Altered Playing Cards

I recently participated in an altered playing card RAK event of the Newbie Junk Journal Makers FaceBook page.  I had never made an altered playing card before, but, hey, I make cards...so how much different can it be?  It was actually harder than I thought.  We had several prompts that we had to follow- the theme had to be circus there had to be circles, the color purple, yarn or ribbon, either fussy cutting, embossing, or use die cuts, and use foil.  Trying to get all of that on a small playing card is tough!  Here is the first one that I made.  I didn't use a playing card but I was within the size guides that they give.

 This is the front:

This is the back:

We had to choose someone who was playing along with the event to send our card to.  In return, I would get one from someone else.

Today, I decided to make another one (I actually found some old playing cards in a drawer).  Here it is:

I had a lot of fun  making these.  The Newbie Junk Journal Makers page is a lot of fun, too.  You should check them out!!!  (I just realized I used the same circus photo for both cards!)

Altered Paper Clips

I've been wanting to try something that I've seen online- altered paper clips- to use in my junk journal.  It turns out that they're pretty easy to make!  Just grab some assorted cardstock or papers, some glue, some do-dads for the front and a large paper clip and put them together.  That's it!

Here are the first ones that I've made:

The Smiley Face one is made using some patterned paper that I had with emojis on it, along with a black tag that I had received in a happy mail.  I cut the large smiley face from a Thank You note that I had.  I added some coordinating buttons and a stamp and that was it.  The middle one I used a piece of patterned paper from Bo Bunny and a piece of book paper.  I added a silver bottle cap, punched out a 1" circle from Whisper White CS and a tiny heart punched out from a red CS that I had.  Coordinating buttons and a ripped piece of book paper finished it off.  The right one is made using patterned papers from Miss Caroline.  The ticket is printed off the computer (received in a happy mail) with Prima flowers and stick-on gems and a piece of cream-colored lace trim.

I had a lot of fun making these and I'm sure I'll be trying out some different designs in the near future!
Thanks for stopping by!

Paper Bag Journal Pages 4 and 5

I've finally had the chance to get into my hide-away and craft.  Since I was a little behind, I decided to work on my paper bag journal.  The prompt for April was COLOR.  This is the page I made for that prompt...

This was an easy page to do.  I just decopauged the colorful tissue paper to the bag using Collage-Pauge and a brush.  The Live Life In Color was printed on the computer and sponged with coordinating colored ink.

May's prompt is Quote.  We could use any quote we wanted.  I had just found this postage stamp with Janis Joplin on it and thought I'd use that.  The background is designer paper and again, the quote is printed on the computer and sponged with SU's Bashful Blue ink. I had received the LOVE sticker in a happy mail and thought I'd add that.  Again, this was also a very easy page.

This paper bag journal is turning out to be a lot of fun!  I can't wait to see what June's prompt will be!
Have a great evening and I'll be back again soon!

Another New Craft!

I've been spending some time on YouTube and I've discovered Junk Journals!  What is a "Junk Journal" you ask?  Well, it is a book or folder of sorts that have assorted pages sewn into it.  These pages can be card stock, magazine pages, calendar pages, doilies, paper bags...whatever you want!  The purpose of a junk journal is to use up things that would be thrown out...price tags off clothing, scraps of tissue paper, writing papers, old envelopes, etc.  You can paint or stencil on the pages if you'd like or even rubber stamp on them or coffee or tea stain them.  Once your pages are inserted, then you start decorating them using whatever you have laying around...buttons, pieces of ribbons or lace, old post cards, pictures that you've found in magazines, etc.

I am in the process of making myself a junk journal.  What I did to make my journal was to find an old hardback book that I was going to donate.  Using a knife, cut down the inside binding on both sides and remove the guts of the book.  Save those pages because they're great for using in your journal!!  After the guts are removed, I covered my book using decorated paper.  I used Graphic 45's French Country papers.  They're so pretty!  I glued the paper to the inside binding and then on the outside of the book, wrapping around the edges to the inside.  After it's wrapped around to the inside, I inserted paper to cover the inside. There are MANY videos on YouTube that show how to do this.  Make sure to use good glue!  You could also use Mod Podge to adhere the papers to the outside of the book.  This would protect it a little better.  I'm thinking of adding a coat of Matte Mod Podge to the outside of mine just to keep the papers from coming up along the edges from use. After the glue is dry, I'll start sewing the signatures into it.  (A signature is a group of pages that are sewn in individually.  If you look at the binding of a hardback book, you'll see may signatures.)  I will probably only put 2 signatures into my journal since my book is only about an inch thick..

