Delicious Art

OSA Calendar Swap--For 2012

2011-12-29T19:18:00.002-06:00

Every year, I host a calendar swap on Oriental Stamp Art. This year's swap was completed in October.

My contribution to the swap was the month of October 2012. The bird image is an Asian inspired peacock found online. The dot flourish stamp is by Inkadinkado. The real peacock feather was bought on Amazon.com. Bling was added sparingly to the peacock tail. Finally, the calendar was generated on eXCEL.

Enjoy~

December ATC of the Month--WI Stamping

2011-12-27T14:01:00.002-06:00

The theme for December's ATC of the month on WI Stamping was artist's choice. Therefore, I decided to go off the beaten track and try something a wee bit different.

The stamp is from Stampers Anonymous. I fell in love with this odd bird image a few years ago. I don't recall ever using it, so I decided to be BOLD! The image is colored with colored pencils. The "Mystery" stamp is by Wood-n-Paper, Ink. The edge is created using a black Sharpie pen making alternate black and white blocks. On one of the ATCs, I decided to add a dot on the white blocks. On another, I decided to also add dots to the image background.

The two end ones are my favorite!

Enjoy~

Mt. Fuji Postcard Mingle

2011-12-26T17:13:00.005-06:00

I am THRILLED to be back at creating artwork! I should have finished this postcard two months ago, but it was not meant to be. I completed it today.

Central Image:

The Mt. Fuji image is by Post Modern Design. The image is stamped in black dye ink. Various Le Plume marker colors were used to create brown paint for the mountain and blue paint for the water. Various colored chalks were used to create the sky colors.

Postcard Border:

A collage was created using stamps from October Stamps, Tin Can Mail, Stamp Camp, and Hampton Art Stamps. Mt. Fuji postage stamps were printed and cut as if they were real stamps. Sticker images were added.

Back:

A postcard stamp was used for the back to simulate a real postcard.

Enjoy~

ATC of the Month--WI Stamping

2011-11-12T16:56:00.002-06:00

The ATC above was made for the October ATC of the month for WI Stamping. The theme was to define a word with our art. I chose the word WISDOM and what better way to show that than to do Asian art? Really, anything to do Asian artwork.... The bamboo and buddha images are by Inkadinkado. The script is by Stampa Rosa....I do love their stamps, but too bad the company is no longer around.

The second image ATC (below) is for the November theme of SNOW. The image is a partial image from Whipper Snapper Design. I also used chalk for the sky, blue glitter for the snow, and colored pencils for the snowmen. Two quick ATC's!

Enjoy~

Tag ATCOTM

2011-09-18T19:39:00.002-05:00

At WI Stamping, September's ATC theme was tag. Well, I tried various paper tags and I didn't like how they were turning out, mostly because of the stamp I was using. Therefore, I ended up adding a metal tag. Not as impressive, but the ATCs are not bad themselves!

Enjoy~

Asian Tag Mingle

2011-09-18T14:04:00.003-05:00

I signed up for a mingle last month, thinking it was a quick thing to do. However, no muse, starting back to work, having other priorities, moved back the making of this tag until today!

I don't know what got into me, but I started playing a little on scrap paper to see layout, worked with colors, and stamps. Then it all came together quite quickly after that! The last element I put on the tag was the script because I felt the tag needed something. What I love about the card is that it has depth and, of course, the aged look.

The bird and script stamps are from Stone House Stamps. The flowering branches are from About Art Accents. The chop is from Hero Arts. I used Adirondack caramel dye ink, colored pencils blended with Gamsol, suede ink from Stampin' UP! and cherry red ink from Memories.

Enjoy~

Koi Mingle

2011-08-19T19:18:00.003-05:00

I so wanted to use this stamp for this swap. I just love the action going on! However, I had a hard time visualizing how it would best be used. After three days of thinking and testing various methods/colors combinations/layouts, I happened to come across one lonely champagne shimmery cardstock. That was it! I loved the paper and from there, I visualized the colors to use.

All stamps are from About Art Accents. I heat embossed in black. Then I used Twinkling H2Os by LuminArte. The water was painted with Honey Amber, the frothy waves were painted with Pewter, and the koi was painted with Dreamsicle. The different shades were created by applying more or less H2Os. The script was stamped in black. The chop was cherry red.

Unfortunately, you cannot see the washi paper that was also the inspiration for the color combinations. There is just a hint behind the layered black paper.

Enjoy~

Penny Black Mingle

2011-08-16T21:20:00.003-05:00

FINALLY, I have completed these cards! I had the image done for about two weeks and I just wasn't inspired to finish the rest. I wanted something a little bit different than what I normally do, so I sent surfing through the 'net looking for different layouts. I came across one that I liked and I was able to finish the project.

What you see here is the same design with different washi paper and ribbon/brad colors. The chop is from Hero Arts. The technique was huffing the color marker and then stamping. The chop was by using a regular dye ink. I'm going to run to the post office tomorrow to make sure they get mailed!

Now on to the Koi Mingle!

Enjoy~

Craft Book Project Survey/Giveaway

2011-07-27T13:39:00.004-05:00

I received an email today from Alicia de los Reyes, a young woman in New Hampshire who needs to collect data for her thesis. She requested I take a survey of craft bloggers. Anyone who is a craft blogger can take the survey. However, the cut-off date is Sunday. It takes only a few minutes...painless, quite actually!

If you're interested in helping Alicia, read on. Demographic questions are optional. I have pasted part of her email to me.

"I'm a grad student at the University of New Hampshire in the writing department, and I received a grant to conduct a 10-minute survey of craft bloggers to research my thesis at craftbookproject.com. I'll be posting the results publicly (responses will be kept anonymous, of course!) and using them to write a book about the current crafty movement. I'd like to invite you to take the survey at http://bit.ly/rlpKCs. It has straightforward demographic questions, all optional. There's a giveaway going on the site right now--if you take the survey by July 31st, you'll be entered to win a $100 Michaels gift card, and if blog or tweet the survey, you'll be entered twice."

Good luck, Alicia!
Enjoy~

Storing Stamps - Part 2

2011-07-24T13:29:00.004-05:00

Here is another post I made for on my OSA group.

If you find that a school library is getting rid of their filmstrip collection or their card catalog, RUN to get them!!

This photo has two sizes of filmstrip drawers (The brown ones). The larger of the two is actually composed of four sections, easy to take down and move wherever. The drawers come out easily as well. The black filing drawers are also from the library.

Here are two catalog cards cabinets, also being discarded. The lighter color one is vintage. The other has veneer on it.

