Day 1 at Art and Soul last year

While I’m at Art and Soul for the next few days I’ll show what I made last year at this time. Hopefully it won’t take me another year to photo what I am currently making!

I had two classes with Albie Smith last year. In the first we made a great signature book with an interesting beaded binding. We started out making the pages using watered down gesso in various colors along with other art paints. The signature covers and the binding also had a paste paper treatment. To preserve Albie’s original design I won’t go into more detail but if you take one of her classes you’ll get all the secrets.

Until my next post,
Diane

Art and Soul Hampton 2009 ATC

Art and Soul starts tomorrow and I've got 46 ATC's ready to trade. I'm excited, I'm enrolled in SEVEN classes! I'll be tired but artfully revived after this intense event. The theme this year is Rock and Roll. I took the official logo and transformed it to a rub-on using Grafix Rub-onz. First I took an 18x24" piece of Strathmore watercolor paper and cut it into ATC size. Then I took some Daniel Smith Gold gesso and watered it down to make a wash. I wet the watercolor paper first to minimize the warping. After the wash dried (each one is unique and that's neat) I stamped the background sheet music stamp from Inka Stamps. I then took my Studio G $1 stamps and spelled out "art n soul" and "rock n roll" and intertwined them. I added the rub on and another music stamp in black by Rubber Stampede. The finishing touches are the brass embellishments by Fancifuls Inc. and the gold outline using the Deco marker. Some of the brass embellishments are almost covering (or in some cases do cover) the letter "l" in soul. I hope it doesn't deter from the overall ATC.

Until my next post,

Diane

Postal ATC

I may have jumped the gun a bit but I was looking at Photo folders in the Altered Designs Yahoo group and noticed that there were two folders for the TGIF ATC swaps with dates in the future. I made this one for 24April and as I post this on the 9th we'll see if it ends up actually being one I send or hold onto for a later trade. I made this using Ranger Distress Inks on stamps from Inque, Impression Obsession, River City Rubber Works, Stampers Anonymous, Non Sequitur and 100 Proof Press.

Q: "Diane you sure do have stamps from a LOT of companies...just how many stamps DO you have".

A: "I'm sorry you have dialed a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please try your call again". One could also say that it is an UNLISTED number.

I used some extra mat board as the surface for this ATC. I also used glue stick. I had stopped using it -- probably because I was a cheap a** and bought lousy glue stick then cursed when I didn't get the results I liked. In this case I am still a cheap a** but finally some Uhu color stick. I found it at Michael's on discount. I guess they stopped carrying this size. It goes on purple but dries clear. How cool is that?

Until my next post,

Diane

Yet another Sheetload...this time a small one

I made another mini Sheetload of cards the other day. I think I'm getting better at this. It is sort of like cooking...at the beginning you follow the recipe exactly. As you get more comfortable you start modifying and making substitutions. All the paper for these cards is from the Super Slab by Provo Craft and the stamps are by Heidi Grace from the Quotes set.

Until my next post,
Diane

Homeless ATC's get adopted

One of the neat things about joining Yahoo groups is "meeting" people (via the internet) you have a common interest with -- like creating cards or ATC's or mini books. I posted an image to the Altered Designs group of one of my TGIF ATC's and got a comment back asking if I wanted to do a swap apart from the group. These previously homeless ATC's are now in the hands of Stephanie of Joyulision. She does some neat digital creations with Photoshop -- give her site a look/see and I think you'll like it. She also has a keen photographic eye and has some beautiful photographs on her site. Two of the ATC's (the middle and right one) were already featured on previous posts. The were colored with Ranger Alcohol inks and the phrases printed in acetate. The one on the left is another of my recycled cereal boxes with gesso and Portfolio Oil Pastels. The stamps on that one were from...you guess it Studio G.

Until my next post,

Diane

The Colors of Spring ATC

This ATC was done for my Stampers Corner Yahoo Group and the theme was "The Colors of Spring". The stamps are from Impression Obsession and I used chalks from Inkadinkado to color in the flowers. I also did a little masking to give the illusion of depth with the two flowers. The stamps are two part -- one with the outline inked in black and the other a solid that I inked with VersaMark. The chalks cling very well to the VersaMark.

