Color Combo Swap

I have been participating in a Color Combo swap for almost a year. Each month we were given 2 colors and had to create a 4x4 inch page. We sent our pages to our hostess and then received pages from other players in return.

As I said, this has been going on for almost a year so I have quite a few pages lying around waiting to be put into book form.

I had no idea what I wanted to do for a cover until this month's issue of Digital Scrapbooking came. Now I have said before that I do not do scrapbooking! But the tutorials for digital art are really great.

The tutorial I used was to learn how to add photos or patterned paper to the inside of your letters. Thus I created the word COLOR below. That was actually the word they used in the tutorial as well, it just happens that I needed it too!

I can't wait too see how this whole project looks as one whole book!

Altered Postcard Swap

The Bad Babies Yahoo group is having another swap. Well, we pretty much have swaps going on at all times but you just can't do them all!

This one is an altered postcard swap. There are 15 players. You alter a postcard for each player. The postcard has to be from where you are living right now.

I live in Oregon. But not some touristy part, just a run of the mill, small town with nothing going on. But for some reason this swap really called to me.

The swap was announced on July 16. As soon as I got done working I ran to the grocery store (the only place in town that sell postcards), browsed through the 3 or 4 designs they had and was totally taken with this one. I knew as soon as I saw it what I wanted to do. I knew what stamp I was going to use. Now I just had to ignore the weird look from the check out clerk (who knows I just live around the corner) as I bought 15 of the same card.

That night I sanded all the cards diagonally both from the right and the left so it made a cross-hatch design on the surface. I then rubbed Tim Holtz Distress Inks over the surface. First Scattered Straw, then Tea Dye and finally Walnut Stain. I then let them rest over night.

The next day I stamped the woman. She is from All Night Media. I made her look a bit more haggard than she really is by darkening her cheeks and adding a stroke of gray under each eye. Traveling across the country was no picnic!

Then off to the internet for the covered wagon and postage stamp. And finally I printed the supply list, which I found at http://www.oregontrailcenter.org/HistoricalTrails/Supplies.htm , onto transparency film.

I wanted to depict a "historical" postcard. I am facinated by the trek those pioneers made across the country to settle here. My husband's family made that journey. So hard to believe people could endure so much!

On July 18 I glued them all together, finished up the backs and had them packaged for mailing. I don't think I have EVER completed a swap so fast!

The Black Ball Returns

I haven't done any of the altered balls (the ones I got from work...see previous posts) in quite some time. Well, I did one tonight for a friend that is coming to visit.

Then it dawned on me as I sat watching the vanish dry (yeah, it is that exciting here!) I never posted pictures of the ball I submitted to Rubberstampmadness magazine.

The theme was "Numbers". You had to use numbers in your artwork. I created a ball with a vintage school days theme and there are definitely numbers visible.

I emailed them photos, they emailed me back asking for more and telling me they loved it.

The issue came out a month ago.....no altered ball. Am I bitter? I guess not LOL I am a bit disappointed though. Especially since they made a point of asking for more pics. Oh well.

But, since they didn't want it, I can now share it with all of you.

I covered the ball with pages torn from a novel I am using for an altered book. (again, see previous posts) Once the entire ball was covered, I brushed on antiquing gel to darken it.

I stamped images on printer paper and a few on tissue. All images are from Oxford Impressions. I then applied these with Mod Podge (which my husband informed me tonight as I was sealing my project that it "stinks to high heaven" LOL)

By stamping on tissue paper it almost appears that those images are stamped directly on the ball.

So this ball now sits proudly on the jelly cupboard in my diningroom. It is my favorite of all the ones I have made.

Ink Blots

I have been feeling kind of down lately and that really locks up the creative juices. I decided to try to get things flowing again with a little experiment.

First I got out the black paint and made some "ink blots". The idea was, once they were dry I had to turn them into something.

The first one came out pretty good. The next 2 are currently on their way to the land fill LOL

Below is the first "blot".
I turned it into a fancy hairdo or is it a hat? :-) I want to use her in a collage. I just haven't had time yet to gather up all those fashion pictures I have stashed away.....somewhere.

I have at least 5 more blots on hand so if I ever get around to making them into something else I will get them posted.

I've been Tagged!

My friend Anne from http://liberteas.blogspot.com tagged me today so now it is my turn!

Tag Rules: Each player answers the questions themselves. At the end of the post the player tags 4 people and posts their names, and goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answers.

