Make-do Studio Shack

Changing Gears

2009-07-10T22:19:00.002-04:00

After a tumultuous spell I have decided to get serious about creativity. I am committing to using primarily recycled materials in an effort to reduce my ridiculous stash of everything. I'm going to attempt to sell my projects if I can get up the nerve. Stay tuned- I have a great shopping bag made from a vinyl weave cat food bag and two cool vintage belts to post as soon as I get my camera and butt in gear!

Abby Normal

2009-02-14T20:10:00.003-05:00

My poor neglected blog! I've been Facebooking and have been lazy. This is Abby- she is made of my usual conglomeration, including the henna hand and netting stamps from the Home Impressions freebie stamp plate, and the fish boys head from the Orient Plate. He/she is an odd sort to be sure, and looks fabulous in person.

Double Dose of Crank

2009-01-16T22:33:00.001-05:00

Still my favorite stamp from the Home Impressions line, the sour puss is back in the form of an ATC and an altered index card divider. I used a lot of bits and pieces- lots of fun on this frigid winter evening- brrrr baby bbrrrrrr!

Scrabble Anyone?

2009-01-05T23:08:00.001-05:00

I used Scrabble tiles for the base of this collage. I stamped it with Fashion Plate stamps and a few odd stamps I had at hand. The seamstress is stamped on a bisque tile from my stash, and I added a crows feather that had some Pearlex on it along with other stuff. I was thinking this would make a great album cover, but I'm going to send it to Ria as is so she can use it however she likes....

Jangling Java!

2008-12-29T20:56:00.002-05:00

"Jangling Java, Geisha Girlz- that's not your Mamasans' Cup of Tea".... this is what popped out when I decided to make some New Years cards with the Asian Plates. I don't know where I channelled the cartoon style from, but I think I like it :)

2008-11-09T10:59:00.001-05:00

I am having a lot of fun with the Asian Plate ! I think the next round will be shrines and jewelery, and maybe mixed with some of the other stamps...

Geisha Card

2008-10-30T20:44:00.002-04:00

It is asian madness over here! This is the first card that I have completed using the Orient plate. I have bits and pieces stamped and waiting to turn into more cards and tags. This is an excellent set Ria- thank you for sending it to me!

Felted Flowers

2008-10-25T15:54:00.002-04:00

These are two pins I felted and embellished for a swap on SwapBot- I am hopelessly addicted to felting!

Halloween Gallery

2008-10-25T15:45:00.002-04:00

Here is a collection of some of my altered faux pumpkins, and a rat ryder for your Halloween enjoyment!

Frightfully Boring!

2008-10-19T12:57:00.002-04:00

I love, love, love this card- I'm going to hate sending it off! I scanned the basic elements, which include the fashionista from the Home Impressions Fashion Plate. Next I digitally composed the card base so things would be proportional. I printed it on glossy photo paper and took my markers to it, then embellished it with all kinds of stuff. I layered some cool paper for the actual card, and tied on some glitzy fiber. The caption reads "Waiting for midnight is frightfully boring".

Oh how I love Halloween- its the most wonderfully scary time of the year :)

Boscoe finds a home!

2008-10-14T20:07:00.003-04:00

This is a hand felted broochie I made for a swap for Fiber Art Traders. This is Boscoe, a special alley cat (his dopple-ganger lives on my street). He heads out tomorrow to a new home in Tennessee....

Handsome man coaster/trivet

2008-10-03T22:59:00.004-04:00

I ran across some of those stone coasters in the dollar store today and thought of the handsome man! I stamped the image in black dye ink directly on the surface of the stone. I set it with the heat gun and then applied a thick layer of liquid polymer clay (Sculpey brand). I baked at 275 for 20 minutes, then applied another coat of lpc going in the opposite direction with the brush strokes. Another 20 minutes in the oven and it was done! It has a lovely soft matte look and feel. I have a few more variations to work on this weekend.....

Vintage Halloween Chunkies

2008-09-24T10:44:00.003-04:00

More spooky fun! These are the chunky pages I made for a swap hosted by Andrea on ATC's for All. The theme is vintage Halloween, so I glamed up some clip art with spooky layered paper, creepy rub-ons, sparkle and tinsel chenille. I loved making these!

