Sunday Postcard Art 6/28/09

Well, it has certainly been awhile since I last participated in a SPA theme!  This week’s theme was “4th of July.” I decided to do something simple, geometric…and something that would highlight was Independence Day is all about for me.  Enjoy!

Sunday Scrappin’ 6/28/09

TA-DAs

Well, this was another good crafty week for me (which means I didn’t get a lot of other important stuff done, but shhh….don’t tell).  Last week’s challenge was to do something in honor of dads, about dads, etc…and I managed to do a component of a LO here.  I tried the iris folding technique several weeks ago and loved it, but it does create lot of bulk behind the mat.  In an attempt to rectify that, I tried an iris effect without folding the strips (and using ONLY scraps).  It came out ok, but I had to add white gel pen because the scraps had such a busy pattern, the effect was obscured.  This will go on a LO about my family, since it is a picture of my dad and his mom, circa 1943 or 44.

iris effect

My biggest accomplishment from last week is that I completed my first quilling project!!

And here are two ta-das from previous weeks that I couldn’t show because the recipients hadn’t received them yet!

You can find all the particulars on the cards in my gallery at scrapbook.com.  I did want to mention, however, that the last two cards use some great Anna Griffin border stamps that I got from Anita at Anita’s Arts.  Do check out her site!

Finally, I whipped this quick card together mostly as an excuse to use my new cherry blossom stamp from inkadinkadoo:

TO-DOs

Amy has challenged us with this for next week:

I’d love to see something that represents your summer. Not necessarily a layout of summer activities… though that would work… but maybe something inspired by the color of your neighborhood pool, or something that reminds you of your garden. Get creative with summer inspirations!

Maybe I’ll integrate it with my next quilling project!

Violet Bouquet

This is my very first quilling project, now completed! It is based on Claire Choi’s “Violet Bouquet” in her The Art of Paper Quilling (p. 38). I changed some of the colors around (acc. to what I had available) and left out a few things I didn’t like.  I’m pretty happy with it…I need to work on my bunny ears and my arrowheads because the bow didn’t come out right. Mounted on khaki cardstock.

Quilling Project A: In Progress

Ok, so here’s a sneak peak at my latest project.  I have to say that quilling has become a good form of meditation for me…and it requires patience, so it is good practice for me in that area!!

Sunday Scrappin: June 21, 2009

Well, it is Christine’s first Sunday at host over at Sunday Scrappin’! I hope you’ll come join us.  This week wasn’t QUITE as fulfilling craftwise as last, but I managed to get some stuff done!

TA-DAs:

Last week’s challenge was to use complementary colors (opposites on the color wheel) with your favorite color.  Well, my favorite color is green, and its complement is red.  I took a more liberal view and stayed within the color families, LOL (not in the mood to do Christmas layouts!!)  Here are the two LOs  of my rehearsal dinner:

As you can see, they fulfill the challenge!  The second one was created using the Non-Conformist collection from ScrapInStyleTV with some Marrakech papers (BasicGrey) thrown in for good measure!

I also tried a brand new technique–iris paper folding! I’m quite excited about this and used it for the frame of the picture on this LO:

I wove the ribbon through the paper and interspersed it with some cute owl epoxy stickers (Paperchase).  The sentiment is from Anna Griffin Friendship rub-on kit.  The wooden tulips I picked up at Cost Plus World Market (I think!) and I placed them around a journaling tag from Maya Road.  I think the photograph is too dark for the paper I chose, but c’est la vie.

And finally I finished this mixed media card up this morning (which just coincidentally happens to meet last week’s challenge):

I was curious to see if some old fabric dye I had would work on paper. Well, it was so old it was gooey, so I smeared it with a tissue. It also was very sticky, so I coated the entire card with mod-podge to get rid of the tackiness (it worked!). The Mod-Podge allowed the orange ink from the fish to bleed a little and I liked the sort of batikish effect.

