Faces Postcards Swap

All last week I had the stomach flu along with the bronchitis.  I am starting to feel a little bit better which is great because this being sick is getting old. I have lots of art to share.

I started out making collage backgrounds for some post card exchanges I am involved in. First I played with some neutrals.

Then some yellows and gold. I liked these so much it was hard to cover them, but that that was the plan.





The textured background was giving me fits on this face.





















This one was done on a plain background.

Can you see what backgrounds these were done on?  Sometimes the whole background get covered up.

The following are the cards I have gotten.

Three are from the US and the first one is from Sweden. I love them all.

Well Behaved Women

I participated in this ATC swap over at Milliande's network for women, the subject of the swap was Well behaved women rarely make history. I was so late getting mine done that I forgot to take pictures. My cards all had Liz Taylor on them. I love doing swaps, you get to try new things and then also get to meet new people and of course receive art too. What a deal.

This one imortalizes an old movie star Clara Bow. Created by Laura Damer

This one was done by Patricia Gonzales

This one was done by Liz Monaghan the swap leader.

I got a another postcard, this one is from Italy, and it was made by Barbara I love the papers she used in the background. I thought I had gotten all my cards but I guess I was wrong. There is another postcard swap happening its called Liberate Your Art and you can find more information here

Making Art

I was reading Kim's blog and saw this message so I took her advice and did my own page and another too. The idea actually came from Connie at Dirty Foot Prints Studio. Sometimes to make art you have to shut everything else off. 

















I had done this background a long time ago. It was so rich that I did not know how to use it.  Then I found this image in the right colors and added some panpastel for shading and it came to life

Artshine Sketchbook














 The theme of this book is Love and all its forms.  Here I made fabric paper by sewing strips of fabric to watercolor paper and then added an image and trim.  I see this as mother daughter love and also love of reading.














Here I use my favorite picture of Sarah and I and a few words.  The background is done with Panpastels and some stamping.

















I needed to make something for my church's auction so I took some stitched paper I had made previously and made postcards. These are really fun to make

Postcard Swap

I have not gotten my tenth postcard so it must be lost in the mail somewhere so I will show what I did receive in the postcard swap hosted by iHanna. I also got an ATC so I included that in the picture. This was one of the most fun swaps I have done.  Thanks to all the lovely ladies who sent me cards.

This is a journal page in response to a prompt on Creativity Portal. They do a prompt a day with a picture to inspire you to create. The question was What is Zen to you? This was fun and I kept it simple because that is what Zen means to me. It seemed to call out to me to be very sparse.

I have been wanting to make some more striped paper so these are my efforts so far. I threw fabric in one of the pieces. I had made that fabric paper for one of the sketchbook exchanges I worked on and just loved the feel of it so I may do more.

I signed up to take Mystele's, e-growth class. Art Sentiments. Its all about making little pieces of art to give as small gifts to friends in need or just because. Its one of those crafts where you can utilize your whole arsenal of supplies. You start with a a copy of a piece of your own art and create something new by using paper, collage, trims, sewing, painting, stamping, beads and more. What a fun little class that has been. I am almost done with a little sample but its not quite ready to show yet.

I went back to Michael's to get some more of that clearance Golden paint and someone had come in and bought almost everything in the store. It was sad to see the shelf bare. I picked up 2 bottles of fluid acrylics in colors I did not own at 2.99 ea and a jar of Hansa Yellow opaque in a jar for 4.99. The only other colors they had were cadmium orange which I refuse to use do to its toxicity.

Thanks to everyone who has commented on my new banner and the support regarding yesterdays post too.  You are all awesome individuals that I feel blessed to know.

I am obsessed with the Forgotten Garden

I have been obsessed with this book, maybe thats a strong word. Delighted might be a better word, all I know is the author has me in its grips. This is what I want to feel when I pick up a book, engaging characters, a mystery surrounding them, good setting a good story and more. It doesn't happen that often. If you like a good read check it out.

Its set in Australia and Cornwall and surrounds a 4 year old girl found on the docks in Australia, she is adopted by the man who finds her. She grows up and when she is told at 18 about this it drastically changes her life. She feels lost not knowing who she is. She never does find out and the task falls to her granddaughter. I love how the author gives you just a little bit in each time frame to get you interested and eager to know how it ends. I have another two hundred pages before I really find that out. I love being excited about something I am reading.

I have been working on a project in the studio but have nothing to share yet.  I have been getting some wonderful postcards from the DIY postcard swap and as soon as I get them all I will post pictures.

I hosted game night on Friday. Here is Arnie, he was first to arrive and grabbed the plate of chocolate chip cookies I was making. The plate was empty in no time. Luckily it was just the first batch.










Here are Kayla and Amanda Arnie's daughters and that's Tim in the background.  Everyone is all smiles they must be having fun.

This is Kristin with her new boyfriend Kelly. Tim is her dad. She grew up with Sarah. It was good to see her and meet Kelly too.

Jacque and a new gamer Sarah were just cracking up as we played a new game.

Even Jacque's son was enjoying himself. I like how on game night you can have a group of people of all ages and they all get along and have fun together.

The Wolf Moon

Its the Wolf moon tonight. This is my full moon dream board for January.  I am participating along with Jamie Ridler  
 
The first full moon of the year is the Wolf Moon and this is what Jamie says about it. This is the time when the wolves howl. They howl their yearnings. They howl their desires. They howl to connect with one another and to say “I am here!”

She asked these questions:

What are you seeking under this full moon, at the beginning of this new year, as you launch into this new decade? What is your heart yearning for? What is stirring in your heart and soul? What is ready to come into your life, here under the full moon? Howl your desire. We will hear you! To see other dream boards go here

I made some more striped paper and then some postcards for the postcard swap I signed up for.  I continue to love making these papers.

Then I took the left over pink scraps and made a border for a journal page.  I like how it is now,  but I may add something else or just some journaling. Sometimes I have to let pages sit for awhile before I think they are finished.

Winter Blues

Today I was feeling the winter blues so I knew I had to do something before I slip into a full blown depression. So I know that art heals so I headed down to the studio. I had those sheets of paper that I made over the weekend and thought what can I do with them.

First I decided to try a journal page so I took the first page and sewed it right into my paper bag journal. Then I added an image and paint and so forth and journaled all about wanting it to be spring.

So that had been fun, then I decided I would cut the paper up and make postcards. Using a postcard as a template, I traced on the back and cut them out. Then I sewed a piece of cardstock to the back for mailing.










Then I did another one and added this bird by gluing first and then sewing it down, before doing the backing.

 Then I added some collage elements to the next one.










Oh this was starting to get addicting and so much fun.

Now I had only one sheet of paper left. I really find red hard to work with. I should do it more often and maybe I will get over that color hump.














and here is the last one. Gee now I need to make more paper.

after doing all these I thought I may as well sign up for iHanna's postcard swap. I only need to make 4 more and that will be a cinch. You can sign up here.

The next time you are feeling down, try doing some Art, its might be just the thing you need to do to get back to feeling great again.