This 'n That

     I have been neglectful of my blog so am going to post a few samples of work I created but have not yet posted.  Some of you have commented that you like to see the scans, so here are a few items. These are a few items I made in December, all of which were mailed out.

Christmas Card - 2011

This is one of the 60 Christmas cards I made. It is made from scraps of Christmas cardstock that I have kept over the years - too nice to throw out and not enough to make many cards.  I saw a design for a triangle shaped card in a magazine and decided to try to replicate it, turning it into a Christmas tree.  As it turned out, each of the 60 cards is different.  I used Spellbinders dies to create some of the embellishments such as the deer and also used some K&Company purchased embellishments.  Now I need to start thinking about Christmas 2012!

December ATC for Wisconsin group

Tri-fold Calendar

The two front panels open up to reveal a 2012 calendar.

Christmas Tags for Cuttlebug Swap

ATC Background Techniques: "I"

     I love creating backgrounds so was excited to join an ongoing swap creating backgrounds using different techniques.  A group of six is making an ATC every month for each of the participants.  Rather than randomly sending any technique, my friend Carole who organized this swap (she is the background Queen!) decided that we should go through the alphabet, one letter at a time.  I think some of the letters might be a challenge!

Interference Resist with Alcohol Ink

     This month we are creating with the letter "I" in mind.  I found a technique in the wonderful book "Texture Effects" by Nancy Curry.  It is a simple but beautiful technique.  Simply randomly sprinkle powdered pigments such as Perfect Pearls on black glossy card stock then apply alcohol ink using a sponge or felt pad which seals the pigments.  You can then stamp using a permanent ink.  What you can't see in this scan is the depth and shine created using this technique.  I added the bird and cage to complete the ATC.

Tim Tag #6

   I'm trying to make my version of the 2011 12 Tags of Christmas created by Tim Holtz.  I have been using materials that I have on hand, so this tag is not exactly like Tim's but created in the "spirit" of his tag.  The original was created using a Sizzix collage folder which I don't have, but I do have a Cuttlebug collage folder which I used.  The idea of the tag is to emboss on metal and color areas of the tag.  I used metallic tape on a tag, embossed, then colored using alcohol inks.  The top of the tag is embellished with red mesh wired ribbon and a hand made embellishment I received in a previous swap.  I tried to take a photo but there was too much reflection, so I attempted to scan.  That didn't work very well, but at least you can get an idea of what it looks like.  

     The good news is that I have completed 6 of the 12 tags ------ looks like I will be finished soon now that things have quieted down.

                                                            Tag #6

Art Journal - Alice in Wonderland

    One of my internet groups has been involved in an Art Journal swap.  Each participant chose a theme, and the others have been creating a double sided page for her journal.  This month I created this page for the theme of "Alice in Wonderland."  I had found a 12X12 sheet of tags awhile back celebrating Alice and Halloween.  I couldn't resist even though I didn't really have a use for them -- I just thought they were clever!  But I sure was glad when I had to create this page - they were perfect!  I hope the gal who receives this page will enjoy it and want to add to her journal.

                   Front                                                      Back

End of the Year Swaps

     I'm coming to the end of the 2011 swaps and finally finished the last few (only one to go!)  It has been a good year with swapping, making new internet friends and learning new techniques.

Diamond Fold

  Now that I have a Scor Pal, well, both sizes and a Martha Stewart score board (!), I am able to have the tools to do precision scoring and folding.  The theme for the Cuttle Bug group for December was "Fancy Folds."  I could never have made this card without being able to make good, accurate score lines to fold this card.  The navy base is one piece of paper!  I used two Cuttlebug embossing folders and a die to create this along with Distress Inks - a great way to color coordinate different papers.  The silver snowflakes are foam stickers.  I think they were produced for kids, but I found them fun to use!

COTM - Snow

     I belong to group of Wisconsin stampers (and a few from other states, as well), and we have a themed Card of the Month swap.  Each month has a designated theme.  The theme for December is snow or holiday.  I purchased (very recently as in the last day or two as all Christmas stuff is marked WAAAY down!) a new set of embossing folders, so this is the first time I have used them.  I embossed white paper and used Distress Ink to add the blue highlights.  The snowflakes are a piece of printed card stock, and, yes, I used a sparkley snow flake sticker!!!

     The scan below is an ATC I made for the same group.  I had the blue and white CS out as well as those cute snowflakes, so I created this ATC.  I had purchased a couple of sheets of vintage images at the annual stamp/scrap show in Madison and used them to complete the ATC's

     Now all I have to do is finish up my 12 Days of Christmas tags.  I'm hoping to have them made by January 6, the original end of the 12 Days.  And, of course, a new round of 2012 swaps is set to begin.

     Thanks for checking  my blog - hope to post more and more regularly in 2012.

Art Journal Swap

     I love belonging to internet groups as I get to see lots of wonderful work created by artists from around the world.  I joined a new (to me) group about six months ago and have had fun joining in on the swaps.  By the end of the month a small group of us will be completing art journal pages.  Each person chose both a theme and an orientation (horizontal or vertical) with the goal of binding the pages into a book and adding our own journaling to the pages sent to us by our partners. 

     For the first half of December I created a 5"X7" double sided page with the theme of quotes about words.  Words!!!!!  I love words and quotes, so this was great fun.  I had trouble selecting only two quotes about words ---- there are so many really good ones.  But I settled on the two below.  Of course, one is by Emily Dickenson -- she always could say so much in so few words.  And I had never come across the other quote, but it is something I truly believe in.  

     The page is created on watercolor paper with color added using Distress Inks by Tim Holtz.  I stamped a few images, added some purchased embellishments, and computer generated the quotes.  

     I really like how the pages turned out and was so happy to receive a very nice e-mail from the recipient.

    A while back I was in a year long swap dealing with art quotes, a different quote each month.  I received some lovely pages and am planning on combining them with the six I will have from this swap.  It will be a wonderful handmade book!

Tim's Tags #4 & 5

Day 4

Day 5

     Trying to catch up so I don't fall too far behind.  Here's what I came up with for Days 4 & 5.  Day #4 - I used the Rays embossing folder and the Snow On the Edge die along with a Sizzix snowflake die and some "bling."  The label is  a Nestabilities die.  I was surprised to find that I do have some of the burlap ribbon - perfect for the "grungy" look of this tag.
     I had fun with creating the fragment embellishment using alcohol ink and Stazon according to Tim's instructions.  I let the ink dry overnight and the Stazon did remove the color.  I love the pair of deer so used the leaping dear on the tag layered over the tall pine folder.   I have an idea for Day 6 - better get going before I get even more behind!!!

Tim Tags - Days #2 & 3

I'm still trying to catch up with Tim's Tags for 2011.  I actually have the pair of deer die so I at least had the central image.  I used some printed music velum over a basic tag for the background and a purchased (!) embellishment for the the deer.  The border is a Spellbinders die.

Day #2

Day #3

I really had to "stretch" on this one as I didn't have a bold sentiment stamp.  I guess the only thing that I did was make some kind of foliage  embellishment.  Onwards and upwards to Days # 4 and 5!!!!

12 Days of Christmas - Day 1

This is my first year of participating in the Tim Holtz's 12 Days of Christmas challenge.  He encourages everyone to do what they can, to improvise if you don't have the exact materials he uses.  I don't have the pine cone die (yet!) so I die cut some green foliage and a brown poinsettia (Spellbinders) and added a purchased embellishment (K&Company.)  I'm half way finished with #2 - I'm only three days behind!!!!!