The theme for my artist trading card swap group this month is "Things That Go Bump in the Night." I had lots of fun making my cards with scrapbook paper and stickers, but wanted to spooky them up for this post, so I used the cool Halloween effects on Picnik.
I went a bit overboard with the effects. It takes me back to years ago when I first discovered how to change the color of fonts and use clip art in Microsoft Word, before I learned that more isn't always better.
I've never been much of a Halloween person, but this year I'm enjoying it more than usual. While out for my walk this evening I found myself wishing I could go trick or treating.
The neighbors probably wouldn't appreciate a 44-year old Hannah Montana knocking on their door.
Happy Halloween!
The theme for our August artist trading cards was bags and shoes (and optionally hats). I struggled and struggled and struggled with it and couldn't figure out what to do. I've found that when I become both blocked and obsessed about some creative pursuit, the best thing to do is make it as simple as possible. Hence my ATC with little drawings.
I'm selling some of my furniture in preparation for the move next month and finding it surprisingly difficult to let go of my stuff. It used to be that I had no problem selling, tossing and giving things away, but I guess with age comes attachment. I sold my futon this morning and currently have an ad on Craig's List for this dining room table, which belonged to my grandmother. As I was writing the ad, a wave of grief washed over me because this is one of the last things that I have of hers. I've been using it as a desk the last year or so because I have a smaller table that fits better in the dining room, but there isn't room for both of them in my new place.
I've tried to donate this potato chip can twice, but can't let it go. I got it from my sister a couple years ago, and she said it used to belong to our mother. When I saw it I was flooded with warm childhood memories, but to be honest I'm not sure if I actually remember this can or not. It is the contents that really got to me.
From Cory at 
From Jill. I love the way she combined the butterfly stickers with the painted tree. The photo doesn't do it justice.
This one is from Cheryl for our Under the Sea theme. I love it!
The theme for our July ATCs is butterflies. I kept mine simple with stickers and scrapbook paper.
In another post I will show you the ATCs I received from the group-- they are gorgeous and so original.
The butterfly theme is timely because I constantly see a large yellow butterfly floating by outside my living room window. I wonder if it is the same one or if there are many of them? I never see more than one at a time.
Apollo looked so handsome this morning resting on the sunny window sill that I had to get a picture. I tried to take a black and white shot so I could join Linda's 
These are little books I made with handmade paper and antique maps, savings passbook pages, playing cards, and more. They are 3.5 x 2.5", the same size as an artist trading card (ATC).
I was going to gesso and collage the pages, and then add my own words, but I love the look and feel of the papers as they are so I decided to leave them
This is my June ATC for my swap group-- the theme is "ocean." I wanted to do something different this month, so I used watercolor paints for the background and stamped the reeds. It is titled "Under the Sea."
This pima/silk Frog Tree yarn is the latest addition to my out-of-control stash. I couldn't resist buying it when I was in 
Thank you to Debbie at 
The background for the above card is embroidered paper.
The theme for one of my April artist trading card swaps was paperless. It was quite a challenge! We weren't allowed to use any paper whatsoever, and I had a hard time figuring out what to do.
Isn't it fun when you find yarn in your stash you forgot about? I won this Fiberphile sock yarn last year in a giveaway and just came across it recently-- I'd totally forgot about it, probably because I didn't know how to knit socks when I won it. Now I can't wait to play with it.
The theme for my artist trading card swap group in February was "Vintage Valentine." (If you aren't familiar with artist trading cards, they are original artwork on a 3.5" by 2.5" card.) I couldn't figure out what to do and was a bit overwhelmed with my lace shawl and the sock knitting class, so I bought a bunch of stickers and pre-cut tags at Michaels and went to town with glitter and glue. They are simple but I enjoyed making them.
I made a few more, but forgot to take pictures before I sent them.
Enter this expandable file thingy I bought at Wal-Mart for storing important papers. It's been sitting empty underneath my desk for several months. (Sorry for the ugly picture but I didn't feel like getting out of bed.)
I numbered each pocket with a needle size and put the corresponding needles inside. It worked out really well-- it's large enough to hold circular needles and the extra-long straight ones, too. We'll see if they stay in there. 