This cabinet is a sewing cart. The drawers have stamps and larger sized paper.

I am forever organizing and reorganizing my stash!

Enjoy~

Less Than Inspired--Possible Fix?

2011-07-24T13:09:00.003-05:00

As you can see, I have redone the circle stamp. I bought a circle punch the size I thought it would need. I also stamped the image on barely banana paper by SU! and cut out the actual shape instead of a circle form. I like it better. However, I think it would look better if my circles were bigger with more layers. I also included the ribbon over the black strip of paper. Better, but not perfect!

Enjoy~

Storing Stamps-Part 1

2011-07-17T19:50:00.005-05:00

I was answering a question on one of my stamping groups and decided to put my answer here along with pictures!

When I started my collection 10 years ago, I just kept everything together,stamping the images on paper and put the paper in a binder. All those first stamps were wood stamps. As I started adding to my collection and learned that there was such as a thing as unmounted, I quickly realized that was not going to work well for me. I had to decide what would make it easier for me to look for stamps.

For those companies which I buy by the whole UM sheet, I print out the sheet image from the website, put it in a top sliding sheet protector. Inside I have all the images cut. If I take one out to use, I write on the back the company initial, especially if I need to site the source for publication. I usually buy from the same companies, so I put these sheets not in a binder, but flat in drawers. (See picture).

Other companies that I buy individual images, but have a lot from the same company, I put them in a small plastic drawer. For all others, I have theme drawers such as "TEXT", "SYMPATHY", etc. (See pictures).

I'll post pictures of my stamping room on some upcoming post.

Enjoy~

Less than Inspired

2011-06-12T16:19:00.004-05:00

I like the design. I like the colors. I like the stamp. I am not liking the results. I tried adding chalk to the image the same color as the mustard. Didn't like it.

What's wrong with this? Do tell me how it can be improved!
Enjoy~

The Circus Is In Town

2011-06-10T08:35:00.004-05:00

This month's ATC theme on WIStamping is "The circus is in town". I do not own any circus related stamps, so I went hunting for free digital art and found the two above. The pig with clown is a vintage digital and the sliver moon is a clip art.

The background was made by the TJ swooshing technique, using three different SU! dye ink colors. It was over-stamped using the STITCHED SU! background stamp (retired). A dashed line was added using a black Marvy marker.

Enjoy~

Farm Fresh

2011-05-28T17:38:00.003-05:00

Thank goodness I didn't sign up for any other swaps this spring. I am FINALLY just finished finished with my ATC commitments for the months February through May. This one is for the theme Farm Fresh. I don't have farm stamps, but I did have a vintage set that was out in the country"ish". This boy reminds me for farm fresh children! He's even carrying stalks of wheat (my guess--I'm a city girl--LOL!)

Stamp is by Artistic Outpost. Colored using chalks, colored pencils and Gamsol.

Enjoy~

Alice In Wonderland

2011-05-25T11:12:00.004-05:00

Art for the aching soul......It works....I worked on this ATC last night and finished this morning. It was very soothing to be creating.

Alice stamp is by Inka Stamps (closed online store), Trees and cracked earth are by Stampscape. Colored in chalk and colored pencils.

Enjoy~

Inchies ATC

2011-05-23T10:22:00.002-05:00

I'm really glad this ATC came together very quickly. The star stamp is by Stamp Oasis. The tree is from SU! The coloring was done using chalk and colored pencils.

Enjoy!

Mardi Gras ATCs

2011-05-22T17:16:00.002-05:00

I am happy to finally upload something I have made in my "OFF" time, the first since the last post. As a few of you know, I have been recovering from total knee replacement surgery, and just this weekend, I felt well enough to battle cleaning the stamping room where ALL things were put during the two months I was recuperating at home. I feel sooo much better having accomplished this. Of course, I had a lot of stops to rest along the way....

The ATCs below are for the February swap on WIStamping. The theme was Mardi Gras. The image was found online. The background stamps are from SU! and Stamp Camp. The Carnevale text was created using WordArt.

On one of the ATCs I added round bling. On the other, I used diamond shaped bling.

Enjoy~

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T17:42:00.004-06:00

Two quick cards!!!

Have a GREAT DAY!

Enjoy~

Year of the Rabbit

2011-02-11T22:58:00.003-06:00

This year is the Chinese Year of the Rabbit. On Oriental Stamp Art, we observe the Chinese Lunar New Year with a card swap. I finally got one of my cards done for this swap on Oriental Stamp Art, but unfortunately, I ran out of paper! Early tomorrow, I will need to venture out in the cold to try to find coordinating 12" x 12" brown paper of just the right shade! Wish me luck.

Every year, I eagerly wait for our USPS to issue the new lunar new year stamp. Well, I have nothing against our Postal Service, but why are other countries' postage stamps commemorating this new year better looking than ours?

The card above was stamped with an Onyxpression rabbit.

Enjoy~

Ribbon-Bow ATC

2011-02-02T17:49:00.004-06:00

A snow day and a time to work on a swap ATC. This was made for a WI Stamping swap where you had to use a ribbon or bow. The yellow is a background stamp by Hero Arts. The rose is by DeNami Design. The ink is by Nick Bantock called Chrome Yellow...very juicy and runny!

Enjoy~

ATC Swap Catch-Up

2011-01-16T21:18:00.002-06:00

This is the second of the ATCs I worked on tonight. With this card, I am done with my 2010 swap obligations on WI Stamping. This one doesn't have any stamping. As you can tell, it is a vintage Christmas playing card that I have cut down and embellished with gold strips. Nothing fancy.

Have a great week!

Enjoy~

Aged Tile Technique

2011-01-16T19:50:00.003-06:00

Well, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'm back to making cards after almost two months hiatus. My Christmas cards were handmade, but the only thing stamped was the inside greeting.

Tonight I made three ATCs using the aged-tile technique which I found on Technique Junkies. The stamp is a retired set from Stampin' UP. The image was stamped in blue to represent blue and white porcelain from ancient China.

I don't think I'll do a blue and white combination any time soon....don't like it. I also need to learn how to better cut the strips for the tiles. Even though I cut them free hand, I tend to cut them somewhat evenly along the horizontal lines.

I do believe this technique needs to be practiced a bit more!

Enjoy~

Addendum....it would help if I attached the image!

10th APE

2010-11-26T09:22:00.004-06:00

This simple page is my contribution to the 10th Annual Publishing Event. I have participated in 9 of the 10 years this has been going on. The theme was GEISHA, using the colors green, black and gold. The stamp is by Judikins. The image was water colored blended using Le Plume II markers. The background paper is Chiyogami paper. I had to make 20 of these pages!

