The Next Level Challenge

A few days back I posted about a new challenge blog called The Next Level. It is now up and running, and the very first challenge has been issued: create a card that has an opening in the front, and is embellished with at least one handmade faux Prima Lollipop flower.

If you go to The Next Level you will find all the details plus a great tutorial on making these fabulous flowers.

And here is my entry:

Oh, and there is blog candy awaiting two lucky participants!

It's Raining Men

Many of the challenges this month will have a manly theme, in honor of Father's Day. All of the images here are from Paper Imagery Designs.

First, the monthly ATC Jackpot theme is boys and/or men, and here is my entry:

The weekly challenge at PID is Mr. Man. Here's my ATC:

And here is the bookmark I did for the miscellaneous category:

Through The Eyes of an Artist -- Circle Book

A while back I posted about a wonderful project I'm involved in. Click here for the details.

I received my second book to work on....Sarah's journal...and the beautiful pages already done by Sarah, Lillian and Val inspired me to think outside my comfort zone and try something new.

I had no idea I was so drawn to Alice Through The Looking Glass, but amid all the nonsense are some memorable quotes. I incorporated some into my pages, and had a blast doing them.

Can't wait for the next book to arrive.....not to mention the Colors circle book I'm also in, and which has just begun its journey as well. Many of the same artists are in both groups, and all I can say is that this is going to be a very creative summer!

Chunky Book Pages Complete!

Here is the last of my chunky book pages:


I had a blast doing this one! I took the background I'd already made and used on all the previous pages, and inked it with some green (Peeled Paint distress ink, to be exact), using a foam blending sponge. Then I adhered the green swirls, cut from a Sizzix die. Over top all this, I glued a sheet of acetate that I had run through the Big Kick with a floral Cuttlebug embossing folder, and colored with alcohol inks (gold, pesto, and lettuce). The beautiful images are PID, of course, and this particular sheet comes with the script already printed. They are glued onto the acetate. The gothic arch is also from PID, printed on a transparency. Lots and lots of layers and texture, and even more interesting in person, but you'll have to take my word on that!

More Chunky Book Pages

I had some time today, and got four more pages done. Only one to go!

Chunky Book Pages

As if I don't already have enough projects going on, I recently signed up to do a chunky book swap at the PID Swaps group. Once again, Elena is hosting. How she manages to do all she does is beyond me, but I'm grateful for her friendship and energy.

There are ten of us, so we will each do 10 4x4 pages. No set theme or rules, except for the size and using PID images. And we are encouraged to embellish, embellish, embellish. Elena is going to make a cover page for each of us, and I know we'll have wonderful books when this project is over.

I've gotten 5 done, and here they are.

Weekend In Paris

Elegance

Bonjour

Time To Fly

Marie Collage

My apologies for the fuzziness. My camera wasn't working so I had to scan. These pages are so full of dimensional embellishments (hard to tell that, I know), that the scanner lid couldn't close properly and the result is fuzzy pictures!

What Is The Next Level?

The Next Level is the exciting new concept of Dawn (All Pink Girl) and Ann (Madgesty - Love to Create) probably better known as blog name Madge. Their aim in designing this new informative style of blog is not only to produce really creative Weekly Challenges that are not tied to any specific brand, but also to explore new avenues, ideas and techniques with a completely fresh approach.

Sound like something that would interest you? It does to me. I'm always looking for new ways to challenge myself, and I do already participate in many challenges. But this entices me with the promise of something new and fresh, and one in which I can grab ANYTHING from my stash, with no worries about sticking to one product, brand, or style.

And what are all those goodies in the photos above? Well, they are the giveaways to two lucky people on The Next Level's launch date -- June 1. So get on over there, become a follower, leave a comment, and/or blog about this yourself. Three ways to get in the running for those fabulous prize packages.

Oh, and they're looking for guest designers too!

Doodling

It's been too long since my last post, but I was busy with a family event and then some company, and haven't had any time to create. Back in the studio again, and wow, does that feel good!

