Little Gift Tins

I wanted to give my grandchildren some money along with their other gifts; but I didn't want to just put it in an envelope.  So I used Altoid tins and decorated them with each childs' photo.  Hopefully, these tins will become keepsakes for their special treasures.

All My Grandchildren Dominoes

I decided to make my grandchildren a homemade game and here's what I came up with - All My Grandchildren Dominoes.

The dominoes were cut from black craft board. Instead of dots on the dominoes, I used one of my six grandchildren to represent the number.  So the kids just had to match up like photos of their cousins.  I used thick matte medium to rub over the photos to make the dominoes sturdier.

I also made up a rule sheet.  Who knows how long this set will last - but hopefully they will enjoy these unique gifts this year!

Snow White

My five-year-old granddaughter, Emily, visited Disney World this summer and attended the Princess' Breakfast dressed as Snow White.

I used this photo to create a watercolor.

Then I used TAP Transfer paper to make a t-shirt for Emily.

Poppies

Think Monday - Think ATC - Theme "Round"

This card is for the weekly challenge of Think Monday, Think ATC.  The theme this week is "round."



Winter

I have previously painted this tree in the Summer and in the Fall.  Here is the Winter version.  I will soon complete the set by painting the Spring version.  The set is for one of my daughters.  I originally gave her the Fall version and she remarked that she'd like to have the same scene in the other 3 seasons!  I'll get there eventually!

Out of the Woodwork

This is for Art Creations Friday.  We were given this background to work with:

Here's what I came up with.  I printed 2 copies of the background and wove them, basket style.  I included some scrap strips of paper I had previously created and some ribbon.  Then I added all of the people.  Coming 'out of the woodwork.'  This was a lot of fun.

Potted Irisis

Dress for December

And so here is December's dress.  It's hard to believe that it's been a full year since this amazing Dress challenge began!  I'm so glad that the fun will continue and look forward to next year's challenge.

For December, I have made a dress with shiny metallic red and silver colors.  It's a ball gown and I can just imagine how this gown is going to shimmer as the lady who wears it glides across the dance floor.

Saucy Tulips

Art Creations Friday - Billie Dove

As I am a silent film fan, I am so thrilled to be able to work with this beautiful image of silent film star Billie Dove.  Billie started out in the Ziegfeld Follies. However, since Mrs. Ziegfeld was worried that her husband and Billie were getting just a bit too close, Billie decided to try her luck in Hollywood.  (Mrs. Ziegfeld was stage and film star Billie Burke, who played the good witch Glinda in The Wizard of Oz.) 

In Hollywood, Miss Dove soon became a hit in silent films and made many popular features.  She retired from films soon after the advent of sound.  She had a three year affair with, and was once engaged to Howard Hughes, the famous recluse billionaire.  Billie Dove passed away at the ripe old age of 94 at the Motion Picture Home.

Sadly, few of her films still remain.  But thankfully, there are many lovely photos that preserve her etherial beauty for us to this day.

We were given this gorgeous photo to alter for Art Creations Friday.

I love sepia-toned photos; but decided that for this photo, I would experiment with using watercolors to softly color the image.  Here's the result:

Dress for November

Can't believe there's just one more dress until this challenge ends!  This has been so much fun!  Thank you, Alice and Camilla , for hosting this unforgettable challenge.  Is there anyone out there thinking of hosting the challenge for 2011?

Well, here's my dress for November.

I'm still obsessed with leaves!  I wanted to design a festive ball gown so I started with brown paper painted with acrylic paint.  I added the gorgeous paper leaves and did not feel that this dress required any further embellishment!

Here is my dress closet.

The box to the right is to hold hats, gloves, etc.  And there's a little necklace form to hold necklaces that I will (hopefully) have time to make eventually.

Art Creation Friday - First Timer

This is for the Art Creations Friday.

This is the first time I've done this challenge.  I am ASTOUNDED at the incredible talent that the contributors to this challenge have!  I urge you to check out their contributions!

This is how I feel whenever I try to read.  I only have two cats; but somehow, it seems like a lot more!

Christmas Advent Boxes

Thanks to the Lovely Leslie for sharing this great tutorial!  As soon as I saw it, I knew that I had to make one for each of my daughters and their families.  Each box requires 24 small match boxes!  Now what to do with the matches!

The match boxes are VERY tiny, so if you plan to make one, be sure to take a box with you when you shop for the trinkets.  I was surprised at how difficult it was to find items to fit!

Mona Catsa

This month's challenge in the Monthly ATC group is to use the Mona Lisa as your inspiration.  I didn't have too far to look!  My cat, Fanny, has the most direct stare you can possibly imagine.  It's quite unnerving to wake up in the middle of the night to see her staring at you.  She's every bit as enigmatic as the Mona Lisa!



