Art Journal Page-Positivity

This page utilizes some lyrics from a song called "Positivity" from one of my favorite bands called Suede.

The background is done with acrylics and masking tape.

Stamps used were by Quietfire Design and the butterfly image is from Inkastamps

An Update on ME

Some folks who follow my blog know I have had some health issues and here's an update.
I am still having pain & low grade temp-I am dealing better with it.........but, surgery is in order.
I am having a hysterectomy (abdominal) on November 3rd. It hit me for the first time yesterday, really hard. I am afraid of complications, etc..........I am overall VERY healthy so I am sure it will be just fine, and I am sure its part of human nature to be afraid.
I have been tired of just sitting around being in pain and on pain meds so the past couple weeks I have made a pact with myself to do SOMETHING creative. I don't care HOW bad I feel later, its been so good for my soul. Its been so nice to, at the end of the day, say "I did this and that" rather than just laying around all day.

Birds. Yes, I love them!

So I have a thing for Bird stamps............I am sure you can tell. We just work well together LOL

Here are a couple things I did whilst playing with the new Bird Stamp Sheet from I Brake For Stamps that is being released tomorrow. These have been lots of fun!

Both Techniques I have used here are from the Technique Junkies Newsletter

Created By Hand Challenge: Coffins!

Okay, now this one was wayyyyyyyyyyyyy different than anything I have done before.I used a coffin card template from Quietfire Design.Stamps are by Quietfire Design.The actual card itself looks better in person-the white stamped background does not show up as well in the scan for some reason.

Another Bandana card

Did another one.

Stamps are by Inkastamps.

Bandana Technique

I've seen alot of folks doing the "bandana" technique lately from the Technique Junkies Newsletter so thought I would give this one a try. Stamps by Inkastamps.

Project for Artistic Oupost

In addition to the samples done for Artistic Outpost, I also did a project for them as well. I chose to do a "Swatch book."

The instructions will be on their website soon :)

This is the project open.

More "Snowy Woods"

More from the "Snowy Woods" sheet from Artistic Outpost!

the backgrounds on these were done using Acrylic paints.

Artistic Outpost "Snowy Woods"

I am a guest designer for Artistic Outpost for their new sheet debuting Oct 1st called "Snowy Woods" and wanted to share what I did with the stamps. The backgrounds on these (all except the top one, are done with acrylics. The top one was done on acetate with alcohol inks)

More coming in another post!

New Stamps from "I Brake For Stamps"

Della is coming out with some new Bird Themed Stamps this week and I've done up some samples for her-here's a sneak peek :)

The techniques I used here were from the Technique Junkies' Newsletters.

Theme Thursday: Numbers

Theme thursday contribution for "numbers"

Radiant Rain Daubers used for background, along with Gesso. Stamps by Inkastamps (mesh background, rabbit, subtle circles on background behind rabbit)

Ink and number stencils over that. Grungeboard #1 painted with radiant rain dauber

Faux Carnival Glass

I finally made some Faux Carnival Glass. I have been wanting to make some for ages, but as I was at After Midnight's website I remembered it and decided to give it a try today. I REALLY love the way this stuff looks. Of course it just doesn't show in the picture! I decided to adorn a book cover with it. It needed more so I added some embossed metal tape (using the wizard and a cuttlebug embossing folder) to it.

One Sweet Blog Award

Thank you to Marilyn for this award-I am honored :)

I would love to pass this award on to:

Dawn and Stephanie at Alteredartists

Lisa at Spirit Thing Studio

Wanda at ArtbyWanda

Gerrie at QueenofGrunge

Shelly at ShellyHickox

Wednesday Stamper: Patterns

Here's a couple of ATCs I did for Wednesday Stamper's theme of Patterns.

Stamps by Time To Stamp

Created By Hand Challenge:Dragonflies

Here's my contribution to the Created By Hand (Tuesday) challenge.

