Busy girls are happy girls

I have a rubber stamp that says "time flies whether you're having fun or not", and I tell you, I'm having fun.  I know I've been away a very long time, but I'm back now like a woman on a mission.  Let's start with a few photos of recent endeavors.

My local stamp club had a challenge to make a mini book with no theme or guidelines, but plenty of time to think & plan, and then create.  But if you know me at all, you know I don't work that way.  Instead I carry on with life until the deadline arrives.  So the day before the meeting I went to work. 

I'd gotten new papers from 7 Gypsies after January's CHA Show, so I wanted to include those.  And Tim had given me a set of the new Ranger Distress Stains to try on my wooden bangles & beads, so I knew those had to be used.  And then I went for my stash of saved toilet tissue rolls!

First, I flattened them with my hand, then brayered the edges with a wooden brayer sold at Home Depot for wallpaper seams.  Worked beautifully on the cardboard tubes!

I used the Stains to color the ends of the tubes that I planned to leave exposed, and they took the colors beautifully.  Next I cut my papers, wrapped them around the tubes and creased them, removed them to add adhesive, and then adhered them.

The tags are a combination of inked and collaged mini works of art.  I used my Bind-It-All to create the book, added my ribbons to the tags and collaged the wrapped tubes. 

The final step was to add wired ribbon as my closure.  Best of all, because it has the wire to hold the shape, I can slip it off to open the book and then slide it right back on without ever untying the bow. 

I'll be back later to show you a few more things I'm working on these days.  I'm teaching 3 classes at Stampfest-Orlando in June so guinea pig classes are about to take place in the studio.

But this week I'm working on samples for my Stampaway classes in August.  I designed an 8" house with a frame on the front to display small works of art.  But because its 3D, I have all those sides & the roof screaming for creativity.    I've got 3 of them that are all totally different but totally fabulous.  Check back on Friday to see those!