I wrinkled and glued tissue paper to the card, then painted it randomly with water colors.  I used a bit of gold German scrap as the trim.  The little heart is made by wetting tissue paper and stuffing it into a small mold.  I then unmolded it, let it dry thoroughly, and painted it with acrylic paint.  The webby-type scrap is something I received from a fellow trader.  I wish I knew where I could get more of this material!  It's wonderful!  If anyone out there knows where I might find some of this, I'd really appreciate your letting me know!

Another Trading Card inspired by Matisse's Cut-Outs

This is the card that I sent for the trade.  I used a beautiful glittery card that I received from one of my great trading partners.  And then the 'cut-outs' are mostly paint chips!  In fact, the orange cut out had that rounded square cut right into it.  The black accents are purchased stickers.  I hope Reni likes it!

Calla Lily Painting for Sandi's Birthday

This painting is 5" x 7"

In My Dreams

This card is for a raffle titled "Glitz and Glamour."



More Triptych Cards

Triptych Card

This card is for a trade at my Yahoo card group.

Since Lily made her lovely Fall wreath, I have wanted to make one, too.  Here it is, inspired by Alisa Burke's lovely wreath tutorial.  I used watercolor on the leaves.

Some new ATCs

The first card is called Bermuda Triangle.  I made it for the Inkurable Stampers' Gothic Art Challenge.  The theme was Planes, Trains and Automobiles.  I stamped the card with a texture rubber stamp and embossed it with Ranger gold embossing powder.  Then, I added dabs of watercolor to the background.

The plane is supposed to be bursting through a map of the world.  Unfortunately, this effect didn't come out too well.  This card is my impression of what it would be like to enter the Bermuda Triangle, and what you would see after you entered.

The next two cards are for a swap which is supposed to represent the season we are currently enjoying.  Some of the Australian girls are posting cards with Spring themes! 

The first card was created with tissue paper background that was stained with instant tea.  The leaves were created by painting the paper with acrylic paint and then cutting them with a die cutter.  The word 'Fall' was embossed using Ranger gold embossing powder.

The leaves for this tree were created using this tutorial I linked several days ago.  I painted the background with watercolors

This card is for a monthly lottery with the theme Glitz and Glamour.  I used acrylic paint to create the background.

This card is one of perhaps many I will make inspired by Matisse's Cut Outs, which is the theme of the Monthly ATC group I belong to.  I printed the colors on self-stick labels using  a color laser printer. I then cut and adhered the pieces to the card.  I believe this is similar to the method Matisse actually used to create his Cut Outs.  Watch for more.

Crafting with Lily

My 11-year-old granddaughter, Lily, visited recently and we made this autumn wreath together.  Inspiration was from Alisa Burke's wonderful tutorial.

We drew leaves on the pages of a discarded book using a black sharpie.  Lily then painted the leaves using watercolor.  When the leaves dried, we cut them out and glued them to a round wood form and added the bow.

Calla Lily

I made this in class.  The black background was painted with acrylic paint.  The flower is all watercolor. This is a larger painting - about 14" x 16".

Courtyard

Sorry for the glare!  This is a painting done in class.

Dress Challenge - Dress for October

My Dress Challenge dress for October is all about autumn leaves.  The bodice is made from papyrus.  The leaves were inspired by this fantastic tutorial posted recently by Ink Stained Roni.  What a fabulous blog she has! 

I crumpled up brown paper and also white paper.  I then painted the paper with acrylic paint, and also used distress ink.  After the paint and ink dried, I spread Inksentials Glossy accents over the paper, sprinkled fine glitter over the paper, and then let it dry.  Then, I used a die cutter to cut the paper into the leaf shapes.  The waist embellishment is made from German scrap.

All About Me

This card is for a Gothic Arch Challenge titled "All About Me.



Hollyhock

This painting is 8" X 10"

Torso Cards

These cards are for a Torso swap:

Trillium

I fell in love with this flower when I first saw it at Callaway Gardens. 

This painting is 4" x 6"

Purple Flowers

This painting started out as a card that a friend gave me several years ago.  I kept the card because I loved it so much.  I'm glad I kept it so I could paint it!  This painting is 8" x 10"

Sunny Magnolia

For Nell's birthday.  This painting is 5" x 7"

Three new ATC Cards

This card is for a trade with the theme 'Cactus.'  I used a strip of sandpaper to make the desert floor.  I painted the sky and cactus with watercolors and used a copic pen for highlighting.

This card is for a lottery with the theme "The Beach."  Again, I used sandpaper!  This time for the beach sand.  I used patterned paper with watercolor highlights to piece together the ocean.  I painted the sky with watercolors.

This card was created for the Gothic Arch Challenge.  The challenge is "Numbers."  The card is titled "Hate to Wait."  This card started out as a large painting I did in watercolor class.  While working on this painting, we had fun by making up a story for the subject of the painting.  We decided her name was Crystal and she was a lady of the evening who was impatient because her 'gentleman caller' was late.  I didn't want to re-paint Crystal for this card, so I made a copy of the painting.  Dresden scrap and a bit of ribbon completed the card.