Gingersnap Creations Challenge GC102 - Jake and Lorena

This week's Gingersnap Creations challenge was to use twine.  Well, I was a bit disappointed, actually, since twine had been a big part of my GC101 Challenge!  What to do?  I decided to continue with my Lonesome Dove theme and make a collage for Jake and Lorena.  If you saw the film, you know that Jake was hanged as a horse thief after abandoning Lorena. 

I used bark from a birch tree to form the tree.  I used a new Martha Stewart leaf cutter for the leaves.  I really like this design! I know I will use it a lot! I cut the leaves out of Glorious Brayered Paper painted with several shades of green and gold.  I looked up on the Internet how to tie a noose.

I photoshopped the photos of Jake and Lorena and added the sunburst.

Vintage Dragonfly 'Things with Wings' Matchbox Swap

This is the first swap for this new swap group.  Our theme was 'Things With Wings."  So I chose butterflies.

I covered the top of my matchbox with matchsticks and then covered the sticks with gesso.  I wanted the top to look like a white picket fence.  On the 'fence,' I put a small silk flower, some die-cut leaves and two gorgeous blue butterflies.  I added stickles to the flower and leaves.

The drawer pull was made with a metal butterfly bead

This photo shows the little wooden legs on the box.  I covered the sides of the box with spring-green acrylic paint and stickles.

Here is what was inside the box:

Altered Matchbox Challenge - March - Birds

I decided to do a Hummingbird matchbox.  First, I covered the matchbox with -- MATCHES!  LOL!  I have been wondering for some time what to do with all of the matches I am accumulating from making these little altered beauties.  I think I have a lifetime supply!  So I decided to attach them to the matchbox in an artistic design.  Here is the bottom:

After gluing the matchsticks to the box, I used walnut stain to give them a realistic look.  I wanted the whole box to have a somewhat weathered, outdoor look.  I arranged matchsticks on the top in a different pattern, which is difficult to see since I added the hummingbird and flower.

The little flower is home-made and covered with stickles.  The drawer pull is actually a wooden bead from my jewelry supplies.

I glued popsickle stick pieces to both sides of the box and stained them with walnut stain.  I made a leaf border using bread dough clay and glued it to the sides, then painted the leaves with acrylic paint.

What's inside?  I won't post that until my trading partner receives it.

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BLOG FOLLOWERS:  Don't forget to leave a comment on this post to have a chance to win the bead-woven necklace I made. It's easy to become a blog follower.  I will draw a winner on March 15. 

3D Collage of my Grandmother

The subject of this collage is my grandmother, Hazel Davis, the mother of my father.  This picture was taken prior to 1917.  I used two types of fabric and three types of paper to make the collage background. The picture has a 3-D effect

Followers:  Don't forget to enter my first blog giveaway! 

For details, click here.

Valentines for my Grandchildren

Some new ATCs

The first card is called Bermuda Triangle.  I made it for the Inkurable Stampers' Gothic Art Challenge.  The theme was Planes, Trains and Automobiles.  I stamped the card with a texture rubber stamp and embossed it with Ranger gold embossing powder.  Then, I added dabs of watercolor to the background.

The plane is supposed to be bursting through a map of the world.  Unfortunately, this effect didn't come out too well.  This card is my impression of what it would be like to enter the Bermuda Triangle, and what you would see after you entered.

The next two cards are for a swap which is supposed to represent the season we are currently enjoying.  Some of the Australian girls are posting cards with Spring themes! 

The first card was created with tissue paper background that was stained with instant tea.  The leaves were created by painting the paper with acrylic paint and then cutting them with a die cutter.  The word 'Fall' was embossed using Ranger gold embossing powder.

The leaves for this tree were created using this tutorial I linked several days ago.  I painted the background with watercolors

This card is for a monthly lottery with the theme Glitz and Glamour.  I used acrylic paint to create the background.

This card is one of perhaps many I will make inspired by Matisse's Cut Outs, which is the theme of the Monthly ATC group I belong to.  I printed the colors on self-stick labels using  a color laser printer. I then cut and adhered the pieces to the card.  I believe this is similar to the method Matisse actually used to create his Cut Outs.  Watch for more.

Dress Challenge - Dress for October

My Dress Challenge dress for October is all about autumn leaves.  The bodice is made from papyrus.  The leaves were inspired by this fantastic tutorial posted recently by Ink Stained Roni.  What a fabulous blog she has! 

