Make your own background paper II

Kaleidoscope Krearor 2.0 by Kaleidoscope collections is a great program to make your own paper. Inset your own photos and create a bunch of different backgrounds. Print your creations on different paper for different looks.

This started as a photo of an iris from my garden.

Design using the flower Kaleidoscope and print in different sizes onto photo paper.

Die cut the flowers. Hint, use a piece of tape to hold in place while cutting. Cut out around the remaining flower shape to form large flowers and cut around tiny Kaleidoscopes to form the centers. Layer these with pop dots to form the flowers; cut and emboss the leaves.

Make your own background paper - Part 1

Make your own background paper.

Get the paper very wet with water and let it sit for a few minutes, then while paper is still wet, spray on one or more colors of the color washes.


The color should travel along the water and blend nicely.

To give the paper bold splotches, sprinkle or spray rubbing alcohol onto paper. To give the paper a subtle pattern, sprinkle with table salt while the paper is still wet. Once the paper is dry, brush off the salt.

ABC PLAY books

In the May/June 2007 issue of Altered Arts magazine, I created some uniquely shaped enameled books. These books are created using Wizard Die Cut & Embossing System, Krafty Lady Art Moulds and Opals Embossing Enamel, all available from Midnight Art Stamps. I decided to take this to the next level and create some letter shaped books using the Shazzam alphabet from Spellbinders; these are my ABC PLAY books.

Fused Glass (In response to Clara's Challenge)

Fused Glass

I had to think long and hard about this challenge. “Let the words be in your writing; let the art be drawn by you; only use embellishments made by your own hands.” I haven’t really drawn much lately. I have been trying to learn calligraphy or some nice lettering, but I’m a long- long way from that. But then I thought of my latest medium of fascination, fused glass. I start by cutting the glass into forms, stacking them, and then I fuse them in a kiln. I have even been making my own glass embellishment. It is always a surprise on exactly how it will look when it comes out of the kiln.

Who is Fred?

I feel like I fell off the edge of the planet. Sometimes things in life get so beyond your control that the only thing left to do is jump off and hope the landing isn’t too hard. Things are still beyond my control and into the hands of God, but I must pull myself back onto the planet and keep moving forward. SO today I want to tell you about a way to help a good cause and take home a piece of art.

Who is Fred?

The best advice about creating art I ever received is that it should have some sort of story to go with it. A lovely work is great, but a work that moves someone by creating an emotion is something to behold. The way I try to accomplish this is by creating identities for my work. For You Can Tell a Man by His Clothes, I created an identity of a man named Fred.

What marks a person the most is the people he encounters along the way. The faces along Fred's collar are those that had the greatest affect on him, holding the lock and the key to his life. His hero was his father who is seen held by the angel. You can see Fred on the back of the jacket. His shoulders were armored, but he wore his heart on his sleeve. Gambling and the pursuit of money were his downfalls, causing him to lose the love of his only child. There are many more hidden messages about who Fred was, but who I hope Fred will become is a way to help children.

There is a great place in Arizona that takes in children who can no longer stay with their parents. I know many of these kids and can see, with opportunity, they can become wonderful adults. Please help this wonderful home by purchasing some raffle tickets.

WIN THE MAR/APR COVER ARTWORK
Win the artwork featured on the cover of the March/April 2008 issue!
Raffle tickets are seven for $5.00. The drawing will be held in January, 2009.
Mail order only.
To purchase tickets, send $5.41 (includes postage) for seven tickets to:
Altered Arts Magazine Raffle Tickets PO Box 609253 Cleveland, OH 44109
Add 41cents postage for EACH five tickets purchased.
We will accept checks or money orders only so that we can avoid credit card processing fees and thereby provide more money to the charity.
Proceeds will be donated to: Sunshine Acres Children’s Home.
Raffle open to US residents only.
Void where prohibited

packing tape transfer challenge

ATCs are especially fun for me as I do them with a bit of self-indulgence. ATCs allow me to create without worrying about what anyone else thinks about them. This is often where I put left over treasures (trash?) that haven’t made it into my larger artwork pieces for which they were originally intended.

In this series of ATCs I was challenged to use packing tape transfer which was a new technique for me. I think I had the wrong type of tape because it was stretchy; so to give it some stability and to make the transfer pop, I placed it on top of silver tape that I purchased from the hardware store. I then die cut it with the Spellbinders cigar band die. I love that this challenge pushed me out of my box to try something new.

I have a new challenge for everyone; create a new finished piece of artwork using only those left over treasures (or trash). Pull out one of those backgrounds you’ve made; decorate it with embellishment sitting around waiting for a home. The challenge is to finish something by assembling things you have sitting around crying to be used.

I’ve been remodeling my house

I’ve been remodeling my house! I started in June and it’s really created havoc in my life. I think I’ll move before I take on a project like this again. But the kitchen has been completed! I tell you, home cooked meals have never tasted so good. Going out to eat for three meals a day with kids is just not fun, and I don’t even want to step on a scale and see the damage. That said, it turned out beautiful, with lots more storage and convents. It’s time for the fun part, the final touches. I’ve usually made my art for other people, whether for a gift, to sell, or as an assignment, now I’ve decided to make some items just for me.


My first project is pewter covered light switches and plugs. We went for the full granite back splash and my ugly old plastic covers just didn’t look right. So, I took a class from Lynda Abare. She is a wonderful teacher and can truly work magic with metals. I always admire when a teacher has worked with a medium for a long time and is willing to pass on all the little tricks they have learned. I’ve played with pewter before, but after Lynda’s great instruction, I’m much happier with the results.


When I got home and looked at how ugly the yellowed, plastic plug covers looked, I decided to make pewter covers for all of them – all 10 of them. A short cut was going to be needed so I used my wizard to do the first embossing, and then used the tools to refine all the details. By the way I used a silver Krylon leafing pen to color the rest of the plastic to match.