Until my next post,

Diane

The Eyes Have it ATC

The theme for this ATC mingle from the Stampers Corner Yahoo group was "The eyes have it". I used two stamps I had gotten in a grab bag at a local stamp show by Artful Illusions. the in is Ranger Archival in the sepia tone.

Until my next post,

Diane

Games ATC

I didn't do the mingle ATC swaps with Stampers Corner when they first came out-- I took a little break. Lately though I've been participating quite a bit. It is a bit easier to do just one than a group of four. I felt I had to take the envelope to the post office to ensure I had enough postage. Now you just make one and send it directly to your partner. I think I like that better. This one was made with a Tim Holtz stamp by Stampers Anonymous on semi gloss paper. Then I lined up the bingo chips and stamped them with StazOn. I adhered them with glossy accents then added a black backing that I outlined with a Gold Deco marker.

Until my next post,

Diane

Circus ATC

Here's an ATC I made for the Stampers Corner ATC Mingle with the theme of Circus. I didn't have any stamps that fit the theme but I did have some patterned paper from the Kazoo Kids collection by K&Company. I also had some embellishments left over from cards I made last fall for nephews so I put it together and came up with this quick and easy ATC.

Until next time,

Diane

TGIF Eggs ATC

Here's an ATC I made for my Altered Designs Yahoo group with the theme of "Eggs". I used some scrap background paper and outlined with a Krylon pen in pale gold. On top of that is the background from Gaby. I stamped some of the new Tim Holtz stamps by Stampers Anonymous that are exclusive to Michael's. I used VersaMark ink and them embossed with a detail clear powder. To bring out the detail in the embossing I used Ranger Distress Inks to darken the collage. The final touch was a bit of ribbon.

Until my next post,

Diane

Egyptian Card

Here's an Egyptian themed card that I recently sent to the recipient of my TGIF ATC with the Open Theme. There is some handmade paper and stamps with some of the Egyptian gods. The colorful image from Stamping Ground was colored in with Sharpies.

Until my next post,

Diane

The ants go marching one by one...

Q: How do you know it is spring in Virginia?
A: The daffodils and other bulbs begin flowering.
Q: No, guess again.
A: The temperatures get warmer and sometimes downright hot.
Q: No, guess again.
A: Oh wait, I remember the ANTS begin invading the house.
Q: Ding, ding, ding. That's right, what do we have for our winner?

My formative years in the USAF were spent in SAC, a.k.a. Strategic Air Command. For those of you who don't know what that means think about the 1983 movie War Games with Matthew Broderick, Dabney Coleman and Ally Sheedy. My response to this hostile invasion is to tell hubby to NUKE THEM, NUKE THEM ALL! I'm going out of town for a few days and my honey-do list has one thing on it "They better be gone when I get back".

Until my next post,
Diane

Shame on me for not playing earlier

I've had my Melting Pot for a while (don't ask how long) and hadn't used it yet. I got it after seeing bunch of videos done by Suze Wineberg and other folks about the cool things you could make. I've also had my Mold n Pour a while (again, please don't ask how long) and hadn't used that either. I finally decided to put both to use and now I wonder why I waited so long-- shame on me.

There is something molecularly cosmic but certainly not rocket science to use either product. I used the advise Tim Holtz gave in one of his DVD's about using the Mold and Pour. Take either color and guesstimate how much you need to cover 1/2 of your object. Now grab an equal part of the other color and mix. Then smush your object and and wait about 10 minutes.

On each of these pictures above the original object is on the left followed by the mold then the three objects I made. I used some clear UTEE (the object on the far right) and then some gold with a bit of clear. On the clear ones I added some Rub n' Buff to bring out the highlights.

I also found the tiny silicone ice trays Suze recommends and cut apart some K&Co Life's Journey paper to put on the bottom of one of the cubed sections. Pour a bit of clear UTEE and let it set. It popped out without any trouble. They are a little thicker than I wanted so I'll have to watch how much I pour into it next time.

