Harvesting the Grape

Hello everyone!  If you ask parents of school aged children they might tell you that summer is almost over.  After all, school will be starting soon if your local district hasn't already begun.  As autumn draws closer, I think of the fall vegetable and fruit harvests.  It's my favorite season and I look forward to the fall colors and cooler temps.  I've tried to capture some of that in my card today.

The collage image is mounted on cardstock and attached with foam squares so that the card isn't just flat.  I added a few paper flowers and some Dew Drops in the same basic color scheme as the background.  There is still plenty of space to add a sentiment later...or not. 

If you would like to see the rest of the process, please visit my post at Altered Pages Artsociates.

Supplies used:

Sheet music paper, cut to size

StazOn inks

Delicata gold ink
Gesso

Ink Sweeper sponge dauber

Collage image - Italia

Various adhesives

Stencil - Bricks 6x6

Stencil - Well Rounded 6x6

Paper flowers

Dew Drops

Card stock

Come back again and see what other projects the Altered Pages Design Team has to share with you! 

Christmas greetings!  I can't believe how long it has been since my last blog post.  Between dealing with some health issues and working long hours the days have just flown by.  I've done a little bit of crafting since then so I've got a few projects to share.  The first one is a postcard swap hosted by Art Papers Online.  I'll have another ready to share in a couple of days.

There are 60 crafters and artists in this swap and we all started with a packet of 10 handmade Thai postcards.  Each of us will send 9 cards off into the world this month to welcome in the new year with pretty mail.  The first card I made was the stamped American Eagle design.  I like the picture I came up with but I wanted something "different" for them so I switched over to napkin collage.  I used US Art Quest's Perfect Paper Adhesive (PPA) matte finish on all of them.  Some of the cards have fairy dust glitter on them but for some reason it doesn't show on the scans.

Since I only need 9 of the 10 for the swap one of these will be left out.  I haven't decided yet which one that will be.  So without further adieu, here are my cards for the swap!

I know which one is my favorite and I'd like to know which one is yours!  Drop me a line and let me know if you like them...and if you do, which one you like best. And you can check out everyone else's postcards on this Pinterest board:  http://www.pinterest.com/artpapersonline/art-postcard-swap/

Until next time...Happy Stamping!

Unusual Embellishments

Hi!  Would you like to play a game with me today while I sit here and try to figure out what today's project is going to be?  I have three or four started and ideas for more rolling around in my head and I'm stalling. 

First, let me start by saying that I have an embellishment obsession.  That's right.  I said it.  I had to admit it to myself yesterday when, on my way in to work from the parking lot, I saw a pine cone on the ground and had to make myself walk past it.  I started thinking of ways to pull it apart and put it on cards.  Really?  Who does that?  An obsessed person, that's who!

So this morning I started thinking about the non-craft items I've used on cards.  Here are a few of them.  See if you can guess the embellishment!

This Asian beach scene was a sketch card. Can you guess what the background is?

Did you say sandpaper?  Then you were right!  A circle of sandpaper forms the beach and gives it a nice layer of texture.  I just used regular scissors to cut it into a circle and attached it with double-sided carpet tape.

Okay, next card.  Another summery card with a beach theme.

Did you think those were paper squares?  Nope!  These are little Formica tile samples from one of the big box home improvement stores.  They are free and are hanging out on little racks for potential customers who are deciding on a color.  (Don't take too many all at once or the salesperson might get a little upset with you.)  I used StazOn ink so that it would stick to the shiny surface.  You have to use a steady hand because the stamp will want to slide around if you aren't careful.

A southwest card this time.  I love my cowboys and southwest stamps.  What could that cactus be?

It's self-sticking felt!  You know, like they put on the bottom of lamps and jewelry boxes so your tables don't get scratched!  You can buy it in big sheets at your hardware store.  I used a plastic stencil to get the shape and then added texture to it with a Sharpie.  The best part is that I didn't have to figure out what kind of glue would work best on the felt.

