Let Us Begin

My card today started out as a piece of designer paper that I had pulled out to use on another project, but then went a different way.  Since Simon Says Stamp and Show challenged us to use a little paper, this was a great beginning. The paper was from a 6x6 pad from My Mind's Eye. I then laid a stencil over the panel and covered the rest with embossing ink. I used clear embossing powder to heat emboss the piece. Using a script background stamp from Rogue Redhead Designs, I stamped over the panel. I then sprayed the piece with key lime glitter mist. The embossed area resisted the stamping ink and the spray. The piece now has a shine and glimmer while maintaining the integrity of the background image. The sentiment is from the Our Daily Bread Designs Mother Theresa quotes. The frame was cut from wood paper. I did stain it with walnut distress stain to make it darker. The roses were made from a Spellbinders spiral flower die. I finished off with a pearl flourish to add a touch of bling.
I am entering this card into several other challenges: Ink on My Fingers Sunday challenge--irresistable; Tuesday Throwdown--Smell the Roses; Our Daily Bread Designs--wood or stone; Three Muses--quote; Inspiration Journal--Don't Quote Me; and Artistic Stamper--words.

Way 2 Go

It's that time of year again -- graduation, and that's the theme of this week's Bloggers Challenge.

The layout of my card is based on this week's Mojo Monday sketch challenge. Great Impressions has a monthly challenge of celebrations.

I used stamps from Club Scrap. The world was cut using one of the Tim Holtz/Sizzix dies. My flags are made from Washi tape. (I have so much, but always forget to use it). I like the combination of colors. I think this would be an excellent card for a male graduate.

Celebrate Nature

I'm back to work in my studio after a marvelous weekend in San Diego, a Mother's Day gift from my daughter. We had perfect weather to enjoy the ocean and spent a fun day visiting the pandas at the San Diego Zoo. Now it's back to normal.
My card today was created for several challenges. At Cheery Lynn the challenge is dry embossing. I used the following Cheery Lynn dies on my card: large rose, miniature rose, ivy corner flourish, and build a flower 1. Sweet Stamps has a theme of spring. I think the bird (SweetStamps) and flowers are  a definite sign of spring. Simon Says Stamp is challenging us to show flower power. Mark's Finest Papers Simple Salutations challenge is birds of a feather. 
I am enjoying the blooming of spring flowers and the wonderful weather we are having in Chicago. I think spring has arrived.

CHAPTER 27: What a Wonderful Dream it Has Been!

Puzzled?

"`Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) `You're nothing but a pack of cards!'
At this the whole pack rose up into the air, and came flying down upon her: she gave a little scream, half of fright and half of anger, and tried to beat them off, and found herself lying on the bank, with her head in the lap of her sister, who was gently brushing away some dead leaves that had fluttered down from the trees upon her face.
`Wake up, Alice dear!' said her sister; `Why, what a long sleep you've had!'
`Oh, I've had such a curious dream!' said Alice, and she told her sister, as well as she could remember them, all these strange Adventures of hers that you have just been reading about; and when she had finished, her sister kissed her, and said, `It WAS a curious dream, dear, certainly: but now run in to your tea; it's getting late.' So Alice got up and ran off, thinking while she ran, as well she might, what a wonderful dream it had been."
-- Chapter 12, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Chapter 27 will be the last regularly scheduled challenge on The Altered Alice. Due to pressures of work, health, and family activities, Lynne is not able to keep up with running the challenges any longer. We will continue to have Alice posts and Linky tools so you can show us your Alice and perhaps some blog candy now and then, but it will not be in formal challenges. Please continue to subscribe and to share your Alice artwork!

Just as our very first challenge was sponsored by Stampotique Originals, we are ending with a Stampotique challlenge! They are offering a $30 gift certificate for one lucky winner, and their design team is going to play along! Be sure to visit their Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog where you can play every week! There is something to please everyone at Stampotique Originals! I like the symmetry of ending as we began.

Anything goes, so show us your best! We will begin on Mother's day, May 12 and end on Father's Day, June 16. Your last day to submit projects will be Friday, June 14. Multiple entries are encouraged but each must be on a separate post. For our last challenge, only Wonderland projects are allowed!

Alice in the Garden of Talking Flowers

As you can see, I created a stamped puzzle as my inspiration project. I started with a blank puzzle board. I decided to treat it like I would an art journal page. Since Alice is my focal image, I stamped her and masked her. Then I took two stencils and Dylusions sprays and created the background. I then stamped Daff, heart flowers, mushroom group, giant shroom and puss puss (representing the cheshire cat). All of the images were colored using Tombow markers. I've been a fan of Stampotique for years, so this was a fun project to do.

Don't forget to link your Alice art to the Altered Alice website. I look forward to seeing your art.

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day Gift Project

Mother's Day week is upon us. Here is an easel card box (Technique Junkies technique) that I created for my grandchildren to give their Mom. The image is from Rogue Redhead Designs new release, This N That. The sentiment is from RRD's Bits & Pieces. I used a Spellbinders die for the frame. The flower is cut from a Cheery Lynn Die. The design paper is from Heartfelt Creations.
Although I'm late, I'm entering this card in the Bloggers Challenge which is feminine touch.  Fashionable Stamping has an anything goes challenge, and isn't Midge the most fashionable lady you have seen. Simple Salutations has a challenge of monochromatic. Except for a touch of grey, everything on the project is in shades of purple.

12 Tags of 2013--April

Another month and another wonderful tag thanks to Tim Holtz. This is the April tag from his 12 tags of 2013. This time we did a patina technique using distress paints. I love the color results. He used one of my all time favorite stamps. I bought this stamp years ago. It's wood mounted and is from a time before unmounted stamps were the way for stampers to go. It's now available unmounted in the release of the classic stamps. The dragonfly's wings were made from a piece of clearly for art. It's so cool the way it holds shape after being heated. I knew there was a reason I bought clearly for art a few years ago. I forgot I had it.

Full of Blessings

I had a lot of fun playing around with this card. It worked into several challenges this week. As a base I used the sketch from the Mojo Monday challenge. All of the stamps, including sentiment, are from the Artistic Outpost Flower Market stamp set. Therefore, I am entering the card into the Artistic Outpost April referral program challenge. City Crafters wants to see clouds. On the upper background panel, you can see clouds which I stenciled onto the design paper.Simon Says Stamp has an anything goes theme. SweetStamps wants to see three of any item. (I used 3 different design papers. There are three panels of images. I used the same small butterfly three times.) Mark's Finest Papers Friends of Speedyhttp://mfpspeedytv.ning.com/page/friends-of-speedy-tv-challenge-69-04-22-13-1-2-3had a recipe challenge: 1 ribbon, 2 buttons, 3 different design papers. Great Impressions wants to see pastels and polka dots. Both MFP Simple Salutations and Creative Belli are looking for spring.