Free Stencil Downloads

http://www.verybestbaking.com/promotions/free/stencils.aspx

I just came across these while entering a contest at Nestle. The stencils are for cakes and cupcakes, but since the download is a PDF file, they are easy to resize. I can imagine using them for many things, such as:

1. Use in a repeat pattern as a wall border.

2. Stencil some paint on fabric or paper.

3. Use those scrapbooking inks to stencil on cards, etc.

4. Use as patterns to make ornaments from fabric, paper, or recycled plastic. :D

5. Print coloring pages for toddlers.

And that's just off the top of my head. Now go make something!

Last Cards for Receive Your Own PC Swap

Three more postcard, this time it's a wrap. Receive Your Own PC crossed off the list. On the right is one inspired totally by the papers. It's a shout-out to Jasper Johns, I love his encaustic American flags, and while this one is not a flag, it is flag-like.

The idea for this one came totally from an article in the Dallas Observer a while back, it's all about the famous $30,000 millionaires of Dallas. The Dallas skyline with some beautiful oriental paper. Orange and blue make me happy lately.

(If you care to read the article, go here: www.dallasobserver.com/2007-11-29/news/douchebags-in-the-mist/).

This last one is a cutout of a dragon shape in a nod to my partner's penchant for oriental themes. You can't really see the dragon, and this picture shows the colors badly, but I love this one. I coated it with gloss sealer to protect the orange print paper and all those little cut edges. So now what will I work on??!!

Last Night's Swaps: Handmade Handbag and Craft for a Craft

This was for a handmade handbag swap. After two (2) false starts, I came up with this bag. It's made from a bargain buy so great I won't even say how little I paid, a placemat and napkin set I got a while back from the clearance rack. The placemat was heavy enough not to need interfacing, it's lined with the stripey napkin fabric, with an elastic loop and button closure. (Three stacked buttons there.) I bound the side seams on the outside, then squared the botton with a stitch across the corners inside. Easy, and cute, and from almost nothing!

This swap was a craft for a craft, and my partner likes Americana, red/white/blue things, so I made this heart-shaped potholder. All fabrics from my stash, and I used a new potholder from Landa for the substrate. Cut it, cover it, bind it, and voila, a new from nothing pot holder. Funny story about the applique stars....they were born to cover the tiny brown spots I managed to get on the front side midway through. That's me, destruction equals creation all over.

Two Cards

Here's another PC for the Receive Your Own PC swap. I have a penchant for cutting out images, do I layered this one with some bright card stock. You can't tell in the pic, but the purple background is handpainted with a slight texture. All from the stash Russ sent. I have tons more stuff, and lots of time, so stay tuned ...

A really bad picture of a card made for a friend. I loved this image I cut from a magazine. It reminds me of the time I lived in San Diego, and of stopping for fish tacos on the the drive home from Ensenada.

"dude you should check out the giveaway over at V and Co. sponsored by csn mattresses for a chance to win the most gorgeous pillow"

You should know I'm all about the free stuff, so check this out:

http://www.vanessachristenson.com/ There is a gorgeous petal pillow here that I will probably recreate at some point.

And to top that off, here's my dream site: http://www.totallyfreecrap.com/ They mean what they say, so much cool free crap it took my breath away. I'm still a little weak in the knees, let me go sit down.....

Indoor Fireworks

Here's a PC I made for a swap, and I am totally in love with it. (Sniff, sniff, goodbye sweet postcard!) The swap was "Receive Your Own Postcard" and the idea was to make a PC from materials sent to you from your partner. Well, Russ sent me SO MUCH great stuff, I was overwhelmed, and for about a month, I just looked through it over and over. This effort came from a combination of a calendar cutout of fireworks, the red/white paper and some of the card stock I got, and an EC song. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a response, I hope it's well received. I have a huge amount of all kinds of supplies left, so I will be making more. It was most definitely an inspiring swap, so much fun.

Pnut Envy

Here's another PC from the last group made. I cropped it for the pic, it was shiny and had lots of glare. On the back, I explain that Pnut is in the throes of jealousy, she wants sparkly fur in a bad way. The glitter coat on the bottom left Pnut photographed poorly, in real life, it is colorfully sparkly. Also , there's the punny title. Ha.

Last Night's Efforts

Okie Dokie, here are the PCs I did last night. I'm currently too exhausted to try and make the pics go where I want them, so I'm going with what I've got. The top left pic is a detail from the card to the right of it. This was my go at a lesbian-themed piece (my partner listed these in her likes), and I hope it's not insulting. (I dunno.) Two random magazine images, the 'woman controller' is from a holiday advert, the boots from some fashion mag, and presto, together they are a humorous PC. To the right of that one is a print of my Warrior Cat drawing. And lastly, the yellow one is another Amelie tribute. I printed the pic out, used two kinds of nail polish on the rabbit in the clouds, a little sparkly nail polish on the girl's hair, and sealed it all under a coat of clear nail polish. Ta-da.

I just don't know why every idea must percolate for so long before I'm able to enjoy that first first cup of creativity...