Ten Years Ago ... I was a volunteer at the local grade school. I helped children practice their reading, graded papers and designed display and bulletin boards for the teachers.

Five Things on Today's To-Do List: It is almost bedtime so I will list 5 things on tomorrow's list
1. Go to the Rooster Crow festival
2. Watch for yard sales traveling to and from the festival
3. Put on sunscreen so I don't get burnt watching the parade
4. Buy fresh fruit and veggies at the farmer's market
5. Sit out on the patio and enjoy my day off
(aren't Saturday's great?!)

Snacks I enjoy: Tortilla Chips (can't go a day without them), Chocolate, Cashews, Caramels

Things I would do if I was a millionaire: Build a large house with huge windows and a huge art studio overlooking the ocean. Pay off all my bills. Help out my siblings with any bills they may have.

Places I have lived: Georgia, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon

I am now going to tag:

Marilyn at http://www.funkypeacockstudio.blogspot.com/
Jo Anne at http://paper-cats-page.blogspot.com/
Mary at http://www.auntmarysstuff.blogspot.com/
Richard at http://tunnel13.com/blog/

Go check out their blogs! They have some very cool stuff!!!!

The Dressmaker has come to town

I thought I was done making houses but then a new stamp set arrived and I just had to try it out! I just received the Close To My Heart "Simple Stitches" set. What fun. You can create the look of "sewing" without hauling out the machine (mine is buried back in the corner of my art room under a pile of fabric!)

The tape measure, dressmaker form and needles packet are all part of the Oxford Impressions "The Dressmaker" plate.

I found the little scissors on my last trip to the craft store and thought they were sooooo cute. There is a stamp on the Oxford Impressions plate that is almost identical and I have used that many times but decided to go with the metal ones on this house.

I may still add some words at the bottom. I haven't decided yet. It sort of seems to be calling out for a quote so we'll see what happens.

The photo of the woman is from a Victorian postcard cd. The original image is black and white. I liked the "cloudy" background on the photo and decided to play that up a bit. I used the photo effects on PSE5 to change the entire photo to blue. I then put that layer over the original photo and cut out the woman. Now the woman was black and white and the background blue. I then painted shades of pink over her sash, flowers and cheeks to add a touch of color. I really like how she stands out.

This has become an addiction!

I made another "house" this evening. So many of the Bad Babies have come up with great ideas. We have several churches, and even more haunted houses. A few schools, a coffee house and a tea house. A couple flower shops and even a jail. But I haven't seen a potting shed yet....until now. :-)

I brought out my Cricut machine which hasn't seen much use lately and my Walk in my Garden cartridge. I love the flowers and tiny tools you can make with this. Too much fun!

Doesn't every town need a milliner?

Well, mine did. Still making "houses". I always love going into the millinary shop in Colonial Williamsburg so I decided to add one to my village.

No stamping on this one. Instead I played with Photoshop Elements and created the sign on the shop. I also used fabric as part of my background. I used double-sided foam tape to raise all the elements from the background.

The Town Continues to Grow

I am still working on "houses" for the Row House swap. I only need 4 but I can't decide which ones I want to send and which I want to keep so I just keep making them.

I made this church Saturday morning. The woman in the stained glass is "Maude" from the Stampsmith. The faint angel image was stamped on tissue paper. I want to say she is from TuscanRose but she isn't marked so I can't be sure.

I made this beach house Saturday evening. The tide chart is from the Oregon coast. The sun stamp is from Emerald City Stamps. I originally did not have the "thatch" roof but my husband said it didn't look anything like a building so I added the roof and he was much happier. There is a real mini starfish in the lower right corner.

I just completed the theater. I like it, I think it is fun but I am not sure how others will like it.

More Row Houses

Well, I decided I didn't really want to part with all of the houses I made last weekend. My only solution was to make more houses. Now I have an even bigger problem, I am not sure I can part with these either LOL

Below is a School House I made last night. The report card, little girl and numbers are rubber stamps from Oxford Impressions. I cut the books out of a clip art book. I am not sure you can tell in the photo but the tan transparency is a photo of old school desks. I attached it with little antiqued star brads. The crowning touch on this house is the bell. I cut out a hole and hung the bell using another star brad. I think it is just way too adorable (modesty is not always my best quality LOL)

This house I call my Spooky House. In reality, the background paper is quite lovely but has that old faded/discolored wallpaper look to it. I find the woman to be sort of creepy, maybe it is the look on her face. I actually lightened up the photo a lot to give her a more eerie appearance. The lace over her head is white but a rubbed black ink over it so now it is a dingy gray.

