Gothic ATC

Alcohol ink background, justjohanna bird and scroll, girl unknown.

This girl is praying because she __________.

Sunday night joke..

Look what I spotted while I was walking this afternoon! Threatening little fellow if I do say so myself...

Thanks, Helen for your submission!

Untitled VII

justjohanna rubber stamps + The Carry On

Put on your birthday hat!

Alcohol ink background paper with justjohanna images.

Have a great weekend!

They are for the birds..

A found soft pastels on super clearance at Joann’s last week. In fact, if you have a “supercenter” Joann’s near you, you will be pleasantly surprised to find a boat load of fine art supplies on super clearance. Sad, because the future of fine art supplies is up in the air until we figure out what they’re doing, but good for the time being as far as your wallet goes.

Anyway, this is the first time I have drawn anything in my life. It was fun! The cockatoo on the vertical paper is “Rikki”. Still alive today, I think we got him when I was around 12 or 13 years old. I like that drawing the best…I should be able to come up with a rudimentary drawing of a cockatoo considering how long I have been able to look at one up close and personal.

Glad I bought the pastels.

What are words for?

page three

Before anyone calls a psychiatrist, I would like to formally announce that I am not crazy. I can’t be crazy, because I sit here all day wondering if I am indeed crazy. Therefore, I am not possibly crazy, because if I was crazy, I would just be crazy and stop worrying about it.

Furthermore, this is not my Jack Nicholson “Shining” moment. This, my friends, is what happens when a song gets lodged in my brain. Case in point- “Words” by Missing Persons. Somehow, the chorus (correct lyrics or not) got stuck in my head last night. Pretty clever, if I do say so myself, the birds are flying overhead in ‘missing man formation’. Get it? Missing persons? I probably should stick to making things I don’t have to explain…..

Justjohanna rubber stamps; others unknown.

Night

page two

Here is the second page in my art book. I love the expression on the bird's face. He looks very concerned about something. I made the background with color wash and castaway ink. The tree and bird are on distress ink paper. 8x8".

Thank you for stopping by today!

justjohanna challenge / Wednesday Stamper

Check out justjohanna's blog for this cool background paper. You can print it our for ffreeeeeeeeeee! Anywho, she has a challenge to see how you use it. Here is a card I made for my mom. My mom rides a scooter around town, so this is appropriate. Just kidding. It's for my grandmother; she rides the scooter. Sigh..ok, neither of them ride scooters; I thought the banner was a cute idea flying behind the scooter.

Keeping in tune with double challenge cards- this one will also fit Wednesday Stampers "Frame" challenge!

justjohanna rubber stamps, homemade shimmer paper colored with distress ink + frayed burlap ink.

Coral

I fell in love with this coral stamp last week! I envisioned it as a white on white card, but my friend Tami posted a “red and white” challenge and Isa posted a faux resist challenge with distress inks, and voila! I was able to combine the two challenges. I love it when a plan comes together.

The image was stamped using Versamark and embossed with clear embossing powder. Once cool, I used my brayer to spread a very thin layer of Antique Linen ink with a lot of water all over the card. I sprayed it with my shimmer water for a subtle sheen and once it dried, I ironed off the embossing powder. I like the result very much! Thanks Isa and Tami for the challenges!

Hey! What's that sound?! It's 1989!

In 1989, as Luggage prepared to exit the most prestigious of academic institutions known as “Patrick Henry High”, the following songs topped the charts in the US:

