Craft Night is Success of the Century!

Slight exaggeration, perhaps.

However, I've kept up the steam with ATCs and swapping and have also been facilitating some crafting of my dearest friends. Go us! Here's some more work of mine.

I've been really enjoying my ajunkie 'zine. There is a “Mini-'zine” swap that Swap-Bot user zoey1440 has been putting on the last few months. I recently made June's edition of ajunkie 'zine – the relocation issue. It's inspired by the fact that I'm moving to Montana come early July. In the mini-'zine I have been including micro articles like “Creative Reuse Ideas,” “Saweet Vegan Recipes,” “Alternative Transportation Tips,” and “Visit Portland 101.” This last article theme may be changing soon... “Exploring the Bitterroot Valley,” maybe? Collect them all!

I recently watched all of the second season of Flight of the Conchords - all of the season multiple times. I dig those kiwis as.

“Bret” & “Jemaine” - Just simply sharpie.

These ATCs are now framed and on display in a friend's bathroom. I can't think of any other two hilarious singing boys that I would want watching me while I am naked in the shower. Can you?


I also made a couple of fabric ATCs for a specific swap - as is evident by their titles, I bet you can guess what I was watching while making them. I used scrap fiber materials from my own sewing stash or stuff that I yoinked from S.C.R.A.P, with some other found/repurposed objects. These were fun to make, but hand sewing through cardstock is certainly a time consuming task.

A quick tip: I use a fatter sharp needle to poke holes in the paper where I want the thread/wire to go first and then I actually thread it through the fabric with a slimmer needle. If it's thinner fabric, you can hold the paper up towards a light source and see through the fabric to see where the holes are.

“Sally” - Scrap fabric, thread, felt, ribbon, and buttons.

“The Humans Are Dead” - Fabric & lace scrap, found washer, and repurposed copper wire.

These two were for a "Horror" themed swap. What's scarier than zombie bunnies?

“Warren of the Dead” - Sharpie, nail polish, and nail polish remover.

A sequel. Yup, that's scarier.

“Warren of the Living Dead 28 Hours Later” - Sharpie, nail polish, and nail polish remover.

This is just a two-some. Not quite a three-some. Created for an ATC swap with a seven + one item theme: (1) heart, (2) key, (3) animal, (4) face, (5) star, (6) flower, (7) a word, and any other thing (I chose “instrument”).

“Separate but =” - Two ATCs created from a simple paper collage and dried flowers.

Whoa. A three-some! A super cute tri-ATC that got lost in the mail.

“Lochy Baby” - Made with ink, nail polish, color pencil,
watercolor, and marker.

I had included a poem with “Lochy Baby” for the recipient... that never got to receive it. (/sigh)

'Dear Monalisa Hess,
Here is your baby lochness.

His chubby body has been sighted without meanin
Swimmin near the beaches of the Caribbean.

But no worries has the Rastafarian
Because this Lochy Baby's a vegetarian.'


To use up scrap papers, bits and pieces of metal, ribbon, and found objects, and “extras” that other swappers had gifted me that were taking up space on my crafting desk, I started making larger multimedia collages. Then I would cut down the approximately 7” x 5” collage into four 2.5” x 3.5” ATCs.

"Scrapping Good Time"

"Scrapping Good Time - Quadrant IV"

"This isn't really happening"

"This isn't really happening - Quadrant II"

"We Should Have Felt It"

"We Should Have Felt It - Quadrant I"

Sometimes, I just really like to doodle.

“My Designer Friend” - Image made of sharpie.
Frame is a black & white coated wire sewn through the cardstock
backing using steel wires from bulk food packaging twist-ties.

Represent Miss Golden Girl! This has been a year of iconic celebrity tragedy, for sure.

“In Memory of a Golden Girl,” Bea Arthur, 1922-2009 -
Ink and watercolor.

And for all you cat ladies and you lovers of cat ladies:

“Her Kitty” - Ink and watercolor.

I'm going to be in Montana for a couple months. I'm packing light: A backpack of clothes and essentials, my lap top, and a medium size suit case filled with CRAFT & ART supplies. Including some jewelry bits. I'm hoping to enjoy some nature, study the stars, and spend many hours exploring my artsy self. I hope this becomes reflected on my too neglected blog and that my dreams of an Etsy store become a refreshing reality.


Enjoy the sunshine, fellow recyclers and artists!