I'm a Trader Treasure!

I know my blog has been a bit neglected lately but I just wanted to pop in to say that my Word Prompt Journal page last month was chosen as the Paper Traders' Trader Treasure!  The prompt was "Choose Love" and the challenge was to use tissue paper or napkins in your art.  This vintage film tissue paper was an RAK from another artist quite some time ago and I was excited to have this project to use it on (I'm also in love with the tiny film strip craft tape I found at Michael's recently!):

There's a new prompt and challenge each month so hop on over to the Paper Traders blog and play along!

Take to the Skies

Time's running out to join this month's blog challenge over on the Paper Traders blog.  I made this quick piece to enter in our winner-take-all ATC lottery using the hot air balloon theme for this month's challenge, killing two birds with one stone.

After layering paper elements, I added a balloon printed napkin over the top then topping it off with a tag and another hot air balloon which I trimmed from a piece of scrapbook paper.

Take Flight

Well, it's time for another blog challenge over at Paper Traders and this one is featuring hot air balloons.  I had a lot of fun making this collage.  I printed the large balloon image onto vintage text and layered it with scrapbooking paper for the background then added gesso and crackle paint for texture, using water and alcohol inks to make it look more distressed.  After layering my other collage pieces on, I added some scribbles with my Pitt pen then a little more gesso and some charcoal pencil for shading.  The title was done with a brown Sharpie marker and white touches with my fabulous Sharpie paint pen.  It turned out much more distressed than I had originally imagined but I'm happy with the end result.

This was such a fun challenge!  Join in the fun by heading on over the Paper Traders blog and you just might win recognition as this month's Trader Treasure!

Springtime Glory

I made another piece for the Hello Spring! blog challenge over at Paper Traders.  This little ATC is going to be my entry in the March winner-take-all ATC lottery.  The beautiful background was created by Suzi Blu - it was a scrap of paper I picked up at her garage sale last year... isn't it pretty?  I layered a floral image over the top and painted each petal with Gleams to give it some shimmer, then I touched the centers with some coppery glitter glue.  I also used my Pan Pastels to add shadows behind the flowers for some extra dimension.  Lastly, I sketched some lines around the edge of the card with my superfine Pitt pen.

Help me embrace the springtime spirit by joining in the fun of this month's blog challenge.  Head on over to Paper Traders for some inspiration!

Blog Challenge: Hello Spring

I watch these online videos of mixed media artists just throwing stuff onto their paper and coming up with these fabulous creations.  Come on... who really does that?  It's certainly not me as I am way too much of a control freak to just toss things about willy-nilly.  Then, recently, after watching one of those annoying yet wonderfully amazing videos and feeling completely lost as to what to make for the upcoming blog challenge over at Paper Traders, I decided to give it a go.  What could it hurt?  It wasn't in a precious journal that I was afraid to ruin or for a specific swap that I would have to send to another artist to judge.  No, it was just for me and if I truly hated it, I could toss it in the trash and try something different.

When we were discussing what the theme for the March blog challenge should be, I was leaning toward "luck" since St Patty's Day falls right in the middle of the mix; but the other moderators were really itching for Spring to get here and so the theme this month is "Hello Spring!"  I decided to take my "lucky" idea and incorporate it into the Spring theme with some purple flowering clover - fresh greens and pretty lavenders and a touch of shiny gold.  I started by layering torn vintage text over my cardboard canvas and then I smeared the paints around... ... ...Did you know that purple and green when mixed together make a kind of ugly brown?  Well, they do and it was icky and I already hated it and ALMOST threw it in the trash secure now in my knowledge that all this creative slinging was a bunch of hooey!  But I grabbed my paper towel and blotted and wiped most of the brown gunk away, then slowly and CAREFULLY placed more greens and purples on my page, gently sponging them on instead of smearing them around.  Ooh, now this was kind of pretty... maybe a little more of this, a little more of that, some white paint touches, some black stamped text... yes, yes, I can see this might not be a totally wasted effort.

Once it was all dry, i almost chopped it up into ATC backgrounds.  But, in digging through my stash, I found a few coordinating treasures and the following canvas was born:

(One of my favorite little secrets about this canvas is that the green lined journaling paper with the distress inking on it came from Suzi Blu's garage sale - actual paper that one of my favorite artists inked and chopped herself.  I feel somehow connected to her by using this little treasured scrap in my work  =)

Now, my next adventure in messiness will be a test to see if this was just a fluke... or maybe a whole new creative approach for me!  Stay tuned...

...oh, and don't forget to join in the blog challenge at Paper Traders.  It's easy, lots of fun, and you might win recognition for being the month's Trader Treasure!

Lace Challenge

There's another great blog challenge happening over at Paper Traders.  This month it's all about Lace.  I actually made this greeting card years ago but thought it was a fun twist on this theme.  I laid the lace onto sticky paper and then pressed microbeads through the holes and then gently peeled the lace off, leaving the beads behind... pretty isn't it?

Cameo: Chinese New Year Revisited

I am so excited (and spoiled!) because I received a new Silhouette Cameo as a gift this past week!  I've barely had a chance to use it but I think it's amazing.  This is my first electronic cutter and now I can see why it seems everyone is obsessed with these things.  I have only cut out a few test items - a gift bag with scrolling heart handles and a Peter Rabbit print-and-cut... both of which I neglected to photograph before giving them away.  And the third thing I cut were these amazing chinese dragons!  These ATCs are for another swap on our Paper Traders group.  Look at the intricate details in the cutting!  I love it.

