Alice in Wonderland ATC swap: Donna Butcher, California

Donna Butcher's ATCs were in my mailbox today - yay! Yes, it is really fun to receive all the swap art. : ) Donna had sent me an email when she mailed her ATCs to me, that said:

"I had a lot of fun with this one as I had never done any ATC's before. My Alice in Wonderland ATC's used the Alpha Stamps Tenniel's Alice and I Wonder collage sheets and the Alice Tea Party Clear Stamps.

I used the clear stamps in many ways from just stamping all or parts of them on the ATC's, to stamping them and using them on transparencies and shrink plastic. I tried lots of different things, from inks, watercolor pencils, oil sticks, embossing powders, and various other media. It was a lot of fun and experimenting as it was my first time doing ATC's. I learned a lot working on this size of project. Thanks for the challenge!

Hope your Dad is doing ok and that the test results were good news. Take care and thanks for all you do!
Donna"

Thank you Donna. You have done awesome! It is hard to believe these are your first ATCs. I love the rabbit and all the watch parts. Thanks for asking about my dad, too.

I am sorry if I forgot to mention it, but my dad was in the hospital for about a week for an infected gall bladder and heart problems related to this - because of the pain he was experiencing and the stress it put on his heart. My mom got him to the hospital just in time, it was very scary for the whole family. My dad is home again now, and when he saw his oncologist this week the test results confirmed that his liver cancer is in remission. This is just really amazing. So, there is still the gall bladder to contend with and it may have to come out (he was not a candidate for surgery at the time) but we are all very thankful and will take the future one day at a time. I appreciate so much all your thoughts, prayers & wishes for my family. I wrote a little more about this on my own blog . . . near the end of the 'studio time' post.

So, I will be with my mom & dad for the next few days - I am leaving early tomorrow and I don't think I can convince Steven to open the mail, scan & upload the swaps . . . . so please be patient until next weekend when I will be back and you will see many more ATCs for our Alpha Stamps Swap! All swaps are done in my hands a week from Tuesday - February 3, 2009.

Alice in Wonderland ATC swap: Shannon Sawyer, Arizona

From Shannon Sawyer in Gold Canyon, Arizona - we have some amazing ATCs. Click on any image for more detail . . . .

Shannon used the tea party clear stamp set , the Alice in Wonderland Collage sheets and stickers and the Dresden scrap available from Alpha Stamps. Wow, is all I can say! I think Shannon shows amazing creativity and variety in everything she does. A close-up of one is below, and I have added a couple more at the bottom of the post...

You can view ALL of the ATCs for this swap on the Alpha Stamps gallery page for the swap - enjoy!

Shannon also made me an incredible gift for hosting this swap. As I told her after I received it, it's amazing because I have even been thinking lately about journaling. Her gift is so apropos! Below are 2 photos what she sent me. Thank you again Shannon -it is beautiful.

I especially love the ATC on the far left : ^ ) -those ears!

Alice in Wonderland ATC swap: Kate North, Surrey, UK

Kate has sent in so many different and interesting "Alice" ATCs I'm finding it difficult to narrow down what I share with you! Kate has her own blog, Kate's Quilting . . . where you will find a post about these ATCs with a link to her flickr account for more pictures of the full set. In the meantime, indulge me here!





Kate's ATCs use the image sheets I Wonder, the Mad Hatter's Tea Party #1 and the Mad Hatter's Tea Party #2 -- all found at Alpha Stamps.

I was also delightfully surprised to receive the coolest little hostess gift from Kate . . . see the two photos below. Thank you so much Kate - you really made me smile!




The "drink me" bottle is filled with micro beads!! : )

Alice in Wonderland ATC swap: Lynda Roddy-Ozzauto, Illinois

Lynda Roddy-Ozzauto, from Illinois, has sent in her set of 9 ATCs featuring Alpha Stamps Alice in Wonderland images for our swap. I just love the ATC featured to the left! Lynda used the I Wonder sticker sheet in the background, which is one of my favorites. I am not sure, but it could be that Lynda fashioned Alice in the foreground herself? The image looks hand-drawn and I do not recognize it from the Alpha Stamps sheets.

