Meet the Papier Family

Dear Readers,

I want to introduce you to the Papier Family, a diverse family of eccentrics that live in a sprawling old estate named Verdigris Hall.  Where Verdigris Hall exists is a mystery and how to happen upon it is through the magic of imagination. 

The first members of the Papier Family you will meet are Marcel, Sophie, Louise and Luc.

Now don't tell anyone, but I have a bit of a crush on Marcel with his dapper suit, hats, cane and curling mustache.  This is one urbane gentleman who is always immaculately turned out no matter where he is going (even ventures to the beach require a special three piece bathing suit). Marcel is an arbiter of the arcane and curious...automatons, clocks, flying ships and ciphers being some of his interests.

Sophie is a super sweet girl that loves to give and receive gifts including hearts, balloons and candy...every day she celebrates a birthday even if it is for a frog she happens upon while playing near Veridian Pond, a famous person, a character in a book or Annette at the bakery (she's a constant visitor as Sophie has a sweet tooth).

Louise (Lulu to friends and everyone is her friend) is a great believer in friendship.  She is never without her winged friend, Mimi.  Lulu is a lover of plants and flowers and she spends hours in the gardens, conservatory and greenhouse.  She writes letters to numerous friends from across the globe many of them met through her quest to cultivate the perfect bloom.

With his boundless energy, if Luc isn't consumed in his endless sports watch out because he is pulling an outlandish prank...Lulu once woke up to find herself and Mimi sleeping in the huge cage in the conservatory with the displaced birds inhabiting her bedroom.

The Papier Family will be showing up a whole lot more often and you can take them home from paper wings productions on Friday, June 15, 2012.

If you want to introduce yourself to them they would love to meet you!

Also, check out The Aviary this week for swatches from projects using the all new paper wings productions stamps and today's post HERE to see Louise in action.  

Happy creating,
Shay.

Coming Soon

Dear Reader,

Holy Toledo...I can't believe I didn't post at all here in May!  I am here and busy.  In fact for anyone interested some new designs of mine (aka post script press) are going to be released by paper wings productions on June 15th.  I will have to introduce you to them soon.  There are sneak peeks to the new stamps on The Aviary this week and next.  If you want to see a peek at mine specifically please look at this post HERE. Which are mine?  The first two (they are each part of a series of stamps).  Wait until you see them in action...they are fun!

Oh and anyone in the San Antonio area, this Sunday (June 10, 2012) you will be able to buy the new stamps before anyone else at Stamp Antonio (noon-4 p.m.).  Plus, we will be doing some fun *free* make n' takes using the brand new stamps (try before you buy).

Happy creating,
Shay.

Thinking Outside the Card

Dear Reader,

Over at The Aviary (Paper Wings Productions' blog), we announced a challenge using a Flight Plan (a guide to follow).  Julie did an awesome job creating all of the graphics and the Flight Plan.  Julie and I realized we also needed to meet the challenge.

Due to a suggestion by my friend, Ellen, I decided to move away from the card.  I was torn between a canvas or an art journal page.  I went with the canvas simply because I have stockpiled them and wanted to use another one up.

Inspired by She Art by Christy Thomlinson, I decided I wanted a lady to be the focus of the canvas and what would be better than to use one of the women from Melange Women to be the foundation of my lady?  I also happen to be a lover of Regencies (I just happened to recently devour The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh--I laughed, I cried...there is a deathbed scene that is flagrantly sentimental, but sentimental nonetheless so this may have also been a mitigating factor).  I sort of did this all wrong.  I started with the background which is fine, but then I stamped the lady's face into the gel and then decided to try again by stamping her face on a piece of orange polka dot paper.  I drew over her features and then I painted in her face which meant I was drawing in her face more than once.  Next time I am going to try stamping on a piece of paper, painting in the skin and then stamping over again to try to keep the integrity of the image.  I think she ended up looking a bit like Cher. 

Anyway, I painted in a full empire waist dress on the lady when she only had the bust.  Luckily, empire waist dresses are some of the easiest to paint.  For added interest and texture to the canvas I used the new doily stencil by Christy Tomlinson by Pink Paislee with some paints over the lady and in the top right hand corner of the canvas. I also added panels from Melange 4 Architecture which I stamped onto the orange polka dotted pattern paper by Basic Grey and stamped some flourishes from Flourish Fun 1 in the background.  The last touch was some generous sprays of Studio Calico's Mister Huey's Shine.

Look for another canvas using Paper Wings Productions' Melange stamps this week on The Aviary.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy creating,
Shay.

Up, Up & Away

Dear Reader,

How is your April shaping up so far?  Spring is in full bloom here and this year the lawns are actually a delightful green rather than the sad browning yellow of last year due to a wet winter this year.   Rain has become something of a sacred happening around these parts no matter the disruptions or mess (like mud-heavy paws leaving their imprint on floors, furniture and people alike).

March was a busy birthday month...some are even stacked up on the same day.  I especially enjoy making cards for my uncle, his wife and children because they express joy in receiving them.

Today's card I made for this same uncle.  I had bought a slew of Tim Holtz's new stamps earlier because they are so wonderful for masculine cards (I was thrilled with the train stamp set especially...thank you so much, Mr. Holtz!).  The hot air balloon and map are from Tim Holtz.  I paired these stamps with some from Papertrey Ink in particular a favorite set of mine--Half & Half.  The patterned paper is all from Basic Grey.  I have been really loving my 6x6 paper pads and these Basic Grey paper pads from the Oxford and Wander collections are no exception and they actually work well with each other.

Here is a little dimensional shot.  I decided to pop up just the top panel of the hot air balloon to give it extra interest.

Inside (using one of my favorite "happy birthday" sentiments from the Botanical Silhouettes stamp set (limited edition) by Papertrey Ink):

I hope you have an uplifting day!

Happy creating,
Shay.