New Posting - Long Time with Yahoo Problems!!!!

New E-mail, but My Blog is Accessible!

   A while back my old e-mail address was compromised.  Needless to say, I have had to start new accounts including e-mail, Yahoo, and so on.  I'm still trying to sort everything out.  So....if you haven't heard from me in awhile, it's because I am trying to recreate my e-mail address book.

   I was surprised that I am still able to access my blog!!!  When I used the new e-mail, I couldn't add anything -------- so, I tried the old one and ...EUREKA!!!

   I'm going to post a few of the most recent projects I have worked on and will try to keep up from now on.  My scanner still doesn't talk to my computer (must be some "domestic" issues which have caused the silent treatment), so I have taken some photos with my trusty little camera.  It isn't the same as the scanner, but it will have to do for now.

Flip/Flap Butterfly  (open)

Black and  White Using Washi Tape

Window Frame Card

Tryptich

 I had great fun making this card -  it kind of took on a life of its own!!!

Black and White

 

SU Stamp Camp - Red/Black/White

Another with the same colors designed by my friend Ardi

My Friend Carole's Creation

SU Dress Form - Love the Polka Dots!

Closed Dress Card

 

Open

Tag for "Wierd" Tag (Wisconsin Group)

 

Red and Yellow Swap

 

SU Stamp Camp/September #1

#2

 

#3

#4

B/W Card Using $1 Stamp!

The little bird covers an "oops!"

    So, that's just some of the work I've been doing recently.  I hope to get back to continue to update with some of my favorite cards and creations.

Minstrel Boy: Messing With the Wrong City - NYT Dennis Lehane

Minstrel Boy: Messing With the Wrong City - NYT Dennis Lehane

Back On-line

    Well, I guess it's true - no good deed goes unpunished.  To make a long story short, we had our computer updated so Dick could watch NBA games on it (the Bulls!), and I found out recently that the upgrade is why the scanner part of the OfficeJet won't work (and can't be fixed!)  So, I'll be taking pics of some of my creations and posting them here.  I hope to add a few more pictures of my previous 2013 work that have been posted by friends.
     Here's a picture of a recent card just mailed out today - the theme was Pears, and we needed to incorporate multiple layers of paper.  The stamp is a long-time "friend" - I use    it often.  Besides layers of paper, I added gold microbeads to the pear itself.

Catching up on Posts

 WhIle I haven't posted much on my neglected blog, I have been working away in the grotto.  Here are a few samples of projects.

Telescope "Card"

     The idea of this "card" is to layer concentric circles using brads so that, when opened, the card telescope up.  I created the three layers, then realized they wouldn't work using brads, so I laid ribbon between the layers and made more of a hanging mobile.  This was sent out as a swap, and I received a nice note of thanks from the recipient.

Cute and Cudley

     The August theme for an Oriental swap was Cute and Cudley, not exactly the kind of work I usually do.  However, I do own a set of stamps of a young Chinese girl who was adopted by parents who make and sell original design stamps.  I had to have this - the little girl looks like my granddaughter Kada when she was this age.

Greeting Card Swaps

     The two cards below were made for themed swaps.  The first one needed to have some acetate (you can see that I embossed it) and some elegant stickers - the gold designs and the butterfly.  The other is a card for "Autumn Leaves" swap.

ATC's - Artist Trading Cards

     Measuring 2-1/2" X 3-1/2", these little cards are often used in swaps where the sender mails out the same card to a group of people.  The two below are for a background technique swap - we began with techniques starting withe letter "A" and have now worked up to the letters "R" and "S."  I used brayered rainbow ink for the one on the left and shaving cream for "S."  We are almost through with this project - only a few months left to finish the alphabet.

 Here's another ATC for a different swap - Autumn.

     The cat is an ATC for a Halloween ATC swap.  The ATC on the  right is an illustration for the fable The Emperor and the Nightengale.

     These ATC's were made to illustrate rain using a resist technique.  I used watercolor crayons to create the resist.

Catching Up

     I've been neglecting my blog but have been working away on some projects.  I've posted scans and a brief description of each.

