ART FROM THE ROAD: Sunday Postcard Art (12-11-16)

Just a very quick post today to share a photo postcard that I am submitting to the Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week. Deann wants to see What's on Your Mantle? Since we are traveling this winter in our travel trailer, we have no "mantle," so I will borrow one from my sister's home on Cape Cod from a Christmas Past. I am truly making this photo into a postcard (already 4" x 6") and will be sending it to my sister as our Christmas card this year.

Thanks for stopping by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both are appreciated!

Cheers from the road...

ART FROM THE ROAD: Sunday Postcard Art (11-29-16)

Mandy Chilvers has asked me to host the Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week and I have chosen TWO OF A KIND as my theme. My original intent was to use the same stamp twice, but, when I recently visited the Simple Pleasures Scrapbooking and Stamping store in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and purchased a new stamp, well--I just couldn't resist inking it up and using it for this challenge.

My new stamp is by Stampotique Originals and is called Take Your Time. The canceled postmark stamp is also from Stampotique and is called 1879 Postmark.

I hope you will find some time this week to participate in the Sunday Postcard Art challenge. You can find the details here. 

Thanks for visiting today and for taking a moment to leave a message.  Both are appreciated!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE ROAD: Sunday Postcard Art (11-20-16)

The Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week is hosted by Carol who has chosen SAINTS/ICONS as the theme. I am not Catholic but, from time to time, I will admit to having called upon Saint Anthony when I was looking for something! I am also familiar with Saint Mary and Saint Christopher but wanted to choose a saint with whom I was not already familiar.

I did a bit of research and found that Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church! Best known as Mother Seton, she is said to be, among others, the Patron Saint of children near death, in-law problems, loss of parents, opposition of Church authorities, those ridiculed for their piety and, significantly, of Catholic schools.

The image is from an internet search which I trimmed and created my own background from a scrap of paper in my stash. The photograph was taken on the grounds of the Desert Gardens RV Resort in Florence, Arizona, where Russ and I have been staying this past week.

Thanks, Carol, for a great challenge! If you would like to participate, you can find the details here.

I am pleased you came by today and thank you for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both are appreciated!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE ROAD: Sunday Postcard Art (10-09-16)

It is my pleasure this week to host the Sunday Postcard Art challenge and I have chosen kind of a quirky theme: Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh my! As is usual, there is an element of humor attached to my postcard!

I hope you will come play with us this week. You will find the Sunday Postcard Art challenge details here.

Thanks for visiting today and especially for taking a moment to leave a compliment. Both are important to me!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE ROAD: "ANSWERING" TWO CHALLENGES!

I rarely create one project and submit it to two different challenges, but, today, I am doing exactly that!

First, the Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week is hosted by Hazel and she wants to see WIZARDS! Now, historically, wizards have always been male--but then so have our U.S. presidents. We have a woman currently running for president, so why could it not follow that a woman could be a wizard?

The second challenge is hosted by Mixed Media Monthly. For this challenge, I used their "mood board" for inspiration:

From this board, I chose my color palette, a bit of the spookiness, and a touch of humor!

Thanks for coming by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment! Both are appreciated.

I hope you will find a bit of time to get creative and join in the two challenges. Check out each of the challengers for the details.

Cheers!

ART FROM THE ROAD: Sunday Postcard Art (09-25-16)

Today is kind of "the first day of the rest of my life" in that this is the first piece of art created by me from the road! Russ and I began the journey we have dreamed about for years this week! We left Tuxbury Pond Campground in New Hampshire (our "summer" home) and we are headed for the West Coast (eventually) to spend the warmest winter ever for us!

I have missed a couple of Sunday Postcard Art (SPA) challenges because of how very busy we have been preparing for this journey. However, we landed in Wellesley Island State Park in New York State today and we will be here for three days--time enough to get out some art supplies!

Today's SPA challenger is Marion, who proposed THE BEATLES as our focus. Here's my offering containing an image of the Beatles from Google free images as well as a bit of wrapping paper and my own title! 

Thanks for coming by today and also for taking a moment to leave a message. Both are appreciated!

Cheers from the road,

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: Sunday Postcard Art (09-18-16)

Deann is hosting the Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week. Her very timely theme is HARVEST MOON!

I chose to use my harvest moon for a theme more on the serious side. When September arrives, we all think about school--whether we ourselves are returning to school or sending off our children. While, in most cases, this is a very happy and exciting time of year, a very serious problem when school reopens (although not limited to the school calendar) is one of bullying. It is so much more on my heart this year as someone I love is being bullied. I hope each of you reading this will take the time to talk to the children in your lives about bullying and what they can do to help someone who is being bullied.

For my postcard, I chose an image of a harvest moon from the free online Google images.  I printed it onto glossy photo paper so that the moon would be shiny, then punched it out and adhered it to black cardstock cut to 4" x 6". I stamped the Stampotique image "Little Friends" directly onto the moon. The quote I used is one by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919):

With every deed

You are sowing a seed,

Though the harvest

You may not see.

Come play! You have until Saturday to join in the fun. You are free to interpret the Harvest Moon theme any way you like as long as it uses a 4" x 6" (postcard size) format. Details here.

