Live 2 Stamp News: Oh the Creativity!!!

My "Wall Art" stamp camp was this past weekend and I'm happy to report that it was great fun! The creative process is incredible when 4 or 5 people are working together! I think everyone had some idea of what they wanted to do when they walked in the door, but the finished products were better than anyone could have imagined! Someone would have a dilemma of one sort or another and in an instant, she'd have at least a couple people chiming in with ideas on what could be done.

Now, before I show you the projects, I have to tell you that my lacking photography skills don't do any of them justice. They were all very impressive and I'm sure many people are going to have to spend a bit of time convincing others that they made their piece.

Most of the frames that were used were actually repurposed from already-made pieces of art, purchased on sale because, well, let's just say they were less than attractive. I really should have taken some "before" pictures. I think I had a few people a little scared when I took a single-edge razor blade and started cutting through the backing of the frames so everything could be taken apart. Some pieces come completely apart and are easy to cover with new paper, others, not so much. It really just depends on the glue and the construction, but for an average of about $12, it's a really, really economical way to have a frame, glass and matting ready to alter.

Tracy started out wanting to use "To the Nines" DSP to replicate the piece I posted earlier this month, but then she added a couple more layers and embellishments and had this wonderful piece to take home:

Gwen had a long, narrow frame that she filled with this:

Gayle didn't have her frame with her, but put together this cheery project:

Sue used a frame with a center plaque that was not going to budge, so she covered it with scrapbook paper and cut out some flowers from coordinating paper that ended up looking almost like they were painted on the glass:

Dale designed this to hang in her guest bath. The glass is not in place in this picture so the vellum that the verse is printed on looks a little "lumpy" in this picture, but the finished project looks so classy! The cream and black paper was gorgeous!

Cathy designed this "timely" piece with the Stampin' Up! "Cottage Wall" Designer Paper. She started out thinking she'd use a pretty Rich Razzleberry floral print, and as the afternoon progressed, so did her art! She tried several different embellishment ideas before settling on the gold-embossed medallion from the "Baroque Motifs" set. The 5/16" Jumbo brad in the center was also embossed--it was white in its "previous life." A little swim in Versamark and a couple dips in gold embossing powder and it made the perfect centerpiece.

When Lynne walked in the door, she was planning on making a name frame for her son and his fiance using "To the Nines" DSP. But after a little "consultation" with the group and puttering with different lettering sizes and embellishments, this is the wonderful gift she went home with:

I had "a little" hand in helping Lynne complete her project, although that wasn't always a good thing! Because we had spent so much time helping each other with "consultations," it was getting very close to supper time and Lynne still had a few more steps before she'd be finished. She needed holes punched in the ovals for the ribbon so I grabbed my Crop-A-Dile and started punching. Unfortunately, I was chatting while doing this and I ended up punching a hole in the BOTTOM instead of the top of the "Home" oval! I was panicked for a minute, but then I remembered "There are no mistakes, just opportunities for creativity!"

I have to admit I was at a loss for a minute, and then images from the Sale-a-Bration set, "Good Neighbors" popped into my head. A little stamping, a little paper piecing--and my favorite part--a teensy Real Red cardstock heart punch-out from the new Pinking Hearts border punch! Crisis averted!!