"Cowgirl Vintage charm swap"

 

Have you ever rummaged through grandma’s jewelry box or jeweled treasures at a flea market?  Find joy in the beauty of old, well loved and worn baubles and trinkets, sheet music, lacy metals, flowers, gears, and magical beauty. Well now is your chance to use those vintage treasures! Join us in this fun and fabulous charm swap.


 You will make TWO sets of charms per person one Art/creative charm and 1 filler charm
*  You will keep  1 Art/Creative and 1 Filler for yourself (2 charms).

Art Charms/Creative Charms

One of your charms should be something creative and fun, an “art charm”. 
   Suggested materials might include altered metal charms, altered beads and baubles, altered coins, stamped and altered metal pieces, Shrinky Dink plastic, polymer clay, metal accents such as photo hangers, eyelets, or brads. 
Please keep the size UNDER the size of a US Quarter to make our bracelets or necklaces easier to wear.  Also, please make sure that any wires or metals are smoothed so not to snag clothing.     
Do NOT personalize your charms for the Charm Swap .  We are doing this round robin style so you will not know ahead of time who’s charms you will be receiving back.  If you would like to personalize charms for friends, please make extras and swap those on your own.

Filler Charms

The second charm is a "filler" charm. This charm adds a little more color, sparkle and bling to the bracelet and fills in the spaces between our artsy charms.  This should be very simple, just a bead or a couple beads on a head pin or an eye pin.
Make Them Sturdy! Your charms should be sturdy enough to withstand normal wear and tear on a bracelet that will be worn.  Paper items should be covered with some kind of sealer. ModPodge, liquid glass (please test to make sure ink does not run) – Judikins makes a very good sealer for paper art charms, laminating film, spray sealer, and even clear nail polish are all great options!

No Clasps/Hooks

 Please attach "lobster claws" to your charms so they will can easily be attached to your bracelet or necklace. 
I usually use jump rings to attach charms but if you don't know how to solder this can be a issue. With the lobster claws you can remove and add the charm easily to anything with out damaging it.

Packaging (follow these instructions)

Help our swap angels sort and distribute your charms easily.  Following these instructions is vital to receiving your swaps back quickly.
* Package your charms for the party in small baggies (sandwich baggies are fine).

* Put one of EACH charm in the SAME bag. 

* LABEL your charms with your name and (optional) contact information.   You can use a stick-on label, slip in a business card, or even just a small piece of cardstock with your name.

* AND THEN *

* Put all of these in a big Gallon size ziploc bag, BOLDLY labeled w/your name.

Assemble Your Bracelets

Bracelets are not included in this Charm Swap. I thought it would be best if everyone brought their own "necklace or bracelet" to add your charms too. I will bring some extra chain for those who can't find or forget to bring theirs. We will be setting up an "assembly party" so be prepared for fun and laughs.  You also may want to put a few of your charms on a pendant or pin instead. 
 ** It is fun to take a group picture of all the bracelets and necklaces! 

Hope to see you in the swap,  Trishalicious

Last Push for Sign-Ups for The Inspiration Board Swap!

Hi Gals! I decided to set the sign-up deadline for my particular swap, the Inspiration Board, for May 9th and then I will on that day take and assign partners, so Giddy-Up on over to the comment section here on this posting AND/OR to the database on the Paper Cowgirl Yahoo group and add your name in to the records or just contact me at purrpage3 at verizon dot net to let me know you're interested! Maybe you're a mite confused on what this Inspiration Board Swap is all about?! So let me 'splain it to y'all...
Well, my thought was that we all are creative souls attending, and, thus, we most likely are very VISUAL souls too, so a board of inspiration would help to spark our creativity in our 'lil 'ol craft rooms, so, thus, this swap came to my mind to host....
I didn't want to HAVE to set the rules of the board you create has to be this or that style, you know, like it doesn't HAVE to be a Cowgirl theme at all! Or any such theme! BUT, I wanted you to spread your creative wings and to create with the person you'll be matched up with to THEIR style and taste, so there will be a sharing of your likes/ dislikes when you're paired up!
Here are a few more examples to make it clearer (than mud, that is!)...
Maybe your swap partner would be a minimalist type, this might be her style...

                                       (Photo courtesy of Burlap & Blue blog and tutorial)
Maybe she likes the unusual touch and a handy way to cover up the details when needed...

                                           (Photo courtesy of Crafty Nest)
I know my creativity is stoked by pretty fabrics, laces, vintage buttons, tulle, and most of all sparkle!!!!
So here is a board I created for myself...

I am adding to it as I find the time to create a pretty for myself!
So, if you've been on the fence...

It's time to jump off and sign up and see the creativity you'll give and receive from your fellow
Paper Cowgirls! Yee-Haw!
Remember, you can sign up by emailing me purrpage3 at verizon dot net, or by adding your name on the database (just go under swaps and click "add record" and put in your info!)
The deadline again is May 9th and I'll send out your partner's name for the swap the following day, May 10th!
                           Suzie

Velveeta Cheese Box Paper Cowgirl Challenge, Contest and Auction!

We all love Velveeta cheese, the boxes really are iconic symbols of our childhood and takes us back to the kitchen table with a yummy orange macaroni and cheese plate before us...

And as Paper Cowgirl Artists, we can create ART now out of anything,

EVEN the box!

Yee-Haw!

