Flashy: April's ATC

Dear Reader,

Real life has gotten in the way of blogging.  I have been making art, but also indulging in other hobbies.  I recently read the Hunger Games trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed the books which I am still digesting (I can't wait until my sister finishes them up so we can fully discuss them).  When I picked up the trilogy I also bought a much desired copy of "The Muppets".  Everything about this movie brings me joy from the Muppets themselves, to the humor, to the human actors, and most especially the music (how I miss Flight of the Conchords!, but "Man or Muppet" is an amazing song and I sing it all the time).  Sometimes it is a blessing to be reminded of childhood loves.

Anyway, I thought I would share with you a picture of the ATC I made last night for today's trade.  If you happen to be trading with me look away!  The theme I chose to sign up for this month was sparkle.  This meant I found some glittered paper, got out my stickles, shine Mister Huey's by Studio Calico and some gems.  I of course wanted to also use paper wings productions stamps.  This time it was the Polaroid camera from Vintage Technology by handmade by Lissie girl along with the frame from Day Framer and the "smile" from Life Framer.

One last thing: how would you like a chance to win a stamp set of your choice from paper wings productions?  Enter by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. (central time) HERE. 

Happy creating,
Shay.

Dramatic Frida

Dear Reader,

If anyone is trading ATCs with me this evening, please ignore this post for the time being.  This month's themes were No Tim Holtz (we all happen to use a lot of Tim Holtz product so this was a challenge theme) or Theatre.  I chose to sign up for the Theatre theme.

There happens to be a stamp set from Paper Wings Productions that is perfect for the Theatre theme.  Frida Por Vida as drawn by the fabulously talented Liz Balderas of handmade by Lissie girl happens to have a Frida I fell in love with along with two panels of curtains--I could not have asked for anything better.  I stamped the curtains on a subtle red patterned paper by My Mind's Eye and then colored in the rope with a gold pen.  To the curtain I added a strip of scalloped punched matching patterned paper.  Ms. Frida was stamped directly on the ATC and colored in with Copics along with the row of flowers at the bottom.  Masking off Frida and her birdie friend, I added some Distress Inks in scattered straw and antique linen to the background (obviously I didn't do the No Tim Holtz theme).

I hope you like the dramatic Ms. Frida taking a turn walking the boards.  I think she would have been captivating.

Happy creating,
Shay.

Introducing Framers Part II

Dear Reader,

Today I bring you some more examples of the uses of the Framer stamp sets now available for pre-order (and on sale for a limited time) at Paper Wings Productions.

We focus on the Details and Life Framer stamp sets.

Details Framer

I decided to do a journaling card showing how the frame in the Details Framer set framing a photo easily fits on a Project Life journaling card with plenty of space for some journaling along with embellishments.  In the background is the clock from the Melange Women 2 set from Paper Wings Productions. 

Life Framer

Here you see the frame from the Life Framer set paper pieced.  It is a great way to add interest or tie the frame into whatever project you are working on.  The woman framed is from the Melange 3 set from Paper Wings Productions.  I also wanted to show you how the frame looks on the ATC without being attached to a tag:

Thinking outside the frame:

Here I decided to use the 4 frame images in the Day, Details, Life & Snapshot Framer sets to create a background/patterned paper for a scrapbook layout (this would also work great on a card, tag, mini album, multi media project or an art journaling page).  Please don't snicker at my laughable attempt at scrapbooking please...or at least not too loudly.  I thought it would be good to show how the Framer sets really work well for documenting for life. 

Lastly, today I wanted to show you how you could use the frame from the Details Framer set to create a tab on your project:

I used the lovely Happy Days and Let's Eat Cake stamp sets from Paper Wings Productions to create this card in addition to the frame from Details Framer. 

I hope this has helped to illustrate what the Framer stamp sets can help you make.  I plan on exploring the Framer sets more and sharing those discoveries with you.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments you have.  I would *love* to see anything you create with them.  Feel free to email me or comment here with a link.

Happy creating,
Shay.

February's ATC Trade

Dear Reader,

Yesterday was another Artist Trading Card trade.   February's themes were dangle or undergarments (I know sort of a provocative grouping).  I chose to sign up for the undergarments theme...I thought I would go the corset route.  Monday when I seriously contemplated my design another idea came to me.  I carved out a few simple shapes: boxers, bra and panties (otherwise if I owned it I would have used swimsuit season by Lawn Fawn which would have been perfect!) for a cheery clothesline look. 

