One of the fun things we do in our Altered Book Club that meets on the second Saturday of each month, is exhange personally designed artwork. Each month one member is showered with handmade pieces on the theme of her choice. Currently we are exchanging postcards. This month Mary W was the recipient. She wanted cards on the theme "Vintage Christmas"
This is the one I made for her. I used a variety of papers, including Graphic 45 Nutcracker.

I made a little 'book' with part of the nutcracker story and inserted it into the pocket. Also in the pocket is a Christmas Carol sheet with a graphic on the back.
I hope she likes it. I did have fun making it

ATC's for a November Swap

   Nancy's ATC                                            Dee's ATC

I love ATC's. They are among my favorite art pieces to swap with friends and fellow artists. Each month an online group in which I am a member swaps either post cards or ATC's. This month was for ATC's and the theme was "The Eyes Have It" These are the ones I created. I used elements from the Graphic 45 paper line "The Olde Curiousity Shoppe". The take-off on an old-fashioned Eye Chart was one of my favorite elements from that collection and was the foundation piece for these compositions. And what a thought!!.... Create Unique Vintage Curiousites 4 unique paper crafting
They have been mailed off to their intended recipients and now I'm waiting to see what will arrive in my mail.

October birthdays call for a special kind of card. Here is one I made using the October Tag

I hope the birthday girl likes it. Probably will because she likes Tim inspired art as much as I do.
I used Core'dinations card stock with black over orange, sanded the edgesand a little bit into the main part of the piece, then layered it onto tan card stock. I used a bit of Spiced Marmalade Distress ink edging on the edges of the card. I think it came out rather well.
Let me know what you think.

I do dearly love Tim Holtz art and style. I rarely copy the exact design, but this month's tag was SO close to what I was working on that I went back and added the extra touches that made the design just POP! I particularly appreciate the use of plain glitter coloured with alcohol ink. Get custom colour and the great sparkle. WOW
Anyway,  here is what I came up with using what I already had on hand. How's that for lucky! Now to decide which of the October Birthday girls gets the tag.

You remember that crazy bunch of ladies who are having an affair with art? Well, we recently had an exchange of postcards on the theme, Vintage Bathing Beauties. The first two images are the ones I created. The third is one I received in return. I thought this was a huge hit! I was particularly happy with "Venus on the half shell". She arrived on the beach only to be the victim of the attack of the Ninja Sea Turtles.

These are the two ATC images that should have posted in the previous entry. See? I haven't been idle. Just tardy, which is an embarrassment

One of the deadlines I missed was an ATC mingle. I have the artworkdone and ready to mail. It's going into the envelopes as soon as I finish this post.The theme was ATC's on the theme of "Africa". When I think of Africa I tend to think first of the wonderful and very different animals who inhabit that continent. Without the animals, the people wouldn't be who and what they are, the cultures would never have evolved as they did. The animals and their habitats underlie everything that is. Here are the two cards I created