Love Thee Better Dead Tall and Skinny Swap

2008-09-23T18:03:00.003-04:00

My very very favorite holiday is the day of the dead! My first altered journal is crammed full of things I've swapped for featuring those crazy, kookie walkin and talkin dead people :)

This is my submission for a swap hosted by Electablue on ATC's For All. It is stamped, printed and collaged with some spooky purple netting too. I cannot wait to get enough to make my first tall and skinny dod book-wooo hoooo!

Glory- icycle paper doll

2008-09-02T17:48:00.002-04:00

This girl has been in the works for years! First I made the face from fimo and away it went into a box. A few years ago I was peeling faux stucco from a wall an fell in love with the shape and texture of the piece that is now her body. Early this spring I was wandering around a variety store and found some little thingies that you use in fishing lures and put them in my stash. Last week I discovered that Ria Vaneman is turning 50- just a week ahead of me. I wanted to send her something special, and all I could think of was putting Glory together. I hope she likes her!

Wink!

2008-09-02T17:43:00.002-04:00

This is a card using chipboard embies, fabric paper, a vintage button and stuff.

"All it takes is a Wink, and Big Daddy's wallet falls right open for shopping and fun for his girls!"

The Cake Eaters

2008-09-02T17:37:00.004-04:00

The cake eaters- a true love story!

They are cake eaters. That's what they do. Their friends eat cake too. Sometimes they eat each others cake- even the crumbs!

This is a Gothic arch atc, embossed in purple, embellished with color metallic studs using Home Impression Design Collage Sheet 2- the lovers :)

Just Girls ATC's

2008-09-02T17:33:00.002-04:00

Here is a batch of atc's using images from both Collage 2 and the Fashion set. I used overlays, mica sheets and some odds and ends to create this eclectic mix.

I'm late, I'm late!

2008-09-02T15:01:00.005-04:00

Could I be any further behind? I have some projects to upload, and some great things in the works. Also two exciting swaps coming up- Halloween vintage and DOD tall and skinny. I love Halloween and in a close second is Day of the Dead.

My classes started, so I've been building a strong study foundation since I'm old as dirt and can't remember anything anymore. My brother went and returned from 10 days in Ecuador, touring the Galapagos and the jungle- I am praying for some great photos to alter. My hen Gladys laid her first egg yesterday ( I am hopeful that Genevieve and Gerty will follow suite soon). Those are some fat and happy girls- they are crazy about bananas! I snatched an incredibly colored eastern box turtle off the main road Friday (he was upside down in the middle of a lane). He is ensconced in the "hospital pen" and recovering nicely. Lets see.... that nasty tropical depression caused a flood- see the funny pic of our local Chick Filet, the caption says "Lake side dining available". And I think that would sum up the highlights as they were for the last 2 weeks :)

2008-08-16T09:25:00.001-04:00

"Millie doesn't mind living behind the seams".... this is a diorama card. I used my awesome new Fashion stamps along with the seamtress from Collage 2. The card is made so that when you pull the sides open with the buttons, the seamtress is reaveled. I'm not even going to attempt to offer up instructions- they are from an old Carol Duval episode, and I don't think I followed them very well (big surprise lol). I wish the pictures were better, but I think you get the idea. Ria- I'm gonna hate sending this one off, but I think you'll really like it! More ideas for tomorrow- now I must feed starving cats, dogs, and chickens (my newest additions), and try to get the ink off my fingers!

Cocktails anyone?

2008-08-14T16:20:00.005-04:00

I have been industriously cleaning my studio, while making fresh messes and piles as I go. I ran across my stash of ATC blanks I got in a swap from CCS and used the Movie Star stamp, Collage 2, from Home Impressions for a quick fix. I love the way it turned out :)

Just brought the mail in, and woooo hoooo!!!!! My new Fashion stamp plate arrived!! Much messiness is about to break out over here :) I must go and start breaking in the fabulous new rubber now (PS- I am posting the proof of the new sheet on the sidebar so you can see it now and go shopping if you like).

Stardust on his hat

2008-08-07T20:07:00.002-04:00

Handsome man stripped down to his core- alone on the prairie with stardust on his hat! I embossed on faux leather paper and layered that onto stardust paper.