The challenge is laid at your craft table...

The challenge will be to make something out of a Velveeta Cheese box. (2 lb size)  It can be anything decorative or utilitarian.  The main rule is that the bottom of the box (brown corrugated part) must retain it's form so that it will still be recoginzeable as a Velveeta box.  You can cut holes in it, or take it apart and reassemble as long as it keeps its shape and app size.  The lid can be used or not and can be cut up to use in any way.  The lid should be incorporated into the design, not a seperate item. 

Here is one little sample of using an everyday item of a Velveeta Cheese box to create something else...

{Photo courtesy of LollyChops}

 

The "entries" will be displayed at some point during PC so that everyone gets a chance to vote on their favorites.  Winner will get a trophy (I found one at Warrenton) and a donated prize (depending what we get).

Then on Vendor night, winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd...) will be announced, and a silent auction will be held for all the pieces with donations going to Tina's Scholarship Fund.   

Are YOU game?!! If so, please go to the Yahoo Database for Paper Cowgirls and add your name to the Velveeta Cheese box Challenge record there.
Questions? Email me, Susan Skinner at sissyfox1 at yahoo dot com.
Now get Challenged!

 

Ideas for Inspiration boards

Hi, Gals! I am looking for some cowgirls to join my inspiration board swap, right now there's just me and one other lonely cowgal, so I thought I'd share a few inspiration board ideas and links to pique your creative bug and have you consider signing up!
Just browsing through the internet I found a couple boards that are made in different ways but are both fantastic! One I really liked I found over at Joy Folie where she used a metal board to make it magnetic! How fabulous! Here's a peek at her board...

Easy to make and I can imagine a little bit of cowgirl fabric and trims to Paper Cowgirl it up!

EEK!

Then I was over-the-top excited when I saw she had a linked tutorial to these to use on such

a board...

cute magnetic tacks! These could be adorable to put in the altered box swap too!

click HERE for the tack tutorial too!

Just love the internet for ideas, don't you gals?!!

Then a favorite blog of mine for tutorials of all sorts had this board similarly made to

the inspiration board I made that I posted originally...

over at Sew Mama Sew

Here's her board, not very cowgirl style, but a good strong tutorial on making one...

Remember, your glue gun is your FRIEND!

or at least it's mine!

Have i made you want to join in?!

I hope so!

If so, please leave me your name and way to contact you

under the comments on this post!

And just enjoy the freedom of creating!

Love and cowbells to y'all...

                                                          Cowgirl Suzie

One-to-One Altered Box Swap

Picture from Deb Trotter's blog - project from Jill Haglund's book Altered Art Projects

This will be a one-to-one swap. We'll be swapping altered boxes. By popular demand, although I first mentioned that it could be any size, I'm going to limit it somewhat so we're all on the same page. Boxes need to be about the size of a cigar box or small lunch box. When I close the swap, I'll assign partners, and you can talk to your partner about what colors they like/have in their house for decorating the outside, but the inside will be completely up to you. You can make it a shadow box, or fill it with fun stuff for your partner like found objects or supplies for art, or finished art you made, or pretty much anything you want. 

From Lynn Stevens of Trash to Treasure Art

Can you believe that's a cigar box? From Saray Viola - check out her blog, she's got some great mixed media altered art pieces!

I found a lot of examples on the internet just by googling altered cigar boxes or mixed media boxes, but if people want more examples, I'll be happy to come back and post more links. Really, though, anything goes.



If you're interested in participating, leave a comment here. I'm going to close the swap on Monday, May 2, to give everyone time to work on their boxes. 

Thanks!
Shannon
 

Name Tag One-to-One Swap

PC Name Tag One-to-One Swap is up!!

Details for the swap are as follows:

1. Check out the swap on the Paper Cowgirl Yahoo Group Database. You will sign up for the swap here, on this post. Swaps will not be limited, but will be CLOSED on April 1st  (Due to having time to create your partner's "name")

2. Wait until April 1st to find out who you will be swapping with. I will be posting partners on this blog. Go ahead and start planning your name tag while you wait for your swap partner!! Please use vintagy, faded colors...nothing bright!

3. Create, create, create your fabulous name tag! Use millinery, soldered pieces, lace, trims...perhaps a little digital hybrid art? The sky's the limit!! Use soft vintage colors such as pinks, creams, greens, etc. Silver glitter would be a nice touch too! Make sure your nametag is really fussy and gorgeous!

4. Bring your assigned name tag to PC on swap night! Remember presentation is everything!!

Sound fun? Sign Up HERE on this post if you are interested. Please email me with any questions
mendytexasart@yahoo.com

Faithful Horse Swap Version 2.0

Howdy Cowgirls!

Every cowgirl needs a faithful horse.  Last year we had six swappers because the swap went up late in the game, but as you can see by the photos, the paper horses were awesome!

Join this swap to collect a colorful herd of pretty ponies using this free template (here) created by Artist Ann Wood.

You can utilize the pattern in any way you wish, using any materials you like.  Choose from two "breeds" of horses.  If you want to enlarge or alter the pattern, go ahead.  If you want to make your own pattern, that's fine, too!  We'll make one horse for every swapper, so we get 15 swappers, we'll make 15 pretty ponies.  This swap will close at 20 horses.

So saddle up and have fun!  You can leave a comment here if you have any questions!

Yours, Cathi B. (Calsidyrose)