter, with doodling one of their images, and I went to town with my gel pens!

 

Not sure what I was thinking, but it was very therapeutic.  Now, back to Paradise.

This is what the entrance to the dining room looked like:

 

This nice man cut open a coconut for me:

 

And I enjoyed it!

 

Ahhhh, well, back to art.  At ArtHaven, we have a monthly lottery.  This month's theme is "happiness," and we were to enter anything that made us happy.  I've been enjoying altering mini notebooks with both real and faux metal, so this is what I did:

 

As you can see, we had  a very relaxing vacation:

 

We enjoyed Hokkaido, the Japanese restaurant at the resort:

 

  

When I returned home there was a package waiting for me.  It contained a very timely gift from my secret sister (something my SU! team does each quarter).....a picture frame already decorated to hold a vacation photo.  So, I did a little photo collage and popped it in the frame:

 

The new challenge theme at PID is "green or clover."  Yes, it really is almost March, though someone needs to inform the weather people of that fact.  They seem to think we're still solidly in winter.  But, I digress..... I found this cute little guy in my PID stash, and did a St. Patrick's Day card:

 

And I'll end this with a few more random shots from the gorgeous Melia Caribe Tropical Resort in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic:

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Background Techniques

Every Tuesday I post a background technique on the Paper Imagery Designs blog.  I don't think I've ever mentioned that before, so I'm telling you now.  Take a trip over there and check it out.  On the sidebar you'll see a list under the word "Labels."  If you click on "Technique Tuesday,"  you'll see all of them.

Button Fairy

Well, this is a new art form for me....the button fairy.  Someone at the ArtHaven group started a swap of them, and I decided to give it a try.

All it involves is some buttons, maybe a few beads, wings, and a pretty face.  The adorable face I used is from a Paper Imagery Designs collage sheet.  The butterfly wings are from a Tim Holtz grungeboard set.  I covered them with a concoction of glossy accents and perfect pearls.

Most of the ones I've seen have a loop on the top for hanging, but I think a tie tack finding on the back would make these into nice pins.

And a great way to use up some of my hundreds of buttons.
If you'd like to know a little more about this, click here.

Angelic ATC and a link to a cool technique

Every week I participate in a challenge at the Paper Imagery Designs yahoo group.  And every week I post the technique I used on the PID blog.
This week's theme is "angels," and here is the ATC I did:

The background was done with mesh drywall tape.  Check out the tutorial on the PID blog for complete details and several variations.

Now, go raid the hardware store and make art!

The 12 Tags of Christmas, Day 11

Ah, Tim just had to introduce us to a new tool in today's tag....a custom brad maker!  Yikes!  Before I go into my song and dance routine about how I made mine without the gadget, here is Tim's sweet and nostalgic tag:

Here is my list of what I didn't have:  the reindeer stamp, the flourish stamp, the snowflakes stamp, the custom brad maker.  I managed, and this is the result:

I had the reindeer grungeboard shape from the seasonal pack, so I ran him through a floral embossing folder, swiped over the embossed areas with embossing ink, added black embossing powder and heat set.  Then I sponged over the whole thing with red ink, as Tim did.

As usual I just used other flourish and snowflake stamps.  No biggie.  The real challenge was the custom brads.  I did have the sticky back canvas paper, and I do have sweet images from Paper Imagery Designs, so first of all  I printed some on the canvas.  Then I found some really butt-ugly resin button stickers in my stash that I don't know why I bought (except they were only 39c a  pack at the discount store). 

I cut the images in a circle about 1/2 inch larger than the buttons, and stuck them on.  Then I just cut slits around and folded the sections over onto the back.  Not an actual brad, so I used glue to attach them to the flowers.

Speaking of the flowers, I had some primas with patterns that went with the tag, so I used them and skipped the inking/stickling part of Tim's design.  Here's a closer look at my "brads."

They didn't print as dark as I'd have liked, though the lightness does add to the vintage look I guess.