I used stamps from Quietfire Design for this. I used a "Wild Card" Template (I believe they no longer make these) for the shape of this card-I had forgotten I had several. While browsing through my template drawer I happened across it and decided to use it. I used Grungeboard for the frame, that I textured with my Wizard. It needed more so I added wire and a charm (you've probably noticed that lately I have been using wire alot :) )

Funky Stencils

Okay. I admit it. I am NUTS about stencils. Letter stencils, that is. I can't have too many.

While waiting for my daughter today for school to get out, I wandered into the book fair

they are having. We were already there but I was bored so I went again. A book caught my immediate attention-the Funky Stencil Book. I grabbed it right up. Interesting fonts, these stencils are. I LOVE the variety ! So if there's a Scholastic book fair near you, be sure to check it out! I always find cool stuff there, but this has to be my favorite yet :)

Gillian was more interested in this book than the book set I got her. So I told her I would share :)

Created By Hand Challenge: Crows

Here's my contribution for Today's "Created By Hand" Challenge, which is crows.

The crow stamps are by Quietfire Design

The embellishment is a stamped mahjong tile that I pounced alcohol inks onto. The crow is stamped with Stazon ink.

I wrapped it with wire I pounded with a hammer.

TMTA: Handwriting

The theme over at TMTA is handwriting.

I did two for this challenge-one is Asian handwriting

Images by Inkastamps

Backgrounds were created with acrylic paints.

Another Metal ATC

I have worked on this throughout the day.

Its another one using that Metal Repair tape. I love that stuff!

I also incorporated some Mica and a bit of wire wrapping.

The image used here is from Collagevisions

And as usual, the scans don't do these justice at all.

ATC's done today

There is an upcoming ATC show in my area so I have started to make some ATC's to take for it.


The metal one was done using HVAC metal repair tape that you get at the hardware store. I love this stuff! I applied black acrylic paint to darken it up a bit. It was a little flimsy even on the cardstock so I attached it to a piece of Chipboard to make it stronger. The other bits on this were stuff I had around the house. The bottlecap is actually rusted, but you can't see that in the scan. The element in the middle was actually an old earring-I think my husband brought it home to me, like YEARS ago. It has been in a drawer of mine, waiting to be used. I just used wire cutters to cut off the earring part and voila! Worked beautifully. I just wish it would scan better!

The Angel one was done on loose canvas-I transferred the image to the canvas. The piece of Canvas was painted beforehand and stamped with text in solvent ink.
Image from CollageVisions

New Art Journal Page

It felt good to do an art journal page today. Its been a while! This past week I have actually done some stamping too for a new stamp sheet that Artistic Outpost will be debuting soon-they asked me to be a guest designer and I gladly accepted. I can't put those creations on my blog yet, so you will see those later.

I am still having my pain, although lately its been milder, so I have been able to do a bit more.

If I am on my feet alot though, I usually pay for it later in the day or even the next day.

All this has had me really wishing I was invincible-hence the journal page for today.

The past week has revealed through my CT scan that there is really nothing wrong with me, other than a stupid fibroid. The fibroid is in the spot where my pain is and that is all they can find that could possibly be causing my pain. It is also accompanied with nausea and a low grade temperature. So , it looks like a Hysterectomy IS in the future. I am waiting a bit longer though, because I want to see how my pain level is. If its mild, I think I will hold off a bit. Plus, I have to pay like 30% of the surgery cost, which HURTS. That is ALOT of money. Plus, having 2 small children in school and no family nearby is really hard too. But, if it just gets to the point where I can't stand it , I will have to do it. I can't suffer like this. As per my doctor's instructions, I am seeing an internist today to make sure she did not miss anything. Which honestly, I don't know how they possibly did. I have had blood drawn, an ultrasound and a CT scan. Along with urgent care and 2 other doctors. sigh. Okay, enough whining. But I have had people wondering so I thought I would tell y'all what I have been up to (which other than doctor appts and being doped on Vicodin for the pain, has not been much!).

I do hope to be doing more art, and continuing to be a trooper (as my doctor told me this past week).