Zine Swap

Just in case you were wondering: A zine (pronounced “zeen,” like “magazine”) is a self published, small circulation, non commercial booklet or magazine.  Recently I joined a zine swap.  We had to create a zine using one sheet of paper with very little dimension.  The hostess of the swap showed us how to fold the sheet of copy paper to make a little booklet.  There are several ways to make a zine.  The criteria was to hand write or draw, use a quote and original artwork.  Once you make the page then you just photocopy it the number of times you need for distribution (in this case the swap-20 people).  Here is the unfolded page:

Pages in my 'Homeland Security' themed zine.  Not as in protection from terrorist, but the security of having a safe, affordable, decent house to live in.

 Sentiment: only God can make                                                              Sentiment: Why Not In My Back
a house a home so heaven help the home                                                                 Yard?

 

 Zines I received in the swap

The quote I used in my zine:  "What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?" Henry David Thoreau

This was a fun swap.  The artwork on all of the zines is just wonderful.

Submitted: the Word Art Wednesday Challenge # 75

Sistah/ Brotha Blogger Challenge #12 and #16

 

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Fall Tag Swap

These are the tags I received in a recent swap.  The Scrappy Chicks crop every Thursday. I have an opportunity to attend sporadically, but I lucked out and got into this swap.

Thanks: Kathy, Barb, Pet,Carol, JoAnn, and Mary

Gratitude IS a LOVE attitude!  I am grateful for all my artsy friends.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Fall Tags

I made these tags for a swap.  They are CAS (Clean and Simple) according to me.  I used a technique that I learned from Rubber Cottage several years ago.  I had forgotten how to do the stippling onto a glossy tag.  Then I found a blog post, then I lost it so I am unable to provide a link (sorry). I had all the supplies on hand because I purchased them at the Stamp Scrap and Art Tour many years ago with the intention of creating tags that I learned at a make and take hosted by Rubber Cottage.  Crafters REALLY do eventually use their stash (LOL).

Materials: Glossy tags, gold leaf pen, studio G stamps, beads, beading wire, ribbon, stickles, Adirondack inks, archival ink.

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Masking

I am in the process of organizing and purging old photos.  I decided to blog about the old projects instead of just archiving or deleting photos.  I made these cards a year or so ago for a swap.  I was trying my hand at masking.   

That dark blue cs I got at a goodwill garage sale too long ago to confess the date (LOL). My friend Denice and I used to go to the sale every year. A private middle school would host it as a fundraiser.  I have and am still using many of the items we found there. I no longer do the same kinds of crafts as I did back then, so thankfully I have donated a lot of things to the second hand store.

Materials

cs

colorbok chalk inks

CTMH stamp

MS alphabet stamp set

embroidery floss, ribbon or twine

glitter gel pen

fiskars border punch

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Scrappy Chicks Christmas Tag swap

Here are the tags:

From left to right: Back row; Lynn, Diane, Pet.  Middle row; Cindy, Kathy, Faith.  Front row; JoAnn, Mary.
Thanks ladies!  Great work and techniques on these tags.

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

So, I did add stickles...

...to the tags I made for the tag swap.  Overall I was pleased with the tags.  It was so difficult to come up with an idea.  When in doubt, just glue it down and keep moving.

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Tag swap

These tags were made for a Christmas tag swap that I participated in recently.  I was able to stamp on the glitter paper with the chalk ink.  I thought that was cool, because I was just playing around when I tried to stamp on a scrap piece of cs.  It is difficult to see in the photo, but there is a 3-D snowflake in the upper left corner of the tag.   All the stamped snowflakes are positioned as if they were flowing from the 3-D one.

I was just thinking that I may have to use stickles and embellish the snowman before I give these away-  Hmmmm...

Materials:

Shipping tags

glitter cs

dimensional snow flake punch

studio G snowman stamp, snowflake

Merry Christmas sentiment stamp

TH distress inks

colorbok chalk ink

tulle

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Card Swap

My friend in Colorado asked me to join a Christmas card swap with her.  Well, as luck would have it the swap was closed.  So we decided to just swap between us.  This was her first swap.  I sent her the card designs that I used in the recent blog hop. 