Here is the front of my book.  I just love this paper collection!

This is the inside of my journal.  The signatures will be sewn into the binding where the black and cream diamonds are.

I made some mistakes, but hey, you learn from your mistakes, right?!  Check back soon to see how I complete my Junk Journal!  Until then...have a great week!

More Snack Bag Pages

Happy Saturday!  I hope you're having a great weekend!  It's a beautiful day here in Maryland!  I think maybe Spring might actually be here!

Today I want to show you two more Mixed Media Morsels snack bag album pages that I made.
The first one is for February's Prompt #2- Fun.  Our page is supposed to represent our idea of fun.  I love llamas and think they make the funniest faces, so I used a print out of this cute llama.  I used Stampin' Up card stock in Appealing Apricot and Whisper White.  The sparkly purple patterned paper is unknown and the green dotted paper is from Graphics 45.  I also used Copic Markers- YR00, W1 and W3, as well as Prima flowers, glue dots and some unknown rhinestones that I had laying around.  The verse, "Go Forth and Be LLAMAZING" is printed out on Whisper White and outlined with a Scarlet Lime black pen.

The second page I want to share is for the March Prompt #3- Bird.  I used Sunny Day  #21384E Apple Barrel acrylic paint to paint the background.  I then cut part of the front of a note card (from Current) and adhered that to the yellow background.  The sentiment is Tim Holt Idea-ology Small Talk stickers.  I made a tag to put into the open end of this bag using the back of the note card that was left after cutting off the birds picture, and adhering some bird print Washi tape.  Not quite sure what I'll put on the tag, yet, but I'll do that later.  Actually, I'm not quite sure that it goes well with the page, but again, I can change it later.

Thanks for looking!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

 

Snack Bag Mixed Media

Happy Friday!  I have been having a hard time getting my stamping mojo back, so I thought I'd try something new.  I joined a group on Facebook called Mixed Media Morsels.  One of their challenges is to make a snack bag album.  Snack bags are just small brown lunch-type bags..  The bags are folded in half and then put together to make the pages of the album.  They're probably 4" x 4" square, equaling 12 pages- one for each month.  Each month, you receive a "prompt" of how to make your monthly page.  January the prompt was Circles.  You need to use circles on your page- anyway you'd like.  Here is my page for January (yes, I'm a little behind!)

I used black electrical tape for the background, with strips of circle-patterned paper along the top and bottom edges.  I then used different sized bottle caps for the circles using Apple Barrel acrylic paint.  I had a circle patterned sticker that I adhered to the center of that.  I had bought my granddaughter a new game and had to punch out a bunch of little circles in the game board, so that's what the small colorful dots are.  The numeral one in the corner indicates that it's the first challenge of the year.  I used a label maker to print out Life is a Circle...and of course, like usual, I got it crooked, but once it's stuck, it's stuck for good.

Although my page isn't as pretty as some of the other's, I had a lot of fun making it.  If you'd like to check out their Facebook page, just search Mixed Media Morsels and play along!

Saturday Stampings

Happy Weekend!

I was finally able to get into my Hide-Away this weekend and it felt so good to be here!  I'm a little late but here is my submission for the CASE-ing Tuesday sketch challenge #190.  Here is the sketch that we were to use:

It's a pretty easy sketch. This is what I came up with:

 

I think it turned out okay- not great, but okay.  If you'd like to play along with the challenge, like CASE-ing Tuesday on Facebook by clicking HERE.

I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos on Mixed Media Art and I want to give that a try soon.  Stay tuned to see how that goes.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Stamp Set: Honeycomb Happiness (Stampin' Up)
Papers:  Bashful Blue, Whisper White (Stampin' Up), DSP and red cardstock (Unknown)
Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black, So Saffron (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Black pearls (Basics), Mono-adhesive, sponge, Copic Markers- B93- Light Crockery Blue), Y13- Lemon Yellow, dimensionals

CASE-ing Tuesday

I recently discovered a Facebook page called CASE-ing Tuesday.  Each week they post a sketch CASE-ing a card from one of the Stampin' Up catalogs.  This is my first time participating.  My interpretation of the sketch is quite different from the sketch shown here:

CASE-ing Tuesday Sketch #189

Here is my take on the sketch:

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Whisper White (Stampin' Up)
Inks:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Rose Romance (Stampin' Up)
Stamps:  Simply Sketched (Stampin' Up), Wreath Builder (Gina K.)
Accessories:  sponge, Copic Markers (RV06, R59, YG25), mono adhesive, dimensional pop dots

I had a lot of fun playing along and look forward to participating a lot more in the future.  If you're interested in playing along, click here ---> CASE-ing Tuesday.
It's a great way to get new ideas for card layouts and new color combinations.  Hope to see you there!

