Wednesday Stamper: Door

This unlikely pair has taken up residence in the Eiffel Tower! They love it there!

I hand painted this background using Dr. Ph Martin watercolor paints and added some ink over the top via paper towel. The edges are inked with cranberry ink. The Eiffel tower has a door cut into it with coordinating cardstock behind it. All images (Eiffel Tower, Heart Antennae, Little Al, Peewee and Love Birds sentiment) justjohanna rubber stamps. Wouldn’t you want to live in the Eiffel tower? That view!

See you tomorrow!

Dude, it's your birthday!

Happy Birthday, Shari!!

Artword: Birthday

page seven

I am having so much fun with the Artword blog! I love coming back each week to see the projects. This week’s theme is “birthday”.

I am so proud of this piece for a couple of reasons: one, this is the first acrylic piece I have made that has not made me want to vomit. Second, I mixed all the colors myself and they did not all turn to grey! This piece becomes page seven in my art book.

I stamped the justjohanna cupcake image on newsprint which has the music for “Happy Birthday” printed on it. Once the paints were dry, I attached the cakes to the paper. Next, I doodled the frame using gold metallic paint pen and then traced over it with black pen. Finally, a cherry on top! This piece is 8x8”.

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Are you blue?

Isa’s challenge this week was to make something blue. And heeeerrrrreee you have it! I made this background using different shades of blue tissue paper and gel medium. Once the gel medium dried, I dry brushed heavy body gold acrylic paint over the top of the card. Since the paint is iridescent, depending on which angle you hold it in the light, the card looks blue or very gold. The butterfly image was a freebee from Nancy which I covered in Diamond Glaze and the stamped image is of course, my favorite, justjohanna rubber stamps.

Thanks for stopping by today. Stop by tomorrow, I have a super Artword project I am proud of to show you all. Stay tuned…. 80’s Tuesday will be back in its regular time slot next week.

Happy Birthday, Johanna!

May 28th

Happy Birthday, Ichiro!

May 27th

HaPpY SAtuRDaY

Things are going well in Luggage World. I received a new Digital SLR camera on Thursday and am busily learning how to use all the bells and whistles. When I was in high school and college, there was no such thing as a digital SLR. We had to record all of the settings on scratch paper and hope that once we developed the negatives, we could match up the frames with the setting information so that we could learn DOF. Now, I can sit in a chair and take 900 pictures of a hydrangea with every setting combination possible and instantly see all of the results! It’s really AMAZING! I can shoot something insane like 24 pictures in 9 seconds or something crazy like that.

Almost all of the pictures are of the Carry-on so far. I am in love with being able to capture her beautifully with my new super camera. I can’t get enough! I am sure she is sick of me already.

I have also been in stockpiling mode. (Which is not a good mode to be in when you are planning to sell your house and move.) This happens to me every once in a while… I have been searching and buying all sorts of “junk” to make altered art with. I think I have to sit myself down and make something now. (Which is good, since I am out of money!)

See you tomorrow!

Hope you're feeling chirpy soon!

Tami's color challenge: Brown, lilac and blue. justjohanna rubber stamps, distress ink, versamagic ink and revoluion die cuts.

TGIF everyone! Big three day holiday weekend here in the states. Happy Memorial Day to everyone.

Games

The Wednesday Stamper theme this week is “Games”. I altered this “Loteria” (Mexican Bingo) playing card with justjohanna rubber stamps, gold acrylic paint, machine stitching and prismacolor pencils. Oh…a piece of one of my shirts too…not the shirt I was wearing when I made this, another shirt.

Thank you for coming by today!!

Art

Isa’s Challenge was to use the word “art” in a “green” project. I made the background to this card with alcohol inks (including pearl mixative). The paper I stamped the images on was colored with Distress ink. The small frame was purchased white and since I am in love with anything gold these days, I painted it with iridescent heavy bodied acrylic. All images: justjohanna rubber stamps.

Thank you for stopping by today!

The Arrangement

2 dozen roses, 10 peonies, 11 tulips and almost a dozen of those light pink flowers...

