Sunday, December 28, 2008

Crochet gave me the bird





Browsing the magazine stand and then thumbing through the latest issue of Crochet Today, I caught a glimpse of this darling bluebird and knew I had to make it. It was described as "easy" and I suppose it would be...for someone who crochets regularly. I used to be one of those people. You know, unable to put down the work at night, keeping a project in the car for traffic jams, hoarding yarn like it would feed me in a famine.
But it has been months since I crocheted anything more than a dolly hat, so making this little five-inch, single crochet birdie took a lot longer than I expected. Of course, I was trying to watch Mamma Mia for the fourth time. But, you'd think after that many viewings I could at least follow some simple stitch counts and still sing along to "Super Trooper." Not so. But I finished the movie. And then the birdie. I love his little wings. But then I added the bow, so not sure if 'he' is a she. Either way, I think it's cute.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Friday, December 12, 2008

So Excited! You'd Think I Just Got Published









These two amazing books are by and belong to two fellow artists and people I can truly call friends. I am so excited for them! Each is very different - the book and the person- and I feel privileged to say my art is in each book. The thrill of publication belongs solely to the artists, Jane Powell and Lisa Kettell. But, I'm so thrilled for them, you'd think they were my books.
Altered Art Circus is now available here on Amazon. You won't be disappointed. And I can say that even though my copy is not in my hands yet, for I have some of Lisa's original work as well as works by some of the other contributing artists.
Artist and Silver Bella founder Teresa McFayden reviewed the book here. Although I didn't get a mention there, I am just so happy with her review of Lisa's book. The circus animals by Lisa that Teresa shows on her blog are great, and interestingly enough, Martha Stewart just featured a similar project here by Katie Steuernagle, Matsutake on Etsy. And talk about full circle, Lisa was in the audience, third row, for the Martha taping that day!
The hand-made, 75-pp book above is equally impressive. Owner Jane Powell of Random Arts in Saluda, one of my favorite places, decided to host a collaborative journal project and even sent out some supplies to willing participants to get the ideas flowing. When the unique pages started flowing in from around the country and beyond, Jane knew she had something special.
So special is this book that Jane "donated" it for a fund-raising auction for the Saluda Senior Center and then Jane bought it back in a bidding war for $500.00! How great is that? You can see my "Sorry, Time's Up" page peeking out of the photo above and my finished project here. I hope I can get to Saluda again soon to see the entire book. Here's her story about it.

Finally made something! Take that, Muse!













