Brids and Bees

This month's challenge for Arts in the Cards group was based on the e.e. cummings poem in Just Spring. I created these cards yesterday as the rain turned to snow. Spring in Chicago has always meant to me the cleaning away the salt and dirt that accumulates during our long winter. I decided to work with Stampboard which was new to me. It was a great deal of fun! I stamped the image of the crow onto the board then used the soot from a candle to create the background. Vickie Kammerer gets credit for the idea of using candle soot. However, she used a two step finish (Kylon Kamer Varnish then Matted Finish). I tried just using Krylon Acrylic and it worked just fine. It wasn't shining and sealed in the soot. The background is a commercial piece of paper which spoke to me of rain. I used different rubber stamps to create the flowers. The bee is from a boarder which I cut apart. I hope e.e. cummings and my fellow comrades in art are pleased.

Indigo Moon

I've been playing so much with paper lately that I began missing working with fiber. These ATCs were a challenge for the Arts in the Cards group. The theme was "indigo." I wanted to do something to honor the huge moon and the coming of spring. I had played around with indigo dying and thought I had enough leftover scraps to make all the cards, but I couldn't find them all so only the first three cards have my own fabric. The rest were done with a batik. I love playing with needle felting (by hand) and I was able to use some of my felt from Georgia (country, not state), too. I used Misty Fuse (a first) on the organza and netting. Definitely will do that again! The moon is done with Beads 2 Fuse and Steam A Seam 2. Beads 2 Fuse are no longer available. I've been hoarding my small stash of them, but to go along with my resolution to "spend it out" I used them and I'm glad I did. This group is wonderful and each challenge makes me stretch a little more because it's such a talented group. I am grateful to be a member. Enjoy!

Hearts for Christchurch

With the devastation in Japan, it is easy to overlook the earthquake in New Zealand. When my friend and fellow Postmark'd Art member, Evie Harris, put out a call for hearts I knew I had to send them. Evie has a blog, Hearts for Christchurch, and I encourage you to make some hearts too.

Digging through things I discovered some wooden hearts I had purchased (can't remember what for) and decided to use them.  Of course, I shared this with my group, Los puntadas del alma/Stitches of the Soul, at the National Museum of Mexican. Together we sent 49 hearts!