"All She Wants Is" - Duran Duran
"Another Day in Paradise" - Phil Collins
"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" - Soul II Soul
"Lay Your Hands On Me" - Bon Jovi
"I'll Be There For You" - Bon Jovi
"Batdance" - Prince
"Beds Are Burning" - Midnight Oil
"Blame It on the Rain" - Milli Vanilli
"Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry
"Cherish" - Madonna
"Do You Believe in Shame?" - Duran Duran
"Don't Wanna Lose You" - Gloria Estefan
"Dr. Feelgood" - Mötley Crüe
"Drama!" - Erasure
"Eternal Flame" - The Bangles
"Every Beat of My Heart" - Taylor Dayne
"Express Yourself" - Madonna
"Funky Cold Medina" - Tone Lōc
"Hangin' Tough" - New Kids on the Block
"Like a Prayer" - Madonna
"Listen to Your Heart" - Roxette
"Lost in Your Eyes" - Debbie Gibson
"Love Shack"- The B-52's
"Me, Myself and I" - De La Soul
"Miss You Much" - Janet Jackson
"Orange Crush" - R.E.M
"Ride On Time" - Black Box
"Right Here Waiting" - Richard Marx
"Rock On" - Michael Damian
"Round & Round" - New Order
"She Drives Me Crazy" - Fine Young Cannibals
"Stand" - R.E.M.
"Straight Up" - Paula Abdul
"The Look" - Roxette
"Veronica" - Elvis Costello
"What I Am" - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
"We Didn't Start the Fire" - Billy Joel
"Wild Thing (Tone Lōc song)" - Tone Loc
"You Got It (The Right Stuff)" - New Kids on the Block

Boy! What a musical mess! Ok...your turn. Name your favorites and what were you doing in 1989?

Day

page one

This is the first page in my art book. It is an 8x8" project on cardstock. Once all of the pages are finished, I can bind them together using my zippomate or whatever it's called. I used Colorwash to color the background and stamped justjohanna images in frayed burlap and castaway ink. Once the images were in place, I gave the paper a nice coat of my shimmer wash.

Thank you for stopping by today!

PUBLISHED!

Check out page 19 of the May issue of "Vamp Stamp News". Yours truly has a card featured in full color!

A New Journey- Revealed

I am working on a new project and I can’t wait to show it to all of my readers. Someone asked me a few days ago (I think it was Jilly but I can’t remember) what I did with all of the cards I make. My answer is that they sit in a pile in the corner. Why? I don’t pass them out. Not very often, anyways. I like to go back and look at them sometimes. There are a lot of cards in my corner. A big box full.

I normally don’t put sentiments on my cards. Part of the reason is that I don’t have very many sentiment stamps; but the main reason is that I prefer a blank note card over a juiced up greeting card any day. There is something about a note card. Perhaps it’s the excitement to receive one when it is not your birthday or Christmas. Maybe it’s because they are like little pieces of art to be treasured in a special drawer. Then again, maybe it stems back to my love of fine stationary as a child. I didn’t have very much money, so the box of blank note cards gave me the most mileage. I can’t quite put my finger on it.

All of this led me to think: What more is there to stamping than making greeting cards that will never see the light of day?

There is art. A lot of possibilities. One day, I dream of a gallery opening. One day people can walk through and see things I made on a wall. One day when I am ready. Which leads me to today.

I have started an “art book” which I will refer to as “My art book”. It’s not a journal, because I don’t like talking about myself. It’s weird, but to me journaling seems very lonely. I am making 8x8” cardstock paintings to be bound into my art book. You can come over and flip through my art book without seeing “Get well soon” or “happy birthday” all over the place. You can enjoy the pages without noticing that I had a hair cut on that day in history. You can imagine whatever you want about each page.

I finished 2 pages today. I love working with this size format. I love that there are not the standard 4.25x5.5” limitations. I just love everything about it.

Artword: Woman

I'm bringing Sexy Back...

Time to revisit a Luggage classic today. This weeks's artword is "woman". Since I work mainly in birds, I could only think of one project. "Belle on Couch". She screams sexy!

images: justjohanna rubber stamps.

Sunday Night Joke

Tonight's joke courtesy of the offices of our friend Anna P. Cont:

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, just in front of him the light turned yellow. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.

The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects. He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School'bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. I assumed you had stolen the car."

Have a great week, everybody!

Saturday with the CCCC.

I spent the day yesterday with the Cat's Craft Cupboard Congregation in Escondido. We had a really great time! I was there for so many hours, but I can't explain why I only came home with one decent project. Well, I was able to make a ton of alcohol ink and distress ink backgrounds for my "pot". (I have a pot on my table with pre-made backgrounds should the occasion arise.) Here on the left are Johanna, Luggage, Jilly and Sue.

It's hard to craft and talk. Furthermore, it's hard to craft and concentrate when you are sitting in a stamp store. Look at all of the treasures! I had a terrible time keeping track of what I was doing with so much temptation! I am going to have a terrible time when Cat opens her shopping website! Mama's going to have to make something great to sell soon! Time is running out!

