I have designed my blog to display my card making, scrapbooking, mini albums and any and all paper crafting and STAMPING!! I want to discuss anything to do with all these things and play with my passion here!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Time to Remember and Christy Tomlinson She Art Class

November 11 2011. or 11 11 11
Today holds much signifigance in our lives.  Today we take time to remember and to thank all who have given time, energy, life and themselves to protect our Country and our freedoms and the freedoms of other people.  I want to say a special thank you to my Grandad who served in Scotland in the British Air Force in WWII.  He was but an 18 year old boy when he began his service to his county.  My Papa also served in WWII.  He was already a family man with a small child so was not conscripted until the second round.  When he did begin his service he went into the British Army and he served in Egypt fighting against Rommel.  Many stories have been told and heard.  I thank them for serving and protecting us all with their service to their county. 

I want to especially thank God for allowing both to come back alive.  If my Papa (Dad's dad) had not come home my father would not have been born nine months to the day of his return.  If my Grandad did not survive he would not have had my Mum and by extension of both neither would I be here!!

Thank you to all who have ever served for their county to protect their beliefs and freedom.  I especially thank all the mothers, fathers, wives, children, grandparents and other family members who have lost a family member in the service of their county.  Past and present.  God Bless you all.

On to crafts...........................

I have much to share and many new exciting adventures, well they excite ME, which really is all that matters right?? well not really but hey nice try!

My girlfriend Melissa and I have started a class by Christy Tomlinson a fab mixed media artist.  Melissa and I found we both wanted to do the class so decided to go about doing it together so we could share our progress and our joy of all things "SHE ART"!!! I am totally in love with Christy's She art!! Here is a link to Christy's She Art class.  I am totally enamoured with Christy and her teaching skills.  She is an incredible teacher.  She has an easy way about things and such a total passion for her work.  So much passion that she can't help but get you excited too! Love it! Thank you Christy! In addition to the first She Art workshop there is now a new one called  She Art 2.  This class begins on November 14 2011!! wooo hoooo~~~!!!!    Melissa and I will do this workshop as well! Ohhhh so excited to be able to learn even more from this amazing artist!  Again thanks Christy for sharing your incredible art with us all!  You are a total and utter inspirational sweetheart!!!   Love ya!

Okay so here is the first background I created after watching the first of three weeks of classes!


And the piece when I added my first girl!!



 This is a close up of the girl.  I free hand cut out all her parts!! It was a total rush.  In the class we are given a pdf file of the parts of the girls but I wanted to see if I could make one on my own and just went for it!! I am still shocked that I actually painted this girls hair!!! I DID THAT!


This is a close up of the words.  I really think this is fitting for me.  I feel the words represent me if the girl does not! 


After the first ....success???....I began a second background.  I was so excited to do a new one.  I added a tissue paper sewing pattern on the background of my canvas and then went for it.  I was not happy AT ALL with how the second one looked so I got out the white paint and got rid of it all....no pics...it was BAD oh really bad. (probably not too bad, But I guess we are our worst critics for the most part.)  After adding the white paint I went for it again.  I am much happier with this canvas background.  I am thinking that I may be doing too much to it......its very busy and I may have to back off and not add so much.  We will see how I evolve! I had DANG well better evolve!!!


 This is a close up of the second canvas.


One of my friends lost a close family member. I made and sent a card to her and her husband. The many flowers are added using my Unity stamps by Donna Downy.  They were coloured using Tombo markers directly to the stamp.  I then sprayed the stamp with a mist of water and stamped onto watercolor paper.  After laying the main flowers down I stamped a script image on the paper to create a simple background.   I distressed the edges of the paper then inked it.  The purple background paper is dry embossed in a Sizzix folder.  I don't recall the name sorry..... after embossing I sanded it down to expose the inner paper.  After distressing,  ink was added to the top of the embossed paper.  I also distressed the edges of this paper  then inked it too. The note is stamped on a separate piece of paper and cut out with my super favorite edging scissors...deckle by Fiskers.  I can't believe I am using these again!! The green strip is paper.  Pearls were added to the green strip.  I stamped then heat embossed the butterfly with a holographic powder.  You really can't see the shimmer in the pic.  I popped it up off the page using scrap dots by Helmar glue. Love that stuff!!


Again my condolences for your loss. 


