Colorful Wedding Album

Since I'd already made a 'pretty' album for my cousin's wedding for her wedding gift, I decided for Christmas I'd make her a FUN wedding album, filled with bright colors, a bit messy and silly and sweet pictures. The left side of each of the pages is a patterned paper collage complete with fabric tape, stickers, and rub ons. The right side of the page is a 5X7 picture with rub-ons for embellishment. Supplies: 7 Gypsies album, paper, stickers and rub-ons, and Making Memories Fabric Tape.

for more pictures check out my Flickr set Colorful Wedding Album.

New Items on Etsy

Please visit my Etsy Shop,

I've uploaded a few new things, here's a sneak peak.

Some Supplies...

and some cards...

Happy 2008

Where has the time gone? Seems like just yesterday it was New Year's Day 2007. This year promises to be exciting one (and if not I'm going to make it one)!

I've decided to adopt a 'saying' for 2008:

Keep Calm and Carry On...

I found it while browsing on Flickr and it stuck! I know, the people who know me will laugh at this one, since I'm not a calm person, but that is the point!

Stay tuned to my site, in the next few weeks I'll be posting all those Christmas presents I made and if I do say so myself there are some great ideas included.

Happy, Happy New Year to all of you!

Quote of the Day

Creativity makes a leap, then looks to see where it is.

Mason Cooley

I'd love to share some of the things I've been creating lately, but they are all Christmas presents and I'd hate to ruin the surprise. But, I'll have plenty to show you after Christmas. I'll try to post something I'm not giving away as a gift by the end of the week.

Quote of the Day

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.

e.e. cummings

Artsy Mama Artful Blogging Party

Congratulations again to Artsy Mama and everyone who grace the pages of the first ever Artful Blogging Magazine !!! Make sure you check out more sites on Artsy Mama that will be celebrating the release of Artful Blogging. Now lets party!

I thought I'd share some of the things I've been up to lately. Since it's hotter than heck here in D.C. (heat index of 105--this Minnesota girl is having a hard time with the heat). I've been doing a lot of indoor activities lately.

I'm involved in a chunky book swap for Rubber Chicken Stamp Art with the theme It's summertime and the living is easy. Here is my submission.



The quote says happiness is a long summer afternoon and a good book.

Unfortunately the color is a bit off, the light in my apartment is horrible.








Watercolor Backgrounds How To
I've also been working on my newest love--making backgrounds using watercolors. You get such a variety and you never know what you'll end up with, but it always looks good. In the pictures below I'm using two shades of blue and a dark blue green. I just love the combination.

I start by laying down my most used tool--my $1 vinyl table cloth (which I lay over my table whenever I craft, makes for easy clean up).

Then I cover the water color (a few sheets at a time) with clean water, this gives the color a more dreamy transparent look. It also facilitates bleeding of the color quickly after application which gives great results.

Then I apply the color (darkest color first) directly to the wet paper in swirls and wavy lines (right off the edge of the paper sometimes (which is where the vinyl table cloth comes in handy)), whatever suits my fancy at the time. If the color gets to dark, I just add more water. I keep layering the color until I'm satisfied with the results and let them dry overnight.

Then they are ready to be stacked and flattened by a large book (because they get curly with all the water I add to the paper).

The watercolored papers are great as backgrounds for inchies, ATCs, collage, cards, or anything else you can think of.


Thanks Artsy Mama for having the party!

My Etsy Shop

I've added new items to my etsy shop. Cards, and ephemera (playing cards, flash cards, letters and numbers) Please take a look!

lmelohn.etsy.com

My Go To Supplies

The supplies I go to again and again are:

1. Tombow Glue Stick--It's super thick and will glue down any paper..even if it's super thick, or several layers of paper.

2. Pitt Artist Pens--Love these pens, the neutral colors come in Superfine, Fine, Medium and Brush, and all the colors come in Brush. My favorite are the sepia pens. great for everything.

3.Watercolor cardstock--I use this all the time.

4. Xyron Adhesive Runner--I love the ease of this adhesive.

Inspiration

Just a quick post to let you all know about one of my favorite inspirations site on the internet. And no, it's not a scrapbook site...

It's Anthropologie:

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp

Each of the topics has a great graphic. Love to see how they combined paper, paint, and text in a beautiful combination. Check it out. They change frequently and every time they are great.

International Women's Day--March 8th

This Thursday (March 8th) is International Women's Day. Celebrate IWD by
celebrating your achievements and those of women around you and finding out what
you can do to help women in your area and around the world.