Here's the rest of the knuckleheads busy at work: Debbie Deb, Cat, Sue and Jilly. We almost came to fistacuffs when Jilly insisted that I did not know the serving portions of refried beans at the Mexican joint down the street. HALF PINT, Jilly! :) Downtown Escondido is very enjoyable. There are great shops on the main drag there that we frequent. An excellent fabric place, the Cottage and of course Cat's can keep you pretty busy. I really like it there! You can walk around with your hands covered in ink and no one will give you a second glance!

The remainder...

This is the remainder of the baker's dozen I made for my friend. Tempe or bust! All images: justjohanna rubber stamps.

Shimmer Tags

My infatuation with shimmer started in 1999. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in Chicago on business at the time the movie “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” was coming out. All of the fashion magazines were featuring girls with make-up resembling fairies. Essential to a fairy’s appearance? A soft, shimmery glow.

My cohorts and I scoured every make-up counter for the perfect product (you think I am obsessive with art supplies? You should have seen how I used to be while shopping for make-up!) to give ourselves that fresh glow. I can’t tell you how many dollars were wasted on bad shimmer. A lot of make-up ended up in the Luggage archives, only to be later thrown away. These days it’s easy to find a good shimmer.

Not so easy to find good shimmer in paper products though. So much of it is too glittery, which makes me think it looks like a grade school project. I was looking for the perfect subtle shimmer. Cut to the chase? How did I make these tags? Easy. A little bit of Perfect Pearls in a spray bottle. Simple as pie. Umm…pie. One photo with the flash to highlight the shimmer and one in natural light. I bent them a little on purpose to give them a worn look. Two of the tags are for my friend, so I matched them up with hand dyed ribbon.

All images: justjohanna rubber stamps. Holtz Distress Inks.

Baker's Dozen....almost

A 'non-paper friend' asked for cards and Luggage is answering the call! (I should take a break from the web log more often..I am fired up and ready to go today!) Dude, this is half of your new assortment.

Did Blogger help it's picture software? Something is different today...better. I can't quite put my finger on it...

images: justjohanna and impress

One day blog siesta.

Back by popular demand...

It's 80's Tuesday! Today's focus is 1980. Let's start with a look at the US #1 Singles:

"Please Don't Go" - KC & The Sunshine Band (1)
"Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" - Rupert Holmes (1)
"Rock with You" - Michael Jackson (4)
"Do That To Me One More Time" - The Captain & Tennille (1)
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" - Queen (4)
"Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" - Pink Floyd (4)
"Call Me" - Blondie (6), best selling single of the year
"Funkytown" - Lipps Inc (4)
"Coming Up (Live At Glasgow)" - Paul McCartney (3)
"It's Still Rock n' Roll To Me" - Billy Joel (2)
"Magic" - Olivia Newton-John (4)
"Sailing" - Christopher Cross (1)
"Upside Down" - Diana Ross (4)
"Another One Bites the Dust" - Queen (3)
"Woman in Love" - Barbra Streisand (3)
"Lady" - Kenny Rogers (6)
"(Just Like) Starting Over" - John Lennon (1)

Here's your 1980 Acadamy Awards:
Best Picture: Ordinary People - Wildwood, Paramount
Best Director: Robert Redford - Ordinary People
Best Actor: Robert De Niro - Raging Bull
Best Actress: Sissy Spacek - Coal Miner's Daughter
Best Supporting Actor: Timothy Hutton - Ordinary People
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Steenburgen - Melvin and Howard
Best Foreign Language Film: Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears (Москва Слезам Не Верит), directed by Vladimir Menshov, USSR

Do you remember the songs and movies of 1980? Luggage does. "Sailing" by Christopher Cross is one of my all time favorite songs. It reminds me of summer days every time I hear it. What about you?

I love cake.

Artword: Dinner

I don’t have an interesting story to go with this week’s entry; but I can tell you that if there is cake around, it would not be uncommon for me to eat it for dinner. Not dessert. I said dinner.