Other changes I made:  I stamped my flourishes and snowflakes in both peeled paint and aged mahogany.  I liked the little white snowflakes that were part of the rub on sheet I used (you'll have to click on the photo to enlarge it to see those), and added more of them in other parts of the tag.  I thought the top of the tag needed more white to balance the lightness of the faux brads.

That's it.  Only one tag to go!  Waaaaaaaaaah!!

The 12 Tags of Christmas, Day 9

We started out with snow, which has turned to freezing rain.  A perfect day to stay indoors and make a Tim tag!  Tag 9 uses two of my favorite new supplies:  the film strip ribbon and the tiny attacher.  Tim's tag is very nostalgic, and he used black and white vintage photos with a Christmas theme.  Here it is:

As soon as I saw this tag, I knew exactly how I was going to do it.  No B&W vintage photos, but rather, some colorful vintage clip art from PID.  I filled my film strip ribbon with different pictures of Santa, and.....well, take a look at mine first, then I'll go into the details:

My larger focal image is also from PID, and I kept with the Santa theme.  I don't have a dyno label maker, but fortunately PID has a collage sheet full of words done on one.  You can't even tell they're not the real deal.

For some reason, the large silver numbers weren't talking to me, but the smaller old game pieces I had in my stash were not only talking, they were singing!  I couldn't believe my luck in finding a 2 and a 5.  I just dabbed over them with some of the green alcohol inks.  My foliage poinsettia is pretty much done like Tim's.  I haven't punched a hole in the brad (yet)....it's just too early in the morning for hammering.

With all the color, I thought the type charms Tim used (and which I dearly love) were too busy on my already busy tag, so I just left them out.

I continued the color scheme with red and green ribbon.

What I love most about this tag is the way Tim used the film strip ribbon.  Though I don't scrap as much as I once did, I am still a scrapper, and I know eventually this technique will find its way into some of my layouts.  What a great way to use those little index prints of your photos.

I'll have a second post in a bit.  I worked on something COMPLETELY different that I want to share with you.

The 12 Tags of Christmas, Day 5

I loved doing this tag, and of all five, this is the one I'm most pleased with.  Maybe because Tim used the charm fragments, which I fell in love with on the cruise.  (Yep, I'm not going to stop referring to that artful voyage!) Here is the tag that Tim did:

I had most of the supplies on hand, but really not very many stamps small enough to use with the charms.  Then I remembered.....I have some GREAT vintage Christmas images from Paper Imagery Designs, and the sizes are just right.  So that's what I used.  Here is my tag:

Click on the photo for a larger view.  I didn't have the colors of distress embossing powder that Tim used (remember, I only have black), so I used regular EP.  I toned down the brightness of them by dabbing the embossed areas with some brown stazon ink.

Other differences:  I added the little red ribbons atop each ornament.  Just thought they should be there.  I have a lot of German scrap, so finished my tag off with both gold and red scrap.

You can barely see the gold paint used on the flourishes, but that doesn't bother me.  Just wanted to let you know that is it there.  Somewhere.

On to other projects.  Hours and hours to go before Tag 6.

Thanks for stopping by.

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:

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.

An Award! and Some Tags

Here I am, drinking coffee and checking out all the blogs I follow, and what do I see on my friend Jennifer's blog?  She was given (very rightfully so) this Best Blog Award, and much to my surprise, she passed it on to me!

Thank you Jennifer!  Now, go check out Artistically Designed Diversions while I ponder who I should pass this on to....the hardest part of getting a blogging award is picking only a few blogs to get it next.  There are just countless great ones out there.

Well, you don't know this, but I've been away for a while thinking and drinking (coffee, that is), and here are the blogs that are getting the award from me.  Visit them!

The ART and Musings of Shelly Rae Wood  -- Shelly finds junk and turns it into treasures.  She is talented in so many ways, and funny to boot.

My Thoughts, My Life -- Stephen is in one of my yahoo groups.  His art is beautiful, and he is also a collector.  And it is always nice to see a man blogging about art and life.

