UTAH PANSIES

THIS ATC SWAP I COORDINATED WITH A TRAVELING SCRAPBBOOK GROUP CALLED HILLTOP MEMORIES IN TAMPA FLORIDA. LINDA DOES AN AWESOME JOB PUTTING CROPS AND FOOD TOGETHER FOR DAY AND WEEKEND CROPS AROUND FLORIDA. WE ALSO DO SOME SWAPS WITHIN THE GROUP LIKE 6X6 RECIPES, HOLIDAY CARDS AND NOW ATC'S. ALOT OF THE LADIES HAVE NOT VENTURED OUT INTO THE ATC WORLD AND SEVERAL OF USE WANTED TO SHARE THE FUN WE HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH ATC'S. THIS MONTHS THEME WAS FLOWERS. I SELECTED A PHOTO TAKEN IN UTAH OR THE BEAUTIFUL PANSY FEATURED ABOVE. I ABSOLUTLEY LOVED ALL THE FLOWERS THERE SO I USED ACYRLIC PAINT TO REPRESENT THIS PHOTO. LATER I WILL POST ALL OF THE SWAPS FOR EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED.

MORE LUCKY DIP SWAPS

I FORGOT TO SHOW YOU MY WATERCOLOUR THEMED ATC. I SAW A PAINTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS AT A RESTAURANT AND THOUGHT I WOULD DO MY OWN VERSION. I COVERED MY ATC WITH 1 LAYER OF GAUZE FOR A NEAT TEXTURE AND PAINTED IN THE TREE AND ROOTS

LUCKY DIP SWAP

THIS IS A LUCKY DIP SWAP I PARTICIPATE IN. IN THIS SWAP THE MODERATOR LIST SEVERAL TITLES AND YOU SELECT THE TITLES YOU WOULD LIKE TO REPRESENT IN YOUR OWN WAY. MY SELECTIONS WERE

3 WISHES; IN WHICH I REPRESENTED IN THE FORM OF A LOTTERY TICKET, FAME AND HAPPINESS

PEACE CHARITY & HOPE; WHICH I DID IN WATERCOLOR MINI PAINTING FOR EACH OF THE SYMBOLS

SCRAP; I SIMPLE USED SOME SCRAP BUTTERFLY PAPER TO MAKE A FRAME AND STAMP ASIAN FLOWERS AND EMBOSSED THEM

EYE CANDY; FOR ME EYE CANDY MEANS MATHEW MCCONAUGHEY SO I BLINGED UP A HOT PHOTO OF HIM SURFING

THINGS THAT FLY; I CUT OUT MANY BUTTERFLIES FROM MY SCRAPBOOK PAPER AND MADE A COLLAGE OF BUTTERFLIES

ASIAN THEMED BOOK SWAP

THIS IS MY LAST SWAP I CREATED TONIGHT. I USED MY SIZZIX FILE DIECUT TO CUT 5 PIECES OF CHIPBOARD. I SELECTED THESE ASIAN PAPERS WHILE I WAS IN UTAH SCRAPPIN WITH FRIENDS. ALL THE EDGES ARE INKED AND NEATLY FILED. I USSED CHIPBOARD LETTERS FOR THE FRONT STAMPED WITH ASIAN WORDS. THE CHOPSTICKS I PAINTED WHITE AND THEN STAMP TO ADD DETAILS. THE PHOTOS I FOUND ON THE INTERNET. I USED OLD ASIAN COLLECTABLE STAMPS, COINS, PAPER MONEY, RIBBON, FIBERS, AN ASIAN TAROT CARD AND MANY ASIAN STAMPS I HAVE WITH EMBOSSING POWDERS AND INK. THIS SWAP WILL GO OUT TO TEXAS. I ALREADY RECEIVED MY BOOK FROM MARNIE AND WILL UPLOAD LATER. THANKS MARNIE FOR THE EXTRA ITEMS YOU SENT WITH MY BOOK TO HELP ME FINISH THIS PROJECT. IT WAS FUN!

MICROSCOPE MAILERS

NOW THIS WAS AN INTERESTING PROJECT THAT I PARTICIPATED IN. I CHOOSE MY OWN THEMES BUTTERFLIES & ASIAN. I SIMPLE COVERED THE MAILERS IN PAPER, INKED AND EMBOSSED SOME. THEN I CUT OUT THE OPENINGS FOR THE MAILERS WHERE THE FLOWERS AND ASIAN CHARMS ARE. ON THE BUTTERFLY ONE I ALSO USED A BUTTERFLY CHIPBOARD TO GIVE IT SOME DIMENSION. I ALSO INCLUDED SOME COLLECTABLE STAMPS FROM A COLLECTION I HAVE. THE BUTTERFLY ONE WAS POSTED ON THE COVER OF THE YAHOO SWAP GROUP SO I GUESS IT WAS WELL LIKED!