Anyone who has had his or her muse and mojo run off together knows the joy in my headline. A frustrated creator also knows the experience of spending hours piddling on something only to dislike it enough to tear it apart and start over. And a muse-less, mojo-less person like me would understand why I got excited about simply gluing a piece of clip art into a pendant.
So the above are my results, two-plus months after I bought the supplies at Art & Soul, Portland. I was excited with the colorful collage sheets offered at the ArtChix booth.
And, after a ridiculously-long absence from the ArtChix Yahoo! Group, I was lucky enough to have my pendant chosen for the home page art this week seen here. Thanks Cindy! (and Helga!)
And if that weren't enough, I got a nice comment from the very sweet and gentle Bone Folder (can a bone folder be sweet and gentle?) Mike Jennings of Hannah Grey. Mike and wife Shosh have a fantastic e-store, and are two of the sweetest artists you'd ever want to know. Mike says Shosh is having an art drought. Boy, do I know the feeling! And how about a drought with guilt?! I 'owe' Mike and Shosh some art samples plus a promised 'dolly box' for the Hannah Grey Design Team, and I just can't make a thing to save my life. But, I know it will come- if past experience and quantity of supplies are any indication. Take heart, Shosh!
I was enthused with the ease of the resin-like DG3 Art Gel when I tried it at Collage's free make-and-take in the Art and Soul lobby. In fact, I loved my little Paris pendant I made there, which someone else apparently also liked, because it disappeared during its 24-hour drying period. Who knows? Maybe my muse took that and bolted.
Once home, the supplies sat on my desk until this past weeked. They were joined by some beautiful glass beads I got on another trip as well as my bead soup kits from Gilbert Designs. Everything just kept staring at me, until I finally put most of it away. That in itself is unusual, because I usually organize everything away as soon as I get home from a trip. Maybe my muse can't operate around a messy desk?
While at A&S I scooped up alcohol inks for making glass slides, daubers, said slides (Memory Glass), accompanying frames, bracelet blanks, pendant blanks, two sketch books, charcoal, collage sheets, ephemera, all from Collage on Alberta. In fact, I spent so much maybe my muse left me to get a job. Or perhaps I horrifed her? Overloaded her senses? That's probably closer to the truth.
So, the other night I felt motivated to make a bracelet to wear with a particular outfit. The glass beads were the right color. I had all the stringing supplies: toggle clasp, spacers, pliers, Soft-Flex all laid out in front of me. I perused my latest copy of Stringing. Every thing was so cool! I looked at my stuff. Nothing. Strung two bracelets. I'm a little OCD when it comes to stringing very symmetrically, and symmetry just isn't in style right now (see Stringing). My muse laughed at me! I cut the bracelets apart, filed the beads back into their little cubbies and put everything away.
My next adventure went slightly better. I decided to make the pendants shown above. There's nothing to it. In fact, the ArtChix inchies were already sized to fit the pendant blanks. The pink one is art from a couple different sheets, a little charm and some seed beads. The round one is clip art of a crab from ArtChix, a starfish from Hannah Grey, a shell and some seed beads. When your muse is happy with your arrangement, you simply fill the pendant with DG3 Art Gel, which hardens clear overnight. Voila! Done. Put on some ball chain, and you have a necklace. Not very challenging, but I'm working without my muse and my mojo, so I have to ease back into creating after a bit of an absence.
I know everyone talks about their muse running off, but I had had a good run, nearly 18 months of frenetic creativity in every spare moment, weekends spent without sleeping, juggling multiple projects, writing for four or more blogs, coordinating groups, swaps, fat books, submitting art and articles like crazy for publications, working on an art book proposal, writing fiction. Eek! No wonder my muse needed a vacation. Now if I could just go with her!


Wednesday, December 3, 2008

My Little Buddy...Going to Mom's Alma Mater!












Last week was a watershed event for my alma mater of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. First off, of course I don't think I should have to tell anyone where Ball State is located, but I realize that is a bit optimistic - even if they remain undefeated in football this season and have won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) West championship and are hoping to clinch the MAC East championship on Friday and get a bowl invitation.


But the biggest news, much more amazing than the fact that I have this little dab of football knowledge, is that my little power ranger, my little karate kid, my little buddy woosink (as he once called himself for no apparent reason) HAS BEEN ACCEPTED at Ball State. I found this out the day after Ball State dealt Western Michigan University (WMU) a crushing defeat in Muncie and sealed the MAC West handily. Especially pleasant: many of my co-workers went to WMU (my HQ is in Middleville, MI. Sorry, boss and boss's boss's children!).


Now it would be too much to hope that he might major in journalism and get to study in the beautiful new communications building or the Letterman Building (above), but I'll take this little victory. He will definitely get to see the lovely bell tower daily-something that wasn't there either when I got my B.A. in 1980. However, the very familiar winged Beneficience statue remains in her glory, a BSU icon, as does Frog Baby. I'm not especially eager for him to learn the BSU legends about either one of these works of art! But, he'll find out, probably during orientation. Let's just say the more PG-rated of the two legends- the one about Frog Baby- caused it to have to be moved and restored and placed where students couldn't touch it.
And although my little guy turns 18 Saturday and just got his gorgeous orange and black high school letter jacket with his letters for varsity baseball, I have to admit he'll always be my red power ranger. But, I am more than a little excited for him to don the red, white and black of the BSU Cardinals. Send the Legacy Scholarship application stat!