Enjoy~

New Flag Book

2010-11-25T18:11:00.009-06:00

Well, I can honestly say this swap project is the latest I've ever sent. Other things took precedence, mingle partner never responded, forgot about it, then remembered! Here is the flag book for a mingle on OSA. I had forgotten how long this took to make. I love the results , though.

Enjoy~
Front

Inside

Back

Asian Puzzle Piece

2010-10-30T09:48:00.003-05:00

Here are two large 5" by 5" puzzle pieces I bought at the teacher store and which I altered for a swap on OSA. The puzzles were blank pieces that I collaged with Asian images and scrap papers. The background was painted with Lumiere acrylic paint; then stamped with black Memories ink. Images were found online and either public domain or used with permission by owner. Text was from an old newspaper. The theme was of the beach or sea.

Enjoy~

Dark and Dreary

2010-10-18T20:33:00.000-05:00

For the monthly ATC swap on WI Stamping, I made a Halloween themed ATC. The paper is a designer paper with a spider web image. The words on the left are from Stampin' UP! It's the jumbo wheel Midnight Musing. The witch is from 100 Proof Press.

Enjoy~

OSA Calendar Swap--Part Two

2010-10-17T05:55:00.005-05:00

This is the second variation of my calendar page.

Enjoy!

OSA Calendar Swap

2010-10-16T21:07:00.001-05:00

September 30th has traditionally been the due date for the pages of the yearly calendar swap on my Oriental Stamp Art group which I host. This year I made all my pages with the same layout. However, since I didn't have enough paper to make 13 pages exactly the same, I stayed with the same color palette, but used different papers. For some reason, this year's pages took me longer to conceptualize. I'm sure this can be improved upon, but it will have to do for this year!

Enjoy~

The Good Earth Swap

2010-10-16T17:45:00.004-05:00

One of the swaps on Oriental Stamp Art is "The Good Earth" swap, hosted by Minda O. The swap is inspired by the 1932 Pulitzer Prize winning book by Pearl S. Buck. The author lived and grew up in China. Her parents were missionaries there. I don't recall if I read this book when I was young, but I do recall seeing the movie, which was nominated for five Academy Awards. Wow! Impressive!

Here is my card for this swap. Two friends spend a leisurely time together while riding through a field of bamboo (or is it a sugar field???). The stamp is by Stamp Francisco. The coloring was made by using colored pencils and blending with Gamsol.
Enjoy~

From the Archives

2010-10-09T09:17:00.000-05:00

This card is so WARM!! I love the simplicity of this card. The stamp is from Art Neko, now About Art Accents. The Gingko leaves are stickers.
Enjoy~

Patchwork Technique - June/July TJ

2010-09-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

This ATC was made using the patchwork technique from the June/July 2010 TJ Newsletter. I love the colors I chose for the background and the image, but I am thinking I am not in love with the way I colored the central image. I have made other backgrounds just like this, so after I'm done here, I'm going to try using other color combinations. The image is from Stampers Anonymous entitled "Queen of Staves"...love their quirky stamps! The crown was highlighted with gold Smooch and embellished with tiny bling dots.

Enjoy~

Textured Asian Card

2010-09-18T15:24:00.003-05:00

I LOVE this card. I started with choosing a rubber stamp I hadn't used in a looonggg time. This stamp is called "Windswept" by Acey Deucy. It fit into the category of Asian stamp, so I could use it for one of my swaps on Oriental Stamp Art. The image is a collage image, so I decided to just work with the individual elements of the stamp and just pop them out.

The feather is a real feather, the red seal, red tag, and seashell are popped up. I used gold Smooch to add a little bit of sparkle to the image. This was layered on brown textured paper, then layered on rust cardstock.

Ah, it's so good to be stamping again!
Enjoy~

Alien Flowers

2010-08-17T16:26:00.004-05:00

This ATC looks a bit washed out on my blog, but it is a bit more vibrant than this. The colors also seem to be somewhat off. Anyway, this is one stamp that I cropped to an ATC size. I also added the stripes above and below. There were horizontal dashes and I made them into vertical stripes using Sharpie marker to make the image stand out more. The rest of the image is colored in pencils and shaded using Gamsol. The alien flowers came out really nice, I think. Yes, I would change some things were I to do this over, but I'm not. ; D

Enjoy~

MOSAS Round 28

2010-07-24T17:02:00.006-05:00

I have not participated in a Monthly Oriental Stamp Art Swap (MOSAS) in quite a while. I decided to join this summer. The commitment is only for three months, so I thought I could do it.

Since I haven't stamped a whole lot in the last year, I have to get back into my groove. By being signed up to different feeds, I see what is currently being done, technique wise, and hopefully I will get inspiration from my feeds.

The card above was inspired by one I saw on Creations by Patti. A friend of hers had sent her an Asian birthday card with a tag design. I hadn't used tags in a while in my art and I did like card, so I used the same layout for my July MOSAS card.

Geisha Stamp: Stamp Magick
Bamboo and script stamps: Inka Stamps (now Scrollsworks)
Inks: Adirondak and Stampin' UP!
Markers: Marvy
Colored Pencils: Colorific
Washi background paper
Krylon gold pen
Chinese coin
Ribbon flower

Enjoy~

Liberty ATC

2010-07-20T14:05:00.004-05:00

This month's theme on WIStamping is a patriotic theme. I have various lovely patriotic stamps, but is always so difficult for me to put them together to make something nice. Therefore, I decided to keep it simple. Here are two coordinating papers--the stars and stripes. The stripes papers is from Karen Foster. I don't know who makes the star paper. The quote stamp is by Stampin' Up.

Enjoy~

Foreign Lands ATC

2010-07-19T15:32:00.003-05:00

How about India for a Foreign Land ATC? This was the theme for June in the WI Stamping group to which I belong. Stamp is by Stamp Camp.

Enjoy~

Asian Flag Book Swap

2010-07-09T12:01:00.012-05:00

Front Cover and Inside

I'm hosting a Flag Book Swap on my Oriental Stamp Art group. I dug out an old flag book I had done longgg ago to show others the type I was looking for in the swap.

Inside

Here are some links for you:
Flag books can be made in different sizes with different number of flag rows. This is the one I recommend to make...three rows of flags alternating in opposite directions. Pictures and directions are also included in this link:
http://www.scrapbook-crazy.com/flag-book.html

YouTube Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agEh_0ajaUw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXD_hjWurmE

Other styles with pictures and directions:
http://www.making-mini-scrapbooks.com/BasicFlagBook.html
http://www.squidoo.com/flag-book

PDF downloadable directions:
www.booklyn.org/education/flag.pdf

Images:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=%22flag%20book%22&w=all
http://www.pennywisearts.com/tagflagbook.html

Back

Enjoy!

