Outlawz Friday Challenge

The Outlawz has a great challenge this week in their Friday's Alcohol Markers group:
"create an ‘Anything Goes’ project AND add a Christmas twist!"
I made a Christmas card using Squigglefly's digi image "Unconventional Christmas Tree" by artist Mark Hicks.  I printed the digi three times, coloring them all with my trusty Copics.  I fussy-cut the bottom two rows from one image and the bottom row from the other, adhering them onto the full image, for a little dimension.

I added a few punched stars so that Santa seems to be juggling them.  I added a few buttons and some Stickling to the patterned paper for embellishment.  It's not too "lumpy" because I'm starting my collection of Christmas cards for the Troops.  Just finished a few mailings of Halloween cards!

The Outlawz Group has different daily challenges every week, so there's a little something for every crafter!  Check them out and come play!

Spider Fairy by Leanne Wilson

Today I have another Halloween card using another image from QKD artist Leanne Wilson called "Spider Fairy."

After coloring her with Copics, I used my Nestabilities die to cut her out and pop her onto this cool patterned paper from DCWV.  The flowers are handmade by Shannon Leffew, and I added a few jewels and spiders for embellishments.

You can find loads of digi images as well as rubber in the QKD Shoppe.  Need a little inspiration?  Check out the Facebook page!!

And have a crafty day!

Get in Shape with a New Squigglefly Challenge

Today I made a card for Squigglefly's new challenge: Use at least three different shapes somewhere on your card somehow;  For example, enclose your image in an oval, your sentiment in a decorative rectangle, and have a star shaped embellishment....get the idea?

So I printed out an August new release called "Grip It & Rip It" by the fabulous Cheryl Grant Alger.  First, can you spot the three plus shapes I used in my card?  The circle and triangle are pretty easy, and if you count clouds as shapes, but I also used a rectangular front for my card.

Once I pieced together my "scene" I colored Cheryl's image with my Copics and then fussy-cut her out.  She's headed straight down the triangle to who-knows-where, but you know what they say, "Make Life a Wild Ride."

If you like Cheryl's "Grip It & Rip It digi image, you can find her in the Squigglefly Store.  Now, why don't you hop on with me and take a ride to the Squigglefly Challenge Blog.  Show off your creation using a Squigglefly image and at least three different shapes for a chance to win free digi's.

See you there!

Spider Queen

I love Halloween, don't you?  It's never too early to start making Halloween cards in my book, so I used a QKD digi image from artist Leanne Wilson called
Spider Queen.

I threw a bunch of techniques-image colored with Copics, fussy-cut my image, distressed the patterned papers.  She looked a little steam-punky so I added gears in with the spider webs, added some netting and lace, and then surrounded her with her little babies.

Check out the new Halloween images, both in rubber and digi, at the QKD Shoppe today!

Blessing Tree by Judith Hart

Squigglefly has released some awesome digi images this month!  One of them  is called "Blessing Tree" by new Squigglefly artist Judith Hart.

I used Judith's new image on my card today.  It meets the guidelines of Squigglefly's new challenge this week:  Use twine, ribbon or floss.

I used several pieces of leftover patterned papers to form a frame for my Copic-colored image.  The only embellishment on it is the leaf peeking from behind the image.

Of course, on the remainder of the card, I tied my baker's twine.  I have a lot of twine but have never really used it much-just don't know what to do with it.  So I think I'll go over to the Squigglefly Challenge Blog to get some inspiration.  Maybe I'll soon be running short on twine!!

Use your twine while you have some, along with a Squigglefly digi image, like Judith's Blessing Tree, and join the challenge--you could win free digis this week!

A Little Beach Magic

Finally got some time to craft, and wanted to use up one of snags I made at my local Goodwill store, thinking how nice it would be to alter it.  The most difficult part was deciding what the theme would be--should I dig deep into my steam punkiness, or would a dark Halloween theme be better?

But it's summer, and the waves are calling me, so a Beach fantasy scene it is.  I started with a raw wood window frame with a flower shelf (a garden scene did tempt me, but I'm allergic to flowers, subconsciously allergic to fake flowers) that I picked up for $2.

I used acrylic paints until I got the frame the colors I wanted, then used the following mermaids for each window.  From top left to bottom right, they are:
Sweet Pea's "On the Shore" by Terra Bidlespacher, QKD's Porcelain Mermaid, again by Terra, and my newest purchase,  another Sweet Pea digi called "Wait for You" by artist Ching Chou Kuik.  I also used a stamped image from High Hopes of two friendly jelly fish.

I colored them all with my trusty Copics, and with my signature technique, fussy-cut them to put into my handmade scenes.

I love mixed media, which has to be my newest most favorite technique, so each "scene" has bits of surprises in each.

"On the Shore" features torn paper background, Stickled sandy beach, glitter button sun and a stray pearl or two.

A few tiny seashells are scattered along the wood frame as well.

In the "Porcelain Mermaid" scene, I actually used four pieces of dimensional tape so that my mermaid looks like she's sitting on the seashell I adhered to the wood frame.

I added some Liquid Glass bubbles, some Stickled shimmer, some pearl stems, seashells and fibers for misc. ocean stuff.

I had this gorgeous but large white starfish that I wanted to incorporate in my project, but no matter where I placed it, it blocked too much of one of the "windows.'  So I created a background from shimmery ribbon and cardstock and adhered a beach-themed ATC to it.

My next window features "Wait for Me", which I printed twice so that I could use dimensional tape so that the moon is "behind" her.  An adhesive accident with the moon caused me to apply a liberal dose of Stickles to cover it up.
I like to use feathers in my work, so her tail features one.  I hand-stamped the background patterned paper, and hung a seashell from the tip of the moon.  More seashells decorate the bottom of the window.

To finish off my project, I used some miniature scrabble tiles to spell out Beach Magic along the "ledge" and stuffed the ledge with raffia and seashells.

It took about two days to finish my project, and now it's in its new home.  I gave it to my son and daughter-in-law within one hour of the glue drying for their first anniversary.  Their wedding theme was tropical, and hubby and I hosted the reception in our backyard, going all out with tropical decorations and menu to boot.  It was a lot of work but worth it.

I'm entering my project in the One Sweet Challenge blog August challenge, which asks participants to use their favorite technique.  Mixed media and fussy-cutting are my faves--for the moment. LOL

Home Sweet Home

I got a chance to fill up another page in my art journal.  I found a great quote on Pinterest that just about sums up the way I feel after a long day at work, a harried trip to the store, even after a relaxing vacation.  It reads:  In my home Let love Abide, and Bless all those who Step inside."

So I ran with it and using mixed media, made my page.  If you don't recognize me, I'm the one in the skirt walking toward my lovely home, filled with the people I love and the comforts that soothe me.

I painted, ModPodged, stamped, collaged, and hand-lettered on my page.  I even used embossing powder and distress paint to change a bright and shiny brass key to the old and flaky thing with wings on my page.

I found this very cool blog today called path of positivity.  They spread positive thoughts, ideas and motivation, which I think is fantastic.  They also offer monthly challenges, this month's theme being "optimism."  I'm entering my art journal page in the challenge with a short description of why this page offers optimism to me:  When I step into my home, I feel a surge of optimism that my day will finish off on a good note.  I know that the night will not be full of roses and fairy tale goodness, but it's MY home and MY family and there is love.  And wherever there is love, there is hope, a beacon of optimistic light piercing whatever dark thoughts I picked up throughout my day.

I'm optimistic about my art, too, which is why I'm working on my art journal.