6x6 canvas. I used Distress Ink to color the background paper for the cupcakes and color wash to color the canvas. To add some texture to the canvas, I covered it with painters tape and gesso. Once dry, I added the text. Pink pen highlights the Artword; and to finish, I covered all of the frosting with 3D crystal lacquer.

All images: justjohanna rubber stamps.

Sunday Night Joke

Laura Bush bought George a parrot for his birthday. She told Dick Cheney, “The bird is so smart! George has already taught him to pronounce over 200 words!” “Wow, that’s pretty impressive,” Cheney said. “But you realize that he just says the words. He doesn’t understand what they mean.” “That’s okay,” Laura replied. “Neither does the parrot.”

Lonely Tree at the Lake

He stands alone all winter waiting for the return of the summer vacationers. Magnificent tree.

I made this card for a challenge on Isa’s blog. Isa challenged her readers to create a card using distress inks and water. For details on her technique, you can visit her blog. (By the way, I LOVE this technique and am a big Isa fan!)

To make the card, I used distress ink in Broken China and Shabby Shutters to make the background. On a separate piece of cardstock, I used Antique Linen and Scattered Straw to make the paper for the tree and stamped the tree with Frayed Burlap. I sprayed the tree stamp with a small bit of water before stamping to make I look slightly weathered.

The fabulous “wind” flourish were made with another piece of Broken China and Shabby Shutters paper using the Revolution die cut system. (My first die cut…I almost had to take a sedative…I am in love again.)

Finally, I inked the edges of the card with Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink and colored the leaves with Sakura pens in green and gold. Oh, I almost forgot…that’s Scattered Straw on the card edges. Can’t have a weathered tree on brand new cardstock now…..sheesh.

Thank you for coming by today! I need a drink.

Image: justjohanna rubber stamps

Untitled III

Another card using one of my alcohol ink backgrounds from the other day, a vintage book page, Walnut Stain distress ink and justjohanna images.

Thanks for coming by today!

I heart justjohanna!

There really is no explination for it. I eat, sleep and dream about these stamps! I've been thinking about a new banner for a long time and this is what I have come up with so far. You likey? Me likey. I have a lot to learn about photoshop still, so keep your eyes on the banner (so to speak).

Vintage Cage

I enjoy attempting to replicate the look of worn and old paper. For this card, I used one of the alcohol ink backgrounds I posted the other day with justjohanna images. Following Godeleive's lead for gold embossing, I embossed the edges of the AI background. On the bird and cage, I used paper that I dyed with Scattered Straw distress ink and then stamped in Walnut Stain distress ink. Before affixing the elements to the card, I stamped the scroll and also aged the edges of the cardstock.

Stop back by tomorrow; I'll show you what I made with the other half of this background. See you then!

Poem

I start to sweat
I get the shakes
When I see
Your buttery flakes

This must be love
You’re so perfect and round
I take every precaution
Not to let you fall to the ground

Oh Ritz cracker
You’re so delicious
According to your box
You’re even nutritious

Light and crunchy
Toasty golden brown
If I had a million dollars
It would be Ritz all around!

This magic moment...

I had an "experience" with my friends, the alcohol inks last night! Look at this cool new technique I learned in the Ink Essentials book! Of course the scanner doesn't pick up all the beauty...I think I'm in love!

Our apologies...

Our regularly scheduled "80's Tuesday" will return to its time slot next week. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Shipwrecked!

Artword: Chair

Somewhere in my imagination, there are some birds quietly afloat on a beautifully upholstered chaise lounge waiting to be rescued.

I covered this 3x5 canvas board with paper I hand painted with Dr. Ph Martin ink. To obscure the color a bit, I washed a little Gesso over it and then attached the chaise. The birds are stamped onto a page from a vintage French Saint directory and covered in 3d Crystal lacquer. The last step was to age the corners a tad using Ranger Distress Ink in Peeled Paint and Broken China.

Oh… the birds do get rescued. They always do.

Images: justjohanna rubber stamps

CPS Sketch #9

I used Wild Asparagus and Foof-a-la papers for this quick card. Image and sentiment: justjohanna rubber stamps; Ranger Distress Ink in Shabby Shuters. Card size: A4. Sewing machine.

To view this week's CPS sketch, click here.

Thanks for stopping by today! See you tomorrow.

