Alchemy

The challenge theme at the SPA blog this week is Alchemy.

I haven’t played along in a long time.  But this theme spoke to me and I had to create a postcard!

If your Alchemist is questionable, then your life could be too.

It seemed like a good postcard to document the current state of the world.

A warning that could be fatal if not taken seriously.

These Spooky postage stamps also glow in the right light.

The postal designs are really taking a turn for fun and creative!

To all:  Be SAFE and take care!

Shimmering Postcard

I’ve had another morning of play with my writing inks for another postcard.

They aren’t really just writing inks.  People paint with them also and that’s what I’ve sort of been testing.  I let the inks do the painting for me.

This time you can see the shimmering gold how it settles to the bottom of the bottle 

This purple ink really shows the gold shimmer very well.  It even comes through the rubber stamping ink.

These fish postage stamps are not all that new anymore, but they glow as well.

The rubber stamps I’ve been using are the

Tim Holtz collection, Theories CMS329

Writing Inks In Art

I’m experimenting with my writing inks and adding them to an art postcard.

I first made a full sheet masterboard on a mixed media paper just sprayed with Ranger Distress Oxide Spray (mustard seed).  When that was dry I cut a postcard size from the master board.  I put some orange ink on an acrylic platform, spritzed it with water and set the postcard face down on top of the inked acrylic.  Ran my fingers over it then removed it and let it dry.

This ink has gold shimmery something in it.  It settles to the bottom.  I tried showing that here, but I couldn’t find a good way to catch it on camera.

You can see it best near the left side and the bottom edge on the postcard.

I stamped the images with Black Soot Archival Ink and added some washi tapes around the edges.

On the address side, I added torn strips of washi tape.  I have a roll that really just wants to stick to itself.  So it tears off kind of artsy all by itself.

I always glue down the ends of my washi tapes so that they don’t get caught in the postal servicing system.

If you haven’t seen the new T-Rex postage stamps, let me share one here.

They are a lenticular image (I think).

When the stamp is looked at from another angle it changes to the skeletal version.  Pretty fun, huh!

I’m looking forward to more art with my writing inks.

Paper and Mail Art

More paper crafting and some mail art finished out February.

A special Birthday Card 

I tried a little bit more master board inking.

One of the larger master board pieces cut apart then I added some modeling paste through a stencil.  

An art postcard using inks, rubber stamps and washi tapes.

Amazon delivered a couple of new wax seal stamps.  Gosh they’re fun to play with these days.  They were not near so easy to use way back when.

It seems it will take me a bit of practice to guess the correct size of wax blob to make.  I love the metallic markers that can be used to make the image come to life.  Love this skull and cross bones.
  

I’m having a gay ole time writing letters and sealing them up with wax seals.

Lastly, my February calendar journal.  Written with my glass pen and inks.

I’m hopelessly hooked writing with such a beautiful modern old fashioned writing tool.

February Paper Crafting

Because it’s February, there was some heart themed paper crafting happening.

I only made two Valentine cards.

For Postcrossing, it is a bit rare that people will gladly accept handmade postcards.  Most want “real” postcards.  What?...what isn’t real about a postcard of any kind if it can travel through the mail?

I got lucky with a couple of Postcrossers that were open to handmade postcards.

I always have a grand time playing with hearts.

January 2020

Postcard and Box from Fabric

I do still sew...just can’t share much of it yet.

I gave making an abstract fabric postcard a try.  That was an interesting and not so easy experience for me.  But I will probably try it again sometime.  It was well received.

I needed to create a long narrow box for a special purpose for a special person.  This too was an interesting experience.  It needed to be flexible yet sturdy enough to keep it’s shape.

I used a stiff Pellon (or something similar, I don’t remember exactly what it was as it was leftover from another project from a few years ago).  It required some experiment sewing as I went along that happened to work out perfectly.  It also was very well received.  I was keeping my fingers crossed as I did not want to have to figure out a redesign.

