One Stop - Patterns

This is a digital card I have made for the One Stop Craft Challenge this week where the theme is patterns. My pattern was made using one of the single squares, which I multiplied into a pattern using the Photoshop Elements feature on my computer. The sweet missy is my granddaughter, now a grown young woman.

The wonderful thing about digital is that if I want to send this, I can just run it off onto glossy cardstock and have a nice card. Or I can just post it and enjoy it on my blog.

So Artful - Dragonfly

I've got lots to do today so I made this quick digital piece for So Artful Challenges today, where the theme is dragonfly.

My dragonfly was a rubber stamp, that was stamped on white cardstock. I then scanned it to my computer, where I did some major photoshop on it. I turned the dragonfly to look more natural. Then I proceeded to remove each little segment between the veins to make a png image (which is now stored on my computer as such).

The flower is a Dover image. The background was a golden brown and tan, changed by Photoshop Elements to blue.

Another Tag with Paper Rose

As Frankie at Tag it On indicated, making paper roses is somewhat addictive. Here is another tag or bookmark using a handmade paper rose along with handmade mica mists and Moonglow stains.

Daisies and Paisley

Paisley is the theme for this week's Art Cards challenge. I used the Cricut folder and decorative paper for the background.

Raining Daisies is the theme for this week's 4x4 Friday challenge.

The quote is from Oscar Wilde and I have no idea what it means.

Paper Roses - TIO

Frankie has discovered a tutorial on YouTube about making paper roses and has chosen Paper Roses as our theme for this Tag it On challenge.

I couldn't get the video to load so I just made a paper rose the way I have done before by winding some wrapping paper around a pencil. The dress form was a gift from an internet friend (either Rosie or Merrie). My stamp is from Stampin' Up.


This second tag is one I just made using the method in the tute (which I was finally able to view). 

Tag Tuesday - Christmas Colors

Last night I was playing around with watercolors and made several of these tulip drawings/paintings. When I saw Louise's challenge today at Tag Tuesday was Christmas colors, I decided to make the tulips a little redder so I could enter one of the pieces as a tag for the challenge. So here is my cartoony tulip.

Luxury

Opulence, luxury, extravagance. These words describe the theme for the So Artful challenge. This is my view, done digitally, of luxury using the image given to us as a prompt.

MMM-A Few of my Favorite Things

Looks like the computer works in the mornings so I'm getting this off early. Already at 10 a.m. there are over 25 entries in this Mixed Media Monday challenge! Very popular theme this week: a few of my favorite things.

I made a 6x8" collage starting with cardstock that I painted with Making Memories amethyst specialty glaze. It has a lovely sheen. Onto this I dropped several kinds of Stampin' Up glitter. I love purple. I love shiny things.

The collage materials are things I really enjoy: my Bible study ladies (I'm 4th on the left and am the facilitator.), eating (!), puzzles (Sudoku and Crosswords), the comics, Chocolate, making ATCs for challenges (Marilyn and chocolate - an ATC ), and painting (the tulip watercolor). Additions to the collage are more faves: flourishes, stamping and embossing, Stampendous kaleidoscope embossing powder, and Rubber Stampede embossing ink pad. I love shiny and I really wish you could see all the wonderful shiny on this.

Major Computer Problems Here

Our internet connection has gone bonkers and comes on only for a few minutes several times A DAY!!! Sorry, I'll get to responding to comments when all this is fixed, hopefully Monday. I feel like I've had an arm or leg removed. :-(

Art Cards - Stamps used differently

I'm not sure I really understand the challenge we have this week for Art Cards, but here is my best guess.

I have used these stamps:
   Happy Birthday - unknown
   Watering can - unknown
   Bird - Inkadenkadoo
   Butterfly - Rubber Stampede
   Flowers - Art Impressions
   Birdhouse - D.O.T.S.

All were colored with Marvy Le Plume markers.

The background was cardstock lightly stamped.

The lower card is more in keeping with the rules for the challenge. I used parts of stamps to make it. It is colored with Primacolor pencils.

Oranges, Lemons, Vintage Tag

Theme Thursday wants us to make vintage tags. Cynthia at Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog has as her theme: oranges and lemons, either the fruit or the colors..

The tag was made with papers from Gibson, Tapestry line. The Love and the Butterfly stamps are from Stampin' Up. I have digitally changed the colors on part of this tag to look more vintage.

The lemons and oranges card was made by using acrylic paint and Moon Glow Starbursts colors for the background. The ribbon is from my stash. The gorgeous flower is from the wonderful package I received from Frankie. See my post of yesterday.

-- Frankie's Blogaversary Drawing --- I WON!

Look at all the wonderful art materials Frankie has sent me from her Blogaversary drawing. She said I was #13, so I guess that's not an unlucky number after all! The beautiful array of papers, images, stamps, blocks of Lexan, embellishments, and more renders me speechless. Be sure to go see her beautiful art on her challenge blog Dragon's Dream. Thank you so very much for your generous blog candy prize, Frankie.