Yesterday I was hesitant to post the entire picture of the floral arrangement I made because I didn’t want to spoil a surprise. Well, after elaborate scheming, I delivered the arrangement to the recipient on the wrong day! DOH! (This is what happens when you don’t have a job…you don’t know the date!) I knew my friend’s birthday was on the 21st, but I thought TODAY was the 21st. Oh well, she loved the flowers and was surprised to receive them on the day after her birthday.

Dig if u will the picture....

That’s right, kids- it’s 80’s Tuesday in Luggage Land and today we’ll feature 1984. Where were you and what were you doing in 1984?

It’s hard to sort through search results for the year 1984 because the results are combined with information from George Orwell’s book. I found a top 100 hit list and decided to make a mix tape for you all. Here is how it sounds:

When Doves Cry, Prince
Footloose, Kenny Loggins
Jump, Van Halen
Karma Chameleon, Culture Club
The Reflex, Duran Duran
Hold Me Now, Thompson Twins
Somebody's Watching Me, Rockwell
99 Luftballons, Nena
The Glamorous Life, Sheila E.
She Bop, Cyndi Lauper
Sunglasses At Night, Corey Hart
Sister Christian, Night Ranger
Let The Music Play, Shannon
Lucky Star, Madonna
Thriller, Michael Jackson
Holiday, Madonna
Nobody Told Me, John Lennon
Round And Round, Ratt
Rock Me Tonite, Billy Squier

Billy Squire is hot. That’s all I have to say about that.

Hmm…let’s see…in 7th grade, I was ice skating with my friend in La Jolla, CA. I don’t remember the events that transpired exactly, but from witness accounts, I fell on the ice and was taken off by rink personnel. I had amnesia and do not remember that day at all. My family was contacted and I was taken to the hospital for a CAT scan of my noggin. Good thing I don’t remember the CAT scan, because about 2 months ago, my doctor ordered another Cat Scan and I couldn’t do it. I have no idea how I survived that procedure back in 1984... My family told me that for the period of about 8 hours all I did was ask the same questions over and over. I have no recollection of the car ride to the hospital although I was awake and speaking. I could not remember my telephone number in the rink office, but it sounded really familiar when my friend told the manager there. Every once in awhile I have flash backs of a fat dude wearing a striped rugby shirt whizzing around way to fast on the ice. I think that he whizzed by me and I fell. It’s weird to have amnesia. Luckily, I am totally normal now….. bwahahaahahahahaaaaaaaaa.

Birthday Tags

justjohanna images with double face satin ribbon, acrylic paints and vellum compliment a birthday bouquet I made for my friend.

Monday

This is an image I colored in Terry Medaris' coloring class last weekend. I used Prisamacolor pencils. Thanks for stopping by today! 80's Tuesday will return from hiatus tomorrow.

I don't drink Starbucks...

Friends, I don't drink Starbucks- or any coffee for that matter, but I thought you may find this interesting. Jilly and I were having a conversation regarding the topic of chemicals in food production at the last CCCC meeting. I hope this helps some of you learn more about the important topic.

While Starbucks claims to care about environmental and health issues, the truth is in their milk. Starbucks uses milk from cows that are injected with a growth hormone known as rBGH or rBST to speed up their milk production.

These growth hormones are known to harm cows and could pose health risks to humans. But factory farms continue to use them as an attempt to increase their profitability. Starbucks lets them get away with using the damaging hormones by serving this milk to millions of unknowing consumers!

The use of rBGH increases the rate of udder infections in cows, and contributes to the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria. What’s more, injections of rBGH raise the levels of another hormone called IGF-1 in the cow and its milk. Too much IGF-1 in humans is linked to increased rates of colon, breast and prostate cancer.

The rBGH hormone is banned in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and all 25 countries in the European Union. But the United State’s Food and Drug Administration ignores the growing controversy, allowing the damaging growth hormone to be used.

Sunday Afternoon Joke

An Italian grandmother is giving directions to her grown grandson, Scott, who is coming to visit with his wife Samanthia.

"You comma to de front door of the apartmenta. I am inna apartmenta 301. There issa bigga panel at the front door. With you elbow pusha button 301. I will buzza you in. Come inside, the elevator is on the right. Get in, and with you elbow pusha 3. When you get out, I'mma on the left. With you elbow, hit my doorbell."