No Mojo

2008-08-04T21:38:00.003-04:00

Well, I have successfully botched every project I laid my hands on today. Ria says she saw my Mojo and Muse partying with the handsome man in the islands- without me! How rude. I was left behind to deal and the results are not pretty:

Hand Made Gifts

2008-08-03T13:28:00.004-04:00

I just added the Hand Made Gift Pledge button to my blog... I signed up for this a while back the way I mindlessly sign up for neat things I stumble across online. Today it caught my attention when I saw it in Trish B's post, and it reminded me of all the ridiculous gifts my brother Doug and I made with great love, excitement and effort, all those years ago. Mom, Dad and Grandma Bly always went "crazy" over the tiniest bit or bauble covered in macaroni, finger paints or whatever the teacher gave us in art class. Yes, art class! At home our mom always had creative supplies ready to inspire our gift giving. As an adult I continued to make a gift for every occassion for my Mom who still swooned over each and every one. Now that Mom and Dad have both passed, I am inflicting my brother with homemade gifts. I just made a travel journal for his birthday, as a matter of fact (he leaves for the Gallapago Tuesday!). He dutifully admires,ooo's and awes just the way our parents taught us. So all you friends of mine be forewarned- I intened to go homemade for real! Lucky for you my talents have improved!

A matter of tight garters and shoes....

2008-07-22T23:42:00.001-04:00

I finally found out what old sour puss's problem is LOL- pinchy garters and pointy shoes! This is a collage on a 5x7 canvas panel. I took the suggestion to stamp on tissue- love the effect! The rest is a collage of clip art, pastels, color pencils, pens and some real ostrich pin feathers (from an old hat).

July NGS Lottery entry

2008-07-19T19:56:00.003-04:00

We have a monthly lottery at Next Generation Stampers- this months theme is fairies. My faerie might be just a little whacked- she looks angelic enough, but she's wearing Brogans (boots) and has a nasty little pitch fork. I made a skinny page with her sweetness for the lucky winner (I hope it's me this month!).

Birthday card for China Gold

2008-07-19T19:50:00.004-04:00

I love the way this postcard style birthday greeting turned out. I included a pocket on the back which holds a tag (both images are Home Impressions Collage 2 stamps). I hope China has the best sweet 16 ever, and becomes an artist just like mom Dawn!

ATC Album for China Gold

2008-07-18T19:56:00.002-04:00

Dawn Gold's daughter China is turning 16 in a few weeks, but will be on holiday in Spain with family. Dawn put a call out for art to celebrate her daughters birthday (such a good Mom!). I made this ATC album to get her started and am including an atc just in case she doesn't get any others. I still have to make her birthday card and get it in the mail Monday.

Tag Folder for CCS

2008-07-18T19:50:00.003-04:00

I love this folder- I got the pattern from a Tim Holtz book- it is made from 1 sheet of paper and held together by folds! It was super fast. I added some embelishments that I gleaned from previous swaps, along with my own. I added two of the tags that I made using my Home Impressions stamps. I hope my partner enjoys it!

Home Impressions Stamp Happy!

2008-07-14T18:19:00.010-04:00

I have been turning out tags and a few ATC's this weekend using my HID Collage 2 stamps. I used vellum for some of the tags, a few are just plain paper, but most are background papers I have grunged up myself. I did some layering and embellishing, and added some cool fibers to a few. I am justifying the quantity of tags because I have a tag swap coming up with CCS. Enjoy!

Free Range Cowboy and some Sassy Girl Talk

2008-07-12T22:41:00.003-04:00

My first work using my brand spanking new rubber from Home impressions! I made a little tag using a custom background and dubbed it Sassy Girl Talk- she looks like she has as sassy mouth for sure :). Next I made a greeting card using the Handsome Man Stamp. I call him Free Range Cowboy. He is layered up and embellished with some shrink tiles I made, a piece of waxed cord, and a tiny little pistol I have been hording apparently for just this occasion!

Weekend Fun!