We each had to make five cards. She made this without the help of fancy die cutting machines.  Great job! 
She sent me the following cards:



Whoo hoo!  Love these.



Thanks Stephanie.  I know that you put a lot of work and love into each card.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Mini album from swap

Hey Scrappers!  I was in a mini album swap at Scraps of Color.  This is the mini album I received from my swap partner, Renee.  The colors are cool.   Renee really did a lot of tags and flowers.  I hope you enjoy it.  Thanks Renee, great job!

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Mini Album Swap

This is my first video.  So no comments or laughter from the peanut gallery. (LOL)  This is a mini album for my online buddy Renee. I joined a mini album swap at SOC.   I took a mini album class many years ago and have recreated this chipboard album several times.  I hope she likes it and can use the album.

Materials:

Chip board

ribbons, tulle, fibers

buttons

flowers

journaling spots

metal clasps

charm

brads

pp

card stock

color box chalk inks

rubons

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Scrappy Gals Tag Swap

It was great to participate in a local swap.  It was nice to fellowship with the swappers face to face and to hear the stories behind the craft.  These are the wonderful tags I received:

Comments L-R:

The stamping is so nice. What a great image!  The chain is a unique idea.

The flower is gorgeous!  The rose pin in the center of the flower is a beautiful touch.

What a great idea!  This really looks like a flag .  The distressing works well with this idea.

This is gorgeous paper!  I love the embossed bird cage and the unique shape of the tag. (Cherish)

Wonderful image!  The envelope for the tag is such a clever idea. (rejoice)

HOPE, what a great message!  The distressing and dry embossing is absolutely beautiful.  (The bird does not sing because it has an answer; it sings because it has a song.)

Great vintage image! The feathers and lace are lovely.  (Love is Patient)

Thanks to Mary, Diane, Faith, JoAnn. Gloria, Kathy, Pet, and Ruby and to little Willow(the dog).  It was a lovely crop and a nice time of fellowship.  Ms Kitty you were truly missed.  See you in Oct.  The tags are truly great.  You ladies do not eat worms at all...you rock! LOL

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come again soon.

Tag Swap

My friend hosts a crop in her home every Thursday. The ladies that attend regularly decided to do a tag swap. I had another idea, but it just didn't come together in time. So here is my KISS (Keeping It Simple Scrapper) back up tag.

Materials:

shipping tags

wide ribbon

stickles

glossy accents

enamel accents

EK Success butterfly stickers

fibers from stash

walnut stain distress ink

brown colorbox chalk ink

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come back soon.

Cards for Flower Card Swap

The guidelines for this swap were to make a card using flowers and no sentiment.  Here is my take on the idea:

This is a window card.  The flower was a akin to the old school pom pom like flower.  I remember when I was younger wrapping yarn around my fingers, tying the yarn in the middle, and then cutting the loops.  It is fun to use old crafts in a new way.

Materials:
yarn/fiber from stash
black card forms
ribbon from stash
Scallop Nestability
colorbox chalk ink
brads
inksentials white pen







We could put a sentiment on the inside.  I stamped "A flower touches everyone's heart..." Georgia O'keefe  Then I tried to emboss the stamp with white embossing powder...yeah uhhh DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT try to wet emboss in humid weather.  Embossing powder stuck everywhere and yes, I did use a dryer sheet/embossing buddy.  Thankfully there are no mistakes in scrapbooking (hahahaha)...I turned the card inside out and drew a circle around the sentiment and colored it in with a white water color crayon.  So now the sentiment is on the back of the card. (LOL)  I still think it looks crazy, but I am sending the cards anyway.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come back soon.

More note cards

These note cards were also made using scraps.

Materials:

Kraft card stock

At You Spica markers

Sakura markers
Clear Embossing Powder
Studio G wooden stamp 

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come back soon.

Note Cards

These note cards were made from scraps. 

Materials:

Kraft card stock

stickles

chestnut roan colorbox chalk ink

Studio G stamp

MS border punch

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come back soon.

