FREE TO CHOOSE

With great eagerness, I waited for the e-mail this morning from the Stampotique Designers' Challenge, only to discover that I had not read the "fine print" last week that noted it was a two-week challange!  I lamented only for a few minutes, then decided to challenge myself!  

I love working in my "Judy Journal" creating pages which one day will be read by my now almost 3-year-old granddaughter Angie.  The pages I am actually creating for myself, simply because I love creating art.  But, hopefully, the "wisdom" I am imparting in this journal will one day be of help, comfort and encouragement to Angie as she faces life's challenges.

So, here's my nugget of knowledge for today:  

YOU ARE FREE TO CHOOSE, BUT YOU ARE NOT FREE FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR CHOICE.

I think that is a pretty powerful message and, if it makes even one person stop and think before making a decision, it has been worth sharing!

So glad that you stopped by today.  I appreciate both your visit and your comments!

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLANGE: 110 TAG, YOU'RE IT!

The Stampotique Designers' Challenge is up and I am ready with my tag! Astrid's inspirational examples were all I needed to get started. I had already peeked at some of the Design Team's submissions, and was quite wow'd by Samantha Read using a border punch in her creation, so I "lifted" that idea for mine!  Mary, from the Stampotique Originals Collection, graces my tag and is feeling a bit "contrary" in her remarks!

If you would like a chance to win a $30 gift certificate for Stampotique stamps, pull out your stamps (all stamps are allowed) and create a tag! Rules are on the Stampotique Designers' Challenge site which you can find here.

So glad that you took time today to stop by.  I appreciate both your visits and your comments!  As I get closer and closer to 100 followers, I am thinking GIVEAWAY!  Be sure to join as a follower for your chance to win some crafty supplies from me!  Details to follow!

a TRIPTYCH for a friend

I think of Marjie Kemper as a "Jill" of all artistic trades.  I religiously follow her blog and continually haunt her on Facebook for her words of wisdom. Recently on her blog, she provided a triptych tutorial.  Well, the word triptych was not yet in my vocabulary, so I immediately searched for a definition on Google, and here is what I found:

• A picture or relief carving on three panels, typically hinged together vertically and used as an altarpiece.
• A set of three associated artistic, literary, or musical works intended to be appreciated together.

I am swapping three ATCs with my New York friend Susan, and I thought a triptych would be just the way to present my three ATCs to her. Although my triptych is not hinged, but, rather, scored and folded, it is composed of three associated (fashion) works.  You can find Marjie's tutorial here.

So glad that you visited today!  Your visits and comments are very much appreciated.

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 109: CLEAN AND SIMPLE

Last week, after creating my Stampotique Designers' Challenge submission with a bit of French flair, I worked in my "Judy Journal," creating a few more pages for my granddaughter's book of inspiration.  Today, when I saw that the Stampotique Designers' Challenge is all about "clean and simple," I immediately thought of this page:

It's all about the message, not the color, not the texture, not the background, not even the image...but, the message.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Your visit and your comment is deeply appreciated!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 108: FRENCH FLAIR

Ah, Wednesday!  The new Stampotique Designers' Challenge is up and a fun one it is!  Libby Hickson is the hostess this week, and here is her challenge for us all:

"Although I live in Atlanta, Georgia, I spend every summer traveling vicariously around France, thanks to a bunch of boys on bicycles riding in the Tour de France! It always inspires me to create cards with a little French flair - so today I'm challenging you to do the same! Anything you can think of - the colors of France, French script, classic landmarks - whatever you'd like, just give your card a little French flair!"

Perfect timing again for me this week, as I am in need of a thank you card and "merci" is one of the few French words I know (and can spell correctly!).   I used a card base from my stash and created layers by framing both sides of Authentique's "Luminous" collection with black cardstock.  I stamped Mary, one of my favorite Stampotique stamps (do I always say that?) onto cream cardstock and adhered her to my card.  I stamped "merci" using Inkadinkado's "Typewriter" lower case stamp set onto the same cardstock and done!  Here's my card with just a bit of "French Flair" for Libby!

I am glad that you stopped by today.  I do so appreciate your visits and comments!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 107: RECYCLE IT!

This week's Stampotique Designers' Challenge is perfectly timed for me!  A recent Pinterest post caught my eye, and last weekend I bought some Pringles (uniform potato chips that come in a tall can) to try my hand at repurposing it.  I was thrilled when I saw that the challenge this week is about recycling!  Our host is Samantha Read, who shares her proposal:

I dislike throwing anything away that 'might come in handy one day' so I have a corner of my art room filled with bits and bobs to be recycled. For this weeks challenge I'm inviting you to recycle something.

My markers have been stored in a drawer that I cannot remove and bring to my art table--which means they are never convenient when I want to use them.  This is about to be my new portable storage compartment:

I am going to use Gibi (one of my favorite Stampotique stamps!), because she looks like an artsy person to me! I have mentioned this once before, but it bears repeating because there are new followers among us, and that is when using stamps with intricate details, it is a good technique to stamp your image directly onto your project, then stamp it a second time on paper.  You will color and cut out your second image (omitting some of the small details (in this case some of the hair strands and the small hoop earrings, then adhere that exactly on top of the original stamped image.  The details on the first stamp will appear behind your trimmed image.  See below:

Ready to adhere:  note the earrings are missing in the  image on the right.

Note the earrings now appear (from behind) on the adhered image!

I have to give credit to my friend France Papillon (one of the Stampotique Design Team members) for this valuable technique!

Here's my Pringles can, nicely decorated with a Gelli Art Plate print I created myself and Stampotique stamps (which can be purchased here). Now, my markers are in front of me when I am using them, and neatly tucked away when I am not!!

A hearty welcome to the newest followers of this blog.  I appreciate each and every one of you!  My blog followers inspire me on a daily basis!

Cheers!