Paper Challenge Card

For stamp club this month, we were given two sheets of 12" x 12" paper, and we have to use both papers on the card (we have to make 12 cards, with these two sheets).

 This is the card I made (the paper on the left and right are the same paper, the light is the variation in the picture):

I cut the paper into 3" strips 1-5/8" wide, then used a butterfly die cut on one end. This created the "ribbon" and butterfly for each strip. Then stamped the saying along the bottom with pink dye ink.

Round 4 Sudoku Step 8 on Kathy's background

 I received Kathy's backgrounds of the round 4 Sudoku ATC Swap with the Wisconsin Stamp Camp group.  Bev stamped tranquil, Chrissy stamped the cattail, Margaret used the bird border punch and  underneath paper, Maggi colored the birds, Jan added orgami paper and Mary stamped the Asian lady.

I used a dye ink pen to color in the cattail, the coated over it with Shimmer Goosebumps and let dry.

As I'm the final participant in this swap, I also colored the edges of the ATCs with saddle brown StaZon ink.

Round 4 Sudoku ATC Step 6 on Chrissy's background

This is Chrissy's background in the 4th round Sudoku ATC Swap. Margaret added the washi tape, Maggi stamped the purple flowers, Jan stamped the gold rings and Mary added the metallic ribbon.

I stamped on the butterfly with black India Ink. Now these are off to the next two participants...

Page for Eileen's Round Robin Journal

 I've finished the page for Eileen's Round Robin Journal in the Kindred Souls Art Group. Eileen choose the theme of faces.
I covered the page with some floral lace and added a decorative lace around the outside edge. I used an image of a cemetery angel on muslin with tap transfer. Sewed around the edges with the sewing machine. Added an assortment of vintage face images to small frame charms and created two beaded chains with these frames. One chain is hanging from the angels hands, the other is sewn along the decorative lace on the edge of the page. Also used a face in a fragment and added beads and sewed to the page. Made a miniature charm bracelet with the word "hope" and attached to the upper page. Stamped a Victor Hugo quote to a piece of background paper and colored the edges before attaching.

For the back, Used the doodled face I made earlier. Added some decorative flowers and a polymer clay face charm, that I believe was made and given to me by Fiona Davis in a swap several years ago.

Doodled Face

I'm thinking about a face themed journal I need to make a page for. On the back ,I could use a doodled face ala Traci Bautista. I've been having fun with her book "Doodles Unleashed", now to doodle a face!

For my project, started with a ink, spray, smoosh background. 

 Used a Micron Pigma pen to draw an eye and mouth to start.

 Used a variety of metallic and glitter Gelly Roll pens to add the details:

 decided to add more words:

Comfort Quilts

I've been forgetting to take pictures of the quilts I've made. These are comfort quilts about 60" x 72". This warm brown quilt is for one of my brothers:

 and a couple of plaid quilts for the teens:

"Z" ATC

I'm finishing the series of the ABCs of Technique ATC Swaps we've been doing on the ArtVentures Group. I made the backgrounds using a Zentangle Inspired design. Used a zebra design washi tape along the edges. Added a friendly plastic embellishment I made last October that is Zetti inspired.

 When making these friendly plastic "bits" I thought they seemed Zetti styled, so I made plenty, knowing this "Z" technique atc swap was coming up. Here are the six I made for the swap.

Z is for Zentangle Inspired

The Zentangle (Copyright) Method is a way of creating black and white images from structured patterns. It's a form of meditation and is not supposed to "be" anything. If you want to learn about creating Zentangles and see lots of Zentangle patterns go to tanglepatterns.com 

Because I want to use the letter Z in my design and try to make repeat what I make, it isn't a Zentangle, but is Zentangled Inspired.

I used an erasable pen to sketch out my frames. I'm leaving the center blank, as I know it will be covered in the finished project.

Filled each area with a different repetitive pattern using two different sizes of black Micron Pigma pens.

"Y" ATC

I'm using some non paper techniques for my "Y" Technique for the ABCs of Techniques ATC swap on ArtVentures Group. Started with making backgrounds with yarn weaving. I sewed some thick green variegated yarn vertically to be plant stems. Also wrapped some green yarn around the bottom edge.

 Used black brads to attach some fabric YoYos to be flowers.

"Yeah for Year turning to Spring!"

Y is for YoYos

YoYo's are a sewing/quilting technique that I think will be fun in mixed media.

Using cotton fabric of your choice, cut circles about twice as large as the finished piece you want. Hand baste near the outer edge.

Pull both ends of the thread to gather the edges of the fabric together. I find it helps to place my finger in the center of the fabric. Tie a knot and cut off the extra thread.

 I've made a variety of YoYos, using different fabrics and sizes.

Y is for Yarn Weaving

Y is for Yarn Weaving, a fun way to make a very textured background.

