November Collage Challenge from Green Paper

Mary Green of Green Paper,  hosts a collage challenge each month, and I have started doing them. because they are fun.  Check her blog out for free vintage images and some great classes you can take from her.  Right now I am participating in her Christmas Glue Book class, complete with vintage images you can download.   They will make cute Christmas cards for the special people in you life. 

This is what I did for the November challenge.  There were three images:  The Eiffel tower, a lady. and a calling card.  I just couldn't seem to  find a way to use the lady image so I cut up her dress and used  some of those pieces in my work.  I made a 5 x 7 inch  card to put in my book from the Gluebook Swap.

October Challlenge from Green Paper

Mary at Green Paper made a difficult challenge this month.  The 3 images were varied in scale and design.  To see the 3 images go to Mary's blog to check them out.   This is what I did:

I made it 5x7 so that I can add it to my glue book when I receive it.

I signed up for a glue book page swap from Green Paper, and I am looking

forward to receiving my book.

RR ATC Swap Kit Part 2

This is my assistant, Toby, who oversaw the  use of  the ATCs

that I received.  I received nine ATCs, but actually needed 12,

so I made three for myself.

I found three vintage ads with cats and used them

to match with the images that I send out in my kits.

I have a Seven Gypsies tray that I had been saving for

just the right project, and this swap was just perfect.

I am going to hang it in my  craft room in the basement, and when

I get it clean,  I'll  take another picture.  Of course that make take

years (LOL).   My dear Fred just told me yesterday that the

basement looks like a hoarder's.  Oh well, it doesn't bother me.

Round Robin ATC Kit swap

I signed up for the RR ATC  Kit hosted by Ali from the group The Sum of All ATCs, and it was a fun swap.  There were five of us and we each made up  two swap kits for each person in our group.  We included whatever we wanted in the kits, such as background, focal images and embellishments that the receiver of the kit would use however she wanted to decorate an ATC.  She was also free to add things that she had  in her supplies.  I, being a lover of cats, chose all cat images for my focal images, however I didn't scan the original images-sorry.  I am so pleased with the ATCs that I received.


                                                        MEOW                                                         JUNGLE CAT

All eight of my  kits went to Australia to Sarah, and she was free to

choose  the two kits that she liked.  Aren't they cute?

                                   SHE LOVED CATS AND DOGS         DREAMING OF PARIS                                                              

Sarah sent the kits on to Ali in Great Britain, who did the next set of cards.

I just love them and can imagine a cat dreaming of eating all the

crumbs outside of the French cafes.  (My cat, Toby, loves to eat

cake.   Perhaps he was Marie Antoinete's cat in one of

his nine lives.    LOL)     

CATNIP                                       BLACK CAT

Next the kits came back to the USA to Claudine.  Two more great cards!

THE BLACK  CAT                MEE-00W                                  

HERE KITTY KITTY

Julie got the last two kits, but decided to do three cards

Aren't they sweet?  I especially like the cat sitting on his "throne",

the proper place for all cats.

Thank to all the girls for the great job that they did using the kits.

Come back tomorrow and I 'll show you what I did with them.

I just love it.

Vintage Gluebook Swap at Green Paper

I signed up for the swap at Green Paper hosted by Mary Green.

You had to make six 5x7 pages to be swapped out by Mary.   She will be

making a book for each of the swappers , using old book covers for

our glue books.  We were to use old papers and images with no 3D decorations.

Since I belong to Mary's Green Paper Collage club  I had lots of vintage

images to use.   I used actual old papers for most of my backgrounds

and copied images for my focal points.  I used 140 lb watercolor paper

as my base paper, as suggested by Mary.  I made seven pages (an extra one for Mary),

and also decorated the backs.

This is the first one that I made as part of Mary's September challenge.

I followed the glue book rules so I could use it for the challenge and

the book.

Isn't she just the sweetest little girl?

I love to outline my cards, etc with a brown ink.

In fact, I just had to throw out my favorite coffee

bean brown stamp pad.  It was all ragged and had no

ink left in it.  I have never been able to find another

one that compares in color, even those called coffee bean

are not the same shade as my favorite was.

I thought she looked like an angel.  Perhaps

I should have given her wings.

I put the dairy coupon on this, because I

thought of her as the farmer's daughter.

I added the " little cable"  to look like an

arbor in the garden.

I used the actual Western (that really is a r and an n)

Union telegram  to show that this was an

important event for her.

This  is an example of one of the backs.

Check out Mary's blog Green Paper she has examples of

glue book pages that she has done.

September Collage Challenge

               Over at Green Paper Mary Green has a monthly collage challenge.  She supplies the images and you design

your art using at least part on every images.  This month, since I am in her Glue Book Collage Swap, I decided to try to do a page using her September challenge images.   This is what I did.

Fanny

I can see now that I have her too far left so that her eyes

direct your eyes off the page.  Next time I'll will think

things through a little bit more.  That's is how you

learn to do better.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Scraps-Part 2

This is the package that I sent to my partner Lori O. for the

Sisterhood of the Traveling Scraps Swap.

I had a lot of fun making the items and looking through

all my junk art supplies for things to send her.

The inspiration for the little bag is from Beth at

Gathering Dust.

The bee  image is from Karen at

The Graphics Fairy.

I printed off a copy of the image and  cut a piece of freezer

 paper 8 x 11 to fit in my copier.  I ironed on the shiny side of the freezer paper a piece of muslin.

