African Expedition

Over at my e-hangout, Christian Paper Artist (CPA), I hosted an ATC swap of the African influence. I am actually hosting a reoccurring swap called "World Tour", we traveled thus far to Paris, Far East Asia and Africa.
This time for my hostess "gift" I decided to make a passport of all the places we have traveled. I will post those pics soon (still working on it). Anyhow, I am sharing my atc with you... I really wanted to use a variety of papers that might reflect the exotic feel of an african safari. The image is a vintage french image of "north africa". I liked the mosque like shaped peephole with camels and building in the background. I used some hambly screen-prints of cheetah and zebra prints. For the ATC background, I used a faux snake-skin paper.

My dear friend Nathalie, knew I was hosting this swap and out of sheer genius on her part altered this VINTAGE African Postcard.
I received it a few months ago (or at least it feels like a few months) and I read it... and I chuckled.... I recently looked at it again and I think I finally "got it" This postcard is soooooooo cleaver constructed. Click on it and read her story of Lion's visit to Africa. :)

Nathalie - you are a total GENIUS and an amazing artist. Thank you for amazing inspiration via your blog and art work, which I am lucky to have some of!! I am so blessed to have you as my friend.

Hope your blog-hopping takes you somewhere exotic today!
xo,
Anna

a cereal box journal swap

I previewed the journal I received a few days back from Phyllis ... now here's a pictorial preview of the one I made..... for Christy in Virgina:
My main goal was to create a red and yellow journal to inspire creativity. My take on the journal's genre...... kitcshy campy scrapper meets gypsy vintage recycler.... (is there even such a thing?)

it started out innocently enough with two caprisun boxes and some gesso and red paint.......

then I added a mix of red and yellow papers - purposely left the barcodes on all the papers (when possible) and lots of "randomness". I think I rocked the randomness part :) I include a vintage library card from CORDER .... courtesy of my friend Nathalie.... ohhhh and vintage wallpaper (can u tell?)

where possible i added product packaging that was craft related...... (fun :) found a really great embossing powder by ZING! it's a great color (mustard). I'll be using more of this soon.

some vintage ephermera from 7 gypsies...... (love them!)

some random mailings received from my place of residence.....

holy collage batgirl.... I tried it! - indie scrapper style :)



above - I love acrylic so I added a few acrylic pages and some acrylic packaging..... a vintage book page pasted on is from Shakespeare - the Comedy of Errors (nice!)
below - some transparent packaging - with a sticker story......

back cover view...... had to include a "do not remove" label.....

And the front cover - finished.... yes - tilt your head to get a better view :) my own comedy of errors - I forgot to rotate the picture before I added (opps) I'll put it in the mail tomorrow miss christy.....

xo, anna

a cereal box journal swap

over at my favorite yahoo hangout... "the CPA" ...... one of our friends Cindy E. hosted a "cereal box journal swap"
The main concept of the swap is to create a journal out of product packaging... it did not have to be actual cereal boxes.... I received my journal from Phyllis in WA.

Here is is in all it's beauty...

Phyllis was so thoughtful... she actually send me a questionnaire before making the journal... with what your fav. this/ what's your fav that.... she also said that she was praying for me the entire time she was making the journal... (love her!)
Right now, with spring and all - my fav color is yellow - but ironically - I have never made a paper project in yellow? weird huh? (typical anna - I am not a huge fan of pink... but I can't believe how much pink stuff I have..... oh the irony) So much to my own delight I now have a whole book dedicated to YELLOW!!! And I plan to add lots of Yellowy things to my very special journal.

So part of the swap instructions were to create the journal completely from scratch (which is something I LOVE to do.... take a project right from the beginning and create it the way my heart guides me....) listen ... listen ...listen..... I rarely have a plan..... more swap instructions: Add lots of pages for the recipient to alter anyway of their choosing....
more instructions: It would be ok add our touch by playing with a page or two.......