Sympathy Card

2010-07-07T21:55:00.002-05:00

You get to a certain age and Sympathy Cards become a necessity to have on hand. Unfortunately, I don't like to have them on hand and make them only when I have to. This card, inspired by one on Splitcoaststampers, was quickly and easily done.

Enjoy~

Monochromatic ATC

2010-05-31T00:00:00.002-05:00

I'm SHOCKED! I actually got TWO months' ATC swaps made for WI Stamping! Of course, there were only three cards for each month to be made. However, just finding the time to make those six cards was a miracle in and of itself. Remember, I just can't whip out cards. I have to think about them and think about them and....you get the picture.

The May theme was monochromatic. Of course, I had to look that one up because I couldn't quite remember what that all entailed. For those of you NON-ARTSY people like ME, monochromatic means the different shades, tints, and tones of the same hue of color. Think of the paint chips you get at Sherwin-Williams. They are organized on the wall by color schemes of a color ( I think I got that right).

After seeing some monochromatic images online, I was inspired by a painting I saw. The painting was all circles. I love purple, which happened to be similar to the painting, so I decided to stay with that color scheme (Ohh, "color scheme" twice in one posting!). I used different sizes of hole punches, gold leafing pen, white pen, text stamp from Hero Arts, and washi paper....not an easy thing to punch out so small! I had to put a typing paper behind the washi in order for it to punch out well.

Enjoy~

Voice of the Sea

2010-05-30T22:03:00.003-05:00

This text stamp really called to me today. After such a long time not stamping, there certainly is something missing in my life. This ATC is simple, but it speaks to MY soul.

This is the APRIL theme for WI Stamping. ATC swap. I am obviously two months behind. Perhaps I can get caught up tomorrow after work. Stamps used: Stampscapes, Dream Impressions, Stampin' UP!, and Coronado Island.

Enjoy~

Alice in Wonderland

2010-05-09T12:15:00.002-05:00

I did not see the recent Alice movie. However, it did come to mind when the monthly theme for WI Stamping was movie/tv shows ATCs. I have a few Alice related stamps from Inka stamps now Scrolls Work stamps), Rubberstamp Avenue, and Stamp Francisco which I used making this card. Hope you like it.

Enjoy~

2010-05-01T20:57:00.006-05:00

Here are two cards I made during Stamp Camp this winter. I still haven't been stamping as much as I would have wanted. Summer vacation is around the corner....thank goodness!

Enjoy~

Elegant Silverware

2010-03-30T06:46:00.002-05:00

I love this set of silverware from Stampin' Up! What I don't love is the rest of the stamps that come in the set. Therefore I haven't bot this set. The card was made at one of my Stamp Camps two months ago.

Enjoy~

Love You

2010-03-25T22:51:00.003-05:00

Cuttlebug background on white cs, small design in the middle layered and made with edge punch, jumbo wheel stamp, black ribbon, whiet pearl, and SU! flower stamps. Love you much stamp by SU! Made at Stamp Camp two months ago.

Enjoy~

Die Cuts and Punches

2010-03-13T16:51:00.004-06:00

Taking a break from grading.......

I have had very little time with stamping these last few months. However, I've gone to one stamp camp every month just so that I don't forget what a stamp looks like!

At the last stamp camp, I made various items where we've used punches and die cuts using the Cuttlebug and Big Shots machines. I have to tell you, I'm not big on die cuts. I only do them at stamp camp because my demonstrator likes doing such things. Half the projects I opt not to do. The word "torture" comes to mind when I hear her say "We're going to do a few projects tonight."

The card above is made with three punches and one die cut. The three punches are the ornament punch, circle scalloped edge, and snowflake, all by Stampin' Up. The cardinal is made by using the circular scalloped punch and cutting out the wings and tail. The body is made by cutting the top off of the ornament punch. The branch is a scroll die cut where you cut off the swirls to create branches. The snowflake is what it is.

This card is made with the new corner punches. Also, we used the flower die cut which has three different sizes. The card opens up sideways, where the flower is placed.

The image below is in a dollar frame from Target. The bunny is stamped and embossed. The branch is a die cut. The flowers are punches. Each flower is accented with a pearl sticky. The flowers and ribbon are placed outside the glass. Pretty cool, actually. This will be a gift for my daughter who will have a child one of these years!

Enjoy~

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T06:45:00.003-06:00

A happy Christmas to you all!

OSA Calendar #2

2009-11-21T17:51:00.004-06:00

Occasionally, I'm asked to step in to complete a swap when an OSA member is unable to do so. Thus was what happened in the calendar swap that Annemiek was hosting. I had one weekend to do this swap and send it off to The Netherlands. This came together quite quickly, which is REALLY unusual for me.

I got my swap back and now I have TWO awesome calendars for next year!

Enjoy~

Veterans Day Salute

2009-11-11T06:50:00.002-06:00

Today is one of the days I honor my father, grandfather, father-in-law and brother, all who have served in the military. All have served in the Army, except my FIL who was in the Navy. This is my dad on the left in his early twenties.

Unfortunately, I was unable to do a card in their honor before today, but I found inspiration from the cards made with Artistic Outpost rubber stamps. I have a few of their stamps, two of which are military related. Check out the cards made with the She-roes plate and the cards made with the Hero plate. You, too, will be inspired. Perhaps this weekend I can backtrack and create something as well.

Veterans Day blog hop will begin on November 14th at Operation Write Home. It's fun to see all the patriotic cards.

Enjoy~

OSA APE 9

2009-11-08T15:01:00.009-06:00

The Oriental Stamp Art Annual Publish Event #9 is due on November 30th. Last year I hosted the event and I challenged myself to bind 25 books by hand using the Japanese stab binding technique. It was a lot of work, but I had a feeling of accomplishment when I was done. This year, Cindy C. is the hostess. Cindy will also be binding 25 pages.

Here is the page I completed today. I made the same design using three different papers and colors. I wanted to use up paper I had here at home, so that I did not have to go out and get more...Oh my gosh, did I just write that?? Two of the three background papers are from the Tahiti Beach Stack by DCWV, both have swimming/beach text in the background.

The Asian nautilus seashell stamp is by Stone House Stamps. The smaller nautilus seashell stamp on the upper left is by Stamp Zia. The geisha bathing beauties are from Okinawa Soba on Flickr. The only thing I still need to do this week are the covers .