Then I put the paper with fabric through my printer.

Next I ironed the image to heat set it, although I

don't know if it can be washed.

The next step was to add lace to the fabric and then

make the bag.

I added laces and ribbons to the bag for Lori.

I made a paper pouch to hold the paper scraps.  I used a file folder that

I cut apart  for a front and back.  Then I collaged on the two pieces and

sewed them together with my sewing machine, leaving the top open.

The back side.

I was surprised at how much stuff could be put in the pouch. 

You could use this idea for a gift package by sewing up all

four sides.

I had made this button/sewing box for myself, but decided

to give it to Lori.  That way I have an excuse to make another!

I saw this wonderful idea on The Graphic Fairy Craft blog.  It was

made by Kerryanne at Shabby Art Boutique.

Lori likes vintage so this was perfect for her.

Lori also likes Christmas so I filled the box up with

Christmas scraps.

I also included these.  I found the little notebook at Joann's and

then put an L sticker on it.  The calender pad I bought at

Michaels, because I thought it was so cute.   I also bought myself

an N with a nest on it, and I went back and bought some

more because I like the graphics.

Lori, I hope you like you Traveling Scraps!

Sisterhood of the Traveling Scraps Swap

I  belong to the Yahoo Group The Sum of All ATC's and recently took

part in a swap called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Scraps.

Claudine hosted the swap based on an article she read in

a magazine which I think was Somerset Studio.

Each of us was to make something to hold scraps that we chose for

our assigned partner.   Linda R.  sent me this beautiful bag  that she made.

Doesn't it look just like an evening bag?  So pretty.

These are all the goodies that were stuffed into the bag.  Paper and these

interesting little envelopes.  It was fun to open each one, wondering

what was inside.   Lots of things to use to embellish  my "art" work.

Look at all the wonderful things.  From a key to flowers to even a

decorated domino which is so cute with a little girl on it.

THANK YOU LINDA.

Y and Z

I had been putting off making the y an z card, because I couldn't

think of an idea that I wanted to use. 

However,  one day I bought a pack of ephemera of vintage

things, and there in the pack was a page from a

children's old dictionary.   It was the last page of the book

and low and behold there were my images for the y and z!

It was as if it was fated to be.

Yikes, I can't believe it has been so long since I blogged.  I get lazy sometimes and just tune things out, due to fact that I was trying to catch up on a block of the  month quilt class that I am in.  So now  that I am almost caught up with all the commitments for my quilting and paper crafts,  I can get to blogging a bit.

Alphabet Swap

I am really behind on the  Alphabet Swap that our Yahoo  group The Sum Of All ATCs held.  It is over but I am just today getting my W and X in the mail.  Now I have to get busy on Y and Z.

I chose to do this for the letter X after having been on two trips

in March.  I went through the full body scan twice,

and was patted down once.  It wasn't my favorite thing

but I would rather feel safe on the plane.

I have used this image before but I really like it so I used

it again for my W.

Have a great day.

 

Thank you Jan and Lynn

I took part in the OWOH Journey checking out all the wonderful

blogs, and entering the drawings.

I won this great book from Jan at The History Keeper and the

best thing is that I am a quilter, so this book is

very interesting to me.  Thanks, Jan.

I also visited Lynn at Trash to Treasure Art and she was having

a pay it forward for five people as long as they agreed to

also pay if forward to five people.  I was one of her five, and

she made me this cute necklace/charm.

Isn't this just the cutest?  She is a delightful frozen Charlotte

carrying a heart and wearing a crown.

Her glass box is surrounded on the bottoms by

her "diamonds."

She is standing on some sheet music.  Thank you, Lynn,

No one agreed on my blog to pay it forward, so therefore

I will be making five things to send to five blog friends.

I'll post about that when I do it.

I thing Spring is on its way.  The Robins have been back in Michigan

for over a week now, and that is a sure sign.  Enjoy the weather.

Giveaway at Brynwood Needleworks

Head on over to Brynwood Needleworks and enter Donna's second

birthday giveaway.  If you have never been to her blog, you will enjoy it so

much.  She is a very talented lady and always shows her work which is

wonderful to see and enjoy.

.  She has a terrific giveaway going on now.  Check it out.

Pay It Forward 2011

Pay It Forward

The first five visitors who leave a comment on this post will receive a gift handmade by

me especially for you.

Here's the catch (but the best part):

FIRST you must create a post on your blog explaining  Pay It Forward 2011.

Create and send a handmade gift to the first 5 visitors to comment on your post and

who agree to do the same.

No pressure, you do not have to make and send your gifties today, or even tomorrow. 

Remember it is a gift from the heart, which takes a little time.

I read about this on Lynn's trash to treasure art blog.  She makes fantastic art.

Mug Mat Received from Debbie

  This is the mug mat that I received from Debbie is the swap held by Donna.

Check out her blog to see the wonderful things that she makes.

Be sure to check out Debbie's blog Mosaic Magpie.  She does

the most gorgeous crazy quilting.

Aren't the blues just the prettiest?  Blue is my favorite color,

especially when it comes to clothes.

I love the toile fabric that she used, and the decorative stitching.

The ric rac is an added touch.

This is the back side which is just as lovely as the front.

A close up of the applique.

Isn't this a cute tag that she made.

This heart is an example of her fancy stitching which is just

lovely.  I'll have to use it on something sweet for myself.

This was such a great swap.  Thanks Donna for hosting.

Thanks to Debbie for this great gift.