Use a heavy card stock or heavy watercolor paper. As the background will show in parts, you may want to color it. I used Distress Stain and a home made shimmer spray to color the watercolor paper. Cut into strips, leaving one end uncut. I recommend cutting the piece about 1/4" thinner than what you want the final piece to measure, as the yarn weaving will widen the piece. If you don't the paper to show in your finished piece, cut the back longer than you want. I decided to make my strips of slightly various widths. To keep the paper from tearing, on the back, I placed a strip of red line tape along the bottom edge.

 Choose yarn and begin weaving around the strips.

 Alternate with various types of yarns for added texture, use different colors as desired, continue to weave.

 Here's my finished background. If you don't want the paper to show, use a sewing machine to stitch along the edges of the weaving (some like to add iron-on interfacing to the back before this step), cut away the exposed paper at the top and bottom.

Goosebumps Play

Last night at stamp club, John from Imagine Crafts came with Goosebumps, inks, paper, etc and led us in a fun play time. Wish I'd brought my camera, but here a pictures of what I made. Goosebumps is a textured resist medium. We were each given a bottle of Shimmer Goosebumps to play with and keep. The first images are all done on plain white card stock. 

Placed a plastic stencil over paper, sprayed on the Shimmer Goosebump (then flipped this over onto another white paper and pressed down to get the reverse stencil on the second sheet). Let dry, then applied 3 different color inks over all from the ink pad (ftp).Then used Ink Potion no. 9 blending solution. Then sprayed on some blue Fireworks shimmer spray.

 This is the reverses stencil image from above, using the same ink colors dtp. Then stamped on images with dark blue dye ink.

The next 3 pieces were done using plain Goosebumps in a dabber bottle. The Goosebumps was dabbed onto stamps and the stamp stamped on to white card stock. On this one, rainbow dye ink was applied with a brayer, blue Fireworks shimmer spray was sprayed on. Then the same dragonfly stamp was inked with blue ink and stamped over the card. The dye ink does not stick to the Goosebumps, so the images appear under the white ones.

Inks applied by ftp.

 Inks from a rainbow ink pad applied with a brayer, then a pink Fireworks shimmer spray was sprayed on.

 The next two are pre printed background papers. On the first a stencil was placed down and Shimmer Goosebumps sprayed over them, on the second, the wet stencil was turned over and pressed on that paper. Used different rainbow ink pads and a brayer to color over the papers. On the top one, I also sprayed some blue Fireworks shimmer spray.

 Shimmer Goosebumps was sprayed over these next two sheets of printed background papers, then inked with rainbow ink pads using a brayer, then sprayed with Ink Potion no. 9 blending solution.

 This flower image was stamped and embossed with black embossing powder. Was colored with dye markers. Shimmer Goosebumps was painted over the flower image, this gives the image a stained glass look. Not captured well in my photo.

 And this is the work sheet protecting the table. I love all the colors and shimmer, it will be used in a future project.

Now I have lots of gorgeous papers to turn into projects, and lots of ideas to use the Goosebumps spray!!!!

Mary Beth's Round Robin Journal

I've been working on Mary Beth's Round Robin Journal for Kindred Souls Art Group. Her theme is Illustrated Phrases. I started by laying sequin waste over the page and using a sponge to apply gesso through the sequin waste. Let the gesso dry. Then did a watercolor wash of Twinkling H20s over the page.

 Did the same on the back with lighter colors.

 On the front, colored some "pearls" with antiqued bronze Distress Stain and added to the vintage image. Stamped an Irish blessing on background paper and layered on textured paper. Used a butterfly image with the TAP transfer paper on some printed tissue paper. Inked the edges and body of the butterfly with gold Lumiere paint. Stamped an image in the upper left corner with gold Lumiere paint, also used this paint to color the edges of the page. Layered the vintage image over a lace border and added to the page with the saying and the butterfly.

 On the back, used the gold Lumiere paint to add gold circles to the background. Added a set of diptych atcs I thought went well, some more butterfly images on printed tissue paper with TAP transfer and stamped another saying.

Green ATC

 The theme this month on 9ATC group is "Green". Green makes me think of nature.
I decided to do the Vaseline Resist technique on coated card stock. I used a thin layer of Vaseline on a reverse style stamp.  Each time you stamp with the vaseline, you get some variation. I used some green dye inks with a sponge to color the card.

 Stamped a dragonfly image with black India Ink on the background. I used a very dark green dye ink pen to color in the body of the dragonfly. Colored in some areas with different shades of green Twinkling H2Os. Because the vaseline is on a coated card stock, it doesn't completely soak into the card stock and resists some of the Twinkling H2Os. I think it looks appropriate on this card.

 Colored the edges of the ATC with tarnished brass Distress Stain.

Finished, by adding a brass colored embellishment.

I'm not able to capture the sparkle & shimmer of the Twinkling H2Os, but they look fabulous.