May I have your attention, please:

Happy Birthday, Bigbadmike!

and many many more....

Happy Easter!

From the Luggage archives, Easter 2006. The Carry-On and First Officer pose for a photo-opp on the couch. Happy Easter to all!

Martin Luther Cupcake

Watercolor on canvas. Image: justjohanna.

This is a 6x6 canvas I made this week whilst the news was recounting the anniversary of MLK's death. I stained the cardstock by soaking it in coffee for a few hours, then let it dry. I then created the text on the computer and ran the coffee paper through my printer. I used "Amazing Glaze" embossing powder for the broken glass look and then painted the canvas with my watercolor ink. Since the watercolors are so vibrant, I inked them with Vintage Photo and Frayed Burlap once they dried. Thank you so much for stopping by!

Happy Easter!! (almost)

Did you miss me?

How presumptuous, I know. I am aching to get back to normal here; whatever normal is. I have not been on a trip or anything, just taking a break from this blog to clear my head and get some maintenance done. The good news is that I should be back to posting some “art” tonight or tomorrow.

I am a tough customer. God bless Mr. Luggage. Our computer was very old and had been giving me some trouble for the last few months. I told Mr. Luggage not to get me a new computer because I wanted to make the move to San Diego with the old one so I could buy furniture around the new PC, etc. Well, I couldn’t take it any longer, so he built me what we refer to in Luggage Land as “The Ass Hauler”. This term of endearment is normally saved for fast cars, but I feel it fits this new beauty nicely. There is a kick ass new wide screen monitor (unfortunately, I have been informed that sticking ‘decorations’ to the new monitor will not be tolerated), all the brand new programs and even a subwoofer. I have to get used to a new keyboard (wireless and flat) and all the normal editing goodies are out…time to learn new stuff. Windows Vista is pretty and nice, but mama mia, Word is going to take some learning. Everything is so fancy, but at the beginning, fancy comes with a headache. (I will learn to love Office 2007. I will learn to love Office 2007. I will learn to love Office 2007…….)

I hope that everyone enjoys a beautiful day with their families tomorrow! We’ll be out of town for the day, but back in the evening for two very important events: The Sopranos and Entourage! Don’t have HBO? Today is the day to make that call!

Thank you to everyone for sticking around during the hiatus!

For Wallis (in yellow)

Quick post from "vacation" for the weekly challenge on "Artwords". Canvas collage painted with Ph Martin inks, beeswax. Thanks for stopping by. We now return you to your normally scheduled programming....

Spring break...be back next week.

Weekend Recap

Greetings from beautiful California! What a fantastic weekend we've had. I can't remember Friday, but I remember Saturday and Sunday...

Saturday Morning was the annual pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt at the local park. The Carry-On got one egg and was very happy. The Commander on the other had was again appalled by the behavior of the locals here in Orange County. The greed does not stop at anything. Parents ignored the announcer and let their older children hunt eggs during the toddler hunt...and many parents ran into the field to help their kids gobble up as many eggs as possible. I feel mortified with the possibility that some of the children did not walk away with any eggs. It was a disgusting display at the park that morning.

I had the opportunity to fulfill my Executive Chef duties in Escondido again this weekend. Luggage was very happy to have been able to help on Saturday afternoon and into the night.

With great difficulty, I woke up this morning to meet bigbadmike at the flea market. We were both excited to be able to get to this flea market. It was not an excellent day for finding treasures, but I was able to come away with a few things I can wreck in my beginning attempts of mixed media art. My favorite find was the 1966 Spanish Grammar handbook that was used by the Border Patrol. There are also 4 mini red leather books, some funny Mexican postcards from the 50's and a tourism book for visiting Hong Kong. All have great illustrations and potential.

Since I have been exploring the possibilities of mixed media, I have been much more aware of the materials that can be used in making this art. Therefore, it has also been a busy week on the 'bay for me as well. Take a look at these great Madonna and child vintage postcards I got for a steal! I also bought a bunch of miligros which are outside now starting to rust.

I think I am going to take some time to find myself this week...Spring Break if you will. Hopefully we'll be back up and running towards the end of the week. As always, I appreciate you stopping by the blogs! To all my friends new and old, have a great week