Hang On!

Okay, this is weird. I just finished posting about the earthquake tremors this morning and now I have felt, what could be nothing else, but an aftershock or another smaller tremor. I am up in my studio. The wind is blowing fiercely outside today, but although the house will creak and groan against the force of the wind, it doesn't normally "wobble" so my bookcase rocks and rattles the tins, books and bottles of ink. Wow! Not scary, just makes me go "hmmm, that was weird".

A Whole Lotta ShaKin'

You must have heard on the news, this morning about the midwestern earthquake that hit at 4:37 this a.m.? They have reports of it (originated in southeast Illinois) being felt as far away as Chicago. I am close to Kansas City, MO and felt it! I woke up just past 4:30 this morning, trembling violently in bed and thought it was just me. I didn't hear rattling or anything, like the house was shaking, and I listened for the train that goes through our town and didn't hear it and it doesn't shake the house that hard anyway. So, frankly I was relieved to hear later on the news that there was an earthquake. I feared it was personal issues (although I wasn't having a nightmare when I woke up). I have only experienced earth tremors one other time in my life and that was on vacation in CA about 9 years ago. That one was a split second compared to this tremor which was much longer. They say it measured 5.6 on the rictor scale. Did you feel the earth move?

Hostess Gifts

I HAVE to share these wonderful treasures sent to me along with ATCs for the women's swap I am hostessing (and about to swap out and mail). The Asian themed booklet is a Post-It note holder and the art doll was created by Cindy Ericsson from recycled materials- fabric scrap, paper towel, dryer sheets, hymnal page, tea envelopes and buttons (she said in honor of my status as the Recycling Queen to which I knighted her with the title Dumpster Diving Dame.) I don't host swaps expecting to receive hostess gifts, but sometimes I get some amazing ones! A very special kind of RAK.

Hip Christianity

As I promised- no inchies today! heehee Today it's women's ATCs for the swap I am hosting for Christian Paper Artists. I love working with sepia toned photos, but you might be surprised to know that I also have a campy side (or maybe you are NOT surprised ;)). I love the patterns and fashion lines from the '60s and '70s. Maybe because design was so clean and graphic and rick rack was in vogue- along with pom poms! So here I took two fashion models from a dress pattern envelope to illustrate two of the beautitudes ("blessed are they..."). The legs didn't get tossed, but were used to illustrate "how beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news" (Isaiah 52:7). Don't you love the winged feet? I got the wing charms on ebay a few weeks ago, in three sizes. These are the smallest.

It was so much fun to design with the dress pattern models that I may just do more general ATCs , to have on hand for spontaneous swapping or use the images in my art journal. Love those twiggy models with the smooth flowing lines. They make even a house coat look good!

The Dog and Butterfly

YES! MORE INCHIES! Linda is hosting a dog inchie swap and a butterfly & bugs swap. I am sending them in at the same time since they are going to the same hostess. I promise that my next post will NOT be about inchies. :)

More Inchies

I was going to write a note to a friend who I like to create cards for (she is a close family friend and a crafter), but had nothing handy so pulled out my latest inchie acquisitions for inspiration. Before I knew it I had created two cards and stamped a tiny envelope (above) to hold inchies. I have yet to write a card out. heehee Just a couple of design explainations... the colored squares (below) were punched out from paint color chips and the tree picture was from a Cherry Republic card. Not a "springy" card, but I could not resist adding birds to the composition. I will probably send it on to my friend in Michigan where winter lingers a little longer.

Birds on the Brain

You know what's cool about blogging? You meet such neat people that you wouldn't meet otherwise. I googled "Birdie Inchies" because I wanted to test what Linda told me- that my blog post on my birdie inchies came up when googled. All that to say that I also discovered Joanne's birdie inchies in the same search and that's how I came about making more, because she kindly invited me to join her birdie swap (once I introduced myself and blabbered on about birdie inchies- lol). I created the card above from one of those I made for her swap, forgetting to photograph the whole lot before I mailed them [smacking forehead]. I am really getting into inchies, like Linda, only she is the Inchie Queen (just recently she was hosting 3 swaps simultaneously!) Try some! Quick to create, fun to swap and easy to design with! It's easy to whip up a card or an ATC if you have some mini collages handy to start with.