I was part of a swap where the hostess sent objects to be incorporated into your card.  What did she send?

A glossy map!  This one happens to be of a Metro Park in my own neighborhood.  I thought that was cool, especially since the swap hostess lives in another state.  Since we get visitors to our parks all the time I stamped up these gentlemen and have them exploring the park.

I made this nautical card years and years ago and it's still one of my favorites because of the textures on it.

Are you thinking sandpaper again?  No, sorry, not this time.  It's just regular play sand.  I covered a sheet of card stock with double-sided carpet tape and laid down the triangles of paper.  When they were stuck down good and tight I poured sand over the top, patted it down a bit and then dumped off the excess.  If you're covering a small space you can use white glue to hold your sand, too.

Okay, this one may be pretty obvious.  

It's a shaker card full of sesame seeds! I've also used them individually...

Are you embellishment obsessed?  Take a look around your world...not just your local craft stores.  It's amazing what will inspire you!

Thanks for stopping by.  I'd love to hear about your unusual finds!  You can leave me a comment below and, as always, I welcome followers!  Happy crafting!!

Stuck for ideas? Try a sketch!

I've been in several different stamping groups over the years.  I was even a moderator in Yahoo back when they were Clubs instead of Groups.  I love seeing the different variations that we all come up with when presented with a theme.  One of my favorite places to look for inspiration is in a sketch or pattern.  Left on my own to create, I'm a pretty balanced person.  A stamped image in the middle balanced out with embellishments or a saying.  I like the way an off-balance card looks.  I think there is so much interest in giving your eye different levels to look at, but I just don't usually think that way.  When you're presented with a sketch, you use your stamps, papers & embellishments to fit the pattern...and that can be both fun and challenging!

Open yourself out to new ways to layer things on your cards or scrapbook pages.  You may be surprised at yourself.  And if you can't think of a way to get started, just try a sketch!  They make a great jumping off point.  You can find sketch designs in a lot of rubber stamp magazines and online.  Or create your own!  Take several plain shapes and lay them on a card at random.  You can close your eyes or ask your husband or kids to help you come up with something.  Whatever pattern ends up on the paper is what you'll create.

I posted one card a week ago that I made for a sketch challenge right here on blogspot for The Robin's Nest.  I made two more this morning.

Soft and feminine.  To give the flowers a little more impact I used 5 different colors of Dew Drops.

I love the silhouette garden stamp.  And the dark purple glitter paper was fun.  It can be overpowering if you're not careful.

Goodies in the mail

I feel like it's Christmas again!  I've gotten three packages of beautiful new things to play with this week.  First was a new craft mat and a couple of stamps from Altered Pages .  Then on Monday I received my January challenge kit and several bottles of Dew Drops from The Robin's Nest.  They are my new favorite embellishment!  I made a card to enter into their blog contest.  You can make scrapbook pages, cards or mixed media projects.  I haven't scrapped in so long that I drew a blank looking at the layout, but projects aren't due until Feb. 15th so I may join that challenge, too.  And today I received my gem kit from Sakura and a couple of Terri Sproul's mixers.  I'm going to try my hand at making a couple of pendants this weekend.  What fun!  It's all part of my decision to spend more time being creative.  Here's my card for the sketch challenge.  Let me know what you think in the comments below.  I'd love to hear about your art projects, too!

Not all crafts (or crafters) are created equal

I've just spent the last two days watching a live feed from the CHA convention in San Diego.  It's a convention for vendors to see and order the new products coming out.  I can't even believe some of the products out there!  I'm basically a rubber stamper.  Although I enjoy trying my hand at other crafts, that's where my passion lies.  I have bins and drawers full of art supplies and embellishments.  I thought I had a pretty good idea of what supplies should be in my cupboard.  HAH!  My head is spinning at the variety of products out there that I have never even heard of.

