No Art Today

Just popping in to let you know I'll be gone for a week. Hubby is sweeping me away to beautiful Pacific Grove, CA. He has a work training there and I'm tagging along. Thanks for coming up to watch the young man so we can go, Mom. I've been busy finishing up swaps, doing my etsy thing, trying to clean up this pit of a craft room, and helping the kiddo with school stuff. We are doing home study for math and that takes up some of my time and then I had to meet with teachers this week to be sure it's all going ok and it is.

When I get back it will be at the end of World Cardmaking Day and there are tons of activities going on. Over at Stamptoberfest on 2peas, I'll be hosting a "Music Challenge" on Sunday, Oct. 7th. You'll need some sheet music, either vintage or off the net to complete the challenge. There is a gorgeous Stampington Stamp up for grabs in a drawing for all who complete the challenge and post in the gallery at 2peas by Oct. 13th. That's a pic of the new stamp up for grabs for all who play in the challenge. Oh, and I sold a pile of cards this morning, so I have play money for the trip, too.

Breast Cancer Awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I won't be here next week to post these ATC's, so I'm sharing them today. I'm hosting a swap with this theme. My ATC's are made from this fabric that I quilted last month. I cut it up and added a diecut ribbon made from sparkly felt. I stamped the word hope on the bottom with brown staz-on ink. The little rhinestone represents hope...that sparkly shiny thing that sits out there pulling for those who are facing the cancer demon. I think hope is one of the most important things when facing cancer.

I am fortunate that my breast biopsy last year was benign. I have friends who are not so lucky. I am a 4 year melanoma survivor and do understand the value of hope and of friends and family who make it easier to face the rough days. Take a moment today to do something for a friend facing cancer or for their family. If you don't know anyone, then that's a little miracle in itself to be thankful for. There are so many wonderful products available right now with pink ribbons that support breast cancer research. Here is a shop where you can buy online. Call your doc and schedule your mammogram, remind you girlfriends and family to do the same. Do something to make a difference today.

Halloween Tags

I made these for a swap I'm hosting at the stamp shack where each image comes from a different swapper. Everyone will get 6 items made with their own images by different artists when it's all done. I decided to make tags with an extra challenge of using the same cardstock for this diverse set of images. I will include some waxed black twine with each tag to attach them. This is one of my favorite types of swaps. I'm always amazed at what everyone does with the images.

I used markers to color most of these images. You will also see some googly eyes, distress ink, ribbons, and a cardstock sticker. The printed card stock is by My Mind's Eye -tres jolie. I've seen some of the other swapper's items already and there are cards and treat bags in the mix of items. I think I'll have to host one for Valentine images soon, since I'm taking a break from swapping for the holidays.

GA Challenge--Fall Apples

The new gothic arch challenge this week is Fall/Autumn. I always think of going apple picking and quilts in the fall. This combines them both. I stitched down some fabric scraps and vintage trims. Topped it off with a button and an applique of an apple basket. There really isn't a thing gothic about my arch, but it does represent fall to me.

Welcome Fall

Happy first full day of fall. It definitely feels like fall here today. I keep thinking of going to the apple orchards and going out for apple dumplings and fresh cider at the little restaurant near the orchards. Since I can't talk my family into going today, I made these cards. I won a whole package of goodies from Papercrafts Magazine and this paper and stickers by Flair Designs was in the pack. It's really some wonderful stuff if you want anything at all with a food theme. The apple label is cut out of a 12" x 12" sheet with lots of labels and the tag is a sticker. The background paper is also by the same company. I included some pressed leaves in the design, too. Not a bit of stamping today. The colors are a little off, but you get the idea. The sketch design for these cards is from a Stamp-Shack challenge this week.

Mission Collage ~Complete

The last five steps for the collages are scratch with something sharp, add text, add something 3-D, write a word or phrase, and surprise. I got them all done today while I was taking breaks from trying to fix my crazy blog. I scratched the collages with a straightened out paper clip in the corners. Then I added definitions from a 1930's dictionary for sew and time. I added watch pieces and a button. I wrote women on one and art on the other. Then the long process of aging with paint ala Julie's tutorial. After that I went back with distress ink over it all because I just didn't feel I was there yet. Then I punched holes in both collages with my handy cropodile and strung through some vintage lace for hanging. What an absolutely amazing journey these collages were. The book that all of this is based on is called Pretty Little Treasures by Sally Jean Alexander. I have the book on order from the library, so I really don't know how I measure up, but it was a fun journey.