This weeks challenge at Paper Imagery Designs is "doodle." I did an ATC:

All my doodling on the collage of patterned papers was done with a black gel pen and a white Signo uni-ball pen.
For my miscellaneous piece, I took a chipboard shape I had (with a pattern I didn't much like, but a shape I loved), covered it with two different patterned papers and doodled with the same pens. I then punched a hole in the top and added some ribbon scraps:
Of course, each piece has a lovely PID image.

Mah Jongg Jewelry

In keeping with my new philosophy of trying to use up what I have instead of buying so much stuff, I made this bracelet today.

Some time ago I'd gotten these miniature mah jongg tiles. Can't even remember the source. They are like small bamboo tiles, with pre-drilled holes through the sides.

My good friend Heidi gave me the bracelet blank a while back, and this morning I made a great discovery. The tiles fit perfectly into the blank spaces on the bracelet. I put wires with closed loops on each end through the tiles and then just started making dangles. Lots and lots of dangles. After I attached all the dangles to the loops with jump rings, I adhered the tiles onto the bracelet blank with jewelry glue (E6000). I have two tiles left over and there may very well be some earrings in my future.

Here are a couple of close-ups:

Happy Mother's Day

My friend Teri posted this video on her blog, and it is so perfect for the Mother's Day weekend, I had to do the same.
Of course, I found it impossible to figure out how to put it here in this blog post.
So click on the link to Teri's blog and enjoy this video.
Happy Mother's Day to everyone....because at one time or another we've all mothered someone!

I Dream In Colors

This is my journal cover.Above, the inside of my front cover.

And above, the inside of my back cover.
The back cover.

I am involved with a wonderful group that is doing traveling art journals. These are sometimes called circle books or round robin books. The project is based on one documented in a FABULOUS book called True Colors. It is a bit pricey, but if you love art journals, mixed media, color, or just a gorgeously designed book, check it out; I think the book (and the art journals the book is all about) is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.

But this is not a book review.....I want to share the project I'm doing.

There are 14 (or is it now 15?) women who were hand picked by our project coordinator, the wonderful Elena. Elena "met" us all in some of the various online art groups she's part of. She read the book, got inspired, and before we knew what was happening, she got us all to say yes, she created a private yahoo group just for us, and we are all very close to sending our journals on the first leg of their journeys. We call this project I Dream In Colors.

Each of us selected a color or color scheme. We each chose the size of our book, created covers and introductory pages. We have a travel itinerary. On the designated date we all mail our journals to the next person on the list. Keeping to each person's chosen color(s) we create art in the journal and mail it on. In a little over a year, we guess, our journals will return home, full of wonderful art from all over the US (and other parts of the world as well).

I love the ocean; I guess that is what inspired me to choose blues and greens (all shades) for my colors.

I will be posting not only what I've done in my own journal, but what I do in others as I get them.

The photos above are of my journal covers.

Below, the first page of my journal, to get things going, or as I said, to "get this party started." Because I really do feel like this is a party, a celebration, something special, something joyous.

Spring Cards Class

Yesterday I held one of my card classes for some of the wonderful and talented women who live in my development. I designed cards that have a fresh, spring-like look, and that could be used for many occasions. I brought along a bunch of different sentiment stamps, so the Mother's Day card became a birthday card, an anniversary card, etc.

We used a lot of the pretty Stampin' Up double sided patterned paper, as well as some great Sizzix die cuts.

I'd promised one card would be more masculine, and I really think the owl card does the trick. The SU paper with the little crowns is a nice background, and adding the crown to the owl's head continued the princely (or kingly) theme. That great stamp, by the way, is from Sideshow.

Everyone had a great time, made some outstanding cards, and they're now clammoring for a jewelry class. Hmmm...have to put something together before the hot weather arrives and everyone starts to scatter for the summer.

A Little More Rock & Roll - Let It Be!

Couldn't stop until I did a card with the John Lennon stamp. A few weeks ago I found a book of Lennon/McCartney sheet music in the trash. Unbelievable, what people will throw out! I photocopied a piece of "Let It Be" and used it for the background. Lots of distress inks and glimmer mist, and the words are computer generated.

