Altered Index Cards

I finally finished my altered index dividers for the Altered Card swap over at Penney-Jane. I am hostessing this swap which is due in the next couple of weeks. The index dividers were an ugly faded orange so I swiped paint over them as a base layer, then painted white through sequin waste, stenciled green, added odd rub-ons, glued on a piece of resin paper from either Charlie and the Chocolate Factory pages or Lemony Snicket pages, then stamped text over the entire card. I layered white and black duck tape and silver tape over the back. The three shown are the ones made for me (7), Jane (23), and April (14).

Play Date with Miranda

Yesterday I kidnapped Miranda to spend the afternoon with me sans her boys. We ate at Castillo's, a hole-in-the-wall Mexican food place around the corner. Then we shopped at the thrift store. I found tons of lace to dye and some wooden thread spools, Miranda found some VHS movies for her kiddos. Then I forced her to take my clothes, games, cards, etc. from my house! Ha ha! I am trying to lighten our load so that we don't take stuff we don't need in Virginia. Man, twisting her arm was hard work....... anyway, she raided my "stuff" to make a book in which she can write down the wacky and silly things her sons, Edan and Troy, say so she doesn't forget and then made another book for her student teacher.

and the finished product for her boys:

Both books turned out great! While Miranda was playing on the floor I worked on my Altered index dividers for the next Penney-Jane swap. I swiped paint yesterday and today colored the back with duck tape. Not quite finished, but getting there.

Sewing book cover and my sister's hat

I have been busy working on swaps and don't seem to remember to take pics before I send them off to the hostess! Duh! Anyway, here are a couple of projects using my dyed muslin as a base. Over at Penney-Jane Mixed Media our second swap is a Sewing Chunky Book. I made the covers and a page (60 items in all!). Took a picture of the cover, but failed to document the pages I made. I think I just get so tired of looking at 20 of the same thing that I ship them off without another thought. I probably should get better at taking those darned pics! I love, love, love sewing the "star flower" and try to put it on whatever I sew..........
the sewing book cover on tan fabric:

the back of a memo book I made for my sister who sends me really cool "stuff" she finds in odd places:

and here is my star flower again on the cover of her memo book:

in return for the good "stuff" she sends I sent my sister some royal blue dyed muslin to make an OR hat for work:

lookin' good! So, in answer to the age old question I hear a lot: "What are you going to do with IT?" I say.........sew a flower on it or send it to my sister! Ha!

Canvas Fun

Since I have this week off I have been working on several projects. Finishing up a swap due this week and working on the covers for another. But..........this is just for me! I dyed some canvas pink and then painted, stenciled, and generally doodled all over. The end product......well....I'm keeping that one close to my vest until it's finished.

Extreme Sale!

Over at Lowe's they have been clearancing their wallpaper. The last time I was there the large rolls were $3 and the small borders were $1 which is a good deal so I bought one of each and used the large roll for my Gold Swap pages. Our "upgraded" cabinets in the house decided to "downgrade" themselves to crap and the silverware drawer busted apart so off to Lowe's to get wood to fix it. NOW the wallpaper rolls are 25 cents each! Yes, only a quarter..........so I grabbed 5......yes, April I will share............the one on the left has dragonflies on it! Wahoo!

Charm Swap

I finally finished the many charms for a swap due by the middle of the month. I had a difficult time getting started over at Jane's this past Saturday, but finally got into the swing of things Sunday in between lesson plans and laundry. Top left charm is strictly beads with a Swarovski charm on top and a Swarovski flower near the bottom. Middle round charm is Monopoly money circle on a checker piece and beads. Top left is a paper bead with other beads woven around it. Lower left is a game piece with lampwork beads on top and bottom. Lower middle is a washer painted with alcohol ink and colored wire wrapped around. Lower right is a fabric bead with other beads and fibers sewn on (thanks for the inspiration Alma!).

Bunny Bread

Ok, so this post is TOTALLY RANDOM! I was making my umpteenth peanut butter and butter sandwich and after slicing my bread I noticed a bunny hiding in it! With an eye and everything!