My Terra Bella Projects! CHA Sneak Peek

Since CHA officially opened Today, I can share the projects I created for the Terra Bella Designer Challenge because they are on view to the general public here at the show! Category 1: Altered Art / Mixed Media


Be on the look out for this, I'm going to make it a CLASS! Category 4: Decoupage Art / Photo Extensions on Canvas I am NOT a painter and don't pretend to be, so this is a decoupage art project not a photo extension, but it is canvas!

Please post any questions or comments here, as I am at CHA; accessing my email is wonky but I can post here daily.

More great stuff tomorrow! I can show you my Fashion Display and my Fashion Embellishment Challenge too! THEN I'll start showing you all the new fun products and hopefully there will some of it available before June :o)
cheers!
Becky C

BENEFIT CROP IN NEW JERSEY

A designer friend of mine and Ranger-ite, ToniAnn Carbone informed me of a Crop at a firehouse in NJ that will benefit a GREAT cause. Please see details here: Crop Blue Angel Fire

I have donated some of my original works to be raffled off at the event, one such item is a domino necklace that was published in The Rubberstamper Magazine Mar/Apr 2007 issue, a copy of the magazine is included with the necklace! and MUCH more.

If you live in or near NJ, please try to attend.
Items pictured will be there for raffle and MUCH more.

REMEMBER THE ART!

While you are managing the rest of your holiday shopping, won't you consider the gift of art? Please support your local art galleries. This is also the time of year when art galleries run special "shows" that include crafty items, hand painted decor items and cards featuring hand made art images.

The Sanford-Springvale Art Association Gallery is located down-town on Main Street right next to the Town Hall where they've installed a gorgeous new time piece. Please stop by and have a look at all of the great art on display and for sale. The members of the SSAA also have art on display at the Goodall Hospital, Goodall Library and the Springvale Library just to name a few, there are also local businesses that support the program by having art hung in their retail establishments. So, the next time you find yourself in a room or business decorated with great art, see if it's for sale by one of the local artists.

Merry Christmas and Chanukah to you!

Sharing art: Collage

I just wanted to share a recent project that I really enjoyed creating! This collage practically made itself, I had so much fun and all of the elements fell into place. I used some of the newer Spellbinders Bird dies! LOVE them!!

Find instructions HERE:

2nd Annual Keepsake Designs Artistic Retreat

Welcome Scrappers, Stampers, Painters, Beaders and ALL.
(Goodie bags geared towards paper crafting)

Get ready to relax and retreat, no cirricullum, no schedule, no housework and no interuptions.
It's all about the "CREATING and RELAXING"!
March 23 -25, 2007
$160 for the entire retreat weekend
Double Occupancy
Includes: Lodging Friday/Saturday nights
Meals: 3 Meals Sat and 2 Meals Sunday
Check in after 3pm Friday (dinner on your own)
Check out by 3 pm Sunday

LOCATION: KENNISTON HILL INN, BOOTHBAY MAINE

eMail: becky@keepsakedesigns.biz to obtain a registration form.
Send a deposit to reserve your spot, final payment due March 2, 2007.

Krafty Lady Art Moulds!

I got my mug on the Krafty Lady Art Mould Gallery!!
woohoo!! I used one of her moulds in my Ranger Melt Art Contest layout that won third place.

KRAFTY LADY GALLERY

Check out those moulds, they truly are the BEST! Thank you Kristine!

Altering Books!! Join now.

I am ready to start another Altered Book Round Robin!! I love to make art everyday, but it's usually for projects, work or assignments and I need a little bit of art from time to time that is just FUN and that is what altered books do for me, they challenge my creativity and I have lots of fun doing that.

So, if you would like to join a round robin........ respond to this post or email: becky@keepsakedesigns.biz .

First let me explain, if you don't know what a round robin is. A small group of 10-12 artists that create altered books then mail it to the next person to do art in their book, they will receive someone elses book to work in and then mail it off to the next person etc, etc, until all books have been mailed to all members, and finally your book will come back to you after all other members have worked in it.

I'll close the group at 10 participants. I'm sorry, but due to postage costs we will only accept members that are in the Continental USA or a US military base as postage is the same.