4x4 FABRIC BOOK SWAP

THIS IS A SWAP I PARTICIPATED IN WHERE YOU DO YOUR OWN COVER AND BACK AND YOU CREATE 4 PAGES TO SWAP WITH OTHERS. THIS WAS A NEAT SWAP IN WHICH I HAD NOT DONE BEFORE NEXT TIME I PLAN TO DO MORE SEWING ON MY PAGES ONCE I GET MY SEWING MACHINE WORKING. I WILL POST MOE PHOTOS OF MINE WHEN THE SWAPPERS POST THEM.

CLAY CHARM SWAP

HERE IT IS MY FIRST ATTEMPT IN A CHARM SWAP.

I USED SCULPEY CLAY FROM JOANNS. THANKS TO MY MOMS STRONG HANDS FOR KNEADING IT AND ROLLING IT OUT AS MY HANDS JUST AREN'T STRONG ENOUGH. I USED A SMALL ROUND COOKIE CUTTER, (LESS THAN 1 INCH) AND USED A FLOURISH CHARM TO IMPRINT THE CHARM AND USED AN ICE PICK TO CREATE A SMALL HOLE. THEY WERE BAKED ON 250 FOR 15 MINUTES. ONCE COOLED I BEGAN TO DECORATE WITH PAINT AND INK. THE INK DIDN'T DRY AT ALL SO I THEN ADDED GLOSSY ACCENTS TO COAT THE CHARM. I DIDN'T FIGURE ANYONE WOULD WANT THE INK ON THEIR CLOTHES LOL! THIS ADDED A NICE SHEEN TO THE CHARM. I LIKED THE WAY IT CAME OUT AND HOPE THE 15 PEOPLE IN MY SWAP GROUP WILL TO.

HAND DRAWN FLOWERS SWAP

I THINK SWAP IS MY MIDDLE NAME LATELY AS I HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN SO MANY, BUT I LOVE CREATING AND SHARING WITH OTHER. THIS SWAP WAS TO BE ATC'S OF HAND DRAWN FLOWERS. I CREATED SMALL CANVAS 2 1/2 BY 3 1/2 AND SPONG PAINTED THE BACKGROUND IN WHITE TO GET THE TEXTURE OF A CANVAS. THE WHITE AND YELLOW DAISY'S I FOUND ON FLICKER A RECREATED THEM FOR THIS SWAP. I USED SOME OIL PASTEL STICKS AND DRIED IT GOOD WITH AN EMBOSSING DRYER. I THEN USED EMBOSSING MARKERS FOR THE DETAILS AND FINISHED IT UP BY ADDING CLEAR EMBOSSING POWDER TO GIVE IT SOME SHINE.

UTAH SCRAPPIN TRIP

I JUST RECENTLY RETURNED FROM AN AWESOME TRIO TO UTAH. WE TOOK MANY CLASS AND ATE AT SEVERAL TRIPLE D'S REATAURANTS THATS DINER, DRIVE INNS & DIVES THAT ARE FEATURED ON THE FOOD NETWORK. THER WERE 18 OF US WHO WENT AND EVERYONE SHARED THEIR PHOTOS SO I HAVE TONS TO SCRAP. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT BEAR TRAP LODGE WE ALL EXCHANGED GOODIES FOR OUR TRIP THEY WERE ALL SO NEAT. I MADE THESE LUGGAGE TAGS FOR EVERONES "CARRY ON BAGGAGE!"

ZENTANGLES

HERE ARE A FEW OF THE ZENS THAT I DID FOR A SWAP RECENTLY THAT I BLOGGED ABOUT.
IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN EACH ONES ART. THE MOON IS ONE THAT I RECEIVED BACK FROM ONE OF THE ARTIST WHICH IS VERY NICE. THE OTHERS ARE 2 THAT I COMPLETED OUT OF SIX. KINDA OF NEAT DOODLING TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.

AMBER DEBIRK STUDIO CLASS

JUST TOOK AND AWESOME TRIP TO SALT LAKE CITY UTAH.