Really lovely composition! Here are some more of Lynda's ATCs. Click on any one of them for more detail.

Besides the I Wonder sticker sheet, Lynda also used the I Wonder collage sheet, the Red Queen collage sheet and the Alice Tea Party clear stamp set. Wonderful!

Alice in Wonderland ATC swap: Frieda Oxenham, Scotland UK

One of my favorite artists and good friend, Frieda Oxenham in Scotland, has sent a wonderful set of 10 Alice in Wonderland ATCs for our swap. Her package arrived yesterday. Wow! Frieda has written all about how she made them, on her blog. They are most beautiful indeed! Frieda made an extra ATC for me, and I have chosen the one pictured here to keep. Thanks so much Frieda!!

Frieda uses a variety of Alpha Stamps products to create these ATCs as well as making a fabric paper background. You'll find Alpha Stamps Dresden scrap . . . Alice in Wonderland Collage sheets, a clear Alice Tea Party rubber stamp set is put to use, and the wonderful large rabbit seen on the ATC below is from an Alice in Wonderland Paper Doll set available through Alpha Stamps as well. That particular ATC is the one Frieda requests to be sent back with the 8 others she'll receive, and I don't blame her one bit! It is gorgeous.

Click on the scans for more detail and enjoy!

Thanks again, Frieda. I know how busy you are and so appreciate you could squeeze this swap in!

Alice in Wonderland ATC swap: Julie Coon, Florida

Another package has sailed into my mailbox for the Alpha Stamps Alice in Wonderland ATC swap. Thank you, Julie!

Julie kept the same design for all 9 of her ATCs, which is perfectly legal. I left it up to each participant whether they make ALL their ATCs the same, or a few of each design, or each ATC different from the next. Below you can see ALL of Julie's ATCs - click on any photo/scan for more detail . . .

Julie used the Alice Tea Party clear stamp set from Alpha Stamps, very cool.

Alice in Wonderland ATC swap: Darlene Kihne, South Dakota

I got the cutest email note from Darlene when she sent her Alice ATCs off to me . . .
I used Alpha Stamps "Alice in Wonderland" Dresden scraps and the clear stickers (Curiouser & Curiouser, down, down, down). I continue to "play" with: Paper, embossing powders, stamps, binding techniques, texture paint (new to me) and of course adding my favorite embellishments; fibers, beads, buttons, fabric and threads. What a pile of "mess" when I finished. I love adding the embellishments; the more the better! The Alpha Stamp scraps made this swap much easier for me. Thanks again for hosting a fun swap. Your time is appreciated!
Darlene

Well, your beautiful ATCs are appreciated, Darlene, thank you! I love how you used the Dresden scrap. Click on any picture for more detail . . .

Fabric Technique Swap - 12 x 12 (one for one)

Just a note to say I am very happy that my idea for a new fabric technique swap was so well received! There are 36 participants registered already. (edited 1/31) We have 22 from the USA signed up, 2 from Canada, 6 from the UK (2 from Scotland), 1 from Germany, 2 from the Netherlands and 3 from Sweden! I am very impressed at the International group we have and I am looking forward to doing this challenge with you. Thank you!

There are still a few spaces left if you would like to join us, and your 12" x 12" mini art quilt is not due in my hands until April 22, 2009! I think this will be a great swap.

Alice in Wonderland ATC swap: Carol Murphy, California

WoW! Carol Murphy's ATCs for our Alpha Stamps Alice in Wonderland ATC swap arrived (the first ones in besides mine) and they look so great! I have a scan of all of them in their plastic pocket page, here to the right. Click on it for more detail. Carol used images from an Alpha Stamps' sheet of her own design, Sweet Alice. These ATCs are so lovely! Lots of layering with German Scrap Borders, punchella, thread wrapping, with brads and little flowers; simply beautiful!

Thanks so much Carol for the time you took with these and the extra one for me. Awesome!