I also created a card for another friend just to say hello. This one was fun in that I got to make the flower!! oh that was a total treat.  I made the design on the background paper as well as the paper for the flower I made.  The background I stamped all over with a Tim Holtz stamp with versamark ink and then rubbed in with a fine brush some Perfect Pearls powder.  The leaves and flowers I cut out with Spellbinders dies.  I added tulle and mesh into the flower.  I heated it to make it a little bit distressy, I'm very happy with the end result.  To make the flower paper I stamped plain brown packing paper with distress inks by Tim Holtz using a background stamp. The paper looked great but I was even happier with it when I cut it up into flowers!!  After making the flower I added the lace to the card some bling and created the 'just a note' message on a separate paper.  Fun!

 A close up of the funky distressy flower.



I had loads of fun at Halloween.  Aside from only 10 kids coming to my door for treats,....(not sure whats up with THAT!!) I made cards for my nieces and one of my nephews.  My youngest nephew is too young to appreciate a card so he will get one next year!!  Here are the four I made!

cute one...
 another cute one.....

 A spooky one.....
 The final spooky one!



I have also been busy with ATC's.  I made my own and was not making them with a Jam this time.  Yeah strange I know.   It has been a long time since I have made my own backgrounds for atc's and it was a treat to do my own work on them again!

This one was an experiment to see what I could do with book paper.  Fun......well to me it was okay I'm a little enthused...lol.....I also made these flowers from book paper strips!! Like with ribbon, I took about an inch wide strip of paper and twisted it up a bit and then put it onto glue then twisted and glued until it was in a type of circle...a wee bit wonky true but circle like?? kinda?!
So once made I took my Lindy's stamp gang colour shot of Bourgainviaaea fucshia I painted the paper.  Stiff flowers really.  I added diamond dust by Twinklets to the center of the flower to ensure enough bling! The background was a bit of a challenge for me.  I had not made one for so long. I stamped it with a text stamp then coloured with distress inks.  I then glued it up and stuck on a bit of book paper and inked that up too.  The flower stems are made of a green suede fabric strip.  Leaves I made from a punch. I stamped the paper first with the script stamp and then punched them out.  I used McGill's flower making tools to create the shape in them added glitter and then glued em on too.  I found a great saying then popped that on to finish this one.  Happy with it! It is going to a good home!!

 A different angle of the roses/ paper flowers.



This ATC went out with the card above .... 'just a note'....I loved making this one.  The birds are so easy to make! Love em.  I made them using glossy paper and Tombo markers and some Local King rubber Stamp stamps and their coordinating Spellbinders dies.  I coloured the bird stamps then stamped onto the glossy paper.  They dry so quickly.  I then die cut them out.  The saying is a Unity stamp and I soooo love it.  The Lily of the Valley that is now blue...ya its supposed to be white but stamping white on white paper ...hmm not nice.  I cut them with a die from the same set in the bird kit.  Background paper is from a book of sheet music I cut up and aged with distress inks.  Love how that turned out.  I edged the card in ink after distressing the daylights out of it.  A strip of lace up the edge finished the embellishing for me.





 This set was a long time coming. I got a set of My Sentiments Exactly stamps that came with corresponding dies for sewing stuff!! LOVE dress forms! The other stuff is just a great bonus!! The backgrounds are on watercolor paper.  After stamping in versamark I embossed in clear powder and heat set, added some watercolor paint and just created whatever was gonna happen! 



 Green glitter thread on this spool....

 Blue glitter thread here.....


Last but certainly not least I added silver thread to this one. 


Well that does it for my updating here! Lots of fab stuff IMHO!!

thank you so much for coming to look at my latest creations.  I can't wait to work on more She Art.  I will update as I create more girls. 
Happy weekend!!

okay we know the weekend has passed....I am posting this late but it is just as prevelent today as it was on November 11th! hugs all!!


