Red ATCs

 Monochromatic projects are fun to create.  I like figuring out how to use the variety of papers and media to create a cohesive whole.  Over the last few months I've joined a series of swaps over on SwapBot that are color-oriented.  These ATCs are for the red swap.

"Leaky Hat"

I made this one first, but the further I went along the more dark pink it looked to me.  So I made the next one as an insurance ATC.  😁

"Lady in Red"

I've been 'scoping my stash' for the last 80+ days as part of The 100 Day Project and I like the way it's infiltrating my creative habit.  The stamped image and sentiments were the only things I made especially for these ATCs; everything else was scavenged from my stash and several bits were things that had been sitting there unused for a while.

Media:

• Gel print scraps
• Book page scraps
• Washi tape
• Distress Stain
• Copic markers
• Memento ink
• Stampotique stamps (Mela, Crown Quote)
• Used postage stamp (collected by my dad at some point in his younger years)
• Signo UniBall gel pen
• Wink of Stella pen
• Zig Millenium pen

That's a wrap.  Thanks for peeking in!

Monthly Stampotique Swap - "Anything Goes"

 I love Stampotique stamps.  After a bit of a hiatus I joined their monthly ATC swap.  To start I dug around in my stash and found a music sheet that I had gel printed over a while ago.  That was the basis for all of the bits below.

I can't believe we're halfway through January - yowza!

Interactive Door ATC

The weather here has been fabulous!  It makes it a little harder to sit in the studio and chill - I prefer to soak up all of those gorgeous golden rays when they make an appearance.

Swap duties do call though.  This latest ATC is for a swap that requires an interactive door element.  I love, love, love this door from Stampotique; haven't used it in eons though. 

Technically it's a little high.  An ATC is supposed to be 2.5" x 3.5" (which my layer underneath is).  I just didn't have the heart to chop it off though.

Here's a glimpse...

And another...

What?!  Bet you didn't know there'd be a llama in there.  The person I'm sending this to really loves llamas.  The framed artwork behind my furry friend is from the Peruvian artist, Leonardo Asiro.

That's it for today, folks.  The sun is out and the backyard is calling...

Favorite Quote...SDC #345

Hello, Peeps!  Yesterday I had a good ol' time celebrating my son's birthday.  It was quite different from what we had originally planned and it ended up being just fine.  A good time had by all...

I got back to 'work' (ha-ha...arting isn't work!) this morning in my little pandemic mini journal.  (I don't know that the name will stick, but for now it really is kind of a chronicle of what I'm thinking as we all go through this.)

The inspiration for this page was the Stampotique Designers Challenge for this fortnight: Favorite Quote.  I do love this one...it applies in so many situations - the current one for sure.  I don't know about you, but I'm constantly shaking my head in dismay when listening to the news or hearing about people ignoring the guidelines designed to keep us all safe.  Ai yai yai...

Be safe, stay sane, wishing you good health,
Julie

Under the Sea ATC

I'm sending this ATC to somebody who really likes the ocean and all of it's mystery.  :)

There are glittery bits on the words and on parts of the seahorse.  I tried to capture it in this next photo.  Can you see them?

Are you getting some time to create these days?

Flowery ATCs

I mostly only have time on the weekends for arting.  I love the days when The Muse feels like coming out to play.  She hung with me today while I made a couple of ATCs.

It would appear that there is a bit of a green theme going on.  Well...it IS March...😀

Cheers and I'll see you next weekend.

Snarky Stampotique ATCs

Over on the Stampotique FB group there is a little monthly fun swapping ATCs.  There's always a theme and for February it was 'snarky sayings'.  It's no secret that I love a little snark so I jumped on board without a second thought.

Classic Stampotique snark with this quote...love it.  Other Stampotique goodies used on this are Texture Cube, Microscopic, and Cooee.

I love Cecil.  When I found this quote online I knew Cecil was the right dude for the job.  I also used 'incident report' from Bar Code Text #2 in the background.

I hope my trading partner gets a chuckle out of these.

Cheers!

Thank You, Friends...

I have been feeling the need to create lately.  I've dabbled (or re-dabbled) in ATCs and card-making, but that wasn't quite doing it for me.  When I saw the 'favorite stamp' challenge at Stampotique, my first thought was, "Huh?  How am I supposed to pick a favorite??" and my next was that I could try to jam a whole bunch on an art journal page.

I have a stack of various journals that I've collected, and not finished, over the past 10 years.  (I didn't realize I had been art journaling for that long!)  The one I pulled down is little, the size of an A2 card, and made from a variety of patterned papers and copy paper.  These are not necessarily the best bases to work on, but this bad boy needs to be arted up; the last page I did in it was dated May 2011.

I got busy with gesso, Lindy's Magical Shakers, acrylics, inks, stamps, gel pens, Pitt pens, Neocolors, stencils...I dusted off some supplies for sure.  This page is a reminder to myself that I have some great peeps in my life who appreciate my quirkiness.  My co-workers smile and shake their heads as I dance down the hall improv-ing songs for my little kids.  My family has infinite patience with my attempts at being clever and witty (I think quite successfully but they may disagree).  My online friends encourage me in my artistic endeavors and push me to keep going.  So here's to you, friends!

Thank you for joining me in my own little world.

Creepy Bunny ATC

It's been a long time since I've tackled some ATCs.  I joined a swap over on SwapBot with a "Creepy Doll" theme.  This bunny from Stampotique came to mind right away.  😀

I used alcohol markers, dye ink and Distress ink to make this little dude came to (after) life.  I'm adding it to Stampotique's "Black, White & one other color" Challenge, too.

Happy Halloween!