The backgrounds on these cards were inspired by Dina Wakely's "warm ups" which she talked about in Nathalie's Creative JumpStart Summit this month.  I dipped vintage asian text into black & red alcohol inks and then spread on some gold acrylic paint using a palette knife.  So simple and I love the look.

As an added bonus, these cards fit the theme of the current Paper Traders Blog Challenge as well.  Anyone can join the blog challenge and you might be recognized as the "Trader Treasure" of the month!

Blog Challenge: Chinese New Year

It's time for another fun blog challenge over at Paper Traders!  The theme this time is "Chinese New Year."  As many of you know, I am a big fan of asian culture and art so this is a fun one for me.

Hop on over to the Paper Traders blog to participate in these challenges - Anyone can join in and they're easy and fun.

Happy Arting!

Blog Challenge: Party Hats

It's time for another blog challenge over at the Paper Traders blog and the theme this time is "Party Hats."  I decided to make an actual hat for this one...

Blog challenges are fun to do.  Hop on over to Paper Traders and take on the challenge!

Quirky Christmas

Can you believe that Christmas is right around the corner?  The time has really flown by!  And it's also time for another blog challenge over at Paper Traders.  The theme this time is "Quirky Christmas" and I used some fun images from iTkUpiLLi (love her stuff!) to make this funny little ATC.

Blog challenges are easy - you can make any kind of art you like that follows the theme.  Come on over to Paper Traders and join the fun!

Vintage Working Women

There's another blog challenge opening this week over on the Paper Traders blog.  The theme this time is "Vintage Working Women" and I choose to make another greeting card using a vintage image of a nurse.

Blog challenges are easy and fun!  Come on over to Paper Traders and play along...

Blog Challenge: American Indian

The theme for the Paper Traders Blog Challenge this week is American Indian.  I made another greeting card using some native dancers that I trimmed from a vintage postcard.  The dreamcatcher featured here is actually a clear sticker.

The blog challenges are easy and fun!  Come on over and play along...

Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue

The new blog challenge over at Paper Traders is to use a ship in your art.  Again, I used my new MyMemories digital scrapbooking software to create a digital collage.  I used elements from the "Brise Marine" kit by Mary89 as well as the "Poetry of the Sea" kit from Marie H Designs - both so pretty!  Once I had my picture created, I printed it out and layered it on some cardstock to create a little greeting card, complete with real seashell embellishments!

This was a really fun challenge.  Hop on over to Paper Traders and play along!

P.S.  There's still time to get $10 off your own copy of the MyMemories Suite v2 Software plus $10 in free products from MyMemories.com.  Just use my Promo Code: STMMMS53179

Spiders Hate Orange

There's a new blog challenge happening over on the Paper Traders blog.  The theme this time is "Spiders Hate Orange" and it was a fun excuse to play with my new MyMemories digital scrapbooking software again.  I made this page using various elements from many sources (itkupilli, House of 3, etc.)  You can get $10 off your own copy of MyMemories Suite v2 Software plus $10 in free products from MyMemories.com if you use my Promo Code: STMMMS53179

I'm excited for Halloween coming up because it's such a fun holiday!  I've already purchased my Caramel Apple Pops and if I don't get many door ringers, there will be leftovers for me  =)

Jump on over to Paper Traders to get in the Halloween spirit and play along.  Happy haunting everyone!

Game Day

It's time for another installment of the Paper Traders blog challenge!  The theme this time is "Game Day" and you can interpret that any way you want.  I used some baseball images layered over an actual San Diego Padres ticket trimmed down to ATC size.  There's plenty of time to get in on this one so come play with us!

Carnivals and Fairs

It's time for another fun blog challenge over at Paper Traders.  The theme this time is "Carnivals & Fairs" and I just had to make something using my new MyMemories digital scrapbooking software!

These photos were taken a few years ago when we went to Medieval Times for my friend Carolynn's birthday.  Fun times... Love you CC!!


P.S. Only one more day left to enter my software giveaway and have your chance to win a free copy of the MyMemories Suite for yourself...

Vintage School Memories

The Paper Traders blog challenge this time is "Vintage School Memories" and I think it's such a fun theme!  I made this canvas by starting with some pretty scrapbook paper, which I scratched and sanded before rubbing with Distress Inks.  Then I layered a transparency over a page from an actual student reader printed in the 1800's... and added a few school-themed elements to finish it off.

These blog challenges are a lot of fun and open to everyone.  So hop on over to the Paper Traders blog and show us your stuff!

Dog Days of Summer

I loved this quote and had to use if for the "Dog Days of Summer" theme for the latest installment of the Paper Traders blog challenge.  I made this pendant by sanding a white tile domino, adhering the photo and words, then applying a generous layer of Glossy Accents.  When everything was dry, I wrapped some ribbon around the outer edge and added a bow at the top.  I used a jewelry bail to the back so that it could be hung as a pendant.

Run on over to the Paper Traders blog and take the challenge for yourself.  It's lots of fun and we'd love to see you strut your stuff!

The Gift of Time

This is the final week of the steampunk-inspired challenges on Gingersnap Creations.  This week was a color theme, "Leather, Iron & Brass" and this wall hanging is my contribution.  I have had a lot of fun doing these and it's been a real growing experience.  Each of the challenges will remain open for awhile so hop on over and join in the fun.

Assemblage Art: Train

All aboard for another week of steampunk-inspired assemblage art for the Gingersnap Creations challenge.  The challenge this week was "Planes & Trains" and I had a lot of fun making this train from all of my swap meet junk.  This abandoned engine has become a home for some cute little birdies.

If you feel inspired to try some steampunk-style art, I encourage you to check out the Gingersnap Creations blog and take a go at some of their challenges for this month.

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