I'd love to know how this beautiful tag was made.

Numbers, Birds, Mail Art

My entries for challenges  today are these:
The Three Muses - Mail Art (tag)
Tag it On - Say it with Numbers (tag)
Fun with ATCs - Birds (atc)



The tag was started with decorative Gibson paper, Tapestry line, "Love Letters". My rubber stamp is Stampin' Up.









The ATC is alcohol inks on glossy cardstock, stamped with Archival Black Ink. The small birds are Stampin' Up. The large bird is See D's.

Tag Tuesday - Faces

This faces tag is for Tag Tuesday challenge. I used Moon Glow Starburst colors for background, Sheer Heaven transfer for all 3 faces (one is the piece of SH after transferring), an old doily and ribbon.

TMTA - Native American

Chief Crazy Horse, an Oglala Lakota warrior who fought in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, was taunted and asked, "Where are your lands now?" His answer is the above quote: "My lands are where my dead lie buried." He was killed while imprisoned by a military guard.

In 1948 Polish sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski began a monument, blasted and carved in the hills of South Dakota, to Chief Crazy Horse. When we were there four years ago, my husband took this picture. In the foreground is a marble statue of what the finished work should look like. In the distant background is what has been done in the 60 years since beginning the project. The hole in the mountain is the space under the chief's arm. Enlarge it and see if you can see the chief's face in the rock cliff. Several generations of the Ziolowshi family have worked on this and are continuing to do so.


This is a digital ATC. I extracted the original background and substituted this blue and orange gradient for the sky. For other art on the theme: native American visit Think Monday Think ATCs challenge.

To see art by an Oglala Lakota artist visit Donald Montileaux's website.

MMM - Playthings

Mixed Media Monday has as the theme this week - Playthings. My first thought was my daughter's 3 favorite dolls when she was very young. In the picture above are Tabitha, Buttercup, and Bitsy Baby. Buttercup is nearly bald because she was carried everywhere by the hair. I really could have done another card using my present playthings, my art stuff.

The bandana-style background is another scrap from the Alan Ladd piece I did a week or so ago. It was a Moon Shadow misted card stock, stamped with See-D stamps.

Whispers, Splash of Color, Paper Napkin

Today there were 3 challenges that I worked my entry into - Art Cards (use a paper napkin), One Stop (colors pink, blue, green and red), and So Artful (image provided for Whispers). The true friends stamp is  Stampin' Up. The ink is Stampin' Up Ballet Blue.

Art Creations Friday

Here is my rendition of art using the image provided by Art Creations Friday challenge. I have used only the image and some unique brushes by Annika von Holdt. Marie told us about this talented digital brush artist and her generously allowing the use of her art in our art.

Lavender and Lace

Lavender and Lace is the new theme chosen by Claire for Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog this week. My papers are (are you ready for this???): Lavender and Lace from the Tapestry line of Gibson Co. How's that for having the right stuff? The lace is some I bought in an antique store. I had a lot of camera distortion. The card is really orthogonal.

Theme Thursday - Something Round

Something round. That's a theme that could go anywhere: wheels, the sun or moon, coffee cup rings, crop circles, etc. This has one perfectly round button about 1/2 way down on the right hand side. And the metal wire has been curled up so that it is sorta round. To see other art with round things, go  look at the neat works at Theme Thursday.

When Stacie came over Tuesday night, we made this collage, sized about 6.5" x 3". It started off as a piece of cardboard that we covered with gesso. We embedded the button and various other items into the gesso. The colors came from superfine glitters and some Moon Shadow mists. When it was dry I put 2 coats of matte acrylic sealer on it so the glitter wouldn't come off. Stacie plans to use it on a greetings card.

Edit: I decided to do another one. The square with all the circles is a digital piece I did. All the images came from Dover Publications.

The Three Muses - Flying Carpet Travels

I have always thought that the second best way to visit a magical place is by reading about it. Of course, that falls way below the first best way, which is to actually go there.

Here is my magical flying carpet entry for The Three Muses challenge this week.

The background has lots of homemade mica mists, gesso, acrylic paints, and Moon Shadow Starburst colors.

Tag Tuesday - Hearts

Can you find my hearts? Look closely at the flower. This tag enjoys gesso, scraps of cloth and ribbon, bits of lace and net, glitter, mists, and punched out hearts. Louise at Tag Tuesday is having us do our tags today using hearts.

The text at the bottom doesn't show up well on camera. It says "secret". I thought of the many secrets we hold in our hearts.

MMM - Something Blue

Mixed Media Monday's challenge this week is to use the color Blue in our art work.

This is not a new painting, but it is one that was recently returned to me by the daughter of an elderly friend who just passed away. I was thrilled to get one of my original watercolors back, but sad to lose the friend.

This was the face of a 5"x7" greetings card I sent Ida to let her know she was being missed in our Sunday school class. Quirky poem follows!

Sundays came and Sundays went.

In every hour that we've spent

In Sunday school and then some more,

we've wondered as we've pondered hard:

Where did that Ida go?

Maybe she's in Michigan

Or maybe Idaho

Or maybe she's not feeling well.

(I hope that that's not so.)

So whenever you feel up to it

We wish you'd make it back.

We've missed your smile, your lovely ways

To keep us all on track.


Ida was a dear friend, one of the homebound ladies that I regularly visited. This is my tribute to Ida


"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

So Artful - One Stop

Beautiful Men from the Movies, the theme for the So Artful challenge, inspired this card. Using Alan Ladd's photo it was easy to make this monochromatic card for a relative's birthday. Using monochromatic colors is the theme for One Stop Craft Challenge this week.

The background is one I made some time ago using various Moon Shadow mists. I stamped it with numerous stamps, mostly See-D's, in brown ink and outlined with my white ink pen so that it would look sort of like bandana art. The bow is made from rope-like cord to look Western. The text was done on the computer using the font Giddyup.

Art Creations Friday

                                 Hold onto your Dreams!

This is my entry for Art Creations Friday using images from Dezinaworld and Graphics Fairy.

Triple Treasures - Rainbow Lady's Challenge

I read and reread the instructions for Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog, and I can't find where the entry has to be a card. If I'm mistaken, please overlook this as an old age thing.

I tried the triple embossing technique as given in a video by Meryle Holland, but none of my efforts gave me that smooth glassy look. I got areas like that and other areas where the EP just wouldn't stick. So I kept adding clear ink on a q-tip and more EP till I got something I liked.

Here are my 3 efforts. If they ever get rid of the damp feeling, I may actually put one on a chain and wear it.

Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday's challenge is to use animals in our art this week. The first card has a picture of our granddaughter at about 3 years taking her first pony ride.

The second card has a picture of our granddaughter years later loving on our geriatric and now deceased labrador retriever.

Tag Tuesday and Tag it On

Yesterday at the nursing home where I volunteer, we made sailboat - sunset scenes using acrylic paints and cut out decorative papers. Below is my piece I did to show them what to do.  We try to keep the activities simple since several have some dementia and several have only one good hand to do crafts (or anything else) with.

I can't stand to let anything go to waste so I decided to cut up my sample scene and make a tag from the bits. First I cut out 8 inchies. Then I cut out a bit of background from the scene to use as the backdrop on my tag. I stamped that with a blue rose, which you can't see for the inchies. Next I distressed each inchie in SU blue. I stamped each inchie with something that reminds me of summertime. Then I glued them onto my background tag.

Stamps by Studio G and See D's and Stampin' Up.

This tag is for Tag Tuesday (summer) and for Tag It On (Inchies). My 3 colors are orange, blue, and black. I am probably stretching this requirement.

Edit: On closer inspection, I see that some of the orange and blue have run together forming a shade of green, so I guess my colors could be orange, blue and green.

Gone Fishing _ WS

A few years ago I gave this watercolor painting as part of a greetings card to an elderly friend. When she died, her daughter asked if I'd like to have it back. I am always so delighted when one of my paintings makes its way back to me to be reused.

However, I am only using the left quarter of the picture. The fisherlady is in the part I did not use. The 3 fish are from a photo I just made of my dh's wall trophies. I scanned both and put them together via Photoshop Elements.

Knowing I had to have a real rubber stamp in this work to use for the Wednesday Stamper challenge, I printed out what I had done on glossy photo paper. Then I stamped with Stazon and Stampendous stamp.

Fun with ATCs and Paper Minutes

My ATC is for two challenges: Paper Minutes (brown, yellow and pink) and Fun with ATCs  (flowers).
Background: Cardstock is sprayed with Moon Shadow mists.
"I love you a latte" - stamp from Swirly Stamps,  is heat embossed.
The flower is from a Martha Stewart punch.

Cup and saucer - Cuttlebug folder was used on Bazzill cardstock.

The ATC with yellow flowers is one of my watercolors I did last week.

Mona Lisa - TMTA

Here is my ATC for Think Monday Think ATCs.

So Artful and One Stop

The background image here was given to us by So Artful challenge this week to use in creating our art. It's entitled enchanting castle which seemed to call for medieval images. I found this delightful lady in my Dover freebies stash. I added a number of digital brushes of trees and bushes.

One Stop calls for distressing, so I did a brown distressing around the edges. I love the look of distressing and have started using it a lot. (Too much???)

This is a bookmark I've made for an upcoming fall bazaar sale. It has distressing around part of it. The wildflower has been heat embossed.

Art Cards

My entry for Art Cards using distress ink and water to soften the edges of my stamped butterfly.

Rainbow Lady - Art Deco

Art Deco is the theme over at Cynthia's Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog this week. I had this art deco background as a freebie from the Dover Publications people. I had trouble locating an image until I remembered the New York Public Library Digital Gallery. So I jumped right on over there and pulled up numerous images that were ok to use on a blog. This beautiful lady seems to fit pretty well.