So Cute?...or Stampotique Designers Challenge #321

So...I don't know if the gurus at Stampotique will think this qualifies as "cute" but I do.  😁  I'm a big sucker for all things coffee and I love this cute coffee cup stamp and quote from Stampotique.  Easy breezy to put them together on this ATC.

May your cup runneth over...

Bird Lady and Her Little Friend

Hello there!

I've been feeling under the weather so watched a bunch of gelli print YouTube videos.  When I saw one about printing on tissue paper and then layering it I had to get busy creating.  That's what I used to make the background on my ATC for the latest Stampotique Designers Challenge, "Birds and Bees".

Thanks for stopping by!

Love, Love, Love...(doot, do, do, do...)

Now I have that song stuck in my head...

Every month over on Stampotique's FB page there is an ATC swap.  The theme for this month is, you've got it, LOVE.  I dug in my stash and whipped out some oldies (and not so oldies) but goodies to create two ATCs.

These are some of Stampotique stamps I used:

• Texture Cube 1
• Some Bunny
• (Agatha's ..discontinued?)
• Hanging Hearts

Has February got you feeling the love?  I hope so!

Mushroom Trio ATC

I love the Stampotique mushrooms.  They make me think of some hidden place among the ferns in a forest.  I made this ATC for the current "use cardboard" challenge at the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog.

I embraced the cardboard challenge by starting with a cereal box base.  I slathered some modeling paste over it and then pressed a piece of corrugated cardboard into the wet paste for some texture.

After that it was simple to put the rest of it together.  I stamped the shrooms on a book page, colored them with Copics and then cut them out.  I painted a bit of shimmery watercolor on the background, added some washi tape and then glued on the shrooms.  Bits of pale green Nuvo drops give a hint of dewy bits.  Check out the challenge HERE and thanks for swinging by today!

The Guardian ATC

I love this stamp from Stampotique.  Her name is Communitree and she reminds me of some woodland spirit from an enchanted forest who takes care and stands guard over the living things therein.  I made this for the 'one word' ATC trade over on the Stampotique Facebook page this month.

I'm still working on capturing glittery, shimmery bits in my photographs.  Her hair and the word, spirit, both have Wink of Stella on them to make them a little extra special.

Happy Sunday and thanks for stopping by.

Clean & Simple Stampotique Style

The Muse requested, no, insisted, that I play with my fave Stampotique bee stamps today.  I made this card for the CAS challenge over on the SDC.

I am telling you I just don't get it.  For years, literally YEARS, I was ogling these bee stamps and I never bought them.  I think I was unsure if I really "needed" them or was going to really "use" them.  Yet, whenever I saw someone's creative project with them I would ooo and ahh and wish that I had them in my hot little hands.  I finally caved and bought them and the clouds parted and angels sang.  Yes!  I did need them!

Does this happen to you?  Do it!

Christmas Mail Art: Surprise & Delight

Schwoo...the 12 Tags of 2018 are under my belt, but now The Muse has awoken and wants to get BUSY.  I proceeded to sign up for a bunch of swaps over at SwapBot and ATCsForAll and now we're off and creating some more.  Today it's mail art.

Look at all of this delish stamp goodness!  Several Stampotique faves are here.  I wish you could see the sparkly bits I added, but alas, my photo skills haven't progressed that far.

This came together quickly with my trusty Distress and Memento inks and Copic markers as well as some Sharpie delights.  I'm going to add this to Stampotique's Snowy Christmas challenge.

Thanks to The Crafty Sugar Addict for mail art inspiration!!

Ho ho ho!  I hope your holiday season is full of laughter and joy.

12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Touch - Day 1

I love the 12 Tags of Christmas over on the Ellen Hutson blog.  Each day features the handiwork of two designers based around a theme, technique or product.  The first day is alcohol inks.  I don't really need a lot of tags so I'll be making ATCs instead.

I loved the look of Carolyn's pink alcohol ink on her tag.  I also borrowed her idea to use Copic reinkers - brilliant!

As luck would have it the theme for the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog for December is snowy Christmas so my little snow friend fits right in there, too.  Woot woot!

To join in the 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Touch 2018, click HERE.

Grumpy Elf (or Swaperoo - Week 2)

I love the Stampotique girls.  For the SDC #312 "swaperoo" challenge I've combined two of my faves (Marsha and Noelle) to create a slightly grumpy looking elf card for the holidays.  :)

Well, I suppose if I had that mountain of presents behind me to take care of I may be a bit grumpy, too.

Check out the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and join in the fun!

Stamps Used:

• Marsha
• Noelle
• Towering Gifts
• Jingle Your Own Damn Bells!

SDC 312: Swaperoo!

It's time for a new challenge over at the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog.  This one is a fun one - swaperoo.  This is where you take two or more stamped images, cut them and then recombine them into one image.  Talk about getting more from your stamp purchases!  Plus, it really gives a little boost to The Muse and lets her play around a bit.

Today I combined two stamped images to make my Magical Spirit ATC.

In the above pic it's a little hard to see, but she has lots of sparkly magical bits on her, too (thanks to Wink of Stella glitter pen wonderfulness).  Look closer...

Gotta love a little sparkle.  Join in the fun on Stampotique's Facebook page.

Stamps used:

• Isabelle
• Kate's Angel
• Spiral

SDC #311 - Week 2: Bugging Out

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Stampotique's bees.  For the Stampotique Designers Challenge this week I've made an ATC celebrating the Queen Bee.

There are all kinds of glittery bits on this that just don't show up in the photo.  Her wings have clear Wink of Stella on them and her body, head and around the edges have Inka Gold.  Metallic gold paint splatters on there as well.

Stamps Used:

• Big Bee
• Medium Bee
• Hexagon
• Texture Cube 1
• Alpha Background

Find all the details on the buggy challenge HERE.  Thanks for swinging by today!