Enjoy~

From the Archives

2009-11-04T06:45:00.002-06:00

This was a submission to Rubberstampmadness a few years back. It was not used and was returned to me. I think it's a bit whimsical, not really my style, but I had soooo much fun doing this!

ENjoy~

From the Archives

2009-11-03T05:43:00.001-06:00

This is a three piece stamp. I just fell in love with the stamp, so I bought it. You really can use each section individually or as a tryptich style card as the one shown above.
Enjoy~

From the Archives

2009-11-02T18:38:00.003-06:00

I've had very little time to create lately, so I will be pulling things from the archives that have never been uploaded to my blog. This card is one that came together very quickly. The "sun" in the background is the design of a paper I happened to have. How cool is that?
Enjoy~

2010 Calendar Swap

2009-10-27T21:24:00.003-05:00

This is my month for the 2010 OSA Calendar Swap. The bamboo stamp is from Inkadinkado. The Concubines of the Last Emperor of Chu stamp is by Art Neko.

Enjoy~

Chinese Star Book

2009-09-21T22:05:00.007-05:00

This is the star book I made for an Oriental Stamp Art swap. My swap partner liked cranes and bamboo. She also liked greens and yellows. I tried to keep to her theme and colors as close as possible.

In order to get ready to do this starbook, I looked at various YouTube tutorials by Amanda Maue entitled "How to Make a Star Book". Her instructions are broken down into 5 episodes. They are easy to follow. However, I did make some changes when making the cover. I glued my chipboard instead of using adhesive. I think there is a stronger bond that way.

The images are stickers, remnant images from other projects, or images found online. The text are either typed or stickers. Some text quotes were found online. Credit was given when known.
I LOVED doing this project, but it took me time to figure out what to put in it.

Enjoy~

Dream Gardens - Geisha

2009-09-19T19:10:00.004-05:00

This card is made with the new stamp set from Stampn' Up! entitled Dream Gardens. The background is a new die cut from SU! Very easy card made at my SU! party last month.

Enjoy~

One Image, Four Cards

2009-09-14T05:00:00.003-05:00

As mentioned in my previous post, these cards are made with the same image from About Art Accents. The first two cards are very similar in design. I wanted to use an embellishment and ribbon. The metal embellishment is from Stampin' Up. The ribbon is from Joann Fabric. The images was colored with colored pencils and blended with Gamsol. Notice the blue-black tongue. I searched for a real picture of a Chow Chow and saw that the tongue was an unusual color.

The second, I was just plain stuck on which say I wanted the image to go. I tried different ways and this particular orientation appealed to me this morning. The metal embellishments are from Stampin' Up.

This card was made from scraps. The text stamp is from Stampin' Up.

For my next blog entry, I'm working on a Chinese Star Book, more in my comfort zone as it's Oriental in nature. Hope it turns out. It's for a swap.

Enjoy~

Card Challenge #29 and #35

2009-09-13T12:12:00.003-05:00

Well, little did I know that Card Challenges #29 and #35 on Oriental Stamp Art were exactly the same. Usually, I delete the design when I'm done with the week so that I don't use it again be accident. Obviously, I did not do that with this design. Surprisingly, NO ONE emailed me to let me know they were exactly the same and I had quite a few participants in each of those two weeks. Oh well. It did give me a chance to create a card with that design.

This card is for a swap on WI Stamping. This month's theme is "animals". The image is from About Art Accents. The plate is Year of the Dog. In my next post, you will see the other three cards I made with this image. Some turned out better than others, as is always the case with me.

Enjoy~

Using Scraps

2009-08-31T09:49:00.002-05:00

I participate in a monthly swap on WIStamping. This month's theme was celebrations. At first, I was going to do something with the military. Then I noticed my new stamps from Stampin' UP called "From the Crypt". I took out my Halloween box and noticed there were stamped images from last year. Ahh, one less step in making the cards! Ten minutes or less...my kind of card!

The stamped images are from Hero Arts. The paper is from Stampin UP! designer series. I colored the images with chalk and colored pencils. The scraps?? Well, the ATC sized images were from last year. The white skull paper is the scrap I had left over from cutting the green background paper. It is a two sided paper, so I just turned the scrap over and used it as a highlight on the card. I NEVER get to be so lucky in having a card come together so quickly!

Enjoy~

Lady Keiko

2009-08-30T13:13:00.005-05:00

This gorgeous stamp is by About Art Accents. We had a contest on Oriental Stamp Art where we were to use this stamp. Surprisingly, I cam in second place in this contest. The hardware is by Stampin' UP! The paper is from the Far East Collection of DCWV.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #25

2009-08-29T07:09:00.002-05:00

This challenge was NOT easy. What I ended up doing was printing out the sketch the same size as a regular card. I cut it up and used the pieces as templates to cut the different colored paper. The pink is the actual card. I chose three coordinating washi paper, all in shades of pink. I stamped text on white cardstock. When I glued the pieces together, I "outlined" each section with peel-off Asian letters border. It made the piece really pop. Below is a variation of the same design.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #24

2009-08-28T06:34:00.001-05:00

I have been doing a lot of my cards in green and orange tones. Those colors always are very attractive to me. This design challenge was a lot easier than I had anticipate. Hope you like it.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #23

2009-08-27T11:14:00.003-05:00

This design was an easy one. The central image is one of my favorite face images. It's very alluring. The colors remind me of fall, which is right around the corner!

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #22

2009-08-26T11:11:00.004-05:00

I skipped challenges #17-21, but I will return to them at some point. This challenge layout was not easy, but the results are amazing. I think I will do a few more this way. I love how everything turned out and this is one of my favorite images. The collage image is from About Art Accents. The stitches stamp is by Hot Off the Press.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #16

2009-08-25T11:09:00.002-05:00

First, I LOVE this image. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of color combinations and coordinating. The washi paper is very rich and a perfect complement to the salmon color.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #15

2009-08-24T07:32:00.001-05:00

I'm not so sure I like this layout, but the cardstock colors work well together. I think I have the two small squares slightly off.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #14

2009-08-23T23:03:00.003-05:00

I took the opportunity to make some challenge cards and send them as birthday cards to various OSA members. This is Challenge #14. The triangles were not easy to cut so that they'd fit as in the challenge. Loved the color combination I chose!

Enjoy~

Cards For Heroes Mini-Blog Hop

2009-08-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hello!
This is my first participation in a blog hop. I chose to wet my feet in blog hopping by participating with one organization that is doing an AWESOME job of getting cards sent out to our service personnel overseas. The organization is Cards for Heroes.org.

