Bountiful Blessings

Next week is Thanksgiving here in the US and I made a few cards to mail out.  The fall leaves have been gorgeous this year because the hard freeze came late leaving the leaves on the trees for a glorious show.

"Filling the sky with crimson and gold,

Leaves scatter without a sound.

Carelessly dancing in the crisp autumn air,

They gently cascade to the ground.

They whirl about, with careless flair,

Dancing here and there.

A lovely vision to behold, I gaze without a care."

 

(The verse stamp was from my friend, Inka.)

 



Joyful Christmas

It has been such a long time since I visited my blog that I had to view the video on the new blog layout for posting options. 

TO MY MANY, MANY BLOGGER FRIENDS I apologize for being absent for such a long time.  It will be impossible for me to go back and read every blog and the posts and art you have created over the last 5-6 months but I haven't forgotten a one of you. Many of you have been ill or have had surgery yourselves and I wish each of you much happiness, love, good wishes, and good health for the upcoming season. 

When all things are improving with hubby another road block gets in the way.  Thursday, he was using an ice pack on his leg and left it on too long resulting in second degree burns.  The skin on the leg is tender from the surgery back in May so it didn't take much to injure the skin.  We spent the morning in the emergency room because he certainly doesn't want to lose a leg that he has worked so hard to use to walk again.  With antibiotics and special ointments plus the love and nursing from his caregiver it should all heal up in 2-3 weeks.

Last Friday I joined the gals at our local friendly art club, Artistic Souls, and we all brought card making supplies for the holidays. I actually pulled out my Christmas boxes and stamps a week ago and it was fun to actually select stamps and scan ideas.  It felt really good to do some paper crafts!  Below is a copy of one of the cards I put together.

Cards for Sept Birthdays

 

Thanks to Cathy T for the design I used for these cards.

September Birthdays

 

 

I received a couple of new die cuts and couldn't wait to try them out.  Both cards were designed for males.  Hope they like them.

DIVAS create ATCs

 Bobbie presented an ATC project for us at Designing Divas Monday night.  Because of the metallic backgrounds, the shots are not as pretty as they turned out. 

It was a fun theme and she provided several images to choose from along with feathers and other elements.
THANKS, BOBBIE.

Absent from blog world

My hubby fell two weeks ago and severly broke his leg in two places.  He is still in the hospital and they brought him home today for a test run to see how he manages to get into the house; bathroom, bedroom, etc.

He will be using a wheel chair for three months because he cannot put any weight on the leg until September, and cannot use crutches because of his artificial shoulder. 

I am so thankful he designed our home for wheelchair access.  Our son built the ramps to get him into the house last week before he returned to California.

It will be a long summer for me but I'll catch up with all of you as time allows.  I so appreciate your friendship and viewing your creative talents via your blogs.

Carolyn

May Projects Designing Divas

It was my turn to present the projects for May and I selected two cards for the group to duplicate.  The first was a fun summer card with a short double fold at the bottom for the fence and 3D effect.  The area for the door was cut out so thru the screen you could view a stamped message on the inside of the card.  The gals liked this design.

The group created a floral card inspired by my friend Cathy.  It was interesting to see how changing the flower centers by one artist to another made a big difference in the end result.  Below is a photo of my sample card.



Boise River in Eagle

I rarely post anything here unless it is art created; however, the Boise River is at the highest level for more than 12 years.  These photos were taken about two blocks down the street from our home at the end of Bogus View Dr.  Fortunately, we live on the opposite side of the street; plus our lot is higher than most in the area.  We have friends and the river is right up to the edge of their patio which is held back by a retaining wall.  It is beautiful but also scary.  Our neighborhood association has 20,000 sand bags in the event they are needed.

Surprise, Surprise -- CARDS

In April I spent a morning at Cathy's and with friends we created some wonderful cards via Cathy's designs.  Thank you Cathy.

Card for a Friend

This card was quite elegant with the embossed background which doesn't reflect well in the photo.

Easter and Spring Cards

 Unfortunately I didn't get cards made early to mail to my friends outside of the United States so I hope they will each select one one of these and consider it "just for me."

