Friday, April 30, 2010

After Dark Lighthouse

Well, I have been holding back on this news, but I can't wait any longer!  Kevin from Stampscapes is going to be making idea cards with my name on them from the above lighthouse card.  When you order directly from him, including wholesale orders, you will receive my idea card in your order.

It is a "stampers" dream to have a company like Kevin's backing me and to be a designer for him.  This is so exciting and I am very honored!

I will be sure to post a copy of the card once I receive it.

Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Light, Rocks & Waves, Seaside Cove, Gulls, Cloud Cumulus, Milky Way, Sailboat, Spooky Branch
Paper:  Royal, Bazzill Sea Salt, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Night of Navy, Distressed Faded Jeans, Adirondack Eggplant, Aqua, Pool, Juniper, Basic Black, So Saffron
Accessories:  ColorBox Frost White applied to rocks and water
Techniques:  Sponging

Lakeside Cove - Loon in the Moonlight

Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Lakeside Cove Lg., Loon with Reflection, Reeds Lg.
Paper:  Night of Navy, Bordering Blue, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Bashful Blue, Adirondack Denim, Night of Navy, Distressed Black Soot
Accessories:  1" Circle Punch, Nesties Labels Eight (inside)
Techniques:  Sponging

Eruption

Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Island Mountain Lg., Fountain of Light, Tree Duo Lg., Cloud Cumulus
Paper:  Mars, Basic Black, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Distressed Black Soot, Apricot Appeal, Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Ruby Red, Bravo Burgundy, ColorBox Frost White
Accessories:  Stickles Christmas Red, Distressed Stickles Spice Marmalade
Techniques:  Sponging

Seaside Cove - Caribbean Sea

Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Seaside Cove, Ducks in Formation
Paper:  Blue, Bazzill Sea Salt, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Midnight Blue, Adirondack Cloudy Blue, Adirondack Sailboat Blue, Kaleidacolor Caribbean Sea, Adirondack Denim, Temping Turquoise, Not Quite Navy, Night of Navy, StazOn Black for Ducks
Accessories:  Silver Brads
Techniques:  Sponging

Lakeside Cabin - Peaceful Lake

Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Lakeside Cabin, Cloud Strips Small, Water Ripples Light
Paper:  Pistachio, Blue Bayou, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Bashful Blue, Blue Bayou, Wild Wasabi, Not Quite Navy, So Saffron Marker
Accessories:  Nesties Curved Rectangles
Techniques:  Sponging

Lakeside Cove - Stormy Night

Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Lakeside Cove & Cloud with Lightning
Paper:  Vintage Violet, Going Gray, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Pale Plum, Adirondack Purple Twilight, Adirondack Eggplant, Elegant Eggplant, Distressed Black Soot
Accessories:  Vintage Brads
Techniques:  Sponging

Lakeside Cove - Soothing Green Lake

Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Lakeside Cove & Water Ripples Light
Paper:  Gable Green, Handsome Hunter, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Kaleidacolor Fresh Greens Pad, Handsome Hunter around edges
Accessories:  1" Circle Punch for Sun
Techniques:  Sponging

Lakeside Cabin - Pomegranate



















Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Lakeside Cabin, Crane in Water, Reeds, Flock
Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Purely Pomegranate
Accessories:
Techniques:  Sponging

Night Wolf with Moon


Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Nature Silhouettes, Oak Branch & Cloud Rising Moon by Stampscapes
Paper:  Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink:  Adirondack Lake Mist, Adirondack Pebble, SU Basic Gray, StazOn Black
Accessories:  Distressing Tool
Techniques:  Sponging




Lakeside Cove - Milky Way


Card Recipe:
Stamps:  Stampscapes Lakeside Cove & Milky Way 
Paper:  Royal, Lovely Lilac, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Night of Navy, Distressed Faded Jeans, Distressed Worn Lipstick, Pixie Pink, Tempting Turquoise, Adirondack Eggplant
Accessories:  Perfect Pearls in Perfect Pearl used on sky (can't see in the scan)
Techniques:  Sponging 

Loon Lake















Card Recipe:
Stamps:  A Stamp in The Hand Co., Stampscapes Migrating Birds & Loon
Paper:  Night of Navy Textured, Bashful Blue, Glossy White
Ink:  StazOn Black, Bashful Blue, Bordering Blue, Night of Navy
Accessories:  Frost White Shimmer Paint
Techniques:  Sponging, Stylus Tool

Thursday, April 29, 2010

At the Lighthouse

Lighthouse Water View


Lighthouse Front View


Lighthouse with Tree


Passing Ship


Lighthouse River View


Olana

Pond at Olana


Tree Canopy


Fall Foliage


Hiking the Olana Trail


Front of Olana


Olana Gate


Bi-colored Leaves


Flowers at Olana


Armeria Dark Pink


Garden Ideas


Hildene in Manchester, Vermont


Prairie Gardens

Have you ever thought about creating a prairie garden? Prairie plants are among nature's most spectacular flowers and one of the best things about planting native plants is that they are extraordinarily hardy and easy to grow. All of these native plants will attract butterflies and birds to your garden. Perennials are a good investment; they come back year after year. I personally have each of these perennials in my gardens and they are top performers.

American Roots - Native Perennials

  • Bee Balm (Monarda)  Also know as bergamont, bee balm is a summer-blooming member of the mint family that's right at home in a border or a meadow setting. This intriguing perennial grows best in full sun but tolerates light shade.

  • Sneezeweed (Helenium Autumnale)  A backbone of the late-season garden, sneezeweed - erroneoously named since it blooms at the same time as ragweed - produces branching stems covered with fringed flowers in orange, yellow, and bronze. It performs well in a border and is great for clay soils.

  • Goldenrod (Solidago "Fireworks")  One outstanding selection of native North American wildflowers is Solidago "Fireworks" with its sensational display of vibrant golden flowers that seem to burst from the plant like skyrockets. It's wonderful for cottage gardens or for naturalizing.

More Prairie Friends ...

Check out these other gardenworthy native perennials for your landscape:

Little Bluestem Grass (Schizachyrium Scoparium)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckias)
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)
Purple Coneflower (Enchinacea)
Prairie Dropseed Grass (Sporobolus Heterolepis)

Gazebo 2008

Gazebo


Phlox


Peonies


Roses & Thyme






History of the ATC

Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) got their start in Zurich, Switzerland in about 1997 when M. Vanci Stirnemann exhibited approx. 1,200 cards he had produced at his gallery/bookstore. They then spread to Calgary (Canada) through an artist named, Don Mabie (a/k/a Chuck Stake), who had visited the Zurich exhibit. These 2 artists collaborated on an exhibition held in Calgary, Canada in 2000 with 80 artists from 10 different countries represented. It was called "The First International Biennial of Artist Trading Cards".

The size of ATC's must be 2 1/2" x 3 1/2". This is the standard size for trading cards (i.e. baseball & football trading cards, etc.) ATC's are traded and never sold. The artist should sign and date their cards, and number them if they are part of an edition. Contact information can also be included so other artists can get to know them and their work.