The background stamp is one of my all-time favorites by Hero Arts (S5215) as I love clouds (it must be a little of the 80's rubbing off on me).

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy creating,
Shay.

airing the dirty laundry ATCs
stamps: clouds (S5215), Hero Arts; remainder, handcarved
ink: tuxedo black, Memento Tsukineko; speckled egg, Jenni Bowlin for Ranger
marker: soft black, Memory Marker by American Crafts
cardstock: solar white (110 lb), Neenah Papers
patterned paper: love me 6x6 paper pad, My Mind's Eye
die: double-ended banners, Papertrey Ink
embossing folder: retro circles (from rays & retro circles 2-pack), Tim Holtz Alterations Texture Fades for Sizzix
other: baker's twine, Martha Stewarts Crafts; cuttlebug, Provo Craft; Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper, We R Memory Keepers; staples and stapler, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Tiny Attacher by Advantus; gems; dimensional adhesive

Ticket to Fly

Dear Reader,

Do you love the little art known as Artist Trading Cards (ATC) as much as I do?  I have been participating in a monthly local trade for nearly 8 years now.  Each month we have two themes to choose from (or for the ambitious they can do both themes).  In January the theme I chose to sign up for was Make-Your-Own-Background.  I *love* making backgrounds.  I find it very therapeutic and calming as the mind wanders and the fingers do their magic.  I had no real idea of what I was doing for my background although I thought I could use a copy of two masterboards I made using some Hero Arts stamps, crayons and Adirondack Color Washes a while back. 

Here are the masterboards (it is a fun crayon resist):

That was when things got a bit crazy. 

I sprayed some of my Studio Calico Mister Huey's on the copy to mute the vibrant greens, oranges and yellows a bit (and to just play with them because they are fun!).  I added a strip of orange electrical tape bought at Home Depot last fall (with Halloween in mind).  Then I thought why not pull out one of my old Scarlet Lime kits and play with some of the cool elements I had in it?  So then I placed some alphabet stickers from Prima randomly all over each of the backgrounds.  Then I added a glittery lacy sticker border in the middle over the electrical tape.  Add some Glimmer Misted and stamped tickets (love, love my House of 3/Pink Paislee Parisian Anthology stamp set.  My recommendation: if you find this stamp set, snap it up!) attached with Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher, misted bird punch mixed in with patterned paper punched pieces, a bling eye from Prima and there's the card.

Thanks for stopping by the Hall!

Happy creating,
Shay.

Alphabet Soup ATCs
Supplies:
Stamps: tree, bird & flourish in masterboards from Tree, Birds & Messages set (CL182), Hero Arts and damask and postal cancellation from Parisian Anthology set, House of Three/Pink Paislee;
Ink: chipped sapphire, Tim Holtz's Distress Inks by Ranger
Cardstock: white, Georgia-Pacific; golden orange scraps
Patterned Paper: GCD Studios
Punch: bird & twig, Stampin' Up!
Sprays: Mister Huey's Calico White, Studio Calico; denium blue glimmer mist, Tattered Angels; lettuce, Tim Holtz's Adriondack Color Wash by Ranger
Other: yellow alphabet stickers, Prima; green glitter paper lace; orange electrical tape; tiny attacher, Tim Holtz; clear jewel, Prima; tickets; crayons, Crayola; Crop A Dile Corner Chomper, We R Memory Keepers 

Absolutely Fabulous Spray Paint

I am presently taking a class with the super talented Debee Campos.  If you have ever happened upon her blog you will see some fantastic eye-candy.  We are working on mini-albums, but since I had an ATC trade coming up with the theme of Altered Playing Cards I thought I would use the first day's art lesson to create my cards.  I had an incredible amount of fun playing with spray paint and I think black and white shall soon be joined by chartreuse, aqua, yellow, orange, grey and purple (some of the colors for Halloween). 

I really love how they turned out--both grungy and clean which is something I have never really accomplished before. 

Here are my ATC's (and please forgive the quality of the photos):

Absolutely Fabulous ATC's
{Supplies}
Stamps: Absolutely Fabulous, Papertrey Ink; Label, Kenner Road
Mist/Spray: Sweet Pea, Glimmer Mist
Die Cut: Bird, Tim Holtz by Sizzix
Punch: Starburst, Martha Stewart Crafts
Watercolors: Crayola
Other: Matte Black & Glossy White Spray Paint; Dimensional Foam Adhesives, American Crafts