No more posts for a while. On Monday I'm heading for Utah with 9 of my fellow Gotham City Stampers for the Stampin' Up! convention. I have so many things to do before I leave, I doubt that I'll have any new art to post.

We had such a great time at convention last year, and I'm really looking forward to this trip. Even though it is way hotter there than here (and it's pretty hot here).

We made team t-shirts to wear on opening day. Pat designed the back:

And I designed the front:Hope to learn some new tricks and have a lot to share when I return on August 9th.

Keep cool, and make art!

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!

Great Blog and Giveaway

Take a moment and go visit my friend Shelly's blog. She's having her one year blogoversary, and is giving away some really great stuff (all handmade, of course) to celebrate. Shelly has crocheted cuffs, beaded necklaces, beautiful papers, and more. Just post a comment after your visit and you may be one of the lucky winners.

Here's an example of Shelly's gorgeous work:

More Grungepaper Flowers

Don't know about you, but I love all the things that can be done with grungepaper. Earlier I posted the business card holders I made with them, and I've been doing flowers all along.

On Sunday I'm co-teaching a jewelry class with my friend Heidi. I'm doing grungepaper flowers which can be made into pins or pendants. These are some samples for the class. The flowers were either die cut on my Big Kick or punched with a SU! punch. I inked them, stamped backgrounds on them, then inked some of them again with clear ink and heat embossed them. I added either brads or GP leaves or some Tim Holtz idea-ology hardware.

I Dream In Colors Art Journal

After weeks of not receiving a journal to work in, today Tracy's arrived, sent by Carla (who did an awesome job, by the way).

Tracy's colors are browns, creams, and a touch of yellow. Nice earthy tones.

I was recently looking for images of medieval towns for a completely different project, and found a photo on Flickr that was just shouting at me, "use me in Tracy's journal!" So, I listened and simply printed it out on regular copy paper, Then I adhered it to cardstock and used a lot of colored pencils on it for shading and highlighting. Now I think it looks more like a drawing than a photograph.

I don't normally use fairy images in my art, but it seemed to fit the background.

As for the text, well, since Paul McCartney just performed here in NYC, I figured I'd use his lyrics. That does look like a long and winding road in the picture, doesn't it?

L'Amour

At the Stampsmith yahoo group a cool challenge is going on. Estelle has a wonderful Paris full sheet, and the challenge is to use one of the Eiffel Tower stamps in a project. We just wanted to see all the different ways one image could be used.

I got the crazy idea of putting Miz Scarlett and Rhett Butler in Paris! Well, why not? Both very romantic images, yes? I got even crazier and stamped the passionate pair in an unexpected color -- Crushed Curry, one of the new SU! colors.

I think the combination of black and this yellow/golden color is very elegant.

And I just love the entire line of Stampsmith's photo-realistic stamps.

Altered People Challenge

This week's challenge at the PID yahoo group is "altered people." As usual, I did an ATC:

I used the image of Abigail, from the "inchie kids" collage sheet. Cut out that tiny head, arms, and must confess, borrowed those tiny legs from another image. The butterfly is a very cool die/embossing folder combo from Cuttlebug. The background was leftover from another project, and it is the emboss resist technique.

The other piece is for the miscellaneous album. For that, I did a skinny (3"x5").

I stamped the cool mermaid (from Sideshow Stamps), cut out the face with a craft knife, and inserted another PID image, this one, Jean. The background was made with the Tiny Bubbles Cuttlebug embossing folder, and the mermaid was colored with SU! markers. I glued some small shells to the bottom, and covered them with a hair net, which I hooked over the mermaid's tail. Fun!

This and That

I haven't posted any creations for a while, and realized I've done a few things lately that haven't made it to my blog. Here are some.

This week's challenge at PID is "lace," and I did both an ATC and a little wall hanging.

I recently joined a new yahoo group (with a big long name that I'm shortening here) called ARTHaven. I joined two swaps immediately. One was to make a travel themed Hangie Danglie. Oh, that name cracks me up. Just means the piece has to have something to allow it to hang, and something dangling from the bottom. My piece was done on one of those laminate samples you can swipe from Home Depot, and it is Parisian. This is the front:
And the back:
The other swap was a vintage themed ATC. The car is a Tim Holtz stamp, and the image is from PID.

PID Blog Roll Contest Winners!