I created a "balcony" in the tower and made a little mini piece of art using Stampbord. It is pretty cool stuff. You stamp it or paint it, what ever you want and once done you scratch off the ink or paint and reveal the white underneath.

The face over the door appears to be made of polymer clay, it was included in a package of stuff I received in a swap. It was bright green so I rubbed walnut colored Distress Ink all over it. And lastly, the door, it opens to reveal a surprise inside. :-)

This is a close up of the Stampbord. I used chalk inks for the center and blank permanent ink for the outer edge. I then used the tip of an old exacto knife to score the lines.

And what neighborhood is complete without a dog? I saw this puppy cutout on my last trip to the scrapbook store and couldn't resist. I ran right home and built him a house.

Row Houses

The badbabyart group will soon be celebrating it's fourth birthday and to acknowledge the occasion we are having a "Row House" swap. Each participant will make 4 houses (one for each year) from chipboard. They should be approximately 5.5 x 8.5 inches. And can be decorated any way the artist desires.


I was immediately enthralled with this project and created 4 houses in just a couple days. The problem is that I really like all 4 of them and do not want to part with them so I am going to make some more. That way I have some to keep and some to swap.


This is my first house. I chose the birds since there are 4 of them. The "B" in the corner is for the bad babies. The upper script covered triangle is actually one of the corners I lopped off. I then covered it and glued it onto the roof. Although you cannot see it in the photo, the button at the top is an antique. I appears to be some sort of plastic in an antique gold color with 5 faceted "jewels" on it. It is quite sparkly.

House #2. I added a chimney and covered it with script paper to creat the visual effect of "bricks". The image of the woman is dressed in layers of lace so I added lace to the top and attached it with a fancy brad in antique bronze. The wrought iron fence and daisies are both stamped images.

House #3. I wanted to used some more stamps and I also wanted a more rustic feel. I love the large pine tree I used as "columns" on either side of my house. It is such a large stamp I rarely get a chance to use it. And that sun is a very cool image as well. Again, I decorated with buttons. The one at the top is really very bright/shiny gold metal. The one at the bottom with the ivy is shiny gold plastic. And the 3rd button, the one on the ATC, is a brushed gold metal button. They least shiny of the three and yet the brightest in the photo. :-)

I added a library pocket to the front of this one. I cut a scalloped edge and then made an ATC to go inside. That ivy, by the way, was a gift from a friend at least 5 years ago and I have been hanging on to it all this time just waiting for the right project. It is made of rusted metal and was easily shaped to echo the scallop of the pocket.

Here is the ATC I tucked inside the pocket.

Here is house #4. This one took me the longest. I don't know if that is because I didn't use the same type of neutral backgrounds like I did on the other three or because of the many distractions that occurred throughout the day.

This house went through several idea changes before settling on the one below. Originally I had the image of a little girl and she was going to be standing in front of a fence (the flower border down the right side). Then I found a cool image of a girl sitting on a bench wearing a 20's swimsuit and thought she would be fun sitting on the "fence". I finally found the woman draped in nothing but the sheer lace and she seemed to fit with the night sky the best. The fence then became a "wall". I stamped the clock and set the time to almost midnight. What other time would you be prancing around your house wearing nothing but a sheer lace sheet? LOL

The "sister" definition is an acknowledgement to the bad babies who really are like a large group of sisters. :-)

The corner stamp was first stamped in metallic copper but it just didn't show up that well so I stamped it again in brown and it really "pops" in person.

Lastly, I added a couple metallic colored star brads to the sky, placing them directly over existing printed stars. It gave the sky that little extra twinkle.

Another Altered Book

I am nearing the end of the altered book round robin. Only one more book to work in. Not to worry though, I have signed up for a True Colors swap so I will have another book in circulation very soon.

Last night I finished working on Tamara's Birds: Songs, Soliloquies and Salutations. I have to admit, seeing the title for this one had me worried. I had no preconceived notions of what I was going to do but once the book arrived the idea just came to me!

I created a 2-page spread with a transparency between them. That is where my bird image resides. I had to make sure that the papers I used looked good together since both would be visible at all times AND I had to make sure any items placed near the top did not detract from the image on the film.

Below is spread 1. I added small twigs to give the nest dimension. And there is a branch stamped in brown on the upper right side of the left page but it doesn't show well in the photo.