Woohoo the blog is fixed!

Oh my what a journey! Ok, so if your sidebar slides off the side to the bottom, check out this link. Apparently, it was an error code in the one post I made last night before I went to bed that made everything go all wonky. So, how you check for that if it happens is that you click on each post individually from the view blog area. You will know which post it is because that's the one that will not show your side bar. Clear as mud? Well, if it happens to you, I can help now. While all of that was making me crazy, I finished my collages. Back in a bit to post them.

I need some blog help

I have no idea what happened to my blog overnight. All of my stuff that is supposed to be over on the right has moved down to the bottom. I've tried changing templates, moving things around, and removing page elements. I just removed all the cookies on my computer. Nothing seems to work. Does anybody have any idea what happened and how to fix it?

Mission Collage-part 4

There are three parts to today's mission ~ create a pattern, draw something, and sand. I'm no artist in the classical sense, so the whole draw part had me a bit nervous. First for the pattern, I used a stencil. You know those old fashioned kind we used in school. So that's how I made the dots on the black and gold collage and the scallops over on the side of the blue and yellow collage. Then I got out a pencil and lightly drew around the old fashioned ladies on both collages. I then went over it and added micron pen and a bit of tombow pen over the gold collage because it's tough to draw on a metallic surface. I think the lady on the gold collage looks like she's inside a flower now. The sandpaper took off some of the pattern pieces and a bit of paint on the edges. I probably should sand a little more. I'm still thinking about it. This is such a fun mission, Julie.

Mission Collage-parts 2 & 3

Oh, now the collages are getting fun! Here are the steps that were added today-chalk or pastel, photo, charcoal, smudge with fingers, magazine pic, stamp somewhere. This is a 2 in one post today, since I did all those steps today.

Part 2~~I used some pastel pencils that I had picked up on clearance here and there around the images. The photo images that I used are the two old fashioned ladies and are from a women ATC pack. Then the charcoal part has had me completely stuck since I can't seem to find a charcoal pencil to save my life. Finally, today I had an ah ha moment when I remembered that black soot distress ink has real soot in it. I figure that's as close to charcoal as I can get right now, so I used that smeared around with cut & dry foam. Ok, that's all of part 2.

Part 3~~I smudged all of the pastel pencils with my fingers and the black soot ink sort of mixed in with them. The mag pics were interesting. For the blue & yellow collage I used a bunch of watch headed people from an article in my Curves mag. I cut out just the watches...off with their heads! The gold collage got a stamp over there in the corner. Then I used a damp washrag to smudge off some of the mag ink. I stamped with staz-on a lace stamp on the gold collage and a voyage stamp on the yellow & blue collage. I think the blue and yellow collage is headed to a voyage through time thing. The gold one is beginning to represent my hobbies of sewing and stamping.

I'm having fun with these crazy collages. I hope my swap partner likes one of them.

Etsy Shop Open

I finally got my act together to open my etsy shop. If you have a minute take a peek. All I have listed so far is some ribbon & lace packs and game piece packs. It's crazy busy over there, but I'm excited to be a part of it. If you don't know about etsy, yet, prepare to get addicted quick. It's like ebay for crafters without the auctions. My craft room looks like a bomb exploded, so no creating today. Gotta clean up the mess. YIKES! I hope you are having a creative Monday.

Mission Collage-part 1

Here are the results after the first day of Mission Collage. Over at Julie's blog we are on a mission to create a collage with 18 steps. This is the result after the first 3 steps- paint, paper, ink. I'm feeling a little stuck at this point because I used more image type things for my paper and now in the second step I need to add photos...yikes. Oh, we are only making one collage to swap, but I decided to work on 2 so I'd have a back up just in case. These are both on 5 x 7 canvases. There is alot of acrylic paint laid down first and I used a little saran wrap wrinkled up to apply the last bits of paint. The papers are from old patterns. There is some distress ink and a bit of white gel pen on one of them. I thought it would be fun to share the process with you, so I'll post an update on these after each of the missions.

