Collage Stuff Group-ATC Swap

Last month I participated in a challenge with my Collage Stuff group.  We swapped three ATCs that had to have a postage stamp.  That was the only requirement.  I love mail art and postage stamps so I decided to participate.  The fun thing about the Collage Stuff group is that the owner, Lisa, requires people to use something from her shop but it's not a huge monetary investment.  She sells all kinds of cool collage materials so I often buy from her.  You can visit her shop here. 

All three of these ATCs were made with matboard ATC blanks I bought from Collage Stuff.  It made the project super easy because I didn't have to measure and cut out a background.

 For this one I used silver and blue trim from Collage Stuff.

 For this one I used a gold bow from Collage Stuff.  The hand is a piece of vintage Victorian scrap.  I have purchased lots of repro Victorian scrap from Lisa.

 The ivy leaves in the corners were purchased from Collage Stuff.

Collage Stuff has a Yahoo group that engages in the swaps.  If you're a member you get special discounts and member only deals.  The cards I got back were awesome! Here they are:

Made by Kathleen Spitz

Made by Bambi Doe Blake

Made by Mary Ann Arnold

This is a wonderful group.  I encourage you to check out Lisa's store and consider one of the monthly swaps. 

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge-Buttons

Niina, our Inspiration Avenue team member from Finland, posted a challenge this week about buttons.  I love buttons and always have.  When I was a child, I'd dump the buttons out of my mother's button box and play with them.  The rhinestone ones were always my favorite.

I decided to take advantage of a marvelous set of digital rainbow buttons for this one.  I love the quote by Henri Matisse and it fit the image perfectly.  If you don't have any flowers around you, maybe you can get out the button box and craft some.  I hope you have a wonderful, creative week!

Which Bridge?

Vince Gill wrote a song called "Which Bridge to Cross, and Which Bridge to Burn."

I was thinking about that song when I made this digital collage today.

Credits for image components:
Aneczkaw, Kit Kat Scraps, Mommyish, S. Drum, ADB, Wendy Tunison, Graphics Fairy, Lins Creations, Amy Martin Designs, ADB Designs, Connie Prince,  and Studio 68

St. Patrick's Day Freebie

Our challenge at Inspiration Avenue this week was "Green" so I decided to make a mini digital scrapbook kit for St. Patrick's Day.  If you download this freebie, I would really appreciate it if you leave me some feedback.  For all of you who are Irish, or those who just wish they were, I hope you have a splendid St. Patrick's Day! 

Download Kit Here

Have a wonderful weekend!

Inspiration Avenue Weekly Challenge-Change

When I chose the topic for this week's challenge at Inspiration Avenue, I realized that the only thing I could choose was "Change."  It seems like the most challenging opportunities for change occur whether we want them to or not.  I selected some quotes and images that I felt illustrated the challenge but I saved one for my digital collage.  You can view the post and the other entries here.

I really identified with all of the quotes I included but one seemed especially bittersweet.  

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.  Anatole France

Credits for image components:

AAD, Star Song Studio, Raspberry Road, Courtney's Digiscrappin, Aneczkaw, Anne Valerie, Benthai Creations, Publikado, Granny Art, Larry Wenk, and Digicats.