Thanks for stopping by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both are appreciated!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: Sunday Postcard Art (08-21-16)

Mandy Chilvers, the owner of the Sunday Postcard Art challenge website, is hosting this week with CHOCOLATE as the theme. 

I have never really been as much of a fan of chocolate as most of my girlfriends, though I must say that I do have a fondness for Snickers and, of course, chocolate syrup! The chocolate syrup won the background over a picture of a Snickers bar, however!

I was drawn immediately to this quote as I searched for just the right words to describe chocolate. I would add "guilty pleasure" to this list. Perhaps that is why I added "Tinglyitchiness" (from Stampotique Originals) to my postcard. He appears a bit of a devil tempting us, don't you think?

Thanks for stopping by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both are appreciated. If you have not already done so, I would also appreciate it if you would join as a "follower" today (upper right-hand sidebar). Once you have done that, you can also follow by e-mail (also in the upper right-hand sidebar) so that you will receive an e-mail each time I update this blog.

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: Sunday Postcard Art (08-14-16)

It was with great pleasure that I accepted the invitation to host the Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week! Thanks, Mandy! 

For me, one of the world's mysteries is how mechanical things work, so WHEELS seemed like a super challenge. Wheels go 'round and 'round to transport us on the ground, but wheels also go 'round and 'round to entertain us in the air! Here's a great example:

In 72 years, I have been on a Ferris wheel once! That experience as a child was so frightening, I never would ride it again. For me, it was not only the sickening feeling while I was on the ride, but the dizziness that continued after the ride. So, today, I still say, "No thank you, Mr. Ferris!" If interested, you can find out more about the Ferris wheel here.

I hope you will carve out some time this week to get crafty and show me what you know about wheels! You can find the details for this challenge here. 

Thanks for stopping by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both are appreciated and inspire me!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: Congrats to HELEN COOKE!

A friend recently was invited to join the Design Team of the Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge site so I decided to create an ATC to congratulate Helen Cooke! You can check out Helen's blog here. 

The challenge for this week is to use the color Sunshine Yellow in an ATC. An ATC (or Artist Trading Card) is art in a smaller size, specifically 2-1/2" x 3-1/2".  It's not always easy to create art in such a small size, but it is always fun!

To create this ATC, I began with a scrap of multi-colored patterned paper for my background. I used a new stamp created by stamp designer Carol Porter. You will find "Crystal" in Carol's Etsy Shop here. First, I stamped the hat onto Sunshine Yellow card stock and cut it out.  Next, I stamped the image again onto buff paper and just cut out the face, which I further colored with Copic markers. Finally, I stamped the full image onto my background paper and adhered both the hat and face over that image. The sentiment was printed on my computer.

I am entering this ATC in this week's Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge. If you can find some time this week, join me in getting crafty--only in a smaller size!

Thanks for visiting today and for taking a moment to leave a comment.  Both are appreciated!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: Sunday Postcard Art (08-07-16)

The Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week is hosted by Carol Fox who has chosen PETS as her challenge theme! Carol and I were both on the Stampotique Design Team a while back and I remain one of her biggest fans!  You can find her blog here.

My postcard is a random bunch of images created with several stamps, some of them from Stampotique Originals. The dog paw is from Recollections and is one of my favorites!

Plenty of time this week to join in on the Sunday Postcard Art fun! You can find the details here.

Thanks for stopping by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment.  Both are appreciated!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: Sunday Postcard Art (07-30-16)

I have been moved to more pensive thinking of late and this has carried forward to some extent to my artful projects--including the Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week. Hazel is our host and has chosen eggs as the theme. You can find her blog post here.

A simple background, somewhat altered with Photoshop Elements software, provides the perfect backdrop for the quote (author unknown) I have used. 

There is still plenty of time this week to "answer" this challenge. Take some time to get crafty. You can find the challenge details here.

Thank you for coming by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both are appreciated!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: Sunday Postcard Art (07-24-16)

The Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week is hosted by Sandie, who has us spotlighting COWBOYS/COWGIRLS! My favorite cowboy ever is John Wayne, so I paired a quote from him with an artful wallpaper print. A simple piece, but I love the motivation in both the art and quote.

It's just Monday, so you have until Saturday to saddle up and make your postcard. You will find the details here.  

Thanks for stopping by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both encourage me!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: Sunday Postcard Art (07-17-16)

The Sunday Postcard Art challenge this week comes from Annie, who is thinking summer picnics! For me in the campground, a summer picnic is just outside the door of our travel trailer! I pulled the picnic tablecloth back a bit from the corner of the table and snapped a quick photo. One of my quirky Stampotique stamp friends--Tinglyitchiness--became my magnified picnic ant. My sweet stepdaughter Sarah, an artist herself, added the uninvited guests for me!

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

This week's postcard challenge is almost over, but there will be a new one tomorrow. You will find it here. Take some time to get crafty and join us!

Thanks for your visit today and also for taking a moment to leave a comment! Both are appreciated!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: PUBLISHED!

I am thrilled to have my artwork published in the June issue of Craft Stamper Magazine!

