Swap Bot Mail Day

Picked up the mail today and couldn't help but smile! I received 6 swap-bot packages today. Lots of ATCs, my name in inchies (which by the way is a new addiction... I love making inchines), lots of Label Bags (now I can finish up my FBs with some names), and 101 journal prompts on pretty papers... I also got a set of inchie stamps I ordered from Amazon... Happy Mail Day at Unvlmom's Spot.

Journal Prompts swap

I sent a package to a swap bot partner full of  journal prompts I had saved in a Open Office document.  I printed the prompts on colored scrapbook paper and cut them into strips. I used a different font on each page for variety.
There are so many wonderful websites full on journal prompts as well as books. As a writer in training (constant training) I love the prompts, I actually refer to several writing prompt blogs when I need a quick bit of inspiration.

I think I am going to decorate/ repurpose an oatmeal box as a journal jar... I can print up a set of my own prompts and place them in the "jar" for offline inspiration.. I think we sometimes depend on the internet and our technology too much...  (that is another blog all together).

Speaking of blogs I need to finish viisiting the rest of my wonderful partners from the swap-bot blog followers swap I am in ... I will add them to the list later this weekend for everyone to share.

Blog Followers #2

I am participating in another blog follower swap on Swap-bot. This time around I will be visiting 20 blogs. I will list them below so unvlmom spot followers can also check them out.

Memtree  introduced me to the fun world of masking tape. (who knew???)
Justingrid  Shows off her wonderful fashion designs
Amy528 A collection of Book reviews with lots of kids books

provadia A fun site with a focus on Blythe dolls (they do look like fun)

phoerauf  a mom's look at the world... She is participating in a photo project that looks like a ton of fun.

madaboutpink a fun blog full of ideas and tutorials (I already follower her blog but it is still a fun stop)

leecytx a fun inspiring site with crafty ideas. (thanks for the podcast reminder!)

Loolie: a  glimpse into her life. She shared a wonderful banana cookie recipe I will have to try

Ichigorshartcake  All things pink and pretty. 

Scamp A drawing a day.. a wonderful blog of  drawings.

Flutterflies22 A scrappers blog full of layouts and scrapbook projects (might get me back to scrapping)

tanchyka a blog full of super yummy looking cakes and treats.  (Some day I'll get to have sweet treats again.)

hxkendra a blog containing a little of everything.

tamtamlee a very full blog I have been following for a while.
Blackbird4  Patricia create beautiful art dolls (I am amazed at these dolls) as well as other art.
Doreen247 I was drawn to one post on Doreen's blog... a post about 2 quilts she had made as gifts... They are beautiful.
The Artist Chick a new blog I can't wait to see how it grows... Welcome to the blogging community.
Pink Stitches I'm always happy to find SAHMs of boys...  she has a great collection of dewing crafts and links to her shop... Stop by and say hi...
The Altered Page/ The Bling Theory an inspiring blog! I love when I find Christian creative blogs.. It is a blessing to follow her blog.
Chinnu Art, ATCs, challenges, a little of everything and a lot of creativity.




I hope you will stop by some of my swap partners' blogs and enjoy their contributions to the blogging community.

Art Journal Pages and painting pages

PAINTING BOOK PAGES
For our homeschool art time today Cameron and I painted pages from a book.  I found an old book that was not worth saving and began by cutting about a dozen pages from the back. I was inspired by several blogs I follow showing journal pages that had started life as book pages.  I figure we will use them for journal pages as well as bases or elements for ATCs.

The book has several pages with illustrations; I'm trying to decide if I want to cut the illustrations off the page and use it or use the page as is. I might scan some of them first to use later as well.

We used Crayola Finger Paint for the translucent quality. I had some old jars of Acrylic Glossies that added some shine but more opacity. I also used some Making Memories brand scrapbook acrylic paints and a sample jar of Glidden Interior Paint.

I found a box of reinkers of various colors and added drops of color to several of the pages then we played with q-tips to see what kind of designs we could create.






Finally using some pigment re-inkers and an extra fine paint brush the last 2 pages were done. We are both very excited to use these pages to create some fun projects.  I have about 300 more pages from the same book that will be used in various forms for art projects.





ART JOURNAL PAGES

 Here are the Art Journal pages I made for 2 swaps on swap bot. We are suppose to do them front and back on a piece of card-stock so they can be bound by the recipient but I think I am going to ask each person if they want them loose and enclose a piece of card-stock cut to size.  All 4 pages are based on rice paper with various elements added. I'm not sure if I will had journal lines or leave them blank. I need to finish up the other 4 pages and get them ready to send.  They are kind of random but that is what is fun about the art journal pages. I am going to make some for myself as well but want to get these ready to go first. Not sure what I want to use for my own book though, maybe I will alter the book cover from the painting project. It is a neutral cover and could be used to make a pretty color altered cover... Guess I'll have to figure out book binding with a traditional book cover...

