I was inspired to use bright colors for the "Games We Play" ATC swap going on at Collage Stuff. Purple, pinks, yellows and glitter! The games I played growing up were, dress up, cooking and Love! Of course I also played Barbie, so I used the bright pink glitter to include her influence as well! Some of my background cards are Fantasy Monoprinted that I shared before, you can find my earlier post HERE. How fun.

I adore Toybox’s Monoprinting technique book. It has become my go to book for creating fantasy colored glossy cardstock. I’ve altered their instructions by using thin recycled plastic instead of acetate book report covers. I like to use shrink wrap and scrapbooking packaging, (as long as it can be slightly crinkled in your hand then it is good! ).

First, you need 2-3 different colors of DYE INK, a sheet of glossy cardstock, (I have also tried glossy photo paper but it doesn’t look as nice to me), and any old recycled thin plastic! Lightly ink on your plastic with the lightest color ink first. Fold the plastic in half and have fun crinkling it and using your fingers to tap a little pattern on to it. Open up the plastic and dip your glossy paper glossy side down. You can do this step over and over again by refolding and crinkling the plastic the way you like. Next, I use the darker colored inks and tap around random spots onto the plastic and dip my glossy paper onto it.

Adirondack sprays make a great finishing touch. Also, StazOn Black ink did work for this technique but dries quickly. The last thing I did for my purple colored cards was to rub purple ink onto the card over a dried background. It gives a dimension to the artwork, each one is so unique! I have also tried monoprinting on MATTE Glossy cardstock and I liked lighter colors best, and rubbing the inks into the cardstock as well made a watercolor look instead of a marbled effect. Have fun trying this technique out!

Along with the stresses of married life and being a mom to 3 kiddos this week has been filled with artwork. First, I just mailed in my ATCs for Collage Stuff’s Tim Holtz June Swap. I was inspired by artwork that Tim did of his sister, using retro papers and colors and also using Tim’s Adirondack spray ink in Butterscotch to age the artist trading cards. I’m also so excited to be taking Claudine Hellmuth’s online 12 week class from Big Picture Scrapbooking. Today was the first day and already I’m just loving all of her designs and techniques! This afternoon was also a big day at By Design Scrapbooking Store in South Houston, it is their Big 3 year anniversary. We got to stop in and enjoy 30% discount along with the gorgeous Make n’ Take tag for $1 featuring grunge and distressing Ranger style! check out their store every Thursday for something neat.

My ATCs for Collage Stuff

Goodies on sale and special kits from By Design

Just wanted to share a paperdoll I’m working on, The Queen of Hearts. I’m putting together kits of vintage papers and paperdoll parts to make unique paperdoll kits. So far I have the queen and Alice and hope to share more pictures soon! I’m entering the Queen into Helga’s facebook In Bloom challenge check it out on her Art Chix page.

Here is another piece of artwork I finished this month, Buffalo Gal. I inked this card first with walnut ink then filled in with acrylic and glitter. Next, I stamped the girl and the trees with pigment ink and punched the stars and moon out of Creative Memories paper. This inking, painting and glittering technique works best on a textured thick card stock.

I recently finished this commissioned collage painting for my friend. She liked my collage mermaid painting and wanted one for her daughter. Under A Pink Moon, this little pink mermaid also has a beaded handle for hanging that matches a beaded butterfly I made for my friend. This is a paper and acrylic painting on wood. Hope you enjoy