The card I've made is a very simple design. I had hoped to design a new and improved one before the actual blog hop, but I just ran out of time!

In order to participate in this hop, I'm to do the following:

1. Share a cool idea!
One of my personal challenges is to come up with a card layout that is appealing to me. As a result of this desire to do new layout challenges as well as to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of one of my online groups, Oriental Stamp Art, I started a blog with weekly layout challenges. Some of the designs are my own; others are those of our members. Each week, I post the cards created with the featured design layout. All cards have to be oriental in nature, as it is specific to our group. A great challenge for YOU would be to see what you can do with these layouts to create cards for our HEROES! To be inspired, go here.

2. Share why you love crafting for our heroes!
I don't create Hero cards as much as I'd like to, but I do so when it's requested of me by friends and local organizations. This is so little compared to what sacrifices our men and women do for us and others. Cards for Heroes is special to me as this is a way I honor my dad who was in the service for over 20 years. He received the Bronze Star Medal, among numerous other medals, during the Vietnam and Korean Wars. To me, my father was the epitome of a true HERO. See some of my ATCs of him here.

3. Share the Nov 1 deadline for holiday cards.
If you have any Holiday cards (Hanukkah or Christmas) for our heroes, mail them by November 1st. Restrictions are no glitter, be of an A2 size preference, and no store-bought cards.

4. Cards For Heroes Link:
Go to http://cardsforheroes.org/bloghop to see other mailing suggestions and for addresses where to send.

Now, if you've read this far and are ready for your next dose of inspiration, go to Fabre S.'s blog:
http://creatingforacause.blogspot.com/2009/08/cfh-mini-bloghop.html

Thank you for stopping by.
Enjoy!

More Cards From Michelle Zindorf's Class

2009-07-22T11:43:00.004-05:00

Here are the last two cards I made at Michelle Zindorf's workshop on Saturday.

Enjoy~

Cards Made at Michelle Zindorf's Advance Class

2009-07-21T05:00:00.002-05:00

I had the opportunity to take Michelle Zindorf's advance brayering class on Saturday. I was certainly not disappointed. These are two of the four cards I made. Soon she will retire these four designs and have new ones for those who want to take the advance classes again.

The first card was basic brayering, using masking to create the sun and highlighting with white gel pen. No heat embossing was involved. The last three cards, heat embossing was done on each, sometimes more than once to create dimension.

Follow her tutorials to learn the techniques use in these cards or better yet, sign up for one of her classes coming to a town near you!

Enjoy~

Birds Card

2009-07-17T10:28:00.005-05:00

This is not exactly my greatest moment, but this blog is a documentation of my art journey!

I tried to add some dimension and texture to the card. I chose the textured Bazill cardstock. I overstamped the flourish in two different colors, one black and one pumpkin. I did like the effect. Then I added the woman image and the bird. The card looked too plain, so I added the embellishments on the upper left and lower right. I wasn't sure which color looked better, so I did one card of each. I'm not quite satisfied with the results. Perhaps it's flourish that is all wrong.

Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Enjoy~

Home Sweet Home

2009-07-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

This card was made for the June theme of home/house on WIStamping. The image is from Stampin' UP! Nothing special about this one. Layering technique, brads, and voilá!

Enjoy~

Child Theme

2009-07-10T14:15:00.002-05:00

On WIStamping, the May card of the month theme was children related. I saw this free image at Gaby-Cajubrasil blogspot. I thought it would be perfect for the children's theme. The background is a collage paper. I created the arch template. The Italian script stamp is from Stampin' Up! (retired). The flowers are silk flowers cut in half.

Enjoy~

Japanese Anime ATCs

2009-07-03T07:49:00.011-05:00

My experience with Japanese Anime growing up was very limited. I lived in Puerto Rico while in high school in the '70s. Visiting my grandmother every Sunday, I remember seeing Japanese Anime with my brother. There were not a whole lot of choices back then on TV, so I was stuck watching car racing Anime. I didn't even know that was Anime until many years later when my younger daughter, Sara, got hooked on it.
Sara, has always been interested in Anime and Manga. Over the years she's bought books, magazines, and videos. I remember watching Sailor Moon over and over with her. Sara has also attended Anime conventions, as well as sci-fi conventions such as Gen-Con. Now that she's in her late 20's she doesn't spend that much time with anime anymore. However, she endlessly draws anime caricatures in her spare time.

These five Japanese Anime ATCs are for the Anime and Manga swap on OSA. My daughter Sara let me borrow some of her books and magazine to peruse. One of the magazines I was "allowed" to cut up--LOL!! I had tried to draw the images, but it was less than successful. Therefore, cut and paste it was! The images had to have at least one element rubber stamped.

Enjoy~

Bobbasheely Kokeshi Cards

2009-06-15T20:30:00.008-05:00

I am thrilled to say that after one grueling month of work, I was able to create art! These three cards are for the Oriental Stamp Art 2009 Bobbasheely Kokeshi Swap. To learn more about Japanese Kokeshi dolls, go here.

Enjoy~

Other Asian Cultures Card Swap

2009-05-19T05:30:00.005-05:00

One of the swaps I've joined this month is a swap where we are to chose another Asian culture not Japanese nor Chinese. Bonnie, the hostess, gave us a link to see the list of those countries that were considered Asian. Some will surprise you. This is my take on the swap.

I made a card template with the Taj Majal shape, traced it on white cardstock and cut it out. The cardstock was brayered with Baja Breeze (SU!). The lotus flowers (OnyxXpressions) were stamped, colored with colored pencils , and blended with Gamsol. The girl (Repeat Impressions) was stamped separately, colored with colored pencils and chalk; then cut out. A red bling was added to the forehead. The flourish (Stampers Anonymous) was stamped twice and highlighted with the white Ink Essentials pen. I stamped the word "India"(Repeat Impressions), layered the girl on to the cardstock, layered the cardstock onto gold mirror paper, then onto the black card. The card was accented with Stickles gold glitter glue.

Enjoy~

Z is for Zen Quote

2009-05-18T12:32:00.004-05:00

Today I took a comp day. If not today, I'll lose it for this school year. I hate not going to work, but the day was just for me. I have a few swaps to do and quite a few emails to catch up on!

I had one more alphabet ATC left to do. I chose to do a Zen quote which I found online. All images are from Non Sequitur. They are currently having a 25% off each plate sale.

