It's Valentines...a special day to celebrate

...love.  Who doesn't want to make one somebody's heart flutter?  It's been forever since Eunice dropped into my studio.  She asked me for something special this year.

I couldn't resist working in a mixed media background with the Dylan Reaveley star stencil.  I used ColourArte's Radiant Gel in Coral Berry.  When it was dry, I rubbed several Gelatos over the top to color the background.

'Eunice' is a 'J Wright' stamp from the discontinued Stamps Happen Company.  She is colored with Copics and Stickles.  I added the netting, crochetd skirt and the silk flower petal underskirt.  The scarf is a bit of gauze colored with markers.  The I love you's are confetti that I embossed in matte powders.

I am entering this card in the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers:
Soss #52 K is for Kiss.  If anyone is snarky, Eunice certainly qualifies.

This card also hits the Mixed Media Card Challenge: #20 {RED}.  To use red and optional hearts on your card.  I've got red net for Eunices' skirt, the heart shaped candy box and  bits of red
                                                                                                           scattered around her outfit!




Here's to Valentine's day and wishing you love overflowing...well, maybe not as overflow as Eunice's bodice...but a cup full~just the same!  What is love?   Recall the Jim Carrey SNL skit.  There are quite a few versions on YouTube.  grin.  That will get you started....

a question for you...

a question for you...

I am having such fun playing with 'ancient' stamps from my stash.  Today I used this Stamps Happen image, a Dolly Mama.  The image was inked with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and colored with Copics.  I used Acrylic Paint for the polka dots.  Added a bit of scrap with net (left over from her underskirt, grin.) at the bottom right.


The paper panels are from two different Basic Grey patterns.  B-Side and Highline.  This card was entered over on Splitcoaststampers SC579 today.  I took a bit of liberty with the panels, turned it vertical.  But then that's art, right?

The Paper Players PP281 has a theme challenge this week.  LeAnne issued a call to use a dog or cat on your card.  Well, how about that fluffy, pampered pink feline?


And I ask the rhetorical question, does my derriere look big in this?  Thanks for stopping by today.  And leaving a comment??? I'm totally cool with that!

heart 2 he{ART}

Hello again artful friends,

I've had time to play in the studio recently and am focusing on Valentine's.  It's easy to create with the color palette associated with hearts, don't you think? The Ways to Use it Challenge on Splitcoaststampers  04 February 16 was all about tape.  I chose the Magic Masking Tape Technique.  Easy Peasy.  You use painters tape and glossy paper.  Apply your ink (I used Distress Inks) to the strip of masking tape.  Three colors. Place them on your glossy paper, lightly pressing down to transfer the inks.  Remove gently and continue.

The City Crafter Challenge Week 297: Fantastic Plastic  call is to use plastic in some way on your project.  I chose to use acetate packaging, stamping my anatomical heart from 100 Proof Press with Stazon 'Jet Black' ink.  I also used a hand craved heart stamp inked with Stazon 'Blazing Red' on acetate.  Check out City Crafter Challenges by clicking my link.  Current challenge ends 9 February 16.

you & me

  

I stamped Technique Tuesdays 'Friends' acrylic set 'You & Me with Archival Ink's Brilliance 'Moonlight White'.  Can you see it ever so faintly at the bottom?

I appreciate all your comments, hoping your heartbeats strong for those you love.

heart tattoos, faulty fun, and raisin' a glass

What fun to have a chance to create a snarky birthday card for a dear friend who has stepped into the great divide...{50}!  This card is entered into the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers SOSS #50: O is for 50 (surprise)!

I am also entering this in the Seize the Birthday challenge for January 14, 2016. Topping are to be clean and simple.  I kept it at a minimum, but just had to add the champagne.

My main image is a stamp from Stamps Happen.  It is not a current stamp.  I colored the panel with Copics, adding a bit of Stickles for the birthday girls' jewelry.  She has a red tattoo on her back, to remind her of all those who love her!  The glasses dimensional with Glossy Accents.  The Anna Griffin champagne bottle was embossed and a snippet of trim added.  

Thanks so much for stopping by, it's been a long time since I have posted to my blog, many other interesting directions in my life...all good, but it is so rewarding to have my fingers inky, stained, and creativity flowing again.  Happy 2016, may it find you health and every happiness.

the answer

It's another Friday...livin' for the weekend, right?  Sometimes the answer is a resounding Yes!

