In the Moment

I've embraced my wilder side today by creating an experimental tag after one of those "wonder what it would look like if..." moments. Here are the details of my technique.

I began with scrapbook paper for the background that's black with printed glittered bees evenly distributed throughout the page.

Then I heat embossed it with the stamped image (Simon's Floral Garden) and painted the inside of the flowers and leaves white. It was easy to scrape paint off the embossing if I went outside the lines by gently using my X-Acto knife.

I tinted the flowers and darkened some of the wings with Pitt Artist Brush Pens.

The text is a Tim Holtz Chipboard Quote peeled away from the chip board so it would lay flat against the tag and embellished with a line of gold Stickles.

 I'm linking up with Simon's Wild and Wonderful challenge.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

John 16:33

Sharing a tag made for the Whatever the Weather challenge at Simon that features the Sideshow stamp by Tim Holtz along with a vintage map stamp by Inkadinkado.

I created a stamp resist with clear embossing powder over an already collaged and tinted background. Then I painted over the entire tag with black paint that was wiped off the embossing when it was almost dry.

Because the original surface was sealed with acrylic, I was able to scrap off the embossing then add color to areas like the map and rain drops with permanent ink.

I did a bit of sanding and scraped in the text which references this quote from the bible:

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

Sweet Pea

I traced an image of a Sweet Pea then used watercolor for tint, created a background mask from scrapbook paper and used a fine line marker to create the frame borders.

To create the mask, I used deli paper to trace an outline of the oval and flower parts then inserted the tracing on top of the scrap paper for cutting.

For better emphasis, I later outlined the watercolor drawing. Maybe I am so used to stamped images that the no-line effect just didn't seem right to me.

I used dimensional dots for accent (Scribbles) and I left off any text so that I can customize the card when I'm ready to gift it.

I'm linking up to the Sweet Treat challenge at Simon.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

Easter Greetings

Welcome to a longer post today to explain my inspiration for this greeting card and to share some family memorabilia.

It was made with an old pillow case scrap and I traced a design that was machine- and hand-stitched, tinted with watercolors and framed on texture-embossed mulberry paper.

I took my inspiration from a collection of vintage embroidered postcards sent to my great Aunt Esther by her brother (my grandfather) from France in 1918 when he was a soldier during World War I.

The cards were made with machines that imitated hand embroidery and were provided with patriotic, romantic or religious messages. They were sent home by the officers and soldiers that lived and fought in the trenches of northern France. You can learn more about them here.

These were mailed in an envelope to protect them, were lovingly stored for more than 100 years and are in excellent condition. One has an inscription on the back which reads, "Dear Esther, the money enclosed is worth 17-1/2 cents American money. That's what these postcards cost a piece."

It's worth noting that my aunt was an avid postcard collector so I expect she was overjoyed to receive them. Though her greatest joy, I'm sure, was when the war ended and he returned home. My grandfather was very young when he served and the experience had a detrimental affect on his mental health.

My hope for Easter this year is to see an end to the war in Ukraine and I will pray for it.

I'm linking to Simon this week for their Easter/Spring challenge and my card will be mailed to my good friend, Thelma, who introduced me to card making many years ago.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.

H A P P Y   E A S T E R !

No. 42

Recycle was the challenge over at Simon so I used the inside of a vintage portrait folder for a support, a layer of peeled cardboard, distress-stained parchment paper, a scrap of printed tissue paper, an altered metallic paper frame and one big, beautiful luna moth (Argema mittrei).

The moth image really inspired me (wouldn't it make a great stamp?) and it was printed, cut-out then mounted on a thick piece of cardboard and the edges were painted black.

I used a scrap of vintage lace and, while I can't explain it, I am always compelled to add dimensional dots which you'll see along one of the paper borders (Nuvo vintage drops). The text is a Clipping Sticker.

As always, I hope this post finds you well and happy and I appreciate your visit.

Until next time, take care.