nautilus

This is an atc I made with an alcohol ink background and a nautilus stamp I like but rarely use. One of the themes for the August atc swap on byhandartists is sealife. I thought immediately of this stamp. I got it for a dollar in the discount bin at Ben Franklin! Perfect for this. Liked the look of it stamped in Stazon Black. Wrote the quote with a micron pen. Krylon gold around the edge.

Chinese Valentine's Day

I created my This and That mingle page for the byhandartists yahoogroup today.
I chose Chinese Valentine's Day for my theme. You can read the legend on one of the photos. I used watercolor paper and watercolor for the background. I added Pearlescent Silver Pearl splatters for the Milky Way. I cut out images from a background paper I found and resized on Chiyogami Monday for the magpies. The stars and hearts are Peel Offs. The chinese figures are free clip art I found on the web that are transferred from a tranparancy copy using Golden's Matte Gel Medium. I also stamped a woven background stamp with Distress Ink Broken China. I used Glaze Pen to color in the hearts on inside back. The story is printed on transparancy and written in Chinese Takeout font. It was a fun one to research and create.

Krylon Resist background

Today I experimented with Bernie Berlin's Leafing Pen Relief technique in her recent atc book. I drew with a Krylon Pen on watercolor paper, which acts as a resist, and then added Twinkling H2O. On one I stamped a swirl with clear emboss ink and embossed with clear ep for some added texture (red and green atc), one one I stamped with purple and gold pigment ink and embossed with clear ep (green purple and gold), and I only used water color on the others. Those two are my least favorites but not because of the stamping, just not my favorite color combos. But, I really like the other 4 especially the sun and moon ones. Easy technique with fast results.

Free Image

I thought I would try posting a picture you can copy and save in your computer to print. I have some good vintage images to share. I'll have to do some experimenting but I think it will work. I'd love to see anything you do with the image. Maybe we can have a contest. These images are for your personal use and art only and not to be copied and sold on a collage sheet or in any other manner. You may post art in which you used the images.
The first image is a vintage Paris postcard front and back. These are scanned at a high resolution so should be good for your art and size down easily. I bought this at an estate sale. I like the side with the message because of the upper right hand corner where it is written "Soldier's Mail" instead of a stamp. The year is 1919.

Frida Kahlo is the subject of one of my This and That Mingle for the byhandartist group this month. It is the 100th anniversary of her birth. The background is alcohol ink on glossy card stock. I printed out one of her paintings and put a paper doily around the face to mimic the lace on the painting, added red satin trim and a pendant. The picture is hinged to the background with a cardstock hinge. It opens to reveal a brief biography and the original copy of the painting.

White on White remake

I was never quite happy with my page for the white on white swap. I kept procrastinating on finishing them so I went with a different but similar page. Used the same background but added a vintage picture from my stash that is a favorite and added little seashells. The shells were more delicate than I thought so I have had to wrap them in bubble wrap for travel.
On a 4th of July note, Jim and I went to an old-fashioned celebration in Cresent Hill on the grounds of an historic home. There were arts and crafts vendors, hot dogs, barbeque, corndogs, ice cream, a dog show, a parade of antique cars and a cake wheel! It was a fun way to spend a bit of time on the 4th.
Amy returned from Africa yesterday, another reason to celebrate. Her trip has reminded me that all that separates me from the poor and needy is good fortune and luck. If you need a reminder of your good fortune, take a trip to Africa on her blog. The link is to the right.

On a roll

I made an atc with one of the paste papers from today. The background reminded me of Egypt for some reason, so I dug out some Egyptian stamps that I got at Goodwill over a year ago. I stamped the bug with Adirondack Oregano and the snake with Adirondack Butterscotch. The mummy,with Chalk Ink Dark Moss and colored with various pens. Attached the mummy with pop dot so it stand up off of the page. Another for the yellow swap.

Paste Paper Fun

I had the day off today and instead of cleaning the house and my art area I played with paste paper (and made an even bigger mess!). I made the paste with cheap acrylic paint and liquid starch. I used a wide tooth comb, 5 bobbie pins taped to a plant stake, three plant stakes taped together, a wooden skewer the doodle with. I like the ones with more than one color and a more random pattern best.