There's a new challenge category over on SCS Fridays that is called Mix-ability.  It is all about
mixed media...a way to get your feet or rather fingers dirty with a multitude of techniques.  This
is the third week and today it's called 'What's white and read all over'.  It uses white space and text
in our work.  Bonus to find a way to use the color red.

This sentiment has me thinking about more forward 'looking'.  And so a mirror seemed to be the perfect image.  It is from a long gone local rubber stamp man...though you might be able to find it at Stamp Francisco.  I embossed
it with clear powder and popped it slightly from the card base.  Mirrored paper was placed under into the frame. I masked the
sentiment so I could place the 'punchline'
under the mirror.

Red tule seemed the perfect accent as well as
an eyelet edge.  All long stashed supplies.




It's a very grey day here and my photographing was not at it's best, but I did like this next image that
captured my shadow.  I am off to ponder...have a wonderful weekend, all!

IT is well with my SOUL

I've been singing this beloved hymn for two weeks now, in the hallways at work, out on my bike, and in my studio.  It is one that sets my spirit soaring.  It is one that gives me great comfort as well.  Time for the second Hymn Challenge of 2013, check it out at Triple the Scraps: Hymn and Scripture Challenge

 I enjoyed the back story that Patter was kind enough to include with this challenge.  A true test of faith is when no matter what is thrown your way, you will still rise up and declare that it is well for the Lord is in control.  Even when you don't feel like it, or you can't see the forest for the trees, or when every
possible thing that could go wrong...ever feel that way?

During my time singing this hymn mostly to myself...I kept thinking on  Henry Ward Beecher's

quote:    the Soul is a temple God is silently building by night and

by day. Precious thoughts are building it, unselfish love is building it, all~penetrating faith is building it.  I love this picture from a National Geographic magazine of an ancient temple in ruins with the ocean doing what oceans' do...renew, reshape, refresh.  And so it is with my soul...the Lord is rebuilding my soul even as my earthy body is 

decaying.  My gift back is to honor MY temple so that I might weather the storms that threaten my faith.  

I created the left page in photoshop, layering the quote over the ocean...it's power is both wonderful and

destructive.  I used cork for the date tab...a bit of vintage German foil and washi tape.  On the right side, is a bit of vintage gold tapestry cut to resemble a banner overlaid with the sentiment ~smile with your soul~.  I used an acetate heart over my soul in the title of the hymn. There are three tiny staples on the heart.  I like to use threes on my work to symbolize the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The phrase, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, on my soul is highlighted.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you are blessed today and that you'll give a bit of thought to this hymn.

As for me, I'm gonna be singing out loud!

Lift High

It is a New Year, new opportunities, still fresh beginnings!  I'm jumping in hopeful...anticipating that every day will filled to the brim with whatever the Lord has for me.  And...for the uncharted waters, that I will navigate in HIS strength.

I am still chasing the balance...just as I've written in many posts before!  Don't know if having many
passions is a blessing, insert big smile here.  Last year took me away from paper art and out on my
bike as I logged over 2,000 miles under my pedal power.  More about that on my cycling blog...

I do want to participate in the Patter Cross 2013 Hymn and Scripture Challenge.  In 2009 she led
His Holy Name study that I very much enjoyed.  If you are interested in my work you can find some
of them right here!  I am remaining positive that EVENTUALLY I will 'catch' up.  And extremely thankful that the LORD is gracious to me as I live unbalanced...


So here are my artful pages for the  #1 hymn for 2013.  It is Lift High the Cross written in 1887 by George William Kicthin.  Patter has several links for listening to the song.  I spent much time just meditating on the words and did watch the Youtube video with used footage from the movie 'The Passion of Christ'. Which for me is heartbreaking~ the visuals of the physical sacrifice Jesus took upon himself, indeed the weight of the whole world.





I am using a hymnal gifted me by my neighbors as my base for the challenges.  And while the
hymn wasn't in this '70's songbook, I printed the music and inserted it on a random page.  I
couldn't get away from the immense weight Jesus bore for us. The facing page is covered with
black inks, leaving tiny bits of the print showing through...which says, His LOVE is
everlasting...forever and always...a lovely serendipity for the scripture I chose, Revelation 7:12.
I also used Twinkling H2O's swirling across the upper page to convey the heavens.

 I added  scraps of wood lower down for there were 2 other men crucified that
day.  The cross was constructed from a safety match.  HE is indeed the LIGHT of the world.
And forever and forever I will proclaim the name of JESUS.

Thank you for hanging in there with me, I have some formatting issues that I am not sure
how to correct...so this post doesn't look as perfect as I would want, but then perhaps that is
a message to me.....