Mixed Mania

This week I could be three places at one time-SAFF, Southern Highland Guild Craft Fair and Nice Threads, with a bit of sleep and eating thrown in when there is time. And I got invited to hang out with Matthew Fox a long time mentor, so there goes prep time.

This weeks Created Byhand Theme is "Witches/Circle die cuts".
I eat candy for the wrappers(if you believe that one I have a nice bridge I can sell you). Hence the moon cut with SpellbindersClassic circle Nesties. The stars are your basic stickers.
Three Witches continues in the Wicked series and I love this Stitch Witch from Kaspareks and if you are in Black Mountain at Nice Threads. We have a great selection of Julie's fiber themed rubber. Please come check them out and I can special order for you-as well as Quietfire rubber.

This week two lucky Created By Hand Challenge participants will each receive one of the stamps from the new Quietfire Wicked set. Names will be randomly chosen and posted with the Sampler!  Happy creating!

The background, bats and trees are cutouts from napkins I saved from a cocktail party. I go to parties for the napkins. Right!
Shout out to Kayla for the swivel craft knife.
I may be MIA for a week or so here, as I am traveling to spend time with my family.
Many Moons ago I overheard a conversation with my daughter and her Dad.
'You better be good', he said, 'Or Mom will turn you into a frog.'
'Mom can't do that,'  she said, 'all she can do is help people'.
I can't wait to see her and her brothers and everyone else I am too far away from.
Thanks for looking, your comments, the candy wrappers you send and for posting your own entries isn the challenge.

Amanda's Tallit

Infold me oh God
In Your holy robe of Light
Woven through Your Grace and Power
Shelter me from fear and night.
That others may come
See and touch Your robe of Light
You who danced with Miriam.
You who leap in Mary's womb.
Come, come and be healed.

Peace, love and blessings in every thread in every stitch.
Shalom to you Amanda.

Thanks Marissa for modeling!

Love Isn't Love till You Give it Away

This weeks Created Byhand Challenge theme is, Candy/Pennant dies. What does that have to do with Love?
This card took about 3 hours, including, phone calls, staring at the mountains, ripping and swearing, connecting a friends Mac to the internet.
Some might say, "Who would spend 3 hours on a card 2 1/2"x 3 1/2" ? Not only would I, and I can't do anything else.
This past week I  spent time looking at some great painting by Rembrandt, Chagall, Van Gogh and the participants in my Arts and Sabbath Retreat.
Looking at each art work, everyone asks, "How long does it take you?"
"On  a good day", I reply," just the right amount of time". On a bad day it takes a little longer".

When something wants to come out, time is beside the point. I love to create, take things and make something new out of them, and make things that speak to me and in the universal  language of art, speak to others. Maybe inspire them to create and think in a new way.

The stamps are all from the Wicked collection. I stamped with my new favorite VersaFine ink color, Smokey Grey  and thermal embossed  clear. Colored the card with the new fall Distress Inks and stamped the background words with the 12 Days of Halloween.
The die is the smallest of the Spellbinders pennant . I attached them with a brad-they move so you can fit them into the ATC sleeve and put a candy kiss on top with Liquid Accents.

Art is made to be given away, and what you give away ends up being more.

Thanks for your comments and posting your own entries.

Anatomy of an ATC

Lots of cards start with an idea or a theme-this one from the Masks theme at Created Byhand Tuesday Challenge. I'm enjoying spotlighting the new Wicked Rubber from Quietfire, and wanted to use this mask quote.As you can see below- it took many tries before I got to this finished piece. When ever I learn a  new technique, or want to try out a new idea I often will make several 'dummies' before I even get to a finished design idea. I hope this will inspire y'all to create and to enter the challenge. Just do it and keep on messing about till you get something you like- even if you don't like it- someone will-trade it- or put it away and take it out  a year later- you might be surprised. Leave me a comment if you need more sspecific instructions for this card. I'm leading an arts and sabbath retreat this week and pressed for time( my sabbath comes next week!)

 Thanks for your comments.

Credit where Credit is Due

Suzanne Cannon, the artist and entrepreneur behind Quietfire design is in the spotlight in a feature article in the latest issue of Scrapbooking.Com.
Read all about it here
and see the Video here
Kudo's to Suzanne for a great article , Judy for writing it and for all of us for going directly to Quietfire to get the latest and greatest in hand lettered stamps.