A CHALLENGE

On a blog I like to visit ( http://melstampz.blogspot.com/2008/07/casing-gorgeous-rak-from-annapurna-with.html ) I found the following challenge for myself and hopefully you'll challenge yourself to do it with me. It is located about half way down the page on the following blog site:

http://homemadegreetings.blogspot.com/

If you have the digital capabilities you can do it that way - but I thought I would try it the "hard" way...LOL. Will you join me and then we'll post our entries here.

This is what I will be doing: I’m going to print out a photo image of my garden, then taking a piece of vellum and printing the saying on it (see the following) and then placing it on top of the photo so the garden will show through. Then completing it by adding a silk flower. I hope this works out...LOL Now to go and play. Until next time, please leave a comment.

May the Sun bring you new energy by day May the moon softly restore you by night May the rain wash away your worries May the breeze blow new strength into your being May you walk through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life (An Apache blessing)

HOT and HUMID and FRUSTRATION

It is soooooo Humid and Hot here in AR that I am staying in. I think my health is a bit more important than trudging into weather that you can't breathe. Let alone you perspire as if you just stepped out of the shower and didn't dry off before putting your clothes on. Well you get the picture (and it's not a very pretty one either...LOL)

So what have I been doing by staying in you ask? Well, I just Had to do some housework, YUCK, then it was time to fix our Dinner (we've been eating our big meal at noon). It was a simple one of Fried Eggplant, fresh homegrown tomatoes, and canned peas. Yummy. This is probably one of my all time favorite summer dishes, and really good for me too.

While my dh and our doggie (Molly) took their naps, I had a chance to play. The two ATC's were so much fun to make. I had used some of the background papers that I have in my "stash". These particular backgrounds were made by making my own spray washes with PE and water, and I'll be if they didn't turn out looking good...(patting myself on the back). I then stamped the the words "its a boy" or "its a girl" on the perspective backgrounds. Then for some "frustration" - making those little tiny paper diapers, let alone trying to put a safety pin through paper. I forgot, yes forgot how to make an old fashioned 3 corner diaper (after all my kids you wouldn't have thought I would have forgot). I thought in case these should ever be sent out to someone who will be having a baby, I stamped and cutout with deckle scissors the word "Congratulations".

I saw my Wizard machine looking so forlorn and sad, that I thought I should make it happy by getting my Cuttlebug folders out and having some fun with that too. I chose to use the "Happy Birthday" one and then used a corresponding ink from Colorbox Petal Points to "highlight" the words. I then chose the Indian with Baby from I Brake for Stamps as the perfect "happy birth-day" image. I didn't think that was enough so I chose a similar looking fiber and attached that to the card. Whew, that one is done and I like how it came out.

The "Hello Friend" card was me trying to use up some of my "scraps" that I have in a basket near me. No real challenge on this one "except" I got the 'brilliant' idea of making "half inchies" to set the card off. Have you ever tried to cut, glue, etc. one half inch pieces? Let me tell you, with a few well chosen words to myself of "...why Audrey did you think of this...?" I managed to get them stuck on. I had a little piece of purple ribbon left over so I added that to set this card off. I then stamped & embossed the words "hello friend". Well that is enough fun for one day as it is now "lunch time" and my dh and doggie are letting me know they are being "starved" with me in here. (Yeah right - we all need to diet a bit more.) Enjoy and leave a comment (good or bad as I learn from you all).

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A PRODUCTIVE WEEK

This week has been a rather productive week for me, so I just wanted to share with you what I've made so far. Enjoy and leave a comment if you so desire. Now I'm off to play some more.

NEW STAMPS BECOME HABIT FORMING PLAY

I received a plate of new stamps from Heather Adams of Faerie Song stamps (you can find them at the following link: http://www.faeriesong.com/artstamps ) She has some marvelous stamps that are deeply etched and so easy to work with. After coloring the dragon with my prisma pencils and mineral spirits, I saw that I had made a boo boo or two by color "outside" of the lines. (I know send me back to coloring class 101 - I deserve it...LO) . Well, I decided to cut him out and "layer" him with foam tape which in itself was a feat - sooooo many little areas and such a wide piece of tape I had to cut down. I then needed a "background" so I looked in my trusty stash and found one that was the right color and possibly the theme I had in mind. I made the background some time ago, and I believe it was the " AI smoosh Technique". You put several colors of AI on an acetate folder along with a couple of dabs of silver AI Metallics and you close the folder, brayer over it, then open it back up, take 2 pieces of glossy cardstock and put them (with their glossy sides outward) inside the folder and brayer over it again. WoW - you get a "smooshed" very pretty look. I then put them onto a "cantaloupe" color card stock which was affixed to a purple card stock card. I think it all came out pretty good, except I think I need to add something, but not sure what. If you have a suggestion, please post your suggestion. Thank you in advance for your suggestions, and leaving a comment.

EXAMPLES OF MY GESSO PLAY DAY

It's been a "grey" looking day out, soooooooooo I thought I'd work on some of the Gesso backgrounds and make a couple of ATC's for swapping. After making the "rose" one (stamp from I Brake for Stamps), I decided I really don't like how it turned out. I'll have to do some more "thinking" about this one. The other ATC background made me think of lily pads, sea horses, you name it - anything aquatic - hence the outcome. I'm a bit more pleased with this one. I still have some backgrounds left, so the next will be to make some cards. Now to find the time to do it. I hope you will enjoy and thank you for leaving a comment if you so choose to do so.

