ABC 8th Anniversary ---done!

 

I had been putting off binding this book because I'm still waiting for a page. 

I decided that sometime in the future when the page actually appears on my doorstep, I can open the wires and put it in. 

 Until that time, I'm considering this baby DONE!

Trying out my home made lightbox again 

for these photos.  I haven't gotten the side lighting this down yet. 

So practice, practice right!?!?

8th anniversary swap

Since we had a totally open theme this time around for the annual abc_alterbookclub anniversary swap...I decided to use this photo of myself and my grandpa that always makes me giggle. Neither one of us looks to happy about the whole deal.

Here's the original photo...

We both look so crabby.  I did have a cute little dress though. *grin*

Patty's Tip-ins

Quite a while ago Elizabeth facilitated a swap between Patty and I. I was in need of a few more pages for my Quotes AB and Patty was thinking about possibly doing a chunky book.

Just look at the wonderful tip-ins that Patty created!
**I have been so neglectful in actually posting these.**
                          Sorry Patty!!!

This is a gorgeous piece. I've never been good with "white" but here it is done so well.
Such wonderful quotes were chosen.
"The universe sings to those who listen"
Love that...

And just take a gander at this one!!  The colors are amazing together. The texture in the photo pales in comparison to the real deal.

The quote:
"Happiness belongs to those who are easily contented."
            ~Aristotle

Patty has included one of her little nests that I admire so much.

Patty gave me free reign to do whatever came to me at the moment for the chunky pages.
Sweet!
I'm pretty random most of the time so that suits me just fine.
Since I forgot to actually take photos before sending them off to her...she was kind enough to photograph them for me.

And if that wasn't enough...she sent a wonderful package of "goodies" to play with. Although it wasn't planned...when I looked through the lens of my camera...look what I saw.

A Heart! 

It was a gift from the heart from Patty!
Thank you my dear.

Second set of Map 4x4's

The red one does have a map background...it's just really hard to see in the photo.

Playtime

I spent a very pleasant afternoon in the craft room with my daughter. Daddy had come home sick so we figured we'd spend some time on a quiet activity while he rested.

I don't really understand art dolls or why people make them but am always willing to experiment. Moonflower child was actually kind of fun to create.

---

I also made these 2 Map 4x4's...I still have 2 more to make.

What I really should have been doing today was working on my 12 days of Christmas swap that is due in a couple weeks. I just can't seem to get into making these gifts this year!

Chunkies and Quilting

I got a couple of chunky books put together finally. I was thinking that all of the pages would fit in one book but my O-wires weren't big enough, hence the two books.



My other current project is my recycled flannel and denim ragtime quilt. Much to my surprise, it's going together quickly. I have all the pieces cut and am assembly line sewing them. With any luck I'll have the whole works finished by the end of the week.

Misc swap book

Over the past few years I've been in a number of chunky book swaps that didn't have enough players to make a truly "chunky" book. My friend Elizabeth came up with a great solution. Put them all together in one book with dividers separating each theme.

Here are the front and back covers for the book I'm putting together. Now I just need to gather my old swaps and figure out how many dividers I'll need to make.

More colors coming

So I got back all my pages from the Rainbow of Colors swap I was in and I don't have O-wires big enough for this chunky book. I decided it might be fun to make some more of each color then bind them into separate color books. Then I can display them in a circle possibly?!?

Here are a few red ones I put together today.

Special thanks to Elizabeth for the fountain pen nib.

Swap 4x4's and a sneak peek

These are my map and napkin theme 4x4's for a swap on ABC.
















Here's a little sneak peek at another item I'm working on.
More to come at a later time.

Chocolate Chunky pages

I made these for a personal swap with Theresa.

Black and White

It suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't posted my last 4x4's.

They are currently flitting there way off to Tennessee along with the rest of the colors.

Green completed

Well, I got something completed today! I wasn't sure that was going to happen. My folks came by to take me out for my birthday ...yes...
!Mi cumpleaños es el cinco de mayo! ... now where's my margarita!

All- in- all, it was a very low key birthday..which is FINE BY ME. Tomorrow I'll get a little ME TIME...so, it's all good.

Think pink!

So I've been working on the back sides of my red, yellow and pink squares today. I was wanting to put some ribbon on and after looping it over it hit me!

Little pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness.

My mom is a 40 year survivor...she had a radical mastectomy in 1968. I'm thankful that she did her own self exam and discovered the lump. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have lived long enough to meet and marry my dad much less give birth to me.

Remember to do your self exams and follow your doctors orders for get mammograms on schedule. I've been getting mammograms every other year since I was 26. It's quick, easy and totally worth the brief discomfort.

I will now step down off my soap box.

Red 4x4's finished

Boy these red ones took longer than I had expected. Not sure why red was difficult but it certainly was! I just have green, black and white. Theresa said we can combine the black and white. I'm going to give doing them separately a try first.

Pink and Yellow

I've been jammin' on these squares. I'm pretty determined to get them all completed before the first mailing date. This will serve several purposes including saving postage, freeing me up for other projects and most of all, not forgetting until the last minute. I'm usually not that forgetful but my mind has been REALLY scattered lately. Forgot my purse one day and my workout shoes the next. Must be that birthday sneaking up on me.

Brown and Orange

I've completed the next 2 colors in my long term swap. I love that I get to use up scraps and the little bits and bobbles I've collected over time. It's really stretching me creatively too...coming up with so many unique designs.

I haven't decided which one of each color I'll be keeping yet.

Any opinions?

Long term swap

I had decided I wasn't going to sign up for anymore swaps that I had to make multiples of the exact same page again..at least for quite some time. My friend Theresa came up a long term swap that will eventually end up with a rainbow of colors. I was still reluctant to join until she said it was okay for each of the pages to be different.

I will keep 1 square from each set and the others will be part of the 5 for5 swap. In the end I'll have 6 pages of each color. It will be a very chunky book.
From the purple set I'll be keeping the page with the flowers and my name pin on it.
I'm torn with the blue pages...I'd like to keep 3 of them. I've got time before sending them to mull it over.

Which blue page is your favorite?

Greyhound rescue pages

I was asked by an art friend if I'd make a page or 2 for a book she was putting together to be auctioned off at a Greyhound Rescue fundrasing event. I was more than happy to help out.

The "models'" for the pages are Casey, Ranger and Simon.

Reserved 4x4

I keep using this same image over and over.
That would be the frugal girl in me. Yes, I said FRUGAL not cheap.

This one was made to fill a personal swap of 5 for 5 chunky pages.

I just realized that this is my 3rd post today! Good art day! Must be the stress...does it everytime.

Not much....just Pirates

I don't think there will be much on the crafty list for the next couple days. I made a B-day card for my brother-in-law but that's about it. My hubby is on vacation this week so I have a feeling I won't be spending much time crafting anything.

Tomorrow we'll be having a PIRATE DAY. We bought the 3rd installment of the Pirates of the Carribean series and plan to watch it sipping on our rum drinks.

I'll leave you with this page I made for a junk mail swap a while back.