My dear Phyllis - she had fun in my book and I am sooo gratuful - I love all of pages she played in :) here are just a few.....

beautiful......

love her doodling - love what she doodled even MORE.......

a great little surprise envelope enclosure. I already added something special here......

note to self: don't forget to have a spot of tea while making paper art....... :)
goodness knows I should be brewing up this tea... and get working on my journal for Christi (sorry girl - I promise it will be to you by the deadline - I've been collecting all kinds of cool packaging for your journal.... ) xo

Alright -want to see some more journals the CPa ladies have made? Here are a few

Linda's ......
Patty (she was not even in the swap!!!)
Nathalie
Lorrie's

Here's the link to lady who inspired the swap.... prepare yourself for some wickedly awesome journal art
Teesha Moore

Now - if I could only get mine going ???? I will post pics soon - I fully intend to have fun while making a mess creating christi's journal.... It's going to be all about gesso/ paint and two caprisun packages....... I'm dreaming red/yellow and orange..... (she sent me in that direction :) btw - I found my point and shoot camera.... so I am now back in business to post pics on my blog. Meanwhile, my baby (d-slr) is off to the doctor on the east coast..... (oh how the absence makes my heart grow fonder....)
xo for now,
anna

a quickie post......

Easter Egg dying party at Q's school....


Easter Egg hunt at Marz preschool.......




what I managed to squeeze in over the weekend.......
some sweet time with my boys.... we had fun :) cuddling, tickling, smiling, playing tennis and baseball, lego play, chocolate chip cookies and a couple of movies as well.......(can you guess what movie watched? hint.... check the shirt!)


a trendy book about a pair of SKETCHERS for Q....... turned out Qute......



some love scripture ATC's for Sharon swap at the CPA.....


Have a great week - we are off for our spring break......
Ciao!
Anna

Unmade ATC Swap

Over at the CPA... my friend Donna hosted an Unmade ATC Swap. (an ATC is Artist Trading Card - very similar to a baseball card... but you, the artist, makes it and traditionally trades it with other artist...) Anyhow back to the unmade ATC swap.... the directions were to gather the makings of an ATC, put them in an envelope and mail it off the the person(s) that you were assigned. Make the ATC that you were sent and then post it on the YAHOO group and see what creative genius the other person came up with....! I signed up for three swaps... Nathalie, Linda and Donna sent me materials to make an ATC..... here's what I came up with... there is a before and after of each ATC.....

here's the one I made with material send by Nathalie:

one I made from material sent from Linda:

lastly one I made from materials send by Donna:


I was having so much fun... I kept going.... I decided to dig into my scrap pile.... and here's what I came up!
I used some left over acrylic, three or four scraps... and glimmer mist! oh - and a rub-on - I actually REALLY like this one...


Now.... "go make some of your own art!" <---- ( quote by "An Artist's Legacy" :)
xoxo,
anna

show and tell...

OK finally I downloaded some pics....

For my valentines mobile I am making.... I made my own beads!! (the clay came with the project kit form scarlet lime...) I formed them... stamped an image and baked them - how fun!!

Below are all the little bits of cardstock hearts and mini pictures I am including in my mobile....

below are all the cards I made from a card class I took from my friend Jana Simply Scrapbooks... yummie kit from basic grey...

and last but not least... are the charms I made in a swap over at the CPA. It was my first time making charms so I kept it simple. I purchased some "fragment - charms" pieces from Tim Holtz and added aged (white washed) scripture stamped a heart on top then xeroxed a peace dove carrying some leaves in his mouth..... and cut out the word "peace" (from old scripture books). Then I glossy accented it all together..... I think tim might be proud of me :) Anyhow the swap was a testimony theme. I chose the classic peace dove and made an ATC to "tell my testimony" on for each participant. It was fun - I'll post all the charms I receive back - in late Feb.



