Saturday, May 17, 2014

Pretty Post-Its Pads

About three posts earlier, I said I thought I wanted to make some fun Post-It note pad jackets...and lookie here.  I've actually made a few.  These are the fronts.
 
 
And these are the backs.
 
 
 
 I have also become the newest member of the Gesso Club.  I didn't want to join, but I saw no alternative.  I have lots of paper that is dark and not very usable for me.  The magic of Gesso lightens the paper design considerably to accommodate my love of stamping.

 
What I don't like about water based paints is the dry dusty feel of it.  I did sand lightly to make sure I had a smooth surface.  I thought it might also take away some of the "dry feel".  Nope.  So, when I was done, I sprayed the jacket with a matte sealer.  It turned out smooth and most importantly, flexible.  Happy camper here!
 
I know a few people who are going to love these as hostess thank you gifts!
 
xxx
Annie

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Quaint Tag

This time the tag recipe at Dragons Dream Tag It On is a word for the letter Q and the color gold.
 
Quaint
 
 
I had the best time making this tag and having it surprise me at every step. 
 
The gold, of course, is not very visible here.  The butterfly wings have been highlighted with a gold metallic pen.
 
Thanks for the inspiration at TIO!
 
xoxo
Annie


Thursday, May 8, 2014

Journaling 2014

So here is the rest of April and the beginning of May.  Time is just flying by!
 
 
I like to think that man might be my long lost rich uncle who thinks of me as his favorite niece.  Imagination is a wonderful thing.
 
This is my Journal closed.  I love the neat and tidy look of it and I didn't even have to gussy it up as it comes this way.  I found this style at Barnes and Noble.  It says StudioOh! on the back.
 
 
Wishing all a happy day!
Annie


Sunday, May 4, 2014

Note Pad Jacket

 I've had the best opportunity to decorate this cute notepad jacket.  Ingeborg (flickr) has made lots of these notebooks and invited me to swap art with her.  She sent me the orange painted base paper sheet and the notepad for inside.
 
 
When I got some new rubber stamps in the mail, I knew right away I wanted them on my new notepad.  So, a little bit of stamping, some washi tape (on the binding fold), a bit of purple ink, a length of Perle cotton, a brad and some evening play time and DONE!  So FUN! 
 
I don't know if I'll ever actually use it for notes, but I LOVE having it decorate my desk! 
 
Ingeborg's art package to me included this notepad she made for me.  (The colors are much more vivid in real)
 
I was thrilled!  And so excited to have the basic beginnings to make my own.  I think these pads are so awesome.  Being the recipient of one, I can say first hand it's a great little gift idea.
 
I love having both these pads to decorate my desk!  I think my post-it note pad needs a jacket too.  I also think the tri-fold with the cord wrap would make a great unique greeting card.  hmmm, I might try that next.  Oh, the joy of inspiration!
 
xoxo
Annie
 
 


Friday, May 2, 2014

Journaling

April 2014

I'm now journaling in this journal book.  I love how the pages lie flat together without spiral binding.  Very nice indeed.
 
 
The top of the page is not cut off.  I stamped April so that it would be partly off the edge.
 
I've started out ok and with some art...even though it isn't my own art, but then the next two pages turned out more like a diary look with smattering attempts to spruce it up for interest...which didn't work and is not what I'm after.
 
It seems that scanning these pages leaves them looking dark and blotchy...which they are not in real. 

I'm rectifying the "art" part of this journal beginning May 1st.  The struggle I have is with ink coming through to the opposite side.  The pages are not thin, but it still comes through. 
 
  So, while I finish filling in the next two-page spread, I'll leave you with most of April to snoop through.  It reads like a lullaby to put you to sleep.  I'm looking forward to doing some snooping myself with fellow bloggers who also play with an art calendar journal.
 
xoxoxo
 Annie


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Bicycle Tag

This fortnight's challenge at Dragons Dream, Tag It On is the letter B and to include a flower(s).
 
I miss my bicycle terribly.
 
It didn't turn out quite as planned and I made attempts to fix it up, but not quite to my satisfaction.  I can live with it though.  (I couldn't face cutting out another bicycle to start over)
 
This is the back.

 
I'm especially enjoying making tags from mat board.
 
Thanks for the challenge Dragons Dream!
xoxoxo
Annie


Sunday, April 27, 2014

Music Postcard

The theme this week at Sunday Postcard Art is
 
Music
 
 
I've had some postcard backgrounds started that have not found their direction yet.  When I saw the postcard challenge theme of music for this week, this background suddenly found direction.
 
xoxoxo
Annie
 


Sunday, April 13, 2014

Still Life Postcard

The challenge theme for Sunday Postcard Art (SPA) is
 
Still Life
 
 
I wanted to use this bottle stamp and I wanted to use postage as the bottle labels.  Marei has shared with me generously some stamps from her collection.  Among them were these awful bug stamps.  I don't like bugs on anything.  With the exception of cute artsy bugs like dragonflies and butterflies.  I wanted to remove them from the pile...without actually throwing them away.  Bug Juice came to mind.  Which made working with them more humorous than creepy.
 
Now I need to make this bug infested postcard go away.  Let me know if your are a bug lover and would like to find it in your mailbox?
 
Hugs,
Annie


Friday, April 11, 2014

Bird Song Tag

Still wanting to play with tags, I once again took on the challenge at DragonsDream, Tag It OnThe challenge theme is the letter S (sing and song) and the color blue.
 
 
I stamped the harlequin diamonds on the tag.  I would have liked them to be a bit lighter.  I photocopied a piece of Artists' Paper onto tracing paper then cut out the area with the trees to fit my tag.  The alphabet at the top is Washi Tape and I stamped the music at the bottom.  The bird is stamped separate, cut out and glued on.

 
The back is another section of the tracing paper copy then the harlequin design stenciled and the bird and branch are also stencils.  The words and graphic are a piece of Washi Tape.
 
All very easily done and makes me look like an artist, don't you think?  LOL
 
xoxo
Annie


Sunday, April 6, 2014

Art Journal 2014 - March

March 2014
Art Journal
 
 
I'm feeling incredibly flighty with this project.  Although I like best how March turned out, in April I am once again taking a new direction with this daily journaling thing.
 
Thank you Chris for another great art journal page!

An update on my Paint Tin envelope....I've added a paint brush.  It felt unfinished or incomplete to me and now it feels complete.

 
Now if only I could paint for real!... **sigh** ...oh well, I can do other things well instead.  Variety in people and talents is the spice of life.
 
xoxoxo
Annie