Knock Some More Off the List...

So, I actually did what I said I was going to do. How often does THAT happen? Not often, at least not in a timely manner. Anyway, as you can see from the pic, I put together a box of all the stuff on my list, plus a couple extra things I found along the way that I forgot I had (like copper tape, photo corners, etc...) It really is inspiring to have it all RIGHT HERE to my right.

I worked on several more ATCs this evening after everyone was in bed. Sometimes in my head I see these gorgeous dark, vintagey ATCs, but when I work on some, it seem I go for the brighter more cartoonish themes & colors. Maybe that is the way my brain is geared? Towards the goofy? lol I don't care. I love how these turned out for the most part. Lady Heloise I'm not sure about yet (on the right.)

Let's see... just for the record, I used the following from my list:

patterned paper, rubons, tiles (round pink thing), copper tape (a new item to my list), dymo tape, snaps, number stamps, ledger paper (see the clouds?), vellum (new item along with transparencies I forgot I had), big sticker letters. I think that's pretty good! Before you know it, I'll have to make a NEW list of unused items! Won't that be fun? lol

The 'Love Is In The Air' card is inspired by Audrey's 'Indulgence'.
(click for closeups)

Wednesday Stamper Collage

Another good day of painting and collaging with the girls. I just love summer vacation! This is an 8 1/2x11" canvas I did for this week's Wednesday Stamper. The topic is 'Door'. I layer stamped the background (along with book pages and a time card), stamped flowers behind the collaged flowers and stamped in the modeling paste (1 of my items to use this summer). What cha' think?

(click for closeup)

Prioritaire...

Priority. Or priorities.

As my friends would say, I'm obsessive about paint. I never realized this about myself. But whenever we get together to do art, I'm in a bit of a panic if I don't have paint with me. It would kind of be like if you didn't have your cell phone or keys with you (or whatever you can't live without.) Lost. That is the way I feel...

But today, in skipping around from blog to blog and doing some painting (yes, paint again) with the kids, I realized I have so much stuff I'm NOT using when I do art and ATCs. I just tend to stick with either painted or patterned paper backgrounds and minimal embellishments; and whatever is laying around on my desk. I made a mental list (and now a written one) of the things I want to use in the future. I'm going to get a drawer divider and put these things in it and ON my desk so they are more readily seen and I'll use them. So these are my immediate priority to use:

tape measure
modeling paste - used here
rubons - used here
dymo labeler - used here
keys
cheesecloth
scrapbook paper - used here
big letter stickers - used here
tickets
ledger paper - used here
mail stamps
paper lace
can labels
safety pins
string
tiles - used here
needle & thread
washers
crayons & wrappers
snaps - used here
fencing
metal sheeting
number stamps - used here
clear page pebbles
clips
fiber
tags
stencils

added 5/31/07:
copper tape - used here
vellum - used here

transparencies

photo corners

Keep an eye out for creations with these items and if you don't see any, yell at me. What's on your list?

Wednesday Stamper & Creative Muse

(Card is for Wednesday Stamper challenge 'GAMES')

Did you read that recent article by Tim Holtz about him and his work? (Okay, I can't guarantee it was recent because I re-read mags, but I think it was Somerset Studio?) It was so facinating to learn about how he got involved in art and the art business. But the thing that stuck with me the most is what he said about creating. He said, if the creative vibes are still flowing, keep going. (Okay, I was paraphrasing, but I sounded pretty cool there, didn't I?! lol ) What he meant was, it doesn't matter if its 3 am... if you still have ideas coming out of your head and you need to work on them, don't go to bed. You can sleep any old time. He also said, don't force it either. Don't keep trying to work on something when you clearly are not 'getting it' or it's just not working.

All this to say, I have 20+ ATCs to get done this week, and tonight, everytime I put my stuff up to go to bed, another idea popped into my head. So I kept working. It was fun! I really like when the creative muse flows through me. Not that its my best work, but I wasn't stumped, and that is a plus these days, let me tell you! I finished 12 ATCs, plus one for Wednesday Stamper on the subject of Games.

(Click for closeups)






Okay, now I'm REALLY off to bed. What art did you work on today? I wanna see? Talk to you tomorrow!

Bee Hunter, Cats, Friends and Legos

So, today is another no brainer. Family technology viewing as it were. A little bit of TV, and little bit computer (this reminds me of that song "A little bit of Monica in my life, A little bit of Erica by my side", but I digress - lol -- Who is that by?). Although there were those 2 hours that the kids and DH built a small scale model of our house out of legos. Very cool, if you like a rainbow house, treehouse in the front yard, car bigger than our living room... you get the idea. Good ole' family time.

I sat and cleaned my desk and can now proudly say I can see 3/4 of it! I'm ignoring the piles on the floor and pulling out the pink altered book I need to work on before Saturday's Altered Book Club. If you have any inspiring ideas for an AB on 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' (in pink and black) let me know. I'm a bit stumped as usual and again am pushing the project to the last minute. Right now I'm cranking out 20 ATCs for 2 swaps. I'll share when they're done.