Thursday, November 3, 2011

Dream wall hanging


I have not been a very busy bee lately.  To say the least.  I have been plagued with migraines pretty mcuh for the entire month.  Can you say frustrated~~~ ahhhhhh!! Ya to say the least,  frustrated.  when I am in other pain I can still find it in me to create something.  When I have a migraine I can only find my bed and curl up in fetal position and pray it goes away.  I certainly am not productive in a pain brain situation......... well I finally had a bit of relief yesterday and created a wall hanging for a pal in Australia.  I have sent it off and pray it gets there before Christmas gets here~~   I could not believe the cost of shipping a package via air mail.....Canada post wanted about $65.00 to send my package airmail.  Am I cheap to send it for upwards of $ 26 for the surface mail???? I don't think so and if I wanted it to be even faster it would have cost $95!!!! Well shipping things has become quite an expensive proposition however it IS going to be shipped.  It will take a wee bit longer to get there but it WILL make it there. 

So here is my magical wall hanging.   I had a lot of fun with of all things.... box board...aka cardboard. Love doing the recycling thing.  It makes for a great base to create on.  I added some paint and some more paint and then did a collage thing to bring it to life.  I used some of my new Goosebumps with shimmer Texture Spray by Tsukineko.  Love it.  A nice sparkle in the shine of the spray adds a little more bang for your buck! I used a Unity stamp for the flower under Dream and added some flowers from prima and some I coloured which I got from wild orchid crafts.  I made the pink and blue flowers myself from coffee filters I sprayed with some glimmer mists then cut out using Tim Holtz Sizzix die tattered florals.  Love that die! 

A labour of love.  I had a great time doing this.  I lost all track of time and was inspired constantly.  I love it when I work on a project and it flows out of me.  I know when I don't think and plan I tend to do better work.  It comes out as intended.  Too much thought about my art and I don't mix well!! I just let it flow out of me if I can!







Thanks for looking and taking the time to come to my wee blog.  I am very thankful you have taken the time to stop by and to look at my art and share in my passion.

I have finally finished my project that I began at the Canadian Scrapbookers Carnival in Christy Riopel's class.  I will post it soon.  Also have some a Halloween cards I made for my nieces and nephew but I am not going to post them until I know they have them in their hot little hands......I sent them a wee bit late and it does take time when mailing from one side of Canada to the other!

Take care all.  Happy Thursday!!!






Friday, October 21, 2011

Kind reminder to update!

Hi all,
Yes I am that "bad" blogger who does not update regularly.  I admit my fault! Although,  in my defense I have been quite ill as of late and not doing much of anything. No matter how I feel art is always on my mind.  I dream in technicolour! Well I wish I was..............a girl can dream of dreaming!! Art rarely is far from my thoughts.  I have made some items since my last blog post about the Canadian Scrapbooker Carnival. (I still have to finish the projects before i post the pictures of them, so no update there yet  sorry? )

I have created a few ATC's and a birthday card for my youngest brother.  I will post what work I have taken pictures of as of late.  I have a couple of ATC Jams completed that I forgot to photograph before sending them back out into the big bad world of postage.  Not pleased about that as one of them I LOVE but it will be coming back my way soon....I hope.....you never know with Jams as they can disappear for a long time into that postage oblivion! 

On to the pictures!!

Asian Atc
  
Asian Atc Jam





 This Jam was created with the Jams Galore group with the Google online group.  I was sent this card as the third person in the swap. I received it with the Asian background and the neat double swan stamp on the card.  All the rest was added by myself.  I made some Asian glitter letters that I edged with some distress ink as well as the Asian emblem and flowers.  I was not satisfied with that being enough so added a transparency with some bamboo stamped onto it in green Stazon ink.  I put it onto the card using an eyelet so that it can swivel on and off the card. I was quite pleased with how this turned out.  I think it is a well rounded and complete card.  I hope the others in the group like my additions.  The first artist in this swap is Joy O. and the second is Peggy B.  This is my first collaboration with both artists. 

All three Asian Atc's transparency covering the atc



Art Deco Ladies
Art Deco Lady Atc Jams Galore set 









   
 This has to be a favorite jam of mine!  I fell in love with this one.  The amazing background created by Elaine B. and the incredible addition of the inchies on the side by Cheryl F. really created a fab canvas for me to add to.  The art flowed out and I found it easy to pull together.  Some are easy others are a stretch.  If they sing to you they sing to you!!  I added the glitter around the inchies and the art deco lady.  I coloured her in with my prismacolor pencils and added a layer of Glimmer Glaze (by tattered Angels) in the colour penny loafer.  I put a ribbon on her back to be an addition to her dress.  I put the beads on the left side ( they were originally a fab score from a dollar store as they were all part of a headband that I cut apart!! ) and added the gems on the right side.  It was just a treat to work on!!
    