Friendship Books

As promised here are 5 of the recent friendship books I've made. The two in the front are made using home decorator fabric from a sample book I got off Craigslist. I made 3 others but they are packaged to send overseas on their journey.
I am going to make a set of rainbow colors (5 of the colors anyway) for another swap-bot swap.  FBs as they are called are small books with a few pages that people send in the mail, sign with their information and send on to another swapper. These are a new creative outlet for me.  Tonight I will be making LBs (Label Bags). Basically the same idea as FBs but you send address labels in the "bag" rather than signing a book. Either way I hope this new adventure will be fun and creative.  Between these and the art journal/ journalling swaps I should get my creative fix and "meet" some new people in the process.
**Art Journal pages to come.

Friendship Books and Label Bags

I was searching swap-bot this morning to see what was new and came across friendship books and Label Bags... I was instantly intrigued... I search Swag-bucks and found a couple links... What an awesome idea and a great way to be creative and use up my stash.  I found a great site that you can print blank label bags, LetterSets has an assortment of fun print your own label bags as well as a great assortment of cards and such. I printed a the plain ones to start (I think I will add a little decoration to them).  I can see this becoming another swap-bot addiction but also a benefit for our homeschool... (the boys can search the map for where the FBs and LBs come from and are going to...)
Here is one of the swaps I signed up for.

I hope to post pictures of my art journal pages I've made for a couple swaps later tonight or at least this weekend.

Some more ATCs of late

Thought I would share another round of ATCs I've created as of late.  The last set (Pin Up Girls) is part of a swap that is being mailed out this week.

Blue and Silver flowers  and Black Vintage Lady with Bling

Butterfly on rice paper with ric rak  and Journey quote with ribbon

Rice Paper Fish with stickles on Rice Paper  and Blue bird with Stickles and Bling

 

 

 

 

Kiwi's Blogger Follower Swap #4

I've joined another swap-bot blogger swap. I will list my partners as soon as they are assigned. If you are following from Kiwi's swap or any other swap bot swap feel free to stop by and say hi...

As promised here are my partners for the swap...
IsaTe's Design
The Whimsical Life of an Isomniac
Mary's Art and raft Journal
Made by Knowme
Angelic Lizard Creations

ATCs in the binder

  I decided to upload some of the ATCs that are residing in my binder.. These are my cards not cards I've received.  2 cards are potential spoilers if I am accepted into those swaps..

"Charmed I'm Sure" Swap...  photo print of an old door

, stickles wood , black bling, and a gold key charm.

Vintage boy in a peddle car, glaze' and stickles matted on olive cardstock

Mary Engelbreit ATC Swap card, matted on pink rice paper, glittered and metal flower element.

Dance Cupid, rice paper and metal findings on manilla backing. Circle Bling, stickles and cardstock circles

Vintage Letters with ribbon, pin, swirl bling.  Butterflies on carstock stacked

Colored Pencil Art (not my design) double matted on cardstock.. Frog Delivery Card matted on Paper with black bling.

Lion and Lamb: Recycled Christmas Card with Stickles. Might add a scripture in the yellow space

Quilted Squares: paper squares stacked to appear quilted..

Part of a Series: Quoted on torn paper with paper flower matted on Cardstock

Part of a Series: torn paper with quote matted on printed cardstock

Last of the Series.. Quote on cardstock with paper elements.

Welcome Swap-bot Followers Please!

I joined a followers swap over at Swap-bot... If you haven't heard of Swap-bot, it is an awesome online community of crafters swapping fun things either online or traditional mail... It is a great way to share your crafts and put something other than bills in the mail box.

For this swap we are to follow 15 blogs so I thought I would share the blogs with all my readers.A couple of the blogs I already follow from previous swaps but I will still list them... Stop by these blogs and say "Hi". Oh and if you are stopping by to follow from the swap would you leave a comment here so I can rate you..

Sanity is Overrated
Studs and Pearls
Fostered Love Forever
Folksylove
Falling and Bruising
Scrapcowando
Serial Author
My Little Princess
Patricia's Fabric Art
Angelic Lizards
Molly and Ollie
B Positive B Free
Lead Balloon
The Sun and the Turtle

Kiwi's Blogger Follower Swap #3

Welcome to my newer spot in the blogosphere. Thanks for following as part of the Swap-bot swap. I hope to post more thoughts and such soon.