Anything but a card challenge-ATC

This is my first post for the ABAC (Anything but a card )challenge blog. Thanks again to Susan for inviting me to join!

The challenge for the next 2 weeks is an ATC. No them. just make an ATC. Simple right? After making 25 ATC's for the Art retreat in Austin making one is a piece of cake!

The base is a scrap of Scrapbook paper, Out of Print by Basic Grey.I glued it onto a atc base that was already cut. I used some green craft paint and painted some of it onto a piece of bubble wrap and stamped it on the Scrapbook paper. Next I rummage through my stash and saw these rub-ons by Creative Imagination. I really never had an idea for this ATC. So once I used the Hawaii postmark it was sort of set up to be a beachy type ATC. 

I stamped the beach lady by Viva Las VegaStamps! on white cardstock with Black Memento ink pad. colored her with Prisma color pencils. Used Miracle tape to attach her to the ATC. I then Used some Mudd Puddles for the sand. The one I used is called Key Largo. I applied this with a pallet knife. While that was drying I traced some arrows from the Negatives of Grunge board elements I have. Cut them out to see which one I wanted to use. After I picked, I painted the arrow  the same green I used with the bubble wrap stamping. I wrote BAR in big letters on the arrow. I used foam tape on the arrow. I then stamped "I like being single..." on white cardstock. and cut the words and put that on the ATC with glossy accents. Lastly I put some glossy accents on the glasses of the lady.

Well thats it for me for this week! be sure to play along and upload you blog post to the ABAC blog! 

ARC: my April read

This month I read Smoking Seventeen by Janet Evanovich. Its the 17th(duh!) in the Stephanie Plum series.

Stephanie works as a Bails Bondsman for her cousin Vinnie. In this book the bail office is being rebuilt after it was caught on fire in the last book. The entire office(which is all of 4 people, Connie, Vinnie, and Lula and of course Stephanie) have been working in Mooner's bus. When the they were starting to build the new office, a body is found buried not too deep where the bond office was. Then there was another body found, and another. Meanwhile Stephanie has been trying to catch skips, one who thinks is a vampire. and one who put up a bear for his bond. Fun times! On top of that Stephaine's mom is trying to fix her up with a guy who she went to school with. As if she needs another guy to add to her mix(Morelli and Ranger). Oh and Morelli's grandmother put a curse on her.

The book like all the others is very funny. But some parts of the book I thrown in the book, because that's what happens in all the other books,(like cars blowing up). I just wish she would just pick a guy already! ::cough:pick Morelli::cough:: But it was a fun read. And will read 18 and 19 in the series.

My Art Journal page I did was based off the Circus bear in the book. OK the bear doesn't exactly look like the one in the book. I couldn't find a circus bear I liked. lol

The background I used a Stencil that I got from Jean, and used the primary colors of red, yellow and blue craft paints. After all the stencils were done I tool each color and just rubbed it over the page. If the color mixed together all good, if not all good too. The bear is a digi stamp from Birdi Brown. I colored him with crayons. The hear balloons were glitter crayons. The letters are from the $1 spot at Target. I did add glue to the back of them to make sure they stayed put.

the next book Is going to be Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy

we pause for this special announcement!

I'm happy to announce that I am now a design team member with Anything but a card challenge. This challenge blog is lead by fellow VLVS! Design team member Susan Brown.

Every 2 weeks there will be a new challenge for you to do. And you can make anything you want as long as it's not a card! So stay tune for my result for the challenge with them on Sunday and come play along! :)

The great ATC swap

April 11th I went to an Art Retreat with some crafty friends I've met on line over the years from Ustream. Its was a blast! I can't wait! One of the things we did was an ATC swap. It didn't take me long to make 25 ATC's. And no there not 25 people going, its just how many I made. I had the backgrounds done for a while and sitting in my stash, so all I had to do was cut them to ATC size and stamp and decorate away.