It was a Christmas gift and I found a couple of fun novelty items to include along with some favorite candy of the recipient.  

Pen & Inks

I am newly obsessed with a ...

I mean hopelessly obsessed.

I’ll let the pen and inks do the talking.

The pen is so pretty!

I know that eventually I will figure out a way to break my beautiful pen so I better get a backup soon.  I think glass dip pens are going to be my new thing to collect.

The pen and some inks are a Christmas gift.  I don’t know how or why they thought of it as a gift for me, but I’m over the moon with it all.

I can’t seem to think of enough things to write or people to write to.  Life has become so electronic.  So, thinking about writing (I always have lists going) but I leave them behind....a lot!  I also don’t carry a big purse anymore.  A small snap wallet tucked into my pocket is perfect.

I see that could use a good washing!

Sometimes I just think of one thing that I hope when I’m in a store that I remember I want it.  Yeah, doesn’t happen.  So I cut 2 pieces of mixed media paper and a piece of scrapbook paper to make a tiny book to write those “one things” in.  

Then when I’m at the store I can pull it out.  See what it is that I think I want to remember to get.

It fits right into my little snap wallet.  Perfect!

I wonder what took me so long to think of that!

Here is my December calendar journal.

Just above December I tested to see how the pen inks would write on my journal pages.  I’m happy they take beautifully.  January is already started but I’m figuring how to use the dip pen and inks for February.

Write to someone.

Everybody loves personal snail mail.

It’s Christmas Time!

At the end of last year I found a facebook group challenge to work on and post a Christmas gift every week.  And magically by December you would be well on your way to be ready for Christmas.

So I challenged myself to work on “something” for Christmas each week of the year.  It could be cards, gift tags, gifts, decorations.  I couldn’t be limited to just a gift as I certainly don’t need that many gifts.

I made a few Christmas cards.

Paper cards and fabric postcards.  I saw the washi tape tree idea on Pinterest.  What a fun card that was to make.

I wondered how the lettering would come out by cutting it with die cutting letters.  Worked great.  They are pretty narrow.

Also a die cut “jingle all the way”.  Embossed stamping for the paper cards.

I managed to create a few gift tags.

If my local kids don’t take them for keepsakes, I take them back and use them again the next year(s).  After all the tedious work, it’s great to see them again and tie them to a gift the next year.  

I also made four very cute money gift envelopes.  But they were sealed in their shipping boxes before I remembered to take a photo of them.

I turned the challenge to a personal challenge as I can’t post stuff on facebook that I don’t want people to see ahead of time.  I managed to make something for Christmas during 26 weeks out of the 52 week year.

Here’s how November went for my friends who enjoy seeing my journaling calendars.

I wish all my friends and followers a very Merry Christmas

and a best ever New Year!

Aqua/Silver Christmas Tree Skirt

The color request for this Christmas Tree Skirt was Teal and Silver.  I could not find Teal Charm Packs and I did not want to cut them myself from yardage.  So Aqua and Silver were approved.

All the silvers on whites were glittery but that doesn’t show in the photos and does not show well in the tree skirt either.

So I added rows of couched decorative silver thread.

Still difficult to see the glitz in the photos.

I think I forgot that this pattern should not be used with one-way prints.  All those one-way prints were a struggle.  I tried to plan all the upside down ones to be close to the inside center where they will be hidden by the tree.

I am always amazed how this mathematically incorrect pattern design works out perfectly every time.

For my October calendar journal I tried out a change of layout.  Or maybe it would be called a lack of layout.

I do not write that straight.  I drew lines and erased them after writing and stamping.  I wasn’t very good at doing this daily.  I found it easier to keep daily notes then fill in a few days at a time with the stamping.

While the page looks fun and it was nice to make a change, I was glad to be finished with the month.  I might do this again sometime in the future, but for now I’m returning to the traditional daily blocks style.