Winter Whites

I'm sharing a few of the banner pieces I finished for our
Shabby Chic Christmas Garland Swap.
We each made 6 pieces that I will swap and assemble into garlands and return to each participant. We all used whites, neutrals, muted tones and victorian imagery.

I did a heavy gesso and glitter background and used images from one of my favorite Altered Artifacts collage sheets, applying a thinned gesso over the images. To finish, I added lace, shimmery tulle, white paper flowers, a touch of silver and faux vintage dangling baubles.

I'll show you a finished garland after I have them all assembled.

 

These pieces certainly got me in the mood for more winter whites so I'm pleased to announce the

Winter Whites Inspiration Matchbox Swap.

This will be a 1:1 partner swap in which you'll alter a large matchbox in a winter whites theme. Think snowflakes, soft wintry images, winter white flowers. Pack the inside with lots of winter white inspiration, using quality vintage and new items for your partner to make some winter white magic.....laces, millinery, pearls, beads, glitter. Use white, off white, cream, ecru, beige as the main color scheme inside and out. Touches of soft, warm, muted colors and bits of silver may also be used.
Sign-ups are open now in my flickr group. If you're not a member, membership directions are on the group page HERE.
And the good news is no holiday stress. The due date is January 30th, 2013!
I'm linking with Becky at Timewashed for Blissful Whites Wednesday.

Thanksgiving Wishes

To all my friends celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I wish you a day filled with family & friends...love & laughter.

Bouteille de Noёl

We are swapping holiday themed altered bottles in the
Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group.
I went very vintage altering my heart shaped bottle with layers of antique doilies, laces, seambinding and strands of vintage pearls. The cork stopper is adorned with a parchment rose to which I've added some antique lace petals.

Joyeux Noel!

ATC Fun!

My friend Kimberly has the greatest swap going on and there's many, many weeks left to join in the fun. She's swapping an atc with a different artist every week for 52 weeks! She posts a picture of her current atc available for trade and if you're the lucky first person to comment, you get to swap!

I swapped with her week 7 for this beyond beautiful Paris atc.

This is the atc I made for her.

Ironically, the day I made and mailed it Kimberly had a foot of snow on the ground. This was probably not her theme of choice but I hope she grows to like it!

My Fall Garden In Bloom

You may recall the flowers I made for a fall flower swap in our Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group.

This is the beautiful bouquet I received in return!

The floral artists clockwise, starting at 12, are: Terri, Jody, unsigned , Lorraine and Mercedes. Thanks to all for a wonderful swap!

Happy Birthday Marie!

Today is Marie Antoinette's birthday and we have been celebrating in style in the Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group. It's been quite the gala with special birthday themed swaps, contests and giveaways. Of course we had to have cake, and so many beautiful cake boxes were exchanged in this swap hosted by our lovely group member Marti. We all used the same template and the only requirement was to have Marie pictured somewhere in our creation. This is the box I made for my partner, Debi.

Lots of yummy layers of floral paper, seam binding, paper lace, vintage lace, tiny pink pearls and a braided trim.

 

I finished the top of the box with more of the lovely aqua seam binding, pink florals and a little silver heart locket holding a picture of the birthday girl herself.

You can't have cake without presents

so I sent along a vintage hanky, flowers, laces, an interesting brooch I found at an estate sale and a bottle of vintage beads and pearls.

This is the gorgeous cake box I received from Debi!

So beautifully done with mini pompom icing, vintage crocheted trim, the prettiest florals, cascading ribbon and Marie in the midst of it all.

I hope you'll enlarge the photo to truly appreciate the design and attention to detail, ever present in Debi's artwork.

These are the generous gifts that accompanied Debi's box....stunning jewelry pieces, charms, cabochons, laces and flowers.

The thing with cake is, you really need a cake topper when it comes to royal birthdays. This swap, hosted by Debi, I simply couldn't resist!

I was partnered with Lorraine and I know she loves pink so...

pretty in pink it is!
The base is one of those little plastic cake toppers and I just built off of that. It was such fun playing with all the various elements.

Lorraine so spoiled me with this cake topper...

Isn't this magnificent! The base is made of glass that Lorraine glittered. And that fabulous glittered Eiffel Tower surrounded by pink and white florals! This is another pic you need to enlarge to appreciate the detail.
This is one cake topper that's not staying in the cupboard!

Debi was our hostess for the Gala d'anniversaire de Marie and she did an amazing job arranging games, contests, giveaways, live chats, swaps......even making the fabulous prizes.

Lucky me! I was the winner of her gorgeous collaged wall hanging.

I do believe I enjoy celebrating Marie's birthday more than my own!

Merci Lorraine & Debi!

C'est merveilleux!