I used 3 different sentiments stamps and 4 Mary Vogal Lozinak images. The 4 images I used were Bird head on stick, Flamingo, sitting bird, One eye monster, and jump rope girl. The 3 sentiments I used were If you have crazy friends you have everything, I'm not insane, and I'm not weird.The background are all different  But I am surprise on how many stamps I used for this project. lol I stamped them all on white cardstock in black Versafine ink pad and embossed with Ultra high gloss clear embossing powder. I colored them with watercolor by Artist loft. The Jump rope girl I added some stickles to the circles of her dress. I stuck them down with Miracle tape.The sentiments I cut in to pieces and glued them on the ATC's Glossy Accents.

One set of backgrounds I did was using water down craft paints and sprays on some glossy paper or Kromecote and then placing the plastic wrap over it. Let it dry. Once its dried you get some cool texture background.

The other background I did was a left over piece of white cardstock that I had dragged some sprays  through to get some cool effects. These I added the six hexagon background and brick background and made some washi tape with the washi tape backgrounds stamps using the Chevron, grid and reverse grid.

The 3rd set of background I did was bubble background using dish soap. You can also use kids bubbles. I poured some dish soap in a small dish and a straw I blew some bubbles and then sprayed some sprays like Lindy's stamp gang, or S.E.I. Tumble dyes, or Color wash. Then I took some glossy cardstock and Kromecote and dragged them trough the bubbles. After that To add more color to it I added some drips with the sprays.

The last background is an old school technique with wax paper resist technique on glossy paper or in this case Kromecote. Instead of crumpling the wax paper for texture I used a embossing folder by Sizzix with the wax paper. After I ran the folders through my big shot. I tool a piece of Kromecote and put the wax paper on top if it then placed a piece of copy paper on top of that. That's so the wax doesn't mess up your iron. I used my craft iron to melt the wax on to the Kromecote. Then I took my brayer and an ink pad and put some color on it to get the resit from the wax paper. 

This one I used one of the retro texture fades by Tim Holtz and Mowed Lawn Distress ink pad.

The ATC's from that paper

This one I used a diamond embossing folder and Black Soot distress ink pad and then for more fun I  dragged this piece through some bubbles.

The results of that.

 After I cut all the backgrounds to size I glued them on to light-wight cereal box chipboard. I edge the edges with black craft paint.

And what to put the ATC's in after I get them all....in a little book of course! 

The "pages" of the book are 12 x12 papers from Crowded Attic, Lost and Found and Destination by Tim Holtz. I scored  them at 1/2" 2 1/2",6",9 1/2 ans 11 1/2. Then turn it and scored at 3,6, and 9. then folded all the score lines. The book cover  is made out of chipboard that I covered in scrapbook paper.I used Miracle tape to attach the papers to the chipboard along with Aleen's tacky to insure it sticks. I used rubber bands (you can also use hair bands or those shaped band bracelets the kids wear)to attached the pages to the book at the first crease. This way you pull the page out.

The spine where you see the brightly color bands, I dyed some May Arts trim with Espresso Color wash. The one trim was a cream with tan check squares on it. It took the color awesome. I also dyed some of the Raffia by May Arts which turned out great. I also used some brown twain too. I tied them to the rubber bands.

The cover I cut out the one sheet of the Destination paper where it has the alphabet ala license plates. I spelled out Austin ATC. I attached those pieces with Miracle tape. I punched a hole on the front and back cover. The front I put a hitch post, the back I put an eyelet. I made my closure with a swivel clap with some charms in my stash. I put the clasp through the eyelet and one of the charms around the hitch post. On white cardstock I stamped the Texas Barbecue and Woot! with black Memento ink pad. I then distressed them with Vintage photo and Walnut stain distress ink pads. Attached them with Miracle tape.


