Monday, March 24, 2008

Alpha Stamps/Tallulah's Swap update & PRIZES!

All of the Tallulah's swaps I expected to see made it here on time, by the 22nd. In fact, I had such a huge avalanche of packages that came in on the final 2 days (12 packages!!) that it took me until this afternoon to get everything uploaded onto the swaps blog. Once that was done, I knew I had to make my final decision on a first prize winner for the most creative artwork in the Alpha Stamps/Tallulah's card swap. Oh my. This was a very difficult decision for me this time as there were so many exceptional pieces. So I asked my husband Steven to help me, as I laid out the swap pieces on our dining room table!

Drum roll . . . . The first prize goes to Michele Witchell!
I loved all the elements Michele used - rub ons, beads, mica chips, the words she printed out, glitter, trims, dresden . . . Michele's postcards are truly different & unusual. I think she used the Alpha Stamp images very creatively in conjunction with the vintage postcards she chose. You can see all of Michele's postcards in this earlier post.

The first prize Michele has won is a Tote bag from Alpha Stamps, designed by Design Team Coordinator, Bella Ayers. The words might be too small for you to read, but on the tote bag it says, "One way or another, she would have her wings."
I will send this bag out to Michele with her swaps. ALL of the participants in this Alpha Stamps sponsored swap are receiving a special gift collage sheet from Alpha Stamps, see below:

There were so many outstanding pieces, I could not help but award another prize! I am awarding Terrie Lightfoot the second prize for the most creative artwork in the Alpha Stamps/Tallulah's card swap and sending her a prize pack of my own stash of collage bits. Terrie created beautifully executed and creative cards using feathers, papers, trim, die cuts . . . and 2 of her swap pieces are fabulous shaker cards, see below -click on them for more detail.
You can view all of Terrie's cards for the swap here.

Congratulations to both Terrie & Michele for their outstanding artwork!

Thank you all for participating and making this a great swap! I will get to work swapping & packaging tomorrow. With any luck I should be mailing out to you on Wednesday?
I will let you know when they have flown. My dad had sugery today for the tumor and is doing well, considering. My mom sounded tired, but fine. There is more surgery ahead for my dad, down the road, but he is definitely hanging in there. I wanted you to know this & I wanted to thank you for your thoughts & prayers . . . . they are very appreciated.

Yours creatively, lenna

Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Vicky Martindale

WOW! This is my last upload for the Tallulah's swap -- ALL of the packages arrived by the deadline (3/22) and in fact, 12 packages arrived between Friday & Saturday, yikes! It took me a while to scan them & get them up here.

This last upload is from Vicky Martindale in Sterling Heights, MI. Vicky has participated in MANY of my art swaps. I know she was a participant at least 4 years ago when I hosted a number of swaps - not through this blog. Some of them are still up on my website if you'd like to look. The art is inspiring.

Vicky has sent in 6 delicious postcards for our swap using Alpha Stamps/Tallulah's images from the 20 Beauties sheet. I like the square shape of these images. Vicky has added a very fine netting over the images and it's really delightful.
Thank you, Vicky!!!

Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Peggy Gato

From Peggy Gato in Alamo, CA we have 5 flowery postcards using images from the Tallulah's KISSES sheet and the Pierrot image sheet.



Peggy's cards have dimensional elements (click on any picture to see it closer) and are very colorful & fun. Thanks, Peggy!












Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Michele Witchell

From Michele Witchell in Appleton, WI we have 6 very beautiful altered old postcards. Please click on any of the images for more detail!

Michele relied on the Lina Cavalieri Tallulah's image sheet from Alpha Stamps to create her cards. She added glitter, mica chips, dresden paper scrap, paper & fabric flowers, words, stamping & rub-ons (i think!). WOW. These cards are very beautiful, thanks for participating and creating such lovely pieces, Michele.












Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Nicole Ingegneri

From Nicole Ingegneri in Springfield, VA I have received 5 flat fabric cards and an extra fabric piece for me - thank you! Nicole used fabric images from Paris Showgirls #1 and added feathers, stars and beads. She also cut out an audience for the showgirls in a black sillouette. Click on any scan to see it closer.

Like a lot of swap participants, Nicole wrote to me feeling unsure of her work . . . would the other participants like it?? Should she send them?
I assured her not to worry! I love the feathers Nicole added and the colorful showgirl images against the black & white fabric. Great job, Nicole!













Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Lolly Busey

From Lolly Busey in Manassas, VA -a total of 6 lovely postcards have come in for our Alpha Stamps Tallulah's swap; so there is an extra card for Alpha Stamps and an extra one for me - thank you!

Lolly created her cards in a color scheme of pink & brown using images from the Drama Queens sheet. She has added some wonderful quotes with her images like, "Ambition and love are the wings to great deeds."
Very nice work! Thanks for participating, Lolly. As always, you can click on the scan to see more detail.







Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Linda Schultz

From Linda Schultz in Mechanicsburg, PA we have received 5 beautiful folded cards based on collage images from the Modern Romance Tallulah's sheet. Linda used textured paper, scrapbook words, and transparencies over the collage images. Enjoy!







Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Linda Garcia

From Linda Garcia in Abq, NM we have received 6 unusual, textured postcards with all kinds of added elements like fish, small shells & rocks. Linda used images from the Tallulah's Bathing Beauties collage sheet, available at Alpha Stamps. Her postcard base is a sheet of sea blue foam, to which she added the images, elements and rubber stamping, wow!

She has added a couple of great quotes printed on Vellum to her postcards:

"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few and they are more beautiful if they are few." -Anne Morrow Lindbergh

"The sea does not reward those who are to anxious, too greedy or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea." -Anne Morrow Lindbergh

~Thank you, Linda for participating. You can get a closer look if you click on the smaller images.




Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Leslie Hanson

Leslie Hanson, who hails from Portland, OR sent in TWO sets of 5 cards, plus 2 extra cards for Alpha Stamps' owner Leslie Elledge & myself. Thanks so much, Leslie!! As you can see below, Leslie H's cards are beautifully put together. I am impressed with her artwork and her style!
Click on any scan for more detail. Leslie used images from Drama Queens, Paris Showgirls #1 and #2 and also, Women with Wings. The green leaf ribbon is also available at Alpha Stamps and one of my favorites!





Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Joan Hoffman

From Joan Hoffman in North Beach, MD we have received 6 beautifully stitched fabric postcards. Joan used images from the Tallulah's sheet, Cleo #1 available at Alpha Stamps. I am not sure if Joan was working with a fabric sheet or if she copied the papre images onto fabric herself for this project. However she accomplished this, her postcards are great! Thanks, Joanie.













Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Cynthia Zdanzukas


Look at what we have received from Cynthia Zdanzukas in Waterbury, CT!
Click on any scan for a more detailed picture.

I love the old postcards that Cynthia used to create her Tallulah's postcards with. She used images from the Kisses sheet available at Alpha Stamps, and created her own text to go along with the images. Cynthia also used feathers, sequins and other embellishments to complete her cards -Wonderful!







Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Cynthia May



From Cynthia May in Claremont, CA we have 5 natural looking cards created with images from the Tallulah's 'Women with Wings' collage sheet available at Alpha Stamps. Thanks, Cynthia!






Sunday, March 23, 2008

Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Cathy Johnson

From Irving, Texas, Cathy Johnson sent in 5 beautiful Tallulah's postcards for our swap using paper images from the 20 Beauties sheet and Paris Showgirls #1 - available at Alpha Stamps. She also used Alpha Stamps' Dresden paper scrap & victorian fans. Cathy does a lot of fabric art including quilting and told me she thought she was going to make fabric postcards, but she had such fun creating paper postcards she made them all out of paper! You can read more on Cathy's own blog, Altered Fabrications - Thanks for participating Cathy, and thank you so much for the unexpected treat of the pretty lime green & pink fabric!




Thursday, March 20, 2008

Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Katherine DeCarlo

From Katherine DeCarlo in Niagra Falls, NY we have some awesome additionsto our Alpha Stamps Tallulah's card/postcard swap. Katherine used transparency images from the Women with Wings sheet and Cleo #1, all available at Alpha Stamps. I love all the curly-Q's, postage stamps, flowers & paper bits you added, Katherine. Thanks for participating!




Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Nicole Austin

From San Jose CA, Nicole Austin sends us beautiful Tallulah's postcards using images from the 20 Beauties collage sheet. The ribbons and fibers left hanging are such a nice effect. Thanks too for the collage goodies!! Saturday (3/22) is the deadline and I will soon get to swap these out!






Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Cynthia Weed

From Cynthia Weed ~way out West in Wyoming! Look at hese gorgeous postcards - click on any photo for more detail . . . I had to scan both the fronts AND the backs!




Thank you so much Cynthia . . . now how many swaps of mine have you participated in?? A LOT! You always amaze me with your creative ideas -so refreshing! Also, many thanks for always sneaking in wonderful hostess gifties for me to use in my art. Much apppreciated!


Monday, March 17, 2008

Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Terrie Lightfoot

Terrie Lightfoot's artwork has always impressed me (she hosts a yahoo group that I am a member of), and her cards for this swap are no exception to that rule! Click on this scan for a better look!

Above are 2 "shaker cards" Terrie created with images from Paris Showgirls #1. I think I could describe Shaker cards as a layered card with small windows covered with clear accetate. Before covering the window with accetate, you place your image inside along with something to shake (glitter, small charms, sequins). Very fun and in this case, beautiful!!


Terrie also created 3 flat postcards -- Very wonderful cards, Terrie - so beautiful!


Thank you for participating Terrie, even when I know you are so busy!



Alpha Stamp/Tallulah's Swap: Carol Stocker

Carol Stocker from Omaha, NE has created a number of gorgeous fabric postcards for our Alpha Stamps Tallulah's swap, wow!!


Carol was very busy and creative and made 6 cards with images from Paris Showgirls #1. She made one extra fabric postcard for me to send to Leslie Elledge, the owner of Alpha Stamps (the orange one, above) and she also created another extra one, so I could choose one for myself. Thanks so much, Carol!!

Oh! Take a look at these wonderful fabric cards; click on any scan for more detail and the picture will open much larger in a new window. I love the way Carol has "captured" things under netting!!





Way to go, carol! Awesome fabric postcards : )