You're My Favorite Human...

I was finally able to get into my stamp room to play with my new Gina K. wreath builder. It is SO much fun!  Just one word of advice- if you get one, don't forget to always start a new stamp on the square.  I didn't on one of my stamp changes, but I caught it quick enough so that the wreath didn't get too totally out of whack.

Here's the card that I made:

This card is 4-1/4" square.  I used Stampin' Up's Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, More Mustard, and Whisper White cardstocks. The inks I used are Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, More Mustard  Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy, and Memento Tuxedo Black.  The wreath builder I used was the 3-3/4" size, and I used the Gina K. Wreath Builder Stamp set. 

I'm hoping to start doing some sketch challenges this week.  Keep checking back to see what's happening in my Hide-Away!  Until then...

Woo hoo!! I Stamped!!

Well, lookie here!  I actually stamped!!! Yesterday a couple friends got together to do a mini shoebox swap.  There were just 3 of us but we had a great time!  Good food, good friends and great cards!  Here are the cards that I made to take to the swap:

This card was made using the Birthday Blooms stamp set from Stampin' Up.  The dotted paper is from Gina K. and the Barely Banana and Whisper White are from Stampin' Up.  I colored it with Copic markers and popped the image up with dimensionals.  Not too bad for my first time stamping in about 4 years!

I love this second card I made.  Again, I used the Birthday Blossoms set from SU.  The patterned paper is The Marisopa Pack from DCWV.  Going Gray and Whisper White are from Stampin' Up.  I also colored the image with Copic Markers.  I sure have missed coloring!!

Here are the cards that Gloria brought to the swap for us to make:

The butterfly was stamped twice and popped up on dimensionals.  So pretty!

This card was made using Gina K.'s new wreath maker.  It so much fun to do!  The images are also from Gina K. (After I loaded this picture, I see that the center sentiment is a little off center...oh, well...too late to do anything about it now!)  I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with this wreath maker!!

This next card was CASEd from a Jennifer McGuire YouTube video.  It was fun to make but, boy, it was a PITA!  All of the little birds, flowers,leaves, etc., are punched out of white cardstock and colored with Copic markers.

Here is the inside:

The following are the cards that Paula brought for us to make.  She had 3 different colors of  cardstock for us to use. Pretty!!

It felt SO good to stamp after all this time.  Now that I have my new craft room, and now that I've healed from all my health issues, I'll be stamping and creating on a regular basis now!  Please check back again soon to see what I've created!

It's Crab Season!

I'm on spring break...hubby had to work late, so, I decided to get crafty.  It's crab season in Maryland.  Blue crabs are one of the best things about living in Maryland...crab cakes and steamed crabs...delicious!  I've learned, though, NEVER to order Maryland crab cakes outside of Maryland because they will be AWFUL!  Only Marylanders know how to make true Maryland crab cakes...and I don't know who ever thought of boiling crabs...ICK!  GOTTA be steamed...with Old Bay seasoning!  And since it's crab season in Maryland, I thought I would do a SMASH page about one of my favorite foods...

Yes, some of my cutting might be crooked, but that's because I'm still having knee/back problems that keeps me from going upstairs to my craft room...so, I've learned not to worry about crooked edges.

Happy crab-eating to all you Marylanders.  If you're not a Marylander, you don't know what you're missing!

Saturday Craft Day

Last Saturday I went to my friend's for a craft day.  We decided to make an art journal page.  It had been a long time since we had made one!  When I got there, she had her entire dining room table covered with crafting supplies...that woman could open her very own craft store!  ;)   I had a wonderful day crafting with her!  Here is the art journal page that I made...

I started out gesso-ing the entire page, then using art paste and stencils, I gave it some dimension.  Then I used Dylusions sprays and started out with really bright colors, but then in Gloria's "stash", I found a Mr. Huey's gold spray.  I love that stuff!!  I sprayed it on the page.  It gives it a nice gold sparkle and gives the page a really smooth feel.  It really didn't end up anything like I had started...but all in all, I'm happy with it. Thanks, Gloria, for a fun day!!!

