Valentine Swap

My local stamp group is having a Valentine swap - we are each decorating a paper mache letter V for another member. This is the one I did for Karen. I painted the letter first with red acrylic paint, then adhered patterned paper, lace and ribbon, a painted and "stickled" chipboard heart, and a vintage image glued to a heart playing card (from the Target $1 Spot). The dark red heart paper on the lower portion is actually tissue paper that the V was wrapped in and given to us by the hosting member. I couldn't resist using it on the project.

Mini Collages

I have finally finished 15 mini collages that I am making for my co-workers as little gifties for when the store closes next week. Somewhere I saw a similar project (can't remember where to give credit though) and thought it would be an inexpensive way to give a remembrance to everyone.

I glued five pages of an old book together to make the base for the collages, using decoupage medium between each page and then on the top and bottom to make a rigid base. I cut these into 1" x 3" rectangles and adhered torn patterned paper scraps. After inking these, I added vintage children images from Lisa's Altered Art, punched crowns or triangle hats and wings to some. The edges were trimmed with Krylon gold pen and eyelets added. (These scans were made before the ribbon was added.)

I added printed titles - scrapbook queen or fairy for most, but some were named for the recipients' jobs. Our manager will get "Queen of Everything"; Event Mgr. will receive "Queen of Happenings"; the gal who loves everything pink will get "Queen of Pink"; and for the youngest employee who buys everything in sight "Princess Gotta Have It All."

These were so much fun to make and I hope they will all like them. I attached clear printed labels on the back - "remember Recollections."

Ribbon

I seriously need to stop buying ribbon. But how can one resist all the beautiful colors and textures or a great sale? Ribbon is now 60% off at the shop, so this is what I bought on Friday!


You never know when you will need a certain color at 1:00 am - so you must stockpile. Besides, it all looks so pretty in these cute jars from Making Memories!

Get Organized!

That's at the top of my list for 2008 - at least in my art room! It has really gone downhill since I started working in April. I tell myself I will clean it up and put things away when I finish the current project, only to find myself immersed in yet another project before I can do so. Since I still have several weeks before the store actually closes and I stop working, the room reorg will have to wait just a little while longer. In the meantime, I am redoing my "stamp log."

When I first started stamping several years ago, one of the best tips I heard was to make a log of every stamp. I have been faithful to this - and it is such a valuable tool. When starting a project, I browse through my log to see what stamps might work and then retrieve them from wherever they are stored. It's great too when friends are over and want to use my stamps - they only have to look through the log rather than shelves and drawers full of stamps.

The only problem - I started this in a small notebook, never dreaming my collection would grow so large, and it is now bursting at the seams! I initially intended to take this when I shopped so I would not duplicate stamps and I wanted it to be portable and small. However, in all the time I've had this, I've never once remembered to take it with me! So, I am now transferring the log to a larger 8 1/2" x 11" 3-ring binder. At the same time, I am trying to reorganize the categorie and the actual stamps.

And the moral of this overly long story is, if I'm not posting, I'm probably logging!

So much for resolutions...

Well, my goal to blog more often hasn't been achieved this first week of the new year! I've been very busy with work and getting holiday decorations put away and the house back to normal. But I have taken some time to sit down and do a few art projects that were on my "to do" list.

One of my co-workers had taught a mini-book class in December using the new "Noteworthy" papers from Making Memories. I love these papers so copied her base book, giving it my own touches with added pockets and tags. The book is made from chipboard die-cut with the new Accucut tab book die cut. I painted the chipboard first with gesso and then with cream, pink and aqua acrylic paints. The inside pages were close to 6" square, without the binding edge, so a 1/4 sheet of 12x12 paper covered well. This line of paper includes several papers with scalloped or zigzag edges which I wanted to showcase, so I used these on the front and back covers which were a bit larger. The book has four inside pages, two with tabs. I had fun decorating the pages with pockets and tags made from extra paper as well as ribbons and flowers and buttons. I love my new little art journal in which I will save bits and pieces of inspiration, ideas for projects, and whatever tickles my fancy!