One other thing...

Here's another card I finished tonight. I made this in between working on my pages for the PWA All Year Flip book. I'd been so frustrated in my efforts to find small black brads! I'd looked everywhere that would possibly carry them but no luck. I would find every other color but NO black! I finally found some today in a package of mixed colored brads at Michael's. So, I was able to attach the black screening to the background panels. I've put some weathering on the panels and I'm going to let them dry until tomorrow. I'm hoping to get them finished by the end of the week. I'll scan one in when they're finished. They're essentially the bird collage I showed you awhile back with a few changes. You'll see...

BBB

Here's a picture of my entry for the August BBB (beady buddy bonanza) for PWA. It's a Halloween microscope slide pin. I have it all ready to send to Cheryl who was the lucky winner of this month's drawing. If you'd like to see all the things she won you can look here.

Technique Junkies

I've received two Technique Junkies newsletters so far and I've really been enjoying learning some new background techniques. The latest one I've tried is called "scraped oil pastels." Here is a card and an ATC I made out of the background.

last two...

more, more more...

...and more

...and more

More charms

Well, I couldn't post my charm without letting you see all the others! Take a look...there was a wide variety of charms. We're planning another one for February. I already have an idea of what I'm going to make but I'll keep it under my hat for now!

Charm Swap

Last Saturday we had the charm swap at the Salvage Studio...it was such a good time. We had a "charm buffet" if you will. Beth had us all set out the charms we had made on a large plate around a long table. Once the swap started we all just went around the table picking up a charm from each of the plates. After everyone had collected one of each of the charms we sat around the table and took turns giving a little info about the charm we had made. Here's a picture of the charm I made. It's a one inch section of an articulated measuring tape. I glued a rusty heart onto it and attached the word true to the heart. It's inspired by the phrase "love is the heart's true measure." I enclosed each charm in a matchbox decorated with the phrase on the outside.

New Stamps

I ordered some stamps this week from Time To Stamp and they arrived yesterday. I ordered 2 sheets and two individual stamps. I had one in mind for the Fantasy Fat Book swap I signed up for but it's smaller than it looked online so I may have to rethink that. But I love the stamp and I'm sure I'll use it for something else! I love the bird sheets...you know how I love birds! These are perfect...just the style I love. So, I've been playing around with them this afternoon and made a simple ATC with a stippled colors background. Take a look...

Art in the Mail

I had to show you the little package of goodies I received today! I was lucky enough to actually win these by leaving a comment on a blog. I know...it's hard to believe seeing that I never win things...but it's true! The other night I happened to stumble into the artful blogger party held by ArtsyMama to celebrate the new magazine Artful Blogging. She had links to various other sites where people were sharing their art and offering tutorials and basically celebrating. I followed a link to the site of Jennalee who was offering a nice little tutorial on making mixed media collage atc's. She has a wonderful, whimsical style and I loved the faces she drew. Not only did she share the tutorial but she offered to send a little collage package and one of her atc's to a random name picked from those who wanted to leave a comment on her blog. Well, lo and behold...she drew the name linda. But here's the fun part...there were actually TWO lindas. She was generous enough to send a package to each of us!! I had to laugh about this because just the other day I was sharing Catholic school memories with Jean at work. I was telling her how back in 1st grade Sister Marilyn had told me that my name was the most common one in the school. I remember feeling sad then about having such a common name. But look what it's done for me now! Thank you Jennalee...you made my day!

August already

I can't believe how fast this month is going by already! I don't know where the time goes. I've been working on a few things but nothing too much to show yet. I made a microscope slide pin for the August BBB on the PWA site and another bird collage card. I signed up for the 6 x 6 All Year Flipbook swap and chose April. I plan to do a variation on this bird collage for my month. I need to get started...I have to make 13 identical pages due by 9/30. I've sold a few things on Ebay lately to fund my new stamp habit. I ordered several stamps today from Time To Stamp...I can't wait to get them so I can play around. I've also had fun trying out some of the techniques in the Technique Junkies newsletter. I'll post some of those soon. In the mean time here's the pin and collage card. I think I may send the card to lambie...

A few new things

Well, here I am again...I've not been very productive lately. Just feeling out of sorts and uninspired. I find it hard to work on anything at times because all of my supplies are scattered in several different areas. I spend as much time looking for something as I do actually creating anything! At least it seems that way. Anyway...I did make a little something to add to this month's BBB on the PWA site. It's a beaded trinket box. Everything has to have microbeads on it in some way or another. I had an unfinished box so I just painted it, added an image and then beaded and embossed the lid. I think it came out nicely. Everyone adds things throughout the month and then on the first day of the new month thee's a drawing and the winner takes all the entries. I'll keep you posted and let you know if I won! tonight I've been working on a little collage card. I've got it part way done...here's what I have so far. I'm not sure what else I'm going to add but it needs something...