Sorry about the delay (I've been away, visiting my mom), but it is official: the winner of my Mona Lisa necklace is.....Nancy Bemis, one of my PID sisters-in-art. Congrats, Nancy!

And the grand prize winner, selected by Melissa of PID, is Ann Divelbiss, another PID member, who is getting my Marie Antoinette necklace (and a great shopping spree at the PID shop!)

Big congrats to Ann as well.

You can see pictures of the two necklaces here.

Generosity

I have been thinking about this word ever since Tracy was sweet enough to pass on the Karma Award to me. A generous blogger shares ideas, doesn't look for fame or fortune. Some have the skills to post videos. Many offer generous giveaways in the form of contests or blog candy, or random drawings.

Is this the only way to be generous in the blogosphere? I think not, and though I love to share my ideas and often give my stuff away, I think I have been as guilty as many others in one very important area. Which is the reason for this posting. You know I normally just upload a photo of a project and give some information about how/why it was made and credit to the stamp company/collage image creator, etc. This kind of post is different for me, but I hope you will continue reading.

How can I be more generous? Every day I receive updates in my mailbox from feedblitz. Usually over 20 at a time. I scroll through quickly, read the posts and move on. Useful, a good time saver, but when I don't actually go to the blogs I miss the opportunity to show a truly generous and grateful spirit. I miss the chance to leave a comment.

I am not speaking for everyone, but talking to other bloggers I know I speak for many when I say how much comments mean to us. It makes us feel like we're not talking to ourselves (not always a bad thing; I do it all the time), and that we have, however briefly, touched someone out there.

How many times have I read an amazing blog post and did not take the time to let that blogger know it was amazing to me?

I know, I know, you're busy. We all are. But my vow is to improve myself on this score. If something I read informs me, touches me, tickles me, inspires me, even annoys me, it's all good. It means it made me think and/or feel. So I will acknowledge that posting with a comment. I will take the time. I will let someone know I value what was written. I will let someone know someone was out there listening.

How about you?

The Karma Award

I had a big surprise and an even bigger honor tonight. I opened my email and discovered that Tracy, one of my favorite sisters-in-art has given me The Karma Award.

The wording for this award is as follows . . .
The Karma Award: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I am to deliver this award to eight bloggers, and that won't be easy. The list of blogs I subscribe to grows daily, and there are just so many generous unpretentious bloggers out there who deserve this more than I. However, I will name 8 who have inspired me and helped me, whether they knew it or not. Some of these bloggers I know quite well, and some know me. Others will probably be in shock. Who is this woman giving me this award? Well, that's because I don't always stop to leave a comment, but know that I do always stop by to read your blog, and that it has touched me.

1. Betty

2. Wanda

3. Mel (of Mel Stampz)

4. Heidi
5. Teri
6. Shelly
7. Barb
8. Valerie

Do visit the above blogs and you'll see why I feel their authors embody the spirit of The Karma Award,

Art Dolls!

Dianna is hosting an art doll swap at the PID yahoo group, and I have found making these fun dolls to be totally addictive!

Here is my fashion plate doll:

And this vintage woman seems to be channeling her inner John Travolta:

Last of all, I couldn't resist having kewpie join the circus as a clown:

The doll torsos, and the faces for fashion plate and kewpie, from PID.

PID Blog Roll Contest

The contest is over, and I've closed that posting to further comments. We're all in the process of selecting winners, and they should be announced within a day or so.
Good luck everyone who entered on this and the blogs of the other participating PID designers.

Grungepaper!

I love this stuff! I signed up for a swap on ATT and wasn't sure what to do. It's a freestyle swap, meaning we can do anything as long as it is made of grungepaper.

Some time ago I found a set of miniature antique postcards of Venice Italy. The cardboard holder they came in fascinated me. With just a few simple folds, it held all the cards together without the need for any adhesive.

I modified that design a bit to accomodate cards the size of an ATC or business card. And since the name of this group is All Things Tim, I used some of Tim's idea-ology hardware as well. Some flowers for decoration and....this is the part that makes me pat myself on the back....a hitch fastener as a closure. It works perfectly! A standard sized hole punch made an opening on the flap that fits exactly over the fastener. And it does stay closed! No glue required.

I am a very happy (and covered with ink) camper (or is that stamper??).

Round Robin Book Home At Last!