As soon as I finish my mobile.... I plan to alter my "HOPE" book..... (wish me luck :)

xoxo
anna

art break

we interrupt this regularly scheduled blog post for a "cute" art break.... I signed up for a mini banner swap at the CPA (my friend Linda is hosting) and fell in love... the size is perfectly addicting. This swap had the theme of "love" for valentine's day..... I have always had a wing obsession and when I decided a heart would be fitting for the mini banner - I knew I had to put wings on it :) a few of the banners and art plates I have received from my CPA friends (in the past) have had cute little beads on them..... So I had to try it myself.... to attach the bead - I had to use wire...look what i found.... this cute hot pink colour again perfect for valentines day.....
oh - I'm in love with this project might have to make a few more just for fun!

I'm not playing with a full deck :)

Gals and Dolls -

One of my online groups (linda got me to join)...... Christian Deck, Linda is organizing a group to make ATC's equivilant to the number of cards in a deck.... 52 (i think?) anyhow..... we pick a card and a bible verse that has to do with LOVE and make an atc.... She scans them in- sends them to a printer.... everyone orders a few decks and the printer prints them out.... she mails them back.... we all get customized decks of cards with everyone's art. It's really cool!
This is my first time participating in a swap, as such, but I think this group has put out several decks of card. It seems like a lot of work for the organizer, no? (it is....) anyhow.... I was able to design two cards..... 6 of hearts and 4 of spades.
For my 6 of hearts card I used this image....

It's from 1920's (i believe) It's my grandmother and her godmother on her baptism day. Unfortunately since the card is 2 1/2 by 3/12 I really did not have a lot of room to work with.... so her godmother, Ramona (her aunt) did not make the actual ATC. I used my Grandmother and Jesus (with a gold crown... and the verse "1 Corinthians 13:7" {Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.} This verse really embodies how I truly feel about my grandmother. She amazes me everyday. She is a pillar of strength and has more love to give than I could ever dream up. I am fortunate to still have her in my life and I am soooooooo blessed that my two boys have grown to know and love her very dearly. She is a very special person in my life and I just feel so honored that I was able to make this ATC about her. She loves playing cards and so that will be an added bonus when she gets a deck to use with her friends down at the senior center :) Of course.... I forgot to scan the image/ photograph the image.... so right now it in en-route to Linda and well I'll upload it later.
My second card (4 of spades) is of this picture..... and yes I did photograph the ATC... but it too is en-route to houston and I want it to be a surprise.... for linda.


This last picture is the image of the ATC I made as an entry for the back design of the whole deck of cards......

I twisted the wire into a heart shape and glued silver metallic wings with a red rhinestone heart to the center and named the card as "Love conquers all" It was a fun ATC. I'm really getting into the whole ATC size for making paper art..... it's way fun :)

oh la la, a french atc swap.....

Bonjour y'all!
I'm hosting an all things french ATC swap over at the Christian Paper Artist yahoo group. The group is mostly women who trade art of various sizes and themes. I've been having fun hosting swaps..... My first swap was a "Going Green" ATC swap, my second was and Owl inchie swap and now... well this is my third. I was inspired by this issue of Somerset Studio to do a french ATC swap. My friend Linda, whom I nudged ever so slyly to join the swap did these ATC's... oh so chic!

As for me the above image is a hint of what I'll be doing(sorta??)...... Since the swap name is "all things french" I'm doing all my favorite french things (with a vintage twist).... chocolate, champagne, perfume.... you get the drift, right? So each of my atc's will be different. (note to self: I'll probably need to make two of each.... one for the swap one for me.) I have found something that inspires me over at the 7 gypsies blog. I am planning to get one of these spinners and start displaying my cool swaps on them.
Anyhow, if you want take part in the french swap - Grab a latte, get some paper, some frenchy french stuff and start making art!!!
xoxo
Anna

Gosh... u beat me to the punch Linda!! I was in the process of posting some new pics and Linda already posted this one..... (different view at least) :) Linda made this BEAUTIFUL Birthday Banner for me.... I'm lucky to have such creative friends!! She ROCKS!! Look at the "tude" on her (and she has wings no less!) Trying to come up with a name for her.... any suggestions? She hangs on my dining room hutch (where I craft ......) Love her!