One of the Atc Art Deco Lady Jams
 Photographic Studio Atc
Photograph Studio ATC Jams Galore card 2


This set of Atc's was pure and utter pleasure from the moment I opened the envie they came in!! I got this one as the third artist in the jam.  I added the steampunk man (I stamped him then covered him in glossy accents and added a bunch of old watch parts) then added the gold glitter around the film strip and the corners.  I also put the copper edging around the card.  I got this one in such amazing shape I really did not have to add very much to it.  The background was done by Marcie L and Hollie F did the photograph studio stamped added title (which I coloured with a glimmer glaze) and the totally amazing pics and film strip on the left side of the card.  I mean really......... how do you add to such incredible work??? I did but I hope it is received well. 


Photograph Studio ATC Jams Galore card 1   


All 3 Photograph Studio ATC's


Amazing Paint Background Atc

Atc Pocket Artists group jam

 I really don't have a good title for this ATC but I love the colours!! I got this one from a new group that I joined called Pocket artists and it too is a Google group where the artists will trade atc's, post cards, tags and any other form of art we wish to trade!! It is a great group of dedicated artists.  I received this amazing painted background from Sue S.  I was totally in awe of the incredible painting that this background has!! I was stumped by what to do to it.  I have been doing a lot of dimensional art as of late and added a lot of bits and bobs to this in the hopes of doing it some justice. I kept with the purple theme and added all of the purple goodies on the right hand side of the atc.  Hope it is liked!! I have sent it on to Hollie F.  I can't wait to see what she does to it.


close up of this atc


 I met a fab, honest and real lady on Ustream a few months ago and have become quite good friends with her.  She is a real angel.  She has told me some art themes and items that she likes and I have sent her a package of goodness!!  She told me she loves fall so I added a huge bunch of spellbinders leaves that I first stamped and then cut out using the big shot and a spellbinders die.  Oh boy that was a chore!! Done with love though~  I really hope the leaves go to good use!!  I have no doubt they will be used in a few amazing projects.  I was coming up with so many as I cut them out~  I really don't care to see another leaf for a very very long time!!! Oh it was fun though don't get me wrong!  I loved doing it and I have not been very well lately so it was a relaxing non brain taxing job.  I made a million leaves I'm sure of it!!  This package has a lot more than leaves in it though!!  Some lace and many other goodies are in the box.  I don't like to send packages without some art I have created added as well.  So I made the two following ATC's and the tag as well.  I really hope she likes them.  Since the package was sent yesterday this is a sneak preview of some of what is in her goody box!!
I really hope she likes~!~

Tag created with distress inks and stamping
close up of lace and glitter

ATC--Eclectic Junk


ATC--love and dream


My little brother had a birthday! So what does a card maker do?? hmmmm make a card?? YEAH!!!! I hope he liked it! It is always a challenge for me to make a masculine card.  I do like how this one turned out though. I played with fabrics and used a lot of enamelz embossing powders by Shimmers paints.  I also used Stampendous Frantage line of embossing enamels.  Lots of fun!  I love to play with embossing powders!! 
Happy Birthday Bro!!!




One of my art friends on Ustream lost her dog last month.  I know the pain of the loss of an animal.  I was so moved that I created a mini book in her dog's honour.  Dar I am sooo sorry for the loss your beloved Bonita.  Dogs are very special animals.  I know I would be totally heartbroken if my dog Charlie were to pass.  I realize this is nothing towards healing but I really wanted to express my empathy at the loss of a fur baby.

I have never done any Steampunk art before but I was informed by many that Dar loves steampunk.  So I tried and here is what I was able to create.  Please ignore the dog hair in the photos!!! Bad photography!!!

SteamPunk mini book front cover

Mini book back cover

front and back together...with dog hair in pic!! ahhh

detail shot of the front of mini the brass round part is a locket that a photo can go in 


 Dar did a you tube vid about the mini.  She was pleased to receive the gift in her dogs memory.  I really enjoyed making this despite the sad impetus behind it.  

Well that is all I have to update now but will find more to post soon as I have been kindly reminded in my last post that I need to updating more frequently !! I do, the comment was more than fair!! I only hope I can keep doing some interesting work to keep you interested and coming back to see more. Hope its an amazing weekend for all!!