New Swap - Fabric Technique: 12x12

Happy 2009! A new Fabric Technique Swap – explore & recycle! Due April 22, 2009 :: This swap is FULL with 40 participants, March 2009

• General Notes: Registration for any Creative Swap includes a non-refundable payment for postage, handling and information/tutorials pertaining to the swap. Register for the swap via the appropriate PayPal ‘Pay Now’ button found on the blog sidebar. Your choice of PayPal buttons will depend upon which swap you are interested in and where you live; if I will be mailing your swaps to you within the USA, or outside of the USA. After you sign up by remitting payment, PayPal notifies me and you have registered for the swap! I will confirm your registration via email with the FULL swap details including the mailing info. Make sure that your email listed with PayPal is the correct one for me to use to correspond with you – and notify me if not – or I won’t be able to contact you! If you have sent payment via paypal and have not received confirmation within 48 hours (or if you have any questions) please Email me directly.


• The Fabric Technique swap is a little different because registering for the swap entitles you to an 11-page informational pdf packet of fabric techniques and instructions – sent to you via email. Registration for this swap is $12.00 for returns within the USA and $15.00 for returns mailed internationally. This fee includes postage, handling, paypal fees, and a large pdf document, full of fabric techniques, ideas, inspiration and instructions, with links to many more pages of information, as well as seeing all the swap art here on the blog! The pdf document includes fabric techniques I have developed myself, lots of links to sites I have researched, step-by-step instructions plus photos, all designed to be inspiration for this swap. I would consider this packet a ‘mini fabric technique lesson' powerful enough to stand on it’s own.
• Some of the subjects covered in the pdf are: Fabric Stamping, dyeing, distressing, embossing, recycling, embellishing fabric, fabric etching, fabric paper, paintstiks, ink jet printing on fabric, how to make quilties, and more! The packet itself is well worth the registration fee and if you have participated in my swaps before you know how great the swap artwork you receive in exchange is!
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Fabric Technique: 12x12 - Due April 22, 2009
Theme: Exploring Techniques and Recycling

:: This swap is FULL with 40 participants, March 2009 ::

Create one 12” x 12” mini quilt using any one of the following ideas, or multiple ideas! You will find more information in the pdf file I will be sending you. Add your own fabric techniques to your mini quilt and tell us about them. In exchange, you will receive one different 12” x 12” mini quilt made by one of our creative swap participants from around the world. Additionally, there will be a first prize for the most creative mini quilt – the prize is to be announced soon!

• Explore color and texture
• Explore what you have on hand and use it!
• Explore a new technique or two –check out the packet I sent
• Explore a larger fabric work (12x12 instead of 6x6)
• Explore using mixed media and found objects with fabric
• Explore rubber stamping on fabric
• Explore paintstiks and fabric
• Explore distressing fabric (I have some ideas for you!)
• Explore dyeing fabric for your mini quilt
• Explore embellishing with stitches or beading
• Explore making fabric paper –use up those scraps!
• Explore recycling old sweaters or un-finished projects
• Explore using old curtains or tablecloths as a base
• Explore embossing on fabric
• Explore nature Printing

  -- Please add any other ideas you have in the same vein to this list, and use one or more of them when creating your 12” x 12” mini quilt. You do not have to use recycled materials ONLY. Simply consider recycling for this project and try to use something you have on hand. If you wish to be included in the swap, your fabric piece must be in my hands by: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 – which is Earth Day : )) I hope you are inspired to join me!

Alpha Stamps Alice in Wonderland swap

Can you imagine that I have finished ALL of my Alice in Wonderland ATCs for the swap already?? Here is my 9-pocket holder with all of them tucked inside and ready to go. I really enjoyed working on these! I created 4 of them in October and just finished the last 5 over the past few days . . . .

I've written a post on HOW I made them and uploaded descriptions to my creative lenna blog -check it out there! You can click on this scan for more detail too. There is still room in this swap to join and the ATCs are due in my hands Feb. 3rd. You will find the registration and swap details to your right in the sidebar, just scroll down a bit.

happy creative new year!

Happy and creative new year!

~ from your swap hostess Lenna, shown here with my husband and animal family: Star, Chloe, Asia, Steven, and Farfel! I am not sure how, but we got this photo on the first take, just amazing!

We are sending our very best wishes to you for a wonderful and creative new year, sent to all my creative lenna blog readers and my swap participants. Thanks for being here!