This month we are continuing our conversation with Evelyn, and featuring another one of her wonderful creations - an altered slide mailer...

Stamping is my 'art of choice,' but I also play with altered items, as my slide mailer tutorial describes. A corner of a former tiny bedroom has grown into a mess of papers, inks, stamps, and everything else remotely connected to the crafting I love. I especially love color, and this choice of crafts provides me with unlimited opportunities. I tell people I prefer "pretty" to any other style, but I'm developing a fondness for grunge and vintage, as well. (If there's a choice, color and 'pretty' still win out, however!)

Because I'm retired, I am free to play just about as much as I want, any time that I want. I'm truly fortunate that way. My husband tries to understand what I do, and he is duly appreciative and supportive of my efforts. I have created with UTEE and the Melting Pot, beeswax, color washes, alcohol inks, microscope slides, and dominoes, to name a few. Most recently, I learned about using Fantasy Film to cover papier-mâché objects.

In late 2008, I was invited to become part of the Design Team for Technique Junkies, which has become my most frequent outlet. I consider that opportunity a real honor, and it makes me stretch in my creating. I also search out blogs that feature weekly challenges of some kind....again, it's a way to take myself beyond where I am now.

Each day, it's almost a compulsion to create something. How lucky I am to be able to do just what I want. I'm considering starting a blog for my creations and my photography, but for now, I have a Flickr gallery.

Check out Eveylyn's wonderful creativity! You will certainly be awed, and inspired.

"Girly" Altered Slide Mailer
By: Evelyn Spikes, Guest Artist

I am a crafter who acts on impulse much of the time.  When I start an original project, I am never certain where it's going to end.  This particular altered slide mailer is a good example:  I began with the idea of warm colors featuring "Mucha" women images.    As you can see, I am so far from that plan! 

Slide mailers are great fun to work with.  They come in one-, two-, and four-slide format.   And, microscope slides are not required.  However, those pieces of glass are wonderful features in the project. 

Supplies:
A 4-slide mailer with the center divider cut out, leaving slots on each side for slides.
2 microscope slides
Images for slides
Rubber Stamps and coordinating cardstock
Spray paints
Webbing spray
Masks/stencils
Paint box/booth if spray paints are used
Cover for work space (I use giant sports calendars printed by our local high school)

Directions: 

1. Spray the outside of the mailer with the chosen color of spray paint.   When it's dry, turn it over and spray the inside with a contrasting or complementary color.  

   

   

2. When I was looking at my choice of spray paints, there was that new can of lime/citron green.   It seemed a logical choice!  Then the blue was a natural.  (My husband and I had just painted our tiny original bathroom beautiful blue and white, and I chose citron for accent pieces.  It's a 'new' decorating combination.) 
3. Originally, I wanted to use floral masks, but I realized that I needed stencils if I was going to have both colors show.   Among my collection of masks was this stencil by Heidi Swapp, which I used to apply the blue color to the lime cover.   A quick application of black webbing spray pulled it all together.

   

   

   

4. Inside, I used the mask again, but to add lime to the blue.   The black webbing spray was used only on the upper part of the inside.  

   

5. At this point, I knew that traditional images wouldn't work at all, so I found some more contemporary ones, in the form of rubber stamps.   Two Hearts in Touch stamps were selected for the slides, and I chose just the portion of the images I wanted on the slides, backing them with lime green cardstock.    Upbeat sentiment  stamps add to the overall theme.     One goes on the inside cover; the other fits into the cut-out portion between the two slides.

   

   

   

6. For the cover, I chose a wonderful face from Third Coast, making this a perfect gift for a girlfriend.  

   

   

7. Another slide mailer project didn't involve any slides, but featured a postcard of a traditional painting.  The mailer is painted with two colors of Lumiere.   Because the woman is smelling roses, I used roses in my stamped cover images and in my choice of sentiments. 

   

   

Either one of these would make a great gift for a good friend...much more than just a card.

Publisher's note:  Webbing spray paint is manufactured by Krylon and can be found in stores such as Wal-Mart or Michael's, in the paint section.