To Think About

"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart."
Celia Thaxter

Wednesday, February 28, 2007



Here is another sample of a "scrunched" background. This one has gold embossing added to it.

Another of my "scrunchy" backgrounds. This was done with a picture of Hellebores ( a flower) from an old BH&G magazine. I tell how I did it next to the orange sample.


This is a background for an ATC. I took part of a magazine page and scrunched it onto a piece of cardstock that had been run through a Xyron machine. That made the cardstock all sticky. Brayer the picture to the card real well and then trim to fit the card. I used a glue stick to adhere any loose folds and then brayered the whole card again. I then dry-brushed gesso onto the card and added some dye ink when the gesso was dry. On this card I also added some copper pigment ink.


Here are a few sample covers of little art books that I am sending as RAKs (Random Act of Kindness) to some of the ladies in my Christian Paper Arts group. I made the books from cardstock and embellished with vintage images, rubber stamping, distress and dye inks, buttons, ribbons, and verses and sayings from old Daily Bread devotional booklets.

Monday, February 12, 2007



Here is a finished postcard for the Proverbs swap in the Letterheads group. I wasn't sure if I wanted to add some pastels to her face, but think I like the result. This card has an alcohol ink background; words added with PrintShop 12; and an orignal drawing.

Friday, February 09, 2007



The last of the Alphabetica samples.

I am enjoying making these pages for an AAO Alphabetica swap. I will end up making copies since I do not have enough of the little metal frames to make 11 originals.


Another of the Alphabetica pages. This one has a photo of my mom and one of my grandfathers. Technique: Color Misters background; distress ink on images; metal frame attached with E6000 glue.


Another Alphabetica page. I think I am liking these colors and design ideas the best so far.

Thursday, February 08, 2007



This one is more to my liking. I used Color Mists again for the background. Unfortunately, the metallic sheen doesn't really show in the scan. Added a part of an old dictionary page; a Tim Holtz scrapbook paper piece; some stickers; added distress inks and sanded a bit to the paper and stickers. I found an image of a woman sitting, so put her on top of the letters. I felt she needed something, so instead of adding the inevitable wings, I found a decorative metal frame and added that.


This is my first prototype for an Alpahbetica-style card for a swap. Not sure if I like it. I used Color Mists for the background, added a transparency image, some stamping, and then did my own lettering and embellishments. I added some pastel markings also.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007


I did a quick sketch last night based on a picture found on the cover of a book I am reading.
I was wanting a side of a face for a postcard I am designing.
I made this sketch with a charcoal pencil. I am pretty pleased with it because I worked fast and didn't fuss over the details too much. I have been wanting to get back to my drawing and painting and this just might spur me to do so. I will post the pc once I get it finished.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007



This one is my favorite of the Vintage Advertising series. It has a quilt background (catalog image); labels; a wax coating and button embellishments. I also added a green metallic rub to the edges of the card.


Another Vintage Advertising ATC. This one has a quilt background; is coated with wax; and has button embellishments.


This ATC has a stamped background; some metal embellishments and is also coated with wax. It is for a Vintage Advertising swap for Mixed Media Art Group.


Another Vintage Advertising ATC. This one has a brick paper background; label images; coated whole ATC in wax and added a gold metallic rub to the edges.


An ATC for a Vintage Advertising themed swap. This one has an inked scrapbook paper background. Then two images from a label book I had. The whole ATC is coated with a beeswax/microcrystalline wax. Added a metal embellishment and some ranger Distress Ink in Vintage Photo to the edges.


Here is a sample Valentine card that I am sending this year. I used some of my leftover red inch squares, rounding the edges on two of them for the heart shape. I found blank cards with a red edge so was able to save time on the card itself. Happy Valentine's Day!


Latest fabric inch square for the AAO swap. I used batik fabric, beads, embroidery, and in this one I also did what is known as "couching." That is where you take a piece of fiber and tack it down with thread. I used embroidery thread t tack down the fiber.

Sunday, February 04, 2007



Here are some fabric "inchies"; 1"squares. These were made with batik fabric backed with peltex. I then added embroidery with floss and embellished with beads. These are being made for a swap with Altered Art Obsession.