Background ATC's

     For the Background ABC technique I used the Pounced Ink technique to create the background for this ATC.  I crumpled up a piece of plastic wrap and pounced in on the ink  pad, then on the paper.  The is is a collage stamp from Stampin' Up.

      This background is called "Quick and Easy Tie Dye."  I couldn't find any technique for "Q," I made up a name for this.  I rolled up a piece of paper towel, wet it down with water, then dropped re-inkers of various colors on the wet paper.  I unrolled it and let it dry, then separated the layers.  Easy, messy fun!!!

    

     I made this card for an African swap for an internet group (artforthecreativemind) using a new embossing folder from Cuttle Bug called African Batik - what a good excuse to buy a new folder to add to my stash!  I carefully applied metallic  ink on the raised areas and added the palm tree and the lion image (Sampin' Up) along with some raffia.

      My  friend Bonnie (check out her blog - Google craftiblog on Wordpress)  taught me how to make the paper flowers.  We spent an evening making the roses, then assembling the card.  I knew that I had to practice, so I made a bunch more in the following days, and found a few other ways to make flowers.  Check out Bonnie's blog - craftiblog on Wordpress.

     These are a few flowers I made on my own - great messy fun!!!

     I found this product at Joann's in the clearance bin - its strips of fabric stitched down the middle.  Of course, I could make this myself, and probably will, but the price was right and I wanted to try my hand at fabric flowers.

Here's the result - I distressed them with Distress Ink to create a vintage look.

 And here is a set of tags I made for a swap.

  


     I also found another way to make the flowers using concentric punches.

  

Oriental July Swap - Lanterns

      This month's theme was lanterns and the colors black and gold.  I used Distress Ink markers to color the lantern and a Cuttle Bug folder to emboss the gold paper.

Anniversary Cards

   We send a lot of greeting cards to family and friends, especially for birthdays and anniversaries.  Dick requested more anniversary cards, so here are a few that I made.

 Here's the new Hero Arts bird collage stamp that I bought in June.

 The three panel cards were made with DSP and some purchased embellishments.

Road Trip to Appleton Card Class

     My friends Chrissy and Mary from Mukwonago and I drove to Appleton to take a card making class at The Paper Cut, a business that supplies quality paper to stores and other businesses as well as selling at Stamp/Scrap shows around the country.  A few times a year they open the warehouse for a big sale.   And, on the night before the sale, they offer classes and early entry to the sale.  We took a great class using some of their specialty papers and some interesting techniques.  I didn't quite finish up that night but have all except one completed.  Take a peek:

Silhouette ATC's

     One of my groups has an ATC swap every month - July's theme was "silhouettes."  I had purchased a wonderful set of Jane Austen stamps and dies a few months ago and used them to create these.

Card Club with Ardi and Carole

     We try to get together once a month to make cards - these are the July cards.  Mine is the one on the left, Ardi's is in the middle, and Carole's in on the right.  Carole applied white glue on white cardstock and let it dry.  We applied blue and brown Distress Inks over the dried glue which created the look of clouds and texture to the grass.  Very clever idea!

 July Shoebox

     Another group of friends and I also get together every month.  Here are the July creations.   

     Bonnie created the vase using porcelain clay and brought enough for each of us to make a flowery card.  We created the textured background using the ScorPal.  The leaves are an assortment of die cuts, punches, and hand cut and crimped.  The flower was a purchased silk flower which we took apart and reassembled

     Chrissy brought a colorful BD card design using printed paper, some die cuts and ribbon.  I love the companion stamp for the envelope!

     Jane's card featured punched butterflies and purchased paper roses.  We stamped the brown background with metallic inks - hard to see here but lovely.  The card was finished off with punched borders, ribbon, and a special antique button from Jane's grandmother's button jar.

     Here's that bird stamp again!  I showed the gals an easy background using Distress Inks and watercolor paper spritzed with water, then dried with a heat tool.  We stamped the bird and colored in areas with Distress Markers.

Thanks for taking the time to peruse my blog.