new swap! Tag Book: Colorful Words

a small sample of 'colorful words' tags to give you an idea

2010 Tag Book swap: Colorful Words!
What to make: This is an 8 for 8 Tag swap. Please use any size tags with a hole, when participating in this swap. Various sizes are fine! Your tags do not have to be identical but of course they can be, if you prefer. The tags you make will become part of a colorful, inspiring ‘tag book’. I will put the artfully designed tags together for each participant and your return will be a completed tag book. Please add an extra tag, making 9 tags in total, if you would like one of your own tags in your tag book.

Color your tags with acrylic or watercolor paints, inks, crayons, various papers, colored pencils, pastels, paper napkins . . . use fabric to add color, or whatever else you can dream up! You must choose a single color for each tag. Of course there will be some other colors on your tag, but when you look at each finished tag you should see a dominate color, which can be any color of your choice. Your tags do not have to be all the same color. Images are welcome as well and any theme is okay. When you receive your tag book from me, there will be a mixture of colorful tags in different sizes, combined with words/phrases/poems and quotes.

A single word, a favorite quote, a song lyric or a poem (or a few lines) is required on each tag. Your tags can be made from fabric or paper/card stock by hand, or take a basic office shipping tag and attach fabric or paper to the store bought tag. Add yarn, trims and embellishments as you wish -or not. A variety of tag sizes, shapes and colors for the 8 tags is perfectly okay! Each tag can be different or the same, depending on how you like to work. You can decorate one side (adding color/words) and save the back for your information and the swap information, or you can decorate both sides of the tag; I will leave that up to you. PLEASE sign your tags! I will put the tags together and create a Tag Book for each participant including a cover for the book I make myself, and send it back to you promptly.

To register for the Tag Book swap: Use the ‘pay now’ PayPal button found on the sidebar of this blog, top right. The $7.50 fee to register for this swap is your non-refundable payment for registration, postage and handling, return mailing, organization, plus information and inspiration pertaining to the swap. PayPal is a free on-line bank service; find out more by clicking here. The registration fee covers all costs for return mailing both within the USA, and outside of the USA.
I love having International participants!

Your Tags are due IN my Mailbox no later than Saturday, June 12, 2010.
I reserve the right to return any late swaps received after 6/12/2010. You must allow 5 - 7 days mail time within the USA and 7 - 14 days outside of the USA. The mail is sometimes slow to Cortez, Florida and I cannot be responsible for that or wait for delayed mail. I will confirm your registration via email and include the swap information and my mailing address to send your swap art to. If the email you have listed with PayPal is different from and not the correct one for me to correspond with, please notify me directly. If you have sent me a PayPal registration and you have not received confirmation within 48 hours please email me directly. I hope you will have time to join me in this fun swap! Any questions, email me.
: ) yours creatively, lenna young andrews.

4x4 Roads+Paths swap!

First, a big congratulations to Val Cowan, from Scotland, UK! 

I have chosen Val for the most creative 4x4's in this swap! That means Val can enter the next creative swap of her choice for FREE! I did have a difficult time choosing a winner and even enlisted my husband's opinion . . . but Val's imagination and her work really dazzled me. Congratulations, Val!! Just let me know by email next time you want to do a creative swap -it's on me!

For a treat for everyone, I created an animoto video of our Roads & Paths swap with one piece from everyone in the swap included . . . I made 2 sets of 4x4 cards, so you will see my 4x4's on the video first, and also last!

I hope you enjoy this, you can view the slideshow video of the swap here.
I'm so tickled by the mix of fabric and paper produced for this swap, thank you all so much! lenna young andrews - april 24th, 2010

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Betty Lou Cassidy, New Jersey

Betty Lou's package came in today, just making the deadline, phew. She even sent her package Priority and it still took 3 days. The mail does seem to take its time arriving here in Cortez, FL. At least it is a little faster getting TO you; I will be swapping these 4x4's out soon and sending you your exchange pieces next week!

Take a look at the beautiful pieces Betty Lou put together; you can click on any one for more details.

Betty Lou wrote me that the words are a poem by Walt Whitman

The background path images are photos from a recent trip she took to Columbia via a cruise through the Panama canal!

Betty Lou tried painting Transparencies for the first time

Betty Lou is primarily a quilter who lectures & teaches workshops - her mixed media side really shines with these pieces!

Betty Lou, I am truly impressed! Thank you very much for the extra 4x4 for me (not required but appreciated!). This is Betty Lou's 7th swap with me, and I welcome her to participate in many more!
* Now, to try to choose a winner for the most creative in this swap. The lucky person will receive FREE registration to the next creative swap of their choice. I will be back with the winner! *

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Sabine Schneider, Germany

From Sabine Schneider in Germany, we have 4 lovely fabric 4x4's. Yay! The map that you see on all of Sabine's pieces feels like it is made of fabric, but I'm not sure? Sabine said she had a lot of fun making these and has lots more ideas now. She also wrote that the stitched words on the front, Gehe deinen Weg translates to: Take/Go your way. : ^ ) I love the little shoe!!

Thanks so much, Sabine. This is Sabine's 4th creative swap!

