Guest Artist on StampersQuest

I wanted to share that I am the guest artist this month on www.stampersquest.com. Thank you Bea and Stephanie!! I am sharing one of my projects from the book, Exploring the Latest Trends in Mixed Media, Volume I.

All Decked Out for a Party!

Here is a funny photo taken at my husband's cousin's 50th birthday party. They had us all have our photos taken as we entered the restaurant wearing silly party stuff. Who knew 50-year-olds could have so much fun?????

Arttechniques Spring Skinny Book Swap

Here are samples of the cover for our Spring Skinny Book Swap, plus the more elaborate version of my page fronts (using the butterlfy punch and sequins) and the "I am getting tired of all these steps" version using a strip of decorative-edge paper. I took the photo on the cover page three years ago when I got to go to the Skagit Valley in Washington state to see the tulips in bloom. This was at one of the tulip farms where they also had some indoor exhibits. Seeing fields of colorful tulips all in bloom is a spring sight to behold!!

Playing with Photoshop

Here is a photo I took as Dan and I were driving to Eureka over a week ago. I played with my Wacom tablet to add a signature to the piece. I wanted to make a brushed edge, but, with the gradient layer I couldn't quite figure it out. I will keep working on this. I posterized the tree shape and added a drop shadow and an embossed edge. I took a few more photos I will play with and post in the next day or so.

Off to watch House or Gossip Girl- love having a DVR!!

More of the Last ATCs

Here are two distinctly different ATCS for two of the last Arttechniquesatcs swaps. The one on the left uses Fred Mullett stamps. The fish are painted with Twinkling H2Os whose company is sadly going out of business. Hopefully a buyer will step up! www.luminarte.com.

The one on the right was for a house/home swap. It has a magazine photo that has been gessoed and stamped over. Molding paste was added to the top with a layer of Pearlized Mica Flakes (a Golden Medium). The little twig is from my lemon verbena. The reflective little bird was sent to me as a hostess gift. This ATC is called, "Home is for Nesting."

I am busy putting together the second volume of the Exploring the Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art book series; Recycled, Reinvented, Reinspired. Should be available in early fall!

Last Swaps at Arttechniquesatcs

Here is a sample of one of the last ATCS I am making for the Arttechniquesatcs group. Due to an increasingly busy schedule, I have chosen to close the group as of April 1. It was also frustrating to have over 400 members but only a few participating in the swaps. We will perhaps do one swap a month at the mother group, Arttechniques. There's a time for all good things to come to an end.