In the meantime, I wanted to share some pics I found while cleaning off the disc. Well, these I took today of my little Bee-Hunter. lol The Easter Bunny brought her a bug catcher, but does che want bugs, OH NO!

(Commentary...)
"Mom, see? See the bees? I catched them myself!"



"I caught 6! Only 1 is dead now."



"Can I wait until they're all dead so we can then pin them to a board and study them? I wanna study bees!"

(Do you see that little smirk on her face? A little orneryness showing through!)

The cat and bunny made friends in the windowsill last week.



Although we now realize its not all that cute anymore. The bunny doesn't want to be 'friends'. He wants be soul mates, partners for life! lol That's what happens when you get a whole bunny. Hasn't been fixed yet so he wants to 'play' with the cats. Oy Vey everybody, Oy Vey.

The cats have a new morning hobby. They sit on the couch or floor and stare at the shades. We finally realized they're watching for movement of squirrels or birds. If they see a shadow of such, they dive at the shades. Hence, the ripped shades I now need to replace. *eyeroll*

Okay, I've amused myself, and possibly you for long enough. Back to ATCs. What is happening in your house today?

Ramblings

Today (Sunday) was spent in a lazy, not moving kind of a way. With a sinus cold, I didn't want to do more than sleep, read and surf fellow artists' blogs. It was a good day. Mom called from the beach (I'm sure to torture my beach deprived soul.) They're having the grandest time at a resort on St. Simons Island, Georgia before heading back to the house in Atlanta tomorrow. House is still for sale, can't imagine someone not wanting to buy it. I love the house and wish they could just cart it up here to Missouri to live in.

Tonight DH smoked a rack of ribs for over 4 hours. They were so yummy. Unfortunately, the whole thing wasn't for me. lol I had to share. He is getting better and is practicing for a men's group cookout at our church next month. So you KNOW I'll be eating well for the next month. *wink* Wanna come over to eat? lol

DD and I finally organized all the homeschool books and stuff lining the hallway out to the garage. I kept saying I was going to list them on eBay. *eyeroll* Who has the time? There is a homeschool used curriculum sale coming up in a couple weeks so we're almost ready with our stuff. Hurrah, to getting something else cleaned up!

Do you have a list for summer? I haven't officially committed anything to paper yet, but its in my brain. Paint DD's room. Finish other DD's room and move her back in. Finish basement and move art room down there. Fix shower. Fix air conditioner. Start a canvas collage series. Start a color collage series. Paint the bathroom and decorate it finally. Buy a dining room table. What's on your list? I'd like to see...

I've been reading back issues of ARTitudeZine that my friend Kersten shared with me. At first, if you're a visual person like me, you look at the magazines and go 'ehhhh' with your nose curled up. It's mostly a black and white publication. I'm all for color to stimulate my brain. However, as you start reading articles, how tos and visiting links and sites noted in the mag, it becomes a favorite thing to have around. Plus, the back cover is ephemera for you to use in art. You can't go wrong with that! You should read this mag!

I'm sure I've talked about THE SALE before, but just had to talk about it again. The local church has a twice yearly sale to benefit a local assisted living home. It's almost here! I don't know what it is about this garage sale, but I LIVE for it twice a year. I find so much stuff at it for my art; papers, stickers, vintage fabric, lace and trims, wallpaper, doilies, ribbon, tins, stamps, ephemera, old books, etc, plus homeschool materials and books as well... I know my DH grimaces when he drives by the church and see the sign announcing the sale. I'm sure he wishes I was sick while the sign is up so I don't know. He doesn't know me very well. I have that sucker written in my calendar! lol It starts June 6th. I'll let you know about the goodies I find this year.

I'm up late because I slept half the day away, but I need to try to sleep so I can break the cycle of late nights, so I'm heading to bed. Hoping tomorrow holds a healthy art filled day for me with lots of barbequed meat and corn on the cob. Happy weekend everyone!

P.S. Was flipping around from one blog leading to another, to another and so on. Found this one. She has a weekly 'art card challenge'. You know how I *heart ATCs*. I think I might try to catch up when I have a moment. Wanna play along?

Free Day

First free day from homeschool. What shall I accomplish? Might it be shopping? Catch up on laundry? Dishes? Organize something? ... What, are you nuts? I did art! Of course nature rewarded me with a sinus cold but I plugged along and made things anyway. Sharing what I worked on. Some of these ATCs I already posted, but they're all for a color ATC swap (1 color per card - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Aqua, Purple, Pink, Brown, White, Black, Metallics) so I took a pic all together.

Worked on my new 'technique' book for altered book club. Each month we'll try out new techniques in class and I need a space to do that in, so just used an old Readers Digest book. Wove fibers through plastic screening with the kids other day in preparation of this cover. Working on painting a couple pages inside. I'll share some of that later. (I put the glass bottle there so you could see the danglies.)

DH just informed me that they checked on the yard guests without me and he has grown. Of course they didn't take a picture, so I'll post one soon. I can't wait to see!

No Wit, Just Art

I'm too tired to be my normal witty and charming self, so I'm just posting art I made today (The first pic is 1 Inch pieces of art -- Inchies Art -- which seem to be so popular. The 2nd pic is an altered envelope for a swap). Enjoy!

