My Last Two Twinches

Here are my final two of the six Twinchies that I am swapping in the Gingersnap Creations' Twinchies swap.  Sometimes it is so much easier to work in small areas than in large.  Twinchies are 2 inches by 2 inches so your images and embellishments cannot be very large.  Each one of my twinchies has a piece of paper that I altered.  The nice thing about making small pieces of art is that you can use some of those very small scraps that most people throw away.  Not me!  I keep everything!

Two More Twinchies

Here are a couple of more Twinchies for the Gingersnap Creations' Twinchies swap.

Travel Bookmarks

I have finally finished my Travel-themed bookmarks.  They are for the Gingersnap Creations' bookmark swap.  They were fun to do even though at first I didn't think I had stamps that were appropriate.  I made bookmarks for four different places.  They are the following:  1-USA, Music City (Nashville, TN), 2-Holland, 3-Paris and 4-Japan.

I will be sending them out tomorrow.   I look forward to receiving my four from the swap and see the places they represent.

Looking Good-Both Ways

Here is a card I did with a big flap that I think looks good both ways.  When you make a comment  tell which wasy you like it...The first is potrait.  The second is landscape.

 

I chose red and gold so I could enter Gingersnap Creations' GC100 Color Challenge of red and gold.  The background of the card was done with the Highlighted Cuttlebug technique.  I used a gold pen to do the highlighting.  The image is a Darla Digi and I think it looks great going either way.  Coloring was done with Copic markers.  Finishing up the card is a scrap piece of red and gold ribbon.  I also entered this is Darla's first challenge "Mother's Day" (flowers).

Final Coaster - for now

Here is a coaster I made for the Gingersnap Creations heart coaster swap.  This is the last of four coasters I have made for the swap. 

Since this is a heart coast swap, I put a tiny heart on it.  Can you find it?  This is a collage of vintage pictures from various sources.  It also is being entered into their Random Redhead Challenge No. 95 Typewriters.


Also I am entering this piece in Simon's Stamp and  Show Word challenge.  I did a little gesso experimentaling with the background on this piece.  Also I used a scrap from Gecko Galz to give the background a little color.  The four letters are dimensional and brings the images together as both the pen and mechnical writer are tools of the past to make the written word.

A Winner and Another Coaster

Congratulation to Gemma Atchia for winning Challenge # 13. She was No. 88, the magic number picked by a random generator.  She will be receiving a terrific package provided Alpha Stamps.

Here is the third of four coasters that I am making for Gingersnap Creations' heart coaster swap.  I have made a point of not having the heart as the center image of my collages.  I have had a great time making these collages and can't wait to received the ones being sent to me as I know they will be outstanding works of art.

Coasters

 Here are two coaster I havce made for the Gingershanp Creations art swap due next month.  We are suppose to have  different design on the 4 coasters.;  I only have two completed now, but am working on the other two now.  I hope to upload them this weekend.  These are Spring-looking ones in line with the theme of my present challenge.  The first coaster has an image from Alpha Stamps, my sponsor at this time.  I am showing a couple of close-ups so you can see the detail.

A Collage Tag

Here is a tag I put together using a charm.  I have very few charms, but I did find this shoe and I thought it appropriate for this victorian lady.  Images are by Green Paper.   After I pieced a couple of different design paers on the tag, I covered the entire tag with lace.  This is being entered into Gngersnap Creations' challenge using using charms.

I also have entered this in Simon's Stamp and Show's  "Ephemera" challenge and Studio L3's Dimensional Collage Fragments.

Compendium of Curiosities #33

I haven't joined in on Studio L3's Compendium of Curiosities recently.  This week it is on Altered Metal Alcohol Inks.  This was a fun technique.  I altered my metal piece with a red alcohol ink to match my paper.    This card has various layers of different shades of rose to burgundy.  I really like the way my metal embellsihment turned out.

I used as my main image two very small playing cards, the king and queen of diamonds.  This is being entered into Gingersnaps Creations' "King and Queen" challenge.

Gingersnap Creations Color Challenge

The Gingersnap Creations GC#88 Color Challenge this week is Coffee and Cream.  For my inspirational piece I chose to do an Aged Tiles technique card.  The collage stamp showing a lady standing in front of the Colosseum in Rome is by Hampton Art Stamps.  The tiles are distressed with Ranger Vintage Photo color.  To give the card a little elegance I chose to add a string of pearls underneath the stamped picture and tie a bow with them.  Under the pearls is a piece of really old paper lace that I have had for years and never knew what to do with it.

                                                        

                                                

With this card I finish up my month of being a Visiting Artist with Gingersnap Creations.  It has really been a fun time.

Tea Bag Template

As Visiting Artist for Gingersnp Creations' GC#87 Random Redhead Challenge I was given a template to use to create a tea bag holder.  I decided to also make a box to hold my tea bags.  This matching set would make a great gift for a friend or someone who is feeling under the weather.
Below is a close-up of the two tea bags.

Gingersnap Creations Supply Challenge

The theme this month at Gingersnaps Creations is "Hot Beverages".  In connection with this theme the challenge at Gingersnaps this week is the  GC 86 Spicey Supply using coffee filters.  Below is a closeup and a full view of my project.  I dyed the coffee filters and cut them out with Spellbinders and placed them on a fan that I cut out with my Cricut machine. 

I did not adhere the round pieces of coffee filter down completely.  I only used glue in the middle of each circle.  This gave the background dimension and made in look more fluffy and delicate.  The pieces were placed randomly.

The main image of the girl with the book is by Rogue Redhead Designs.  I decided on a ghostly color for her as I felt putting her on white cardstock would have been too stark.  As you can tell by the label that the book is the key to the color of the things around her. t

I'm a Visiting Artist

 I'm so excited that I have been asked to be a Visiting Artist for Gingersnaps Creations this month. Also, would you believe I'm  a Ginger Gem for the Snowpeople challenge as well.  What a great new year this has been so far

The theme for the Chestnut Theme for January is "Hot Beverages"  For my inspiration I made a card using stamps from Sweet and Sassy and Inkadinkadoo.  On the cup I did a little paper piecing.  To emphasize the coffee color, I used cardstock and pattern paper in various shades of brown with a little "cream" on top.  The mouse and cup are colored with Copics.  The scan doesn't show, but the little coffee drinker is in 3-D as his little head is peering over the cup.

With the cold and snow outside, I decided to give everyone a little warm humor.

Additional Inspiration for Challenge

Here are some additional inspirational cards for you to see.  i hope they will encourage more of you to join my challenge.  This is not a difficult theme so let's see what you can create.  i have some great stamps from Unity Stamps that I am sure you will enjoy using.

Vicki

I have had these two stamps for a number of years.  The "Noel" is not marked.  The angel is from from Rubber Stampede.. I did a background of Highlighted Cuttlebug and used distressed inks on this card giving it a vintage look.

 My card is also being used to enter the the Vintage Challenge on Gingersnap Creations.

Barbara

I just love this stamp. I think it truly brings out the feeling of Christmas. I am so sad that I don't know who made this stamp. This was a very simply constructed card. I stamped the image in white pigment ink on a dark green background and embossed using white embossing powder. I layered the green panel against a grey panel. The sentiment is a metal tag which I adhered to the green panel

Krisha's Ornament post card

Shaded with Tom Holt's ink, then stamped and embossed with gold. A rhinestone was added to the star and a gold ribbon ran through the holes   Sentiment from Stamp Oasis. Angel from Inkadinkado

A Stitch in Time

This card has stitching all the way around the image and the trim is sewed on.  This will give me an entry into Gingersnaps Creation.  I thought I would never get it done as my sewing machine didn't want to cooperate.  Maybe if I used it more I would have better results.

The image is from a Christmas collection that Inka has in her Altered Artifacts'  store.  I just love this one in particular.  Since she has holly in her bonnet, I decided to embellish my card with glittery holly and berries.  There was no need for a greeting as at the top of the image it says "Merry Christmas".

This post is entitled A Stitch in Time which reminds me I have one more Santa card to put up as a reminder to everyone that my challenge is ending soon. I am hoping more people will enter.  It doesn't have to be a card.  It can be a tag or project of some kind.  Just make sure you link directly to the project and become a follower.   I am giving away a great set of stamps by Firecracker Designs by Pamela.  Pamela is going out of business and has some terrific buys.  Just check her out.

This is for Gingersnaps Creations' "Sewing" challenge and Simon's Stamp and Show's challenge "Christmas Greeting".

Out of the Box "Snowpeople"

I notice a  number of the bloggers are posting cards with "snowpeople".  I have a number of snowmen stamps, but I also like using parts of a stamp.  Here is my card;  I  made an out of the box card with just the cute face of my snowman.

The snowman is by Hero Aarts and the little berries in the corner is by Firecracker Designs by Pamela, for the present ongoing challenge above.  Coloring was done with Copics.

Challenges I am participating in are

Play Date Cafe PDCC#58's  Red and White color theme.
Gingersnap Creations Snowpeople.

Black and Orange - Halloween

Here is a tag I made for  the Black and Orange Challenge at Kard Krazy's Tag Tuesday.  I went with the Halloween theme.  I am also taking part in Drunken Stampers  challenge on Halloween.

This tag is also in the shape of an Arch.  Gingersnap Creations is having an arch challenge.  Simon Says Stamp and Show is having a spooky challenge.  Having a spooky pumpkin on a shelf makes me have chills.

Main image is from Twisted Papers.

Getting Ahead of the Holidays - Trees

From time to time I am going to make a few Christmas cards in order to get ahead of the holidays.  At the same time I am entering Gingersnaps Creations' 'Trees" Challenge.  This is a stand-up card and I will write a message on the base.  The main embellishment on this card is the dimensional tree whose branches are tipped with snow.  Notice not only did the snow fall on the tree, but it stuck to the sign.  Below the sign is a bought embellishment of holly.  This has been one of my favorite cards and it is so easy.

I'm also entering PLay Date Cafe #50  in their Melon, White and Green Challenge.

A number of people have asked if it was a clay tree.  The answer is "No".  It is paper.

Inch by Inch

Gingersnaps Creations is having a challenge called "Inches".  So I pulled out all my inchie stamps.  I really haven't used them much in the past.  These are by Inkadinkadoo.  They are stamped on paper on which I did the Bleach Swipes technique.  I have used this technique a lot lately as one day during the summer I sat on my patio and made numerous sheets in different colors using that technique.  Now I am trying to use it up!

Wrinkle-Free Distress

Here is my sample of Tim Holtz's Wrinkle-Free Distress technique.  This is a very easy and stress-free method of coloring your paper.  It is my entry to Studio L3's  Compendium of Curiosities Challenge for Week 16.  Other challenges this is for is Gingersnap Creations' "Punches" and Simon Says Stamp and Show's Distress Challenge

The mat is using Highlighted Cuttlebug and I have a Out of the Box label.  All stamps are from Scrolls Work. As an added touch I made a fence out of a lace border punch and put in a little Flower Soft for flowers.