Rock N Roll!

One of my favorite stamp companies, Stampsmith, just came out with a great new sheet called Rock N Roll. It features photo-realistic stamps of some of my all time favorites: John Lennon, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin. If that isn't great enough, these fabulous stamps were hand carved by someone I know from my yahoo groups. Estrella Bianchi is a wonderful artist and these stamps just knock my socks off! I am slowly working my way through the sheet. Well, not too slowly. I just started yesterday! I still haven't done a card with John's image yet, but am very happy with my Jimi, Jim, and Janis creations.

Use What You Have Challenge!

Here is a challenge I made to the other members of my fabulous SU team: find something you love, something you must have, can't live without, but really can't afford. Hmmm, pretty easy to do that, right? Then, use what you already have and make it yourself!

What inspired me was a visit to a very nice but very expensive scrapbook store. I fell in love with these paper flowers:

I love the irregularity of the edges, and the use of sheet music. They are kind of grungy and edgy, and I really wanted to buy them. But....after tax they would be about $2 per flower, and I just thought that was nuts.

So, I went home, pulled out some scraps of sheet music, some inks, glimmer mist and patterned paper, a few brads, and created these:

What do you think? I'm liking my knock-offs a lot! And I didn't spend a dime.

Tags

The current PID challenge is "tags," and I did two. One is ATC sized, and one is made from a coaster. You can see Angie's tags on the PID blog.

Oh, and did you know that today is International Charm Day? Check out Arlene's blog for more information.

Jewelry and Journals

I just completed my first pages in my circle book group, Through The Eyes of An Artist. These pages are for JJ, who requested that a frog be somewhere in the pages we do for her. The first is my art page: Side by side with it, is my journaling page, which is supposed to say a little something about me and describe the process involved in doing these pages:If I have to include a frog, he sure better be wearing a crown! JJ's journal is now on its way to Tracy in Washington state.

I also found some time to play a little more with my Tim Holtz hardware. Love the whole idea-ology line, especially how easy it is to turn these pieces into jewelry. A favorite cousin has a birthday coming up. Don't know if this piece is going to her, or one I haven't even made yet, but here's my latest "grunge art" creation:

While I'm on the subject of Tim Holtz, he recently did a video tutorial on his website on using canned air and alcohol inks. Crazy, huh? I finally got a can (buying air, go figure!) and played a little. Nutty, but love the effect:

Jewelry Class

Yesterday I co-taught a jewelry class at my friend Heidi's meetup. We had a huge turnout....13 people, including Heidi's parents (though only mom crafted). Lots of my Gotham City Stampers teammates were there, and I really enjoyed sharing what I know about turning bits and pieces of a variety of things into jewelry. Heidi demonstrated decorating game pieces, using stamps, alcohol inks, rub ons, and lots of bling. I used some Stampin' Up hardware to make pendants. We filled the openings with little collage pieces, and then added some bead work to finish them off. Everyone had a great time, and I know I'd be proud to wear any and all of the completed pieces.

The photo above is of the pendant I did as a demo. I made a little collage to fit inside the hardware piece, added a jump ring on top for the cord, and then created three little beaded dangles for the bottom hole.

Here are some of the pendants created by the class participants:

Yvonne did these, and I think they're just gorgeous.

Sandy, Heidi's mom came all the way from central Pennsylvania, and made these wonderful pieces.

Corris did these, and I think they are wonderful!

Thought you might like to see some of the happy crafters.

From left to right - Jen, Heidi, Corris, Yvonne, and me with Bo.

Visit This Blog!!!!

My friend Betty from PID has a lovely blog, and she is currently posting truly outstanding tutorials on altered books. Having done one (only one) myself, I do know what goes into it, and Betty has done HUNDREDS of them! So, do please check out her work (and enjoy some very good music while you're there).

New Tutorial

I love trying new background techniques, and the quicker and easier they are, the more I like them. I just posted a tutorial on the PID blog. Click here to check it out!