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Lisa Robinson, Alabama

From Lisa Robinson in Alabama: Roads & paths in various locations, put together very smartly with colorful trims and background papers. I really love how you have put these together Lisa and I am glad to see you participating in another swap! Take a look -you can click on the scan for more detail if you wish!

wow! 

The embellishments are perfect here

This path is very inviting i think . . .

The colors on this one are delicious!

Even the back of Lisa's 4x4's look great!

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Sharon Walworth, Rhode Island

I received TWO packages today, how lovely for me! Gosh, I will ride my bike to the post office anytime for that treat!
The first set here is from Sharon Walworth who has participated in many of my swaps. I just looked and realized it's her 10th creative swap!! Sharon created beautiful fabric 4x4's, accented with buttons & trims. Below are all four of them -

Here is a close up of one style house -click for more details . . .

The back of sharon's 4x4's

Another style house - I love the mix of paper & fabric!

An ATC for me in the same style!
Thank  you so much Sharon! I am very happy to have your art as part if this swap.
Two more days to receive the rest and my fingers are crossed!

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Valerie Cowan, Scotland UK

I just can't get over these beautiful fabric 4x4's sent in by Valerie Cowan from Scotland . . . I am in awe!!

Here is the back -click on any photo for more details.

This one is my favorite!

so beautifully done!

Val Cowan, Scotland

Thank you so much Val. I think your contribution to our roads + paths swap is so very exquisite!

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Lynda Roddy Ozzauto, Illinois

There is only a week left to get your swaps to me! yesterday I received a package from Lynda Roddy Ozzauto. I rode my bike to the post office, equipped with a backpack for any possible packages . . . and hooray! Another package (Lynda's) was waiting for me. It will not be long before I swap them back to  you.

Here is what Lynda did, below. I absolutely love her use of maps! Great 4x4's!

Thank you, Lynda!! i am looking forward to the rest of the packages this week -Saturday is the deadline. Please let me know if you cannot make that deadline, thanks!

creative swaps update

Here's my swap bag, almost completely filled with your envelopes of 4x4's for the swap. See a few envelopes peeking out of the top?

I have eight more packages to come in and I know of at least 2 that have already been mailed. That means there's about one week left to get those swaps into my hands, with a due date of April 24th! I can't wait to have them all here and then swap them out. 

Shortly after I send the returns out, I will announce a new swap with a due date of early to mid June. I have not completely decided what the medium or the theme will be -Yes, I have some ideas, but it is not totally firmed up. *IF you have an idea of what you'd love to make: ATCs, quilties, inchies, twinchies, or another shape or size -- OR if you have a theme you are hankering to work on, PLEASE leave me a comment on this post! I will take all ideas into consideration. I have something brewing if I don't get any responses, but here is your chance to say what you want!!

In mid to late June, I will be announcing a swap due at the end of August that will be hosted in conjunction with Alpha Stamps. This will be a 4x6 Postcard swap (fabric, paper or both) with a Vintage garden variety theme. Alpha Stamps will have some wonderful things for you to work with and it will be awesome! I have hosted a number of swaps with Alpha Stamps previously and the supplies are always so inspiring. You need to work with Alpha Stamps products for these sponsored swaps but Leslie always gives gifts to all participants. Here's a link to the Alpha Stamps Grimm Fairy Tales Collage swap we did in 2008 to give you an idea. 

So that is my update on the swaps! On a personal note, an update about my dad as i know many of you wonder . . . . the pet scan results he got the other day show his Liver is pretty clear of cancer right now. Phew, because that treatment really takes a toll on him. He gets to be off of chemotherapy for a couple of weeks now, hooray! thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. xo lenna

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Margriet van Tol, The Netherlands

Another package of 4x4's has arrived, this one from the lovely Margriet van Tol in the Netherlands. I feel so very lucky that we have such an International group; just look to your right and see the list of participants for this swap! Here is what Margriet created for our theme:

Margriet van Tol

 Margriet has done a very layered paper collage (my favorite kind) and then added rubber stamping, I think?

Thank you, Margriet!
Visit Margriet's web site HERE

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Annicka Greborn Holmqvist - Sweden

 From Annicka Greborn Holmqvist in Sweden, we have received four outstanding fabric collaged 4x4's on the theme of Roads + paths.

Annicka Greborn Holmqvist -Sweden

 Annicka has used many layers, including cheesecloth and netting to create a representation of the snowy roads she experienced in Sweden this year. And who is traveling on that snowy road? A Red horse! She explains the significance of the horse on a tag that she hand painted and attached to each 4x4.

Annicka Greborn Holmqvist

Annicka Greborn Holmqvist -Sweden

Thanks so much for participating, Annicka and contributing beautiful fabric collages! To see more of Annicka's art, please visit her blog.

4x4 collage swap -Roads+Paths: Sharon Borsavage, Pennsylvania

Oh my! From my good friend in Pennsylvania, Sharon Borsavage, we have four very creative views of our theme, looking at roads and paths as journeys in life. I love Sharon's collage work and I am so happy she could join us in this exchange!

To see Sharon and I work together in 2 Altered Books, visit this set of photos. We have only just begun this personal exchange and I will be adding more pages there soon. Thank you, dear Sharon!