New Postcard

Tonight I decided I should probably get to work on another postcard. - something springy since we're getting highs in the 60-70's this week. So what happens? The computer locks up and won't reboot. This computer is aging and getting persnickety. Pull the battery out for about an hour and it's recovered so far. We'll see how long this trick works. After I got the computer back up, here's what I came up with. I use text for backgrounds all the time. The woman is an image I need to get on a collage sheet. I added very subtle details - pink lips, rosy cheeks and a little eyeshadow using Paint Shop Pro. The floral image is from the new old playing cards sets at Collage Stuff - the Pretty Playing Cards. I scanned in the playing card and cut out the white background leaving the flower. I use this Eiffel Tower image all the time. I added the postmark, butterflies and pink swirlies with Paint Shop Pro. If I could have found room to smash "Paris in the Spring" on this, I would have. Think about using playing cards in your art for background collage elements- both sides of the playing cards. This postcard will start shipping with Collage Stuff orders in a few weeks. Enjoy!

Guest Artists

Today, I have have art from two wonderful guest artists. These first two ATCs were created by Wanda Hentges. Wanda used an image from the Collage Stuff "Romantic Minis" collage sheet and the Red Baroque Border German Scrap for her "Love" ATC. This ATC is the essence of romance.

This second ATC created by Wanda uses an image I really like from the "Crazy for Kids" collage sheet. I adore this little girl blowing kisses. I find the sentiment that Wanda chose for this ATC to be very appropriate.

LuAnne Boyce created these three amazing ATCs with a cemetery angel theme. She's used images from the Collage Stuff "Angel Baby" collage sheet and some of Tim Holtz's Bitty Grunge rubber stamps. This angel on the "Angel Baby" collage sheet is one of my favorites.

LuAnne has titled these ATC's "Faithful," " Honor," and "Glory."

Thanks so much to Wanda and LuAnne for sharing their art with us.

For the Birds

The January Collage Stuff ATC swap is bird-themed, "For the Birds". Here's my entry. I took an ATC size bingo card, scanned it in and changed the word at the top to "nest". I stamped the background with some green Distress Ink and French text stamp. I added a bit of green UK bus ticket, followed by a little piece of sheet music and then finally the bird. The bird is an image from some Collage Stuff Victorian scrap. I added "fly" from the Collage Stuff Art Words Collage sheet. I edged the word and bird with a black Spica glitter pen. To finish the edges, I used a green Copic marker. At the top, I glued down a black confetti star. If you'd like to participate in the monthly Collage Stuff ATC swap, join the Collage Stuff yahoo group. There's a link here at the blog.

Back of the skinny book page

I finished up the back of this Halloween skinny book page tonight. There are two things from Collage Stuff used in this design - the spider web and the little spiders. I think this still qualifies as "cute" and "fun" even with spiders!

Skinny book page

Are you like me? I always buy scrapbook papers when they are on sale. I think I have enough scrapbook papers to last me 3 lifetimes. The upside of this is that I can almost always find some papers that will work with the colors I have chosen or the papers will spark an idea or maybe nudge my idea into a different direction. This skinny book page has a "cute" Halloween theme. I really don't do cute. This isn't scary, so I think this will do. I bought the paper doll collage sheet and label collage sheet on Etsy. Purple. I started going through my scrapbook papers and sure enough, I found some that were perfect. If I didn't buy scrapbook papers all the time, well, I'd be in trouble! (My fall back, all purpose background that almost works for everything is vintage book pages.) I got this far on this page and was trying to come up with other stuff that I could add. I finally decided that less is more. I think this design is good without adding lace or buttons or ribbon or something else. I'll work on the back of this page later on in the week. It will feature another paper doll witch, this one in a black ball gown.

Two New Postcards

Here are a couple of new postcards that I created. I used two of my favorite themes - cemetery angels and Paris. The Paris/fashion themed postcards are shipping with Collage Stuff orders now. The cemetery angel themed postcards should be here in a couple of weeks.

Seven Gypsies Warehouse Sale

Seven Gypsies products are on sale at Collage Stuff! I was able to take advantage of a big sale at Seven Gypsies. Here are some of the wonderful products on sale at LOW prices!

Seven Gypsies Seam Binding! This is a wonderful shiny, light, airy, satin ribbon. There are 3 colors per pack for a total of 3 yards of ribbon. Available in 4 color combinations. Retail Price $2.95. On sale for $1.15.

Several 6 x 6" paper packs are available. I like the 6 x 6" papers because the pattern on the papers is the same as on the 12 x 12 papers, but it's been reduced. I like to use the 6 x 6" papers for my ATC's. The first paper pack show is the Calais papers. Discounted retail price $5.43, and on sale for $2.99. The Gypsy Market paper pack includes vivid colors as well earth tone vintage shades. Retail price $7.75 and on sale for $4.50. Nottinghill, Savannah and Savannah 6 x 6" paper packs are also available at comparable pricing.

The paper fasteners make attaching ribbons, lace or paper collage elements a breeze. Sort of like a paper clip. There are 50 per pack. Retail price $5.95. On sale for $2.50. Available in gold and silver.

Gaffer tape is another great product. It's a cloth tape. I like to use this tape to add collage elements (tape them on), borders, cut a piece as a collage element, and to finish off the edges of my art. Instead of applying inks or a leafing pen around the edges, I center the tape on the edge and wrap the tape around the back. This makes a great finished edge and frames your art. This assortment pack has one yard of each style. Retail price $8.59 and it's on sale for $5.75. Available in red and creme. Two styles of single rolls of gaffer tape too!

Seven Gypsies makes cool embellishements, like these metal index tabs, for example. They are self-adhesive. You can apply them to the sides of you art or apply them to collage elements used in your art. Retail price is $3.95 and they are on sale for $1.99.

This is only a sample of the great Seven Gypsies products available at Collage Stuff for this special warehouse sale. Once these items are gone, they are gone. Go have fun shopping at Collage Stuff!