Stamps used

Bird Head on stick
Flamingo
Sitting Bird
Jump rope girl
One eye monster
If you have crazy
I'm not insane
I'm not weird
Washi chevron background
Washi grid background
Washi reverse grind background
Six hexagon background
brick background
Woot!
Texas Barbecue

Items used
Miracle tape
Kromecote
May Arts
photo paper
various sprays
kids bubbles or dish washing soap
wax paper
plastic wrap
water down craft paints
glossy card stock
craft iron
embossing folders
watercolors
water brush
stickles
lightweight chipboard
Brayer
Mowed Lawn Black Soot, Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo distress ink pads
Black graft paint
Aileen's tacky
Tim Holtz Scrapbook paper
Tim Holtz Hitch post
Tim Holtz swivel claps
Charms
Scrapbook papers
rubber bands

Let the music play!

So one night back in Febuary, I was watching a Ustream from Journal Artista. On that show she did a project from the book Kaleidoscope by Suzanne Simanaitis. She was making postcard backgrounds from light weight chipboard(cereal box). There was a list of different things you had to do and each thing was timed. I didn't follow along like some others did, but I did write everything down.I tried it and it was so much fun and very addicting.

Here is the result of I did using Viva Las VegaStamps!

 I cut up a box of hot cereal. Using the front and box of the box. I gessoed both pieces of the side with the printing. You can do front and back I did only the fronts. Then I got my timer app that I downloaded on my Kindle and set it to either 5 or 10 minutes for each thing. The first thing I did was taking some ink pads and used them as stamps on there. Then I took a sharpie and wrote where I wished to go(VLVS! store was on of the places!). Then I took 2 craft paints in light colors and painted wherever on the chipboard. I then tore some not so cute scrapbook paper and glued them on with a glue stick. I scribbled with color pencils. and did some more tearing and gluing with magazine pages. Then 2 more craft paints in darker colors and painted where ever. It starts to look like a hot mess at this pint. But relax it gets better.

Now you take a black stamp pad and some VLVS! and stamp. I used the Water Drop background and the train track straight stamps. I know you cant really see it but they are there. melted in the background. Then I added some texture. I used some punchenllia and some sprays. You can also use paint. Using bubble wrap is fun too. You can see its starting to come together. Then I took some alphabet stencils and a number mask and sprayed with them Lindy's spray. I went back and added some more stamping and also did some drips with the S.E.I Tumble die in black.

Once I was happy with it I cut them to 4x6 sizes. I was able to get 1 post card with each piece of chipboard. I edge the sides with black craft paint. Now once the background is done its time to decorate it. I made some washi tissue tape using the brick background stamp, white tissue paper and Miracle tape. I cut three pieces of it and cut triangles to make a chevron banner. I stuck them on the corner of the postcard. 

On white cardstock I stamped the cat with headphones stamp and colored her in with Prisma color pencils. I did light colors on her. I fussy cut her out and used Miracle tape to attached to the postcard. I then stamped I wish my life on white card stock. cut the lines apart and glued on the postcard with glossy accents. I went around the words with Gelly roll clear star pen. 

This was a lot of fun to do. I like this project so much I did go out and get the book...well not really I ordered it online. lol Hope you all try it!

Stamps used

Water Drop background

train track straight 

brick background 

cat with headphones

I wish my life

Items used

Miracle tape

cereal box weight chipboard

gesso

sharpie

glue stick

4 craft paints

scrapbook papers

magazine pages

color pencils

sprays

stencils

punchenllia

bubble wrap

white card stock

black memento ink pad

gelly roll pen

glossy accents

ARC March read

This months book I read Scoop to Kill by Wendy Lyn Watson. It is the 2nd book in the A la Mode mystery series. The first book in the series, I Scream, You Scream.

Tallulah Jones, or Tally runs an ice cream shop called Remember the A-la-Mode. in her town. Here Sister Bree and Bree's daughter Alice, a collage student, work there. In Scoop to kill  Alice Stumble's on finding a body of Bryan, A grad student, who was the nephew of the police officer Cal.  Finger are pointed to an English professor who the dead student accused of sexual harassment. But a few days later the professor dead too(not spoiling...it is said on the back of the book). Tally of course steps out to find out who killed Bryan and the professor.

