SPA - Summer

This time I am not taking any chances!  I was a few hours late on the last Sunday Postcard Art prompt - although they are gracious enough to still take my entry.  (Thank you Donna and Mandy!)
This week the prompt is SUMMER.  We have yet to make it to the hottest part of our summer here in the  desert. We have gotten up to  103-105 degrees a couple of days, but for now we are 85-95 degrees and enjoying it.  The nights being cool and we are able to sleep with the windows open.  It is nice not to be the slave of the air conditioner.
As I said in the last post, I love the "pin up" or Vargas girls.  Thanks to a site called Far Far Hill and to contributor's from Deviant Art, I have a nice little stash of pin up images.
I would like to thank -
Beth Rimmer at Deviant Scrap for her kit Nantucket.  She provided the background and accessory images.
Thank you again to Far Far Hill for her Pin up girls.  I have enjoyed creating with them and I am sure there will be plenty more creations where these came from!
And once again to Paula Kesselring for her photoshop brushes.  I have used her frames again as a subtle accent.
These will be made into REAL postcards and sent to random users around the world via the site Postcrossing. (see right sidebar)  I really do get a kick out of creating and sending these cards around the world.  I have received some fantastic ones back in the mail!  Although I am a bit bummed that the one I sent to India didn't make it to its recipient.
Have a great week!

Art Journal Caravan - A new journey

A new year and a new Caravan from Tangie Baxter at Scrapbook Graphics.    Tangie and her co-conspirators  er, ah....co workers are sponsoring a second year of prompts, digital scrapbooking kits, fun, and opportunities for personal growth.  It is meant to be a personal journey; to touch those parts of you that are easy to pass over.  I debated whether to join again this year.  I got behind a week or 10, and once I was that far behind I gave up.   I also didn't have a clear idea of what I was supposed to accomplish with these prompts and kits.  I have a much better idea now.

This is for week #3 of the Art Journal Caravan.  I used the kit that was created for this prompt and some elements from last years kits.  I decided that I will not only create something even when I don't feel like it but I will also be honest about the emotions that are running through me (and sometimes running my life.)  I really hope that this will help me to break the funk that I find myself in and also fulfills the part of me that needs to create my vision of art.
Stop by Scrapbook Graphics and check out the gallery and see what the participants are doing.  Studio Tangie Blog is also another place to visit if your curious about Tangie Baxter and her kits.

Dia de los Muertos - SPA

Dia de los Muertos, the day of the Dead, is coming.  A day that asks the living to remember the dead (usually family members) with food, flowers, candles, song, and prayer.  Good times are celebrated as something wonderful in the cemetery.  Tombs are decorated with flowers and candles along with the favorite food of the deceased.  Family spends the day and night in the cemetery - its not a place to be afraid of, but to be drawn to.  Sugar skulls abound.  Skeletons are shown in art still participating in every activity of life as a reminder that we all walk with death every minute of our lives.
I really enjoyed working with the bright colors and great images that were provided by Tangie Baxter (Scrapbook Graphics ) and Sherrie JD (Deviant Scrap ).  Both of these kits are Dia de los Muertos by name...easy enough to remember!
This postcard in its full size will be printed out and made into a mailable card and sent out as part of another web site that I am a member of...PostCrossing.  I'll make another post about my experience with PostCrossing, but for right now, suffice it to say that I am enjoying sending my own creations around the world.

Steampunk Chick - SPA

I am having a lot of fun with the 4x6 format when I get the time to sit down and play.  This is for Sunday Postcard Art...the subject matter was Vintage Children.  

The child image was a freebie found on the internet, the Victorian Steampunk images were created by Lauren Bavin, Erica Belton, and Teresa Loman designers for Digital Scrapbook Place.  The kits can be found at the Digital Scrapbook Place store.  If you type in the word "Steampunk" in the store search engine, you can find all of the kits and MORE. (Who doesn't like more?)

Sunday Postcard Art - Butterflies

Woo-Hoo!  I finally sat down and got a web challenge done!  This one is for Sunday Postcard Art - Butterflies.  I also had a personal challenge to use some of the elements that I have been collecting around the web.  I used Photoshop Elements 6 to do a digital creation.  Although I really do have to get back to getting my hands dirty! 

I have used papers from Retro Diva - Birds of a Feather.  The butterflies are from DD Elements. Both were downloaded from the DigiFree.com web site which finds those wonderful places that are offering free digital scrapbooking elements and makes them available to the rest of us. (With the maker's permission of course!)

I have also used elements from Nicole Young (Angel Whispers, Storybook Dreams), Lauren Bavin (Antiquing Pack), and Tina Chambers (Oscar Wilde word art) all from Digital Scrapbooking Place. 

Sunday Postcard Art

Finally!  I finally have a web challenge done!  This is a digital postcard featuring my cat Raider. Thanks for peeking in !

  

Digi-Scrapping

I am sharing with you my first digital scrapbooking layout.  I am taking a class though Digital Scrapbook Place using Photoshop Elements 6.   While there is no muss, no fuss in making the layout, there is quite a learning curve using a new program.

Each week, the homework gets a little more involved, using more of the tools that come with the program.  I am proud that I got this first one done.  

This smiling little boy is my grandson Ian.  He and his sister Jayna are true joys in my life.  (And I miss them terribly).