Here's a close-up of both the front and inside:

I made this card for a friend, but, when accepted for publication, I had to mail the original card to the publisher for photographing.  It is finally back and it will go in the mail to Janet Moore--one of the most elegant and "put-together" women I know!  

Thanks for coming by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both are important to me!

Cheers!

ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND: A birthday card for Sweet Sue

You might notice that the blog title has changed from "ART FROM THE MAIN HOUSE" to "ART FROM THE CAMPGROUND."  We have transitioned from our winter home in Rye, New Hampshire, back to the campground in South Hampton, New Hampshire.  The move and organizing have taken about a month, but my studio has reappeared and is operational!

Albeit a day or so late, I made time today to make a birthday card for a very dear friend, Sweet Sue!  Sue is not a longtime friend, but one who has appeared in my life at just the right time.  I found great joy in creating this card for her.

The photos tell the story here:

I added drops of Archival Ink re-inkers (in Forget-Me-Not and Chrome Yellow) as well as a bit of gold mixative to my craft mat.

Next, I added splashes of rubbing alcohol and gently mixed with a spatula.  I pushed into this mixture a sheet of 8-1/2 x 11" specialty stamping paper (Ranger), repeating as I moved the paper around, lifting and moving until I was happy with the result.

This 8-1/2 x 11" sheet will yield panels for three cards:

The next step was to add some embossed stamping to the panel, a simple process that yields dramatic results:

I matted the panel with black cardstock, then adhered that to my card blank:

Another stamp added the inside greeting:

It felt good to begin again to play in my (relocated) studio!  I have many projects on the list for all my tomorrows.

Thanks for stopping by today.  I appreciate both your visits and your comments.

Cheers!

ART FROM THE MAIN HOUSE: Sunday Postcard Art Challenge (03-27-16)

Hazel is our host this week at the Sunday Postcard Art challenge and she has us reaching for a bit of Springtime! While it is not far off in the Northern Hemisphere, it has remained somewhat elusive in the Northeast corner of the United States. My postcard reflects this.  

A bit of color from another project provides the background, while the embossed and oversized bloom from Unity Stamp Co. provides the focus. Washi tape serves as the supporting element, along with the computer-generated sentiment.  

There is plenty of time this week for you to get crafty and create a postcard for this challenge. Details can be found here.

I am so glad that you stopped by today and thank you for taking a moment to leave a comment.  

Cheers!

ART FROM THE MAIN HOUSE: Guest Designer Spot at Less is More!

I am privileged to have been invited to be the Guest Designer this week at the (Simply) Less is More (LIM) challenge blog. The theme this week is polka dots. So put on your "clean and simple" cap and take a few minutes to create a card.  

I used white textured cardstock to create a panel for my card blank and punched five circles along the left side. I taped a scrap piece of polka dot patterned paper on the back to show through the holes. I stamped my sentiment on white cardstock, matted it with black cardstock, then adhered it to the panel. Next, I stamped my flower pot image onto white cardstock and cut it out. I stamped the flower pot again onto another scrap of the polka dot paper and cut out just the pot. I used a Sharpie to color the front rim of the pot black then adhered it to the white image. I used a gray Sharpie to give a bit of contrast to the inside rim at the back of the pot. To create a bit of dimension, I glued the pot flat against the space to the right of the sentiment, then added a pop dot behind the bloom. The panel was then matted with black cardstock and adhered to my card blank.

I hope you will find some time this week to play along with the Less is More polka dot challenge. We all need cards and this is a perfect recipe challenge for making one! You can find the details here.  

Thank you so much for your visit today and for taking a moment to leave a comment.  If you have not already done so, I would love it if you joined as a follower. Then, to make things easy, you can sign up to "follow by e-mail." That way, you won't miss my next post.

Cheers!

ART FROM THE MAIN HOUSE: Less is More Challenge #268

The (Simply) Less is More challenge this week is "What's Outside Your Window?"  It can be interpreted literally or figuratively.  I took the window literally, but what's outside figuratively.  I have come to realize that friendship really matters and should not be taken lightly.  A friend has been diagnosed with cancer and will, most likely, not be here next Spring.  Our dinners out and weekends away will soon be diminished to just three of us rather than the four of us...and my heart hurts.  My card today is dedicated to that friendship.

I used a Sizzix die to create my window, ripped a scrap of green paper to create a bit of grass to ground my Stampotique image called Little Friends.  The sentiment was created and printed using my computer.  Clean and simple, yes, but not without much thought and love.

There is still time this week to play along with this challenge and to create a card to brighten someone's day.  Details here.

Thank you so much for your visit today and for taking a moment to leave a comment.  I value both!  

Cheers!

ART FROM THE MAIN HOUSE: Sunday Postcard Art Challenge (03-20-16)

Moira is our host this week at the Sunday Postcard Art challenge. She has put a bit of a twist on this challenge and given us lines from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" to include in our postcard: To sleep, perchance to dream--." This was fun for me because I made it personal and finished the quote in my own words!

I hope you can find some time this week to get crafty and make a postcard for Moira's challenge. You can find the details here.  

Thank you for coming by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment. Both are important to me!

Cheers!