Altered Postcards

Postcards do not usually come to mind when one thinks of altered art, but they are one of my favorite mediums. Lots of people who do "altered postcards" simply take a PC, white it out, and make their own. In my opinion, that is not altering, but re-using. I prefer to take a card and alter the theme. White out with gesso only the areas you want to change, then decoupage or stamp the card. Of course, if you're using a rare or vintage card, use a copy for your altering rather than the original. You'll end up with a unique card to send or to frame.

Link to the Past

A friend of mine sent me some vintage photos she had acquired of her ancestors. She has no idea as to the identity of this child in this photo, but as soon as I saw it I knew it would make a wonderful card. These two cards make me laugh every time I look at them. What a wonderful link to the past. Just seeing an old photo like this makes you stop and think about this little guy's life and what the future held for him. Little did he know this anonymous photo would bring so much joy so many years in the future.

Both these cards are available on ETSY.

Vintage Niagara Falls

Just thought I'd share with you a card I recently finished reminding me of home. Although I live in Las Vegas, I am originally from a town just outside of Buffalo, NY. Grand Island, NY is an island situated in the Niagara River between Buffalo and Niagara Falls, so I am very familiar with this awesome natural wonder. We were even able to see the mist of the falls from our home - about 7 miles away! If any of you are from Western New York I'd love to hear from you.

More Tags....

Simple - sassy - sentimental. These tags are made from decoupaged laminate chip samples. The hardest part is matching the picture with the words!

A New Tag to Share.

I love, love, love this tag! It's created on a laminate sample chip and decoupaged. I have never made tags before, but I like the way this came out so well that I'm inspired to do more. If interested, it's listed on ETSY.

Resolutions for 2008 --- AGAIN !

So what's on your list this year? Here's some suggestions every crafter can relate to:

1. Complete all unfinished projects from last year. Oh, yeah, you know what I'm talking about! "I'll get to that as soon as I try this new technique I heard about"... sure !
2. Pull out some of the old tools that were so hot when they were introduced that you just had to have one! You'll be surprised what you can still do with them.
3. Toss out or give away anything you haven't used or even thought about last year. Ok..maybe 2 years, since we crafters are notorious pack-rats.
4. Make a resolution to go out of your comfort zone and try something daring or something you've been thinking about for a long time.
5. CLEAN your studio. This should probably be #1. And at least try to clean up after every project. It will be easier to start working again later on.
6. And finally - take advantage of the great sales at your local craft store this month and buy something FUN! Then use it.

A NEW THEME - JUST ALICE!

Do you like "Alice in Wonderland?" Take a look at two of my new creations. It's nice to work with Alice because everything is strange and not what it seems. So you have a free range of creativity for your projects. I've done pendants, cards, and magnets, but this theme could even be incorporated into a little girls scrapbook page. By the way, did you know that Alice Through the Looking Glass was actually a satire on the British government at the time it was written?

New Altered Domino Magnets

I've just listed some beautiful new magnets on Ebay and Etsy. They are made from dominoes and scrabble tiles. The dominoes have been inked with alcohol inks, and the scrabble tiles act as tiny little frames for vintage women pics. Each has a paper and/or fabric flower. The photos really don't do these magnets justice; they are much more beautiful in real life.

Happy Thanksgiving to ALL

Sorry I haven't posted in quite a while. It's been a busy time of year for me and my creative processes seem to be on hold. Today I'd like to talk a little bit about altered game pieces, one of my favorite things to work with. Dominoes and Mah-jong pieces are great for magnets and pendants. The pendants can be used as a decorative clothing accessory, as book fobs on book thongs, as key chain charms, and lots of other ingenious items. They can be stamped, decoupaged, drilled, glued, etc, etc, etc. You're only limited by your own imagination. I also use the plastic Rummicube game tiles as magnets and embellishment for cards. (they're much lighter in weight) Scrabble tiles can also be used as small charms or embellishments. I've also found some 1 1/2" round wooden discs from some game which can also be altered any way you like. And no, you don't have to buy a new game to get some of these pieces. Mine all come from thrift and second hand shops where you can usually find them at great prices. So keep your eyes open, but don't be stealing from the kid's toys! Check out my gallery to see some of my altered art pieces.

ALTERED CD's

Don't know what to do with all those old and free CD's you have? Alter them! Here's an example of what you can do. Just use them as a blank canvas as you would any other medium. You'll have a piece of art thats suitable for gift giving or for display.

Cards for Pets and their People

Have you ever sent a birthday card to a dog or cat? Or a pet sympathy card to show someone you care about their loss? I often create special cards for pet and animal lovers. Check out these cards... Enjoy them here, and if you like them, please consider sending a pet greeting card the next time a special occasion comes around. These cards are available now at http://www.cardsbypatzee.etsy.com. Custom orders are also available.

Keep It Neat and Tidy!

Well, I've been spending the last few days cleaning my craft room. What a disaster! Papers, ink, stamps, ribbon, charms, etc, etc, etc, all over the place! Now I know I have that photo - but where? And where are my favorite scissors? Ok - it's time. My creativity is being stifled by this mess. Time to organize. I'm fortunate enough to have my own craft room, but unless I keep it neat and tidy, it isn't very inviting. This is what it should look like!

Yes, it's true - When you have a nice neat organized place to work you can concentrate on what you want to do and not on what you're looking for. Your space doesn't have to be large or strictly devoted to crafting, as long as your crafting supplies are in quick reach. Many crafters simply use the kitchen or dining room table for their work space, and then it is even more important to have your stuff in some type of containers, legibly labeled, so you can take anything you need to your work table before you start. So get going, look around, and see how you can improve your workshop.

New Collage and Tips for Your Work

If you're familiar with my work, you know that most of my creations are greeting cards made with vintage photos. Well, since most of my cards are collages, anyway, I've decided to start making 5" x 7" collages along the same themes. Here's the first that I have listed on Ebay. It was so much fun that I'm already planning the next one! It really isn't all that difficult to put these together. Just be sure to stick to a theme. I've seen attempts at collage that have absolutely no cohesiveness - just bits of this and that thrown together. In this collage I've chosen to highlight the color purple (my favorite) and the glamour of times past. And don't get carried away by incorporating too much stuff into your piece. Sometimes less is more, so when you're satisfied with the look, STOP. And finally, it helps to have some way to display your work, either with a stand or a ribbon for hanging.