ATC Swap

These are some ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) that I made for a swap.  The theme was represent your state.  Delaware's state bird is the blue hen.  So, I drew a fightin' blue hen...ok so it is a chicken on crack (LOL) 

DE state colors are blue and gold

Background Says: The Small Wonder

Home of the Fightin' Blue Hens

The Diamond State

The First State

The word Diamond is glitter highlighted and the background embossed with diamonds...did I take the Diamond theme a bit too far? hahahaha

The image was cut out in a diamond shape to signify the state nickname the 'Diamond State.'  The background also says Dela-Where? because people often ask "...where is DE, what state is that in..." LOL

Recipe:

card stock white, yellow and backed with blue

colorbox blue ink

chalk: yellow and blue

walnut stain ink

feathers

blue bling

Diamond in the rough cuddle bug embossing folder

pop dots

                                                                                     glossy accents

                                                                                     gold glitter gel pen

                                                                                     nestabilities

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you come back soon.

Dress Form Swap

These are layered die cuts I did for a dress form swap that I entered.

The base is glittered paper.

The images were cut from the Summer in Paris Cricut Cart.

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Cricut Cut image swap

I really need to use my cricut more so I joined a swap.  We had to make 20 manly, layered cuts.  There were boats, cars, golf clubs etc.   I chose to make a compass.  I was thinking camping, boy scouts, hiking.  Not exclusively male, but it could work (lol)  I had such a difficult time making these.  The first time the cuts didn't go all the way through the paper.  The second time same thing.  So into the recycle bin.  The third time the paper moved.  The sticky mat seemed ok, but the paper kept moving.  So by now I am up to the 6th try.  I was trying not to get frustrated.  I am not happy with the final product, but I mailed them anyway.  I hope I get better with practice.

 It was difficult to punch out the N,S,E, and W

Compass from the My World cricut cartridge

Hedgehog or Porcupine?

These are stick pins I received from a swap I hosted on the SOC (Scraps of Color) .NING network.   This is how I am displaying them.  Poor little guy looks like a porcupine.  Good thing those stick pins are not poisonous quills. OUCH!  Thanks ladies and gent (RJ) all the pins are great. 

Stick pins

I recently hosted a stick pin swap on the SOC(Scraps of Color) .ning site. The theme was Spring, but we could do anything goes.  I used a happy face silver bead, dragonfly button and a heart topped pin.   

So, I am in the thrift store looking for deals and inspiration.  My online buddy, Sharon, has already planted the idea of using a doll to package the pins (She is a part of this swap too).  I was thinking find four little dolls as a prize for the group that mailed their pins first. I had looked at some cool pin cushions, but they were too costly for my budget.  Then I see this sign above the stuffed animal bin: "1 bag for $1.00-See store associate for bag."  I think hmmmmm...I can afford to get one for all 20 of the swap participants.  I picked out 20 and then asked the store associate for a bag.  At first he told me that the stuffed animals were sold individually.  After I asked him to check and make sure, he came back with this recycle size garbage bag.  I was like wow...are you sure this is the right bag?  He insisted that it was the correct one.  So, I kept digging and looking and getting ideas for the kids in my neighborhood, prizes for outdoor games etc.  I mean, I couldn't let a whole bag go unfilled (lol)  Finally, I thought there was no way I needed that many stuffed animals.  Well, I have my 20+ mini stuffed animals (most of them beanie babies).  And people are starting to buzz around a once deserted table.  I tell others about the great deal and they all ask for bags too.  Just as I was walking away, another associate came towards me yelling "Miss!  Miss!   That is the wrong bag."  I disappointingly turned around and asked for the correct bag.  When she brought it out I was expecting some terribly miniature bag, that wouldn't fit four beanie babies let alone the 40 or so I had picked out.  To my surprise, thankfully all of my selection still fit in the bag with a little room to spare.  Whoo hooo!

I packaged the pins in these mini stuffed animals.  That way all the swappers would have a pin cushion of sorts.  This was a fun swap to host..