BLISSFULL ATC SWAP - JANUARY "WINTER THEME"

I am so thrilled to be part of Wendy's (monthly)  Blissfull ATC SWAP!  Even though it has taken me way too long to get a swap post done!  My first swap partner was Donna of Brynwood Needleworks, her gift to me "Snow Dancer" highlights her special artistic talent!  You really can't see all of the exquisite detail in this picture.   Above is her picture of mine to her against the card I sent it in.  Yes I am shameless - her photo skills are obviously greater than my own!  Just like Wendy, Donna is a generous and talented woman whom I am now fortunate to have made contact with. 

"TRY OUR FRESH EGGS" - GINGERSNAP CREATIONS VISITING ARTIST SUBMISSION

The last of my four submissions as one of the Visiting Artists for February at Gingersnap Creations  The challenge this week is to use Jewel Colours with Gold.  Ruby, amethyst, sapphire and topaz for me!

Why don't you check out the site and considering submitting your own project? 

What an honour it is to be participating at Gingersnap Creations this month.  I consider this to be the go to site to check out the work of  an extremely talented design team (past and present), interesting challenges and  wide variety of technique tutorials.

I used an 8x10 piece of chipboard to freehand my egg shape.  This is covered with a vintage sheet of music, which I inked with Milled Lavender and Concord Distress Inks.  I used several different colors of glitter glues to create lines of sparkly color on the sheet music.  A couple pieces of vintage yellow ric rak, amethyst velvet ribbon, purple pansy trim and red Bloomers create the base for my image and "garden". The edging is some red vintage gathered lace and teeny gold ric rak which I had in my stash.   The title and dragonfly are K&C0 (thanks Heather!).  The title comes from the milk bottle top (copy) I used in the "garden".

VINTAGE EASTER IMAGE - GIRL WITH ROSES (CIRCA 1900)

Time to move into Easter!  I like to put the images out in plenty of time for you to use them.  What I post are, unless I state differently, original scans of  vintage cards and ephemera from my own collection.  I do not enhance the images or fix the "chips and bites", I actually think the wear adds to the charm. (Though I am pretty sure my friend Heather would fix one for me!)  You may use these in whatever way you want, if you want to give me credit for an image that's great.  I would be absolutely thrilled if you sent me a picture of any project you use them in!

PINK FAIRY FANTASY - CREPE PAPER TREE

I posted this link originally in December but so worth posting again - here is the Original Crepe Paper Tree Tutorial!

http://creativechaos.typepad.com/creative_chaos/2010/12/my-entry.html

I used a 12" paper mache cone for the base.  Ruffled the crepe paper on my sewing machine with the baste and pull method.  I made it easy on myself and used double sided tape to hold the ruffles.  Note:  on another version I will put the ruffles closer together for a fluffier look.  The edges are "trimmed" with Platinum Stickles, I went over these a couple of times to build up a nice layer.  Some bits of flowers including teeny gold ones in the background, several colours of pink DewDrops, milnery bits, fussy cut black stamped fairies.  I've gone back and added teeny gold butterflys since taking the picture.   A good spraying of Pearl Glimmer Mist over everthing!  This just invites adding more and more! 



HEY CUPCAKE! A BIRTHDAY CROWN - GINGERSNAP CREATIONS VISITING ARTIST SUBMISSION

HEY CUPCAKE!

It is an Inspiration Challenge this  week at Gingersnap Creations  and the inspiration is Crowns.  I have been wanting to do a crown for several years after seeing some done for a Silver Bella event.  Truly I thought this would be beyond me.  But with the Inspiration Challenge right there in my face and an upcoming 1st birthday for the littlest GD (Olivia) soon - well that was it,  my submission was going to be a birthday crown.   Isn't every little one a prince or princess?  So I'm still in keeping with the overall theme of "Royalty"..:)

The birthday theme is "cupcakes".  I found some white paper with cupcake images embossed on it.  The images are purposefully ink resistant.  Sturdy paper with the right image - perfect for my background.  I purchased a paper crown at the dollar store which became the framework and pattern.  I drew and handcut the swirls out of plain turquoise card stock and encrusted the crown with "diamond", "pink tourmaline" and "aquamarine" jewels and plenty of glitter.  The "cupcake" I cut on my Cricut and covered the pieces using glitter, micro beads and double sided tape.  I covered the original head strap with coordinating card stock and adhered the new front piece.  I will adjust the strap with elastic to fit Olivia's head.

