A is for Acrobat

We're starting a new alphabet swap on the IFS-ATC group. I wasn't in the last one since I'd joined the group after it was already started so I'm excited to be in this one so I can swap a complete set. Here's my A is for Acrobat card. I can't wait to see what I'll get in return! This card will be sent to Beth Babcock. Now, what will B be for? Hmm....

4 Card Stud

On the aMUSEme group there's a swap each month that Marjie calls 4 card stud. Basically you make 4 ATC's and send them in by the end of the month and get 4 back. The theme this month is "vintage." I came across this image while looking at Cora's blog Paper Flowers. If you get a chance you should take a look...there's some wonderful artwork and Cora has generously shared some lovely images.

RAK back

I forgot to post the RAK back that I made today to send to Val. I love this stamp...I hope she likes it too.

RAKs

I received two fun RAK's this week from a gal in the InkyFunStampers ATCgroup...Val Roloff. It was my first RAK from someone in this group and I have to say it was such a treat! Not only did Val send me two ATC's, she packaged them in a little envelope that she made out of an old calendar page with two wonderful sheep on it! How did she know I love sheep?! Here are the cards along with the envelope...Thank you Val!

A new friend

Isn't this the most adorable face? This little gem of a card was given to me today by a new friend...Lyneen. It's such a fun story how we met. I posted a photo of my inchie tree back in December. Louise was kind enough to comment on it and show it to Lyneen. Lyneen then commented on it herself and lo and behold it turns out she works in the same small town I live in! After a few e-mails back and forth I find out she's part of a local ATC group that I've wanted to hook up with and she teaches some classes at my local scrapbook store! Well, today we met for lunch and I had the best time! Lyneen is so friendly and funny not to mention talented and I'm really looking forward to getting to know her. Ok...so don't you just love these cosmic coincidences? I've "met" so many talented and generous people online since I've started blogging and participating in some online groups and I've had such fun sharing my small art with people all over the world. But it's such a treat to actually get to meet one of these people in person! Fun, fun fun!

TMTA - Photo Stamp

The challenge this week at TMTA is to use a photo stamp and share what type of ink was used. This stamp is from Time to Stamp and I used a Memories Chalk-a-lots ink pad.

Valentine Inchies - Take 2

Here's the second set of Valentine inchies all ready to be sent away!

TMTA - Postage Stamps

Here's my entry for TMTA. The theme this week is postage stamps. I love this picture...this child is so sweet and if you look very closely I do believe there's a lamb on the cover of the book he's reading! I also got to use this huge alphabet background stamp I just found. For some reason this card just wouldn't scan well...no matter what I did I couldn't get rid of the glare on the upper left. Ah well....

Valentine Inchies

Well, I got started on my Valentine Inchies today. Here's the first batch...I've used a photo of my mom at 16. The photo is signed at the bottom "Love, Mary." Isn't she gorgeous? She's 82 now and still going strong! I love you Mumma...

Giveaway

Well, the last of our holiday company departed today. As much as I've enjoyed having a house full I think I'm ready for some quieter times. I'm off tomorrow and will have the house to myself so I plan on taking some time to update my blog and work on some upcoming swaps...I have inchies and ATC's to get going! But for tonight I'll leave you with this. Catiean is celebrating her birthday and her 75th blog post by having a giveaway. You can take a look here.

A happy New Year to all and happy birthday to me! It always surprises me when another birthday rolls around...I don't feel as if I'm getting older. I feel younger all the time actually especially now that I'm spending more time creatively. I can remember so well as a child spending afternoons making paper dolls, drawing or coloring. Lambie and I would have our coloring books spread on the floor and a pile of crayons between us and we would lay there on our stomachs coloring away and be happy for hours. Or we would make our own paper dolls and create outfits for every occasion. Lambie still has some of those very paper dolls! And isn't that really just what I'm having so much fun doing now? Every time I come to my desk and touch my papers, markers, stamps and paints I experience that same child-like joy I can remember so well. So, my wish for everyone for this new year of 2008 is that you embrace that joyful child inside of you. Be creative...in whatever way brings a smile to your heart and makes you feel ageless!

TMTA - Fireworks of color

Well, it's been a busy two weeks since I've last posted. I've been away from my computer and my crafting supplies much of the time during the Christmas holiday so I was happy to get back to creating things again. I've had a wonderful time having my mom and two of my sisters visiting but now I have some catching up to do with lots of photos...but I'll save that for tomorrow. The final TMTA challenge for the year is "Fireworks of Color." Here's my entry...since it's been such joyous holiday for me I had to add that word to my card. Happy New Year!

TMTA - Cross Stitch

Here's my ATC for TMTA. The theme this week is cross stitch. Cross stitching was one of the first crafts I took up years ago. I still have a sampler or two hanging and a few favorite pieces tucked away. It's been ages since I stitched anything...this was a fun theme.

4 x 4 Friday - Blue and Silver

Here's my go on the blue and silver theme for 4 x 4 Friday. I used some detail silver embossing powder on the stamped script that looks lovely in person but won't scan no matter what I do! Ah well...

Inchie Tree

Here's a picture of my inchie Christmas Tree. I've hung all the Christmas inchies from the PWA Christmas Inchie Swap as ornaments.

Countdown To Christmas

Here is another Christmas countdown with some lovely free images...take a look here. I love all the sharing at this time of year! Take a good look around the site...there's a wealth of good information, shopping and tutorials.

TMTA - Mosaic

Today's theme at TMTA is mosaic. Here's my card. I love this Teesha Moore stamp...it's one of my favorites.