"Grandma, that sounds easy, but, why am I hitting all these buttons with my elbow?

""What . . . . . . . .. You coming empty handed?"

TGIF!

Alcohol ink background with justjohanna images, brilliance ink, versamagic and vellum. Trying to show you the opalescence with the camera angle…

Have a great weekend!

tranquillité svp

Even though our listing says “By appointment only”, we are being bothered by ignorant realtors who ring the doorbell asking questions about our house. When the doorbell rings, the dog barks and the baby cries.

So, to hopefully help with my problem, I made this canvas to hang on the door. Since the Wednesday Stamper theme this week is “fleur de lis”, I tried to make the canvas with a French feel. The lullaby may not be French in origin…maybe someone will recognize it... I think it may be written in French, but from Belgium? The site was not clear. Anyway, the lullaby translates:

A White Hen

A white hen
Is in the barn.
She made a small egg
For the child who sleeps.
Sleepy time, sleepy time, pussy-cat,
Sleepy time, sleepy time, kitty-cat.

A black hen
Is in the cupboard.
She made a small egg
For the child who sleeps.
Sleepy time, sleepy time, pussy-cat,
Sleepy time, sleepy time, kitty-cat.

Cute!

justjohanna alphabet, acrylic heavy body paints, pink vellum, 24 gauge wire, Cavallini, All Night Media, and rhinestones.

She’s a BRICK houuussee…

…Mighty mighty..just letin’ it all hang out…

Inside my head: So, this week’s artword is “figure”. When I read the announcement, I immediately break out into “Brickhouse” by the Commodores and start glancing through my stamp wall. Just when I was ready to throw in the towel and pass this week, I sing “thirty-six twenty four thirty six” and realize those are my favorite bird’s measurements too! HA! Belle it is.

Alcohol ink background with pearl mixative featuring the lyrics to the song “Brick house” and justjohanna’s “Belle”. I especially love the pearl spotlight behind Belle.

As always, thank you very much for stopping by today!

Merci!

Well, with birthday season over with, thank-you season is upon us. Here is a card I made using an alcohol ink background (pearl mixative too), justjohanna images, Sakura pens and machine stitching. (This poor bird didn’t lift his feet up when the needle came by. Ouch!)

Thank you for stopping by today!

I never have a second cup…

I bought myself some acrylic paints for a treat yesterday. Just some student grade paints. I was surprised how cheap they are! Anyway, I painted over an alcohol ink background with some browns and then added heavy body iridescent gold paint over that. I am in love with being able to see the brush strokes and can’t wait to mess around some more with these paints- a totally different look than my usual water color projects..

justjohanna rubber stamps, acrylic paint, alcohol ink and machine stitching, Quickutz photo corners, distress ink paper.

Thanks for coming by today!

Luggage Tag

How hysterical is this? My friend Shari sent me this luggage tag for my birthday.

I love it! Thanks, Dude!

Special Edition: Mother's Day Joke

Why Parents Drink

A boss wondered why one of his most-valued employees had phoned in sick one day. Having an urgent problem with one of the main computers, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper.

"Hello."

"Is your daddy home?" he asked.

"Yes," whispered the small voice.

"May I talk with him?"

The child whispered, "No."

Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?"

"Yes."

"May I talk with her?"

Again the small voice whispered, "No."

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, "Is anybody else there?"

"Yes," whispered the child. "A policeman."

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?"

"No, he's busy," whispered the child.

"Busy doing what?"

"Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the Fireman," came the whispered answer.

Growing more worried as he heard what sounded like a helicopter through the ear piece on the phone, the boss asked, "What is that noise?"

"A helicopter," answered the whispering voice.

"What is going on there?" demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive.

Again whispering, the child answered, "The search team just landed the helicopter."

Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated, the boss asked, "What are they searching for?"

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle: "ME."

Courtesy of Anna P. Thanks, Anna!

Pattycake Pattycake, Baker’s Man!

Loving the Wednesday Stamper theme “Turquoise” this week. This is another piece of paper I made with Dr. Ph Martin Ink. This piece has shimmer spray instead of the salt technique. I took the picture using a flash so you could see the gold flecks.

justjohanna rubber stamps, vintage history pages (note to self: get a more interesting vintage book to tear up- these cupcakes relive the career of Napoleon Bonaparte!), vellum, heat embossing, machine stitching.