2008-07-11T19:18:00.002-04:00

I just received my stamps from Home Impressions and are they ever great! I am headed to the studio to take before and after picks of my never ending organisation campaign. I want an "orderly" space so I can actually take some photos of my materials. If I get up the nerve, I may actually post them. Monday I had a major natural disaster- my huge Bradford Pear tree split under the weight of its limbs and landed on my tiki hut (bar). The bar survived- a little crooked with a dented roof, but still standing, but I pretty much emptied it out just in case. Now they are coming to trim the tree way back to try and save it, so I have hut stuff all over my garden/ studio area. What a mess! So if you see my before and after photos, please keep my tree heart brake in mind lol.

Row House Insanity!

2008-07-10T18:25:00.004-04:00

I innocently entered into a swap for row houses hosted by devilish Trish B. She offered free return postage in return for 50 row houses instead of just 25. I bit. That's a lot of house making, let me tell you! I embossed, stamped, edged and embellished my brains out, and almost destroyed the whole lot yesterday when water splashed over the open baggie I was keeping them in! Fortunately they only have some "artistic" watermarks on the backs of a few. I used the theme of a voyeur looking either in or out of a keyhole in the front door of each house. I hope all the recipients enjoy them! This is a cross section of the whole lot. Can't wait to get mine- I think I'm going to make a wall hanging of some sort. PS- ignore the middle 4 of the bottom row- I remade these but was to lazy to rescan!

Big News!!!!

2008-07-07T20:09:00.002-04:00

After seriously neglecting my blog, I have some fantastic news!!!! Ria Vaneman of Home Impression Designs has chosen me as a member of her design team :)

I feel as though I have arrived- I cannot wait to start creating for her. Speaking of... I have been making row houses like a fiend for Trish B's swap. I signed up for fifty. They really are excellent if I do say so myself. I want to post them altogether- hopefully tomorrow. I have also been working on record album bracelets as well as doggie turtleneck dickeys, doggie collars, and go cup sleeves (non-disposable of course). I will get motivated to scan, photo and post this week.

Don't forget to visit Home Design Impressions at www.home-impressions.nl and our team blog at http://hidesignteam .blogspot. com!!!!!!!

Vavavoom Fabric ATC

2008-06-06T17:50:00.000-04:00

In keeping with the start of summer, I am sending a golden girl to Autumn for a fabric ATC swap on CCS. The fabric is vintage damask (front) and atomic print on the back. I used print and press to transfer the image, then did some shading with crayons... ironed to set and added highlights with pearlex. Did some pick stitching and embelished a little. Hope you like her!

Mica and ribbon bookmark

2008-06-03T18:22:00.002-04:00

Super fun project! I embossed suns on a sheet of mica using laminate and embossing powder in the centers for that molten bubbly look. I stamped phrases in metallic on the ribbon too. added fun fringe to the bottom and strung glass fish beads an such for the top. Hope my swap partner has a hot summer novel to use it in!

June Art Lottery submission

2008-06-02T16:04:00.002-04:00

This is my entry for the Next Generation June Art Lottery! An ATC using my honeycomb background and a print from a very old children's satirical alphabet book. I'm adding a piece of the background paper too.

Waiting Room tip-in

2008-06-02T13:07:00.002-04:00

This is for the theme architectural elements. I made a pastel background and then printed the image on it. I cut it out and put it on a piece of my gesso resist background paper (see earlier post below). I embelished it and made it kind of ethereal. Funny that it started out very bright and light hearted...hmmmm....

Honeycomb background paper

2008-06-02T10:22:00.004-04:00

My idea of what the honeybees see when they are about their work :)
The first layer is pastel, then I worked in some Omni Gel. Next I took the grate off my espresso machine and used it as a stencil with gesso. When it was almost dry, I went in with a paper towel and did a little smearing and scumbling. I went over the dried bumpy surface lightly with pastels.
I'm going to use half of the sheet as part of my art lottery submission this month (bee background paper).

Domino Swap

2008-06-02T10:18:00.002-04:00

My dominos for a CCS swap- used vintage tiles, clipart "Flower Girls" from Vintage Workshop, a tiny rhinestone, and a thick coat of laminate. I've had a box of dominos horded for years- happy to finally use some of them!