Africa ATC

Today I started my day with an another yellow atc for the swap. My daughter is in Africa and I liked this color combo on a napkin I had. I think of bright colors when I think of Africa. Top layer of napkin applied with Mod Podge. Stamped giraffe with STazon Black and embossed with black detail EP. Colored in with yellow Glaze pen. Circle punched the sun with bright orange card stock. Stamped AFrica with Stazon black. Drew flowers and leaves with Glaze pens.

Yellow atcs

I've had time to do a couple more atcs today. I need to be completing my white fat book pages, but color is calling my name today. I made these for a yellow-themed swap this month. Both have Portfolio water soluble oil pastel backgrounds. The froggie is Anita's stamped with Stazon Black and embossed with Black Detail EP. Colored him with Glaze Pens. Quote with Zig .005. The pear is Hampton ARt Stamp, stamped with Adirondack Ink Butterscotch and colored with a watercolor brush with a reservoir. Quote written with Brown Sakura Micron .05 Pen.

ATCs

I made these atcs for Suzanne at Quietfire Design for display in her store during Island Magic Calligraphy Conference in Canada at the end of this month. On the one on the left, I used alcohol inks for the background. Stamped the quote which can be found on her website (link to the right) with Top Boss pad and embossed with Brass EP. I stamped the head from her mini collection sheet with Distress Ink Vintage Photo. Over it I stamped the optician lenses also off the mini sheet with Top Boss and embossed with Brass EP.
The background on the one on the right is Walnut Ink spritzed and rubbed dry. I stamped the diamond, off the mini collection, with Distress Ink Antique Linen, stamped the hand also from the mini collection with Distress Ink Vintage Photo. The quote from Quietfire, too, is stamped with Chalk Ink in Warm Red as is the heart flourish from the mini collection.

It's another orange day

Today I made two more atcs for the swap. They have a long way to go to get to Calgary, Alberta so I need to get them in the mail. Must arrive by the 30th to swap in this month's trade. I can't think of orange with out thinking of the beautiful color of copper, my favorite metal. Twinkling H2O background swash on cardstock with either ginger peach or a brown. I covered with a tranparency, from I don't remember where. Attached with copper brads. Staz-on black to rubber stamp the Poste Italiane onto copper mesh. Cut with stamp-edged scissors and mounted with sticky dots. I tried a clear laminate, but didn't work. The Tea atc is a napkin applied to watercolor paper with Mod Podge. I used a happiness punch, had to stomp on it to get it to go through the watercolor paper! Backed it with another piece of the babywipe/acrylic paint "fabric" to show through the punch. Stamped "tea" with paprika Versacolor and embossed with Pirate Gold. I hope to do one more......

Orange ATCs

Today I made orange atcs for the monthly atc swap on byhandartists yahoogroup. The one on the left's background is a baby wipe with acrylic red and yellow paint saturating it. It ends up feeling like felt. I didn't back it with anything, I liked the feel of it. The stamp is from artchix studio, the feather from an atc background book and the building is a printed tissue paper. I stamped one writing background with vintage photo distress ink, the other with black Staz-on.
The right atc is watercolor paper that was monoprinted off another babywipe background done in rust and green. I stamped the column with vintage photo distress ink, the other italian stamps in dark moss chalk ink. I stamped the background writing with Bark Versacolor. The head is artchix, the wings are cut out of atc background paper, the body is off of a postcard I bought in Italy of a variety of belltowers. Bella is stamped with Impress Black Dye ink.

White on White fat book pages

Today I worked on a prototype for my white on white fat book on the byhandartists yahoogroup. I typically think of vintage when I think of white, but while at the beach this summer, I was reminded of all the shades of white on the beach. The sand in the panhandle of Florida is sugar-white but tan when wet. Many of the sea birds are white. The foam of the water, the water itself near the shore, the mist on a windy day- all shades of white. So I decided to use a funky sandpiper stamp and shades of blue-white to tan-white for this fun page. I gathered the shells on the beach with this project in mind.
On a sad note, my dear friend and bridge partner for many, many years lost her battle with Melanoma today. She put forth a brave effort to live in general, but especially to know of the birth of her first grandchildren, twin boys-Jackson and Duncan, who are about two weeks old. I have kept our "Bridge Babes" scrapbook since 1992. We have taken trips to the beach, to a friend's lakehouse, annual bazaar treks, had pool parties and celebrated and shared sorrows together for many years. This page is a tribute to her and reminder that I will always remember her. The tags behind the picture pocket are for each "Bridge Babe" to use to write a favorite memory of her. Here's to you, my friend, to a life lived well and full. I'll miss you at the bridge table.