I love cozy mysteries. They are fast reads. The subjects of them are fun. This one is no different. I could of read this book in a couple of days straight. I enjoyed reading this book. It was a light read. And like most cozy mysteries with food related themes to them, this book has a couple recipes at the end of the book. But its is another series where the female lead character is torn between two men that she really likes. I mean com on why do they do this?! In this series Tally is torn with Finn her High school sweet Heart(and bad boy during high school), who Tally broke his heart, and Cal, police officer who always had feeling for her but the timing was never right to tell her. Personally I would of picked Cal. :P

Here is my art work for the book.

The background I did was taking painters tape and putting it where ever on the page. I did cut the tape in half before taping it on the page. This is a very old school technique that I learned yeas ago when I first got into rubber stamping. But instead of brayering ink from an ink pad I used sprays. I used a Yellow spray ink from Inkadinado and Bubble gum pink by Dylusions. I did spray some water after spraying the color and took a paper towel to blot off. I never really understood that step, as I always thought your wasting all that spray. And lets face it the sprays are not cheap! LOL But as pulled the towel away i can see what a difference it made. I pulled the tape off and got the cool background.

I then took a pencil and sketched out an ice cream cone, and 2 scoops of ice cream. Colored it with  prisma's color pencils and Neo 2's. I looked at it and thought it was drawn by a kid. :P I'm not the best drawer. :P I took a brown marker and made the lines of the cone and out lined everything.

I took Tatter Angel Glimmer Glam in Be Postitive and made drips on the cone and on the top of the page to look like blood on the page. also some pooled on the bottom of the page. I ten added some splatters with it. Finally I took a alpha stencil and traced the words of the Killer scoop. It was meant to say the title, but I couldn't remember the title when i did it. Opps! LOL

The book I'm going to be reading for April is Smokin' Seventeen By Janet Evanovich

my VLVS!/Clearsnap project

Well today is Kersten, LeslieRahye and myself to show off the projects we did for the Clearsnap and VLVS! swap. Be sure to head to the VLVS! blog too see what LR and Kersten did for the swap. And don't forget to leave a little love other there. You might win a pound of rubber! :)

This is my project I did for the swap. I did a journal page in my Staphmore Visual journal. I wanted to do a card, but I deiced to go in a different direction.

I took a page out of the journal (It helped that I took the binding out of the journal and have binder rings in it instead. Which is good because this little journal is chunky!) I filled a container with some water and I took some of my Smooches in Silver Fox, pool and sassy pink and dipped them in the water. I took a stick and swirled the ink around. then I dipped the paper into the water and got this cool marble background.

After I heat set the page so it was dry enough, I stamped the Whimsical clouds with Stephanie Banard Premium Dye Licorice ink pad on the journal page. I then took the Pool Smoosh and painted just by the inside lines of the clouds. I did miss stamp one of the clouds, but I had had another journal page with the same clouds so i c\just cut one out and taped it on to this page with Miracle tape.

On Kromecote I stamped the Whimsical house with the same black dye ink pad. I embossed it with the Ultra high gloss clear embossing powder. I colored the house with Grape soda, Sassy pink, taffy, snickerdoodle, moonlight and  gold Lame. cut the house out and used foam tape to put it on the page. Then I stamped the trees with the licorice ink pad and Pinkolicious archival ink pad. Embossed the the ultra high gloss clear.  cut out and used Mircale tape to attache it to the page.

 I used the small alphabets from the December Daily late and stamped "our house" with the Donna Salazar Mix'ed inx in Jasmine on a scrap of black cardstock. Used Miracle tape to attach it. Lastly I  spritz the gold smooch spritz onto my craft mat and with a paint brush went along the edge of the page.