A Little Crafty

Deadlines are sometimes ominous, but I've never missed one. I feel like I thrive during a deadline crunch whethelr it was in school, at work or swap deadlines. I feel my work is better during this time; my creativity
flows. In either case, here are more examples of ATC's I've completed recently.

ATC Fortune Teller. Background is paper I picked up at a second hand store.

The fortune teller image is from google and clip art. I shrunk the Fortune Teller sign,

added glitter. The cards were from another image I enlarged for perspective.

The chain on the side is a sticker I cut to fit.

Two Halloween ATC's using clip art, ribbon embellishments, buttons and

brads. I like the old time quality look of them.

Three Halloween altered rolo's. I love doing these! Pumpkin wings. Clip art kitty

with orange collar and key-the background is an antique Halloween party invite

and tickets attached with orange paperclip. The last one is pumpkin garden theme with moon and

antique 'BOO' letters.

Wolves of the world series. This is an Arabian wolf with desert background

and Arabian wolf stamp clip art.

I'm finishing the last of the Halloween swaps. Sad, I love this time of year. I will continue doing Halloween rolo's to get ahead for next year.
Happy Trick or Treating kids.

Inspiration in a Hurry

My husband, last weekend, asked me if  I would like to go to San Diego for our 25th anniversary and see the (most spectacular team ever) San Francisco Giants play the Padres. After a moment's hesitation, I said yes but knew I had a deadline on a swap that was due to be mailed by Sunday. I knew if I was going to go I'd have to finish Friday night and get it m, mailed. This was a serious Edgar Allan Poe project I took on and didn't want to do a half-ass job. So here it is. Dealine met, package mailed, and me on my way to San Diego for the weekend.

It was a terrific project and I am inspired to do more books like this, different themes. Easy, just need to get moving and do it. It's funny about inspiration, once you get moving, it is like the muse takes over and there is no stopping. If you do stop to think, the thought is daunting, that you will never finish. Stay with it and let it go. Put on some great music, something that comes to you naturally or a great movie that (mine is Twister, the music is fab and the sound effects are great to listen to). Be creative and keep working on doing something you'll be proud of.

A little artwork now and then in relished by the wisest men.

OK so I plagiarized. I've been very busy lately, signing up for swaps left and right. Can I help myself? No, there is too much fabulousness out there. So here are a few more pieces and one old one from a fun turtle swap. We had to send three things turtle related to our partner. This is one of the three, I just packaged it as a trio of filled turtle eggs.

I found these turtle Easter eggs, packed them in a wooden crate with some easter grass and filled them with goodies.

Close up of swimming turtles, ready to be shipped.

Steampunk ATC with black accents and black heart

Altered ROLO's with D 4 and purple. The D & 4 are very subtle on these. The top ROLO with the flowers I used part of a book page with the number 4 in the corner, and scrolled letter D as part of a book plate. The second one is a camping scene complete with mosquito. I used an atlas page showing the D4 coordinates.

Halloween ATC, with raven and mirror piece

Another Halloween ATC, lots of layers and paint, screening in background.

More on the way. See you soon!

More ATC's

These are ATC's from a Frida Kahlo ATC swap and a Vintage Paris ATC swap.

Frida Kahlo ATC

I used a puzzle piece with a photo of Frida Mod Podged to it  to add dimension to her painting in the background and an antique button at the bottom. Gold paper picture corners frame three edges to add color and set off the painting.

Fri Kahlo ATC

This is a combination of an ad for a Frida Kahlo exhibit and a photo of Frida that I framed in some fun little

paper frames I bought for a song at Aaron's Art Mart . (Really folks, some of the best ATC supplies are here!) I sprayed the frame with copper ink and mottled it with a sponge. The finishing touch was a rose added to look as if she were holding.

Vintage Paris ATC

The first was a layered look using stamps, paper, and various ephemera. The glass embellishment at the bottom is a glass marble mod podged with the eiffel tower on the bottom then glued to the ATC.

The second one basically the same, layered paper and ephemera, the infamous painted frame with a charm from an old (well, now it's old, I pulled it apart to get the charm!) bracelet charm and glued to the corner for dimension.

Can you tell I don't like flat ATC's?

Ready, Set, Post

Here are a few ATC's I've sent that I actually have photos for. They are for various swaps, as noted. Some are from when I first started making ATC's and a few more recent ones. Now that I think I have the hang of it, I can post as I make before sending, always my major fault. It's made, packaged and sent. On the way to the mailbox I think, Darn, should have taken a snap. So here goes, round #1.

This was for an altered book page swap.

Another altered book page ATC

Trick or Treat ATC

Vintage or Retro Halloween ATC

Boreal Owl ATC-series