Featured Favorite Artist - Terri Gordon

Terri Gordon is my first featured artist. I am so excited to share her work with you. She is amazingly talented. She just started her blog, Designs by Terri Gordon.



Terri is a fellow Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group artist and is also part of Cassi's Creations Design Team on Etsy. She uses ribbon in ways you would not believe. Her creations are divine!



I asked Terri to tell me a little about her self. This was her reply, "I have been doing crafts all my life, I did a little of everything, but I get bored easily. It was a few years ago, I saw all the beautiful scrapbook papers and thought I have to do something with that. Then I found this wonderful medium of Altered Art. When my youngest son went off to college, I decided to sell my artwork, at first I was very nervous, I wondered who would pay me for my art and was it good enough. Then I just jumped into it and I am having so much fun. Call me crazy, but I love to cut things out of paper, the more intricate the better.

I have been married to a wonderful man and artist (Medical Illustrator) for 32 years now and have two wonderful son's. One is 26, who lives in Seattle and was just married and the other son is 20 and a junior at University of Michigan. I work part time for my husband's business, doing the accounting. Since I have joined Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group, I have had so much fun. the artists are so wonderful, and the best part is I finally get to use all the beautiful notions and ribbons that I have been collecting for years."





You can see why Terri is one of my favorite Artists! You can purchase some of her work at her Etsy Shop

If you haven't already done so, visit her blog, Designs by Terri Gordon







Talk to you all later and enjoy Terri's art! Becs

Tiny Artist Kit

We are doing a Marie Inspired Tiny Artist Kit on the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group. I altered an Altoid Tin using digital art from Cassi's Creations Store on Etsy, ribbon, rhinestones, metal jewelry pieces, flowers and glitter. The kit contains pearls, crystals, lampwork glass, and various pieces of metal charms in gold, purples and lavanders, including a bracelet chain with a toggle clasp. Thanks and talk to you all very soon. Becs

Art Work for Cassi's Creations Design Team

These are my first two ATC's I made as part of Cassi's Creations Design Team. I used her images from Digital Collage Sheet Rusty Dreams Fairy, Car, Rust, Birds Mixed Media Altered Art ACEO collage sheet and images from Digital Collage Sheet Yellow and Blue Mixed Media Altered Art ACEO. You can purchase these images and more great sheets on Etsy at Cassi's Creations

To make these cards, I used images from the collage sheets and then collaged several layers of the images for a three dimensional look. I also embellished with glitter, buttons, millinery flowers, rhinestones and ribbon. Each card is adhered to a sturdy chipboard card. The edges have been distressed using Walnut ink stain.

Cassandra offers very beautiful and unique digital images for reasonable prices. Check out her Etsy store for a huge selection. Please come back again for more art work by Cassi's Design Team. You can view artwork of other design team members by going to Cassandra's blog My Artful Adventures, and click on the names of her design team members. They all do beautiful work!

Talk to you soon! Becs

Cassi's Creations Design Team

I am so excited! I am on Cassandra's Design Team for Cassi's Creations on Etsy. We will be making art using her digital images. Isn't that cool??? This way you can see all the different ways you can use her images. She makes some of the coolest pages for downloads and a reasonable prices! I will be adding pieces I have made using her designs, at least once a month. So stay tuned. You can click on the button on the right to go check out her Etsy shop.



I made this Marie Inspired Charm Bracelet for my Etsy shop. You can find it in my Etsy shop. I made the photo charms and put together all the other charms with glass pearls and Swarovski Crystals. I also featured hand made artisan Lampwork beads by my dear friend Dhea Powers of Fire and Glass Designs.



And while I am talking about my Etsy shop, what do you think of the banner I made myself? I think it turned out cute!

Chat with you soon! Becs

GREAT NEWS!

I just found out that the long awaited Marie Zine being published free and online by Cassandra Van Curen, will be out soon! It is gonna be filled with oodles and oodles of Marie Inspired Artwork. Stay tuned! Becs

Another Marie Swap packed up and ready to go!

