Nine Letter Word

You're Late

Year's End

Sensitivity in Advertising

Dove

Dear Mom and Dad...

Broken Dreams

Bad Hair Day

These four cards were made for a swap titled "Bad Hair Day."

Alice Joyce - Silent Film Star

Seasons Change

Careless words...

Piggy and Kermie

Forest Fantasy

Cards Containing Stamps

Vat of Chocolate

Daydreams

Revisiting "The Sisters' Rivalry"

Here's the story I made up for “The Sisters’ Rivalry":


I have named the sisters: Hazel (dark hair on the left) and Gertrude (on the right). Here is the dialogue I imagine:

Hazel: (talking through the side of her mouth as they sit as still as possible for the photo)
Gertrude, that hat of yours is ridiculous. It looks like an explosion in a birdsnest.

Gertrude: Well I never! That stupid thing you’re wearing looks like it’s going to fly right off your head. Where did you get that? At Big Lots?

Hazel: You’re one to talk! I hear you shopped through every Goodwill store in town to find that monstrosity.

Gertrude: Whoever told you that is just jealous.

Hazel: Jealous of what? I have more fashion sense in my little finger than you have in your whole body.

Gertrude: Oh really? Well, I have to admit, your little finger is very nicely dressed but as for the rest of you…

Hazel: Oh shut up. Mom always liked me best.

Gertrude: Did not

Hazel: Did too!

Gertrude: Did not – nana nana boo boo!

(I will mercifully end here before the fur (and feathers) start to fly)

Miss Emma

Emma Houser, my grandmother.

It Works!

Apologies to Alphonse Mucha. On the other hand - NO apologies! A lot of Mucha's artwork was used to advertise the products of the early 20th century - including soap, cigarettes, insurance companies, wines and even Nestles Cocoa!

Spinning Wheel

For Nell.

Picture Back Template for ATCs

To make a back cover that folds out into a free-standing picture holder:

- Use a piece of chipboard or the thickest cardstock you have.

- Use the template to draw the outline, and to cut the stand and optional hanging pieces.

- Use a punch to punch holes for vertical hang, or horizontal hang.

- If you have a scoring device, you can score the top of the fold-out stand.

- Before gluing the back to your ATC, fold up both hanging tabs and the fold-out stand so that adhesive does not get on them.

- Apply adhesive to stand, and attach to back of ATC.

- Let dry completely before trying to use the stand.

She had regrets...

Summer Flowers

Workhouse Boy

Lady of the Nile

Sisterly Rivalry

My favorite thing to do when making Artist Trading Cards is to come up with a story to match the photo.

Five Little Kitties

Wildflowers

They were unusually well suited to each other

Two of a Kind

Lacy Lady

Blue Butterfly

Fairy Wings - 1 and 2

Her daily life

Calgon, take me away!

Artist Trading Card Display Board

I made this from odds and ends that had been tossed out at the warehouse. The base is a very large piece of foam board. I took some cut foam board and glued it horizontaly to the board. Then I used 1/2 inch wide by 24 inch wide pieces of printing plates that had been cut, then the pieces discarded. I glued these to the top and bottom of each row to make a ridge for the cards to nestle in. I covered each entire row with furnace duct tape. You may be able to see that the bottom row is a little different. I embossed this with a pen, as in Lesley's tutorial, and then put a little alcohol ink on it. I decided to complete the board and finish my decorations on the rows later. I will have to rotate photos, because the display board is all filled up! This will be great to have in my ink room as inspiration! It is very light weight and I can hang it on a nail on the wall.

He Gave Her Flowers

Following Lesley's lead, here is my first aluminum foil creation. So easy!

"Sequin Waste," or "Punchanella"

I joined a Yahoo ATC group a couple of months ago. There were a few posts mentioning 'sequin waste, and I had no idea what that was. Finally, I found out what it was - and also, that some people were having difficulties locating it.

What is it? It's a wide strip of plastic ribbon with holes punched all over it - it really IS the 'waste' that is left over when sequins are made! Some call it 'sequin waste,' and others call it 'punchanella.' I found a few online suppliers and have ordered some at this website:

SkybluePink

This online store has a lot of very unusual merchandise that is perfect for ATC's. I have ordered some punchanella, and will let you know when I receive it.

Meanwhile, I went looking for things to do with it once I purchased it. I got more good info when I did a Google image search for ‘sequin waste.’ Here are a few more places where it can be purchased online:

Artfire

Although the item is currently sold out at Artfire, you can get a good look at it on this site.

These two stores have some really unusual punchanella:

Animadesigns

Etsy

Here are two websites based in the United Kingdom:

Craftyribbons

Lainesworld

This website has several downloadable pdf's with some really cute things made with punchanella. The punchanella design is downloadable from Issue 31. It's worth your time to click on the other issues as they contain dozens of free downloadable craft designs.

Craftcreations

This website has some amazing things made with sequin waste and utilizing stitching.

Pintangle

This beautiful website has an atc card which includes sequin waste. It also has a lot of completely gorgeous atc’s – including a short description of how they were made. There is a LOT of inspiration here!

Kraftylady

You can use sequin waste as a mask or stencil to stamp on your ATC, with stamp pad ink or with paint. Or you can utilize cut pieces to make an ATC. You can weave fibers or ribbon through the holes. You can use it with a brayer to press designs into polymer clay. Use it as a component to a collage.

Actually, it is not really waste, is it? Because not only are the sequins being used, but the ‘waste’ ribbon is highly prized to use as well – nothing is discarded! Maybe it should be called “Sequin Recycle.”

If you have made cards using punchanella, please leave links in the ‘comments’ section so we can all enjoy them

Pink Tree

Jenxo: creating hope...

Jenxo: creating hope...

He Swept Her Off Her Feet. . .