Have a great Saturday!

Julissa Leon...

If you are Julissa Leon from STA 1985; please email me.

-Judykeith

Arrrrrggggghhhhh, shiver me timbers matey!

Wednesday Stamper: Turquoise

Wednesday Stamper's theme this week is “turquoise”. I painted this background using Dr. Ph Martin Paint and Godelieve’s salt technique (still a little salt crystals stuck there in the upper right corner..see?). Lots of gold embossing, justjohanna rubber stamps, gold metallic paper…I flipped up the edges of the paper to kind of give this a treasure map sort of feel…piratey, eh?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Artword: Eyes

page five

I am glad I found the Artword blog. I had a stressful day yesterday and it was nice to be able to sit down and interpret the artword. This week’s artword is eyes. I thought that most of the entries would probably focus on peepers in general, so I decided to shake it up a bit and focus on what the eyes do. (No pun intended.) They watch.

Vintage post cards with beady eyes, vintage Italian flash card, birds with beady eyes, a little gold pen, some stitching, metallic paper and acetate. Shazam; page five of my 8x8 art book. Stamped images: justjohanna rubber stamps.

There is a lot of “prep” work going on behind the scenes at justjohanna rubber stamps. I am looking forward to the start of the new Design Team term!

On a side note….our realtor called me today. He mentioned that someone wants to show our house tonight, but they said the buyers didn’t mind if we didn’t leave the house. What the hell do they think this is? A house party? Crimany sakes….I’m heading for the hills tonight. Be back tomorrow.

Oh! I almost forgot… Wednesday Stamper this week is “Turquoise”. I love turquoise! I’ve got some beautiful (if I do say so myself) turquoise hand painted background paper drying…hopefully I’ll be able to post a doozy of a turquoise project on Friday for you to see.

Ciao!

Made in the USA

I made this card for a color challenge on Tami’s blog. You should check it out today! The theme is red, white and blue. Ergo…here is a card I made using justjohanna rubber stamps, vintage Korean paper, Dr. Ph Martin watercolors, white gel pen and a krylon gold pen. Card is approx. 6x6…approx. happens because I refuse to measure anything. Have to work on that….

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Bird Day!

Happy Bird Day- card made using alcohol inks on glossy cardstock for the background, distress ink paper for the image and colored with Prismacolor pencils. Images: justjohanna rubber stamps.

Kind of a surreal day yesterday….strange to see myself listed as a member of the justjohanna Design Team! I don’t think it has “sunk” in yet... Thank you to everyone who continually inspires me in life and in art. It means a lot to me!

The Design Team term starts June 1. You can look forward to seeing more creations using my all time favorite stamps! In the meantime, you can see the other team members and their blogs by clicking here. I will update their links on to my blog on June 1…I don’t want to step on the current Design Team.

Thank you for coming by today!

Mother's Day Card take II

Another Mother's Day Card

I made this card using background paper I made with Dr. Ph Martin concentrated paints, metallic gold paper, a little stitching, castaway ink and justjohanna rubber stamps.

Casa de Luggage is on the market now and things are getting a little crazy!! Please wish us luck with any potential sales.

Thanks for stopping by today!

10,000 Thank yous!!

Thank you for all of your blog hits! We at Luggage Enterprises are very happy to have surpassed 10,000 blog hits sometime last night!!

I would like to thank the following people for making this dream a reality:

My hairstylist Patty- I would never have been able to think freely about art without great hair.

Helen and Ev- for buying me my first computer, the coveted Commodore 64.

Mr. and Miss Luggage- for not questioning me when I disappear for hours every night.

All my fans- for clicking around Luggageland every day! I love you man!!

Here’s to another 10,000 hits!

Sunday Joke

New Computer Chip

Apple Computer reported today that it has developed computer chips that can store and play music inside women's breasts.

The iBoob is considered to be a major breakthrough because women are always complaining about men staring at their breasts and not listening to them.

Courtesy of Auntie Louise.