We had a French Stamp ATC Swap in the Marie Antoinette Group. I gotta say, this was a hard one for me. I am not really sure why, but everything I tried I didn't like. I finally settled on these three shoes and these three below...



On the French Marie shoes, I stamped them then cut them out and colored them with pens then added them to cards that were digital imaged and I also stamped on them, then I decorated with embellishments. I really wanted to do a purple shoe, but the colors did not work out well.

On the Maries, two I stamped directly onto the cards and the last one I did like the shoes. They were also colored and embellished. They will be travelling to their new homes tomorrow.



I have also been working on my digital collages. I am making a Dream book with these images and swapping digital images with others in the group Digital Whispers. It is really forcing me to think outside the box, but I am learning alot too. Here are a few other images I have been working on.







And I am also working on a Romantic Digital Images swap in a group called Etsy Cottage Style. This is also a fun one...here is my first collage for this group.



One more thing, I will be featuring some of my favorite artists on my blog. So please come back and see who will be featured first! Becs

Is Big Hair Back? It's All About The HAIR!

We are doing a swap in our Marie Antoinette group. I had so much fun with the hair on these girls! I made six for swap and one extra for our lovely Queen of MAMA, Cassandra!

Have you ever worked with the real fine curly doll hair....? OMG, it is slippery! I had it EVERYWHERE! It was funny.

What else is so funny is, I used to have hair like that! LOL, the 80's!

Here are my swap cards, I apologize for the crooked photos...

Ribbon and Fabric and Shells.... Oh My!

The first pictures are of all the pretty ribbon I got from one of my favorite stores in Cambria, California. Cambria is a little beach town that I have been to several times for women's retreat for church. There are awesome memories for me there. Well during one of my retreats I stumbled across this little store owned by a retired couple. It has vintage everything! Postcards, ephemera, glass, gadgets, and French and specialty ribbon! The first picture shows some of the scrap ribbon packs she sells for a dollar! Oh My Gosh! and some other ribbons I picked out. I try to get things I don't see around here when I go.



This next picture shows more of my ribbon. Pink and brown, turquoise and brown, pink with "Mon Amie" on it, lavender striped, fleur di lis in pink and black and an old vintage lace card with two kinds of vintage ribbon on it!



The next two pictures are of fabric scraps we got in Arroyo Grande. These were $5.00per bag. We got two bags. The fabric is high quality apolstery and brocade fabrics...





THese next pictures are of some more awesome fabrics we got in Morro Bay. A place called "The Cotton Ball". I have been going there for years! I always shop the remnants baskets. They have a huge selection! We just love it.





These are all the shells we got at Morro Bay. They are so cool. I am gonna embellish some of them and the rest are going in my new bathroom.



And last, but not least...while we were in San Luis Obispo shopping (of course) I went to another favorite store called Paper Sky. I got these cute little envies and ribbon. The bird nest came from Cambria.



Well, I can't wait to use some of my new goodies. I am gonna make some ribbon flowers and fabric flowers too. So stay cool, God Bless, and create something fun! Becs

Home from the Beach and back into the HEAT!

This is the lovely view from our room all week in Avila Beach. It was so cool, the breeze everyday and then listening to the ocean every night! It was so relaxing! It never got above 70 degrees the whole time we were there. I ate fresh fish and clam chowder, went to all of my favorite places and slept. Family and friends joined us during the week, it was great!

I missed my bubba terribly though and I understand he was mad and didn't eat much. Since I have been home, I have not left his sight! What a great feeling to be loved so unconditionally....

I have some pictures to take of some of my goodies I bought....ribbon, shells, fabric... and I will p ost them later.