Sunday, November 30, 2008

Published: My Cards in Take Ten magazine











My local stamp store, Stamping Day and Night in Fort Wayne, is always so kind to call when they get new art or stamping magazines in and to hold them for me since I travel. The latest call from Sarah and Lana was a special treat since they informed me I was published! When I picked up my little pile of magazines: Take Ten, Stamper's Sampler and Somerset Studio Gallery, all by Stampington and Co., of Laguna Beach, CA., yes indeed, there was my name and a greeting card I had made on p. 26 of Take Ten, Dec-Jan-Feb 2009.
The card uses the boy king stamp from Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous and a brown kraft library card/tag, pocket and envelope as well as puffy typewriter key stickers, an embossed initial paperclip, ribbon and several layers of papers to say "Smile-It makes people wonder what you've been up to." I'm smiling since I've finally gotten published by this major rubber stamping and art card magazine, the definitive arbiter in card-making.
Before I even drove away from the store, I discovered another one of my cards on p. 135 of the same issue. I used the template from an earlier issue of the magazine to make the "welcome baby" red dress card with buttons and ribbon added. I also made a matching blue bandana envelope, not shown. Naturally, I had to run back into the store to show off my other page!
I'm hoping this will bode well for the altered art, collage and jewelry I have submitted to Take Ten's sister publications, Somerset Studio (altered art), Belle Armoire (altered clothing) and Belle Armoire Jewelry, Somerset Holidays and Celebrations, and the upcoming Marie Antoinette magazine.




Saturday, November 29, 2008

Mail Bonanza: Faerie Zine Fat Books are Back!













It wasn't just on the same day, but in the same envelope even, that three gorgeous, stuffed-with-original-art fat books arrived last week from Lisa Kettell and The Faerie Zine. Since some of these page swaps had been due back in July, I had kind of forgotten not only that they were coming but what I had submitted. So it is always fun to get back the finished product, or products in this case.
There were three books: Halloween Opera, Birds of a Feather and The Doll House Chronicles. You can see two of the covers above as well as two of my pages. The 'birdy' page is just one of my faves from one of the many other artists around the country and world who participated. For each of the three books I made by hand 25 or more all-original 5" x 5" pages, front and back. No small amount of work that!
Hostess with the mostess Lisa had the big job of receiving, sorting and collating the pages and binding the books, always a time-consuming job. She bound the bird and doll books accordian-style with hand-attached, fabric hinges and she used hand-pleating to bind the Halloween book. Just an amazing amount of work! And these were but three of the many fat books she's hosted this year, others being Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz and more. Then, she was not only a participant in these also, meaning she made pages too, but she was also in many other books in the Itty Bitty Book Club, including the Sweet Marie book below, Vintage Prom dresses, and more. No wonder Lisa says she's swearing off fat books for awhile.


Thursday, November 20, 2008

I want to live at this Salvage & Vintage Shop!


My second trip to 55 West & Co., in Millersburg, Ohio was just as wonderful as the first. And although this time I chose two pairs of handmade beaded earrings by owner Stefanie Kauffman, there were plenty of great vintage finds and salvage to remind me of my earlier treasures found in July: an old doll head, antique baby shoes and some old funky pencil people.
55 West is technically located at 45 West Jackson in Millersburg, don't ask me why. Jackson is also the popular Ohio Rte 39, which leads travelers straight into the heart of Amish country at Berlin, Walnut Creek and more. See my full report on Vintage Indie.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

'Sweet Marie' Itty Bitty Book Project is an Altered Art Confection







































I wanted to show as many pages as possible from the Itty Bitty Book Club 'Sweet Marie' altered page swap/fat book on Flickr, hosted by fellow Marie admirers Jo Moran and her sis Mary Ann McKeating.
Every single page is luscious. I already told the group I think this is the nicest fat book of any size that I have ever received. This one is tiny though- pages are the size of baseball cards. Artists do a page front and back and then duplicate enough pages for every member in the swap and hand embellish each page. Sometimes people make every page by hand without duplication. I used two images from Sandra Evertson for Stampington and then colored them with gel pens, edged them in gold leaf marker and added poufy white hair on one side and a feather for her hat on the other.
Besides Jo and Mary Ann and myself, participating artists included Beth Fedorko, Terrie Ruiz, Nancy Reeb, Mahala Elliot, Jane Gherardi, Laverne Johnson, Wanda Eash, Kathy McElroy, Amberwaves, Rhonda Thomas, Suzy Spence, Lia Kent, Anastasia Christou, Annabel Orchard, Kellie Reynolds, Kathy Jacobson, Michelle Davis, Lisa Kettell, Linda Smith, Valarie Whicker, Bridget Schneider, Priscilla Jackson and Sherry Williams.