Second Pic.... What I did with my insect inchies from a swap I participated in back in April/May. Cute specimen box from Martha Stewart.. (Michael's) It's in my bedroom (my hubby even likes it :)


What I am doing with cute postcards, inchies and ATC from Swaps (that I am not scrapping or framing....) Well - I am gluing them to a great big huge licorice tub (repurposed of course) that I store my fabric flowers in. It's looking AWESOME! It reminds me (as I craft) to be creative and enjoy the spirit of sharing your craft. I really love it... It's not quite filled up yet.. need a few more swaps under my belt to get it covered :)

Alright.... most recent swap... Summer banners.. I really strayed from the vintage style in which most the women like in the cpa... But come on.... does this paper not SCREAM summer or what? It's very bright so I (white washed it - with paint) and then use flowers and glitter and rhinestones to sparkle each one up. They are on their way to Kingwood.... wahoo!

Last pic... is a RAK.... for my dearest friend Linda....... the artist survival kit.... kinda a fun play on the "wreak this journal" by keri smith..... the words are in downloadable format if you want to make on for yourself. I cut up all the words and glued them to cardstock along with TONS of anna griffin butterflies. I felt the butterflies were appropriate for a creative book of this sort.... very freeing...
Well that's all for today. Blog at you soon!
Anna

"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." from the great law of Iroquois Confederacy (i saw it on my klennex box...)


Found this image while blogging about...... had to nab it.... unfortunately I don't know where it came from..... the blogger did not have a link as to it's origins.... so that's all I can tell about it....


Anyhow - I'm feeling brave and taking a chance at hosting a swap. I'm part of a yahoo group called Christian Paper Artists. I've participated in a few swaps and I am enjoying the whole theory of it :) So - I'm going behind the scenes to see how it all works.... yikes.... OK - the swap name is "Going Green". It's an ATC swap that needs to meet the qualifications of... the colour green - a recycled item or a nature theme. If you are interested.... come join the group. Most of the swaps I have seen so far are inchies and ATC's... the group is made of some very creative women all over the US. It's fun :) Here's a link to some great inchie ideas... CLICK ME.... in case u have no idea what an inchie is..... (i did not until a few months ago :)
Ciao 4 now...
Anna

Inchies....Raks and Quarter Coke!

Some randomness....... this picture is a badly photographed (my cam is not good at close-ups... why i need an SLR!) of my "by the sea" inchies I made for a CPA swap. i had fun playing with crackle paint - glimmer mist - diamond glaze and few sparkles... ohhhh and my 1st pass @ vintage photos from my friend katie :) I'm growing - Linda will be proud....




Two shots of a RAK (random act of kindness) I made for a lady in the cpa who shares the scrappy bug with me :) I actually really tried hard to play with my camera to take a better close up on this.... used natural light and some different shutter speeds....


Last - and most certainly - the most spectacular..... is a BEAUTIFUL photo shot by my friend and accomplished artist Laura. She shot it a few years back in her hometown of Canton, Mississippi. She used some water colors to spruce it up and named it "Quarter Coke". She said it reminds her of the "good ole days" when coke used to cost a quarter. I scored this awesome painted photo on my recent trip to Houston. I was lucky to be staying at her house and about 1 hour before I hopped on the plane.... I asked if I could go through some of her "stashed" art..... She had oodles of it. I also got a GREAT b&W photo of NYC shortly after 9/11 she shot from NJ across the river looking into the spotlights of where the twin towers used to stand. It's very striking and I am just so honored to be able to have a piece of art from Laura. She's doing some amazing things with oil and canvas these days. And I hope I can "score" one of those someday...... ? when she has a "stash" built up. :)
All my love....
MAQI