Gesso resist background paper

2008-05-28T17:48:00.002-04:00

Am I ever behind! I'll blame it on springtime and the garden :)

It rained all day so I took some time to play- this is the gesso resist from Trish B. Of course as usual I only had some of the materials for the technique... I didn't have any gloss black card stock, but I did have a can of gloss black spray paint! I used a paper doily as my stencil and applied white gesso as directed. No bright primary colors, so I used what I had. I love this technique and will definitely use it again!

Tall and Skinny Pages

2008-05-07T17:10:00.002-04:00

OMG- I made 27 of these for a wonderfully anticipated tall and skinny book! The theme is people doing unusual things with animals LOL. I used some micro beads on the bottom of the front and stamped the background in multi layers, speckling for good measure. The back is a little simpler, but continues the theme. I cannot wait to get the completed book!

Muse

2008-04-28T21:48:00.003-04:00

This is a replacement going back to New Zealand, hopefully in one uncrumpled piece. I used some of my crackle tiles, mousse paper and a vintage oil paint tube (been hording it for ages- finally let go!). I really love this card a lot- hope my partner feels the same!

Grunged UTEE

2008-04-16T18:51:00.005-04:00

My project for today- grunging UTEE! I watched an old Carol Duvall with Suze on it. She did a fabulous technique involving stamping an image onto a nonstick craft sheet, embossing it, and then pouring melted UTEE from the pot over it. When you peel it off the sheet, the original image you embossed is embedded in the sheet and wow! Well, I sort of did my thing and ended up asking for help to take the shine down and grub it up. I ended up using silver rub'n buff and then dulled it all down with goo gone per Zeborah's recommendation. Pretty close to what I think I want! Next I'm going to try pewter and bronze.....

Inchie Album/ Mini Journal

2008-04-15T21:21:00.003-04:00

Here is a little album I embelished with a transparency for another swap on CCS. It is pretty sweet- think I'll make some more!

House Swap

2008-04-15T16:03:00.004-04:00

This is a funky card I made in the theme of "houses" for a CCS swap. I love the way it turned out! I used a mesh over the central image for a screened door look. I made a grunge tag, added metal tape for the roofline, buttons on top of washers, and some other stuff. I used a great piece of paisley background paper for the base.

Postcard for Laura in England

2008-04-04T22:53:00.002-04:00

Laura is a college student working on a land mail project. She is collecting postcards made from a world atlas she has. This is my contribution ( I used my faux grass background paper!).....

Metal Swap

2008-04-03T19:56:00.003-04:00

Here is the book charm/ pendant I made for the metal swap on CCS. I used 2 microscope slides and a slice of a fantastic atc, copper foiled, soldered and added a ring for hanging....

Faux grass technique

2008-03-31T21:00:00.002-04:00

The latest background noise challenge from Trish B: faux grass paper! I used dill weed and 4 different colors of green glaze to get a very realistic bed of grass- too cool :)

Another piece of potato paper

2008-03-31T20:55:00.001-04:00

I used a regular sheet of card stock this time and
sprayed it with Eggplant Color Wash. Let that dry (I think if it had
been bone dry there would have been more white ares), then squirted on
the potato. Baked that until it cracked and was dry to touch. Then I
bravely sprayed bleach over the entire surface and watched magic
happen! I used a soft rubber edged kitchen scraper to remove the potato
after the bleach had dried. It came right off! I just brushed away the
crumbs with a paper towel and got a great piece of paper.
I'm wondering about neutralizing the bleach so the paper will
be "friendlier"?

Potato resist technique

2008-03-30T20:15:00.003-04:00

I saw an interesting technique for hand dyed fabric on a TV show the other day and wanted to try it on paper. The proper technique involves mixing instant potatoes to a gravy consistency and then squirting it on black fabric in random patterns. As the potato dries it cracks and crazes. They sprayed bleach on the dried fabric and then rinsed the potato away, revealing an incredible batik like pattern!