STAMPS: “Happy Birthday” (All Night Media) and “Gus” (Mostly Animals)
EMBOSSING POWDERS: clear (Ranger) and gold tinsel (Personal Stamp Exchange)
INKS: Versamark and Gold Pigment (Colorbox); fabric dye (Tulip Tye Dye); Marvy Orange Le Plume II (on fish)
OTHER: braided sequined thread, eyelets, Mod-Podge

I also made another birthday card that I can’t show you yet.

TO-DOs:

Next week’s challenge: Show off a card you made or a scrapbook page you completed featuring dear ole Dad or someone who is like a dad to you.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!

June is Bustin’ out all over…

with blog candy, that is!!

First, look at what Michelleo has over at Stamps, Paper Scissors and Donkey Smiles! Besides that, she raises miniature donkeys and that’s just too awesome!!

Then stop by Enfys’ MAJOR giveaway at Going Buggy.  She’s got serious style!!

One of those days…

Oh goodness…has it ever been one of those days. It is one of those days where I feel like I should be sent to an island by myself where I can’t bother anyone and they can’t bother me, LOL. But then the UPS man, kind, kind man that he is, brought me my new quilling book.

Sometimes, it truly is the little things.   And a mojito made by my husband.

Blog Candy Opportunity: Scrapmaster’s Paradise

You know you want this.

Happy, bright summery colors!!  Birthday Celebrations can’t be beat!

Sunday Scrappin’: June 14, 2009

Join us over at Sunday Scrappin’, won’t you?

TA-DAs:

• This week’s challenge was to let Christine’s work inspire us.  I liked this layout, and while mine doesn’t really look like her’s, her LO inspired me to use circles for the first time, and the ribbon at the bottom is en homage to her LO as well. It is another LO for my Childhood Album.  It is a tribute to the house in which I grew up.

MATERIALS: PPs: Martha Stewart; Textured Paper: Martha Stewart; Rub-on Alphas: Anna Griffin; Journaling Sheer: Maya Road; Paper circles: Crate Paper; Photo Corners: Jolee’s Boutique/EK Success; Ribbon: American Crafts & Michael’s.

• I’m also working on a series of “scrapwork quilt” cards in an attempt to use up my paper scraps.

Most of the papers are Marrakech (Basic Grey), Paper Source, and Amy Butler Designer Mat scraps.  I hand-etched the gold foil ribbon to give it some texture. The decorative ribbon tape is Martha Stewart and the brads are from Queen & Co.

• I participated in this week’s Creative Therapy.
• And I made a Father’s Day Card for my dad–his name is Bob, so I altered a vintage Bingo card and each square has an image that has some meaning or significance to my dad.  His initials are RVG, so that’s why those are in there!

• And finally, I made one other card, but I can’t show it just in case its recipient happens to look at this blog anytime soon.

TO-DOs:

• Sunday Scrappin’ Challenge for this coming week: Think about your favorite color. Now, think about what’s on the opposite side of the color wheel… and use those two colors in your project! Hmm…that means I’ll be working with red and green.  Christmas in June I guess!!
• A couple of other secret projects…

Creative Therapy: Catalyst Sixty-Five

I’m so grateful and excited to have the time to participate in Creative Therapy again.  This week’s catalyst: Tell us about one thing you’d change about yourself (physical or otherwise).

I’m pretty happy with who I’ve become as a person–I’m not perfect, that is for sure, but there isn’t a whole lot that I’d change.  But in thinking about this catalyst, the Serenity prayer came to mind.  I’m not particularly religious, but this has always had great resonance for me.  If I had to pick one thing to change, I guess I’d say I’d like to internalize the words of this prayer more than I do.

MATERIALS: peach cardstock, purple and pale pink acrylic paint (DecoArt), scraps, buttons (attached with gold craft wire), 3-d flower embellishments (Marcella by K & C0); Pelikan ink (2.0 mm calligraphy nib); Sharpie metallic gold; metallic silver calligraphy pen (Marvy Uchida).