Enjoy~

Tropical Card

2009-05-03T20:34:00.004-05:00

Last month, the Card of the Month (COTM) theme on WI Stamping was tropical. Obviously, I'm a bit behind, but I finally completed my card tonight. HOWEVER, it is NOT my design. This is a variation of one that Michelle Zindorf made last year. I didn't have the exact colors, but it's pretty close. I also did not use the same cardstock colors. Michelle used Always Artichoke and Real Red; I used Tempting Turquoise and a dark blue cs by Bazzill. The stamp set is by SU! The technique is direct to paper background, sponging, and coloring with colored pencils.

Enjoy~

Crane Swap

2009-04-26T21:24:00.004-05:00

I've been less than inspired lately due to just not feeling 100% as well as feeling the end of the school year rush. I don't think I've looked forward to summer vacation as much as I have this year. I'm wondering if perhaps this is the beginning of the countdown for retirement or if it's just been a super long year of meetings and maladies. Whatever it is, I' hoping to get back into really feeling the inspiration kick in!

I had joined this crane swap earlier in the year, so I felt I needed to follow through with it. I have about three more swaps to do and then I'm not signing up for any more until I am really able to put forth 100% effort!

The bamboo stamp is from Inkadinkado. The crane is from About Art Accents. The quote is from Stampin' Up.

Enjoy~

April Showers Bring May....

2009-04-25T09:13:00.003-05:00

FROGS!! You probably thought I was going to say FLOWERS! Nope...the shower part is what's on this frog card. This is my Oriental version of a frog card for a swap on OSA. In my mind, it was going to turn differently than it did, but oh well, I am limited in time to go back and change the design.

First, I tried the Cuttlebug background. I stamped an image, then passed the card through the CB machine. Then I swiped an ink pad over the embossed areas. Perhaps that's what is a bit TOO MUCH on this card. I'm ok with everything else. In fact, I love the froggy and the raindrops. Both of those images are from Kodomo. I added a wee chop, accented with some washi and I was done with my Oriental card...kind of--LOL!!

Enjoy~

Purse Card Set

2009-04-20T05:00:00.007-05:00

Here is another design that I found online and altered a bit. Inside the purse is a set of four cards I made using the OSA card design layouts. This project was made for a swap on MOSAS. I actually cuttlebugged the purse clasp. I'm starting to see the endless possibilities of using the Cuttlebug.

If you want to visit a blog dedicated to Cuttlebug projects, visit the Cuttlebug Challenges blogspot.

Enjoy~

Mizuhiki Mingle

2009-04-19T05:00:00.002-05:00

I joined a mingle on OSA last month where I had to send a card featuring mizuhiki cording. This is not my original design; it's one I saw many years somewhere online. I did change a bit the design, but the basic card is the same. Simple straight lines. The fan is a metal charm. Hope you like it!

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #13

2009-04-18T18:54:00.005-05:00

This cute stamp is from Kodomo stamps. The design is the one from OSA Card challenge. I love layers, so this bunny is highlighted 5 (!!!) layers. The script was stamped on designer paper. Then the quote was stamped on top of that. The ribbon was an inexpensive one from Joann's.

That's it for now...short and sweet.

Enjoy~

With a Moo Moo Here....

2009-03-29T00:09:00.004-05:00

These are my first Moo cards EVER! They are for a swap on Oriental Stamp Art. The background was a remnant card that I had started doing a collage and only used a bit for another swap. The geisha image is the only new element. How cool is that?

To see the Moo swap cards, go here. To see a blog about handmade Moo cards go here.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #12

2009-03-25T05:00:00.004-05:00

Well, if it seems that all I'm doing lately is challenge cards, you're right! I so wanted to get caught up with my own challenges that I forced myself to have time (when I really didn't) to get them all done. With this week's card, I am officially caught. It is such a relief!

This card uses scrap papers for everything except the card base. The image is one I bought from Paula Best at a convention a few years ago and never used. It's a Curtis Uyeda stamp. All papers are from Bazzil. The button is from Stampin' Up through which I threaded variegated floss. The image was colored using Stampin' Up dye ink and a water pen. I actually love the color combination. If I were to do this card over, I would add a layer under the larger pieces of the green paper as opposed adhering it to just the brown base.

OSA has another challenge. It's a topic/theme challenge that Ruth C. hosts. Every Friday she posts a new topic/theme and cards are created around that topic or theme. I have yet to do any for that challenge, but when I have a little bit more time, I hope to do some. I've really liked the themes, so far.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #1

2009-03-24T05:00:00.002-05:00

Here is the last of the previous card challenges. This was the very first design challenge I created for OSA. However, I never quite got around to making the card. The white cardstock are remnant pieces. The coin stamps are from Judikins. The Asian woman is from About Art Accents.

Now, I'm officially caught up. All I have to do is this week's challenge. Hmmm, should I start on Ruth's challenges? Her's are great theme challenges.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Challenge #9

2009-03-23T05:00:00.004-05:00

The stamped image is from Arte Rojo, an online stamp company owned by a Puerto Rican lady named Yazdel Alvarez. Unfortunatetly, she moved to Florida and since then, her online store has been inactive. She really has a lot of nice stamps and it's unfortunate that she is on hiatus.

This card was for Challenge #9 on Oriental Stamp Art's weekly card layout challenges. This one came together very quickly. I love the brown and blue together. I actually chose the ribbon first and matched it with coordinating paper. The ribbon buckle is from SkyBluePink.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #10

2009-03-22T05:00:00.002-05:00

This was a truly 10 minutes or less card. I used scraps of paper for everything except the card base itself. The stamp is from Stone House Stamps. One of my resolutions this year was to use stamps I've had for a while, but never used. This is one of them. I colored the image using a water pen and SU Chocolate Chip dye ink.

The design is Week 10 from the OSA year-long Card Layout Challenge which I'm hosting here. Only OSA members can send in cards to have uploaded, but if you're not an OSA member, try out the layout yourself at home and send me a link. I'd love to see it.

Card Layout Design Challenge #11

2009-03-21T19:39:00.004-05:00

Week 11 Card Layout Challenge on OSA has inspired quite a number of members to try different layers, most using paper scraps. That is what I used for the three main layers on this card. What a perfect way to get rid of those tiny papers you just don't want to toss away!

This card uses various types of paper scraps. From top to bottom you see a light golden abstract designed paper that is yuzen. The layer below that is made with a washi scrap. The layer under that is just plain wallpaper from a wallpaper book. Finally, the flax colored paper on the card is Hana paper.

The flowers were made using scraps left over from this project--scraps of scraps--LOL!! They were punched using two different sizes of the Carl Craft Sakura punches. I do not know the stamp company of the script stamp.