Two new Swaps

Here are two cards I've sent in for recent swaps. The first one is for the PWA Perpetual Calendar Swap. We had to choose a month and then make 12 ATC's which will fit in a perpetual calendar. I chose September and a back to school theme. The second one is for the Red Lead Christmas Swap. I love their stamps! I also sent this one in for the aMUSEme 4 card stud Christmas swap. Hope they like them!

Paper Packets

Aren't these the cutest thing? This was the first class on the new aMUSEme group. I'm planning to make more to hold small gifties to put in everyone's stockings. What fun!

TMTA - Alice in Wonderland

Today's theme on TMTA is Alice in Wonderland. I love this book! I loved it as child myself and I loved reading it to my own kids. So, here's my card...the Queen of Hearts. Off with her head!

Best Card of the Month

I'm so thrilled and flabbergasted that my entries won best card of the month at Inkyfunstampers and InkyfunstampersATC groups! Both of them! Woohoo...what an honor to be chosen. So, for the rest of the month my cards will be on the home page of each site. I entered the Home ATC that I made for TMTA 2 weeks ago at the IFS-ATC group and I entered the the faux postage 4 x 4 turned into a card for the IFS group. Here's the card...I just added the 4 x 4 to some lovely cardstock. I'm really enjoying both of these groups...lots of great people and fun, quick swaps.

TMTA - Headwear

Here's my entry for the TMTA challenge...I call it Chicken Inspector #23. This week the theme is headwear. I've used this same photo in several different cards but I seem to keep going back to him...I just love his face!

Red Lead Christmas Tags

Here are the tags I made for the Red Lead Swap. I had so much fun making these. I love the Red Lead stamps and images. And it really got me in the Christmas spirit.

TMTA - Houses

Well, here we are...another Monday. I had to work today which is unusual for me...Monday is my normal day off. But I had to fill in on a mobile drive today. So, I didn't get to check the theme for TMTA this week until this evening. The theme this week is houses. The concept of house and home is one that's close to my heart. My home and making a home has always been so important to me. Here's my ATC...

Inkyfunstampers ATC Swaps

Here are two ATC's I've made for the IFS ATC group. The first one is for the Anything Goes swap. I love this stamp from Teesha Moore. The second is for the Harvest Swap. I used a portion of a vintage Thanksgiving postcard. I hope my partners like them.

Christmas Countdown

Lisa Vollrath is having another Christmas Countdown this year. She's generously offering a new Christmas image each day starting on December first. I'll be there...

Christmas Inchies

Well, I've finished my Christmas Inchies for the PWA swap. Now I just have to get them in the mail!

You Are a Gingerbread House

A little spicy and a little sweet, anyone would like to be lost in the woods with you.

What Holiday Food Are You?

Here is an ATC I made for the Inkyfunstampers group monthly challenge. The technique is called distress kissing. You ink up two stamps with contrasting distress ink colors, touch the stamps together then stamp on your paper. I used Ranger distress inks in mustard seed and fired brick and a harlequin and script stamp. Fun technique!

PWA Beaded matchboxes

The Weekly challenge on PWA is beaded matchboxes. Here are the two that I made.

TMTA - Birds

The Theme this week on TMTA is birds. I was going to enter my "little birdie" card because I just love that stamp set from Time to Stamp but I thought I would make something new just for this. So here is my bingo bird but I've posted the little birdie again just because it makes me smile.

4 x 4 Friday Faux Postage

I had time tonight to take a look at the 4 x 4 Friday site so I thought I would give it a try. There's so much inspiring work here...I've had a wonderful time looking at all of the past entries.

White with a Touch of Pink

I signed up for an ATC swap on the Inkyfunstampers ATC group. The theme is White with a Touch of Pink. I'm interpreting "white" loosely...my image is more cream. But that's a shade of white isn't it? Well, I hope my partner likes it!

PWA Fantasy Fatbook Swap

Here is my page for the PWA Fantasy Fat Book Swap. You know with PWA you have to incorporate microbeads into the design. I had the hardest time deciding how I would do that and in the end I just added a strip along the binding edge to outline the page. I'm not very creative in my use of the beads but...ah well. We had to make 17 pages. I can't wait to see what everyone else has done!

Red Lead Halloween ATC's

Here are all of the Halloween ATC's I received from the Red Lead Halloween Swap. Aren't they fun?

Red Lead Halloween ATC Swap

Here's my ATC for the Red Lead swap. I received the return ATC's last week and I'm in the process of scanning them in. It was my first time swapping with this group and I love all the cards I received. I'm working on the November swap now...

TMTA - Halloween

Here's my entry for TMTA this week. The theme is Halloween...how fitting! I love this time of year don't you?

TMTA

Well, here it is Monday again...oops, actually it's Tuesday now. The day just got away from me. I just made a quick card to enter into this week's TMTA. The theme is "friends." I really like this image...I've had it for quite awhile but sadly I don't remember where I got it. Anyway, here it it...

Pink Challenge

Evelyn at PWA issued a "pink" card challenge since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I realized pink is not a color I use very often. But I thought I'd give it a try and made these two cards. The color is off a bit in both...for some reason my scanner just couldn't get the pinks quite right...but you get the idea.

TMTA

I thought I would enter an ATC for TMTA. I've often looked at this site and been inspired by the art work. The category is moon and stars. Here's my entry...

Technique Junkies

Here's my first stab at the Double Pocket Card from the TJ newsletter. It was really fun to make.

Inchies!

Here are my flower inchies for the PWA swap. I should receive the swaps by the end of the week...things are going to be blooming around here!

Halloween's coming!

Here are a couple of Halloween things I've made. A card and an ATC. The ATC's will be going to the Red Lead Group swap. I won't be able to make the ATC swap at the Salvage Studio again this month but I did manage a Saturday off later in the month to take one of the classes!