Untitled XXIV

page four

Mail Art Mail Art!

mail art received from France!

I totally love this! I received this envelope in the mail today from Tova, the queen of mail art. I was reading about mail art on her blog and we agreed to exchange mail art! This envelope is so beautiful in real life. It’s got a metallic, opalescent shimmer on it, the copper 3D paint, a transfer and cork! I needed something like this to brighten my day yesterday and it came right on cue. Thank you, Tova!

TGI Thursday

alcohol ink background,image unknown...maybe 'Lost Coast'.

Wedsnesday's events put me in a little bit of a funk, but I am coming out of it today. I purchased some roving a couple of days ago and might try and see what I can do with that today. I am very interested in making projects with stamps that are not cards. Who could ever need so many cards? I am also busy trying to keep up with everyone's "challenges"! There are so many! Here is a challenge for my loyal readers: try to make something using your favorite stamps that is NOT a card or ATC. There is no prize. There is no glory. I thought you may want a change of pace.

Thank you for stopping by today!

There is something wrong with the world today…

I am taking a day off of art today to think about some things.

Yesterday at the park, a small boy (about half an inch shorter than the Carry-On) deliberately knocked the Carry-On to the ground while the mother of the boy watched. Clearly, the Carry-On is as tall as an older child but her motor skills were obviously not as well developed as this (probably) 2 year old. I stood in horror, kind of like in the movies, because I could not believe my eyes. When I helped the Carry-On back to her feet, the boy ran at her again and I yelled to the mother. She explained to me that the boy “doesn’t know what he is capable of.” The boy was not playing. He was clearly acting violent towards my daughter.

When I yell “HEY” and then state to the nonchalant mother of the boy “I am afraid he is going to hurt her.”, why is she so casual about it? I wonder if she would have felt so casual if the Carry-On were to defend herself? I wonder if she would have been so casual without her 4 “mother” types sitting with her drinking Starbuks. After the first attack, I tried to escort the Carry-on to another area of the park. Why did the mother allow her son to run at her again? Why are parents so “lax” about this?

If the Carry-on exceeds the 97th percentile in weight and height, how is it possible that EVERY other parent that asks me how old she is and how big she is has a child equally as big? Wouldn’t that make her towards the 50th percentile? Does everything have to be a damn contest? I guess it does in Orange County.

Yesterday at an immigration reform rally in downtown Los Angeles, several journalists, women and men were beaten by the Los Angeles Police Department. The police used batons and rubber bullets to disperse a peaceful crowd. There is a grand amount of footage available since the event was so heavily covered by the media. A peaceful demonstration turned into a chaotic and violent mess in a matter of seconds.

A Fox News Woman was thrown to the ground and then shoved and pushed when she was trying to protect her photographer (also female) who was also thrown to the ground. The News Woman is shown on the ground covering her photographer who could not get up in time. Other journalists had their camera equipment thrown and kicked.

We do not live in a zero tolerance society. Why can’t the LAPD (and your local police department, school officials for that matter…) differentiate between a respected female journalist covering a news story and a potential civilian creating a disturbance? Wake up.

May Day!

I hope these flowers brighten your May Day!

My friend pointed flowers like these out to me on etsy the other day. I think they are a great idea for packages or wrapped into some of your other altered projects (perhaps on a spiral notebook instead of all that furry fiber stuff?)

To make the flowers, I used 24 gauge wire with fluorite, glass and sterling silver beads. Assembly is easy. Cut varying circles out of varying papers. I used tissue, vintage history about Genghis Khan and shimmery water color paper I made using Ph Martin paints. Oh, the best part? Look closely, I worked in my favorite stamps from justjohanna rubber stamps too!

This also fits this week’s Artword: Botanical. Have not checked out Artword yet? It’s an awesome site, not as overwhelming as Illustration Friday. Go take a look! There is a new word every Sunday.

King for just one day..

Here is my first domino. It sure was easy to make something this small compared to trying to fill up my 8x8” art book pages! What a welcome relief. I colored this with alcohol inks and sprayed a touch of my shimmer water (works great on any surface!) Oh…he’s a magnet too. (Tip: Magnets are much cheaper to buy from Lowes that Michael’s.)