all hail, opus gluei! :)

ever since i met my lovely new blogging friend rosemary, i have been longing to do one of the challenges on the fun site she runs with her friend jana, ORDER OF THE OPUS GLUEI. (where the motto is: adhevium funnum!) the other night i finally had a "window of opportunity" and i dodged over there, hoping i'd be in time for the current theme. and i was! and it's a goodie!

challenge #8: IN REACH

Use what is visible at this moment. Don’t reach into any drawers or cabinets. Just turn and look around you at this moment in time. Reach out and grab what you see. Use it in this week’s project.

ok, so lemme see if i've got this right: you get to make any type, size, or theme of papercrafting project...and...you're meant to use the stuff that's all over your work table and in your junk bowl, rather than clean it up??!? does this challenge scream, "LAUREN" or what??! :)

i had a BLAST with this, partially because at the moment i am so stressed and overbooked that i have not had any extra time lately for "art play". and see, it turns out, in my case..."art play" is NOT a luxury. (note to self: MAKE time!!!) i had a whollllllllllllle bunch of clutter on my table...including a couple of pre-covered atc's, already cut-out stamped images, punched shapes and paper scraps...so i was spoiled for choice!

i started out with a monsta atc. when in doubt, i go with monstas, cupcakes or birds. there were no cupcakes or birds on my table, so the choice was clear:

(page from a japanese workbook & text from a children's story; monsta & heart stamps by gina cunningham, tyggereye art; sassafras cloud stamp; colorbox inks; tombow marker)

the other blank atc card had a map on it, so why not add the eiffel tower, eh? (technically, it's a map of moscow, but let's not get bogged down with silly details!)

(pages from a russian atlas & a french dictionary; hero arts stamp; prima flower; doodlebug sequin; mambi gem; colorbox & ranger inks)

lately i am loving the *negative* shapes left when i use my paper punches; this butterfly was just the right size to go in the 1 1/2" scallop frame. i mounted the "window" on foam tape for a little more dimension. i don't know what i will do with the result, but it's kind of cute, right?

(making memories patterned paper; core'dinations cardstock; marvy butterfly & scallop square punches; zig pen)

for the last one, i cheated just a teeny bit; the folded scrapling-sized transparency was not on my table, but everything else was, and when i remembered i had it i snuck to my scrap file and grabbed it up.

(hambly transparency; scrapbook wizard & craft secrets patterned paper; hero arts stamp & gem; gin-x coaster; colorbox ink; zig pen)

thank you rosemary and jana for a fun evening--i'll be back! :)