More handmade postcard goodness, and ATC swapping

I've been super-busy as of late, but I've found time to make a couple of handmade postcards in the last few days. (No matter how busy I get, I have to keep creating so I don't go crazy!)


This collage postcard was for a postcard swap on Swap-Bot with the theme of the color green. The base is cut from a cereal box and covered with a solid bright green that I pieced together from a magazine ad. The page was mostly solid with a little writing, so I cut off the lettering and cut two solid pieces to cover the card. The avacado was from another magazine ad. Add a little Sharpie and some Mod Podge and voila! (I really hope this makes someone smile when they check their mail!)


This one was also for a Swap-Bot swap. This one is from a series of doodle postcard swaps that follows the alphabet; obviously, this one is for the letter E! I love doodling, so I think I am going to finish out the rest of the alphabet as well... Too bad I didn't get in at A!

I've also signed up for some swaps of ATCs (Artist Trading Cards). I made a few a while back and have been really itching to start a collection. The swaps I've signed up for with ATCs are a collage swap and a doodle swap, since they are two of my favorite things to do, especially on a small-scale work of art like this.

Would anyone out there be interested in swapping ATCs with me? (If you like my postcards, that will give you an idea of the styles my ATCs might be.) Let me know!

Want to know more about ATCs? Check out this article.

We have a winner!

I am happy to announce that the winner of our recent blog giveaway is Amanda from The Cubas Cubs Corner! She will be receiving a huge box full of craft supplies!

I'm a little frazzled and behind on things right now with a lot on my plate, but mailing of packages that I owe a few of you and resuming of regular posting are soon to come! Hang in there, folks! :)

"Beautiful Grim"

Here is the drawing I did for Beautiful Grim, 12×17″ Graphite, color pencil and chalk pastel on paper.
Available through the Beautiful Grim art auction for Breast Cancer Survivors.

Last day to enter - WIN FREE CRAFT SUPPLIES!

Today is the final day to enter to win a HUGE box filled with over $100 worth of craft supplies! Win yarn, fabric, beads, paper goods, and much more!

Don't procrastinate - the clock is ticking!

Click here to learn how to enter, and click here for a sampling of what is in store for the lucky winner!

This and that...

Whew, it's been a crazy few days!

I've been a bit under the weather with a terrible cold, which I then passed to my boyfriend. So I've been either sick or playing nurse for about a week now, and it's been eating into my blogging time severely.

Because of this, I owe the giveaway box about a week's worth of items. Since I am so far behind, and since the end is drawing so close, I've decided to make the last few items a surprise! There is still time to enter if you haven't yet!

I've spent some of my sick time surfing the net for inspiration, and found it in the form of photos of abandoned amusement parks. I can't put my finger in exactly what is so great about them, but I really enjoy looking at decrepit machinery being reclaimed by nature.



It inspired me to dig through some of my own photos, which in turn led to what will be a new ongoing project - I will be posting photos I take of abandoned places. (Oh how I love photography!) I started a blog for my photos at abandonedinmichigan.blogspot.com.

Works in progress

Hello, I am Jessica Ward and this is my first post on CraftyBitch. I am a fine artist that lives and shows in LA. Here is a link to my website: Click Here

I have started on a few projects, one being a drawing on a piece of wood I cut out. Right now it's gessoed and sanded really smooth.




Here are a few other pieces I am working on as well. They are graphite on paper. Trying some new ideas out and used a stencil and spray paint.

Another thing I am working on is a drawing for "Beautiful Grim". It is an art auction fundraiser dedicated to Cat Rey with excess donations going to a later determined breast cancer charity. Click here

Spring Flowers Refrigetator Magnets - a great rainy day craft project for kids!

Celebrate the coming season with your kids with bright, cheerful crafts! Carrying on with my challenge to create as many projects as possible from a $1 package of foam sheets I bought the other day, I came up with these cute flower magnets. (They would make great gifts for Mother's Day!)

I drew the flowers free-hand and embellished them with coordinating buttons from my button jar. It is a very low-cost craft as well - the total cost for all 4 of these magnets was under 50 cents!

I posted the tutorial for them on Examiner. Click here to check it out!

Oh, the excitement!

Nothing lifts your day quite like receiving a package in the mail (even if it is something you ordered for yourself)! And today, my order from Etsy seller Beadshouse arrived!

I have been greatly anticipating this order. Beadshouse has so much gorgeous stuff, it was hard to choose just these things; I will have to go back for more! I got a tube of special German jewelry glue, six vintage ring blanks, two fabulous bird charms, and a total of six incredible cabs. I've been pretty heavily into steampunk designs with my jewelry lately, so this stuff is that much more exciting to me. Oh, the possibilities! I can't wait to get a chance to PLAY! :)

Beadshouse is an EXCELLENT seller. She had excellent communication and everything was just as described and even better in person. Plus her prices and selection are awesome! If you are a jewelry maker, head over to Etsy and <3 this shop!

The 32 Sheets of Foam Challenge - Project #1 - Foam Squares Picture Frame

The other day I was wandering around the Dollar Tree store near my house and came across a package of 32 sheets of craft foam, each sheet 4" by 6". I wondered to myself, how many projects can I get out of this $1 package of foam? And to make it more interesting... I am trying to only use other things from the dollar store for these projects!

Today I posted a tutorial for my first foam project: A super-fun picture frame!


The frame came from the dollar store, and the projected used only 2 sheets of foam (one in each color). Click here to see the tutorial!

I've been working on making some flower magnets this afternoon and will be posting that tutorial tomorrow. These projects are perfect for kids!

Make sure you don't miss a single one by visiting my Examiner page and clicking the "Subscribe" button at the top of the page. You will get a link to each of my articles delivered to your e-mail inbox when it is posted. I post once a day (with the occasional day off) and you won't get any spam. If you prefer to use an RSS feed reader, there is a button for my RSS feed as well!

Remember, subscribing qualifies you to enter my huge blog giveaway as well, for a chance to win over $100 worth of craft supplies!

Free Craft Supplies of the Day

In case you haven't heard, I am giving away a HUGE box of craft supplies! Every day this month I am adding more items to the box, and at the end of the month, one lucky reader will win! I got caught up in my Valentine's Day festivities yesterday and didn't post anything, so today I owe you two items. So first we have...


Beads! A box of plastic, turquoise-look beads in various shapes and sizes.

The other item today is...


Tissue paper squares! These are the pre-cut squares used for decorating floats. I used them to decoupage over the outside of a couple of recycled salsa jars to make really cool candle holders. They have a lot of great possibilities!

Want to see what else is in the box so far? Click here!

Want to know how to enter to win? Click here!