Enjoy~

Cards Made at Michelle Zindorf's Class

2009-03-15T06:25:00.004-05:00

These are the three cards that I made yesterday in Michelle Zindorf's Beginner's class.

First Michelle had us practice using the brayer. This was hard for me because the technique is to start off the card and work towards the class. To me, that's wasting ink, and I have a hard time with that. However, the results are wonderful.

This second card was pretty cool to make. I'm still amazed I even created such a lovely card. I think I had some issues with putting on the brads straight.

This is the last card I made. I actually made the image facing the wrong direction. I had started on the other side and decided to start over when I did not leave enough light on the water. I think I messed up when I did the turning over of the card. I think it would definitely look much better doing the image sideways. However, I am pleased with the actual brayering technique.

Enjoy~

Meeting Michelle Zindorf

2009-03-14T20:24:00.003-05:00

Today was an AWESOME day! My friend Sally and I went to Wheaton, Illinois to take a class from Michelle Zindorf, the brayering guru! The class was almost three hours long and we came away with three fabulous cards. Michelle demystified the brayering technique. Her class was certainly worth the long drive down to Wheaton. I look forward to taking her advanced class.

From right to left are Sally, Michelle, and me (in the blue sweatshirt).

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #4

2009-03-08T17:54:00.003-05:00

I had a few minutes today to work on my challenge card for Week 4 hosted on OSA. I have been working backwards on the challenges, but out of order. After today, I have two more to do, Challenge #1 and Challenge #9. I thought I only had one left, but good thing I went back to check.

The seashell is from Stonehouse Stamps. The text and script are from Art Neko.

Quick and Easy!!!
Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #6

2009-02-28T08:00:00.001-06:00

Wow! Three cards in one day! I made this card yesterday when I was on a roll. Today, it's back to reality and work, work, work!

The card is for the 6th OSA challenge. I only have 4 more to go to get caught up with all the challenges posted this year. This image is from Art Neko. It's a beautiful horse image. The black ribbon is from Michael's found in the $1 bin--what a deal!

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #7

2009-02-27T19:59:00.005-06:00

No, you're not reading the postings backwards. I'm actually working backwards on the card layout challenges. I've not had a whole lot of time these last few weeks, but today I had a day off, so I was able to do a little stamping.

The central scallops were made by using scallop punches in two different sizes. I used gold thread for going around the larger of the two scallops. The image is from Close to My Heart. The text is from SparkleNSprinkle.

Enjoy~

Card Layout Design Challenge #8

2009-02-27T16:07:00.005-06:00

Today was mid-winter break--all of one day off, but I'll take it! It snowed a few days ago and the weather is still in the teens. I'm tired of winter. The good news is that I saw the beginnings of my daffodils growing alongside my house. So what if there is ice and snow over them--LOL!

The card was made for the OSA weekly card layout challenge. I've only been able to do two since the beginning of the year...and I host them! The image is from About Art Accents.

Enjoy~

Kimono Card

2009-02-22T09:48:00.004-06:00

I made two kimonos for the MOSAS swap this month. The paper here is from Stampin' Up. It's a very lovely design which I learned how to do at my last Stampin' Up! camp. When you open it up, there is a coordinating design on the inside as well.

To make this kimono, you need an 8.5 by 5.5 paper, the same same size as a regular card. Find the center of the paper and fold the edges towards the center of the paper. That forms the front of the kimono. Cut off the corners on the top of the folded edges. That forms the neckline. Cut strips of coordinating paper about a fourth inch. Glue that along the neckline and the front edge of the folded paper.

To do the sleeves, measure down two inches from the shoulder. Make a cut about 3/4" in. Do this on both sides. Fold the paper inward up to the cut mark. Fold first one way, then fold backwards. This part is going to be tucked in, so the creases need to be crisp. Do this on both sides. This is going go make the slender part of the kimono. Open the kimono up. Tuck in the part that you created folds, so that it's like an accordian fold, but hidden inside the kimono.

Finishing up: Add coordinating strips of paper on the sleeves as shown. This paper had a different design around the waist of the kimono, so I just added mizuhiki cords. However, if your paper doesn't have a design there, cut out stips of paper to create the obi of the kimono. It could be a contrasting color or a complementary color would work well.

I hope this makes sense.

Enjoy~

In Sympathy

2009-02-15T19:33:00.005-06:00

About 35 years ago, I came to the United States to study in Wisconsin. Today I found out that the wife of one of my college professors had passed away this past week. Both he and his wife were wonderful to me during my college years, oh so many years ago. I was young, naive, and homesick being thousands of miles away from my family. Both were there for me.

After graduating, they took me in while I looked for an apartment and started my new job in the United States. They also became friends of my parents, a friendship that lasted over 30 years. This evening, I made this card to send to their daughters whom I've known since way back then.

I am so saddened by the loss of such a wonderful lady.

Card Layout Design Challenge #5

2009-02-08T11:27:00.004-06:00

This card layout is definitely never going to show up in Take Ten magazine! I absolutely love the design, but it takes time just making sure the dimensions are correct as well as the pacing. The card was for OSA's Week 5 Card Layout Challenge.

I chose to stay with three colors..red, black and white. The squares are 1" squares using the square punch. The sakura flowers are made using a small punch. I accented with Stickles glitter glue--gold and red. Stamp is from 100 Proof Press.

Enjoy!~

Oriental Row Houses

2009-02-02T06:00:00.002-06:00

This is my first attempt at making row houses. Maggi G. is hosting an Asian row house swap on OSA. I wanted to make the houses Asian-like, so I played around with the roof template. These look somewhat Asian and I hope you agree as well.

Short and sweet...that's it for now!

Enjoy~

Ying and Yang

2009-02-01T11:41:00.003-06:00

The next letter of the alphabet for the ATC exchange on OSA is Y. I chose Ying and Yang for this letter. I looked online to see which color went on which side. I found there really was no one set way of doing this design, so I chose this way.

I punched out two circles, one in black and one in white. I also punched out a circle on typing paper. That was the one I used to make the template. Once I had the squigglies made correctly, I cut it out and used one side as the template on the white. I traced and cut the left side of the YingYang design. Then I glued it over the black. The circles were made using a black marker and a white pen.

The background was made in a similar way. The ATC was cut in black. The white ATC was cut in half. Both were stamped using the Hero Arts script. Notice one goes one way, the other goes the other way. No, that was not intentional. In fact, it bothers me, but I'm not doing it over! And by the way, the Y swap hasn't even been posted, so I'm continuing with my resolution of being on time or early!

The words Ying and Yang were made using the CHASE font. The software was AppleWorks.

Enjoy~