Eraser carving again

My first tries at eraser carving were inspired by Traci Bunkers. I like how she takes ordinary things and uses them for stamping. I got her book, Print and Stamp Lab and have used many of her ideas for cards and journal pages.

Lately my creating self has been spinning her wheels. I've done some knitting, made teensy Barbie doll hats, started another washcloth. Today I was reminded about carving erasers, and decided to write down what I've done, since first inspired to do that.

After a visit to the Dollar Tree, I did a tiny bit of carving on some erasers and liked the way they turned out.

just a little bit of carving made a cute stamp. I carved this with the cuticle cutter from a manicure set I got from the Dollar Tree as well as the pack of erasers.

just some variations on the airplane eraser. The kids like to stamp with it.

I started seeing a fish in this so carved it away. 

Good to be practicing on little things that didn't cost a whole lot. I got a bag of these shaped erasers for $1. 

This one is my favorite so far. It was inspired by a stamp but doesn't look like it at all. 

This one has turned out to be the most versatile and well used. The stamp is just the single swirly at the top and the bottom two are examples of what I have used them for. 

I want to get back into Creative Mode; there are some things stopping me at the moment. But one day at a time, right? Meantime, getting all my crafty stuff into one blog instead of scattered is an accomplishment too.

30 days of getting your art on...

Traci Bunkers 30 days of Getting Your Art On..
So now this will be quite a challenge considering just how busy I have been. But I sure want to do this. I am not sure if I will be able to keep up, but I will try my best, and know that I probably won't finish much in one day. But hey it doesn't matter, the satisfaction is in the creating isn't it?

Tomorrow is September first. I have two grandchildren due January-February. So far I have made a blanket for each of the six grandchildren I have so far. Tomorrow may consist of gathering materials for those quilts. I doubt if I will have the time to sew on them. But this is good motivation to keep on going and not give up on my art. It's been tough the last few months, so much going on.

So even if I am the only one following this journey, let it begin!!!

being stretched...

The background is rubber bands on a brayer rolled over a rainbow ink pad. Then I found a quotation that had to do with stretching... and thinking about the tsunami and all the people killed and affected by it... all of us have to expand our hearts and reach out to those in need, whether by donating money to help or actually going there. I admire those willing to pick up and go there...

Don't know how much the zentangle matches the rubber bands, but that's what my fingers did today. I have been enjoying the zentangling... and the stamped/written letters just looked too plain. I really like the way my tears turned out... kind of a hidden meaning here. But it's the first try for the rubber banding. Saw the technique first at Gina K. Designs. The stamped fonts are $1 Michael's or Joann's fonts I don't remember...with the exception of "EXPAND" which is Traci Bunkers' Cheapskate font. I did the zentangle with a Uniball pen.

Not sure what the names of the tangles are, except the center one on the bottom, which is a variation of "Crescent Moon"... I used to do this kind of doodle all the time as a teenager, before it was called a zentangle... I wondered when I saw the site whether "my" doodle was in someone else's head... and there it was. LOL

Here's the card I did, I cropped the scanned image and mounted on paisley cuttlebug embossing folder... hate it when stuff turns out crooked... but oh well. I am human. :) and sometimes to tired to be a perfectionist.

Mehndi stencils...

Mehndi stencils are made for henna stenciling on hands... but they can be used as stencils for whatever you want. It doesn't look like much here, the same not-dried-out colors of blopens... have to find that gift certificate so I can get some more colors.

I wanted to learn more about Mehndi, so googled it and found several articles about it. It is used in India mainly as decoration for brides. Read about it on Wikipedia.

This is just a page in my sketch book, which was rather kidnapped, and now includes a page on zentangle, hand carved rubber stamps, and Mehndi. From time to time I have ordered something or other and then forgot what it was I had planned for it. I won't forget this stuff now. I left space for new rubber stamps I make, and will continue that adventure, which seems to be tangled up in the zentangle, because I can see possibilities there for stamps.

And this page is sort of like a journal page, so it's beginning to come together, at least in my mind.

Also....... (drum roll) I got Traci's book in the mail today!! I ordered it from Amazon.com. Lots of great ideas! She has another book coming out May 1st and as soon as I get my next check, I will order it.

There is so much I would like to do I get rather frustrated that I cannot do them all. LOL!!! I keep adding things to The List.

Eraser Carving

 Why carve erasers if I don't use them for something? This print looks like wandering to me... and I love this quote. So much of our time is spent working to provide for the present and for the future. I spend time wondering what I am supposed to be doing, now that I am done raising children... that was my life, home schooling, nurturing, trying my best to provide for them and love them. Now they are all out on their own. So after 30 years or so of parenting, now what, Lord?

Part of the journey seems to be letting myself create... so here is a card, my stamp, Oprah's quote, and Traci's inspiration...

Thanks, Oprah... Thanks, Traci....

color was blopens. The only ones not dried out are orange, green, and yellow. So that's where I had to start, LOL...