The design for the two above was created by my friend Cathy and I merely changed the message to turn them into an Easter card.   Thanks Cathy.

DESIGNING DIVAS March Project

Jill presented the project for March, not one, but three different card designs for inspiration along with some gorgeous new papers, ribbons and embellishments for us to use.  Here are the three that I made.
Check out the ribbon on the bottom card.  It is really narrow and glimmers a lot.  THANKS JILL.

March Project at Mixed Media Trends

This month, the technique was selected from Nancy Curry's Book, "Texture Effects of Rubber Stamping."  Cindy selected Nancy's bargello technique from the book for our March project.  In January I started a small board book to hold a page for each of the monthly techniques.  Below is a photo of my page for March using the bargello technique. 

Cathy's Stamp Camp CARDS

My friend, Cathy, is a Stamp'n Up Rep and recently held a card making day at her home.  Below are the designs she presented for us to duplicate.  She is so creative and talented.

March Contest at DigitalWhisper Deviantart

The theme for the March contest is ENCHANTED FOREST.  We were required to use the stock photo and develop our manipulation using other stock images from Deviantart including brushes if desired.  Below is a photo of the required stock.

And, this is what I accomplished which I call Musical Enchantment.  You can find all of the other resources I used here.

Designing DIVAS February Project

Debbie was our project hostess for February at Designing Divas and provided each of us a bottle to alter.  She knows I favor oriental so she brought some images of geishas for me to use on mine.  I painted the bottle first with gold but didn't like the effect so I stamped some paper with Chinese calligraphy and tore bits and pieces and attached them to the bottle.  I added my images and a few specks of the gold paint to soften the effect.  On one side of the bottle is a metal dragon to honor 2012 Year of the Dragon.  Everyone had fun with this project for a variety of finished bottles.

After I took the photo, I decided the umbrella needed to be level so the view from all angles would be pleasing to the eye.  Loved this project!  Thanks Debbie.

FINAL February Self Portrait Challenge at Mixed Media Trends

Finished the challenge and showed the results to hubby who said, "That's something a nine year old would paint."  I never laughed so hard.  Family and friends know I can't draw and if you put the original photo of my mom from 1930 next to this upload you would know immediately it doesn't resemble her with the exception of the pearls.  My mother liked to wear pearls.

For me, I'm thrilled that I attempted the challenge and actually finished it.  I will paste it into my ongoing board book of this year's challenges and look forward to March which might be more in line with my creativity.

FEBRUARY Book Project at Trends

The project for February was taken from the book, ART AT THE SPEED OF LIFE, by Pam Carriker.  The project selected from the book by our leader, Cindy, was Self Portrait using canvas and a pre-painted background.  I finished my background which will be trimmed and included in my board book started back in January (highly textured cover).

The photo will be added later in the month as a transfer, and, I elected to use a photo of my mother from the 1930s as a tribute to her.   Stayed tuned

A couple of cards

Some months back Jill from Designing Divas presented a project to make a card that has a heart on the front and when the card is untied you view the message on the inside.  I ran across the one I made at club and decided to make more of them.  You start with a 5-1/2 inch by 12 inch card; score at 2 inches and four inches from each side.  Cut a half heart shape on each of the two outside 2-inch sections.  Valley fold the card at the 2 inch and 4 inch score lines.  Fold the card closed so the two heart halves come together to stamp the background.   Be sure to mask off the areas where you do not want the stamp image to touch.    There is a slit on each of the heart halves to insert  the ribbon to wrap around the back and tie in front.  Finish the card as desired.  I used two sided decorative cardstock to make my cards and glued an extra 4 by 5-1/2 inch card on the very back for more stability.

BLUE WILLOW

The Chinese Blue Willow design is one of my favorites.  There are numerous patterns all created in blue and white, usually in porcelain.

FLOWER Card on Canvas

I don't ever recall seeing a purple water lily however my choice was limited using the white canvas background.  The dark spots you see in the flower are gold glitter.