This is page 2. I loved this paper with the words "How Sweet the Sound" and wanted to make sure they didn't get covered up. You can see part of the nest from the previous page so it almost appears the bird is sitting on it. I may add some notations to the graph card. Not sure yet.


This is a close up of the transparency. It is actually 2 different images, one of the bird and the other of some writing. I placed them face to face to protect the ink so it can't be rubbed or scratched off.

Here is the poem that is partially visable below the bird. I found it online and the author was not listed so I have no idea who to credit.

The Sparrow

A little bird, with plumage brown,

Beside my window flutters down,

A moment chirps its little strain,

Then taps upon my window-pane,

And chirps again, and hops along,

To call my notice to its song;

But I work on, nor heed its lay,

Till, in neglect, it flies away.

So birds of peace and hope and love

Come fluttering earthward from above,

To settle on life's window-sills,

And ease our load of earthly ills;

But we, in traffic's rush and din

Too deep engaged to let them in,

With deadened heart and sense plod on,

Nor know our loss till they are gone.

Back to Beeswax

I haven't done any beeswax art since I took the class....a year ago I think. Or was it 2?


Anyway, one of the groups I am in has a monthly lottery. I knew the theme was Vintage Buttons but for some reason just never got around to doing anything. Then today I thought...Hey, I want to play! So they pushed back the date until Friday so I could join in.

I have been wanting to get out the beeswax for a while now but really had nothing I wanted to make so it sat on the shelf. This theme just called out for BEESWAX!

I stamped all the images. They are from Oxford Impressions except the 3 women stamped in brown, they are from Tuscan Rose I think. They are all stamped on tissue paper except the woman. she is on copy paper AND tissue paper.

I used a 6 x 6 inch canvas board. I covered it with melted wax then scribbled on some water soluble oil pastels. yellow and brown. Then then began laying down the stamped images starting with the text.

I used fabric that I tore so it would have a frayed edge, not that you can tell much under the wax.

Next came the the copy paper woman. I laid down this image and then tinted her cheeks pink and her dress blue using the oil pastels. I then put the tissue image over top so the colors became muted.

Next the other stamps and finally the lace.

The last step was the buttons. I has to put down a puddle of wax, press the button into it and then dribble more wax over top. They are each encased in a little wax cocoon.

It snowed last weekend. In the middle of April! We don't get much snow in the winter, it is just insane to have it in the middle of spring!

I thought it looked very pretty on the tulips.

I received another of the altered books from the round robin this week. The theme is birds. I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do. I like the end result though. It was also a challenge to work horizontally. I have never done an altered book this way so I had to do some re-thinking. :-) I hope she likes it.

Very strange! I just went to change the font on this post as I always use Verdana and see that I can no longer do that....just have the choice of "small, medium or large". Wonder why they did that?! Sort of takes away the individuality of the poster doesn't it? Hmm

A new ATC

I was home alone last night. It was only for about an hour and a half but still....all alone! I have not had any alone time since November when hubby ended up in the hospital and we began this cancer/chemo journey.


So, he and the kid went out for dinner and I enjoyed the peace and quiet....and made an ATC.

I used a couple of the images I printed on fabric a while back....the woman and the Eiffel Tower postcard. I frayed the edges of the fabric for texture.

I used a scrap of ivy printed wallpaper for my background as well as a coral colored scrap.

I added a real postage stamp that I sanded to make it look old and worn. The metal photo corner on the bottom right is actually a brad. I twisted lace and added it to the upper left.

I used chalks and inks on the edges for color.

Finally, I thought she needed a fashionable hat since she had been sending postcards from Paris. Using several pastel colored buttons, I attached them with Tacky glue. As you can see, the glue wasn't completely dry when I took the picture (patience is not always one of my virtues) LOL

Mail Call!

Or should I say "Mailbox Call"?!

I am in an altered mailbox swap at the badbaby yahoo group. We went out to Target and found these adorable little mailboxes in their dollar spot.

Each player alters a mailbox, fills it with artwork and then ships it to their secret swap buddy.

Below is my blank mailbox. They are about 6 inches long, made of metal. Quite a deal for only a dollar!

Here are my contents. I made several ATCs and a tag. I mostly focused on the theme of travel. Except for my digital ATC which features one very cool cat! I also stuffed in a bunch of chocolate. Is it possible to have a secret swap without chocolate? I don't think so!

Here a close up of the digital cat. Isn't he the coolest? :-)

Here is the right side of the mailbox with the flag.

I stamped most the images. I choose things that featured postage stamps, letters or symbols of other countries such as the Eiffel Tower. I then filled in between the stamped images with postage stamps from around the world.

