ATCs and Winning

We dropped Ferg's mum off to the airport today so she can make the 24 hour + journey back to Ireland. She left Brisbane airport with a temperature of 30 degrees celsius and will be arriving in Ireland tomorrow with 1 degree and the possibility of snow. Mumsie's cousin who is collecting her is bringing some warm clothes so she doesn't freeze walking out of the airport ... how extreme.

As much as I love having Mumsie visit and enjoy her company (I'm really lucky that I get on so well with my mother-in-law), I now feel like I can start the year and get into some sort of routine with my art and my life. So once I'd arrived home from the airport I finished off the last of my Arabian Nights ATCs ...

Arabian Nights ATC Finished

Here is my ATC for Laura Carson's Arabian Nights swap through the Advanced Artist Trading Cards UK Yahoo Group. I cut the card out into an "Arabian" shaped arch (not sure of the actual term for this shape), then stamped a pattern in clear and embossed with ancient gold embossing powder. I sprayed with glimmer mists in a poppy, sapphire & spring mint randomly over the card, which ended up resisting the embossing to produce really rich shimmery colours. To finish off I added an image, an embossed border punched strip, some sheer ribbon attached with some slide-on clips and a gem brad.

ATC Meet, Greet, Create & Trade ATC

Following on from our group catch up with Sheree Rose (visit post here), Mercia emailed me a picture of the ATC I made on the day, as she received it in the trade. I used Kyla's bag of supplies to make this card and actually quite like how it turned out ... might have to make some more in a similar style for the Scrapbook Cupboard's Live Swap this Saturday ... I'm running out of time ... again!

Beautiful Artwork Received

I received the gift that I won on Kelsey's blog in the mail this week and I was a very excited little bunny when I saw it in the box. The texture and colours and details are just amazing when you actually hold it in your hands and tilt it towards the light to see it shimmer. I love to run my fingers over the texture ... some might think I'm stroking it ... LOL ... but it just feels so good.

If you get a chance, be sure to visit Kelsey's blog ... her art is amazing and she's incredibly generous in sharing her talent and skills with others.

Also in the envelope from Kelsey was this very lovely surprise ... my very first Kelsey created ATC in my collection. This may not seem like a big deal to some of you out there, but I was THRILLED! I thank you Kelsey from the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful for the gifts I have received.

"Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don't keep it a secret."
Mary Kay Ash, 1915-2001, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics