Old fashioned wooden spools.... Used to be all over the place. The problem was not finding them, but what to do with them when the thread was used up. All that wood was too good to throw away. My Grandmother and my Mama had bags of them. I don't remember all the things they did with them, but I do remember spool dolls, 'legs' on tin cans made into pencil holders, Pin cushions on the tops of the really big spools.... all kinds of camp tools and things we did in Campfire Girls..
But recently those ubiquitous spools seem to have disappeared. So, when my online Altered Arts group announded an 'altered spool' swap, I thought... I HAVE IT MADE...
But then I went looking for my spools of thread and ALL of them except the antique ones in the sewing chest I inherited from my Mama were that nasty foam stuff. Sorry friends but those mementos are staying in the antique sewing chest with all the memories of my Mama and the dresses she made for me.
Finally, I located some in the wooden things in Hobby Lobby. So here is what I did with mine

 

I just love the little nest and the tiny redbird. It was great fun finding tiny embellishments and bits of things to add to the spool to decorate it. . I hope you like it and that it brings a smile 

Chocolate, glorious CHOCOLATE

This was supposed to post just after the meeting of our Second Saturday Altered Books group. As mentioned previosly, we create postcards for assigned members each month.The Second Saturday Altered Book Group post card for the month of January went  to Mitzi D. She chose CHOCOLATE! Now, how yummy is that? Here is the card I designed for her

I am a hopeless medium addict. Bring out a new one and I am just itching to try it. I missed Dylusions last year (don't know how) but had already heard about it when Mary, from our Altered Books group brought home some samples and her own excitement.
Anyway, I managed to get some of the dyes and other supplies at the Columbia Stamp and Scrap Art tour show last weekend. Now that I've had a chance to play with them, I'm hooked. I have to tell you that I think that Dyan Reavely has  followed in Tim Holtz' considerable foot steps and created a line with limitless possibilities. Between the two of them, I think they have Ranger at the absolute top of the mixed media and altered arts heaps.

Here is a journal page that I'm working on. I need to find the right focal pieces to finish it, but I love what I have so far.

I started with Dylusions Chocolate Brown, Cut Grass and Pure Sunshine. I also added a very tiny wisp of Postbox Red. Then I sprayed with some water and blotted it all with a 'kitchen roll'.
Following that, I used various stencils to 'ghost' some images onto the page. The leaves are from the Stamper's Anonymous "Dyan Reavely" line, "Farther Around the Edge." I bleached the leaves with a water brush and tipped in some Cut Grass green on the leaves.  The little stitched looking border is from the same set. The edges were touched up with Ranger Distress Ink, Gathered Twigs. Now to find the right images to dress it up a little more. But I am happy that I've gotten the ground work in place.
The other thing I did was try the Dylusions on a Manila Tag This is one of those BIIIIIGGGG ones. #12 to be specfic.
What I learned there is that the 'ghosting' technique gives a more subtle result. Next I'm goint to try it on Watercolour paper. As the quote says, "I'm currently unsupervised......"

LHS

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.