I was going to alter the ends as well but decided it took away from the collage in the middle so I just left them blank.

This is the left side. I just love that stamp with the little girl!

Busy Busy Busy!

Boy do I have a lot of projects to get done this month!!!!!

Have I finished them? No! Have I started them? NO! LOL

As a matter of fact, I worked on things that aren't due until next month. Hmm, why do I do this??!!!

I completed 2 spreads in Anne's Asian altered book. For some reason the color in the pictures is off. I tried to adjust it as best I could but it just doesn't look quite right. Oh well, I already mailed it out so this will have to do.

This spread has a fabulous background paper full of asian writing and symbols but only a few show in the photo. :-(

Here is spread #2. I used a piece of Chinese newspaper I picked up in San Francisco. I had a Chinese New Year postage stamp from a couple years ago on hand as well.

The Asian stamps used in both of these are from Stone House Stamps. LOVE their Asian designs!!!! The fortune cookie is from Jim Stephens I think. It is part of a set and also has a blank "fortune" stamp to tuck into your cookie. I used a real fortune I received a few weeks ago. It says "Beauty surrounds you because you create it".

And then there is my favorite dragonfly....very stylized and delicate! It comes from Magenta.

I am in a Bingo Card Book swap. You have to make a book out of bingo cards. I could only find one in my ephemera box and it was a poor copy so I scanned it, adjusted the color and made it bigger. (it was only about 2x3) It is now about 4x5.

I just bought the woman stamp on Saturday. She just called to me from the shelf. She is made by Stampers Anonymous. The "Fun Pass" is from a new set I just got from Close to My Heart. It has all sorts of "tickets"...a very cool and versatile set. The moon face in the upper right corner is from Tin Can Mail. The sticker at the bottom is from the post office. They used to be used to seal the mail.....they no longer use them and my ex husband was a postal worker. They were throwing them away and he brought a pad of them home....this was about 20 years ago. I use them in the strangest places. :-)

I got this girl stamp about a year ago and never used her. I thought she was appropriate for this project as she has bingo card wings. She is from Stampers Anonymous too. I used another "ticket" from the CTMH set. And one of my many cats from 100 Proof Press. I filled the book with cream, sage and country blue pages. I hope the person who gets it likes it as much as I do. That is the hard part of these swaps, parting with things....if I like them I don't want to let them go. LOL

She sells....

I took this picture of the ocean at Brookings last year. I love the rocks of the Oregon coast!

I saw this painting of the woman and for some reason thought she should be walking on the beach LOL

So, now she is. :-)

I used a "pirate map" for my background paper. I made it slightly translucent to lighten the color.

I used a "vintage" frame from Photoshop Elements 5 for around my beach photo and then decreased the intensity of the photo. I added age spots to the photo as well from the crop shapes already available in the program.

The rhododendrons are from Azalea Park in Brookings. They have so many colors, it is so gorgeous to walk through. I can never resist snapping some pictures!

The "swirls" in the upper right corner are a heart shaped brush.

I love playing with this stuff!!!!!

Decos

I sent my niece a box of scrapbooking supplies for her birthday. The thing is, neither she nor my sister have any experience with using all these fun papers and embellishments. So I came up with an idea to give them some practice AND to have some family fun.

We are doing a deco round robin!

I put together the books using their choice of cover colors.

We also convinced my mom to play too. I don't think she is as thrilled as the rest of us though. :-)

Mine is the flower cover at the top left. My theme is flowers. Peyton's is the blue she wants her theme to be Disney (being a huge Disney fan, I can't wait for my turn to work in this one!) My mom's is the green in the lower left with a theme of "books". And the red with cream swirls is Laurel's. She has changed themes a couple times but I think currently is is "colors".

I hope they like these colors since they only told me "red", "blue" and "green". That sure does leave a lot of leeway! LOL

Altered Book

I joined an Altered Book round robin. I haven't done one in a couple years and had been in the mood. This one came up and I jumped at the opportunity.

I had to pick a theme so I decided on Floriography: the language of flowers. It is believed (and used a lot during Victorian times) that each flower had a meaning. So a bouquet would reflect those meanings.

I have done 2 spreads in my book and it is now ready to mail.


First is White Roses. The meaning is "Charm and Innocence".


I coated the page first with gesso and then stamped roses with white paint. You really have look close and in person to see the stamping but I know it is there. :-)

Second is Begonias. The definition is "A Fanciful Nature".