GOT ART -- I met Sherry on the cruise.  She is an extremely talented mixed media artist, and her blog is beautiful, well written, thoughtful and funny.

Penny Duncan Creations -- Penny is the list owner of one of my yahoo groups, and she's a computer wiz.  She creates and shares the most amazing files.  If you are into digital at all, have a Cricut or other cutting gizmo (you can tell I am not digital, right?), run to her blog!

Angie's Artful Life -- Angie is my true sister in art!  We are both on the PID design team and though we've never met and live in such very different places and lead very different lives, we have always clicked and we work so well together.  She is a cheerleader for all, encouraging and generous.  But that is not why I'm sending you to her blog.  She creates beautiful cards, wall hangings, jewelry....you name it!

Shelly, Stephen, Sherry, Penny and Angie....grab that award, post it on your blogs and then pass it on.

On to some art.   One of the cool things we all received on the cruise...in fact the very last gift we got as we left the farewell cocktail party...was a custom made stamp of our cruise logo.

After we returned from the cruise, Gloria, one of the ATT list moms, decided to host a new swap.  We are to create tags featuring this stamp.  We make 12 and get 4 back because the additional tags are going to go to the people who made the cruise the wonderful experience it was....Tim, Wendy, their assistants and the ScrapMap team.

I just finished mine a little while ago, and I'm pleased with the way they came out.

I sprayed my tags with Tim's recipe for mica powder spray, using perfect pearls, reinkers and water.  I stamped, distressed and inked them too.  My Day of the Dead skull is wearing a sombrero (the same one, in fact that I had on the Statue of Liberty for my cruise ATCs). 

The red ticket hanging with the idea-ology piece from the ball chain is one of the tickets Mario gave out with purchases on the cruise.  I wrote my information on the back and laminated them.  Shopping at the market place and the excitement of the give aways at the farewell party were such great memories, I thought adding the ticket was fun.

Boo!

Some Halloween ATCs, just for fun.  All images from Paper Imagery Designs.

Metal Challenge

This week's challenge at PID is metal, and as usual I did an ATC and a piece for the miscellaneous album. This time I did a journal. Not long ago, at my friend Laurel's meetup group, I learned how to do Japanese stab binding from the awesome Pooja (one of Laurel's members).

I used this technique to create a small journal, and then embellished it.

Both pieces feature the faux metal technique I first saw on one of my favorite blogs, Melstampz.

It's so simple and the result is always impressive.

Glue a piece of aluminum foil onto a piece of cardboard or heavy cardstock. Run it through the embossing folder of your choice, then leave it alone or color/distress it with alcohol inks, stazon ink, even acrylic paint. You can also sand it in spots.

For the ATC I used black alcohol ink, and for the journal, I combined the black with metallic copper AI.

Lots of New Art!

I've been busy busy lately. Too hot and humid to spend much time outdoors, so have been holed up in the studio making all sorts of things. Also have done some stuff at Heidi's.

First, the second journal page I did for Tracy's book in the I Dream In Colors circle book. I continued using medieval town images, angels, and rock lyrics. Just think they go together.

Heidi and I altered picture frames to turn them into displays for jewelry. Very cool project. Decorated the frames, and substituted some wire mesh for the glass.

I co-taught a jewelry class with Heidi and did my grungepaper flowers. Everyone did great pieces. Heidi's project was bangle bracelets made from chipboard. We covered them with ribbon, metallic cord, bling, and LOTS of mod podge.

The theme for the weekly PID challenge is Rainbow of Color. I did an ATC:

and this crazy piece. At least I think it's a little nuts. But had to use that new Tim Holtz circus set. Even though I'm not too fond of clowns. And these clowns are admittedly creepy. But little Sebastian is so sweet he kind of offsets them.

I still have two book swaps to work on, a rolodex swap, a pastel swap, and OMG 160+ swaps for the Tim Holtz/Wendy Vecchio cruise in October!