I give both a big thumbs up. They are easy to use and fun. Now I just have to figure out why I buy stuff and don't use it until the warranty has already expired.....

Until my next post,

Diane

Paint Effects ATC

Here's another mingle ATC I did for my Stampers Corner Yahoo group. This theme was Paint Effects. I used a series of walnut ink washes in different strengths then added a bit of salt and walnut ink crystals while it was wet. The salt acts as a resist and the walnut ink crystals act like a sponge absorbing the dark color. I also added a bit of Fiber Scraps e-z Walnut Ink Tintz in Brick, Lime and Denim. On top of that I added a homemade glaze of Golden Titan buff mixed with Polymer Medium. I then added some more Fibre Scraps Tintz in a dry brush technique. The final steps were a spray of Glimmer Mists in Iridescent Gold and Pearl followed by an outline of Krylon 18K gold on the edges. The stamped image from Tanda Stamps is on vellum.

Until my next post,

Diane

Vintage ATC's for Sid

Sid picked Vintage for our March ATC swap theme. I had fun with this one (I have with all of them actually).

The one on the left is made with Sugarloaf/Inque stamps from the Victorian Dressmaker set. First I took some ordinary tissue paper and crumpled it a bit. Then I sprayed some Gold Glimmer Mist to simulate and old dress pattern. I attached that to a piece of cardstock with Paper Mod Podge applying it to the cardstock and then on top of the tissue paper. Two of the images I stamped then glued onto the card and the third (the one of the woman) I over stamped.

The middle ATC is made with a Tim Holtz stamp from Stampers Anonymous. I cut out the holes where the negatives would be then printed out images I found for free from Gaby. I stamped the clock/watch face again and then covered it with glossy accents for dimension.

The one on the right is an image from Artful Illusions. I colored in the background with distress inks and added the cigar label which sort of gives this guy the distinguished name "Lord Sterling".

Until my next post,

Diane

Open theme ATC -- Eiffel Tower, Paris

Here's the latest ATC I did for the TGIF challenge on Altered Designs. The theme was open which in some cases is tough for me. I guess I'm a structured crafter/artist. I like boundaries and rules. Too much type A in my previous life I guess. This ATC was done with one of the new Tim Holtz stamps by Stampers Anonymous that can be found at select Michael's stores. I gobbled up just about one of each of the stamps and new embellishments. I colored in the semi-gloss paper with various colors of Ranger Distress Inks and then added some brass embellishments that I bought online from Fancifuls Inc.

Q: Did you use coupons?
A: What a STUPID question, but of course!!!

Until my next post,

Diane

One is the loneliest number....

This is an ATC I did for the Stampers Corner ATC Mingle. The theme was numbers. Mine is titled "The loneliest number" ala the 60's hit by Three Dog Night "One". The base is black cardstock with a slight outlining of a Marvy Metallic Marker. On top of that is a semi gloss scrap that was stamped with a Tim Holtz stamp by Stampers Anonymous then colored with Ranger Distress inks. I used some Ranger Crackle on the chipboard #1 and then darkened it with Distress Black Soot. The finishing touch which you can just see is some clear embossing of small numbers. These stamps are from Inque.

Until my next post,

Diane

Playing with air again

Here's another card I made using the new Brights alcohol inks from Ranger and the compressed air technique by Tim Holtz. The base stamp and the sentiment are from Impression Obsession. I stamped the sentiment on flowered vellum using StazOn and adhered it with my Xyron. I added a double strand of ric-rack for a final touch.

Until my next post,

Diane

At the beach

Here's the ATC I made for my Stampers Corner ATC of the month group. The theme this month was "At the Beach". I used these stamps from Stampsmith and I used Ranger Archival ink in Sepia color. After stamping the girls I cut them out and mounted them over paper from the DCWV Travel stack. I then mounted that paper to a yellow background and lightly colored the edges with a Deco gold marker. Hope the recipient likes it.

Until my next post,

Diane