THIS IS BEFORE AND AFTER FIRING, PHOTOS OF A GLASS JEWELRY CLASS WE TOOK AT AMBER DEBIRK'S STUDIO. THE LARGER TRIANGLE SHAPED PENDANT AND EARRINGS ARE WHAT THEY CALL A FULL FUSE AND THE OTHER PENDANT IS, I THINK CALLED A PARTIAL FUSE. THIS CLASS BROUGHT ME BACK TO MY SCHOOL DAYS AS I DID ALOT OF STAINED GLASS. THIS JEWELRY IS SIMPLE MADE FROM SCRAPS OF STAINED GLASS THAT IS FIRED AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES TO GET THE DIFFERENT EFFECTS. AMBER DEBIRK WAS ALSO A VERY PLEASANT AND OUTSTANDING ARTIST. I SUGGEST IF YOU ARE EVER IN THE AREA TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HER TO DO A CLASS OR CHECK OUT HER JEWELRY ON HER BLOG. VERY VERY COOL STUFF, LOVED IT!! WHAT A GREAT WAY TO REUSE SCRAP GLASS AND CREATE ART!

ATC SWAP

I AM HEADED OFF TO UTAH NEXT WEEK SO I HAD TO FINISH THIS SWAP AND GET IT IN THE MAIL. I AM LOVING THIS ATC GROUP OUT OF THE UK IT HAS TOTALLY INSPIRED ME.

I JUST RECENTLY JOINED ANOTHER SWAP CALLED ZENTANGLES. I AM TO MAKE 6 4X4 CARDS OF DOODLING. SEE THE VIDDEO BELOW I FIGURE THIS WILL BE EASY ENOUGH TO DO ON A PLANE.

DR SEUSS ATC SWAP

hey if it wasn't for these swaps I just might go crazy so I might as well stay busy. LOL I was all caught up on my other swaps that are not due until june so I joined this one too. i really tried to think out of the box and do something different than I had been doing. So I headed out to Michaels and bought some oil pastel sticks "Student Grade" as they were cheaper. Well after I got home and started the stick was way to waxy so I had to also use paint and my acid free markers. I started by coloring in the backgroups with a few colors of the oil pastels. then I took my heat embossing tool and melt the wax a bit to the small canvas. I then started filling in the white spots with other colors of markers. The swap consist of four piece's so maybe tomorrow I will do my Lucy Lou Who character. These are all created by free hand. It has been probably 20 years since I have done this kind of art but I am loving it. It keeps my mind busy and gives me something to do while my multiple sclerosis has my legs totally out of commission. Some days my hands work better than other just hope God keeps my hands in tact.

ATC SLIDE MOUNT SWAP

This is another swap I have completed with old slide mounts. I actually just cut my slide mounts with chipboard the actual dimensions needed. I found this very fun and exciting. Each house was to have a picture and a house number and name, then just decorated as you like. I find these little pieces of art are perfect for using scraps and misc embellishments with out using all your stock. I think my favorite is the Mary one for Marilyn Monroe. I live at 1539 but did not want to put my own photo there and the colors worked good with the photo I found. The funniest one I think is Martha as I had the metal square embellisments and number stickers that fit perfectly. After i had it done the house numbers kind of reminded me of an inmate number. LOl I didn't do it intensionally but it is funny. Notice Betty and all the food stuff on her house. that is for Betty Crocker. these are supper fun to do.

ATC LABEL SWAP

This is a swap I joined. The theme was to createthree 2 1/2 by 3 1/2 Artist Trading Cards with misc. labels. Now this was interesting I started pulling labels off everything I could think of without a UPC. I think remeber some old cd covers I had saved to do something with so I created this journey ATC. I was at the local casino and saw the guitar pick and thought how perfect his way the person I swapped with would have a momento from my area. I really like this and would love to see a musician or band ATC swap so I work this to my advantage and I love it.

The first thought that came to my mind was the labels on fruits and vegetable so I put this together as well. It is amazing to see how much of our produce comes from Mexico. i am not as crazy about this ATC.

My daughters favorite is with the rick rack and thread spool labels. She loves the gold and silver rick rack so i guess this fad is back. I remember wearing boat shoes in these colors in the 80's. I also thought adding the silver threader was a neat twist as I found this in a travel sewing kit I have had around for years.

Sara

Trivial Pursuits ATC swap

This is another ATC swap I participated in recently. They are 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 in size. We were suppose to represent each category in the Trivial Pursuits game. I choose to do mine for things that I feel will represent the future in each of the categories like

Obama- History

Twilight- Arts and Literature

Favre- Sports

Sandra Bullock- Entertainment

Global warming- Science

Chili- Geography

I was hoping my whole collection would go to one person as you can see the idea was to complete the pie like plaing the game.

MARY ENGELBREIT TEAPOT SWAP

I wasn't quite sure about this chunky chipboard swap "without pictures" but I had such a fun time putting it together I worked on it for nearly a week. We were suppose to mimick Mary Engelbreit style. I hope I am so what on and everyone likes it.