THE UGLY DUCKLING TALE OF A GESSO TECHNIQUE

Yesterday I needed a bit of relaxation, so I decided to try a new technique. Yes, you guessed it - old miss prissy got messy...LOL You might say I almost stuck to my art before getting through creating. I didn't follow the "exact" instructions for this technique as I didn't have any Stazon Ink - some day I'm going to have to get over my fear of this ink. If you would like to have the "correct" info go to the following link.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/main/16251470/248798708

(Well at least I hope that link still works.)

How I made these "ugly ducklings" (you know the story - ugly came out looking beautiful) was as follows:

Supplies: Gesso

Foam Brush

Watercolor paper

Stazon Ink

Heat Gun (or a lot of patience to have it dry over night - which I didn't have)

1) I first cut a 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of watercolor paper in half. I then coated one half with a very thick coating of Gesso.

2) I applied the second half of the watercolor paper on top of this and "Smooshed" (technical term) the two together.

3) When I thought all was covered on both halves I then pulled the papers apart. By doing this it left peaks and valleys, lines, and squiggles all over and I was one happy camper.

4) I then proceeded to dry this "mess" by using my heat gun at some distance away from the paper. (Note: this will take some time to dry even using the heat gun.) After what I thought was all day, it all became dry to the touch.

5) Since I didn't have the Stazon Ink that it called for, I used Nick Bantok inks in the blue, purple, and green, and applied them DTP technique.

6) After applying these inks, I about got ill to my stomach as I sure didn't like what I saw. (The ugly duckling part.)

7) I figured I had nothing to loose, and that round file was sitting by my left foot, so I got out the foam brush (that I just cleaned), and started "blending" the ink. I started in one corner, kept on going, and the further I went the better I like all of this. (The beautiful swan part.)

8) I let all of this dry.

9) I saw an image I had already colored and cut out sitting on my desk, so one thing led into another and viola' an ATC is born. (Can't show you that one as I'm waiting to swap this on one of the Inky Fun Stampers swaps. )

I'm still trying to put together other things with this technique that is already done, so more will come on another posting.

I hope you enjoyed viewing my feeble attempts and if you did please leave me a comment. Have a creative weekend.

PLAYING AGAIN

Yesterday and today I'm playing in my craft room and wow does this feel good. I didn't realize how soothing to my nerves this would be. I felt as if I were getting stampers block until some of the Inky Fun Stampers members gave me suggestions. It sure is hard getting back into a routine when you've been on vacation, then coming back home and ending up in the emergency room (previously mentioned). Today is a new beginning for me as I go to the doctor and most importantly I'm on the road to creating my art again.

The "Goddess" card was made for Heather Adams of Fairy Art Song in an Inky Fun Stampers swap. The fairy is one of her stamps as is the wordage. Her stamps are so detailed which makes them so very easy and fun to work with. I'm hoping she'll like her card. For the background I used dtp Color Box Petal Point pigment inks. The stamps were from Fairy Art Song with the exception of the water lilies and the cat-tails as I hand drew and cut these out. I colored the images with Prisma Color Pencils and mineral spirits. What can I say on my first attempt at doing this type of art...but I'll keep trying this one.

The Thank You card is for the Emergency Room personnel at our very small Salem AR hospital. They were so very kind to myself and my dh. I told them I rubber stamped, but for the non-rubber stamper they don't fully grasp the idea. Maybe I can make some converters this way....LOL. The cutout image is from Della Warr of I Brake for Stamps which are some of the very best detailed and deeply etched stamps which (again) makes them so very easy and fun to work with. I colored the image with Prisma Colored pencils and mineral spirits. For the backgrounds I used the Color Box petal point pigment inks in a dtp fashion. I used some very small blue brads, and this was all done on water color paper. The "Thank You" stamp I don't remember where I purchased this - probably from a LSS in Mesa AZ (which is now out of business I hear - very sad). I chose to layer this all on a cream colored card stock. The rose image is "lifted" with foam tape. I do hope the ER personnel will enjoy this as I don't think they get many "hand created" art.

Well, I'm off to get myself gathered together for the day. Enjoy and please leave a comment.

SCARY MOMENTS

On Monday, July 7th, 2008, I went to bed but couldn't sleep. Got up and sat in my chair and fell asleep again, only to be awakened with chest pains around 12:30 a.m. The humidity has been horrible around here, and not being able to breathe (felt as if I was trying to breathe in water) most of these past couple of weeks. With all of that and feeling like I had an anvil sitting on my chest with my left arm becoming numb, I called the paramedics. They checked me over, but thought that since I had an irregular heart beat as well as my blood pressure being high that they should take me to the closest hospital to really get checked out. After being in the ER for almost 3 hours, they sent me home with a "stern" get yourself a good doctor, get your diabetes under control (as the doctor feels I have nueropathy of the legs), and to make a follow up with him this next week. Okay, I have a doctor appointment on the 15th, and after reading about leg nueropathy I don't feel I have it. I feel that I have pinched nerves in my lower back, but we'll see what takes place. I'm trying to get back to my crafting table to send out my swap cards, and to make some more cards, especially thank you cards and sympathy cards.