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!

SPA - Vintage Glamour

Yea ME!  The last day to turn in a postcard to Sunday Postcard Art and I got one done AND took the grandson to Big Bear (California) for the day.
The prompt was Vintage Glamour.  The wonderful example has a turn of the century woman on it.  Me?  I really like the Vargas (and faux Vargas) girls.  They have a wonderful, playful, sexuality that has me collecting more and more images.  This too, for me, is Vintage Glamour.
For this card I have used the following items -
Createwings - the background paper from her kit Creation 23
Far Far Hill - the lovely pin up.  She provides some wonderful freebies nearly every day.
Paula Kesselring - You may not be able to tell it, but this is a photoshop brush placed around the boarder of the paper.  I then put it on overlay mode to darken the edges of the paper.
The corner boarders and the writing are also photoshop brushes that I got from free sources.  I apologize if these are yours and I have forgotten who you are.  I am humbly sorry and grateful for your wonderful work.
This postcard will go into my folder and into my rotation of postcards that I send out at Postcrossing.com.  

Remembrance Day- SPA

Today in the UK is Remembrance Day - here in the US we have a parallel holiday, Memorial Day.  In the  wonderful Wikipedia, it says that this day originally was set aside to remember the sacrifices of those who fought in World War I.
My maternal Grandfather fought in WWI, my paternal Uncle in WWI - dying in Okinawa on the first day of battle there. Another Uncle, fought in Korea.  I even have research to so a Great Grandfather in the Civil War.  And who knows, with further research I may have relatives in the Revolutionary War.

So, for Sunday Postcard  Art I present my family, proudly serving to protect freedom here and abroad.

Hats and Crowns - SPA

Sunday Postcard Art strikes again!  This weeks prompt was Hats and Crowns.   While there are many in the altered art community that would say that crowns and wings are WAY overdone, I couldn't help myself.    For this postcard I used the elements from the following digital kits...

Twinkle Toes - Tumble Fish Studios

Spunky Explosion - Tangie Baxter @ Scrapbook Graphics

Create Wings by Catherine

Zetti Revisited by Fine Crafted Designs @ Deviant Scrap

I added a sparkle brush for a highlight or two and Viola!  This will actually be turned into a postcard and mailed out via Postcrossings.  I have sent out several of my digital cards that I have created thanks  to Sunday Postcard Art.  

Thanks Ladies!!

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.

Time for Tea - SPA

Sunday Postcard Art strikes again!

This time its Time for Tea.  With the Alice-mania out there, I thought I would put in my digital 2 cents in.  Everything except the pin-up girl is from Nicole Young from her kit "Lost in Wonderland"  I did re-color the bottom layer to black (aren't I talented? LOL).  The pin-up girl is from Revallsay over at  Deviant Art.

Steampunk Princess - SPA

FINALLY!  Finally, I've gotten the oomph to create something...ANYTHING!  Oi, I was getting depressed with all of the thinking, wanting, wishing, and dreaming of starting again, but never having the energy or drive to start.  I don't care what it is, laundry, gardening, painting a room or a masterpiece, we all go through it, of that I am certain.
Well, this one if for Sunday Postcard Art - the theme is Steampunk.  That wonderful Jules Verne/Sherlock Holmes (the new one)/Victorian science meets invention and whimsy.  Gears, gizmos, whatnots, and whingdings all in one neat package.  I love it.
The elements I have used come from College Obsession and Digital Scrapbook Place.  The picture is of Sarah Barnhart.   College Obsession used it as one of their challenge pieces under the title of "Worn".  The rest of the elements are from Lauren Bavin and Erica Belton "Steampunk Fun", "Steampunk Grunge", and "Seriously Steampunk" kits.
Thanks for peaking in!

SPA - Cats!

I will be one of those women who have lots of cats when I get old.  I feed strays....at my age I should really know better.  So I present CATS for Sunday Postcard Art.

If you can't see the small print, it says "Cats are evil, mean, sneaky, and nasty, with many other fine qualities."
For this lovely creation I used elements from Tangie Baxter (I used stuff from Junque Journal), Cottage Arts (I used their Soldered Sentiments which includes the ribbon attachments in the kit), and Irene Alexeeva (I used FaLaLa and Whispers).
I am thinking about putting together these SPA's that I am creating and putting them into notecard form for gifts and personal use. (I don't have commercial license to use them for profit)  I think they would make great notecards.  Wouldn't you like to receive Mimi (the "eyeglasses girl" in your mailbox when your feeling a bit down in the dumps?  What about the "whats on your mind?" when you've had an especially bad week at work?  I think we truly disregard our art work a little too much.  So I don't have the commercial success of Irene or Tangie, I am still a success in my own little circle of friends.

