Monday, February 27, 2017

Steampunk Cards

I bought a new stamp.  Thinking the bird would work well cut out and placed on any variety of backgrounds.  I didn't like him cut out.  **sad face**.  I was immediately sorry I bought the stamp.  I have too many stamps that stare back at me with the look of 'why did you buy me?' 

But I have been admiring lots of art made with blotches of watercolor with a stamp image over the top of the color.  I love the ones I see.  I don't yet understand watercolor and always end up with a brown mess.  I decided to try the style/technique with Distress Inks.  


There aren't process photos because I never think anything will get past the rubbish bin.  What I did was use an orange Distress ink pounced in the center of the card where I thought the bird would land using a little dauber thingy.  Then went around the orange with the lime color.  Then I spritzed it with water. Dried it a bit with paper towel.  That took off too much color so I just lightly daubered it again.  No more water.


Then I stamped the image with Archival black ink.  After that I added some touches of teal in small areas with a foam make up tool.  I then used more foam make up tools to add deeper color to the bird.  Splattering my art uncontrollably scares me, so I "dotted" the piece with a black maker and a white gel pen.  In the end I added some wood and metal gears here and there.


The envelope was next.  That chevron stamp is another one I love and can never figure out what to do with it.  I think this worked pretty good.


Here's how I colored in the chevron with daubers. 




I love this lettering guide.  It requires the use of very fine pens. I use my Juice .38 gel pens.  I love the very fine lettering I get.


Ready to mail.


I love how this Thank You card turned out.  So much so that I couldn't part with it until I tried to reproduce it as an art postcard that I could use for my postcard swaps.  No one could be more surprised then myself that I managed to be successful with this reproduction.


I'll definitely be trying this style again.

Happy Mail Day!

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Birthday Wishes Card

My very far away yet very dear blogging friend had a birthday recently.


Our art brought us together while our style and techniques are worlds apart.  It is the most wonderful thing to find an artistic friend then learn you have real life in common too.


Inspiration from Pinterest, scrapbook paper, die cutting, rubber stamping, fussy cutting.

Happy Mail Day!
xxx
Annie

Monday, February 13, 2017

Valentine Mail Art

For me, it is such a joy to collect the day's mail and find some mail art from a dear one to wipe away the disappointment of junk mail and bills.  So I love making that happen for others.  Not to mention that it's the best excuse to keep playing!


This card is my favorite.  The photo doesn't really show its 3-D appearance using pop dots and beads.  I made an envelope from old paper I never seem to choose for anything.




This postcard was fun to create off-the-cuff.  Why can't I remember to take a photo BEFORE I address the mail??? 




This art postcard got made because I wanted to try that idea of adding an h and an e to the "follow your art" rubber stamp.  I found a piece of cardstock that I had played with awhile back for  a water coloring technique.  


I've decided I love creating Valentines as much as I love creating Halloween art.  Well, at least this year anyway.  

Happy Valentine's Day!
xxx
Annie

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Vintage Romance

This week at the Sunday Postcard Art challenge, we are challenged to create a VINTAGE ROMANCE themed postcard.


I hadn't intended to play as the notice came up a bit late for me.  But I was working on a birthday card and thought the background I made would work well for an art card.

I don't normally take process photos as I never know whether it will be a waste of my time.  I took some this time since it was my second try at this background.


I started with these two scrapbook papers.


Then I die cut these two background pieces.


Then a tiny bit of stenciling and little bit of rubber stamping and gluing and ink tinting and I suddenly realized I had a vintage romance postcard.


I had to stamp the correspondence side with my vintage Private Mailing Card rubber stamp.


Happy Mail Day!
xxx
Annie  

Thursday, February 2, 2017

January 2017 Calendar Journal


January already has come and gone!  But never will be forgotten.  No matter how boring.


I still miss the very first calendar journaling format when I look back at those months.  But this style is so much more workable for me.


Have a great February!
xxx
Annie