Now this certainly isn't as intricate and complex as the crowns I saw several years ago but for a first effort I am pleased.  Now let's see if this crown stays intact long enough for a picture of Olivia wearing it while eating her birthday cupcake!

VALENTINE FOR A PRINCESS - GINGERSNAP CREATIONS VISITING ARTIST SUBMISSION

The overall theme this month at Gingersnap Creations is Royalty, the supply challenge this week is charms.

The picture is of (then) Princess Elizabeth in 1938 with her beloved dogs at their Welsh cottage, clipped from a 1953 Coronation publication of the Illustrated London News.  This project is in memory of my mother-in-law Jean McLean.  She was an English war bride from Horsham who married her Canadian soldier Wally.   My American upbringing was never more obvious than when Jean and her sister Betty would have a good long chat about Mum (the Queen Mother), Liz and all the goings on - it was awhile before I figured out they weren't talking about a soap or some family friends!

The substrate is a Victorian photo album page, this is in amazing condition with the gold embossing quite vivid still, I used my favorite Platinum Stickles around the border to build more sparkle.   I cut around a Tattered Angels Bingo Board to fit it and the photo together.  The ``garden theme`` of this Bingo Board was perfect for what I had in mind. These are triple matted on black, bronze and gold.  A coat of Rocky Candy Distress Paint on the photo - ha! it just  wasn`t looking old enough to suit me.  I touched some of the border elements with Distress Inks and a bit of matching Stickles on top of that.

The crown and bird charms (TH) I colored with Alcohol Inks and more Stickles!  The little gold butterfly charm was perfect as is.  A mix of flowers from my stash complete the ``cottage garden``.  These two are swiped with more Stickles.  It is my photography that doesn`t pick up all the sparkly good bits!

The layered heart is composed of some wrinkly rich gold paper on the bottom, topped with a gold painted chipboard heart and then two vintage Scrabble Tiles - all of which is touched with some Distress Ink and more Stickles.  These are ``real`` Scrabble Tiles some of the original ones made from Vermont Maple.  It really bugs me that they are now produced overseas.

The fun dangly trim is from my stash - some I picked up in a thrift store.   If you know me, you will know that I adore ``hangy things``!   I did post scans of the Victorian photo album frame a few days ago, the details do come out quite good.  I hope you will give this a whirl and send me a picture!

VALENTINE MINI ALBUM - VINTAGE STYLE 1950s

This is just plainly my "pickiness".  This is a much better picture of a post I did on January 15th.. truly it was a bad picture!  I just couldn't let it "be" out there.  I will have to concentrate on honing my picture taking skills ..I am a "take a lot of pictures, one will surely be good" kinda gal.  Somedays that just doesn't work.  Amongst my many posts you probably won't notice but I will be all right with the world on this one :)

"THE QUEEN OF HEARTS..." - ATC TRIPTYCH (SERIES OF 3)

The challenge for February 2, 2011 at Gingersnap Creations is "Kings and Queens". 

"The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer's day;

The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away.

The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore.

The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts

And vowed he'd steal no more."

The folding ATC pocket frame was inspired by a book I received from Wendy of Blissfull ATC Swap.  The basic structure is a good weight slightly textured cardstock.  To start the pocket along the bottom I folded the cardstock up 3/4 ".  (I used my ScorePal to mark all of the folding lines.)  The punched heart border (MS) I did with gold paper.  The lattice hearts I backed with sparkly black paper.  The white punched border (MS) layered on the bottom and adhered at the top, I inked with Fired Brick Distress Ink.  I outlined all of the borders with Platinum Stickles to start building up the sparkle.  A copy of the poem is on the back of the frame.

I started with a pp from G45 for the ATCs.  The images are scanned from a deck of cards, which I left uncolored for contrast.  The Dresden scrap trim is from ArtChix Studio, the "tarts" I pulled off a Valentine Border from MS.  GlitterRitz and Platinum Stickles add to the sparkle.

I like to put my projects out around the house for each holiday and adore the small ones that are easy to store (meaning they don't hog space) until the next year. This little triptych of ATCs can be folded up and secured with a ribbon making the smallest packet for storing away.  I hope you will give this little project a go!

I am having trouble with the new blogger posting process! Here is the picture which I should have posted and can't replace now! I did add the stamped/embossed crowns..

IMAGES OF VINTAGE VICTORIAN SCRAPBOOK FRAMES

Have fun using these for your projects! They are the base for a project I will be posting next week. More on that later! The original frame is 8x10 inches perfect for any number of projects..