TMTA - Leaves

Here is my ATC for Think Monday Think ATCs - Leaves. My background is cardstock stamped with various distress inks using rubber stamps and one hand-cut maple stamp. The maple leaf stamp is one I created out of a foam door hanger. The wooden leaf is a gift from Lindy's Stamp Gang, included with my order.

Rainbow Lady - Fall Flowers

I used my Fiskar and other punches to make this fall flower for my entry to Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog.

Tag Tuesday - School

Tag Tuesday (Belle-South Blog Garden) Challenge has the theme of schooldays this week. However, there is an additional requirement involving some aspect of school. I chose report cards as my extra. This is actually a picture of my first grade report card (grades showing), my second grade report card, and my third grade school picture. The fancy S background is a freebie from Dover.

The distressing thing about my early report cards is that I got Bs in drawing and writing and everything else was A. And my talents now lie in art and calligraphy. So I guess we shouldn't be too quick to say a child isn't talented in something. Or it could mean that everyone can do art, if they try.

I'm posting the enlarged report card so you can see how many aspects of our little lives were graded! I see I had a B in music, too. The smudges are not erasures. I think this must have gotten wet. Or perhaps those were tears due to the Bs.

Tag it On - Boots

Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots were Made for Walking" song is the inspiration for this week's TIO challenge theme. I found this map that has Island Park, Idaho on it and decided to go Western - cowboy boots, hat, etc. Island Park is a famous fishing mecca for flyfishermen. Henry's Fork is near. Also, Yellowstone National Park is just up the road a few miles away. Island Park is my favorite vacation spot. We have been there on 5 or 6 different vacation trips.

On another note, my brother-in-law, a Coloradan, always wore boots, never shoes. Then he had a stroke and had to wear shoes that would work with his disabilities. At first it was really strange to see him in shoes. Me, I've never been able to wear boots, but I think they are really attractive on the right people.

The tree stamp represents all the gorgeous evergreens out in that part of the US.

Fun with ATCs - Games/Fun

I received these Scrabble tiles from Merrie, my internet buddy. After I arranged them into words, I found I had some wild animal stickers. I believe this is a hyena, but if I am wrong I'm sure I will hear of it. This is my ATC for the Fun with ATCs challenge.

Think Monday Think ATCs - a touch of violet

TMTA's theme this week is A Touch of Violet. I had made the background a bit ago using lavender and purples on a dry embossed cardstock. I then rubbed the surface with clear ink pad and embossed with silver powder. The flowers at the top are part of a lovely decorative paper napkin Coleen sent to me from the Ukraine. The German stamp with a touch of violet on it is from Silvia (Barnie). My generous internet pals really brighten my day.

Art Cards - Split Negative

Art Cards (Artekarten) has a fascinating challenge for today. I think it is a beautiful effect. Stamping twice, cutting in half, joining opposites together is what I did. Butterflies are heat  embossed. The stamp was a gift from Frankie. Fiskar edge border punch-out is along the side.


Note added on Monday:
When I made this card, I had no idea I would need to use it so soon. A friend, who had the same first and last name as I and whom I have known for 40 years, passed away last night. She was my mentor in art when we first met. She did oil painting, and her paintings were similar to Andrew Wyeth's works. I made my card into a sympathy card for her family.

Playdate Cafe Challenge

There are some beautiful colors this week to use for this week's Playdate Cafe challenge. Here is my entry. I sketched the flower, colored it with Neocolor II Caran d'Ache water soluable crayons, and touched it up with Prismacolor pencils. Most of the outlining was done with a Staedtler pen.