Thursday, February 21, 2013

Altered Dictionary - H

This time for the Altered Dictionary Alpha Challenge at The Craft Barn the letter is H. 
 
I have chosen the word
Haberdashery
 
I have been worried what I would do when a letter gave me no clue to what word I could choose to depict art-wise.  That's what happened this time.  I looked through a lot of H words the first couple of days.  A week ago my father asked me to get him a pair of suspenders the next time I was near the haberdashery.  Although I knew a haberdashery meant retail, I did not know to what extent. 
 
My 1935 dictionary says it's men's wear.
 
 
However, a modern Internet search reveals haberdashery to be practically anything sold retail.
 
The word Haberdashery is from a clip art advertisement.  I tinted the white printer paper with chalk.  The line of men are a scrap of fabric printed to paper and also tinted with chalk.  The portrait is printed from an Internet search and the umbrella man is a Tim Holtz rubber stamp.
 
I like this word; haberdashery is fun to say.  But I struggled to figure out how to illustrate it.  In the end I think I found a fun way to depict my word and alter my dictionary page.
 
xxx
Annie
 
 


Sunday, February 17, 2013

SPA - Key to my Heart

This week on Sunday Postcard Art, the theme is
Key To My Heart.
 
but mine had to be
KeyS to my Heart
 
 
I can't figure out things like photoshop or digital collage or anything to do with techy computerized creations.  So I'm really happy that I can buy cool scrapbook papers to use as backgrounds for cut and paste and stamping to create my postcards.  Although I think the digitally created works are fabulous looking, I really love the hands on creating.  I think my style is rather basic tho.  Kind of like less is more I guess.  The important part is that it's just plain fun to play!
 
xxx
Annie

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Pillow #8

Moda Candy Bar
Pillow
 
 
 
A very sweet online friend, Rachel, was overly thankful and sent me some awesome Moda Candy Bar packs as well as a few fat quarters.  I finally decided to break into the Breakfast at Tiffany's pack for a pillow.



These candy bar pieces are half the size of a charm square.  I have struggled with a design and an Internet search did not help.  So I just made it up and added some white.

 
It definitely needed some added interest, so I decided to begin the quilting with a glitzy metallic thread.  Too heavy for the machine needle, so it would have to be done as bobbin work.
 
 
I pin basted from the back side of the pillow top, did my best to find the center and marked it.
 
 
I set my circular guide attachment on my machine, starting with the smallest available circle point...
 
 
 
...poked my circular guide nail through my center marking...
 
 
...placed the little protective rubber thingy over the very sharp nail...
 
 
 
...and began sewing the circles.
 
 
I think it still needed more quilting, so I began a continuous spiral with regular thread from the top side.
 
 
And that is how pillow #8 rolled.
 
 
I ended up a tad large for the pillow, so I lost the narrow teal strips at the far edges.  I'm ok with that...sorta.
Rachel, THANK YOU!
 
xxx
Annie
 


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Altered Dictionary - E

The Alpha Challenge Letter this fortnight is
E
and my word is
Exude
 
 
 
 
Cut and paste.  The stylish lady is cut from a Stampers' Sampler magazine.  Isn't she fabulous?!  I was trying to keep track of names for art credit, but they are mixed up and misplaced.  The words are stamped.
 
I already enjoy browsing through this dictionary and finding the altered pages. 
 
 
This Alpha Challenge is hosted by The Craft Barn 
 
 
XXX
Annie
 


Sunday, February 3, 2013

Sunday Postcard Art - Circles

This week at Sunday Postcard Art its all about
 
Circles
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
 
The wheels on these bicycles caught my attention for the theme.
 
 
They're much too intricate to cut out of fabric, so I decided to give an all papercraft postcard a try.
 
The card is a sandwich of decorated cardstock paper, plain cardstock and copy paper for the postcard back. 
 
 
The border is a regular weight scrapbook paper folded over the edges then stitched through all layers.
 
 
I have 3 postcard styles prepared on a single sheet of paper that I photocopy on 24lb weight copy paper, then cut apart to use individually.
 
The bicycles and birds are glued to the scrapbook paper with a glue stick.  I am not sure that's the best idea, but I'm not a glue expert, so I wanted to be sure a papercrafted card could survive a trip through the mail, so I gave it a coat of Mod Podge Matte finish.
 
 
This was a little scary because I did this after the card was completed. I wasn't sure that was the best idea either.  I've worked with Mod Podge before, but I really didn't know how the three layers would react.  Of course the top layer began to warp.  All I could do was hope it would flatten back out when it was dry.  Just like magic all was well in the end.
 
 
I could not be more pleased!  Well that was bunches of fun and I've been missing my daughter, so I set myself to making a postcard to send to her.
 
 
This one is just stamped and colored.  I can cut and paste and sew, but that's the extent of my artistic skills.  My coloring even needs help!   But I give it a go anyway.  No wonder I prefer fabric.
 
 One of my other postcard backs.
 
In any case, I'm having fun. 
 
xxx
Annie

Friday, February 1, 2013

Art Calendar Journal - Jan/Feb

January
is complete!
 
I so cannot believe how this project slowed time for me.  Someone commented that it was because I was being more in the moment.  I know for sure I was present each and every day, all day long.
 
 
You won't find too much in the way of real life in my journaling.  I am attempting to make note of some real life, but mostly it will be the thing I found most pleasant during that day.  And some days were a struggle what part to use. Like the 14th and 15th then the 16th.  I haven't sent in the PCH thing in years and years!  Some days I had nothing and found that was a good day to call a friend to chat.  One day I needed something so decided to make an inchie art.  That was kind of a struggle.  I hope I don't have to do that too often because it's not at all easy to make art in a 1" square.
 
But this was total fun!  So on to February I go!
 
 
Hoping there's some fun in every day!
Annie