I crumpled up brown paper and also white paper.  I then painted the paper with acrylic paint, and also used distress ink.  After the paint and ink dried, I spread Inksentials Glossy accents over the paper, sprinkled fine glitter over the paper, and then let it dry.  Then, I used a die cutter to cut the paper into the leaf shapes.  The waist embellishment is made from German scrap.

All About Me

This card is for a Gothic Arch Challenge titled "All About Me.



Baby Card for a friend's new granddaughter

Dress Challenge Dress for June

I could NOT resist the temptation to design a paper wedding dress for the June Dress Challenge.  The dress is made entirely of paper except for the scroll embellishments.  The dress was cut of several layers of thin white tissue paper overlapping each other.  The dress waistband and wrist bands are folded, cumberbund style, from tissue.  The frilly cuffs, skirt, and veil were made from thin tissue paper, as well.  The entire dress was sprinkled lightly with very fine crystal sparkle that doesn't show too well in the photo unless you enlarge the photo.

The big challenge with this dress was using the Martha Stewart die cutter on tissue paper to make the frilly embellishments.  Ever try to cut tissue paper????  I finally discovered the trick.  I took an 8-1/2 x 11 piece of white computer paper and folded it in half.  I then put about 6 layers of tissue in between, against the fold.  Then, I slid the paper into the cutter and cut.  The computer paper protects the tissue and allows it to be cut perfectly.

I didn't think about it when I was creating this dress, but it reminds me a lot of the wedding gown I wore in 1967.  See below.  It was not a paper dress!  I purchased it at the JC Penney Outlet store for $47.00. 

It was a completely gorgeous gown!

My wardrobe is getting full!

Cards containing puzzle pieces

I made these cards using the fused fiber tutorial on Lesley's Harmony Road blog.   I don't think I did it correctly; but it still came out rather interestingly.  Thanks, Les!

Tulip Card

Contains a removeable 2.5 X 3.5 Artist Trading Card

This is traded.

February Dress

2010 Dress Up Challenge

Loved

"Loved" is made with a sculpted tissue background.  I will have a tutorial on this simple method soon, if there is interest.  The couple is one of my favorite illustrations from illustrator James Montgomery Flagg.

More Valentines - for a Valentine Lottery

Birthday card for Granddaughter, Katie (who loves wall-e)

Valentine Inchies

"Years" Cards

These cards are made for my ongoing 'years' swap.

To participate, the trading partner sends me a card based on any year from 1900 to 2010.

I will then send them a card made depicting an event from the same year.

Then I will also send a card from another year of my choice. 

This trade goes back and forth as long as the trading partners are interested.

My trading partner sent me a card from 1935, the year Monopoly was introduced. 

I sent her this card. 1935 was the year "Snow White" first debuted.

I am challenging my partner to make a card depicting an event from the year 1977.

1977 is the year that "Roots" first appeared on television

Valentines! Valentines! Valentines!

I went on a Valentine-creating jag last night!  All of these Valentines are covered with transparencies.  I got a beautiful pad of paper as a gift and scanned it to make the transparencies.

The first Valentine is made with a tissue-paper background. This couple is one of my favorite Harrison Fisher drawings.

This couple from the lat 1800's is such a beautiful, earnest looking couple!  When I see old photos like these, I long to know who they were, where they lived, what their lives were like.  This picture also used a tissue paper background.

Now, this picture is a REAL mystery!  Click to make it larger and check out the wedding attire that the happy (?) couple is wearing.  I know it was the mode not to smile when being photographed, but the groom in this photo looks utterly devistated!  But the most interesting thing about the photo is the groom's 'boutinniere.'  I have seen a couple of wedding pictures from this period showing grooms wearing this sort of decoration.  I have no idea what it is!  Does anyone know?  The bride's dress is just lovely!

I call this Valentine "College Sweethearts."  This couple looks young and starry eyed - especially the girl, who looks almost giddy with love!

Ah, Love's Passions!  The image of this lovely couple from over a hundred years ago still can touch our hearts!

Blue-Themed Inchies

Wild Blue Yonder -  Blue Moon

Blue Collar -  Blue Blood

True Blue - Blue, Blue -  My Love is Blue

Bluetooth -  Blue Hawaii

Blue Plate Special  - Got the Blues