Skull beads and Jack-o-lantern box

Do you know how one thing leads to another? Well, that's what happened to me when I started making skull beads for the Halloween necklace. So, I had to make more; bigger ones, smaller one's, even pumpkin ones. Then I wanted to try and make a large Jack-o-lantern for this little box I bought and painted. I haven't worked with polymer clay much, and don't have much skill at sculpting, but practice does make perfect as they say. Well not exactly perfect as I found out, I learned a few things going through this process. For instance, when making a round object to be glued onto a flat surface, make the bottom flat! My Jack-o-lantern sits a little askew, but it is securely glued.

AAJ Halloween swap 2010

Altered Art Junkies have a annual Halloween swap and I've been working on mine for this year. I decided to make a box of goodies. I altered a pretty box by painting and adding a gothic looking paper witch complete with a black lace skirt accented with purple and black iridescent feathers on the lid. Inside I painted it a glossy red and added a collage of Halloween on the inner lid. Inside I'll put the contents of some cute Halloween tea towels and a canvas Halloween wall hanging I painted. I found a unfinished casket box at Michaels and painted it black, inside and out. I added a cross charm and some black polymer clay roses that I had made. Inside the casket box I will place this Halloween charm necklace I made. The charms and pendant are reversible so the wearer can choose which design they like best. The Skelly bead and the evil eye bead, I made from polymer clay. I hope who-ever my partner will be will like their Halloween box, and of course, filled with what else? Halloween candy!

AB August Challenge

For this months challenge, we were to use the theme "At the beach".
I found a picture of four vintage bathing beauties and decided to use
this as my main focus. I did a watercolor wash of blue and ocher and
while still wet sprinkled with coarse salt and let dry. This makes
a textured background. Then I added some gel medium and used
white sand to mimic drifts. Lastly I added a shell to complete the image.
I framed the sides with  complementary beach/sea images.

Handmade Botanica Book

I  love Graphic45's papers, and I have been itching to create something with these papers. I used the Botanical collection along with webster's pages "petite papers"(which were the perfect back drop to make this little spiral bound handmade eye candy book). Another member from my AB group had made a similar book, but mine is not as elaborate. The nature pages I used whispered: calmness; serenity and simplicity.  Creativity, in any form suits the composer and makes the arrangement their own. Hope to make another using "On the Boardwalk", perhaps I can think of something with a little more flair since these papers are bawdy and vivacious.  Happy altering.

AB July monthly challange

This is my submissin to the AB group monthly challenge for July. The challenge was "picnic" and to incorporate at least one image transfer.

Mad Tea Blog Party

Hello, come on in. I've a place set just for you! Thank you for stopping by, so let's have a cup of Tea and some sweet treats and I'll pass the eye candy round. Enjoy

Halloween ATC's

Yep, it's time to think HALLOWEEN, and these I did for a swap. (yes, it's Halloween swap season, so if you want to check around for any of these swaps, now is the time as they fill up fast). I had so much fun doing these, I don't think I'll put up my halloween stash! Enjoy

Fairy Garden

Ever have fairies in your garden? They just might be. I found these nestled in my hydrangas. Fairies love gardens, so take a look in your gardens, you might be surprised!

Alpha Stamps Summer ATC Swap

Another swap, just can't get enough of the fun! The most recent? AS Yahoo group is hosting a swap to celebrate summer. I couldn't decide which theme to use, so I did both, Under the sea, and vintage bathing beauties. Hope you enjoy them.

June Challenge: Altered Books Yahoo Group

The color "White", and all its various shades was the the challenge for June in the Yahoo Group Altered Books. This is my submission, hope you like it.

Altered Books yahoo group May challenge

I decided to participate in the Altered Books May challenge. The challenge was to do a altered book spead using a "Tea" theme and using the color yellow. Stay tuned for more "tea" as I am participating in A fanciful Twist's "Mad Tea Party" a blog party on June 26th!

More Steam!

  I've been working on my steampunk ATC's for alpha stamps swap. The top three will be submitted, the bottom two I just did for fun. I wanted to do a dark steampunk ATC, hence the one on the bottom right.
I have seen steampunk with a gothic flare, so just wanted to try one. Hope you enjoy.

mini toliet paper book seperated

Steampunk toliet paper roll pocket book

I saw somewhere that you could make mini pocket books out of recycled toilet paper rolls. Hum,, I had to try! So I did and you see the result. All you do is collect four (or however many you want in your book) flatten and crease the edges with a bone folder, glue or tape one end together which makes the "pocket" ( oh, first if you want to paint them, which I did so it wouldn't look cardboardy it gives a nice finished edge inside and out). Then cover with your choice of paper, and embellish. I am doing a steampunk ATC swap and wanted to try using that theme on this. I used a book ring to hold them together and used a nice ribbon and some charms. I cut large tags to fit inside. I haven't done anything to the tags yet, but they could be used for journaling if your in to that. It felt good to get back to doing some arty projects, I've been a busy Grandma helping watch my sweet little grandson,,, so precious, but do miss my "me" time in the studio! Until next time. Happy crafting

Wedding Album

This is Wedding album I made for my son's wedding pictures. I crafted the entire album covers using 12x12 chipboard which I painted a off white color then covered with a large embossed wedding napkin. I made it hinged and I bought 12x12 refill album pages and used the hardware that came with it to bind the pages and cover together, then covered each screw with a faux pearl. The hinge was covered with a morie' ribbon and then added a beaded trim to add a bit of color. I also used a faux pearl trim to edge the ribbon. I glued a length of organza ribbon down the middle on both front and back which will serve to "tie" or secure the album closed. I added some more beaded/sequined trim for accents and glued some coordinating roses for some romance. For the picture I used a precut matt picture frame and did the same treatment with the napkins to cover. I placed a picture in sepia tone of my son and his new wife protected by a transparency overlay. I have found a website I used to order my trims and ribbons from out of Ft. Worth Texas. If interested you may use this link to their site. http://flightsoffancyboutique.com. I purchased the napkins from Hobby Lobby. The 12x12 chipboard, I purchased from scrapbook.com

More mini Masquerade masks

These were just so fun to do, I thought I'd make some more! Check out http://alphastamps.com (gallery/swaps) after March 6th to see more of these mini masks created by other artists

Full size Masquerade mask

I had some of these full size, ready to embellish masquerade masks for sometime just waiting for some inspiration to make them. What better time to dig them out and give it a whirl while I was making the mini masks for a swap

AAJ Valentine Card Swap

Ugh! I hate when I do that! I accidentally deleted this entry when I was posting my recent Alpha Stamp Group swap. So I apologise that I am re-posting this entry. But as you can see (if you haven't seen my previous post on this subject)
my submission to the Altered Art Junkies group Valentine Card swap. These have been mailed to each participant (19 players, excluding myself). I made these "cards" from tri-folded white Lunch sized paper bags and decorated each in a Valentine theme. Each one is different , no two alike. So Happy Valentines day !

AS Masquerade Mask Swap

In honor of "Fat Tuesday" comming up, Alpha Stamps yahoo group, is hosting a masquerade mask swap. The templates for these masks were supplied and were required to use, although you could choose which of the four templates you used. (I only used two of the templates) Each mask is small enough to fit on a ATC card, but for this swap, the masks would stand on its own. You could choose your embellishments/paper, but one item you used (beside the mask template) had to be from Alpha Stamps. In turn, I will receive three masks created by a different artist. I love these swaps as I challenge myself and get inspiration from other artist as well. It is just one way I flex my artistic side.