Sunflowers

Here are some sunflower atcs that I've been working on for a swap. It has challenged me because the flowers have to be painted or hand drawn. I'm doin' my best. I think they're coming out ok. The background of this card is an eraser that I carved and now use as a stamp. I hope the follks who get my cards aren't horrified:) I took the swap because I wanted to do something different and challenge myself. I am still looking for a teaching job, and a bit frustrated at not being hired yet. But I have noticed that I've been wallowing in the pool of self-pity a bit too much. The other day my friend brought me to a picnic with some of her work friends. She knew some of them had kids, so she brought along some construction paper, crayons, etc. Pretty soon she was using index cards and business cards and the kids were lining up to learn how to make the bunny or the frog with origami. Those are the only 2 things she knows how to make, but the kids kept on trying it until they got it, and then happily embellished their froggies or bunnies with yarn, crayons, pom-poms. So I realize I need to take this opportunity to be a bit more childlike and play with stuff a bit more. So I am trying to see art everyday as less of a finished art piece idea and more of playing with art every day. I'm off to a museum tomorrow with a friend and looking forward to some inspiration.

more yellow

Here's another yellow atc.

yellow

Trying to do some art every day. So here are some more yellow atcs that I finished today and will be mailing off for swap. I am also working on a full sized collage - but more to come on that later!

coffee card

Here's my finished coffee collage. About 4 x 6 maybe. The very bottom layer is an experiment with Ranger alcohol inks. This is on poster paper and not true glossy cardstock, so that's why it looks a little different, but I think it adds some stability and interest for the background.

NEW SCANNER!

Finally set up my new scanner, and love it! My art comes out clearer when published to the web. And now I can scan originals, print them, and continue altering. Oh the possibilities are endless! Here is a yellow atc for a swap I'm doing. It's a gessoed playing card dry brushed with yellow paint. The focal image is a cancelled postage stamp from a letter I got, and the corner images are rubber stamped and colored with pencils. I like the yellow - blue combination. And the shell sticker up top picks up some more blue. Too bad I can't get to the beach myself! But creating some art is a type of escape.