Admit one

Yahoo!! I finished the last of the ATC dolls for the Arttechniques swap! It's another "doll parts" card. So, I have three variations of that design and three totally different designs. I think that'll be fine. The swap is 6 for 5. I send in 6 cards and will get 5 in return. The hostess has yet to decide what she will do with the extra card but for now she'll just keep it. Now I can get them in the mail tomorrow and then wait to see what I get in return. I had posted the first two doll parts cards on the Atcards site and got a few requests for trades so I may make a few more and try and trade them there. We'll see. For now I'm happy this swap is completed and I can send them off. I still seem to get attached to the cards I make and almost hate to send them off when I'm finished. When I've been in a swap where I have to make a certain number of the same design it's easy to keep one for myself. But with these one of a kind designs I can't do that. I guess the newness will wear off soon and it won't be so hard to let them go...anyway, here's the last one!

ATC Dolls

Here are the ATC dolls I've made for the Art doll swap with the Arttechniques group. I have one more to make and I'm determined to get it done tonight. Hopefully, I'll have another photo to post in the morning!

Katie

Well, here are two photos of our Katie. Isn't she a doll? And such a great kid too. We've been caught up in a whirlwind ever since graduation. I think she had a great time...at least it didn't rain! Megan was able to come home for the graduation and Granny was here as well. After everyone left we got ready and took off for San Francisco. We had a fun trip. San Francisco is a beautiful city and we got to see most of the things we had talked about. I was a little disappointed in the Golden Gate Bridge though...it's NOT golden! Oh well, I guess I just thought it was....

Since we've been back we've been busier than ever. Work's been very hectic with staff out on vacation or just plain out. Working short handed is never fun! On a more pleasant front I've been working on several swaps for different groups I'm in. I've joined a group called Pennywise Arts and I believe it's the friendliest group I've ever been a part of. It's based here locally...well on the other side of the water...but at least close enough that there's a chance to get together with some of the folks involved now and then. I've received some lovely cards from some of the gals and plan to post the photos here soon.

KT, Q and I attended her orientation for Seattle University this week as well. She seems very excited about the school and I have to say I was very impressed with the school myself. The head of the physics department talked to me at length about the program and how happy he is to have Katie enrolled for the fall. I think it says alot about a school when the head of the department takes that kind of time with you. I'm excited for Katie as she starts this new chapter in her life. I'll miss her terribly though...

Hello again!

Well, it's been too busy around here lately! This is Katie's last week of school. Graduation is set for Saturday. Mumma has been visiting for the past week or so. Meg gets in on Thursday to help celebrate. It's going to be so much fun to have her home...I've really missed her. She'll only be here for a short time but she'll be back later in June for her summer break. Mumma and Megan fly out on Sunday and then Katie, Q and I will fly off to San Francisco as part of Katie's graduation gift. Whew! It makes me tired just thinking about it. I've squeaked in some time for arty things. I just finished up the ATC's for the Newbie Swap at the Arttechniques Group. We had to make 5 background only cards and 5 completed cards. I chose the telephone book paper background. I've scanned the completed ATC's in but haven't gotten the background cards in yet. Take a look. These were done with several colors of acrylics for the background and then a vintage image and a little embellishing. They were fun to make. I used images from Twisted Papers collage sheets. Take a look...

Pendant

I almost forgot...I made this little pendant out of another illustration from one of the old magazines. I think it turned out great. I was passing by Rubber Soul on Front St. the other day and noticed they had some small round and square brass tags on their clearance table outside. Well...they were just what I'd been looking for! They were fun to make...alcohol ink on the tag then a little matte medium to adhere the image, a spritz of clear Krylon sealer and there you have it.

New ATC

Well here I go again...not keeping up with this blog. I'm so bad about starting something like this and not finding the time to keep at it. There's so much I want to do and so little time it seems. Well, to catch up...I had a wonderful time at Lambie's. It's so good to see her feeling more like her old self. We had so much fun going to thrift stores and rummage sales. I found lots of treasures that are destined to become "something" some day! I have another Salvage Studio ATC swap this weekend. Here's the new card. One of the things I found while I was out with Lambie was a stack of old ladies' magazines form the 40's and 50's. I found this article in one of them titled "How to be a Girl." It should have been called how to snag a man because it was full of tips on how to get men to notice you without being "forward." It was hilarious! One of my favorite lines was the one I added to the bottom of the card..."you can nonchalantly offer him a tasty hot dog." Too funny. I hope the gals at the swap enjoy it. I've also signed up for an Art doll ATC swap with the Arttechniques group and a charm swap in August at the Salvage Studio. I hope I haven't bit off more than I can chew. We'll see...

Nest

Here is a photo of a collage I made for Lambie. It's small...only 4" x 5" but I thought it would be perfect for her. Since she's been going through chemo she's felt well enough to want to make her condo more homey. She even referred to it as her nest. So, I wanted to make her a little piece of art with a nest in it. This is the result. I hope she likes it. Tomorrow will be a long day but fun. I have the ATC swap at the Salvage Studio in the afternoon. Then we'll just stay on the other side...shop and get some dinner until it's time for my flight in the evening...then I'll be on my way! I'm SO looking forward to some warm weather.

Black and White ATC swap

Well, here's the second black and white ATC for the swap on Saturday. I finished up 15 tonight to go with the 15 I made of the first design. Now, it's off to bed with me!