Here is my attempt on paper: I decided to try freezer paper first because it has the wax backing and won't fall apart as easily. Since this is my first attempt I decided to spray on Color Wash in Eggplant. Next time I'm going to dye it first and then spray with bleach. Anyway, I applied the potato thickly on one piece of paper and thinly on the second. Since I have no patience, I stuck them in my oven on the drying setting. They were pretty dry in 30 minutes so I went ahead and sprayed. I dried them to set set the ink with my blow dryer and then rinsed them gently.... and it worked!!!!! The scans lost a lot of the definition, but the sheet with the thicker application turned out perfectly- very batiked looking. The sheet with the thin application is nice too, just very subtle. By the way, the look before removing the potato is very cool too!

Here they are:

In loving memory of Tina Reichart Swaney

2008-03-27T21:13:00.002-04:00

I lost one of my dearest of friends March 15Th. Tina was only 50 years old- how could this be? She was only sick briefly, but didn't even tell her immediate family the seriousness of her illness until the week she passed. She worked tirelessly for her church youth group and has 3 kids of her own. Her brother Mark and I taught Katie (the oldest) to say "Mommy's cuckoo!" when she was three years old. She would only say it at the absolutely most embarrassing times! Tina cared for her mother through years of debilitating Alzheimer's, and her father, when at 94, finally gave in and agreed to live with her. Of all the people that I wished happiness and long life for, it was Tina. Such a good person deserved to see her children marry and have children. Life is so strange. I just want everyone who visits my blog to know that a great everyday person passed and left a big ding in my heart.

Travel Tip-ins for CCS swap

2008-03-27T20:54:00.003-04:00

These are tip-ins with a theme of "travel". I distressed a map from the town i live in, adde some of my hair mousse paper and a great old pic of my mom and grandma. I never did find out what the tiff was all about, but looks speak volumes for sure! I photo shopped with the dry brush filter and then hand colored a few spots. Then I scuffed it up. I added a transparency in black and white to give some edge. Caption: "remember ... be cheerful on your path to your dreams!"

The back is classic Judy Garland in the wizard of Oz. I hand colored the transparency and attached it to a cool piece of embossed bronze paper. Caption: "wherever you go... there oyu are..."

Hair Mousse Background Paper

2008-03-20T21:18:00.002-04:00

Trish B's next background noise paper is a variation on shaving cream paper... I used a crumbled local map for the paper and went with dark colors. I love the way it turned out! I'll be using it for my Travel tip-in swap for the CCS group.....

Easter Bonnet Bird Brain

2008-03-14T11:21:00.002-04:00

This is a paper doll I did for a one on one swap with Lyn R. Our theme was easter bonnets... I used a dress cut from a vintage Pattern catalog and accessorized with some flip flops and gloves. I received a most beautiful paper confection from Lyn in return!

Cracked Glass Part Two

2008-03-13T01:11:00.002-04:00

Since I can't leave anything in its original state, I decided that I must cut cracked glass (see below) into tiles and go from there. Here is the result- very cool. Next I'm going to do some digital colaging with it and see what happens next....

Cracked Glass Art Quest Challenge

2008-03-11T21:49:00.002-04:00

Trish Bee is at it again! Her latest challenge was cracked glass using UTEE. Of course I had to substitue floor wax with shoe polish (pew-eeee!), didn't have any colored inks except homemade red and some eggplant. I started with a butter colored cardstock and added some pearlex between the layers of UTEE. I used a lot of different colors for the final inking. I love how it turned out- I have a special project planned and I think it will fit right in. Thanks for another great challenge Trish!

Index Card Booklet

2008-03-08T15:52:00.002-05:00

This is a neat index card book that I picked up at the dollar store. I embelished it for the "letter stamp" swap on CCS- it turned out pretty cool!

Mini Album for Texture Swap

2008-03-08T15:15:00.001-05:00

This is a mini album that is designed to hold six postcard sized pages. I made this for the texture swap on CCS.... going to Maggie.

Double Duece Dare!

2008-03-05T16:52:00.006-05:00

Drumroll please... I received a packet of elements and was dared to make something. I was allowed to add papers, stamps and more goodies. Here is the result:

Art Lab Two

2008-03-04T19:36:00.003-05:00

Here I go again- I managed to blow up the original Art Laboratory, so I am back with another version. I am soooo far behind on challenges and background papers that I may not catch up until April. So this is short with no picture. Just a launch and incentive to myself to get this blog beefed up and running!