My book has zig-zagged across the country and is back home now, complete and gorgeous. This is the one I did in the All Things Tim (that would be Tim Holtz) yahoo group. Click here for my earlier post about this project.

My theme was "Flight" and I love all the different interpretations.

Here are the wonderful pages done for me by 8 talented artists from Florida, Montana, Arizona, California, Oregon, Indiana, Illinois, and New Jersey:

Astrid:

Deb:

Nancy:

Gloria:

Barbara:

Laurel:

Sandi:

Estrella:

KC Willis

No, I did not make this beauty (I wish!), am just spreading the word about KC Willis, the very talented mixed media artist responsible for this piece. I was first turned on to her work by my yahoo-friend Betty, who has taken KC's online classes. Betty's Willis-inspired collages are gorgeous, so I started lurking around KC's website and blog.
If this type of art appeals to you, you might want to check out some of KC's class offerings. Some are online, some are live (wish I lived closer to Colorado), but in any event, her sites are well worth a visit. Click here for a look.

Paper Imagery Designs Blog Roll Contest

Welcome to the Paper Imagery Designs Blog Roll Contest! PID is giving away a TON of cool stuff in honor of its design team (ahem....that would include me!)

Have your name entered UP TO 6 TIMES!

Paper Imagery Designs is having a contest on honor of the Design Team and their wonderful work and to thank it's loyal customers. Stop by each of the designers blogs listed below for your chance to enter leave a comment and a way to be contacted -- without contact information you cannot be notified of your winnings.

Rules: Contest ends July 3rd and winners will be announced in the PID Newsletter. If you're not currently receiving our newsletter you may sign up here. There is more than one chance to win!

Ways to win:

1 - Leave a comment on each of the designer's blogs for a chance to win their art prize.

2 - Post to your blog about the contest and have your name entered again make sure you link to PaperImagery Designs and the blog you heard about it from. Leave a comment and the link to your blog or website and let us know you posted on your blog this is your second entry. You must leave a second comment to count.

3 - Place an order at www.paperimagerydesigns.com between now and July 3rd and have your name entered more times using the chart below!

Spend up to $15.00 and have your name entered 1 more time.

Spend up to $25.00 and have your name entered 2 more times.

Spend up to $35.00 and have your name entered 3 more times.

Spend up to $45.00 and have your name entered 4 more times, etc....

Spend OVER $55.00 and have your name entered into a HUGE drawing to win a piece of art from each of the designers participating and a $75.00 gift package from PaperImagery Designs which includes collage sheets, German scraps, Ranger products,Original Art from the PID DT, Stamps, Tim Holtz Products and much much more!

Blog Roll:

Angie's Art Full Life

Arlene's Altered By Me

Eileen's Art Saves Lives

Carla's Collage Cat

Melissa's Altered Imagination

Linda Cain Friends in Art

For my part, I have two necklaces in the giveaway. I used memory frames, beads, some Tim Holtz embellishments, and of course, PID images.

Leave a comment on this posting only for a chance to win one of these pieces. The other piece will go into the HUGE prize package mentioned above. You will get your name put in a second time if you mention this event on your own blog with a link back to this one. Just come back and leave a second comment with the link to your own blog.

Do the same on the blogs of the other DT participants.

AND on the PID blog as well.

Good luck and happy blog-rolling.

A Charmed Life

My good friend and crafting buddy Heidi asked me to prepare something as a guest blogger on her blog, Heidi's Crafting Mecca. My very first stint as a guest blogger! Who knew? Check it out here and then go make some charms!

I Dream In Colors

Last week I received Valerie's fabulous, playful journal. Her colors are hot pink and lime green, and it's just not possible to create a somber page with those colors.

If you're new to my blog (welcome!), click here to learn more about this wonderful circle book project.

Here are my two pages for Val:

Round Robin Group

Front of page above

and back of page below

Several months ago I began a round robin art journal with seven other members of the All Things Tim yahoo group. Yesterday I received my next to last book to work on and.....my own book came home from its journey around the US! I'll scan and post the wonderful pages done for me another time.

For now, I'd like to share what I did in Deb's book. Her requested theme was "vintage," which is one I'm very happy to do. I used old music sheets and ledger pages for the backgrounds, and some clipart that I don't even know how I acquired. I think it was sent to me as extras in a swap.

I enjoyed this project SO MUCH, and am happy to still have two other circle books in the works.