Okay, wait, I'll share one thing. DD is doing an end of the year homeschool history project for me (the teacher). She chose to study several fashion designers (I think Chanel is one of her favs), tell me about them (in written or verbal report form) and then make something artsy to go with the report. She decided to take parts she loves of different designers' styles and put them together in a paper/fabric dress. If you'll look closely, she used dictionary pages for the bodice, tulle at the top, curtain sheer for the skirt (with dictionary pages as an underlay but you can't see it very well in the pic.) She even blew up zip loc bags and taped them to the mat board under the skirt part to make it 'poof' out. Isn't that inventive? She is 14. This is going to hang on the wall in her room.

Weekend Art

(ATC inspired by our new yard-guests... see last post)

Can you tell I'm SO ready for summer? This is what? 3 posts in 3 days? Lots of art going on this weekend. I'm feeling down right sociable! Come talk with me!

We beautified the backyard today. Good news, it looks all clipped and clean, yet woodsy with all the trees and vines we left. We had a great time cleaning it up as a family, then barbequing and playing a rousing game of Apples to Apples. Bad news. I noticed the cement patio is more profoundly cracked than last year, and the rebar (wordoftheday: a steel rod with ridges for use in reinforced concrete) is visable sticking out of the house where the cement should be, as well as deep crevices. So we discussed the possibility of having someone come build us a deck. I think it would be best maybe to do it ourselves. After all we're not incapable (famous last words I'm sure.) We'll keep thinking on it but boy would it be nice to have a wooden deck.

In between morning church, afternoon yardwork, shopping and family time... I did manage to sneak in some art. Several ATCs and a card:

Birdland

It's been an eventful weekend so far. DH had off from work for a couple days. He proceeded to spend them fixing things up around here, which is such a nice blessing. My overhead fan works, sink isn't clogged, the yard no longer has leaves. So many other things were fixed as well. I love this man! While he was in the backyard mowing, he noticed in a low branch that a mother bird had made a nest. It's kind of a precarious position because vines are wound around the branch and DD frequently likes to play with said vines. So after showing her the adorable nest, taking pics of its contents, we discussed with her what would happen if she played on the vine. Catapulted baby and egg. And we don't want THAT to happen!



Seeing the bird inspires me to create something with birds on it, to commemorate the discovery. I'm in art mode again. Off to create.

Show me your bird creations! Have a favorite bird stamp or stickers? I wanna see! Share.

Breathe with me

I can see the light at the end of tunnel. It's faint, but it's there. Homeschool ends for the school year next FRIDAY! As much as I love working with and teaching my children, we need a break. They don't have anymore room in their head for information to be crammed in. They need months of not thinking, doing whatever their creative minds need to do.

My creative spirit needs some time to ME now. I've been reorganizing my art room this week. Okay, can we really call it 'reorganizing' at this stage (stop laughing at me Trisha and Rhonda)? I'm always having to do this. It's a perpetual thing. New stuff comes in (although I really TRY not to buy new stuff) and I get tired of using some things. Or I use stuff and make a huge pile-o-mess next to and on my desk, which needs cleaning up. You creative types know what I'm talking about. Hey! Since I'm cleaning out my art room, if anyone reading this is interested in trading a stuffed ziploc bag full of ephemera and embellishments for altering, I would be game. I like older, vintage type stuff.

I'm sitting here thinking about all the things I want to work on this summer. I've been reading so many inspiring books that my brain is in overload!

Altered Books, Collaborative Journals, and other Adventures in Bookmaking
Collage for the Soul
Collage Sourcebook
Kaleidoscope
La Casa Loca
Transparent Art
Fabric memory books
The altered object
The new creative artist
True Colors : A Palette of Collaborative Art Journals
Altered Books Materials Guide
Altered Books Special Effects

We're using the last 2 books for inspiration for the Altered Book Club I attend once a month. It's been so great getting to know the ladies there. Some real talent! We work in each other's books in a round robin process, AND we trade ATCs for fun. I look forward to our meetings. I finally threw my 'book' in the ring to play along in the RR. You can see what it looks like in a previous post. I worked on one of the lady's books this last month. Her theme was Philippians 4: 8. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." My first page spread was all about 'pure'. I cut niche's through to the next spread. On the 'pure' page, the glass windows say 'true, noble, right'. On the next spread the topic is noble. I thought of kings and castles. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out although the wiring in of the windows was a pain in my nose. (Click on them to see a closeup)



Update on my reading book club... We finished 'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'. It's set in Botswana of all places and I loved it! I'm onto the 2nd in the series, 'Tears of the Giraffe'. I think there are 8 in the series... Read them!

Okay, back to working on cleaning up my art room. I want to be able to sit here and watch a movie (Because I Said So) tonight while making ATCs. Right now I'm listening to the soothing songs of a french CD, 'French Cuisine'. You can get it at the library like I do. I'm finally starting to feel calm after a whole year of homeschooling... deep breath everyone. Breathe with me; in-out-in-out...