Maura's Musings: Giving Thanks with AALL and Create

Monday, November 4

Giving Thanks with AALL and Create

Hello Monday, my friends!! We are giving thanks this week and showcasing the fabulous AALL and Create line with our Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: THANKS/THANKSGIVING. I am so thankful for each of you that stop by to check out what I am working on, it means a lot to me!

We have Nikki Acton with us for the month of November as our guest designer and are so happy that she will be sharing her wonderful mixed media style! Welcome Nikki!!

I thought it would be fun to create some thankful Artist Trading Cards for this week's challenge. I have so much to be thankful for in my life.

I started out with this great woodpile stencil and texture paste.

While that was drying, I used my stamp platform to stamp these great plant images from Tracy Evans.

I decided to try something new and use my Prima oil pastels. They are so yummy and creamy.

...with just the pastels scribbled on...

...after I went in with the waterbrush...love that blending!

Laying everything out after all the coloring was completed. I was trying to work with the colors I've been seeing this autumn. After each dried, I ran the black ink pad around the edges, and over the surface, picking up the high areas, just to add a bit of grunge.

Gratitude changes everything

Give thanks

There is always something to be thankful for

dimension detail

I had not thought ahead on my ATC's to adhering the images and words, and discovered the oil pastels resist adhesive - makes sense, right? To solve my problem, I put tacky glue on the words and pop tape and laid a heavy book on top until it held together. I also added in a bit of detail with some Nuvo drops.

A trio of thankful ATC's - do you have a favorite?

I hope I've inspired you to join this week's challenge and create something to give thanks or celebrate Thanksgiving. Our generous friends at Simon Says Stamp are giving away a $50 shopping voucher to one participant drawn at random...that could be you!