Metal Zen Bookmark

Here is a bookmark a made for a bookmark challenge.  It is made of metal.  I love embossing metal for craft projects, but have never purchased the tools to do so.  I simply use an old ball point pen.  Rubbing the metal with waxed paper helps my pen slide smoothly. 

After the piece was completely embossed and my fingers almost entirely useless, I heated it with my heat gun to make the colors emerge.  It has lovely shades of copper, red, orange, silver and blue.  Hard to see in the pics.

Gingersnap Creations Botanical Challenge Entry

I made this for the Gingersnap Creations Random Red head Botanical Challenge.

Please keep in mind that although I have been crafting all my life and stamping about 20 years I've just returned from a forced 4 year leave from any and all craft type activities.  Because of that, I'm having a hard time remembering exactly what company manufactured many of my um stamps.

This piece is in a wooden picture frame that was painted red, then overcoated with black and lightly sanded in spots to allow the red to show through.

The Rose stamp (company unknown) was stamped in black on the back of the glass. Glitter was applied to the rose, again on the back of the glass. Black Memories ink was applied all around the outside of the image by tapping the pad with my stiffest brush and just smooching it on the glass around the rose.  This was placed in the frame with a piece of red foil behind it.

Oops, almost forgot.  The Rose Woman image from the Greenwomen collection at Wild Frog Creations Rubber Stamps (can't forget that company, lol) was stamped on cardstock, colored and copied twice.  One copy had all the flowers and leaves clipped off and layered on the original piece with thin mounting foam.  The 2nd copy had only the roses cut out and layered again with additional mounting foam.
The entire Rose Woman was then distressed with brown ink and a sponge. This was mounted on the front of the glass.

I'm done with it for now.  I may add additional elements later.  This did not photograph well.  I am posting 2 pictures which each show some part of the piece better than the other.

Found Objects Challenge Card

I decided to try one of the Challenges on the Gingersnap group. Entries due in today or tomorrow, so I probably won't enter it after all.  Since I was participating late (and only I knew I was participating, lol) I just made a simple card.  Almost everything on it is recycled. 
The buttercup cardstock is the only element on the card that is NOT recycled.

The corrugated background is from a used  USPS priority mail box. The outer white layer of paper on these boxes peel off easily to reveal the wonderful corrugated paper beneath.

Then there is a layer of used gift wrap that I had saved and the Frog Stamp from Wild Frog Creations was stamped on a scrap of white card from my scrap box.  Colored with markers.

I had taken apart an old belt of mine (my waist grew) instead of donating it or trashing it.  I saved the entire belt.  I'll find a use for it.  The three clear  circular rhinestones  with brass frames on the  left side of the card are from that belt.  The three brass nail heads below the frog are also from that belt.

The piece of leftover raffia was twisted in the middle with a piece of wire and attached as a bow.

I'll have to figure this out sooner or later, so I just came back to edit this post and follow the rules. Here is the link to the Found Objects Challenge at Gingersnaps.

Zentangle Woman

This is a cover I made for a large 8 1/2" X 11" journal.  I do not have the journal finished as yet.  Will post pics of completed project when it's done.

Several of Wild Frog's stamps have zentangle like doodles included in the images and I decided to play with adding more.  This one includes the braided woman medallion.  I stamped the image in the center of the piece first, then began to hand draw the zentangle around it.  Turned out well, I thought.

Frog Band Card

All images by Wild Frog Creations.  Colored pencils, layered on copy of page from old music book and burgundy card stock.  Quick and easy. 

Easter Card - Rabbit Farm

Image is from Wild Frog Creations Rubber Stamps colored with colored pencils, layered on green and black cardstock.  Background paper is from Hot Off the Press.  The rusted shovel came in a set of embellishments which included a rake and a hoe.  I can't remember the company right now.  I had to take it apart and cut the wooden handle shorter to fit it on the card.  Much nicer than the misfit scary Easter card in the previous post.

First blog entry - Easter Gone Bad

My very 1st entry, so be patient.  Building a web site with HTML I can do, working this drag and drop I'm not so sure of, lol.

Thought I'd start with some of my recent artwork, then add as I create.

     This started out as an Easter card for my Grandchildren and it went horribly wrong.  The colors did not scan well.  Cardstock is a plum/purple.  Background is actually from a Hellman's  Mayo "wrapwich" wrapper.  "Easter Frog" image is from Wild Frog Creations colored with colored pencils.  Had the frog in the bunny suit already attached to the card with scraps of mounting foam instead of pop dots when I finally noticed the bats on the background and that it looked a bit spooky, so I added a spider web made of bits torn from mulberry paper and a plastic spider.  The grass in the foreground is mulberry paper.  I made a couple much friendlier cards for the grandkids.