I had some time to work in Photo Shop and made a few collages





God Bless and have fun creating! Becs

I'm Goin' to The Beach! Avila Beach, California

We are going to the beach for a whole week! It is gonna be so relaxing. The only thing is, it is supposed to be hot over there and we are trying to get away from the heat over here! I am gonna miss my Kody...he can't go beacause the place we are staying does not allow pets. But our neighbor is gonna puppy sit for us. Anyway...I hope to share pictures with you all when I return. Becs

Cassandra's Planning a "Haunted Masquerade Blog Event"

Cassandra over at "My Artful Adventures" is planning a haunted masquerade event. I know it is only July, but she is so excited about this that I thought I would help her get the news out there! Go check out her blog, she talks all about it. And check out her new collages too, They are SOOOOO COOOOL! I am sure she plans to have a scary good time! I know I am looking forward to it myself! Have fun creating and keep cool! Becs

New ATC's

ANOTHER MARIE ANTOINETTE Swap. This time we made lil marie cuties. I have been making ATC's and working in Photoshop. My Marie Cuties for the swap are up above anf these two are just some little girl collage ATC's I made...

Happy 4th of July! God Bless Our Country and Our Troops!

Fourth of July is a day to celebrate our Country's History and honor those that have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe. It is also a day to remember and to lift up in prayer those that are still fighting for America and our freedom. So sometime today, please take some time to Thank the Lord for these wonderful men and women that have gone before us and will go, those that are in Irag, Afganistan and any other country we have our soldiers stationed. Lord keep them safe and bring them home to their loved ones!

Be safe!

Becs

Carole's Summer Fun Swap

Well I have to say, it is certainly Summer here in Sunny Central California! It has been 100 degrees plus for the last week and I am sweltering! I HATE THE HEAT! I am sure looking forward to vacation at the beach where it is in the 70's and 80's....just two more weeks....

One of the groups I belong to, "ETSY COTTAGE STYLE" hosted a Summer Fun Swap and my partner is Carole, A Bohemian Market I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Carole and get to know a little bit about her. She loves McKenzie Childs pottery and the colors of green and orange. Our swap required a handmade item, an item with flowers and an item with a nest. I made Carole a couple of pieces of jewelry then I made this box and the card for her as well. The card has a picture she had posted on her blog that she really liked so I used it to make a card for her. I had a great time making the box and the jewelry pieces. I hope she likes it.

Wonderland...and Alice

I have been playing in Photo Shop and made this collage....it is different....WHile I was looking at Alice in Wonderland images, I came across the sneak peaks of the new Johnny Depp and Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland film that is set to be released in February 2010. I can't wait! I love Johnny Depp!

Check out the Mad Hatter!



And here is Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Anne Hathaway



The make-up and costumes are outrageaous!

Digital Collage Class by Gail Schmidt

Do you know how frustrating it is to have a graphics program and not have A CLUE how to use it? I had PSP and never really understood how to use it correctly. Then my PC crashed and everyone online I talked to was using Photo Shop. So, on my birthday in April, my sister and Brother-in-law got me Photo Shop Elements 7. YIPPEE!!! I installed it immediately to find that my Vista did not like it. Of course it didn't! Nothing is ever easy with me and PC's....

So I came across Gail Schmidt and her Creative Workshops Ning group. I have never seen such amazing talent in my life.... So I signed up for the Digital Collage class....that was a month ago...LOL After reading everyone's posts, I found that my Vista was not going to allow me to use her videos....

I was elated when Gail sent an email stating she was having issues with the downloads and decided to put her videos on the ning group. YAY and Praise God!!!

So today, I did the first tutorial which is getting to know the tools and layers....My first attempt was the Ghostly Horse....here is my first try....



Well I was hooked, so I spent the rest of the evening on the second lesson called "Cherish" my collage is up above. I really liked the way she turned out although it looks nothing like Gails...LOL

Anyway, I hope to continue making some collages for my altered art and would appreciate any feedback from you all.

If you are interested in tutorials, Gail's group offers many different kinds, and not just digital images....click on the box below or on the right to find out more about her classes.



If you have any tips or stories to share or artwork you want to show off, just post a reply. God Bless You my Friends....Becs