Points to Ponder:

1. Keep in mind when you commit to this that it is a 12 month commitment
2. if you are accepted to the group you will need to complete your obligation.
3. I will determine the final players based on membership recommendation.
4. Postage costs will get expensive as the books grow. Which is why we will have one month to ship and work on our entries.
5. Specific mailing dates will be assigned, but you can ship slower rates if you mail early. You must allow the next artist enough time to create their entry before the mailing deadline.
6. I want courteous and conciencious members.
7. Each member selects their book, can be an old hardcover novel, a chipboard book, gated journal etc.
8. Each member picks their own theme, creates a few pages to get the others inspired and should include a sign in page of some sort too.
9. Do not select a book that is larger than 7x 9 x 2 inches.
10. Challenge yourself to doo your best work on your entries, Stick to the theme that the author has chosen and don't procrastinate until the last day and throw something together. Themes will be posted ahead and you can ponder them until the books arrive.
11. There will be a set rotation, you will always mail to the same person, I will try to arrange it so you are mailing to the person closest geographically to you, to keep costs down.
12. There will be regular check in and communications among the group when we establish our yahoo group.
13. If there is anything I forgot, I'll add it along the way after we set up our yahoo group.

If you have questions or comments that might help, feel free to post them here.

These pictures are of a two page entry I made in my last round robin group. The owner of the book had selected Horror Movies as her theme. I thought it was wierd, but it turned out to be one of my most creative experiences!!

Autumn in Maine

Autumn here in Maine is one of the most brilliant experiences imaginable. The harvest festivals are in full swing, the fairgrounds are busy and the craft fair season begins. The foliage draws spectators from around the world to view it's magnificent appearance. For me, it also means RETREAT time is here! This photo was taken at last year's retreat at the Kenniston Hill Inn, Boothbay, Maine. The Inn keepers, Jim and Geri know how to treat us neglected ladies with fine food and service, clean quaint rooms and a double dose of hospitality. I can't wait!

Another photo taken at retreat last year has become DH's CU Security "Happy Thanksgiving" cards that he sends to all customers and vendors to thank them for their business and support.

I'm also busy (in shifts) wrapping the candybars with labels for my husbands security company. We get over 400 trick or treaters, so if we wrap them with a "Happy Halloween" from CU Security, it's advertising.


Meanwhile, I should be working but I'm goofing with my UTEE today. I made myself a new magnet. (I'm a fridge magnet addict.) I just LOVE Halloween, decorating, dressing up, giving away candy......... how can anything be more fun than that?

The magnet was made by melting black and clear UTEE in the melting pot with some Flex then pouring it onto the heat resistent mat and cutting it with a shaped cookie cutter and dropping a large red acrylic rhinestone into the body while it was still soft. I had to secure the magnet and rhinestone with E6000 adhesive after it cooled.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO YOU! I'll check in after retreat.

Sharing Melt Art

Hi!!!! I have finished with my DT application projects a day early so I'm back to share some melt art techniques with you.

Some fun things to do with Rubberstamps and Melt Art:

In the first photo, the larger project was created by pouring the melted UTEE onto a rubberstamp! The stamp should be coated with clear embossing pigment to protect it and then just dump it on!! Let it cool, then peel off. This one is awesome because there is clear UTEE mixed with colors. if you hold it up to the window, light will come through the clear UTEE (which is actually honey colored) Can you imagine the sun catchers you could make if you put some To Dye For into the clear UTEE?
The second project was created by pouring the melted UTEE onto the heat resistant non stick craft sheet and then stamping into it. Same deal; coat the stamp with clear UTEE before stamping into it, then I brushed on Perfect Pearls. If you would like to make it more stable/sturdy, pour the UTEE onto a small piece of cardstock, this will help reinforce and strengthen the UTEE for handling or mailing on a card etc. Coloring the UTEE with Perfect Pearls is also a great way to use up scraps of UTEE, where it doesn't really matter what color it is, you can color it!!

Did I mention there is ZERO waste with this stuff? I never throw away a bad project or scraps because it can all be remelted and used for other projects.

The round image is a 3 1/2" paper weight that was poured into a muffin topper pan. First we poured and cooled the bottom layer which is about 1/4" thick, then we added cut out art from Suze's Instant Art Book then I sprinkled Beadazzles over it and poured the second layer which is also about 1/4" thick. The clear UTEE gets amber in color, and gets darker the longer you keep it in the pot so for a more clear project work FAST.

More projects will be shared soon.

Enjoy!
BeckyC