Charity Project Nets 72 Journal Pages




One of my favorite spots in the US is Saluda, NC, and my most favorite spot in Saluda is Random Arts, the great shop of Jane Powell. I met Jane a couple years ago when I happened into her store, and she was kind enough to feature me on her blog. Then, I blogged about Saluda and Jane for a travel article on Vintage Indie (no original idea; she'd already been featured in Cloth Paper Scissors magazine). We've managed to keep in touch and have run into each other at Art & Soul.


So I had to join in when Jane announced a journal page project. Unlike other projects and swaps, Jane was even sending the supplies! All I had to do was make a 5 x 7 journal page out of them. All of the pages from the 70+ participants are being featured on the Random Arts blog, and the book is being auctioned for charity. Jane, of course, hopes to buy it back.


I don't usually (ever?) do angry art; I'm just stuck on chirpy, happy images and colors. But I thought I'd work outside the box just to see what I could do. Since I'm always grousing about getting old, never having enough time, time going too fast, etc., that was my theme as you can see on my page here. We all added to the items Jane sent, of course, so I added clock parts, a watch face and other metal bits. Not sure I even like my page, but hey, it worked. The back is at top, above

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Check Out My Interview With Birthday Girl Lisa Kettell

Recently I had the extra special joy of interviewing my dear art friend Lisa Kettell of The Faerie Zine for Vintage Indie. The feature, along with pictures of Lisa's incredible art appeared Nov. 12, just a couple days shy of Lisa's birthday. Last year she got a book contract; who knows what good things are in store for her this year? I do know she's going to see one of her mentors on this birthday weekend when Mary Engelbreit speaks at Silver Bella in Omaha, where Lisa will be a vendor and will be meeting some of our other mutual, virtual art friends, like Miss Sandy. You can read the article here and you can leave Lisa some birthday wishes on her blog.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Snow Flurries? Winter Coat? Get Me to My Yarn Stash Post Haste




It wasn't just the nasty weekend weather or even the turning of the calendar to November that gave me the itch to pick up my sticks, as knitters say. And, actually, I grabbed my hook, but we'll get to that. It was the necessity to buy a winter coat and the color of said coat that made me want to make a scarf to go with it, or accent it actually, since the coat is just so red. It's an unusual shade of red, and although it looks rather fuschia now on my monitor, it is just a deep, jewel-tone red, but not a burgundy or a maroon or a brick. I can say that with some expertise, since I spent the better part of an hour digging through my yarn stash trying to find something to match. I had planned all along to use black but realized all black was going to be no better than the all red coat. So I used TLC Macaroon in a nubby black with cream. That particular yarn has been "stashed" for a few years to go with a stuffed cat pattern. Don't ask. I mixed it with TLC Amore' in red velvet, which has been stashed ever since I made the sock monkey afghan. Ask away.
Both the sock monkey afghan (and baby hat) pattern and the pattern for this one-skein scarf come from Debbie Stoller's The Happy Hooker, a hip, indie-style irreverant pattern book that is most certainly not your grandma's crochet. Besides the double-crochet scarf here with shell trim, you can find beanies, skully sweaters, hats and potholders as well as trendy sweaters, skirts, bags and more. It really is my go-to pattern book, even though I spent another hour or more today thumbing through my crochet books, trying to find something to make. More times than not, I return to the simplicity of double-crochet, and the patterns in Stoller's book, while looking elaborate when done, are mostly quite simple. Without this book, I would have never attempted a sweater, which I in fact attempted, finished, and brought home a blue ribbon for my efforts.
These aren't the greatest pictures, but I just felt like crocheting, and I felt like blogging about it. I've been seeing so many darling knit gifts on etsy where I've even sold a few knit things of late, and in the Vintage Indie Market Guide and on friends' blogs. Knitting or crocheting just make me feel all warm and fuzzy. How about you?

Friday, November 7, 2008

Fantastic Blog Award!