No brains, no headaches

That is what a wonderful woman used to tell me when I did some boneheaded thing.  That I have migraines must prove that I'm really smart! (insert silly giggle here)
This is my creation for Sunday Postcard Art, the prompt is "Phrenology" If your not aware of that 19th century belief, it was a way to diagnose a person from the bumps on his/ her skull.  An area of overuse or disease would manifest in swelling that would push the skull out in areas.  Those bumps were then mapped according to diagrams and the diagnosis made.

I have used elements from Marcee Duggar (Maskee Large from DSP), Irene Alexeeva (Papers and banners, Altered Ego from Scrap Orchard), Suzanne C. Walker provided the frame ( Draw them In set. Her store at DSP ROCKS) the staples are from Tangie Baxter (Steamer Truck for the AJC journey.  Scrapbook Graphics) and then Phrenology brush (downloaded from The Coolest Brushes)
I should also insert here that I have been having problems using my brushes.  I have this wonderful stash of stuff and it just wouldn't work and I was so frustrated.  WendyZine (Scrapbookgraphics) turned me onto Elements Village, an internet spot for users like me.  Well, it seems that it was a button pushing problem.  I am so excited that I'll be able to use more of my brushes to create my fun stuff!
Now if anyone can direct me to a tutorial for keeping a kitten off of your keyboard (the button problem), please let me know.

My Immortal - Sunday Postcard Art

The prompt for SPA is "TIME".  Since Valentine's Day is around the corner I chose to use the words "Forever" and Eternity" along with the symbols of love, red roses, in with the collage artist favorite, a watch and/or clock face.
Since my favorite medium right now is digital I used the kit "Her Lullaby" from Irene Alexeeva (check her out at Scrap Orchard) and the border overlay is from Elizabeth Weaver from her Backstage Guitar add-on pack available at Digital Scrapbook place.  Ladies, thank you so much!

And thank YOU for peaking in.

Finally! A new Postcard!!

For Sunday Postcard Art I proudly present Mimi!  Who is wondering "if the eyes are the window to the soul, does that make the eyebrows the valances?" This was a fun one and I thank SPA for the prompt to create this.
Now for the credits...ahem....
The girl and eyes...they are from Ruby at Scrapbook Graphics (link to the right) Your gonna want the kit "Native too"
The background..well thats the work of Lauren Bavin from her kit "Seriously Steampunk"  You have to go to Digital Scrapbook Place for that one.
The curtains belong to Nicole Young and her kit "Forever in NeverNever" and that one is at Digital Scrapbook Place too! (Yep, the link is to the right, too...a also...aaaa....you get the picture)
The font is called Fabulous 50's and it was a freebie that I downloaded from the internet.

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?)

Lest We Forget - SPA

Happy 4th of July for those of you in the USA!

And  Happy 4th of July to every one else...you just may not have the fireworks...LOL!

This is my creation for Sunday Postcard Art.  The pictures on this postcard are photos of my maternal Grandfather who fought in World War I, and my paternal Uncles who fought in World War II (one died during that war) and also fought in the Korean conflict.  I am VERY proud of them.  They answered a call that today, most people do not understand.  Military service is now a pathway to a government paid education.  Little thought is given to the sacrifice necessary to live a military lifestyle and the call to serve the country.  

For those who choose that life and path of service, you have my undying gratitude.  

Thank you.

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 !

  

Sunday Postcard Art - Children

I realized after I put this together that it reminded me of the children's story "A Secret Garden"  one of my favorite books both as a child and adult.  The images are from Art Chix.  The "lock" I had to color with the help of alcohol inks.  The flowers, leaves, and butterfly were cut out from the background paper, edges inked to help them to stand out from the background and then glued to the postcard.  After I was done and looking though my view finder, I wasn't really happy that the images weren't really "popping".  So  I took one of my brush markers and went around the images to drop "shadows" around them. 

Thank you for stopping by!