Today I watched a demo about making jewelry with a "cold enamel" process.  I didn't even know that the traditional method required heat!  Pretty interesting and absolutely beautiful. I saw scrapbook kits, adhesives, die cuts, rubber stamps, paper, clothing, jewelry supplies, etc.  Even though I think it was all super cool I know that I won't be good at everything I try.  And, quite frankly, I can't afford to try everything that looks interesting.  But that's not what crafting is about.  It's not a contest to see who can be good at the most things.

I can't sew - I can barely thread a needle.  I can't weld, solder or make pottery - the thought of handling anything that gets that hot or deals directly with fire frightens me.  And I'm pretty sure my city has ordinances prohibiting my owning a forge or kiln in my garage.  But I can make cards.  I like making greeting cards for my family and friends because I like the idea of making someone smile. Just a friendly little reminder that they are in my thoughts.  We all love getting mail that isn't just bills and sales flyers, right?  And if it's pretty mail...all the better!

So try some things and find the outlet that makes you happy.  You don't have to try every technique or have "all the toys".  You just need to keep an open mind and find what makes you happy.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." - Picasso

Cards for a cause

It seems most everyone has some kind of collectible they like best.  I have a lot of different owl figurines, jewelry and wall pictures.  My husband likes die-cast cars.  My cousin collects pigs.  If you are a collector, you know how fun it is to find something new and different.

Friends of mine are active in their local ferret rescue shelter http://motorcityferrets.org/.  And in an effort to help them raise money for the care and feeding of foster animals, I have made cards for the owner to sell.  I don't know how how much she charges.  I've never asked and I don't really care.  It's for the animals!  And even though I've never held a real one, these furry little clowns make me smile.  And I'm not the only one.  Her supporters love the unique hand made cards.

Here are some from over the years.  The ferret stamps are from Rubber Hedge Hog.

Stamped on blue paper, embossed in black and then bleached.

I like monochrome cards  This little guy's face jumps right off the card.

Hey, that's not your popcorn!

I guess the handyman should have kept that toolbox closed!

Who doesn't like to frolic in the leaves?

I've made a lot of collages with this shadow stamp. He fits really well!

Whatever craft you happen to prefer, consider donating your art work to a local cause.  Nothing beats the warm fuzzy feeling of knowing you have helped someone.  Even if that someone is only a few inches tall.

My first cards

My first play date at my cousin's house was fun but I was a little overwhelmed.  I knew she made beautiful cards because I had been receiving them on birthdays and holidays.  I didn't expect to see the "huge" collection of stamps she had.  Well, I thought it was huge!  I think I had all 3 or 4 of my stamps with me.  She had been stamping about 3 or 4 years so there were a lot to choose from...so of course I had no idea what I wanted to do. 

I sat down and wondered what to stamp. My husband had just said to me the night before that we needed to go shopping because there wasn't much in the cupboards.  When I saw this Mason jar stamp I decided to make a card for him.

I thought I was so clever to draw that can of soup...it's too bad I don't possess that type of talent.  I just can't draw to save my life.  But I love crafts and I can color anything.  I punched each of those little green circles, too!  Inside says, "Then it's time to go out to eat."

Okay, it's NOT great art.  I still have the same quirky sense of humor I did then and it tends to show up in my cards quite often!  I guess it's true that with age comes wisdom, because I'm smart enough now to know better than to try and draw my own pictures! I just search high and low looking for the perfect stamp to add to my ever-growing collection. 

I made a couple of other cards on my own right after that first trip to my cousin's craft corner.  I loved her embossing technique but didn't have a heat tool so she showed me how to emboss using a toaster.  That memory still makes me giggle.  I think I burned as many pieces of paper as I didn't burn.  It didn't take long to take that trip to start buying the right tools.  These were my other first few cards.  I still like the bunny.  She's just so darned cute!

Oh yeah, I drew the carrots and bees, too.  **giggle**