YES, IT SNOWS IN IDAHO

We were all beginning to wonder if we would have snow this winter because it is the first year since we moved to Idaho that we had no snow in December.  Our first snowstorm arrived this morning and it is still snowing.  I took some photos for my family and wanted to share with my blogger friends.  (All shot through a window pane from inside the house.)

Special Card

Cards . . . using up my scraps

The rhinestone embellishments don't show up well but are much more attractive than the scan indicates.

Painted Board Book Textured Covers - TRENDS Jan. Project

 

The covers do blend well together in real life; and even though the main cover is pretty I prefer the back cover.  It has a more structured design in keeping with  Mary Beth's technique. This was a fun project and I hope to do more.

I used Lumiere paints which are favorites of mine.  Using a dry brush I added some white Gesso but didn't like the effect so I painted over it. 

Back Cover TEXTURED

Today I added some texture to the back cover of my board book for the TRENDS January project.  I like this design better than the front cover; however, the proof is in the pudding after paint is applied to both.   I wanted the back cover as smooth as possible so it will not get scuffed when the book is closed or handled a lot.  I will wait a day or two before I get out the paints.

More 3D Cards

I put together a couple more 3D cards; this time using up all of my panda sheets.  YEA!

3D Birthday Card

I created this card in a 3D style with a basic layer, and three other layers.  I love the effect of 3D images and this was a quick card to put together.  The images were from Marij Rahder.

Mixed Media Project on Hold

I so want to add paint to my book (previous post); however, I want to texture the back cover before I add  paint and for the back I want to follow Mary Beth's technique as closely as possible for a more flat surface with texture very visible.

The group will start the process in a couple of weeks; in the meantime I'll look for some unusual items to create the texture effect.

January Mixed Media Project at TRENDS

This year at The Mixed Media Trends they are using a technique each month from various mixed media books.  For January, the featured product is WOOD ICING from a book by Mary Beth Shaw called "Flavour of Mixed Media."  I had never used or heard of this product which is designed to alter furniture, cabinets, create wall hangings and numerous other projects.  (See the link at the bottom of the post.)

However, in keeping with my resolution to use what I have I am substituting the products incorporated into the challenge and hope you will follow along as I move forward.

For the first two weeks, we were to  gather supplies and also select an unusual item to create texture.  (I cut a sprig of holly from the front yard.)

Once I had an idea in mind, tools out and paste in hand, I couldn't wait to get started . . .

I had a round blank board book that I have wanted to alter for a long time and create a textured cover.  It was perfect for the January project.  I'm hoping some of the other techniques throughout the year will fill the inside blank pages.

I coated the front and inside of the cover with thin white gesso, let dry and then used a thick white gesso to apply some texture to the surface as a base.  I took a flat texture plate and set it into the white gesso and when lifted, you can see the results in Step l.

 STEP 1

After the base coat was dry I sanded off sections where I wanted to add a variety of textures using MODELING PASTE rather than WOOD ICING.

STEP 2

I used a brass stencil on the lower right and covered it with modeling paste and lifted it off carefully.  On the left hand side I used a piece of lace in the same manner.  Let both dry. Some sequin waste and a foam stamp were applied to the top right and I set in a crown from  the Tim Holtz line.  (I attempted to use the holly leaf in the middle section, but the leaves curled too much to be effective.) Paste was put down over the center and I pressed a foam leaf stamp into it; touched up here and there with some marks from a fork and strips of thin wood.

The next step will be to determine the colors I want to use to make the textures jump off the cover and pleasing to the eye.

Mary Beth Shaw uses many stencils on her projects creating a smoother appearance with sanding.  I wanted mine to have a lot of texture so no sanding.  If you can envision the stencil I used at the bottom left with others similar, you could gently sand the top of the entire piece as suggested in her book and not lose the deeper texture effect.

Do you think I can wait for week three or four to add some color?

http://woodicing.com/

OSA ATCs

I am behind in sending out my monthly ATCs to members of the Oriental Stampart ATC Group.  These represent the cards for Nov, Dec and Jan 2012.  Best start out the new year on time, don't you think.

All created from bits and pieces . . .YEA.