I received this sweetest of blog awards from the incredibly-talented Jade Adams of Jade's Funki Junk. Jade has a great Zetti style and has been published in Stamper's Sampler and Somerset Studio too many times to count. I think we met via ARTchix, so it is appropriate that Jade was tagged by Helga, owner of ARTchix, to tell seven random things about herself. Jade tagged me, but everything about me is so random, I am taking the lazy way out. Jade also has super cool jewelry and collage sheets in her Etsy store. Check out her blog and shop. Jade and I have met in person, along with her mom Vonda and her sister Coral (her other sister is Amber!). We shopped and swapped at Crafts 2000 in Monroe, MI. Since then we've crossed paths some more in The Faerie Zine, ATC World, ZNE, Flickr and more. She's become a special art friend.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Check Out My Review of this Amigurumi Book

I recently received and reviewed Tiny Yarn Animals by Tamie Snow for Vintage Indie, where I am a contributing editor. Check out my Off the Shelf review here. And watch for my interview of Lisa Kettell on that same Web site along with my Etsy shop featured in the Vintage Market holiday gift guide. Vintage Indie and Vintage Market also were recently plugged in Bust magazine's Bustline newsletter. That's the big-time, baby! Editor-in-Chief of Bust is Debbie Stoller, also editor of Stitch 'N Bitch and The Happy Hooker and more.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Quest for Doll Heads Never Rests




A quick Halloween lunch stop in Union City, Indiana, not far from Dayton on the Ohio border, netted me this humongous old doll head. I placed the other ones for perspective, and even though the dark-haired one is four inches, the comparison really doesn't do it justice.
This old gal is a full five inches high and five inches wide at the shoulders. She must have made for a pretty big doll. It appears she was played with because the shoulder has clearly been broken and glued. The clerk seemed amazed I would buy it (it was verrry cheap). "You know this is cracked?" he asked. A statement so obvious I couldn't believe it was a question.
When I told him I liked to make altered art with doll heads, he disappeared for the longest time and came back with a box full of cloth and rubber dolls. A doll collector might have gotten faint, but since usually only porcelain heads do it for me, I couldn't even take his $2 box off his hands, although I probably should have, if for nothing more than to be polite.
In the car I noticed the hollow head was stuffed with something strange-either old wool or old doll hair-lots of it- and as I struggled to pull it out, I had momentary imaginations of either baby mice or a million dollars, neither of which fell into my lap while driving. The head does have an old tag on the back-stuck on at one time-but so old now it is almost embedded into it and impossible to read-even with my new Sarah Palin-esque readers. Not sure what I will do with this big head, but right now it waits patiently with its sisters.
But one head and a couple of pieces of old cold type later I was out of there and on with my work, proving again that "Wander Indiana" is an excellent state marketing campaign slogan.
Driving around all the time for work also lets me see all the campaign signage in my state-something I will be very glad to see gone and soon! Doing my part for that, I voted Saturday. That was a first: Saturday (not voting). The absentee voting process was smooth and convenient, since I will be out of town for election day, wandering another state. I was amazed to hear some states are even offering voting this Sunday-truly the sign of a landmark election. So, don't miss your own opportunity. Go vote.
Speaking of wandering-or shopping- you don't have to leave your house or your jammies to do some great holiday shopping. If, like me, you don't want to think about that, well don't! But when you do, there is an outstanding holiday gift guide from http://www.vintageindie.typepad.com at http://www.vintageindiemarket.typepad.com. There are tons of categories for all sorts of handmade gifts and gift ideas as well as discounts galore. I am proud to be a vendor member in this guide as well as a contributing editor for the wonderful Gabreial who runs VinatgeIndie. Vist my etsy or my Flickr for goodies to gobble up: from jewelry and altered art to Blythe doll clothing and furniture and publications for the collector. Even if I don't feel like shopping yet (when did summer end?), I always feel like selling!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Miss Vicky's Fall Workshops: Fun at the Funny Pharm in California

My good friend, the inimitable Miss Vicky Breslin wants to help west coast crafters get their holiday projects done early, while holding to the "Handmade Pledge." So, she is offering a series of great workshops at her shop in Colfax, CA in her historic apothecary building, and in her home location, the gold-rush town of Dutch Flat, CA.


Her 'No Frill Fall Workshops' will be Nov. 18 -23, (Tuesday through Sunday), 9am-9pm at The Funny Pharm, 30 North Main Street, Colfax, CA and 32770 Main Street, Dutch Flat, CA. You can even stay for the week! Sleeping Arrangements: Tues, Wed or Thursday at the Dutch Flat Hotel next door to workshops.