Stampin' at the.....Gym???

Last Saturday, the Meade Girls got together for a shoebox swap.  Our usual location on Ft. Meade, is no longer available to us so we needed to find a new venue for our swap.  Paula took on the challenge to find us a new place and she did a fabulous job!  We got together at the Big Vanilla Athletic Club in their community room...and it was a great place to stamp!  Roomy, bright and  best of off...an elevator so we didn't need to lug all our stamping stuff up to the second floor!  Best of all, we can say we spent 5 hours at the gym!!! 

This was the first swap that Amanda wasn't at since she's moved across the country all the way to New Mexico!  We decided to send her our sample cards, so I don't have one of my card to show.  I'm hoping someone from the swap will take a picture so I can post it.  In the meantime, here are the fabulous cards that we made at the swap.

Paula

 



Kathi

 



 

Jane

Kathy W.

Rose

Pete

 



 

Theresa R.

 

Cindy

 

Angie

 

Fran

 

Michelle

Tracie

 

EDIT: Here is a picture of the card I took to the swap (thanks, Amanda!!!) I decided I wanted to try the starburst/sunburst technique. It's SO much easier than it seems! I had to use only supplies that I had downstairs since I had fallen and hurt my knee so was unable to climb the stairs to my stamp room. I didn't put a sentiment on it since all the wood-mounted stamps and clear blocks were upstairs. I tried to stick a cling stamp to the side of my monoand stamp it.  It worked well, however I just couldn't see through the mono to line it up and it wound up crooked...hence, the shortened front of the card!  Oh, well...anyway, here's my card:

As always, the cards are beautiful.  Looking forward to the next swap sometime in April!!



Snowy Day Stamping

The snow is falling...and I do mean falling!  So far, we have about 4" on the ground with a forecast of about 10"...possibly 14 or more in some pockets are the area.  Since it's snowing and I had a snow day off from school.  I decided I wanted to be creative.  I challenged my stamp group to a Christmas Card Challenge where we need to make a selected number of Christmas Cards each month so that we'll have plenty for next Christmas. I said I needed to make 5 cards a month.  Here is is January 21st and I hadn't made any...my knees have been really hurting and my stamp room is upstairs...I didn't feel like climbing the steps so I challenged myself to create a Christmas card using only what I had downstairs...so, here is what I came up with:

I had been wanting to try the sunburst technique.  It's pretty simple, actually.  Of course, I would have prefered to have vanilla cardstock instead of white and a poinsettia instead of a rose, but hey, all those things were upstairs! 

Anyway, for the most part, they'll do...2 cards down and 3 more to go for January.  Looks like we might have another snow day tomorrow...we'll see what happens.  If we do, maybe I can venture up the stairs...

Papers:  Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard, white, patterned paper from Authentique
Stamp:  Merry Christmas from Stampin' Up
Paper rose unknown

The Meade Girls...PUBLISHED!

Several months ago, I spent the day with my stamping group, the Meade Girls, at a same-set shoebox swap.  Each person created a card using the same stamp set- Stampin' Up's Wetlands.  On a whim, we sent our sample cards and a group photo, along with a write-up (thanks, Angie!) to Just Cards!/Stamp and Scrap Arts magazines.  Lo, and behold, they actually published our cards and write-up in the March 2014 issue of Stamp and Scrap Arts! We had a 2-page spread!  Check it out!

If you'd like to see the cards close-up, click HERE for my original blog post.

I am SO lucky to be a part of this fabulous group!  I have never met such wonderful AND talented ladies!!  We'll be having another shoebox swap in February!

Christmas Happy Mail!

This year, as usual, I received some absolutely gorgeous hand-stamped cards from friends.  I feel like a flake, though, since I didn't get any cards made and sent out. Hoping next year will be better since my stamp group is doing a Christmas Card Challenge throughout the year!  More to come on that later.

Here are all of the beautiful cards I received this year:

Jane

Rose & Toby

 

Tracy

 

Beverly

Julie

 

Gloria

 

Angie

Jeaneen

 

Kathi

 

Cindy

 

Lynn

 

Pete

Paula

Cherie

 

Michelle G.

 

and these pretty thank you cards:

 

 Theresa R.

and Gloria

 

 

 

Wow, I have such talented friends!!