Happy 29th Birthday, Amy

How exciting I hope it is, despite your homesickness, to spend your 29th birthday in Africa doing meaningful work. I read with great interest Nick Kristof's column today. He and his student/teacher team are in Rowanda while you are in Uganda. I'm so proud that instead of wishing that the world was a better place, you are doing something to make that wish come true. If Kristof's appeal for essays congealed your plans to go no matter, then cheers to him as well. I hope he realizes that his appeal alone is making a difference in the respondants' lives and the world.
My wish for you, sweet girl, is a wonderful, fun, life-changing taste of this wonderful planet we live on, filled with incredible people to know and love. Remember when language becomes a barrier or you feel lonely that love is a universal language. A knowing glance, the touch of hand to hand, or hand to shoulder, just sitting with someone-all convey love. I love you dearly and am so proud to call you mine. May your day be filled with peace and joy and love, Mom

In Uganda

I got a brief email that Amy has arrived at Noah's Ark. Amazingly, she is very homesick-a totally unexpected thing! She has never been homesick. But, I was reminded that she usually has a traveling companion. The other volunteers are Dutch and AFrican. They speak their own languages with each other and only when one on one with Amy, do they try out their English. So she feels very alone. Pray for her that she will get over this quickly and enjoy her time there.
The atc is an old one I did for a swap.

Amy on my mind

I got an email that she made it to Amsterdam about 2 AM EDT. She is now enroute to Uganda. I'll be glad when she is safely at Noah's Ark. It is a beautiful day here in Louisville. I have spent the morning revising a portable display board that I use to teach my bloodborne pathogens course. I usually only have to do this once a year. I just did it a couple of months ago and am already re-doing. The self sealing laminating sheets just didn't hold. So annoying. It takes a lot of time to do it. I hoped to do art instead. So as suggested by some of my byhandartist yahoogroup art friends, I am adding an old piece of art to the site from my flickr account. This an atc I did with serendipity paper I made and cut up. You can tell from my blog header that I like serendipity paper, it uses up my scraps and I like the messy way it looks. The stamp quote is from my friend, Suzanne's site http://www.quietfiredesign.com/rubberstamps.html. She has lots of quotes that I love and more fun art supplies.

Dylan mingle page

I got around to some art today so I might as well include it while I'm thinking about it. I am participating in a 4x 4 1/2" "This and That" Mingle on the byhandartists yahoogroup. Each month we do a page about one of several themes that are offered by our host, Yogi Grunwald, and send it on to the person below us on the list Yogi makes of monthly participants. This month I chose Bob Dylan Day (June 21).
I like this mingle because each month you can decide whether to participate. If life is busy that month, I just don't sign up. It's fun to see what art comes my way each month and where my mind heads, too. The back has a "record" spinner with Dylan trivia.

My favorite coffee

I was feeling a bit blue last week and decided I needed some of my favorite coffee to cheer me up. I know coffee I like when I drink it, I haven't learned yet what it is that MAKES it coffee I like. My favorite coffee ever I bought in Alaska last August. I brought a pound (or whatever amount they sell coffee in these days)home with me and a pound for my daughter for Christmas. I have long since brewed all of it. So, I found their website, which can be found in my links, and ordered a bag of Misty Fjords (my known favorite) and to try something different, Resurrection Blend. Not only is the coffee fantastic, the artwork on the packaging is just as inspiring and probably part of the appeal for me.
The great thing is that I forgot I ordered it until it came a week later! Ahhhhhh, back to yummy coffee that calls me to get up in the morning! This time of year I brew it a bit stronger than usual, chill and have it iced. Oh, the joys of summer mornings with a glass of iced Raven's Brew.

Amy's trip to Africa

My daughter,Amy, leaves on her journey to Uganda Tuesday. She will be working at Noah's Ark Children's Ministry Uganda. http://www.nacmu.org/
She will be keeping a blog http://amyselephants.blogspot.com/ about her adventures. She is a much better, more interesting writer than her mother and you'll enjoy her witty prose. I packed up 17 pounds of clothing for kids donated by her friends here in Louisville and sent to her to take along.
It's a beautiful day here, we plan to go watch racing at Churchill Downs and I hope to get in some art.