Rooms are based on 2 people in a room 50.00 per night or 5 people in a room, 30.00 per night. Please call Vicky directly to book the rooms at 530 389-2233, or 530 220-4103. To keep the expenses down there will be a potluck breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dessert too!

No frill Class fees: $10.00 per class plus supplies.

Card Making Class: Use a hand printing press. It works with the vintage wood type. You can make all of the holiday cards you wish & have a fun time doing it! Vicky will show you how to set the type.....the rest is up to you. Black ink will be provided. This will be available all days!

5 Minute Collage: Learn how the experts make such amazing collages for their background art projects. It is a very fun, fast moving and a surprising hour of fun. Available every morning at 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Soldering Class: Vicky will bring a soldering iron & all supplies needed to make all kinds of glass hanging stuff!Like houses, ornaments, ovals, rectangle & squares.You can use your 5 minute collage paper too. Every day at 10:30 p.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Gift tags: Using Glimmer Mists & Stencils we will make tags that will dazzle. You can monogram them with the printer!Every day 12:30p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Altered Silverware: This is the most creative silverware possible. You can make a hanging piece of silverware, a rack for the kitchen, place card holder, pin or necklace.
Every day 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Image Transfer: Learn how to use the new Golden digital grounds to copy all kinds of images to all forms of materials. Paper, fabric, foil, gel skins, acetate etc. Every day 4:00 p.m. to 5:00p.m.

Image Transfer BookMake: a cloth book using the fabric transfers made in the image transfer class. 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday.

Chart Your Path: Paint on a piece of wood. Learn how to measure it out & make compartments to house all kinds of ephemeraThis is a very fun class to do on a cutting board.5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday

Game Board: Make a game board using your family photos. We will use scrabble letters to spell out family names. You will need a vintage game board for this project. 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday

Convex Glass: Use our vintage convex glass to house a fun moveable art piece.You can make it on a card. canvas or whatever your heart desires. These are all very old pieces. Learn how to drill holes in them and screw them into your piece. Friday 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Bracelet: Everyone loves the button stacking class! Vicky will teach you how to stack & add beads. We will then turn our pieces into a fabulous bracelet. Friday 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Resin Jewelry: Make fun jewelry out of resin. We will make a few charms & turn them into a fabulous necklace or a charm bracelet.Saturday 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Frozen Charlotta Jewelry: Using these very vintage dolls we will make a very unique piece of jewelry! Give her wings or a saltshaker hat. Guaranteed beauty.Sunday 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Cupcakes: Crochet the icing & then add a vintage flower to the top made out of vintage sheet musicSunday 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Wire Working: Using rebar you will create rustic looking ways to enhance old bottles. They make great hanging candle lightsTuesday. Wednesday and Thursday 11:00 to 1:00 p.m.

Initial Photo Necklace or Magnet: Make a fabulous initial & back it with a darling vintage hand tinted photo. Then solder it for the amazing finish. These make the most charming gifts. Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 2:00 p.m. to 4:00

Crown Making: Using cardstock we will make the most amusing crowns. We will add vintage jewels to bedazzle them. Tuesday 11:00 to 1:00 p.mSo let's have some fun & get our holidays started.

Remember to take the handmade pledge!

Please make your reservations now: Miss Vicky 530 389 2233 or email vicky@cut-it-up.com .
You will be given class supplies list when you register!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

'By the Sea' Treasures from Art & Soul









I felt like a kid on Halloween night, dumping out all of my treasures from Art & Soul Portland; arranging, rearranging, mentally cataloging and slowly putting away all that I had collected in the way of supplies, trades, purchases and finished art.
It is tradition to bring small pieces of art to swap, such as charms and artist trading cards. Charms were very popular since many A&S attendees belong to a group called Charmsters, including my hostess Michelle. I swapped enough charms to make an entire bracelet, nicely full of handmade goodness (top). A few extra charms from Michelle made their way into my pile of goodies during our 1:1 swap (second photo). I also received two lovely 4 x 4 fat book pages from her for my 2008 book. The other pics/piles are more swap receipts, ephemera collected, class supplies, purchases from the on-site store, Collage, and vintage finds from around Portland.
The bottom three photos are my background papers completed in Traci Bautista's Doodling & Letters class. The will now be cut up for ATC or other backgrounds.