Friday, July 30, 2010

Colouring on Coloured Cardstock

This card is a blatant copy of a technique I wanted to try - colouring on coloured cardstock.  I used the same colour and theme (flowers), as the original card over at Paperlicious.

Pencil Crayon on coloured cs

I forgot to add the white pen, and I used pencil crayons rather than alcohol markers.  I like the original much better, but it is a technique I might try again.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

O Happy Day!

I've been making a few birthday cards lately.  Here's one of them:
O Happy Day!
I wish I could remember who inspired this card so that I could give proper credit, but I confess that I started this card quite some time ago and only just finished it.  And I just can't remember where I saw this grid/masking/colouring/doodling technique.  But I like it, so thank you!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Asia ATC's

The Vancouver Artist Trading Card Group met yesterday and swapped our July ATC's.  The themes for this month are Animals, Architecture & Asia.  I stuck simply to Asia, but made many different cards, stamped on a variety of backgrounds.   Here are some of the cards I made for the swap:

Asia

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Strip Ease

The July Challenge over at the GPP Street Team is Strip Ease, where you are encouraged to tear your paper or fabric into strips and attach to your page.

Although I enjoyed the tearing part, I made the mistake of gluing them all down and covering them with glossy acrylic medium, which restricted what I could do afterwards.  I'm not sure I like the way this came out, and I was very tempted to "Photoshop" it.  (Yeah, that's become a verb I think.)

But my kind and encouraging sister said it was perfect, so here it is!

GPP Street Team Challenge 42

Go on, give it a try!  I dare ya!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Happy Anniversary

Dick Anniversary 2010

To my dear husband, the love of my life and the joy in my heart.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Beautiful Vintage Trading Cards

I received some beautiful vintage collage artist trading cards in a swap last week.  Aren't they fantastic?

June 2010 Vintage Collage

Thanks, ladies!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Good Mail Day!

Yesterday I received from my sister some fabulous new papers, stamped images and lovely works of art.  Aren't those Basic Grey Wisteria papers yummy?  Not too good to use, I hope.

DSCN1780

I feel like the mouse in the hammock this week, but what a difference a good mail day makes.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Lazy Hazy Days of Summer

Grids are easy in this hot weather!

Pink Grid

My office/studio/rubber room is only habitable until noon in this heat, so everything gets cut a bit short.  I guess that's why they're called the lazy, hazy days of summer!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Visual Chronicles

I've been reading Visual Chronicles:  The No-Fear guide to Creating Art Journals, Creating Manifestos, and Altered Books, by Linda Woods And Karen Dinino.  It is a delightfully light look at art journaling, and addresses the fears many people have who are tempted to start an art journal (I can't draw, I can't write, I don't have time, etc.).  In just 15 minutes a day, you can create a visual chronicle of your life.  One of the tips is to use 10 words or less on a page. 

I've been cleaning out my studio, and have found a few things I don't know what to do with but can't bear to throw away.  Here is one of them:

File1041

And the card flips open:

File1042

That "thing" is a feather duster, by the way.  I can't draw either!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Working in My Journal

There are always lots of creative opportunities in my journal, and at the moment, that includes finishing off the grid backgrounds that I did for the GPP Street Team June challenge.

Blue Grid

If you want to play along with the July challenge you can find it here.  Get out those papers and start tearing them into strips, and most of all, have fun!

Monday, July 5, 2010

Origami Fold Book

I've been cleaning up my studio, including going through the "work in progress" box.  Don't kid me, crafters, I know you have one.  My goal is to do away with the box.  Either finish it, put it in a scrap baggy if it doesn't appeal to me, or chuck it away.  That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

I finished 2 projects so far.  The first is an origami fold book I started many years ago after a trip to Ruby Dog's Art House.  I saw a similar book there and tried to memorize the folds so I could recreate it.

I'm not sure if I was exactly successful, but I kind of like it anyway!  If you look carefully, you can see the tags and other fun things attached to the book with the fibres through the top and bottom corners of the spine.

DSCN1772 DSCN1774 DSCN1775 DSCN1777

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Finishing the Grids

I was having trouble figuring out what to do with all those grids; all that paper was just too lovely to deface. (Yes, I can still hoard, even if it is cut up and glued somewhere.) Then it dawned on me that this was kind of like a sampler, or a card made with inchies. So, I decorated each rectangle on the grid separately.

Yellow Grid

Happy Independence Day to my American readers!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Happy Birthday, Mimi!

There were a few birthdays to celebrate in June, and here is a card I made for one of the sweetest people I know.

Mimi's Bday 2010

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Sun and Sand

I was busy in June making various books, so the ATC's I made for my swaps in June served double duty.

Sun and Sand

I made 20 of these and swapped them in the Vintage Collage swap and at the Vancouver Artist Trading Card Group, where the theme was Sun, Sand & String. The "sand" in the foreground is embossing powder. The string I left for somebody else to tackle.

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends!