ATC Background Swap

I love participating in ATC Background Swaps. This one was hosted on Stamphappy. The idea is that I make 9 identical ATC backgrounds. The easiest way to do this is to creat an A4 page of background and then cut it into 9 ATCs. These are then sent to the hostess of the swap who sends one of mine and 8 other people's back to me to decorate, and 8 other people each get one of my backgrounds to decorate. Once they are all decorated, they get sent back to the hostess who then sends me back all 9 of my background ATCs that are decorated and interpreted in so many different ways and styles.

So here are the backgrounds I received to decorate. Mine is the top left hand one. I am really looking forward to seeing what all my backgrounds look like when they come home to me again.



















And here are the same ones now I've decorated them. My favourites are 3, 4 and 5,

A handmade Christmas

I made a couple of gifts for extended family for Christmas.

* I made a card box and ten cards for one of DH's aunts.

*The two 'notes' gifts are magnetic photo stands that I covered with designer paper and cuttlebugged c/s and then put a magnet on the back of the post it notes. The little people are magnetic paper clips. These were for teenage girls & they really liked them. It was a bargain.. 16c for the magnetic photo stands at a Sam's Warehouse.

*The butterflies are tumbled tile coasters stamped on with one of my favourite stamps.. will have to find it and update this so I can give details of whose it is... they were stamped with stayzon, sealed with a matte varnish and little felt circles cut out with my cuttlebug stuck on the back. I gotta admit, I loved these and didn't really want to give them away. they were for a cousin in his 50's who really needs nothing. I hope he appreciated them.. it's hard to tell with men!

Art journal swap - Paris

This is my spread in a friend's "Paris" art journal. I hope you like it! I was chuffed.

ATCs for Tilly Stampers

I made these ATCs for a background swap with the Tilly Stampers group. Everyone made 9 ATCs with the same backgrounf, then we decorated each others. Then we get our own backgrounds back, all nicely decorated and interpreted in 9 different ways. I love this swap. They are so much fun. These are what I made with the backgrounds I received. Photo is a bit blurry because I took it with my phone which isn't a great camera

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"The Enchanted Garden"

This is my front cover of my art journal. The front is embossed with the cuttlebug die that looks like wrought iron gates (can't remember the name of it) and opens up to a scene with a path winding through the forest.

 

The title page. The theme is The Enchanted Garden... and my friends who are participating in this art journal round robin are welcome to interpret this theme however they choose.

 

The introductory story...

 

My sign in pages are mushrooms and I included a bunch of little fairies so each person can choose a fairy and put it where they like. I look forward to seeing this finished.

 

My double page spread. These were done with lots of layers of paint, serviettes, tissues, stamping, and I can't remember what else... it took ages to do but I was happy with it in the end.

 

A close up of left hand  page

 

A close up of the right hand page

 

I am SO looking forward to seeing my journal when it comes home again.

Amazing blog candy

DEbbie from the UK is offering a fantastic blog candy to celebrate her birthday. visit

http://passionforcrafts.blogspot.com/2010/05/its-my-birthday-blogcandy.html

to find out more and check out her awesome art work while you are there. Sorry, the hyperlink doesn't want to work for me today.

I will get bach to being creative myself one day... as my lovely 2.5 yo DD says "another day".. not sure when that "another day" will be though :)

Creating after a long, dry time

I have been struggling something shocking to find the time or inspiration to create. But a friend requested cards for her DH's birthday and I had just received my new Tim Holtz stamps and they were calling out to be used. This is what I came up with. I know it's not very birthday like but I enjoyed making it.

You can't see it but underneath the man image is gorgeous faux batik paper made by following the instructions on Carol's blog I had a great time making a variety of different backgrounds using this technique and that helps get some of the "mojo" back. [Misplacing my gloss c/s that I wanted for another project certainly hasn't helped maintain my enthusiasm. I am back to being frustrated lol!]