12 Days of Christmas

Some of you are familiar with ATC (artist trading cards) swaps and other swaps that crafters and artists are participating in......well, I just took part in my very first swap.

What that means is, a lovely woman named Elizabeth hosted the "12 Days of Christmas" altered art swap.  Twelve artist signed up to do their interpretation of one of the twelve days of the song.  After completing their 12 pieces, they were to wrap them, send them to Elizabeth and receive back, in the mail, a set of eleven different 5 by 5 inch original works of art.

I got busy an made mine, so excited to see what I would get in exchange! 

Beginning yesterday, a Partridge in a Pear Tree Monday,  women in my group began opening their packages...one day at a time..and here is mine.....Day 2, Two Turtledoves.

Drum roll please....................

And here is how it came together.............

 Using hand painted paper, made by Ann Munson, I cut the white background, laid down the bingo card and cut a small piece, for the bird's background, from the wonderful paper Ann had painted.

   Here are the pieces laid out and ready to assemble.  I cut one bird from tea dyed muslin, to make it darker and to give depth to the piece, then the white bird is cut from batting with red polka dot fabric for its' tail.  I stamped the back of a Bingo piece with the number two, cut some mesh from a fruit bag and made feet from vintage artificial flower pistils.  Not shown, is the leaf I stamped and cut out of a page of text.

Placement determined, it is time for the glue!

Next came the wrapping for the package.  I placed each card in a cellophane bag on which I had glued a piece of sheet music, some red paper then a white sheet stamped with a bird cage and I added two red birds.

The packaging process.....almost done..........

Voila'...........the packaged gifts, ready to mail!

Since we weren't "legally" suppose to open our packages until December 13 and I have trouble following directions....(I have opened mine, shhhhhh don't tell anyone)....and love every one of them.....but you don't get to see them until December 25.  OR.....you can follow Elizabeth's Altered Book Lover where everyday for the next ten days she will be showing you these wonderful cards or come back here for the great reveal on Christmas Day!

To read more about this swap go to Jackie Smith's blog.