Taking Pause

I've tried all day to think of something profound to share about this significant day, but words fail me. I played bunco tonight with my girlfriends. One of my bunco babe buddies has a son in Iraq. I can see the worry in her face when she speaks of him. He isn't scheduled to return home until a year from October. That means that we are still going to be there a year from now. It is truly astounding to me that we are willingly losing our most precious resource. I think there is something desperately wrong with this picture. I'm not very eloquent, but I am sad for our country, and all of our parents who have lost their children. Our politics pale in comparison to the loss we are all suffering. This music video brought me to tears. I had not heard this before and I really think Pink says it better than I ever could.

Do you have this trimmer?

I have a product review up at Craft Critique today. I reviewed this trimmer by Making Memories which I've only had about a month. Someone posted that it dulls after a few months and doesn't perform. I don't want to send anyone off to waste money. If you have this trimmer, can you let me know how it's working for you? I don't want to lead anyone to a product that doesn't deliver. Thanks.

I am editing this post to add a link to Making Memories for the form to fill out regarding defective product replacement. I sent one in myself regarding the problems mentioned with this product.

Stickers....Gasp!

Caardvarks has a fun challenge this week to use stickers to make a card. Well, now you know I have stickers, but the throught of using them on cards makes me nervous. You know real cardmakers stamp, right? What a fun challenge this turned out to be. I picked up some making memories kits last year for a song at Target and most of them were holiday themed. I used the stickers from one of the kits in the punched out windows here. The trim was also from the kit. I think the pp is Wild Asparagus. This card will fit in a legal sized envelope. I guess I ought to give myself permission to use stickers once in a while. They aren't doing me any good just hanging around here.

Fall Color

It certainly is starting to feel a bit like fall around here, finally! I made this for a challenge to use saran wrap to create a background. It was so easy to do and such a fun technique. You just wad up a piece of saran wrap in your hand and use it as a stamp with you inkpad. I pounced on 5 different shades of red, orange, and yellow for the background. Then I stamped the leaves over the top. All of the inks used here are distress inks by Ranger. The leaf stamp is by Judikins. This meets my red and orange color challenge for this month with a little added yellow and brown. There isn't a speck of white in there, either. I hope you'll try the color challenge this month. It's perfect for fall.

On an unrelated note, I lost the little dog today on our walk. The big dog ran off after a cat and the little one followed. Then, I just completely lost sight of her and she of me. We don't use a leash because we walk in an unpopulated area with no traffic. After lots of calling to her and searching, I walked back home and she was waiting for me on the front porch. Fortunately, little Mabel gets walked at least two times a day and when she got lost, she found her way home. She is sticking to me like glue now. I'll be watching her closely. I'm so relieved I found her, or she found me actually. Oh, and the cat is fine, too. She just ran up the stairs...first time we've ever seen a cat on our walks. Never a dull moment around here.

Fly Away

Check out this new challenge blog called 4" x 4" Friday. I had to give it a go with a theme like birds. This is all on a piece of chipboard. Lots of different stamps, feathers, an old poker chip, and a bit of hemp. I like it better than my last attempt at a bird collage, so there's progress.

Gothic Arch #2

This one was so much fun to put together. I kept thinking of this line from "It's a Wonderful Life." I got this stamp a mania sentiment in a grab bag and it was just right for this moon challenge. It's stamped on handmade paper. I used DCWV metallic stack for the base with some alcohol inks on it for depth. The moon is an old cardboard poker chip with distress inks. I stamped the All night media image with staz-on on a transparency. The lasso is a piece of hemp. Thanks for a great gothic arch challenge, Linda.

Color Challenge Monday ~ part 16

It's the first monday of the month. Happy Labor Day, and time for a new challenge in the midst our heat wave. Traditionally, we are not supposed to wear white after labor day. So, let's try to make a project without any white in it using the hot colors of red and orange. I hope you'll play along some time this month. Please post a link here if you play. The next color challenge will be Oct. 1st.