Oddities: an ATC swap

As part of my October ATC swaps, here are my Oddities.

I only needed five and one for myself, so I will pick the best of the 8. Once again, I had some problems. I admit, had it not been near Halloween, I probably would have put a different head on the steampunk inspired image I doctored up in Photoshop.

I tried using my Tim Holtz gear masks for these and somehow or other, I made a mess of the background. I obviously do NOT know how to use these masks, because they just look like a big hodge podge of ugliness to me. Also, when I was washing the chalk off the masks, I think I also washed the "sticky" off the mask backs. I thought you could wash them in warm water, but apparently not. If anyone knows anything about these masks, what I did wrong, and how to care for them, please let me know.

For my second set, I started once again with the little girl freebie I got from Terri at Pringle Hill Studio, only this time I printed her in color. I added a touch of pale pink chalk to the image that I cut and adhered over a background I made using Staz-on and 91% alcohol, one of my favorite quick dry backgrounds. The one of the right is the first one I made, and I felt the birds pecking on her ears was too much, so I didn't add them to the next ones. The one in the middle has the bird facing inward, which was my original design. I ran out of birds going that direction that I cut from some paper I colored with H2Os, so the one on the left is going the opposite direction. To be honest, I think I like that position the best, but it is the only one I made like it. Not too odd, but they will have to do, since this swap will soon be in the mail.

Today I'm featuring a web site of a British company that makes lovely prints. Bold and Noble, an eco-friendly design company, specializes in affordable prints. It is run by Jane Tobitt and David Wardle, who design all the prints they sell. According to their web site, David is a 10K runner who represents England with what seems to be pretty impressive times. But the designs are what drew me to their site. I especially love the "many hands" print found on page 2 of their prints. Bold and Noble may have something that will make you smile, too. Happy Monday everyone.